Hooded Interview

WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER GREAT INTERVIEW AT COMIC UNKNOWN! WE TAKE A PEEK BEHIND THE HOODED MIND OF CHRIS JOHNSON!

Comic Unknown: Welcome Chris Johnson and thank you for spending some time with us at Comic Unknown to talk about your book. How did you come up with the concept of Hoody?

Chris Johnson: Thanks for having me; I appreciate you taking the time out to talk about Hoody with me. Hoody was born in pain. He's a metaphor for the oppressed and he's my way of fighting back. 

CU: What made you want to work in the comic book industry? 

CJ: Anything I've ever done creatively has been something I thoroughly enjoyed. I have always been a writer; when I was a child, I drew my own comics at home. They weren't creator-owned, but they were the start of what would become both the Anomalous Comics and Chris Johnson the Writer brands. 

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series? 

CJ: I have two outlined now, and a series open ending. It basically depends on how many times we can duplicate the success of the first Hoody Kickstarter. 

CU: Will the Hoody's universe continue after the series? 

CJ: Yes, Hoody is part of a larger story in the tapestry I have woven that is the Anomalous Comics back catalogue. He resides in the Downtown sector of the futuristic Savyer City, and interacts with characters from the city in meaningful ways that affect other books slated for later in the year. 

CU: What was/is the most difficult part in the production of Hoody? 

CJ: Really, me and Karl work really well together, and Sambas kills it in the coloring phase, so it's one of the smoothest, conveyor belt type processes. Now, were we all in the same room together while creating a Hoody book, that would be a really interesting and fun time! 

CU: Are there any other projects you are currently working on or plan on working on in the near future? 

CJ: Yes, I actually am releasing two adult comedies, Mind Things of a Dirty Zombie and Super Support Group, with Hoody this month in our Kickstarter campaign and I have an adult horror book called Nightmare Cafe, and an horror/comedy called Thrill Killers. 

CU: How did you meet your other creators for Hoody? 

CJ: I actually found Karl David Hewitt in a Facebook group for artists, and we immediately hit it off. He hadn't done any sequential work at the time, so we started on something small. Five pages. That story would become chapter one of the Hoody comic. Here we are, working on chapter four and we will possibly do a fifth chapter if we can get ten backers to pledge $120 to be killed by Hoody in this first issue of Hoody: Sympathetic Murderer. 

CU: When working with deadlines, do you have a specific strategy to best manage your time efficiently? 

CJ: Yeah, don't eat until it's done, haha. Seriously, I wake up, sometimes early, and get started on my computer and sometimes don't look up until hours later and my stomach is growling. I guess, dedication is really the core answer to that question. 

CU: Who is your favorite all-time superhero/villain? Why?

CJ: I like villains like the Joker and Carnage because of their reckless abandon in direct opposition to their respective heroes.

CU: Who has been the biggest influence on you in the comic industry?

CJ: I love Chris Claremont and Fabian Nicieza's writing ever since I was a kid. Recently, though, David Walker has grown my interest in writing more culturally influenced work, hence Hoody. 

CU: What is the best way readers can find more information about Hoody? 

CJ: Sure, everyone can always keep up to date with all the Hoody happenings at our Facebook page - facebook.com/hoodyhoodyhoody but until March 17th at 11am feel free to back our campaign. We met our goal in, like, 20 hours so now we're just giving out a bunch of cool stretch goals and special tiers (like putting our backers in the book). Check it out! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrisjohnson/hoody/ 
Thanks for having me on!

THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRIS FOR THIS KILLER INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THESE AWESOME INDIE COMICS!

Interview of the Cosmos

Welcome to another great interview at Comic Unknown! We introduce Jason Lenox, the creator of Ugli Studios and Lords of the Cosmos

Comic Unknown: Welcome, Jason Lenox and thank you for spending some time with us at Comic Unknown to talk about your book. How did you come up with Lords of the Cosmos? 

Jason Lenox: An appreciation and enjoyment for classics from my childhood-Three Cartoons stick out Filmation's Flash Gordon, Thundarr the Barbarian and Masters of the Universe were three standouts that inspired!

CU: What made you want to work in the comic book industry?

JL: I think the medium is endless, and I enjoy working in it.

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series?

JL: At least 6

CU: Will the Lords of the Cosmos's universe continues after the series? 

JL: I think so. Well, at least I hope so!!

CU: What was/is the most difficult part in the production of Lords of the Cosmos? 

JL: Being a manager to a project, not just an artist

CU: Are there any other projects you are currently working on or plan on working on in the near future?

JL: An Adult Satanic Coloring Book is in the works right now as well as Lords of the Cosmos #3.

