Just in time for the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (and in the shadow of the approaching Tropical Storm Gustav), SMITH has just posted the final chapter of "A.D."

Finally, after a year and a half, and 15 chapters, "A.D." concludes its online run with a final look at all our characters. In this extra-long chapter — which picks up a year and a half after the hurricane — we find out about Denise’s escape from the Convention Center; Hamid & Mansell’s rescue from the flooded store; Kevin’s years-long odyssey; the Doctor’s formation of the New Orleans Health Dept. in Exile; and Leo & Michelle’s return to their flooded home. And your humble author even makes a guest appearance.

On this third anniversary of Katrina (and on behalf of SMITH), I want to thank every reader, blogger, journalist, and teacher who believed in "A.D." And of course a special thanks to Denise, the Doctor, Leo, Michelle, Hamid, and Kevin, all of whom courageously and graciously shared their stories with us.

Now, I will get to work on expanding "A.D." into a full-length book from Pantheon (due out NEXT summer, on Katrina’s 4th anniversary).

Read "A.D."’s final online installment: "Picking Up the Pieces": http://www.smithmag.net/afterthedeluge/2008/08/28/chapter-14/

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge returns with a new installment, “If It’s The Last Thing We Ever Do…” Denise and her family are still trapped at the New Orleans Convention Center. The New Orleans police roll by in armored SWAT vehicles, with rifles loaded — but no food or water. This penultimate chapter of the A.D. saga on SMITH tells the real story of what went down at the Convention Center in the days after Hurricane Katrina.

A.D. Chapter 13 — FREE — on SMITH.

Just posted on the spiffy redesigned SMITH site is A.D. Chapter 10: “Something In The Water.” In this episode, the Doctor administers first aid to Katrina survivors gathered at (of course) a Bourbon Street bar. Meanwhile, Hamid & Mansell wade through the chest-high flood waters to bring much needed drinking water to an elderly neighbor. Back in Tallahassee, Kevin and his brothers learn the extent and seriousness of the flooding. And Denise and her family arrive at the Convention Center. And of course the A.D. site features all the usual links, resources, audio clips, press clips, and message board chatter.

Check out Chapter 10 — FREE — on Smith…

After a bit of a hiatus, A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is back, with a new installment, “Neutral Ground.” In this chapter, we check in with Hamid & Mansell as they wake up from a long night on the roof of Hamid’s maintenance shed. The mosquitoes were out in full force — and other critters are about as well. Meanwhile, Denise & her family have momentarily escaped the water, and are waiting for transport out of the flooded city. And in Houston, Leo & Michelle are using the Internet to determine how much water hit their neighborhood. It is Wednesday, August 31, two days after Katrina.

Check out Chapter 9 — FREE — on Smith…

Chapter 8, the latest episode of A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, is now up at SMITH. Titled “The Bowl Effect, Part 2,” it shows the post-Katrina flooding of New Orleans — through the eyes of grocery store-owner Hamid and his pal Mansell. Reluctant to abandon the store and fearful of looters, the two men hunker down in the rising waters.

Check it out here (where you can also catch up with the whole story, from the very first chapter, as well as read a sampling of some of the wonderful media coverage we’ve been receiving).

Please leave a comment on the site, if you’re so inclined! We love feedback.

Also, if you’re in NYC this evening, why not drop by the Comic Book Club: A Live Weekly Talk Show about Comic Books. Hosted by Justin Tyler, Pete LePage, and Alex Zalben, it features dangoldman aka Dan Goldman (Shooting War),jahfurry aka Jeff Newelt (SMITH Comix Editor, Heeb), and 4_eyez aka Josh Neufeld aka yours truly (A.D., American Splendor)

Tuesday, November 20 @ 8:00 PM.
The Peoples Improv Theater: 154 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor (between 6th and 7th Aves.)
Tickets: $5
Phone: 1-800-838-3006; Questions? 212-563-7488

In A.D. chapter 7, “The Bowl Effect (Part 1),” just posted on SMITH, Hurricane Katrina has finally passed New Orleans. Hamid & Mansell emerge from the store, blinking in the sunlight, ecstatic to have survived the storm.

But then things begin to change…

In A.D. chapter 6, “Flotsam & Jetsam,” we discover how Denise withstands the hurricane in her apartment. (Answer: just barely.) In addition, we check in with our other characters, including The Doctor and his guests in the French Quarter, Hamid and Mansell at the grocery store in Uptown, Kevin and his family in Tallahassee, and Leo and Michelle in Houston. It is Monday, August 29, 2005, and no one is aware that the levees have been breached.

I worked my butt off to get this new chapter done in time for Katrina’s second anniversary. In fact, to get it done for the Sunday before Katrina’s second anniversary. And it paid off, as the outside world has really begun to pay attention to A.D. In the past week alone, A.D. was featured in: