Q&A With Tangled Weeds and The Somber Crown's LEE MILEWSKI

Lee Milewski is a professional illustrator from South West Florida, where he currently lives with his wife Kathleen. Lee is actively involved in comics (mostly self-published / independent works) and standalone pieces.

Besides making comics, Lee loves film, video games, tea, and running.

Get in touch with Lee at l.milewski@yahoo.com ,
http://leemilewskiart.tumblr.com , and check out his current kickstarter at
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1939188463/the-somber-crown-issue-1

1. How long have you been creating comics, and when did you decide to pursue it as a profession?

     I've been drawing since I was really young, but my fascination with comics didn't really start until I was out of college. I studied film and art, so the process of creating panels and storyboards came naturally. Professionally, I've been drawing for three years.

 2. You recently had a successful Kickstarter campaign for your graphic novel Tangled Weeds. How did that project come about, and how great did it feel when it succeeded?

Tangled Weeds was the first real "jump" into sharing my work with an audience who really seemed interested in the work. Because the Kickstarter was successful, I was able to print up (great quality) copies and build a small fan base. The concept grew from my love of 80's sci-fi movies and Lovecraftian horror themes, which really shows when you read through the collected edition.

3. Speaking of Kickstarter, what advice would you give a creator getting thinking about launching a campaign?

Kickstarters are super tough, no matter how much you prepare or over analyze your campaign! I would always recommend telling those interested in pledging about the launch a few weeks in advance, along with trying to build relationships with the people involved with spreading comic news online. Get involved in the forums, email everyone you know, and give your campaign time to grow.

4. You use traditional pen and paper to produce your initial pages. What are your thoughts on digital drawing tools?

 My primary tool is a Pentel Brush Pen, which comes highly recommended to anyone interested in using brushes! I also have a Wacom Intuos4, which I probably use just as often. Digital coloring/drawing/correcting is essential in today's comics, so I have nothing against the use of it. In fact, I would say that most artists should get MORE accustomed to the digital side of things, just to sharpen their skills.

5. You have a very unique art style. What artists, in or out of comics, have influenced you?

There's too many to name, but Mike Mignola, Studio Ghibli, and Paul Pope are current favorites.

6. What comics are you reading these days?

I don't actually read too many modern comics, but Prophet, Hellboy, BPRD, and a lot of webcomics are always at the top of my list.

7. Besides creating comics, what are some of your other interests?

I love spending time with my family! Also, film and video games if I get a spare minute.

8. Your work has been creator owned projects. Can you ever see yourself doing mainstream work-for-hire?

I could see myself doing it if I was ever asked, though the process of submitting to publishers feels... tiresome. I used to send pitches out, even if just to get hired for a more main-stream title, but it's not a priority right now.

9. What can you tell us about your current project, The Somber Crown?

The Somber Crown is everything that I would look for in a comic. It has action, adventure, a gripping story, and meticulously drawn panels. I briefly describe the comics story as " A courageous Elf searches for vengeance in a world overcome with fantastic monsters", and that's essentially what I will be offering with it. This first issue will be 40+ pages long and have full color interiors!

10. Have you given any thought to what your next project might be?

I am hoping to stay on The Somber Crown for awhile, possibly getting the second issue released before the year's done. This world is both fun and wondrous for the reader to inhabit (and me to illustrate), so I would love to continue with these characters for awhile.

Check out this preview of the first five pages of The Somber Crown by Lee Milewski!

THE ALMIGHTIES

THE ALMIGHTIES

From Sam Johnson, creator of Geek-Girl, and Mike Gagnon, creator of Monkeys & Midgets...

MAXI-T...RON! MASON! MS. F! NITE FANG! and...uh...Stefanos are THE ALMIGHTIES!

"Get your coat, Evil - you're ^%£*ed!"

The Almighties #1 and FREE Almighties Origins are Out Now and available at www.thealmighties.com

An acclaimed, edgy but fun-filled spoof, with a light-hearted twist on the traditional superhero team. See More

OLD WORLD COMICS - Q & A With Todd Goodman

 

Todd Goodman is the writer, creator and founder of Old World Comics.  Since launching his independent publishing company on New Year’s Day, 2010, he has filled it with incredible artistic talent to compliment his comic scripts, which produced such titles as The Powers that Be, The Book on Me, The Cosmic Avenger and others, including the bestselling All Hallows Eve.  Todd also writes the monthly webcomic, Old World Office, in which he and other staffers are lampooned. 

