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ISSUE #6 April, 2019 independentcreatorsconnection.com EDITORIALEDITORIAL TEAM TEAM COVER FEATURE

Pam Harrison, Editor in Chief Bill McCormick, Assistant Editor

Contributors: Terance Baker, Pam Harrison, Charles Apellaniz, Bill McCormick, Austin Allen Hamblin, Marcus Roberts DESIGNDESIGN layout LAYOUT

Pam Harrison, Graphic Design, Advertising Graphics Supervisor » p.15 7 Jazz Maynard: The ICeland Trilogy » p. 9

The second volume in the internationally- in the United States” when he joined the staff of the Philadelphia renowned series takes the intrepid Jazz Maynard Record in the early 1930s. When The Record closed in 1947, he from the seedy ghettos of Barcelona to frozen would go on to create All-Negro Comics, a single-issue, 15¢ small- Iceland in pursuit of a priceless artifact. But he press American comic book: the first known comics magazine finds more danger than treasure. Join Charles written and drawn solely by African-American writers and artists. Apellaniz’ review of the popular Maynard series. 9 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: TOM RASCH

Rasch’s comic, Black Alpha was first published in USA Today in 2013, has had merchandise featured on the popular Emmy-winning CBS series “The Big Bang Theory,” and is published through Action Lab Entertainment. 14 Orrin C. Evans and the First Black Publishing Company, All-Negro Comics Inc.

African-American journalist Orrin Cromwell Evans was “the first black writer to cover general assignments for a mainstream white newspaper » p. 7 » p.14

ICC Magazine #6, 13964803341-00611, Published April, 2019. Material copyright © 2019ICC Sword andMagazine Labrys Productions | Issueand Independent #6 Creators- April Connection. 2019 All rights reserved. All other rights revert to their respective creators. For sales and advertising inquiries visit http://independentcreatorsconnection.com Printed in the USA. 2 CONTENTS

HISTORY COSPLAY

» p.17 17 Jackie Ormes: The First African-American Woman Cartoonist

Jackie Ormes is celebrated as a trailblazer for not only African American women, but for all women. She mixed an excellent sense of style, fashion and her mastery of drawing the female form with social commentary that spoke not only of the black community, but society at large. 20 Comic Cons, Cosplay News

Follow ICC Founder Terance Baker and his incredible wife Detria as they make the circuit of the hottest Comic Conventions all along the Orlando, Florida scene. » p.20 26 Indie Comics Promo Showcase ARTICLES Every quarter we highlight some of the best up and coming Indie artists of ICC. Is YOUR spot up next? This ad is Sponsored by ©Watch Dog Entertainment® and The ICC Group! 28 Promoting Your Comic! So, you’ve got a comic book, art prints, or original art? It’s time to promote! Try and get your vision out into the world and into people’s hands. A So, you’ve got a comic comic book convention is a great way to start. book, art prints, or original art? It’s time to promote! 31 Artist Spotlight: Dwayne Try and get your vision out into the world and into Johnson people’s hands. A comic book convention can be a THE MAN OF MIGHT: MAXIMUMMAN, is the great way to do so. kind of comic that reminds us why we fell in love with comics in the first place. Fun and colorful, with large swatches which are meant to be read aloud in that cool announcer voice that » p.28 permeated every Saturday morning comic, it’s the kind of page turner designed to hook kids for ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 life. 36 April Is Manga Month!

April is fast approaching, and with a new month comes new titles. Manga is hotter than ever this year, and there are a lot of fresh series starting soon, so it’s the best time of the year for picking up a new series. Without further ado, here are our picks for current hot titles, and where you can go to buy new releases in April 2019--or any time at all! 39 Artist Spotlight: Sam Johnson

When ‘Little Miss Popular’ Ruby Kaye lands a pair of super-tech glasses (invented by brainiac college geek Trevor Goldstein) in a game of Strip Poker, she’s granted flight, super-strength, and – due to a flaw in the glasses’ programming – super-klutziness! And this is just the beginning of the changes the glasses will wreak on Ruby.... 45 Artist Spotlight: Jason Beckwith

There’s that one kid. You know them. The one who’s getting out of the hospital, after attempting to do something involving a cow, a Harley, and a blowtorch. And as they’re getting out of their wheelchair they’re looking for the nearest place to bungee jump. Jason Beckwith may not take crazy physical risks, but he’s certainly believed in himself enough to take some challenging leaps. 50 Advertise with ICC

Advertise with ICC Magazine! You have two options: Print advertisement in our comics, or promote your comic or business on our website! All ad pages and inserts must be reserved in advance. Please see Monthly Advertising Deadlines for Ad Reservation and Materials Due Dates. Ads are subject to pre- approval.

» p.50 4 PREVIEWS

...... So, you’ve got a comic book, art prints, or original art?

It’s time to promote!

Try and get your vision out into the world and into people’s hands. A comic book convention can be a great way to do so.”

» p.31 » p.9

» p.39 » p.28 » p.45

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 PREVIEWS 5

(Jackie) Ormes started in journalism as a proofreader for the Pittsburgh Courier, working as an editor and as a freelance writer, writing on police beats, court cases and human interests topics. While she enjoyed ‘a great career running around town, looking into everything the law would allow, and writing about it’, what she really wanted to do was draw.”

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 6 PREVIEWS

...Tate-no- Yuusha-no- Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) can be bought at amazon.com and tfaw.com. It’s my absolute favorite so far. Ris- ing of the Shield Hero has an anime adaptation too.

The rest of the Manga series in this list are not really among my personal Top 10, but every Manga in this list I would gladly read multiple times over.”

Tate-no-Yuusha-no-Nariagari : English: The Rising of the Shield Hero Get all the hottest manga comics now at TFAW! http://shrsl.com/1f5l1

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 7 BOOK REVIEW CHARLES ApELLANIz Hello again and if this is tribute issue, I thought it would one of Jazz’s sisters whom he your first time reading this be a good time to talk about a hasn’t seen in over 10 years. magazine, welcome. book that you probably never Well it’s a new year and hoping heard of and of course this Book Two of Jazz Maynard: this year brings much success magazine is about independent The Iceland Trilogy, takes you and blessing to you all, as for creators and creations. This from Barcelona to Iceland, myself things are great and quarter, I will be talking about where Jazz is in search of an busy, some new and big things an actual comic book series artifact worth a fortune. The are going to happen this year which is collected comic issues story goes back to his past that is why this will be a short into two large hardcover books: when he was a young boy and column,so stay tuned. one of my favorite book series his time in New York. Jazz Maynard. After the last 2 previous The writing by Raule sets the issues which were the holiday Who or what is Jazz Maynard moody tone and atmosphere of gift issue and the Stan Lee you are asking? Originally they these books: he takes you from are books from Europe the mean streets of Barcelona which were put out as to the cold of Iceland and in single issues from Lion dark, seedy hole-in-the-wall Forge and later col- bars. It was the art that made lected into two 144 page me pick up 2 issues which I hardcovers. found at Books-A-Million, and then I ordered the collections Book One is Jazz through my local comic shop. Maynard: The Barcelona Trilogy, set in present The art by Roger Ibanez day Barcelona and with is just so beautiful. His action his childhood friend scenes are very fluid and the Teo both of whom had color palette complements the become the best at mood. It’s a great read but a what they do: burglary. very beautiful book to look at Jazz went to New York over and over. to leave that life behind, but had to come back for If you’re tired of the super one last job by another hero books then check out the of old friends, Judas, Jazz Maynard series! who happened to black- mail him into the job by Find them at Amazon.com: threatening the life of https://amzn.to/2WG35bc

