Did you get your Division 18 buttons from the Silent Devil booth at the New York Comic Con this past February? If you’re lucky, maybe we’ll make some more.

If you’re itching for some union action, but can’t wait for the book to hit stores in October, you can get your D18 fix every Friday (give or take) at PopCultureShock.com’s “I Love the Indies” blog. In-character commentary on the latest comic and pop-culture nonsense from the union’s own Snake & Lou.

If you enjoy the philosophical brain droppings from fictional characters about The Sopranos finale, Vince McMahon, schoolgirl panties, and everything in between (the topics, not the panties), then check out the “I Love the Indies” perma-link in the sidebar.

Los Angeles—Silent Devil Productions announced today the addition of Division 18: The Union of Novelty Costumed Performers to its release schedule. The black-and-white comedy by newcomers Matt Bergin and Jeremy Donelson is set to run 3 issues starting in October 2007.

(Read the full Press Release on Comic Book Resources)

OK, so the news is three months old… but we just re-launched our site and we wanted to lead with something exciting!

So start savin’ those pennies and, more importantly, start bugging your local comic store owner today!

Trendiness is next to godliness — that’s why Division 18 is on MySpace! Add us as a friend at myspace.com/division18

Every mug in a costume doesn’t join the Union, as you’ll see in these pencils from Issue #1. Meet Al E. Gator, costume rip-off artist and scab extraordinaire.

You can also get a peek at how much unnecessary labor I put into my pencils. I’m inking them myself! What’s the point?! I don’t know. To make things even more time-consuming, I do my pencils on drawing paper, then tape them down on a light-box and ink on a separate, clean piece of that bleed-proof pen & ink paper (I like the surface better than bristol board).

I’m basically a glutton for punishment. But believe me, I’ve got nothing on Al E. Gator, cruising around River City in that get-up without a Union Card…

(click to enlarge)

The Diamond Codes are in for August’s Previews, and Division 18: The Union of Novelty Costumed Performers is Spotlighted!

AUG07 3960 DIVISION 18 UNION OF COSTUMED PERFORMERS #1 (Of 3)

The first issue hits stores in October and the title WILL be longer (you can’t break us, Diamond)!

That’s where you’ll find us in the new issue of Previews — page 339! Not exactly sure how “River City” became “a river city” in our blurb, or why our black and white comic isn’t labeled “B+W” like just about every other book on the page… but does any of that really matter? Hell, Silent Devil’s first press release about us had the name of the comic wrong. It’s water under the bridge. What doesn’t kill this comic only makes it stronger. Cart before the horse! Counting chickens!! Cliche!!!

Sorry… just got a little excited there.

My point: Mascots, Furries, and thugs in costumes have been clamoring for proper representation in the comic book world for ages (haven’t they?), and now they have it! Tell a friend. Tell an enemy. Division 18: The Union of Novelty Costumed Performers #1 is ready for order!

AUG07 3960 DIVISION 18 UNION OF COSTUMED PERFORMERS #1 (Of 3)

We know you’ve already ordered several dozen copies of Division 18 #1 (due to stores in October), but are you as excited as we are for Division 18 #2? We won’t even talk about the awesomeness that is going to be Division 18 #3 yet…

Check out the Division 18 page at ComicSpace.com, a neat little networking community for people in and around the comic book industry. It’s like MySpace, but without the spam and pedophiles!

 …well, the spam for sure.

Jen Contino’s interview with Division 18 writer and co-creator, Matt Bergin (ie, me!) is up at The Pulse. Check it out and leave a comment to show your support for the Union.

Now all we need is for me to get busted on a DUI or for Jeremy to flash his vagina to the paparazzi, and this comic will be HUGE! We’re going to make dozens of dollars from this!!!