Welcome back to another installment of Indie Comics Showcase! Every little bit counts, from the single dollar pledges to the fifty dollar, and of course the higher ones. Some of these campaigns have got some great higher tiers which add even more value by offering stuff you can’t get anywhere else. Take a few minutes this new comic book day and check them out, visit their campaigns. And in the meantime, I thank you all for being the best part of Indie Comics Showcase!
Remember to “support indie comics” as I aim to direct you to some most excellent choices every week! This week is no exception!
Now let’s dive in!
MARY BOYS
by Karl Stephan
Four teenage Knights Templar at the fag-end of the 20th Century, bringing in salvation the hard way.
The Mary Boys are quadruplets born with a rare genetic condition that causes enlarged hands and feet, distorted facial features and prevents sufferers from growing any body hair. Their condition also affects the way they metabolise alcohol. Drinking beer gives them almost superhuman strength strong and endurance (unlike the rest of us who send drunk texts to people we …shouldn’t). This is a very British black comedy that will appeal to fans of comics like Tank Girl, The Goon, Cerebus, TMNT, Marshall Law and TV shows like The Young Ones and The League of Gentlemen.
I recently interviewed the creator, Karl Stephan.
Check out the crowdfund campaign page here!
Chris Braly: Tell our readers about ‘Mary Boys’.
Karl Stephan: It’s basically about 4 Catholic kids who suffer from a weird birth defect that gives them superhuman strength and speed whenever they drink beer. They were raisedand trained to fight by this old priest who was a member of the Knights Templar in a previous life and he believes that their town will be subjected to divine judgment unless the boys purge it from its various social evils. It’s essentially a black comedy and also the closest thing to a superhero book I’ve done up to this point.
CB: Can you let us in on who or what inspired you to make this comic?
KS: I’ve always really liked the very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comic and wanted to do something similar so I used it as a basic blueprint. From there I incorporated my own influences (80’s and 90’s indie comics and British sitcoms) turning it into a something far more malevolent and irreverent. I’m fond of the Catholic aesthetic, the legends of the Knights Templar and gothic architecture so I found a way to work these things into the mix too.
CB: What made you decide a comic book was the best way to tell this story?
KS: I can’t dance. I can’t sing. The only thing cool about me is the way that I ink… But seriously, I’ve always done comics and don’t really know how to express myself in any other way and I don’t think this story just wouldn’t work in another medium. It’s too left field for the reader to grasp without the necessary visual queues and references for it to make sense. Indie comics also have a long proud tradition of subverting the criticising the mainstream, which is exactly what I intend to do with this book in undermining the ultra left wing trend in popular comics and replacing it with issues important to me. A profound notion, but this is where we are!
CB: Tell us about your creative team members – who is doing what and how did you come together?
KS: It’s just me, I’m afraid. I liken this thing to a one man black metal project, recorded in a log cabin deep in wolf-infested woods, in the dead of an unforgiving Eastern European winter. And that’s how I like it.
CB: What has the creative process been like? What tasks are you handling for this campaign?
KS: All stunts and tricks performed by one monkey. What’s new to me is the whole crowdfunding and self-promotion thing. I’m learning slowly, but feel that I’m getting to grips with it now. It’s the last step in being a self-sufficient (and thus completely independent) creative.
CB: Can you tell us what stage is the project is in currently?
KS: All the covers and promotional items are done; the lettering is final; pencils on the interior pages are all final and about 30% of these pages have been inked. So take comfort, my backers. Although I’m not the fastest artist out there, most of the heavy lifting is done and I won’t do a “Richard Pace” with your money!
CB: I noticed the art on the crowdfunding page was in black and white (other than one pin- up page), will the comic remain in black and white if you get funded? If so, why are you choosing to go b&w? Artistic reasons or pragmatic?
KS: I like the aesthetics of a black and white comic (big Cerebus fan), so this is the way I intend it to look as a final product. That said, there are many more stories involving these characters that would be better off rendered in colour. Maybe then I’ll add someone to the “creative team”.
CB: What kinds of comic fans do you think this will appeal to? What are some known comics you might compare this to?
KS: If you like Cerebus, Judge Dredd, Tank Girl, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the collaborations between Peter Milligan and Brendan McCarthy, then you’ll probably like this too.
CB: What else can you share about the project? And do you have any final words for our readers?
KS: Hey, kids! Put down those tide pods and head over to Indiegogo where you can order this totally woke comic! Or not. This isn’t for kids. Sorry, needs saying.
CB: Thanks for chatting with us! Good luck and we are rooting for you!
KS: Cheers mate!
Check out the crowdfunding page here!
UNBREATHABLE SKUNK GIRL
by Manuel Correia
Tired of the same old superhero, fantasy, and horror comics where the good guys always win? Manuel Correia has something for you! It’s time again to cheer for the BADD girl. Unlike Jessica Rabbit, she’s not just drawn that way. 80 pages of FUN in full color! No sitting around sipping lattes in a café! This campaign is fully funded, but you can still get in on the action while it is in-demand mode for a limited time! We interview the creator, manuel Correia below!