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 8 ARTICLES

https://bit.ly/2PGtAsP

SCIE NC CK E A L TALK B ABOUT IT TUESDAYS

Discover the latest, greatest, and strangest of the indie ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 Afrofuturist movement! Youtube: Talk About It Tuesday ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Am no an listening depending up believing. Enough around remove to barton ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 9 agreed regret in or it. Advantage mr estimable be commanded provision

TOM RASCH PAM HARRISON

Tom Rasch’s published credits The comic, which mixes influ- include: Marvel Comics (penciler) ences of “Star Wars,” “Batman,” Her Interactive, (re-designed “Spider-Man” and “Star Trek,” Hardy Boys for Nancy Drew was first published in USA Today games) Idol Minds/PSN Net in 2013, has had merchandise Devil/Gazillion Entertainment, featured on the popular Emmy- Burst Online (Concept Artist) winning CBS series “The Big Bang Theory,” and is published through Tom Rasch has come a long way Action Lab Entertainment. Black from doodling in his notebook at Alpha has been optioned for TV/ Central High School. A Rapid film development City native born on Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rasch, 50, has risen Tom has also created “The from comic book fan to respected Steampunk Adventures of Salem artist within the industry. He has Tusk”—a current TV series in worked for Marvel Comics, the development starring Hollywood top comic book studio in the star on the rise Bishop Stevens— world, on “The Punisher 2099” Stevens is a former WCW/WWE series, which ran from 1993 to wrestler and current actor who 1995, and is the creator of the has appeared on hit shows “The comic “Black Alpha,” the story Walking Dead” and “Empire”— of a young man from a faraway Salem Tusk is a positive African planet who sets on a mission to American hero that recalls pulp right wrongs against him and his heroes such as Indiana Jones family, finding a spaceship and and Doc savage superhero suit along the way. All images and content are copyright © Tom Rasch

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 10 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 11 TOM RASCH: HERO’S JOURNEY PAM HARRISOn

Tom, can you tell our audi- the field of comics. Tell us about “Live your ence a little more about your- what influenced you to become self and the work you’re doing an artist. own hero’s currently? Well like I mentioned before, my journey...be Well I’m a passionate lifelong nerd mom Maggie first and foremost, to begin with—my first memories then eventually comic book artists of TV at 4 years old were of Star like John Byrne, Mike Golden, the star of your Trek, Batman, and Spider-Man— Mike Grell, Art Adams, etc. that’s when sci-fi and super heroes own movie... became one of my first loves— Who has had the biggest influ- shortly after I became inspired by ence on you outside the comics the successes my mother Maggie’s awesome industry, and how did they drawings and I began drawing affect your life? myself—a few years down the and failures road I discovered comic books My Mom and Dad, brothers and and my life’s path was forged!!— sisters and close friends. are part of why to draw comics, tell stories, and create my own characters—the Who has had the biggest influ- we are here... two creations I mentioned earlier, ence on your creative career, Black Alpha and Salem Tusk have and how has that person been a part of my life since 5th changed your work? to inspire and grade and my junior year in high school—it’s very surreal and fulfill- to be inspired ing to see both of them come to life currently in various media such and as Bruce as comics, films, and TV. What sorts of obstacles have Lee would you had to deal with as an artist? How did it shape or Star Trek creator Gene say: “True hinder your career? Roddenberry, Star Wars creator George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Immortality Dealing with the highs and lows of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, the journey...the peaks and valleys Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Jim and sometimes the valleys are a Lee, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen, Is Living a very loooooong stretch. LOL and Jim Valentino….they all taught the beauty and passion of Life Worth As noted from the intro, you creating your own characters and Remembering.” have an extensive resume in universes. ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 12 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

What do you do to recharge your creative batteries?

Read a comic or view a movie I loved when I was younger.

Describe your typical work routine. Is there even any such thing as a typical work routine?

Well since I have a day job, a family with my wife Trishia and our new baby girl Aria—I work on creative stuff when I can wedge them in during the day or week LOL

What tools do you use to create your art and what makes them the “right tools” for you? Describe your illustration style.

I mainly do digital art now on my Wacom Cintiq—it’s faster and effi- cient for production reasons but I never will give up the traditional way of sketchbook and pencil— my illustration style is mainly comic book but I can do cartoony/animation and digital painting/concept art when needed.

Which projects over the last few years have given you the most personal satisfaction? Why?

My original IP’s and creator owned

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 13

Always check your ego at the door, be open to receiving critiques, and learn, learn, learn !!--There has never been a better time to learn and self educate with Google and YouTube at your fingertips.

work because there is no greater Time to get philosophical: feeling creatively that watching What’s the most important “big your characters and universes idea” that you’ve learned in life come to life. – in or out of comics – and why is it important to you? What has been the most reward- Live your own hero’s journey...be ing project in your professional the star of your own movie...the career – in or out successes and failures are part of of comics or other why we are here...to inspire and creative outlets – to be inspired and as Bruce Lee and why? would say “True Immortality Is Living a Life Worth Remembering.” Not to sound like a broken record but Where can we buy your work or my original charac- support your projects? ters...seeing Black Alpha published in The Black Alpha comic mini-series USA Today, Black is currently in production and will Alpha merchan- be released in comic shops when dise on The Big it’s finished and Salem Tusk TV Bang Theory, and series begin shooting on loca- both Black Alpha tion in November—I promote and Salem Tusk all my work and projects on my are being devel- Facebook page. oped for TV and film projects. https://www.facebook.com/tom. rasch.3

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 14 ARTICLES

ORRIN C. EVANSAND THE FIRST BLACK PUBLISHING COMPANY, ALL-NEGRO COMICS INC. MArcUS roBerTS

February is designated as Black History Month and is used to highlight the many achievements of Black Americans in US history. These achievements cover Marcus is a freelance writer and many areas and fields of longtime comic book collector. He endeavors, and deserve is a husband and father of two. He the recognition they garner. is also a certified Life Skills Coach The results of one of these with a degree in psychology. He is achievements continu- a moderator for the Independent ally inspires new genera- Creators Connection (ICC) and ICC tions of Blacks and serves Anthologies groups and an adminis- as an example of the “can trator for the Heroes of Color page on do” spirit that exemplifies the Facebook,and the creator of Project attitude and energy of these Nexus. Written credits include Jennifer individuals. Rash’s Dream Angel , and from ICC Publishing, IHERO 3 and Imperia: The In the early history of Chaos of Calamity. comics, the representation

