Norm Harper

@thatnormdude

Eisner-nominated comic writer & LEGO blogger. He/Him. ironbargecomic.com

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Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Jul 9

Excited to announce I just got a promotion! I haven’t been with the organization for very long, but I feel like it’s a role I was destined for.

My hand holding up the new Studio Series Matrix of Leadership.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Jul 8

A mark!

The new Studio Series 86 Starscream standing triumphantly on a pile of previous Seeker toys.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Jul 4

My founding fathers

Really old catalog art of the Transformers engaged in battle across space.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Jul 1

It’s like they all just stepped off the screen. My inner child is ecstatic.

A third party G1 Ark playset featuring Studio Series 86 Shockwave, Soundwave, Megatron, Skywarp, and Thundercracker ruining the Autobots’ good time.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Jun 2

The Iron Barge is on a small hiatus while we get the print version of Book 2 finalized, but we're still updating the site with some bonus material. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

A close up of documents with a picture of a beaver dressed like a clown paperclipped on. What we can read of the documents says

THE BIG TOP RECORD OF INCARCERATION

SUBJECT: Zig-Zag
SPECIES: Beaver
CRIME: Illegal Distillation
AUTHORIZED BY: Ringmaster Maloney

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· May 27

Celebrate World Otter Day by reading the best otter-led comic ever, by @megacarter.bsky.social and I. ironbargecomic.com?pg=2#showComic

A cropped panel from The Iron Barge, featuring Brook the otter and her father, Atwater, on the bridge of their boat.

Brook: "Where to next, pa?"
Atwater: "Good question. Check the map for me."
Brook: "Hmm...looks like our next stop is..."

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· May 11

This week on The Iron Barge: The writer rediscovers a line he wrote three years ago and makes himself laugh all over again. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. A kebab cart smashes into the pavement with a loud CRUNCH, right next to Brook the otter and Porter the pirate lemur. Brook reels back in surprise, "What in the..."

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· May 4

This week on The Iron Barge: Lunchtime! And also violence. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. An orangutan operating a meat skewer cart plates two skewer for an intimidating polar bear.

Orangutan: Hey, Rocks. How about two? Big fella like you's gotta keep his strength up. On the house.

Rocks: No, I'll pay. I always pay when I owe someone.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 27

This week on The Iron Barge: Brook gets a taste of big city life. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. A bustling downtown city street corner filled with animals of all sizes, going about their day as if they were the human citizens of the city.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 24

WE DID IT!!! There's still plenty of time to climb aboard The Iron Barge, but this boat is setting sail for certain now.

A screenshot of The Iron Barge Book Two Kickstarter, with the funding number of $14,606 of the $14,587 goal circled in red.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 24

$14,000 and 36 hours to go!

A screenshot of the The Iron Barge Book Two Kickstarter showing we’re at $14,000 of our $14,623 goal (converted from Canadian)

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 23

95%!!!!

A screenshot of Kickstarter showing that The Iron Barge Book Two is 95% funded with one day left.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 20

This week on The Iron Barge: Brook holds tightly to two things, a troublesome pirate and hope. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. Otter Brook grabs Porter by the collar of his vest to yell at him. 'I ain't assumin' nothin'!'

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 19

Porter was born into a pirate society, but made his living treasure hunting instead. When he uncovered a dangerous secret buried in the desert sands, he gave up his own freedom to ensure it never got out. But his brother, Captain Moorn, will do anything to gain the forbidden knowledge for himself...

A cropped panel from The Iron Barge, Porter the aye-aye sits looking solemn with his hands bound at the wrists in front of him.

Captain Moorn, an aye-aye like Porter, stis on a throne made of plastic skeleton parts, decorated with bright paint. A bat hangs in the corner behind him.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 18

Don't listen to rumors, learn the facts about the jailbreak for yourself at ironbargecomic.com And then hit Kickstarter to make sure you'll stay in the know on the continuing developments of this important news story.

A cropped panel from the Iron Barge Book Two. A wolverine (the animal, not the mutant) in the foreground says "You lot heard the rumors about what happened aboard the Iron Barge today? I hear tell there was a jailbreak." In the background, our heroes Porter and Brook try not to be noticed.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 18

Happy Superman Day

A LEGO scene featuring Batman in the foreground facing away from camera. Up in the sky, Superman holds the Batmobile above his head with one arm.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 17

I think this is what happens if you kill Charlie Brown’s parents.

