The following is an interview with writer/artist James Coats on launching a Kickstarter campaign for the latest issue of Galaxy Gods in collaboration with Power Pulp Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Coats about his creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent launch of your Kickstarter campaign! For those who may be new to the series, what can you share with us about the story’s overall premise?
James Coats: Thank you so much! Galaxy Gods is a story of cosmic gods and monsters. In the center of the universe is the planet Astra Neo which formed itself around the Cosmic Tree Yrkur. From its leaves came the good energy that created the gods and the shining realm. From its roots came a dark energy that attracts evil. The evil half of the planet was contained under a barrier wall eons ago, but now it’s starting to break down and bad guys are gathering to destroy the Gods. Think of Kirby’s New Gods, but instead of New Genesis and Apokolips being separate planets, they are on the same planet just different halves of it. That was my starting point.
BD: What can you tell us about your creative process in bringing this epic world and characters to life on the page?
JC: I have always loved Jack Kirby comics, and New Gods and Thor have always been favorites of mine, but it wasn’t until I finally read Tom Scioli’s Myth of 8-Opus comic that I got super inspired. Tom used his own ideas about cosmic gods and fashioned them into his version of a Kirby comic. I wanted to do the same, I wanted to make my version of a Kirby comic. I am also a fan of the world building myths that come with Norse and Greek Mythology, so the idea of a cosmic tree came quickly and the story fell in line pretty easy after that. From there I like to start by designing the characters. So, I created my central pantheon of heroes and villains and then I did a rough outline of the entire story, basically some quick bullet points. Because I’m an artist, I tend to write on the page while I draw it. I do tiny thumbnails and then jump right to finished pencils, writing dialog in the side margins as I go. I keep my pencils pretty loose, as well, because I like to find the image in the inking stage. That’s the fun part.
BD: You are no stranger to crowdfunding, having successfully funded the first issue of the series. Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators and publishers?
JC: As an indie cartoonist and self-publisher, crowdfunding is incredibly important. Printing costs continue to go up and most cartoonists are not sitting on a pile of money. Crowdfunding allows you to make the money to print the books, and that’s the big thing. Comic book fans have to realize you can no longer just wait and say you will buy the book when it hits the stands. In many cases if you don’t back the book before that, it may not get printed. It’s part of the new Direct-to-Consumer idea that has been gaining momentum for a while now. This model also allows me to do fun things for fans like sketches and prints. I can’t go to every comic show and store to do signings and sketches, so this is a way for me to interact more with the people who support my projects.
BD: In light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JC: Well, I’m really happy with the way the variant cover came out. It was done by the incredibly talented Charles Glaubitz. His book, Starseeds, from Fantagraphics is amazing, and I was thrilled when he said he would do a variant. It’s an amazing cover, and it’s very limited, we are only making 50 of them, so grab it while you can! I am also putting together my first-ever sketchbook. It’s 20 pages of my weird drawings, and I think it came out pretty great. People have been asking me for one for a while now so here it is.
BD: Power Pulp Comics is breaking new ground in the comics industry with its effort to collectively publish, promote, and distribute the works of its creators. Why do you feel that it’s important for readers to take notice of this endeavor?
JC: Indie creators and publishers are the future of the industry. The creativity and quality of what you find in the independent comic market is unbelievable. Power Pulp has put together a curated lineup of some of the most exciting self-publishers in comics today, with comics that range from action adventure, sci-fi, horror, pulp noir, and everything in between. We believe there is a comic book out there for everyone, you just have to find it. The problem all these creators have had is distribution. Power Pulp is aiming to fix that problem. It is the first distributor that focuses on independent and self-published comics, and it is also a collective where the artists are in charge. We have all come together to create a centralized warehouse for distribution to stores and comics fans alike. This is really important because it allows comic shops to combine on shipping, and they get the 50% off retailer discount just like big distros and companies offer; however, with Pulp, our creators get almost 100% of the profits sent right back to them. This makes using a distro actually viable for self-publishers unlike older models like Diamond or Massive. We are disrupting the old comics market and creating something new and exciting and hopefully creating a healthier, more exciting industry for all creators and fans alike. American comics is a history lesson on how to rob and cheat creative people. Even the best publishing deals currently in comics can still be better for the creators. With Power Pulp we are saying you don’t need to share your profits with a CEO, multiple Vice-Presidents, Multiple Editors, etc. who didn’t actually contribute to the book. You DON’T need the publisher, they need you. Collectively, WE now have the power. We can talk to the same printers that publishers do and get the same or better rates, and we can go straight to the stores with our own distribution, and we can also sell directly to consumers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are things we can do for ourselves and as a group that publishers can’t do or are unwilling to do. Comic creators have always needed a better path to walk, as far back as the 1930s. We’re paving that path right now, and we hope readers will join us on the journey.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to share with readers?
JC: I recently reprinted my long out of print Ninja Zine, this time on an oversized newspaper newsprint. You can pull it apart and every page is a poster ready to slap on a wall to show off your love of ’80s ninja movies. I also recently did a comic featuring Golden Age hero Stardust the Super Wizard called Family Fun Comics. My brother John Coats wrote it, and it was published by Cosmic Lion. The early print run sold out, but it is now back in stock and on the Power Pulp website. And finally, I wanted to announce that my first comic series, Dino Beasts, is finally coming back. My brother and I are starting our work on the 4th book in the Dino Beasts Saga. It has been a couple of years and I’m really excited for people to see what we have planned. It’s going to be something special. You can follow me on social media and my Patreon where I will be showing lots of good Dinosaur Action behind the scenes for all the process nerds out there.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Galaxy Gods campaign and your other work?
JC: I grew up on ‘80s cartoons, action movies, and a wide variety of comic books. I love artists like Paul Pope, Jeff Smith, Jack Kirby, and Geof Darrow. Just like them I aim to make comic books that are fun. I want everyone that picks up a Coats Brothers comic book to enjoy the ride and have a good time. That’s what comic books should be. Enjoy the chunky ink lines, enjoy the rippling muscles and weird monsters, enjoy the absurdity that only comics can provide. Come join me on social media and take a look at Galaxy Gods and any of my other books and let’s go on that adventure together.