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 15

Record and became the first and although a second issue was Black journalist to cover general planned, the company found itself news assignments for a white shut out of purchasing the needed mainstream newspaper. In 1944, materials to produce another comic Evans wrote a series of articles by prejudiced distributors and even by about segregation in the mili- the white-owned publishing compa- tary for the newspaper, and was nies who feared the competition, and a big proponent of racial equal- who soon after started publishing their ity. The series was read into the own black-themed comic titles. congressional record and helped end the segregationist practice. The first issue, aptly entitled, The series was considered to be All-Negro Comics, was published in treasonous by some because it 1947 and featured a variety of stories was written during wartime, and that covered several genres. The 48 Evans received death threats page, standard size comic book with because of this. a glossy cover and newsprint interior sold for 15₵ and had a variety [Editor’s Note: In the early of stories with characters such as ’30s, Evan’s job as a general Ace Harlem, a black detective, and assignment reporter was for Lion Man, who is an African warrior. the 100-percent-white-staffed The comic as well as the stories Philadelphia Record. Evans was meant to inspire Black peo- of Black characters started to take was not always readily accepted ple’s pride in their heritage and give a stereotypical tone, and went from as a journalist. Meeting with report- them stories that portrayed them in Lothar, who is the first Black charac- ers after his son was kidnapped in a less than stereotypical fashion. ter to appear in comics appearing in 1932, Charles Lindbergh refused The stories contained the 1934 Mandrake the Magician, to to start the press conference until in the first issue: the likes of Whitewash Jones, a char- Evans was removed from the room. “Ace Harlem”, a private detective feature acter appearing in the Young Allies Evans’ wartime exposé of racial “The Little Dew Dillies”, children’s comic books. In 1947, in response segregation in the Armed Forces feature starring cherub-like creatures to the representation and portrayal resulted in death threats. of Blacks in comics saw another first After the war, the owners of the spearheaded by noted journalist Orrin Record responded to a pro- C. Evans, who was once referred to as longed labor action by shut- the “Dean of Black Reporters”, is con- ting the paper down for good. sidered the father of Black Comic pub- --Source, Drew Friedman] lishing formed, along with his brother George J. Evans Jr, All Negro Comics When the Philadelphia Inc., which was the first Black-owned Record closed, Evans and his publishing company in comic history. brother, George J. Evans Jr., along with a collection of other Orrin C. Evans was born in 1902 black writers and artists, went on to George J. Evans, Sr. and Maude to create the first fiction comic Wilson Evans. Orrin’s mother holds anthology featuring and all-black the distinction of being the first Black cast. The book would also be cel- to graduate from Williamsport Teacher ebrated for not only being written College. Orrin started his career as a and drawn by all black creators, journalist at the age of 17 writing for but in order to publish the book, Sportsman’s Magazine and at the age Orrin founded the first black of 19 landed a job with the Philadelphia owned publishing company, Tribune, the oldest black paper in the the aforementioned All-Negro country. He broke the color barrier Comics, Inc. The company was and landed a job with the Philadelphia able to publish only one issue,

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 16 ARTICLES

Continued from Page 15 that only babies can see and talk to. starring traveling musicians “Ezekiel’s Manhunt”, a Sugarfoot and Snake Oil, who two-page adventure story try to woo a farmer’s daughter. geared towards boys. The book ends with: “Remember “Lion Man and Bubba”, star- — Crime Doesn’t Pay, Kids!”, ring a college-educated African a one-page public service American sent by the United announcement and next-issue Nations on a mission to a promo, with Ace Harlem. uranium deposit on Africa’s Gold Coast, where he adopted Amazon.com has a number the mischievous orphan Bubba. of copies of All-Negro Comics for “Hep Chicks on Parade”, a gag sale at https://amzn.to/2AJ2M5O page with highly stylized women at price ranges of $11.99 to wearing exaggerated fashions. $35.99. These hard-to-find mem- “Lil’ Eggie”, a cartoon about a orabilia of comic history won’t be henpecked husband named available for long, so get yours Egbert and his wife. while you can! “Sugarfoot”, a humor story

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 17

JACKIE ORMES: THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN CARTOONIST MArcus roberts than just one month to give Marcus is a freelance writer and them special recognition. longtime comic book collector. He We take this time high- is a husband and father of two. He light the achievements and is also a certified Life Skills Coach contributions especially by with a degree in psychology. He is Black women in the area of a moderator for the Independent comics. We shine the spot- Creators Connection (ICC) and ICC light today on the first African Anthologies groups and an adminis- American woman to have a trator for the Heroes of Color page on syndicated comic strip, as Facebook,and the creator of Project well as the creator of the Nexus. Written credits include Jennifer first African American comic Rash’s Dream Angel , and from ICC character; Jackie Ormes. Publishing, IHERO 3 and Imperia: The Chaos of Calamity. Ormes was born Zelda Mavin Jackson on August The month of March marks the 1, 1911 to William Winfield celebration of Women’s history and Jackson and Mary Brown their many and ongoing contribu- Jackson. Her father owned a tions. These contributions represent printing company and movie a plethora of achievements in multi- theater, and was killed in an ple areas, and are deserving of more automobile accident in 1917.

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 18 ARTICLES

She and her sister lived with other North at the Cotton Club. The comic Ormes had become known for family members briefly, but when their strip made Ormes the first profes- her using her comic strips to provide mother remarried, they relocated to sional African American female news- commentary on political and social a nearby suburb where they set up paper cartoonist. The strip ran for one issues of the day. She mixed an excel- permanent residence. Ormes’; nick- year in the Courier. She relocated to lent sense of style, fashion and her named “Jackie” in school for her last Chicago with her husband Earl Ormes, mastery of drawing the female form name; path to journalism started while whom she married in 1931; a began with social commentary that spoke in high school where she handled the taking classes at the School of the not only of the black community, but art duties for her school yearbook, and Art Institute of Chicago. She penned society at large. displayed the wit that would become a society column for The Chicago her trademark. Her correspondence Defender in the mid-1940s for a brief With Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger she was with the editor of the Pittsburgh period of time and in 1945 debuted able to cover a wide array of topics and Courier, Torchy Brown, which all the while maintain the class was an African American and humor her comic strips newspaper that was pub- had come to symbolize. At the lished weekly on Saturdays, end of her Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger garnered her attention and run she turned her attention led to a job with the paper to becoming more involved in as a reporter. community activism through her fashion shows. She even- Her first assignment tually garnered enough atten- for the paper was to cover tion to warrant an FBI investi- a boxing match, which gation into her activities. she aptly performed. She became a reporter and proof- Jackie Ormes is cele- reader for the paper after brated as a trailblazer for not high school, and in May of only African American women, 1937 debuted her comic but for all women. Her mastery strip, Torchy Brown in “Dixie of the feminine form and out- in Harlem”. The cartoon told the story her next big work, Candy, depicting a standing sense of style, as well as her of a young woman from Mississippi wisecracking, sultry domestic worker. politically charged commentary, make who left home to experience adven- The single panel cartoon ran for four her a leader among her peers. ture and become a famous singer up months. Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger She returned to the Courier in September of 1945 and their she debuted her Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger comic which would become her longest running cartoon, running for 11 years. The comic feature little sister Jo, who would provide political commentary with big sister Ginger standing silently by. The comic inspired Ormes to create a Patty Jo doll. Ormes also brought back her character Torchy Brown, this time in a series titled Torchy in Heartbeats, which started in 1950 and ran for 4 years. The comic strip turned into an 8 page insert, and included a Torchy Brown paper doll and paper fashion accessories.