CU: How did you meet your creators for Lords of the Cosmos?

JL: Jason Palmatier was a client at an old job, and Dennis Fallon was a friend of his.

CU: When working with deadlines, do you have a specific strategy to best manage your time efficiently?

JL: Tell people NO more often than you tell them YES!! Seriously, you have to be careful how much work you accept, and what is the work you are doing- editing out the projects that are not furthering your big picture goals is key to being efficient as a creative, distractions are everywhere!

CU: Who is your favorite all-time superhero/villain? Why?

JL: Conan the Barbarian- he lives by his own rules, fights the good fight, and more often than not, gets the girl in the end- he is a classic character that has thrived as a pulp character and also as a great comic book read for decades!

CU: Who has been the biggest influence on you in the comic industry?

JL: Alejandro Jodorowsky- he is an amazing creator that has stuck to his vision in comics, film etc. whether people liked it or not- he succeeds on the strength of his belief in his own vision.

CU: What is the best way readers can find more information about Lords of the Cosmos?

JL: They can get a digital copy at COMIXOLOGY or a Physical Copy on Etsy - keep track of updates on Twitter and IG @lenoxartist Links are below

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LenoxArtEmporium

https://www.comixology.com/Lords-of-the-Cosmos-2/digital-comic/709963

www.jasonlenox.com

THANK YOU SO MUCH JASON LENOX FOR THIS COSMIC FILLED INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!

A Clucking Interview

COMIC UNKNOWN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK GABE OSTLEY A A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT CLUCK RECENTLY. CHECK OUT WHAT HE SAID.


COMIC UNKNOWN (CU): What made you want to work in the comic book industry? 

GABE OSTLEY (OS):The lavish lifestyle. Swimming pools, movie stars.... poverty.... who am I kidding? This is a crazy line of work. But for serious I've always loved drawing and thinking up stories. And I was that guy who was always carrying around Ronin and Wolverine's Jungle Adventure in middle school. Ok, high school too. Actually, I wish I could still carry those around with me. 

CU: How did you come up with the story line of CLUCK? 

OS: Cluck was a fun one. I discovered one day that I had never seen the entire Dirty Harry film, unedited for television, and so I watched it one evening and was just floored by it. It's very Tarantino. And Eastwood is of course magnificent. Beyond his iconic "you feel lucky" quote, he has some great moments in that film. So that's kind of where it started. I wanted to do a Dirty Harry comic. But then I thought of how many clones there are out there. Charles Bronson built his whole career on that. Comics can do contrasts and extremes almost better than any other medium. So the opposite of Harry Callahan is... a chicken. That had to be it. Then it was simply a matter of covering all of the classic cop movie tropes. We needed an interrogation scene, the shouting match with the Captain, and the over the top car chase, to name a few. Gradually though, ideas started to filter in beyond just the parody. 

CU: Were any of the characters inspired by another character or person?

OS: None whatsoever. Ha! But really, the love of buddy cop movies was strong in this one.

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series?

OS: I enlisted writer Dustin Schmidt early on and we came up with a 4 issue arc initially. Really though, like Death Wish, Cluck could go on and on.

CU: Will the comic's universe continue after the series?  

OS: That's a good question. We were thinking of calling his city "Sunday City"-- and I always liked that name. Yeah, I could see other stories happening there.

CU: What was the most difficult part in the production of CLUCK? 

OS: I think the most difficult part was just the international communication. My co-writer was in Australia, so we were always on different timelines. 

CU: Are you planning on any new series after CLUCK? 

OS: Oh constantly. There's always too many ideas and not enough time, right? I'm really excited about the stuff I'm working on right now. WP Comics is offering a lot of opportunities for indie comics creators right now. Exciting times!

CU: Who is your favorite all time super hero/villain? Why? 

OS: I'm not that big into superheroes. I know. I'm weird. But I do really like the original Deathlok. I mean, he was basically a zombie/cyborg fighting cannibals in a post-apocalyptic NYC with an arsenal of big guns. That's a recipe for kickassity.

CU: What is the best way readers can find CLUCK? 

OS: WP Comics is releasing a mini of our initial 8 page pitch. I also *just* drew a short story starring Cluck for their Chronicles of Terror anthology. And it's a Christmas themed one so we get "Scrooge McCluck." The world needed this. You're holding it in your hands right now, aren't you? Hopefully, there will be more Cluck on the horizon. I think there will be.

THANK YOU SO MUCH GABE OSTLEY FOR THIS CLUCKING INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!

Radiating Interview

Welcome back to another great interview at Comic Unknown! We have the opportunity to ask James Johnson a few questions so let us check out his response!