A short sleeve yellow pullover shirt with a black lapels and the bat symbol on the front.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 15

We just hit $10,000!!!! (US, we hit $10K Canadian a bit ago) www.kickstarter.com/projects/meg...

A screen shot of The Iron Barge Book 2 Kickstarter page, showing the total at $10,000

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 14

We're about 2/3rds of the way through the campaign for The Iron Barge Book 2, and also about 2/3rds of the way to our goal! Don't wait any longer, come and join the crew of The Iron Barge. www.kickstarter.com/projects/meg...

An otter and a lemur run through a futuristic environment.

A lemur winces and falls as something explodes above him

A control room full of animals at monitoring stations and giant viewscreens depicting our heroes on the run.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 13

This week on The Iron Barge: Brook and Porter discuss how some things that the humans left have become a finite resource. Pointless world building or vital plot information? I'LL NEVER TELL! Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. An otter wearing a green cloak and carrying a flashlight reacts angrily to an aye-aye lemur.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 12

It's a story about pirates and mobsters, sheriffs and prison guards, and the artificial lines we draw between them all. (3/4)

A white tiger, licking his lips with his teeth bared and saying "Butch, let's send a message."

A gibbon sheriff secures the lock on a cage holding a beaver. Behind them, a bear is shackled in chains.

The otter Brook stands amongst a collection of empty cages on the Iron Barge.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 12

It's about the line between morality and legality. It's about the ways in which we atone for our sins, and about what even counts as a sin in the first place. (2/4)

A cropped panel from The Iron Barge, featuring the lemur Porter expressing the idea that laws are bound to the civilization that wrote them, while the larger issues of right and wrong aren't limited to where you are.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 12

Okay, so The Iron Barge is about animals in Las Vegas and there's been an apocalyptic event that wiped out the humans...but what's it REALLY about? (1/4)

The cover to The Iron Barge Book 2; a monorail travels through a ruined city as, in the foreground, a group of scavenging animals look on.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 11

Hasbro is on an apology tour for killing Optimus Prime, but all I want is an apology for making me wait 40 years to get a Hot Rod toy in the correct colors.

A toy of the Autobot Hot Rod finally rendered in his screen accurate pink-y magenta color.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 9

Half way there! www.kickstarter.com/projects/meg...

A screenshot of the Iron Barge Book 2 Kickstarter page, showing we just crossed 50%

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 6

This week on The Iron Barge: Time to pivot. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

Cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. A pirate lemur asks 'So, you still plan to deliver me?' An otter wearing a green cloak and carrying a large flashlight turns to look at him.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Apr 5

Feel like hunting for Easter Eggs? @megacarter.bsky.social and I tried to maximize the number of 'em we could fit into The Iron Barge Book 2, on Kickstarter now. www.kickstarter.com/projects/meg...

Two panels from The Iron Barge Book 2. The first shows a cheetah, rhino, and gorilla standing together. The second panel is a close up of a rat saying "We're all gonna die..."

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Mar 30

One of our new campaign rewards on The Iron Barge Book 2 is a writer's workshop Zoom. I'll read your work - pitch or script pages - and offer advice, discuss improvements and answer your questions. 1/6 www.kickstarter.com/projects/megacarter/iron-barge-book-two

A screen cap of the Writer's Workshop tier from our Kickstarter. "Meet with Norm Harper for a 30 minute, one-on-one online session to workshop your story and/or pitch idea!
The backer may submit up to 10-pages of either comic script or pitch/concept doc ahead of the call.

This reward also includes a physical copy of Iron Barge Book Two."

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Mar 30

This week on The Iron Barge: Brook and Porter are out of the water, but are their troubles just beginning? Yes. The answer is yes. Read today's page www.ironbargecomic.com Read from the start ironbargecomic.com?pg=1#showComic

cropped panel from the comic THE IRON BARGE. An otter wearing a green cloak is crouched on a ledge, pulling an aye-aye lemur out of dark, murky water. A flashlight sits on the ground next to the otter, shining a light on a the lemur.

Norm Harper@thatnormdude· Mar 29

Remember when I said this? Well, we’re there now! The Mothership is an advanced society with a big part to play in this chapter. The Iron Barge Book 2 is on Kickstarter now. www.kickstarter.com/projects/meg...