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 19

Jackie Ormes: The First African American Black Women in Sequence: Re-inking Woman Cartoonist Comics, GraphicNovels, and Anime Feb 21, 2008, by Nancy Goldstein Nov 24, 2015 by Deborah Hardcover $36.00 Elizabeth Whaley $2.42 (37 used & new offers) Kindle Edition $17.01 https://amzn.to/2VSYwJU Paperback $27.00 Only 8 left in https://amzn.to/2CuaTDJ stock - order soon. https://amzn.to/2CiLFrz https://amzn.to/2D80qze

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 20 COMIC CONS AND COSPLAY COMIC CONS AND COSPLAY

TERANCE BAKER

Cosplay is the art of costume play and fashion, performance in a sense of which an individual dresses, or imitates a said character. It is a very popular art form and seems to be growing more and more every day. I myself have been cosplaying since 2008 but I’ve gotten more serious about it over the last few years. My name is Terance Baker, I am an artist, a writer, a comic book publisher, indy film maker, you tuber and cosplayer. I am the founder of a group called ICC /Independent Creators Connection, website of the same name, we currently have over 8,000 members in our Facebook group.

My wife is also a cosplayer and was the first cosplayer to bring The Pink Hammer, my original character to life. There is an absolute incredible feeling one gets when something he created is bought to life by movies, fil, animation or cosplay. It simply rocks.

I am not a designer by trade and I do not sew very well, most of my costumes are put

TERANCE BAKER

Terance Baker is the founder of Independent Creators Connection and creator of Pink Hammer. Buy his comics and collaborations http://www.indyplanet.us/ brands/bakercomics/! together by order or fabricated individually do accessories to achieve the desired look I want of the character. A lot of cosplayers do that as well. There are tons of ways to put a costume together and I’m not her to discuss that in this book, someone more professional and designer would be more suitable to do that for you. I just enjoy cosplaying for what it is worth, and it does bring great joy to many fans. Since I enjoy photography as well, cosplay pretty much goes hand and hand with it!

Cosplayers from The United Sates to Japan enjoy the ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 same wonderful feeling at Conventions and media COMIC CONS AND COSPLAY 21 COMIC CONS AND COSPLAY special occasion like that. Today anyone can buy a costume from amazon or a shopping network site and be a cosplayer. It is a very fun activity once you finally get the costume on, and the photos will come, especially if you are at a convention. Obviously, the better you look the more people want to take pictures of/with you. That is one of the perks of the lifestyle.

I have gone one step further in which I have a you tube channel: MRCOOLTEB67 and I have made amateur you tube movies with some of these characters. That is tons of fun and takes it up a notch higher – when making a movie. One can then add special effects and a story line and it becomes even cooler. Overall, Cosplay is about having fun. Are there compe- titions, contests, and prize money, you better believe it. You will always hear conventions say be respectful to cosplayers, it is a lot of hard work and they are not people for you to just walk up to and grab, remember proper eti- quette is always something to practice at conventions. If you are a seasoned cosplayer or someone who is just starting you can really enjoy the lifestyle, I wish you all the best and all I can say is get your costume together and go WOW THEM!

outlets where they are welcomed and appreciated for all their hard work because it can be a lot of hard work. A lot of people do it professionally and are famous for it. I have met a few very famous cosplayers and they always give wonderful advice.

When it comes to the world of costumes, it can be very fun and rewarding and very tedious. Especially if you are creating your costume from scratch, I must reinterate,I am No costume designer, I accessories /put costumes together by different means to get the look I want. A costume can be as simple as putting a mask on and saying yes, I am that character, to sewing the actual threads together to make it come to life. Every Cosplayer has their own insight, and their own goals in this endeavor, for the most part mine is just to have fun, take some great photos and give some kids the joy of seeing a character in rea life, kind of like when I was a kid, the only time I could see them was at a park or some ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019

24 ICC MAGAZINE - COMICS COLLECTIBLES GIFT GUIDE 2019

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ICC Magazine | Issue #5 - January 2019 26 ICC MAGAZINE - INDIE COMICS PROMO SHOWCASE 2019

As the world crumbles around our characters, it seems like the only chance was to find their long lost savior. A great wizard by the name of Epoche had seeked out the use of three brave warriors to find their only hope. Geoph, Mardaline, and Rose take the initiative to seek out the seed in this new dimension. They soon find out that their only hope seemed helpless until their so called savior discovered that he held more great power for which they needed. Some troubles occur with enemies like Chana and Chane, but with the ideas of our hero they soon become allies.

The helpful Ian became their great hope in their crumbling world but will it be enough to fix the past? Take a look in the mirror and discover what will follow our characters as we follow the adventures of the Seed Seekers https://www.schwmartzgraphics.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA, PROMO, WRITING AND ART EXCELLENCE WRITING AND ART SOCIAL MEDIA, PROMO,

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ICC Magazine | Issue #5 - January 2019 28 ARTICLES PROMOTING YOURCOMIC AuSTIn Allen HAMblIn

A small press/indie comic book writer from small town Iowa whose credits include The Adventures of Punk and Rock, and The Headless Hitman. Austin has been published over 25 times and has interned for Devil’s Due and First Comics. He has also worked with creators from all over the world (Turkey, UK, Argentina, etc) and had 3 successful kickstarter campaign. He loves professional wrestling, comic books, and beating his girlfriend at the Pokemon trading card game. Visit him at Website: www.hamblincomics.com

a lifelong fan! The business card doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it should include your contact information, name, and what it is you do (writer, artist, editor, etc). If you don’t have any or forget them, don’t sweat it. Just write your information on a piece of paper and tell people to take a picture with their phone. I put out a list for interested people to put down an email. If they choose to, they’ll get some digital copies of comics I have written, along with a “hey, please like my Facebook author page.” People like free. After each convention I end up with at least a few more likes, which add up very quickly.

So, you’ve got a comic book, art large cities at massive convention One of the best things I’ve found is prints, or original art? It’s time to centers, as well as inside of a tiny to have items at various prices. If promote! Try and get your vision room at a library in the middle of you have a graphic novel for $20, out into the world and into people’s nowhere. maybe also offer a floppy copy of hands. A comic book convention the first issue and sell it for $4. can be a great way to do so. The first thing I recommend is People might not be able to afford to have a business card. Some $20, or may be more willing to Conventions are a very weird thing. people might not have money and give it a try at $4 instead of $20. It’s often extremely unpredictable want something later, or may even Make sure to have the prices of how well you’ll be able to sell your want more from you in the future. everything clearly posted -- some products. I’ve done conventions in Who knows, they could become people are simply too afraid to ask

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 29

Conventions are a very weird thing. It’s often extremely unpredictable how well you’ll be able to sell your products. I’ve done conventions in large cities at massive convention centers, as well as inside of a tiny room at a library in the middle of nowhere.”

characters they didn’t even draw. day job all add up fast. Ultimately, These vendors hire someone to I have met some of my closest draw a piece and then sell prints. creator friends at cons. I’ve also It can be depressing as a creator lost money. It can be a mixed bag, to see them doing very well when but all you can do is go try. you might not be. In fact, it’s tech- nically illegal to sell prints with “You block your dream when you trademarked characters, but it is allow your fear to grow bigger than very rarely enforced. I know many your faith.” Austin Allen Hamblin people who do prints like this, but otherwise. I just don’t think it’s right.

