The following is an interview with Joel Meadows regarding his recent return to Kickstarter for the conclusion of the graphic novel series, Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Meadows about his shared creative process in bringing the world’s greatest detective to new life, the incredible backer rewards that will be available to readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the launch of your Kickstarter campaign for Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders: The Gene Genie Volume 2! For those who may be new to the series, what can you share with us about the story’s overall premise, and where will readers find themselves with this second volume?
Joel Meadows: Sherlock Holmes and the Empire is an epic alternate world sci-fi adventure featuring The World’s Greatest Detective as people have never seen him before.
When Watson leaves Holmes to help Crick unravel the DNA helix and finds himself in the employ of England’s most evil man, Holmes is forced to team up with an unlikely group to defeat this monstrous figure and return England to its status quo. We tested the waters with three shorts which went well and so we decided to jump in with a full-length volume. Volume Two sees Holmes on the back foot without his friend Watson against England’s prime minister Mosley. There is a recap for those who missed the first volume, but people can also grab the first volume in paperback for the first time or there is a second printing of the hardcover.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with artist Andy Bennett to bring this incredible world and characters to life on the the page?
JM: Initially, I was talking about working with another artist in the early 2000s, but that didn’t work out and I was introduced to Andy. He brings so much to our story and its impact would be severely diminished without his sizeable contributions. He takes my scripts and fleshes them out, adding detail and artistic touches to the story. I am very lucky to work with him. Even though he is American, he still has a very British sensibility to his art.
BD: You are no stranger to crowdfunding, having successfully run several campaigns for various projects. Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
JM: Prior to crowdfunding, it was very difficult for indie creators to publish their own work and reach the readership who would really connect with their potential audience. This method of publishing allows creators to build up their own fanbase and reach those readers who will appreciate their work directly. So, it has been a fantastic and democratizing means of doing this.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that this iteration of Sherlock’s story may connect with and impact readers?
JM: This Holmes is an elderly version, a man who doesn’t quite fit in with the world he now inhabits. But even though he is a diminished version of the figure we know and love, it would be foolish to underestimate his prowess and his skills. So, it is this fish out of water portrayal that makes him such an interesting and flawed character here, I would like to think.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards or tiers that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JM: We have tried to offer people some very cool rewards once again with the second volume. Apart from the book itself, there are signed plate editions of the book by its two amazing cover artists, Dan Panosian and Frazer Irving. Also, the add-ons include limited prints of Holmes art from the likes of Panosian, Irving, plus some gorgeous prints from Tomm Coker, George Pratt, and John K Snyder III. There is also the opportunity for people to own original pages from artist Andy Bennett, too.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about The Gene Genie Volume 2 campaign and your other work?
JM: People can find out more on our Kickstarter campaign page here.
For our other work, people can check out the Tripwire website here.
