In “Hero Complex,” the arts-geek blog of the L.A. Times, Josh Neufeld reflects on his experience of reporting, writing, and illustrating A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge for the past year and a half. His short essay will also appear in the print edition of the paper later this week.

Earlier this month, one of A.D.’s real-life characters, Leo McGovern, wrote a guest post on what it felt like to have his story told via a comic, and his life after Katrina—and now Gustav. Last year, Larry Smith recorded a short interview with Leo and his wife Michelle about what it felt like to lose everything.

Finally, next year, an expanded A.D. book comes out from Pantheon Books. Thanks for everyone’s great comments, clicks, and support throughout this intense and wonderful project.

It’s with bittersweetness that I’m here to tell you that Chapter 13 of A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is up. Bittersweet as it’s the penultimate chapter on SMITH, and I’m getting wistful already. We’re wrapping up the story in this space for a great reason: Josh needs to focus on expanding it into a full-length book which will be published by Pantheon Books in summer, 2009. We could not be happier that the story of Denise, Leo, Michelle, Hamid, Kevin, and the Doctor will be told in greater detail and reach a new audience with the help of folks who are the absolute best in the business (they published Persepolis, among others).

In this installment, “If It’s the Last Thing We Ever Do,” Denise and her family are still trapped at the New Orleans Convention Center. (more…)