The next thing to do is talk. Be per- If I created a character and other sonable. I know this can be tough people used them to make money for some people, but a simple hello without my permission, I would be or even “hey I like your shirt!” can very angry. Finally, the last thing get people to stop by. I understand I want to talk about is managing that if you’re an artist, you might your expectations. Personally, get a commission at the show or whenever I table at a con, I assume you might just be drawing. That’s that I will not sell much. Right now totally fine! Just try to chat with I mainly do conventions that have interested people and don’t be little or no table cost, and are within afraid to stop drawing. Look at a 5 hour drive (unless I have a people when you are talking to friend in the area whose house them. Put yourself in the shoes of I can crash at). Another logisti- the person walking by; it might be cal thing to think about is food. a bit off-putting if you are looking Sometimes convention center food down while talking to them. They can be expensive, so bring some may feel like you don’t truly want snacks and something to drink. to talk to them. This might not be Considering these things helps the case at all, but it can be inter- me keep costs down while still preted that way. showcasing my work. I’ve made more money at single day conven- Another tip is to tell them they can tions than at larger three-day cons flip through a comic if they want. because I was able to keep the Have a quick “elevator pitch” cost down. I’m not saying don’t do ready, describing what your book large conventions, but I wouldn’t is about. recommend doing them right away. Hotels, food, and possibly Something you notice when you having to take time off from your look around at a con is that there are a lot of prints, many of which are of trademarked characters. Some vendors have massive walls of prints featuring licensed ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 31

DWAYNE JOHNSON BIll MccorMIck

After you’ve attended a few conventions you start to notice some trends, especially among indie creators. It’s not always the ones with the coolest displays, or the sexy models, or what have you, who draw the largest crowds. It’s the ones with stories. One such person, Dwayne “Maxman” Johnson, not to be confused with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson who’s 3 inches taller, is a creator I kept noticing. When kids came into his orbit they tended to stay there.

His graphic novel, THE MAN OF MIGHT: MAXIMUMMAN, is the kind of comic that reminds us Like many indie creators, his path Arts. Unfortunately, coming from why we fell in love with comics has been circuitous and slow, but a single parent home, he wasn’t in the first place. Fun and color- he has persevered and built a fol- able to come up with the tuition. ful, with large swatches which are lowing of wide-eyed kids who can’t Not to be daunted by the villainy meant to be read aloud in that cool get enough. of poverty, and impressed with announcer voice that permeated Dwayne’s abilities, Joe Kubert every Saturday morning comic, it’s As a young man he applied for, himself swooped in like a super- the kind of page turner designed and was accepted into, the Kubert hero of old. and helped Dwayne to hook kids for life. School of Cartooning and Graphic get an internship at Marvel instead. ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 32 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 33 INTERVIEW WITH DWAYNE JOHNSON BIll MccORMIck

You began your career as an hectic three month crash course. intern at Marvel. That’s a helluva door to get your foot into. What You released your first Maxmaniac were some of the highlights? comic, THE MAN OF MIGHT: MAXIMUMMAN, in summer of fans do The brief, but intense, opportu- 2001. What was that experience nity to learn the craft as well as like? enjoy seeing the process of comic book production. Also meeting Jim Shooter, In May 25, 2001, a very Maxtastic the creator and Ron Wilson, who worked on month for me, because after years the Marvel Two And One series of hard work, and story character cosplaying featuring the Thing. creating, I finally accomplished my life-long goal. (Maximum What would you say were the most important storytelling Last year, thanks to fan support techniques you learned there? of the MaximumMan series, you Man). They launched a full color version The story techniques I learned of MaximumMan. How has that appreciate were properly constructing an been received? overall story treatment, primar- the close ily using the Marvel method. Also The June 24, 2017 full colorized re- writing a full on script, along with launch of the series was received connection character development, in the well by both new, and previously, ...promoting the brand in a live visual way to better reach the public.

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 34 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 35 loyal maxmaniac fans of the B/W series. The book signing that year was held at the Reginald Lewis Museum of African American Art.

You’re one of the few creators who cosplays as his own character at cons. Do fans enjoy that?

Maxmaniac fans do enjoy seeing the creator cosplaying as their own character creation. They appreciate the close connection to the creator, and their creation, as it relates to the series. Promoting the brand in a live visual way to better reach the public.

Aside from your own title, what else have you worked on?

Well I primarily worked on my own titles, and did a previous superhero team up (MaximumMan/Max Strong) collaboration series with another indie publisher in Nigeria, Africa.

What’s next for MaximumMan and you?

The next level for MaximumMan, and me, is to introduce other superhero character content, and titles, from the MILLENNIUMVERSE BRAND within the mighty MAXTHOLOGY series.

Upcoming characters include Ms. Maximum, The Green Ghost, Nubia-Nite (The Goth Girl), The Fierce Fox, and a new series called Afrikomik Adventures featuring the Afrik Avenger, Rastateer, and Black Bushido.

Feel free to hang out with Dwayne on Facebook to stay up to date on all of Maxman’s adventures. https://www.facebook.com/ maxman.johnson

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 36 ARTICLESMANGA MONTH

PAM HARRISON APRIL IS MANGA MONTH! Are described two broad and com- comics cover everything from you ready to get your hands on plementary processes shaping history and teenage romance the hottest new releases? modern manga. Their views to futuristic science fiction and Part of the “otaku” (“nerd”) differ in the relative importance profound themes of life, manga culture, these comics have been they attribute to the role of cul- became an important, almost a major player in the country’s tural and historical events fol- inevitable aspect of Japan’s publishing industry, identity and they creating a robust helped spread knowl- market, reaching edge and understand- millions of readers ing of it across the of all ages and influ- planet. encing a number of works of comic Although modern book art in a variety manga came to be of other nations. amid an expan- sion of artistic cre- The history ativity during the US of manga is said occupation of Japan to originate from between 1945 and scrolls dating back 1952, their origins to the 12th century, can be traced centu- and it is believed ries back. What many they represent the believed were the very basis for the right- first manga in Japan to-left reading style. appeared in the 12th The word first came and 13th century, in a into common usage in the lowing World War II versus the series of drawings like frogs late 18th century. Manga is a role of pre-war, Meiji, and pre- and rabbits titled Choju-giga Japanese term that can be trans- Meiji Japanese culture and art. (Scrolls of Frolicking Animals) lated as “comic”; Historians and produced by several artists. In writers on manga history have Centuries later, Manga fact, their technique of drawing

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTICLES 37 a characters’ legs to simulate language markets. IDW Hero has an anime adaptation running was adopted by many International oversees all inter- too. manga-ka (manga makers and national licensing of the diverse comic book artists) working IDW catalogue and its partners, “The rest of the Manga today. During the Edo Period which continues to grow year series in this list are not really (1603-1867), another book of after year. TokyoPop’s foreign among my personal Top 10, but drawings, Toba Ehon, embed- rights catalogue consists of over every Manga in this list I would ded the concept of manga, yet 100 manga and graphic novel gladly read multiple times over.” the term itself was first used in IPs featuring a diverse range of 1798, to describe the picture characters and stories from tal- And his read list was book Shiji no Yukikai (Four ented creators worldwide, which impressive: Seasons) by Santō Kyōden. is great news for you, readers, Solo Leveling In 1814, it showed up again, because now a vast selection as the title of Aikawa Mina’s of TokyoPop manga favorites Tales of Demons and Gods Manga hyakujo and the cele- can be purchased in comic The God of High School brated Hokusai Manga books of and graphic novel format from Tensei Shitara Slime drawings by the famous ukiyo-e Things From Another World artist Hokusai. (TFAW), our comic shop affili- Datta Ken (I reincarnated ate partner. as a slime) Manga first arrived in the United States in 1961, when Tezuka founded the Osamu Tezuka Production Animation Department, which eventually became Mushi Productions. In 1962, Manga Calendar was the very first anime to be aired on television. In 2002, TokyoPop launched its line of 100% Authentic Manga, which was printed in the original Japanese right- to-left format and included the original Japanese printed sound effects. TokyoPop was the first U.S. publisher to adopt such a So I was asking my son what sweeping policy. some of his favorite Manga The rising of the Shield series were? His answers: Hero On February 7, 2018, IDW ReLife Publishing and TokyoPop “...Tate-no-Yuusha-no- announced that IDW’s inter- Nariagari (The Rising of the ...And a whole lot more.I national arm would be man- Shield Hero) can be bought at hope this resource makes a aging the TokyoPop foreign tfaw.com. It’s my absolute favor- great gateway to introduce you rights catalogue for non-English ite so far. Rising of the Shield to the Manga genre, and point you to some great reads! Happy Manga Month! Resources: https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_manga https://www.widewalls.ch/japanese-manga-comics-history/ https://www.popcomics.com/

