The following is an interview with Arthur N. Ebuen and Ben Crane, co-editors and contributors to the new comic book anthology, Systemic: Volume 1, which recently launched on Kickstarter. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Ebuen and Crane about the incredibly talented creators involved with the project, the exciting backer rewards available to supporters of the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the launch of your Kickstarter campaign! What can you share with us about the overall premise of the collection?
Ben Crane: Thank you! Systemic is a science fiction anthology about people who live where technological, governmental, societal, and economic forces meet, mesh, and grind together.
BD: As editors and contributors for the collection, how would you describe the process for bringing the various creative teams together, as well as the thematic approach to crafting a complementary collection of stories?
Arthur N. Ebuen: Fortunately for us, it was a lot of fun. Yes, it’s still a project with deadlines and stress, but it was self-imposed and we got to work with friends. When Ben and I decided we wanted to work together, that was almost a forehead slap moment. We’ve known each other for a while, why didn’t we think of this before? Then, our eyes lit up when we thought of the possibility of working with mutual friends whose work we admire and work ethic we trust. Then, when we got the “yes” from these creators, all that made the work feel less like work.
BC: I want to brag about two of our teams in particular, because they have Fanbase credits: GLAAD Award-winning cartoonist Richard Fairgray, and the team behind The Sequels (Eisner-nominated writer Norm Harper, artist Val Halvorson, and letterer Oceano Ransford).
My approach as an editor—and I credit this to my old boss, Mace Neufeld, from my first career as a film exec—is to surround myself with people I trust, give them what they need to succeed, and then get out of their way. We started with what I think was a strong, but open-ended, brief, then let our teams run with it, however they were inspired. This has left us with seven stories that both are uniquely the work of their creators and deal with similar thematic concerns.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
AE: There’s no gatekeeper. We aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission to make a book we want to see. If a creator can make a high-quality book and consistently deliver on time, they can build their audience, there’s space for them to flourish. You see bigger names coming into the crowdfunding space with projects they want to make. Crowdfunding isn’t easy, it’s not a guarantee. If a creator puts in as much work into the pre-launch, launch, marketing, and fulfillment as they do the book, it should work out.
BC: This is my first experience being on this side of a crowdfunding campaign. Everything I’ve worked on up to now has been traditionally published. I’m certainly wearing more hats, but we’re also keeping more control and getting to interact with our audience much more directly.
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 collection’s stories may connect with and impact readers?
BC: Science fiction is like a cheat code. It lets you speak directly to both the ills and strengths of a society with a frankness you could never get away with in contemporary fiction. I hope that readers find some solace in these pages. That they find comradery in the knowledge that they are not alone in their struggles. That they find joy in their community being celebrated. Most of all, that they find hope that together we can build a world better than our own.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
AE: I do like our Retailer Bundle option. I feel like it’s a very friendly tier for any shop. It’s only three copies at a deep discount, so the retailer doesn’t have to worry about stocking double digit copies with a large investment. Those three copies will also be signed by myself and Ben. Signed books can help retailers move books. We know the stories, and the creators’ names behind them, should do most of the selling, but that personal touch doesn’t hurt.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to share with our readers?
AE: Studio 12-7 has one project at the heels of Systemic, we’re launching the Kickstarter campaign for the ©alifornia, Inc. trade paperback. It will be 132 pages and include the full miniseries, design breakdowns, character bios, early development sketches, and a variant cover gallery. The pre-launch is live here. If you want to connect with me, visit bio.site/artebuen, and you’ll find all the different social platforms or email links there.
BC: I have a middle-grade OGN series, Cosmic Cadets, that I created with my spouse, Andy Alves. Our second book releases in December. If folks want to learn more about that, or any of my other work, they can find more at bencranewrites.com.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Systemic campaign and your other work?
AE: This project is completely creator-owned and split evenly. The funding goal only covers the printing; we’ve all gone into this coming out of our own pockets. Anything more will help the creators recoup any initial costs, and, hopefully, we can all go into the profit zone coming out of it. We’re excited to share the work and make the stories come to life, but making a living to bring more of this to our readers can only happen if we make it over the goal.
