The following is an interview with Owen Ratliff regarding the upcoming release of the comic book series, Black Salt: The Last Heroes Left, through Wise Acre Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Ratliff about his shared creative process in bringing the world and characters to life on the page, what he hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Black Salt! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the premise of this 6-issue series?
Owen Ratliff: The storyline: An Interpol agent races to stop a renegade Shaolin Master armed with the deadliest biological weapon ever manufactured.
BD: What can you tell us about your shared creative process in bringing the story to life on the page?
OR: I developed the story because I was tired of seeing how the media depicted black men in TV and film. I created a black hero who was strong and disciplined and people could look up to. I love martial arts, so I wanted my hero to have mastered Shaolin Kung Fu and be an Interpol agent where he traveled around the world with great adventures, defeating the bad guys and standing up for justice. I wanted him to be raised in another country and overcome great odds as a child, so we could see where he developed his principles, and the audience would want to cheer him on.
BD: What makes Wise Acre Comics the perfect home for this series?
OR: I chose them because their outstanding work quality, marketing expertise, and success as a black-owned independent publisher align perfectly with my vision to establish Black Salt as a bankable IP.
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 Sam and Li’s story may connect with and impact today’s readers?
OR: Sam and Li’s story is about two kids with completely different backgrounds who are brought together by bad circumstances and build an unbreakable friendship.
BD: You will soon be launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund the production of the full series and a subsequent graphic novel. What encouraged you to utilize crowdfunding for this project, and what are you looking forward to with the experience?
OR: Because the Black Salt property has already completed a successful crowdfunding campaign for our award-winning, 30-minute Black Salt proof of concept film. We have already completed 4 of the comic books from the Black Salt 6-issue series.
BD: Are there any projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
OR: I want to give you more information on the Black Salt franchise. Black Salt is a comic book series that was turned into an award-winning, 30-minute proof of concept film. The film won the Cinemax Urban Action Showcase and received a licensing deal with HBO for 26 months. The video game demo won several accolades including the Spotlight Award at GDC and DreamHack Dallas Best Action-INDIE PLAYGROUND Award. The film is a cross between James Bond meets John Wick with a Shaolin backstory and a diverse cast that enhances its universal appeal and timely societal commentary. My company, Ratti Entertainment LLC, has moved into the pre-production phase of the Black Salt feature film.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Black Salt and your other work?
OR: You can go to the Black Salt website: https://blacksaltfilm.com/. If you would like to support or spread the word of our crowdfunding campaign, click here.
