We had the pleasure of chatting with Picture Books Productions all about what it is like being an indie creator & their comics! Be sure to check it out to learn more about what it is like being a comic creator, perhaps you will find some inspiration to continue your craft!
SUPPORT & READ
1.What initially inspired you to become a creator, and how has that inspiration evolved throughout your creative journey?
When I was around 10 years old, I stumbled upon a stash of comics at a friend’s house. I loved watching cartoons on TV, but comic books were in my hands! It wasn’t very long after that I teamed up with friends to try to create our own characters and stories. Other interests and demands in life came up, and even though I kept reading comic books, I stopped trying to make them.
2.Can you share a specific moment or experience that fueled your passion for your current creative project?
My current project, The Return of Jake Sunrise, started out in high school with a great friend of mine. Together, we came up with all sorts of ideas for different projects. But again, other things in life took precedence, and those characters and stories were put aside.
Time on this story didn’t so much pass but rather built up, until eventually it felt like I HAD to make it. I couldn’t let go of Jake, and spent more and more time in his Low Midnight of the Mind. Weird west, or horror westerns, had been done before, but I felt this world was different. It’s gritty and violent, sure, but it’s a place of symbols and metaphor. Not quite a nightmare, more like a dark dream.
3.What challenges have you encountered as an indie creator, and how have they shaped your approach to your work?
I don’t draw, letter, flat, or color; I only write. That means getting a single page made costs about $200 to finish. To get the stories that I wanted told within a manageable budget meant that I had to develop a sort of “compressed” style of storytelling. I therefore always focus on the essentials of the plot and character arcs and aim to convey the story in the least number of scenes. Each issue of The Return of Jake Sunrise is its own story, and I hope each one feels complete.
4.Are there any particular creators who have significantly influenced your style or approach? How do you incorporate those influences into your own unique voice?
I grew up reading Claremont’s X-Men, and discovered Alan Moore and Grant Morrison in high school. But more than those, I would say Wendy Pini and her husband, Richard – the creators of Elfquest. Elfquest was such a peculiar passion project, but done with such unwavering commitment to the vision. Yet, at the same time, its story was so universal that it was the only comic I could get anyone else in my family to read. When I was young, my family went on a road trip and I got my brother and mom to read it. They both read every single issue because they were hooked. I would be overjoyed if I could write stories that people can connect with like that!
5.How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your artistic vision and adapting to feedback from your audience or collaborators?
When it comes to artistic vision, I’m not very balanced at all: I write the stories that come to mind. However, I am always asking myself why readers would care, and solicit feedback from the other members of my creative team. I’m mindful that stories only come alive when they are read; without the reader, a story is static.
I also love when readers reach out to share their favorite parts, or bring up points of confusion or criticism. It can be challenging to hear critical feedback but it helps me grow (so uncomfortable)!
6.Can you recall a memorable success story or milestone in your indie creator journey that stands out as a turning point for you?
Holding that first printed comic. I think that feeling only happens once, but it was confirmation that the struggle was worth it to me.
7.What role do setbacks or failures play in your creative process, and how do you overcome them to keep moving forward?
There are so many setbacks and failures. So, so many ha ha… ahem. They can be disheartening, but they remind me that I’m not making comics for income or notoriety. I keep wanting to create comics regardless of the failures because it’s my greatest passion, and it’s fulfilling to realize my dream. The struggles help me to discover how important this is to me, and to see that I can continue to work hard to overcome the setbacks and failures.
8.How do you manage your time and energy to sustain a consistent creative output while juggling other aspects of life?
Trying to self-publish as a writer can be really time-consuming. I have to take on a lot of different roles, without neglecting any given role too much. It can be quite the juggling act! I find it’s best for me to work on certain stages by themselves, rather than trying to sort of do the whole thing all at once.
My process for the 6-issue series began with writing two stories in my spare time after work. Then I created the series outline, which I sent to Leland Bjerg, my editor. I found Lee when I read a thoughtful comment he left on a post, so you never know where you’ll find someone great to work with. After we discussed the issue order for the series, I wrote the first issue (the ones I had written previously became #2 & #4) and sent that off to Lee. Once revisions were settled, I sent the script off to the line artist, Abray Tart, while I searched for part-time jobs to fund the whole thing.
At that point, the process becomes less creative for me. As a self-published writer, my role switches over to something more similar to a director, producer, and marketer. I check out the pages from the artist to make sure everything fits the script and such, then send pages off to the flatter. I adjust any colors on the flats as necessary, and then send that off to the colorist. Once he’s finished coloring the book, it gets sent off to the letterer. Outside of my full-time job and part-time jobs, I fund the series through crowdfunding on Kickstarter, direct sales through my website store, and sales at local comic stores. This is where the (attempts at) marketing come in, from posting on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit, to publishing parts of the book on webcomic sites like Webcomic Fury, The Duck Webcomics, GlobalComix, Tapas, and Webtoons.
9.Have you found any unexpected joys or rewards in the indie creator community, and how has it contributed to your overall experience?
I’m a writer, so my first challenge was finding artists. I generally used indie creator subreddits and Facebook groups to identify and connect with artists. Fortunately, they were responsive and I met a bunch of great people who live across the US and around the world. Despite the distance of space and culture, we share a love for comics and work very well together. I genuinely think of many of these talented folks as friends, which is something I really didn’t expect when starting this endeavor.
10.If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring creators, what would it be based on your own lessons learned?
Figure out why you want to make a comic. Is it because you want to make a lot of money? Is it because you want to be famous? Do you want to be a respected creator? Or do you just want to make a comic? I suppose you could say yes to all of those questions, but then I suggest you rank them based on how important they are to you. I think doing this exercise can help establish what will keep you happy, and what you will see as success. It can also encourage you to keep going, or maybe even to stop without feeling guilt if you’re not getting what you want out of it. Sometimes, you find that doing a thing isn’t what you thought it was going to be, or maybe you don’t really want it enough to work that hard. I think that’s ok, too.
I should also add: be patient and kind to the audience, the creators you work with, and yourself. It does wonders.
11. What are your thoughts on All Ages of Geek? What are some things we should change/do? What are some things you enjoy about our website?
I really am impressed by the breadth of geek culture that y’all cover. I also enjoy the wide variety of formats, from articles to podcasts to videos. As a teacher, I love how accessible that makes your site to a variety of geeks. With regards to something that I would want that you are not yet doing? Maybe a list of NJ geek conventions for the year. However, I fully admit that the suggestion is self-serving 😛
12. Goals for 2024?
My main goal is to finish up the last two issues of the six-issue ‘The Return of Jake Sunrise’ series by the end of summer. While that’s in production, I’ll be doing a second draft for issue #2 of CosmoNatalya (a series I’m working on with the artist for Jake’s sixth issue. He also did Jake’s logo and mini-bust. I can’t say enough great things about him!). Hopefully that book will be out and shipped to folks by year’s end.
I’m trying to build out a musical webcomic, as well. I’m not really sure on how to put it all together, but I have the webcomic and music finished. When I have some free time (?!) I’m going to be working on a script for a new comic series that is somewhat more grounded in reality. Or at least, my version of it.
—