Comic Unknown (CU): What made you want to work in the comic book industry?

James Johnson (JJ): Working in comics has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid. I grew up reading comics and always loved to draw. So it was a natural fit. I actually had my first comic published in a local newspaper when I was 11 years old.

(CU): How did you come up with the story line of Radiation Burn?

(JJ): When I started, all I knew was that I wanted to do a Post Apocalyptic series that was kind of wacky and in the style of Gamma World or Snarf Quest. I saw a picture of the Aztec god of Death so I started sketching various characters based on that. That’s when Mick appeared. Ideas started flooding in just thinking about what a death-dealing robot would do in the wasteland.  Were any of the characters inspired by another character or person?  Zend Angling is based on Glenn Danzig. (From the Misfits and Danzig.) His name is actually an anagram of the rock star. Annabelle is also loosely based on an ex-girlfriend, but I won’t say which one...

(CU): How many issues do you have in mind for the series?

(JJ): I have one other issue planned out, but I imagine I’ll be returning to these characters throughout my life. 

(CU): Will the comic's universe continue after the series?

(JJ): Definitely. It’s a bit of a shared universe with some of my other artist friends, so I imagine a lot will be going on in the wasteland long after I’m done with it.

(CU): What was the most difficult part in the production of Radiation Burn?

(JJ): Writing. My background is in visual arts and I only recently started writing my own stuff. So I struggle with it quite a bit. It’s slowly getting easier though.

(CU): Are you planning on any new series after Radiation?

(JJ): I have a few projects planned for 2017 already. A zombie book with Kim Roberts called Resurrected is one of them. A licensed book, called 100 Acres of Hell is another.

(CU): Who is your favorite all-time superhero/villain? Why?

(JJ): Spider-Man. He’s just a regular Joe that happens to have super powers. No pretension, no weird background story. I like that his personal life has its ups and downs, all the garbage we all deal with, and yet he still manages to be a hero.

(CU): What is the best way readers can find Radiation Burn?

(JJ): They can grab a digital or (soon) print copy over at WP Comics.  

THANK YOU SO MUCH JAMES JOHNSON FOR THIS RADIATING INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!

Smick City Interview

WE COME TO AN AMAZING INTERVIEW AT COMIC UNKNOWN! WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A ONE ON ONE WITH CHRIS THOMASMA, THE CREATOR OF CLARITY GIRL. 

Comic Unknown (CU): What made you want to work in the comic book industry?

Chris Thomasma (CT): I've always liked to come up with stories and draw fan art, but I guess what really made me get into actually creating them was when I was at a comic store and saw a few comics that looked awful. The pages looked like they were literally drawn by a six-year-old. At that point, I had no excuses for not at least trying (plus I've gone to about five years of useful How to Make Comics panels at C2E2 - thanks C2E2).

CU: How did you come up with Clarity Girl?

CT: At the time I felt like there weren't enough wisecracking funny superheroines (I still feel funny female superheroes are lacking). So my goal for Clarity Girl was basically to create a female Deadpool while still having her be original.

CU: Were any of the characters inspired by another character or person?

CT: Other than Clara being inspired Deadpool, no

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series?

CT: Seven issues, but if I feel I need to make the final Clarity Girl v Ming fight to be more epic. I might have it be eight issues.

CU: Any specific process when you approach a new page that you'll be working on?

CT: Yes I do things very differently than most haha. I draw and ink on paper (each panel on a different piece of paper), then color in Photoshop

CU: Will the comic's universe continue after the series?

CT: Yes. I plan to keep going as long as I can. I want people to grow with Clara (watch later on till she goes off to college, gets married, etc).

CU: What was the most difficult part in the production of Clarity Girl?

CT: Finding my nitch. I like horror and dark comics/movies/TV shows but I learned my style just doesn't work with that kinda stuff.

CU: Are you planning on any new series after Clarity Girl?

CT: I actually plan on doing a couple spinoff things between Clarity Girl issues.

CU: Who is your favorite all time superhero/villain? Why?

CT: Spider-Man. I don't know what I love about him. Maybe his charisma and how relatable he is.

CU: What is the best way readers can find Clarity Girl?

CT: www.facebook.com/claritygirl_comic

THANK YOU SO MUCH CHRIS THOMAS FOR THIS GREAT INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!

Year of the Spellman: The Interview

WELCOME BAAA-CK TO ANOTHER AMAZING INTERVIEW WITH GOATS IN THE BRAIN. THAT'S RIGHT! TODAY WE WILL HAVE OUR ONE-ON-ONE WITH TOM SPELLMAN, THE CREATOR OF YEAR OF THE GOAT. SO LETS GOAT THIS INTERVIEW STARTED.

