The following is an interview with Travis Corwin on the recent release of the graphic novel, The Canary That Named the Stars. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Corwin about his recent success in funding through project through Kickstarter, his creative approach to bringing the story to life on the page, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: First and foremost, congratulations on the recent success of your Kickstarter campaign for The Canary That Named the Stars! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the premise of this fantasy story?
Travis Corwin: Thanks! Canary takes place in a fantasy setting where stories and art have been missing from the world for a really long time. It follows a woman named Chel, who becomes the first person to look up at the sky and see stories in the stars and constellations. Throughout the book, we see how her personal journey is reflected in those stories, and in turn how her connection with the stars becomes a source of strength and guidance as she navigates the challenges in her own life.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in bringing this world and characters to life on the page alongside artist RH Stewart, letterer Rob Jones, and cover artist Phillip Ginn?
TC: Roy (RH Stewart) and I worked closely together throughout the process to establish the look of the world and enhance the storytelling through the visuals. I was very fortunate to find an artist who was so capable of juggling the different styles employed in the book, and we did a lot of things that might not be immediately obvious on a first read-through, but I think work together to make the story more impactful.
There are the big things, like the watercolor elements juxtaposed with the more conventional comic art, but there are also more subtle aspects that were important to me to establish, like the use of color in the story. There is an event halfway through that sparks Chel’s fascination with the stars and begins the transition of stories entering into the world. Scenes that take place before that event have less color in them, mostly browns and grays. After the event, the color palette expands considerably. It makes a nice storytelling device, but it’s also a small, but important, bit of world-building to see how things like that change throughout the story. As Chel is discovering her stories, other aspects of art and creativity are thriving across the world and as a result, we see people expressing themselves through fashion, dyeing their clothes, decorating their surroundings, etc.
Rob and Phillip both understood very quickly what the style and feel of the book needed to be, and how their parts would fit in and complement that. It was a joy and a privilege to work with such an awesome team, and I couldn’t be happier with how we came together to realize the vision for this project.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding – and Kickstarter in particular – has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
TC: Crowdfunding is a very cool way for people who are passionate about comics to get involved in the creation of new and interesting work, and it’s become a massive boon for the indie scene. Readers can basically vote with their wallets, more directly than ever before, for the types of stories they want to see told. I think this is especially important with stories that don’t fit in with current comic book trends and conventions, that might struggle finding a home with a traditional publisher.
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 Chel’s story may connect with and impact readers?
TC: “Stories matter” might be the best two-word distillation of Canary that I can think of. At its core, the book is about a person whose life is shaped by stories: those that she tells, and those that others tell about her. It is about the power of stories to bridge the divides between people, across time and space, and even between life and death.
I know so many people—myself included—who have been at a low point in their lives and then discovered a story in a comic or novel or film that helped them understand what they were going through, or see a way forward, or just escape for a little while into another world. In moments like these, the storyteller is reaching out to us across dimensions and taking our hand. It is a deep and primal kind of magic. That idea is at the heart of what I wanted to convey with Canary.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
TC: The Canary that Named the Stars is the latest entry in an ongoing project to weave together many different standalone stories within a vast, interconnected universe, under the umbrella of Neverwas Comics. Last year saw the release of my one-shot comic, Finale, which was the first book to be released as part of this project. That story took place in a post-apocalyptic setting, closer to a future version of our world, whereas Canary is more medieval fantasy. Either of those books can be read and enjoyed in isolation, but part of the fun of this project in the long term will be seeing how these disparate stories actually connect, and piecing together the clues woven throughout.
Readers can look forward to another release next year, which is going to be something very cool and again quite different from the previous stories. I’ve started working with the artist on that one, and I’m excited to share more details about it as the project gets further along.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find out more about The Canary That Named the Stars?
TC: Readers can learn more about Canary and all of the Neverwas Comics releases through my website, neverwascomics.com, including signing up to my mailing list to get the latest updates. They can also follow me @travisneverwas on Instagram and Bluesky.
