Welcome back to another installment of Indie Comics Showcase, the weekly blog where we signal boost a few truly independent comics that are currently crowdfunding their projects, crowdsourcing their funding in some way, or just completely self-publishing on their own. Every little bit of support for these creators matters, from a single dollar pledge to the twenty-five dollar bundle, and of course the higher tiers are usually fun too! Even if you can’t back a campaign or buy a book, you can share or tweet about these projects to your friends and followers.
On Indie Comics Showcase, we interview the creators, show off some art, and tell you how you can check out the product for yourself. Below we have some outstanding crowdfunding campaigns this week for you to learn about, enjoy, and hopefully support by backing one or more of them! Thanks for checking these out and for being the best part of Indie Comics Showcase. Let’s jump in!
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Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Let’s kick things off—what’s the quick pitch for Pyro Vixen #1?
Luis Torres: A fire-powered vixen falls under the control of a manipulative crime lord. Pyro Vixen #1: Smoke & Fire is a dark superhero thriller about power, obsession, and revenge, following Serena Cruz as she battles to reclaim her freedom and burn down the empire that tried to own her. Published by Codex Comics.
CB: What sparked the idea for this story, and what pushed you toward self-publishing it?
LT: I mainly write supernatural erotic horror and was asked when I would be putting something out in the superhero genre. So, I created the Glasverse, and characters just started popping out at me.
CB: Who do you see as the core audience for this book?
LT: Codex Comics publications are primarily aimed toward more mature, open-minded adult readers. Our stories include all the makings of a horror movie—gore, sex, and violence—but in a tasteful way.
CB: How would you describe your creative style, and how has your process evolved over time?
LT: I have only been putting out indie comics for the past ten years. I have worked with so many artists and indie publishers like Naughty Fairies and Outpost Studios. Throughout the years of networking, I have gotten so much direction and helpful insight from others who have been in the game much longer.
CB: Who are the key collaborators who helped bring this project to life?
LT: Anthony Diaz on interior inks and Ibrahim Ayden on interior colors are two artists that I have worked with for many years on various releases.
CB: Where are things at in terms of production, and how does the crowdfunding fit into that process?
LT: The book is completed, and the funds generated on the crowdfunding campaign on kickstarter.com and fundmycomic.com will be used for production as well as shipping.
CB: What lessons have you taken away from the self-publishing and crowdfunding side of this?
LT: What I have learned from this experience is you have to stay on top of things and stay in constant communication with buyers and artists. Things can quickly be forgotten for people without a million-dollar advertising budget.
CB: Looking ahead, what’s next for you and the Glasverse?
LT: Our current titles are Lili the Demoness, Ace & Starlet, Whisper in Necropolis, VR XOXO, and the new Glasverse series, with many, many one-shot origin stories already in the works.
CB: Before we wrap up, is there anything else you want readers to know?
LT: Pyro Vixen was mentioned, and I was quoted in an article on Bleeding Cool when Stripe, about a month ago, started closing down many Kickstarter campaigns due to censorship. This campaign on FundMyComic and a more friendly campaign on Kickstarter are trying to make up for the losses. The campaign that was shut down had 18 days left and was sitting at just over 10.5k. With the new policies on Kickstarter, this new campaign isn’t doing so “hot,” not being able to show everything that it has to offer to backers.
Check out the campaign here!
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Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Give us the big-picture pitch—what can readers expect from Huntsman #9?
Dennis Mallonee: IT’S THE CROSSOVER YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! It’s the HUNTSMAN and ETERNITY SMITH together with PSYCHE and SKYLARK SMITH in the long-awaited crossover event that features the return of the villainous LORD SARDONIC, with a fabulous cover by Ulderico Fioretti. Also in this issue, from out of the pages of Psyche’s WitchGirls Inc comic book, it’s a goofy little four-page adventure starring the young SGT. FURRY, by Dennis Mallonee and the late, great J. Adam Walters. PLUS! Get ready for Part One of the origin of the swashbuckling RED RAPIER, written by his creator David Berge, illustrated by Leo Cordeiro.
CB: This issue has a deeper story behind it—can you talk about how it came together and why it was important to bring it to print?
DM: This was our friend and long-time Huntsman writer Steve Perrin’s final Huntsman story. After writing the plot, Steve sadly passed away before he could complete the script, but we weren’t about to let it go unpublished. We think you’ll agree that Steve did a wonderful job of tying it all together in a single 28-page story we also think you’ll very much enjoy.
CB: Who do you think this issue will resonate with the most?
DM: If you like superheroes who act like heroes, this is a comic book for you.
CB: What was your approach to scripting this issue, especially working from Steve Perrin’s plot?
DM: In this case, I was working on scripting Giancarlo Caracuzzo’s artwork from a rough plot by the late Steve Perrin. I just hope the dialogue does Steve’s story justice.
CB: You’ve got a strong lineup of contributors here—who helped bring this issue together?
DM: A very talented international team worked on this issue. Italy’s Giancarlo Caracuzzo drew the Huntsman story. Brazil’s Leo Cordeiro drew the Red Rapier story. And our own J Adam Walters drew the Sgt Furry story. Heroic Publishing’s vice president, David Berge, made a rare creative appearance writing the story for his creation, the Red Rapier.
CB: How does your production process typically work, and where does this issue currently stand?
DM: Generally, the plot gets written including quite a bit of dialogue, which then gets sent to the artist. As art gets turned in, final scripting and lettering are done, then the finished pages get sent out for coloring. There’s still some work to do on the Red Rapier story. Everything else is ready to go.
CB: What are you hoping to learn or gauge from the response to this Kickstarter?
DM: I am curious to see what sort of response the Kickstarter for this issue gets. Our most popular characters have always been our heroines, including Flare, the G-Girl, and Liberty Girl. Let’s see how well this issue of the Huntsman does.
CB: Looking beyond this issue, what’s next for the Huntsman and your broader publishing plans?
DM: This is the final issue of the Huntsman comic book, but the Huntsman himself will continue to appear across the entire line of Heroic Publishing comic book titles. Part Two of the Red Rapier origin story is scheduled to appear in the upcoming Champions Adventures #17.
CB: Are there any fun extras or special features in this issue that readers should keep an eye out for?
DM: The Liberty Girl puts in a bonus appearance talking about Federalist #20, an essay written in 1787 by none other than Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.
CB: Any final thoughts before we wrap things up?
DM: Just take a look. We think you’ll like it. Learn more at heroicmultiverse.com/heroicpub/huntsman.
Check out the campaign here!
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That’s it for this installment. If you’re a creator ramping up your own campaign or have a comic available for purchase online and you want to be featured in our weekly column, click here so we can hopefully help you get more eyes on YOUR crowdfunding comic project. Until next time, support indie comics!
English (US) · 