 

SIC: Do you remember what the first comic you read was?

 

Todd:  No, but I remember when and how I really got turned on to comics.  Back in high school, I worked at the local grocery store.  Every Wednesday, the new magazines and comics were dropped off at the store and had to be checked in, and I always volunteered for the job.  I remember seeing the first issue of "Rom: Spaceknight" from Marvel and thinking it looked so cool and that this was a number 1 issue, so a good book to start reading.  That was in 1979 (and, yes, I'm old).  I don't remember getting so excited over a title until "Batman and the Outsiders" debuted in 1983.  I still have all the issues of both titles.

 

SIC: You're a long time comic book reader. What caused you to make the jump to comic book creator?

 

Todd:  Oh, man!  When I was a kid (eight or ten or whatever), I would "draw" my own comics on college ruled paper.  I remember "creating" a super-speed character called Barefoot Bullet (because I was eight or ten or whatever!), and I had him meet the Justice League of America and racing the Flash.  I don't remember who won.  It was just cool to draw the Justice League and have my own character.

Jump forward many years later to 2006 and Stan Lee's "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" on the Sci-Fi channel.  I would go over to my friend's house every week and we'd watch it, when my friend says that we should do a comic - he'd draw it and I would write it.  Now, two good friends of mine were already making their own comics:  Wayne Osborne with John Byrne doing "FX" for IDW Comics and Daniel Frazier self-publishing, "The Adventures of Nightclaw and Prowler".  So my friend pushed my childhood "make comics" button. 

 

So by mid 2009, I was juiced to do my own comic.  I remembered that super-speeder, Barefoot Bullet, and wondered, "Do I dare use him ...?"  That's how I came up with "The Powers that Be!" and decided to make it a surreal, over-the-top superhero comedy.  I also decided to just go ahead and start a company, and Old World Comics was born.  I shopped around on the internet and finally hooked up with the super-fun-talented Cory Butler and we were on our way.

SIC: What are your thoughts on digital comics?

 

Todd:  The quick answer is my motto:  "Kill a tree.  Make a book."  (We can always grow more trees.)  Actually, I'm kind of neutral about digital comics.  I personally don't like them.  I'm old school.  That's why I founded Old World Comics (duh!).  I'm a "touchy-feely" kind of guy.  You can read Old World stuff on digital, but for me - it just ain't the same.  Also, it will kill conventions for all of us.  There's something special about meeting someone (creator and reader both) and holding a real object between the two of you.  I think digital comics can be great for introducing a book to a reader, but it ain't pulp, baby!

 

 

SIC: You may be the only local creator to have an international hit, with Empty Skull. How did that come about?

 

Todd:  Well, I'm just all-that and a chocolate chip cookie, Sunshine!  HAHAHA!  "International hit"!  You're buying into my own press!  That's great!  Actually, "Empty Skull" artist, Marcelo Briseno, lives in Mexico.  He does at least one local convention, which he is a HUGE attraction!  "Empty Skull" sells out for him all the time, and I just love that for the both of us.  I have tried to talk some other Old World artists into doing their own set-up, like Free Comic Book Day, so we'll see how that goes.

SIC: In addition to comic books, you also publish All Hallow's Eve, a series of illustrated prose stories. What would you say are the advantages and drawbacks of each medium?

Todd:  "All Hallows Eve" was a complete surprise for me.  It was a format I tried out just so I could tell a story I've had on the shelf for literally years, but didn't want to begin a new comic book title.  I have one rule at Old World Comics, which exist so that I can write comics, and that is:  I do what I what for me, and share it with others and see what happens.

 

I already have plans for the next prose series I'll be doing after "Eve" wraps up, because I think comic book buyers (to a small percentage) will read non-comic books.  I think "Eve" sells great because (1) people just love the synopsis when they hear it and (2) the books are inexpensive and thin.  They're not plopping down $15 to $30 for a novel they don't know if they will like or not.  They can spend three little dollars on Book One to try it out.  What's to lose?  So it's been a huge success for me so far.