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Am no an listening depending up believing. Enough around remove to barton ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 39 agreed regret in or it. Advantage mr estimable be commanded provision

SAM JOHNSON Bill MccorMick

Here’s the thing. I don’t know Sam whilst sitting around with a group of i decided to develop the series from there, Johnson. We’ve never met. Never quantum physicists discussing how and here we are on the fourth issue of the broken bread nor shared fermented string theory could be used to make second series – which is now ongoing! waters. Quite honestly, he couldn’t pick the perfect Ramen. Would you like to me out of a one person lineup. Which is set the record straight? fine. What matters, to me anyway, is that I started following Geek-Girl about sev- lol, yeah. Shadowline, one of image enteen seconds after it hit the Internet. I comics’ studios, ran a Who Wants to liked the idea, the art, and the underlying Create a Super-Heroine? contest back humor. Reading it didn’t disappoint. The in the day. i brainstormed ideas, came writing is taut, the stories believable and up with three – and the one i was most fun, and the characters seem like people into was a prototype of Geek-Girl – the you’d like to know. fully-formed pitch for which goes: When ‘little Miss Popular’ ruby kaye lands a Despite the fact he’s busier than a one pair of super-tech glasses (invented by legged man in a butt-kicking contest, he brainiac college geek Trevor Goldstein) took some time out of his day to talk to in a game of Strip Poker, she’s granted me and share with you. flight, super-strength, and – due to a flaw in the glasses’ programming – super-klut- According to a white hot internet ziness! And this is just the beginning of rumor, that I just made up, you came the changes the glasses will wreak on up with the GEEK-GIRL character ruby... ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019

42 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

To anyone doing Kickstarter, I’d recommend doing a lot of research – Tyler James’ comixlaunch.com pod- casts are a good place to start, and spending time raising the profile of your product before launching on there; I’ve spent a huge amount of time building awareness for GG – from the Geek-Girl comic book Facebook group, through forums, blogs, reviews and more – and she’s now also on Instagram at instagram/samjohnson- comics. I spend way more time promoting than I do writing.

Your KickStarter campaign’s video was headed by Kris Silas, the woman you used as the model for GEEK-GIRL’s bff, Summer. Are there other people you used as models for your characters?

I met Kris online when I was search- ing for a likeness for Summer, as I didn’t have an image I wanted for her in my head, and asked Kris if she’d be up for me basing Summer’s look on her. That’s been a cool experience, because Kris is really into the book and shares the same values as Geek-Girl: Crime War Part 1: There’s A New Geek In Town. Geek-Girl Summer breaks Summer. It’s been a one-off, though up the party in high form. Get the series at http://www.GeekGirlComics.com – although a friend of mine cosplays Geek-Girl under her cosplay name, and in the new issue, a bunch of crim- Lady Larkin; you can also find her inals called The League of Larcenists page on Facebook. are now Legion in number, and Ruby takes on a bunch of ‘em – armed with There’s a fun, awkward, innocence hi-tech blasters - at a time! to the characters in GEEK-GIRL. They want to do great things but Your villains, THE LEAGUE OF they aren’t actually all that good LARCENISTS, seem to be far better at being superheroes. Still, they equipped, and trained, than GEEK- persist, and support each other. I GIRL and her allies. How do you think that makes them more relat- level the playing field without being able. How important was that condescending? aspect to the series? Well Ruby was done with being Geek- I want the characters to feel real, and Girl until (in the new issue) Maine’s that seems to be coming over. The First Lady of superheroing Neon Girl reviews for the current series have pressures her back into it. Neon Girl been great, and that’s a lot to do with it. was already a big gun but now also Summer wasn’t entirely successful in has a cybernetic hand (after Lightning trying to be a super-hero but she more Storm obliterated her regular hand), than proved she has Ruby’s back; and and it’s NG who’s leading the charge though having taken some stumbling against The League. It might take steps, Ruby has a propensity for it more than just Neon and Geek-Girl, ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 though... ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 43

When ‘Little Miss Popular’ Ruby Kaye lands a pair of super-tech glasses (invented by brainiac college geek Trevor Goldstein) in a game of Strip Poker, she’s granted flight, super-strength, and – due to a flaw in the glasses’ programming – super-klutziness! And this is just the beginning of the changes the glasses will wreak on Ruby...

We’ve touched on the team of superheroes you created, without spoiling the plots, why not tell us about the real team of super creators you hooked up with and how you found them?

It took a long time to find the right artist in Carlos Granda. He has experience working for Zenescope, so you know Well we’ve only recently got to the he can draw beautiful women; but point where I’ve felt the audience Geek-Girl has a lot of female charac- has built enough to justify Geek-Girl ters so it’s important they all look dis- going ongoing, so with that bigger tinctive, and Carlos delivers that – not canvas, I’ve got weird and wonder- just in terms of their looks, but also ful ideas (again, tapping into that the body language he brings to them. Morrison Doom Patrol influence) He’s also great with trickily angled that I already have down – that I shots, and can do the action, detail, now want to introduce to Geek- humor, and anything else the series Girl. Among these, the aforemen- requires. tioned Cabra Cini. So far Cabra has appeared in four Halloween issues I found Carlos through advertising for of H!M Comics IF-X anthology, and an artist online, which I believe is how I’m excited to bring her into Geek- I also found Chunlin Zhao, the color- Girl’s world. ist, and Paul McLaren, the book’s let- terer – completing what I believe to be a very strong creative team; all of whom are really into the book and into continuing with it.