Comic Unknown: What made you want to work in the comicbook industry?

Tom Spellman: I've been a comic book reader since is was 10 years old and I can remember many times over the years, saying to myself...wow, that's a great comic book idea.  A few years ago, I was flipping through the internet looking for a good series to read (that I hadn't already read). I couldn't find anything interesting from the big few publishers, but a few awesome books were popping up that were independent and launched on Kickstarter.  I had no idea what Kickstarter was but as I read on, I found there were people just like me, without a book deal, that had great story ideas that needed to be told...and Kickstarter provided a platform for funding to make it happen.  

CU: How did you come up with Year of the Goat?

TS: I'll start by saying that I have a warped sense of humor.  The first comic I launched on Kickstarter was Time Stop, a story about a guy who finds a watch that gives him the ability to freeze time.  Though I still love the concept, the story didn't give me an outlet to release the warped ideas floating around in my noggin.  Timestop didn't do too well and I almost gave up on self-publishing.  Then I said to myself, let me try something different.  Instead of making a story that I think people will like, I'm going to write a story that I would want to read.  It was 2015 and I was in a Chinese restaurant waiting for my takeout and I noticed a calendar on the wall that said 2015, the Year of the Goat.  My mind starting spinning and I came up with the idea right after that. 

CU: How many issues do you have in mind for the series?

TS: I wrote up through Issue 10.  It ends in a way that could conclude the series, but also leaves a few cliff hangars that would allow me to continue. 

CU: Will the comic's universe continue after the series?

TS: No plans for that.  I have had a few ideas of maybe some one offs but haven't written anything yet.

CU: What was the most difficult part in the production of Year of the Goat?

TS: The part I struggle with the most is the wording.  I write the comic well in advance of having it made.  That artwork is fun, the coloring is fun...but then when I get a proof of the final version with my original writing then in bubble form, I end up revising it about 100 times.  It seems what I originally write sounds perfect when I am writing it, but once I see it on the artwork, with the characters saying it, I end up changing a lot of what I originally wrote.  I have perfectionist tendencies and end up revising maybe much more than I should.

CU: Are you planning on any new series after Year of the Goat?

TS: YES!  You may notice on Facebook that I have been teasing pictures of my next series, Children of Nirvana.  There is nothing like it in the universe and I feel I really have a solid story in my hands (and not just because I wrote it, hehe).  Issue one is going into production very soon and even if I continue Goat after Issue 10, I want to take some time off to focus on future issues of Nirvana.

CU: Who is your favorite all time super hero/villain? Why?

TS: This answer would surely change at different times in my life.  Back at 10, I would have said any of the Ninja Turtles or anyone in Classic X-Men, especially Wolverine, Gambit and Omega Red.  Now I'm at a point where I prefer more serious, non-superpower heroes and villains.  Jeppard from Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth tops the list of heroes.  I just like the raw, gritty, mountain of a man who after facing much turmoil in his life, has one last ditch effort to prove to himself that he is actually a good person. 

CU: Who has been the biggest influence on you in the comic industry?

TS: This might be the answer you were expecting but my biggest influence is all the other creator that are making comics and building a fan base on crowd funding platforms.  There's been a few times where I've said, why the hell am I doing this.  Then I log into Facebook and see others, just like me who don't have a writing deal, still putting out kick-ass stories. 

CU: What is the best way readers can find Year of the Goat?

TS: Right now the goats are baaaa-ck with Issue 7 on Kickstarter and the campaign ends March 3rd, 2017.  Though it's 7, there are reward levels that provide back issues and the volume one TPB featuring issues 1-5.  Previous issues are also available on SpellBound Comics.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TOM SPELLMAN FOR THIS GOAT FILLED INTERVIEW! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!

Interview with the Illustrator

WELCOME TO ANOTHER AMAZING INTERVIEW HERE AT COMIC UNKNOWN! WE HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO HAVE A ONE ON ONE WITH FRANKIE B. WASHINGTON!

Comic Unknown: What made you want to work in the comic book industry?

Frankie B. Washington: I actually don’t consider myself a comic book artist, I’m a Commercial Illustrator whose worked in the art industry (Film, Animation, Advertising, Toys, Cards and Print). I’ve always wanted to learn as much as possible about other aspects of the art industry. Never getting locked down into one specific area but instead dabbling in as many as I came across. The comic book industry to me is no different to me than working on storyboards in tv ad campaigns… Or storyboards. I’m a huge fan of Sequential artwork and what it can offer as an experience to the person viewing it.