Check out the campaign page here!
Chris Braly: What is the ‘elevator pitch’ for Unbreathable Skunk Girl? Briefly tell our readers what it’s about.
Manuel Correia: Aloha, Chris. Thanks for letting me talk about the unbreathable Skunk Girl , it is an homage to the great BAD girl comics of the 1990’s. It’s the story of Delilah Defluer, a shy,brainy, and awkward young lady who has an unfortunate accident in her college years that turns her dull boring life up-side down. She transforms from a meek little girl into a bold, cunning young woman.It’s the ugly duckling story gone wrong. Unlike Jessica Rabbit, she’s not just drawn that way. An action packed comic of a “skunk”burglar and her trusty henchskunks.
CB: Can you let us in on who or what inspired you to make this comic?
CB: Tell us about your creative team members – who is doing what and how did you all come together?
CB: What has the creative process been like? What tasks are you handling for this campaign?
CB: You successfully funded the project, congrats! Can you tell us what stage is the project is in currently?
CORONARY
by Ryan Burke
Black Mirror meets Romeo and Juliet in 120 pages of action, drama, and romance.
Plastic surgery is free. London is gripped by madness, dominated by cosmetic surgeons, lifestyle coaches, and pill-pushers. On the run from cops and hitmen, an esoteric businessman sets to make amends while he still can. Justin Sharpe is the one responsible for creating the unattainable standard for women that drove them to buy his miracle pills and pushed them into the arms of his surgeons. Due to this, he has enemies both legal and criminal. As he runs for his life, he must put his business empire aside and find out what it means to live, love, and be loved in return. Throughout this chaos, Justin finds that his only chance at redemption may just be a young punk named Luna.
We interview creator Ryan Burke below!
Please Visit The Campaign Site Here.
John Lemus: Ryan, Welcome to and thank you for being a part of Indie Comics Showcase. It’s a great pleasure to have you with us today, discussing your Indie Graphic Novel, CORONARY VOLUME ONE.
Ryan Burke: Thank you very much for having me, I appreciate it!
JL: Before we get started I was hoping you could tell us a little bit about yourself for those who may not be familiar with your body of work.
RB: Well I’m Ryan, the writer behind a Neo-Noir series called Coronary. I work on it with two handsome devils, Joel Saavedra and Damian Peñalba out in Argentina. I’ve always had an interest in comics, and I felt this project would be a great fit. After that, I really fell in love with the medium, wholeheartedly.
JL: Without gicing away too much, what can you tell us about CORONARY VOLUME ONE? Where it’s been, where it’s going, and your plans for the future?
RB: Volume One is the first four issues of the Coronary series, as a collection. It’s the first arc, and what’ll turn into a full 12 issue run.
JL: Can you tell us a little bit about how CORONARY VOLUME ONE came to be, how the characters and story were conceptualized?
RB: Ooh. It all started with the train scene in the first episode, and we ran with it really! We chose the perspectives and archetypes we wanted to play with, then built the characters around that. It all grew organically as we collaborated more.
JL: What does CORONARY VOLUME ONE mean to you, what about it makes it a story you want to tell?
RB: It means the world to me. Without getting too far into it, I’m sick of advertising dictating the value of our lives, and how we relate to one another. That wasn’t too big a rant, right?
JL: What are some of the things that get your creative juices flowing while working on CORONARY VOLUME ONE? Do you read anything, watch any shows, listen to music as you work?
RB: Tons of stuff! We pickpocket from our heroes almost every day. My thing at the moment is music videos. They’ve got a ton of visual language that fits really well with the style of comics.
JL: What are some of the first comics you remember reading?
RB: It’d be the Beano. I was definitely on one side in the Beano/Dandy turf war that is raging back in the UK.
JL: What are some of the comics that have made the biggest impact on you?
RB: Oh god, tons. There’s so many indie comics out there by talented creators that just rocks. I can’t name one!
JL: What have some of your influences been over the years and how have they affected your work?
RB: I studied under a really fantastic Pulp/Noir writer called Jay Russell. He does these bizarre, fantastic pieces that just make me jealous. It gave me the love of twisting genre tropes around, and making something interesting!
JL: What are your hopes for CORONARY VOLUME ONE and for the future?
RB: To be blunt, to get it funded, and deliver it to our incredible backers. Beyond that, allowing the series to flourish with their help.
JL: Can you tell us a bit about your creative process?
RB: Of course! I tend to structure things out issue by issue, with the story beats I want to hit, and build each one around a few key scenes. The challenge is getting them to play nice with each other!
JL: Is there anything else you want to share with us before we sign off?
RB: Of course, that I speak for the team when I say we’re so grateful for the support! It inspires us to keep striving. Here’s to them!
JL: We’re rooting for you, Ryan!
Back this project on the crowdfunding campaign page here!
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CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S FEATURED BOOKS!
+ CORONARY
That’s it for this installment everyone! Remember, support indie comics!!!
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