Okay, softball question, what’s next to pop out of the mind of Sam Johnson? ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 2019 THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION & SPACE OPERA

adeviantmind.com ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Am no an listening depending up believing. Enough around remove to barton ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 45 2019 agreed regret in or it. Advantage mr estimable be commanded provision THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE JASON BECKWITH BILL MccorMIck FICTION & There’s that one kid. You know them. The one who’s getting out of the hospital, after attempting to do something involving a cow, a Harley, and a blowtorch. And as they’re getting out of their wheelchair they’re SPACE looking for the nearest place to bungee jump. Jason Beckwith may not take crazy physical risks, but he’s certainly believed in himself enough to take some challenging leaps. Read along to find out more about OPERA this fascinating dude. You walked away from a full ride schol- arship at UCSC to work in Silicon Valley. That’s a pretty risky move for a young man. What prompted it? creating digital shorts with computer ani- computer and put together an example of It was a mixture of being close to Steamer mated characters. I took an art class based my capabilities. That led to my first agency Lane, one of my favorite surfing spots, on software called Alias/Wavefront, and job, programing and animating cross- great single track trails for mountain biking, had access to the lab. I wanted to continue platform multi-media CDs for clients like and access to the Silicon Graphics lab. At working and learning on the equipment, but Netscape, Quantum, Macromedia and the time, my major was CIS, Computer was informed that after the class ended, I Cisco. Two years later, I moved to USWeb/ Information Sciences. I was obsessed would have to wait two years before before CKS, a larger agency. There, we created with a company that had recently broken I could have access again. So, at that point, self running, interactive, in-store demos free from Industrial Light and Magic and I made the jump from higher education, for Apple and Compaq. At that point, I was was financially backed by Steve Jobs. The and into the private sector. I started with a solely creating animations and motion company was called Pixar, and they were data entry job, while I purchased a better graphics, leaving the programming in my adeviantmind.com ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 46 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 47 JASON BECKWITH:

“I knew that I AN INSIDE LOOK really wanted to BIll MccOrMIck Continued from Page 45 do something past. As video became accessible digi- creating my comics. A couple of years ago, tally, I grew with the tools, moved away I found myself contracting on a TV show. with the (time from animation, and into video production, While the work was cool, It was prevent- editing and post production. ing me from working on my comics. When travel) genre, I took a deep look at why I was taking the At the peak of your career you were a work, it was to afford the next upgrade on well respected media professional and my Red cinema camera. I had become a but I felt like you tossed it all away to make comics. slave to my equipment, taking freelance Did anyone ask if you were insane? jobs that I didn’t want, just to keep my so much had equipment on the cutting edge. So, I sold After USWeb/CKS merged with another my Red Dragon to support my work on already been company to form marchFIRST, it imploded the comic books. Now, I just need to get spectacularly in the Dot Com bust. Our to the point where the comics are finan- done, there group was acquired by another agency cially self-sustaining. called Design Reactor, and I spent the next was nothing eleven years there. At the height of my career, I was manager of video services, fresh that I overseeing 4 professional digital-betacam edit suites and a small studio. I purchased the video equipment, and rented it to the could bring to it. company, which worked out very well for me. As the quality of cameras improved, Seriously, your first book, Taking Eden, It turns out that I took a chance on a new company and is a gorgeous, gothic, romp. Which ordered a Red One camera for an exor- positions it diametrically opposite of we, as humans, bitant sum of money. With that I began anything you’d done professionally shooting short films like ‘Project Arbiter’, before. What inspired it? are ill suited for ‘Delve’, ‘Home’, and ‘Over my Dead Body’. Unfortunately, the company lost most of Thanks for the kind words. I think that time-travel; we its prestige during the recession, after the Malcolm and I were feeling a bit jaded on housing bubble burst. I had already begun life, around the time that we began writing tend to turn into making the comic books, by this time, and Taking Eden. I believe that I was reflective it was a perfect opportunity to move away of my quickly fading youth. Writing a char- from creating everyone else’s project and acter such as Marnie, who is just start- goo around the to work on my own. Thankfully, I made ing out in life, really appealed to me. She some decent choices along the way and begins the story unsure of herself, naive speed of light.” am currently blowing my life savings on and full of hope. Then, given the situations

ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 48 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT that she goes through, both supernatural Give our readers your elevator pitch the goal of bringing you a second trade and horrific, we get to watch how she grows on each and a little bit of the thought paperback. Since he’s been on that, and adapts. There are a lot of characters behind each. Chronointel hasn’t had a new issue come in ‘Taking Eden’, and quite a few dynam- out in over a year. That’s a bit frustrating, ics tugging at each of them. At times, I feel It was probably a mistake to launch so but we are going as fast as we can. Next like I’m just weaving all of these threads many titles at once. It has a benefit, when year, I’d like to do a 3 issue story arc for together and it’s my job to make sure that I’m tabling at cons. With books covering Chronointel, but that means putting Taking they form into something beautiful rather diverse genres such as sci-fi, post-apoc- Eden on the back burner. It’s no secret that than a tangled pile of knots. alyptic adventure, gothic horror and gov- I’m just making this up as go along. I’ve ernment conspiracy, I can appeal to varied made a lot of mistakes, along this journey. The characters of Taking Eden are the interests and reach more people with my But, it’s ok, as long as I learn from them, heart of the story. They are all deeply work. But, one of the largest mistakes that and don’t repeat them. flawed individuals, but then again, aren’t I’ve made, is having one artist on multi- we all? David is driven with desire The Tool is a college aged espionage and twisted by addiction. Crystal is and conspiracy story with a female out for herself, and getting as much protagonist. It’s almost too real in out of life, as she can. Sky is drunk today’s political climate. I really love with power and in pursuit of more. this book, though. The first issue is Jasmine is looking for stability. The loosely based on the old ‘cointelpro’ Patchwork Man is looking for… program that the government ran well… he’s looking. And Marnie is in the 1960s. The follow up issue is still trying to figure out who she is, broken into 2 stories. In the first, we and what she wants out of life. follow the CIA agent involved in the first issue through a forced vacation. Taking Eden began in the early The second story involves indus- Aughts (early 2000s), as a way for a trial espionage. The Tool is kind of co-worker and I to escape the monot- my playground for experimenting ony of 12-16 hour days. Malcolm with different narrative techniques. Johnson and I started the story Each of the three related tales is a through email. I would write about a specific experiment in telling stories page and a half, then stop mid-sen- visually, and/or non-linearly. Framing tence. I’d email that to Malcolm, and the stories in the way that I chose he’d continue it. At some point, I real- was challenging, and I’m proud of ized that we had well over a hundred the result. The next story has Ashley pages. I printed it out, and gave it a going undercover as an agent read through. There was some really provocateur. great stuff in there, so I gave it a healthy amount of editing and con- Chronointel is a time-travel story, verted it into a comic book. with no time-travel in it. I love the time-travel genre. Terminator, Back I now feel that it is sheer insanity to to the Future, Dr. Who, Safety not attempt an eighteen issue story arc Guaranteed, Idiocracy, Time after as your first comic series. As I write this, ple titles. Niño Cajayon does the art for Time, The Girl, the gold Watch, and we are working on inks for issue twelve. Taking Eden, The Tool, and Chronointel. Everything… I grew up on these stories That will complete Act II of the story, allow Don’t get me wrong, Niño does a great job and films. I knew that I really wanted to do me to compile the second 150 page trade on all of them, but he can only do so much something with the genre, but I felt like so paperback. With six more books in the at a time. When I brought Samir Simão on much had already been done, there was story, we still have quite a ways to go. for Anarchy, it was great having the books nothing fresh that I could bring to it. I drive Rest assured, Taking Eden has a very progress concurrently. Let me throw in a for hours to get to Comic Cons around the finite ending in issue eighteen! quick shout-out to Gonzalo Duarte who state, so I started listening to pod-casts on does the color for all my books, and pro- quantum science, string theory and any- You followed that up with The Tool, vides the final polish. These guys really thing that could help spark a new direc- Chronointel: Messages from the Future, bring my stories to life. But, Niño just spent tion for a story. It turns out that we, as and Anarchy Beyond the Wall. Each the last year working on Taking Eden, with humans, are ill suited for time-travel; we title is wildly different than the others. tend to turn into goo around the speed of ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 49