 
CU: Who is your favorite all time super hero/villain? Why?
FBW: I’m a huge fan of Marvel Comics “The Thing” - especially the Jack Kirby/ John Byrne run of the character which in my opinion truly represented the ideal of the superhero. A man changed into a monstrous form who continues to fight for a society that judges him. Ben Grimm doesn’t give up and that’s a way of thought which has served me in my own personal life journey. Dr Doom is the epitome of the ultimate super villain . He already has power as the leader of Latvia yet he wants more power. He feels as a dictator that his goals are in the best interest of the masses as long as they accept his rule.



CU: What are your published credits?
FBW: I’ve done illustration for 
RPG Books: 

• Spartacus Publishing - BattleDragons 2002
• XID Creative - Providence “The Book Of Wird” 1999
• XID Creative - Providence “Cliff-Spider : The War Citadel ” 1999
• Iron Crown Enterprises - Spacemasters “Privateers 2000 
• Mad Hermit Games - Cold Steel Reign 2003 
• Moonstone Books - Zombies vs Cheerleaders Issue #1 2010

Magazine:

• Cemetery Dance Magazine - Issue #53 / Issue #57 / Issue #67 / Issue #74/75 
• Double Issue Moonstone Books - Voltron : United & Drawn 2011

Comic Book:

• Asylum Press - Satan’s 3-Ring Circus Of Hell 2005
• Haunted Computer Productions - Grave Conditions 2010
• SPA Comics Group - Mysterious Visions After Hours Issue 3 2008
• Cambrian Comics - “Welcome To Metroville” 2016  
• Zetabella Publishing - Robot God Akamatsu Vol 1 2013  
• Dark Horse - Once Upon A Time Machine (Double Page Pin-Up)
• 2012 Vector Comics - The Nightmare Patrol 2017

CU: What was the craziest, funnest, or most difficult project you have worked on?
FBW: The one that comes to mind was actual a production job that I did for a client whereas I had to physically paint TeePee for a show. I’ve never done artwork like this and I stepped up to the challenge… And got it done. I personally don’t ever want to do a gig like that again LOL
 
 
CU: Have you ever felt emotionally invested in your projects?
FBW: Every project, I work on. I feel I have to give 200% to it's success. I want to see it evolve into something more than where it began. I tend to market the projects I'm associated with for myself as well as the client. If they are successful then my relationship with the project will be worth it. It's never a fun moment when a project stales or is simply declared "DEAD" even before it could live.

CU: When working with deadlines, do you have a specific strategy to best manage your time efficiently?
FBW: I have a WAR CALENDAR which lays out my deadline dates. Before i even start a gig, I usually ask the client on a rough estimate of time, so that i can adjust my schedule to fit the project and other projects that might be going on all well. The key thing is to effectively keep all the clients happy and get the job done with minimal stress to my psyche. 

CU: Do you work on multiple projects at once? Which project(s) are you currently working on?
FBW: Yes, I do work on multiple projects. As I freelance illustrator, I can find myself working on comic book pages and then switching on to artwork for patches… And then onto toy design. It’s very important to have a very strong system in place to manage the workload. I’m currently working on the webcomic “The Secret Lives Of Villains”, “The Nightmare Patrol”… And any new gig that happens to pop up in my email.

CU: Ever been offered a project and had to decline because of the content?
FBW: Yes, I’ve declined many projects this year alone, just because of the time constraint. As I get older the “Long night into early morning gigs” just aren’t appealing to me as they were when I was younger. I like pacing myself and just insuring that my mental and physical health is taken care of as well as my passion for the art.

CU: Any specific process when you approach a new page you'll be working on?
FBW: When i get a script, I usually thumbnail as I read it. I find that at this stage, my thoughts are raw and allows me to just go for it. Once I’ve finished thumb-nailing, I scan the pages in and can make edits in Photoshop. I always assume that the client will have edits as well… And prepare myself to make them in Photoshop if need be.

CU: Who has been the biggest influence on you in the comic industry?
FBW: Go Nagai (Mazinger Z, Getter Robo G, Gaiking) / Jack Kirby - (Fantastic Four, Machine Man, Black Panther etc) / Herb Trimpe (Shogun Warriors, Godzilla) / John Byrne & Chris Claremont (X-Men)

CU: What is the best way comic readers can find your work?
FBW: Here’s my Freelanced Page : https://www.freelanced.com/frankiebwashington DeviantArt Page : http://fbwash.deviantart.com/gallery/

THANK YOU FRANKIE FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY! MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER FOR ALL UPDATES ON ALL INDIE COMICS WE REVIEW AND NEW INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATORS OF THE AWESOME COMICS WE HAVE REVIEWED!