 

SIC: You used to front a metal band. How does that compare to being a comic book creator at a convention?

 

Todd:  You know, I was never comfortable as a front man between songs.  I could never scream in a convincing voice, "How you doing, Cleveland?"  HAHA!  I think doing comics is completely different because its just me, for the most part.  No drummers to fight with!  All decisions are mine, good or bad, and that's pretty liberating.  Girls don't scream as much, but whacha gonna do?

 

SIC:Old World Comics publishes a diverse line of titles, from horror to slice of life to comedy. Is there a genre you haven't done yet that you'd like to try your hand at?

 

Todd:  What am I missing?  I still want to do a straight-up superhero book, maybe even a side universe of titles, but I ain't holding my breath!

SIC: Who are your writing influences, in or out of comics?

 

Todd:  Here's the thing:  I don't read fiction, outside of comics.  I read history, non-fiction and religious books.  Now, back in the day (which is the 70s through the 80s), I loved reading all those cats writing comics!  Other of that, I read Poe on a yearly basis.

 

SIC: Tell me about "Evil Todd."

 

Todd: HAHAHA!  Evil Todd has nothing to do with creating comics!  He takes over my Facebook page every October (he's a big Halloween fan) and deletes people from my Friends list ... so don't piss him off!

 

SIC: What does the future hold for you and Old World?

Todd: A fifth anniversary on January 1, 2015.  Other than that, keep checking www.oldworldcomics.com, baby!

THROW BACK THURSDAY - DNAGENTS

 

 

DNAgents is a comic book created by writer Mark Evanier and artist Will Meugniot and published by Eclipse Comics in 1983. It was later picked up briefly by Antarctic Press. In June 2006, old issues were collected into DNAgents Volume 1.

It tells the story of a team of superheroes created through genetic engineering by the Matrix Corporation. The writing style tended towards wry humor, perhaps reflecting Evanier's other work in television, cartoon, and variety comedy writing.

Buy DNAgents and thousands of other great indie comic titles at mycomicshop.com!

AGENT SOLO

 

Agent Solo is about a bionic rogue super soldier named Jackson Brice who thwarts national security threats. It’s an action, sci-fi, thriller webcomic.

TEAM SOLO
Writer/Creator Raymond Leonard
Artist Raymond Leonard
Inker/Colorist Ernest Jocson.
Letters Brant Fowler & Nikki Foxrobot

Read AGENT SOLO - http://www.agentsolowebcomic.com/

NOT DARK YET

 

 

Q&A With JEREMY KING

 

By Michael Wheeler

 

For Support Indie Comics' first Q & A session (there are many more to come), I had a sit down with Jeremy King, a writer and graphic artist who has along with fellow writer, Jason Davis, created PAGE 4 YETI (P4Y).  A multimedia company that will strive to help other creative artists find an avenue for their intellectual properties. 

 

Michael - How are you... really?

 

Jeremy - I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

Michael - What inspired you to start up Page 4 Yeti?

 

 

Jeremy - Jason Davis (co-founder of P4Y) and I always had lots of projects we wanted to work on together, be it music, documentaries, or comedy. We decided to create an organization to house our ideas. We're still hoping to follow up on all those projects. Right now we're concentrating on our comic book work.

 

Michael -  What can you tell us about your up-coming Western title, "Not Dark Yet"?

 

 

Jeremy - It's a straight western; no supernatural or steampunk overtones. But it's not a heroic shoot 'em up. It's more cerebral. Not Dark Yet centers around a man who has seen and done some bad stuff. He's been on the run for many years, but his past has finally caught up to him. Now he has to decide if he's going to keep running or if he's going to face up to what he's done.

 

Michael - What's one of the craziest things that ever happened to you?

 

Jeremy - I did get mugged at gun point once. They even stole my car. That was pretty crazy. And not much fun.

 

Michael -  What are some other up-coming projects that your working on?