It was probably a mistake to launch so many titles at once. It has a benefit, when I’m tabling at cons. With books covering diverse genres such as sci-fi, post-apocalyptic adventure, gothic horror and government conspiracy, I can appeal to varied interests and reach more people with my work.

instead of a wave. He then bombards the the areas outside the city. Karina leaves the light particles with another sub atomic the protection on the walled city to avoid particle, controlling where it bounces to in an arranged marriage, and everything space-time. But, instead of building the changes when she meets Shane. When transmitter, he first builds the receiver her fiancé, Dylan, finds her and brings her that catches pulses of light, and decodes back within the walls, Shane will stop at them into data. Five minutes after turning nothing to save her. I wanted to do some- it on for the first time, light starts shooting thing post-apocalyptic, where the popula- into it from nowhere. He receives the first tion at large still existed. I didn’t want to message, from himself, from the future. go with a comet strike, zombie outbreak, He’s like, eighty-eight years old, and has or post nuclear war which would leave spent a lifetime designing the transmit- most of the population dead. I wanted ter. Then, he begins to receive the plans to play with themes like wealth dispar- to build the transmitter. He teams up with ity, family and rebuilding government in Steve, an ex-military guy with a haunted the form of the ‘New Republic’. By putting past. Together, they are sending them- my main character on an iron horse, I get selves messages from the future so they to pull western themes into the narrative. can create the best reality for us all. Anarchy Beyond The Walls is a story that mixes action and adventure with high Anarchy Beyond The Walls is a cross stakes survival and romance. light. After listening to hours upon hours between a western and a fairy tale, set of pod-cast, one scientist finally came on after the financial collapse of the United Between all your titles you have eigh- and said, “Look, if you want to change the States. Shane’s family ran a small gas teen issues out, and counting. Do you past, you don’t have travel there to do it, station before the collapse. After the col- find it difficult to remember the begin- all you have to do, is send a message.” lapse, the rich impose martial law, and nings of each series when you meet That became my “Ah-Ha!” moment. I took remain in control of the largest cities. new customers? a look at how we send messages, and Walls are erected around the cities, and all we do it primarily over radio waves, elec- control beyond the walls is lost. Shane’s Not at all. I’m getting dangerously close to trical impulses or flashes of light across family begins brewing moonshine to use tabling for my 100th comic con. My verbal fiber optics. So, I was able to create a as ethanol. Shane becomes a motorcycle elevator pitch is rock solid. My writing story about a brilliant young physicist who messenger for the gang-lords that control process is probably a bit longer than for finds a way to make light act like a particle ICC Magazine | Issue #6 - April 2019 50 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT most writers. I usually begin with an idea, surprised to note that each of your Your company, Never Static Pictures, jotted down in notepad on my phone. I titles have a cinematic feel. Was that has done an immense amount of nar- find that the hardest part of writing any- purposeful or just a bonus from your rative and commercial work. When will thing, is having a solid ending. It’s at this experience? we see your comics brought to the big point, that I usually write an ending or two. screen? Then, I start brainstorming scenes that I It’s probably a bit of both. When working think would be cool, and write them on 3x5 as a cinematographer, I would often be My comics probably won’t be brought to note-cards. I have a large bulletin board tasked with creating a shot-list for the the screen anytime soon. I have more that I use to pin-up and organize the 3x5 project. This entails taking the script and experience than most, in regards to cards. I like this process, because I can listing out the exact shots needed to tell adapting a story for film. I don’t want to easily see everything that will happen in the story through imagery. Well, it turns do it, unless I can do it right. That requires an issue, as well as holes where some- out that comic book layouts are exactly budget. It also requires a finished story. thing will have to written to transition from the same. It’s still a matter of dissect- The closest title to completion, is ‘Anarchy one scene to the next. I also find that it ing the script, and figuring out the fewest Beyond The Walls’. It’s a six issue story really helps with the pacing of the story number of panels needed to tell a story arc, and we’re finishing the fish book now. as well. I can see if the action is going visually. I have sent books on framing for Taking Eden is currently on issue 12, so on too long, or exposition is taking too cinematography to my artists, along with it still has six more issues until it’s com- many pages. I guess my writing style, is my favorite example of sequential story- plete. Right now, my focus is finishing my that of a planner. Everything is planned telling; G.I. Joe, issue 21. Larry Hama’s stories, and reaching out to the public, to out, worked over, reworked, and written ‘silent issue’ tells an entire narrative in find my audience. again before I ever start individual page a single issue, with no word or thought layouts. I like to layout the individual cells bubbles, and it’s brilliant. When looking What’s next on the horizon for my artists, although I’m pretty loose at past influences on my work, everything for you? about how they are implemented. I’ve done has involved some form of visual I’m just trying to get this business to a Because I’m so hands on, and spend so story-telling. Interactive programs, ani- sustainable, break even point. My short much time trying to maximize the amount mation, motion graphics, video and film; term focus is spending the cold winter of story that I can get into twenty-two all are forms of telling tales with images. months writing and laying out all of the pages, I am very familiar with every twist Even during my career as a magician, I pages of Anarchy and a three issue and turn. I know every facet of every char- always thought of my routines as “prop story arc for Chronointel. I’m starting acter. If you ask me why Crystal Pamo assisted story-telling”. I’ve studied differ- some video blogs on process, and will decided to help David in issue 4, I have ent ways of telling stories over the years. be reaching out for more online reviews. an answer. Those are the conversations I can’t watch a film or read an article, Our goal is to have the collected volume that I want to have with fans at comic without thinking about how the informa- of Anarchy Beyond the Walls and the cons. I truly hope there is a day when I tion is formatted for presentation. I’ve second trade paperback, collecting panel somewhere, and I have an audi- studied 1950s serials for inspiration, and issues 7-12, of Taking Eden available on ence devoted enough to my work, that they have influenced my story-telling. In our table at WonderCon 2019. they are able to ask questions about my some books, I’ll start with the third act of a In 2019, I will be tabling at: WonderCon, writing and character decisions. At this previous story, then present act I, and end Silicon Valley Comic Con, Wizard World point, most people just want to know how on a cliff-hanger at the end of act II. It’s Sacramento, Central Coast Pop Expo, to get their comic book off the ground. I perfect for comic books, because begin- Los Angeles Comic Con. My books never wanted to self-publish. I still don’t. ning with the third act starts the book off are available to order on our website: I’m terrible at the business side of all of with action, and ends with the audience http://NeverStaticPictures. this. I’m really bad about growing mailing wanting more. It was well used in the com or digitally at ComiXology: lists, and increasing my social media Indiana Jones movies; each begins on https://www.comixology.com/Never- reach. I’ve never run a KickStarter for my the third act of story unseen. I am con- Static-Pictures/comics-publisher/12486- books. In an ideal world, a publisher would stantly trying to humanize my characters, 0And the biggest event for me, in May run with my books, and I could devote but still move the story along in dynamic of 2019, is running my first Kickstarter. more time to creating them, rather than ways. I think that all of these influences Please visit our website, and get on our marketing them. I’d much rather watch have meshed into the perfect skillset for mailing list for more information as the a YouTube video about character devel- creating comic books. launch date nears. opment or world building, than videos about converting mailing list enrollees into paying customers.

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