 

 

Jeremy - We're hoping to put out an anthology comic book soon, featuring our work plus some things by some other local indie creators. We've got a short story coming out in Panthology #3, from Pantheon Comics. It's on Kickstarter right now, so everybody go support it. I'll also be illustrating a story for volume 4. I've got a story I wrote and drew coming out from Evil Moose Comics. It's about a werewolf, and will be in Moose Crossing #2, tentatively due out April 2. I drew a story for Michael Wheeler (Ed. - Hey that's me! Woot!!) of Unforgiven Comics that's available as a web comic (Suicide Is Painless). I've also done some various pin ups and covers for some indie creators. And I'm working on illustrating a children's book that an old friend of mine wrote.

 

Michael -  You are also a talented musician as well as being a stellar graphic artist. What music do you listen too as your laying down pencils and inks?

 

Jeremy - It depends. All kinds of stuff. Jason actually made some CDs to represent the mood of each character, so I'll listen to those for inspiration. Or I'll listen to whatever group I happen to be into at that time. Randomly, when I'm fleshing out the pencils or inking I can listen to music or have the tv on, but when I'm laying out the pages I need silence to concentrate.

 

Michael -  What are some of your favorite current comic titles?

 

 

Jeremy - So many good titles. I read a lot of stuff from Image and Dark Horse. Saga, East of West, Fatale, Savage Dragon, Invincible, Conan, Hellboy, Elf Quest, Hawkeye, Fables, too many to list.

 

Michael -  Have you ever been in a fist fight?

 

Jeremy - Not since I was a kid. Don't want to hurt my artist hands!

 

Michael -  What are some of your favorite artists? Inspirations?

 

 

Jeremy - Mainstream wise, John Byrne, Jim Lee and Chris Sprouse are my biggest artistic influences, although I draw nothing like them. And as far as creators who have maintained and managed their creations really well, Mike Mignola, Erik Larsen and Eric Powell are my role models. When I was in my early teens, I discovered self publishers and independent comics, which changed my life. Jeff Smith, Terry Moore and Drew Hayes were, and are, the guys I looked up to and who inspire me. Last year I attended my first conventions and met local creators, and they're the ones who really inspired me to try my hand at this. In particular, Dustin Carson, Chris Charlton and Todd Goodman put out great work and are awesome guys, too.

 

Michael -  Oh, look, last question! Here's a doozy -- What is the biggest personal change you've ever made?

 

 

Jeremy - After I graduated college, I moved from small town Kentucky to Nashville and lived there for several years. That was a big change. I'm glad I did it, cause that's where I met my wife Amanda. Marrying her was a big personal change-- in the best way possible!

 

Like P4Y (Page for Yeti) on FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Page-4-Yeti/144917562386236

INNER BEINGS

A Brothers In Arms Presentation
In collaboration with Gallant Comics
From the mind of Lubisan comes INNER BEINGS
This project is in production by:
Lubisan: Story & Art
Mike Montalvo: Colors
Mike Waggoner: Lettering & Production

A long time ago, on a planet from another dimension, known as Sandria, the Inner Beings were created. The Inner Beings are a chosen team of highly trained military men and women from opposing sides, that came together to fight a common alien threat. They were enhanced with powers and abilities in order to even out the odds. Once the war was over, the opposing sides separated, which became the cent...urions (Still known as Inner Beings) and the Warlords. The warlords believed that Sandria should be ruled by god like beings as themselves, and this began a devastating war, causing the Inner Beings to split up and protect different segments of Sandria.

The leader of the Warlords Lord Sakan was imprisoned for crimes against his own people, but his Warlords continued to press on. The one who gave them their gifts tried to fix the issue he felt he had created and instead accidentally created a bridge between Sandria and Earth which is very slowly merging both planets, causing inexplicable earthquakes, terrible weather patterns and monster like creatures appearing on earth. While this happens, the Warlords search for their Lord Sakan; and therefore the Inner Beings must reunite so that together they can figure out how to stop the merging of the planets in order to avoid their destruction, protect the people of earth from monster like creatures and prevent the Warlords from finding their Lord and the Lord’s Mercury Skull which enhances his powers; and this is where our story begins, Inner Beings Issue 1, The Rebirth!

 

BUY IT RIGHT HERE - http://www.indyplanet.com/front/?product=inner-beings-1
Like INNER BEINGS on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/InnerBeings