The following is an interview with writer Patrick Coyle regarding his recent return to Kickstarter for the third chapter of the supernatural noir series, Bixby Grant, Private Eye: Fangs & Brimstone. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Coyle about the continuing adventures of everyone’s favorite mummy detective, the incredible backer rewards available with this issue, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently returned to Kickstarter to crowdfund the third chapter of Bixby Grant, Private Eye: Fangs & Brimstone. Where will readers find their favorite mummy detective in this latest installment?
Patrick Coyle: Things are starting to heat up at this point in the story. For those who have been keeping score at home, Bixby Grant stumbled onto one of several demonic cult murders and reluctantly partnered with Diego, the rockabilly vampire, to find the final cult dagger before it’s used in a fifth sacrifice and summons a demon to Earth.
Last issue had a cliffhanger with Bix throwing a suspect, Kat St. Claire, the infamous “Kat-Burglar,” off the balcony of her penthouse apartment! In issue three, readers get to find out if Bix has lost his marbles and killed Kat, we meet a nine-year-old witch named Lucy, and encounter the monstrous mob known as the Council Macabre!
BD: You are reuniting with artist Gonzalo Martínez and colorist Arthur Hesli for issue three of the series. How do find that you keep one another energized and creatively “on their toes” when delving back into the supernatural, pulp-inspired world and its characters?
PC: Gonzalo, Arthur, and I have worked together now on four installments of Bix, including the first 72-page one-shot, Wolf, She Cried, and have gotten to know each other better over that time. So, we all have a feel for what one another can do, and what to expect from each other, which is great. It creates a shorthand that saves time and builds a shared vision for the project.
Along with that shorthand is a level of trust in which both Gonzalo and Arthur feel more comfortable coming to me and Heather (Antos, our amazing editor), making suggestions for changes, tweaks, and new ideas to insert into the comic. I can’t speak for them, but I know when I feel I’ve got that type of freedom and input on what I’m working on, it definitely gives me a boost. It’s truly collaborative. And the comic is that much better as a result.
Oh, and we keep adding new kinds of monsters in each issue. That’s always fun. : )
BD: You are no stranger to crowdfunding, having successfully launched and funded several campaigns. Why do you feel that crowdfunding has become such a valuable tool in the success of today’s comic book creators and publishers?
PC: For creators and publishers, it’s opened up new audiences that would not have found their work otherwise – readers that either don’t frequent comic shops, or maybe don’t have one near them.
And crowdfunding scales well for creators. As indie creators, if we don’t have a small or medium publisher backing us and distributing our work, it’s financially and logistically challenging to get our books into traditional venues for comics like the direct market, bookstores, etc. So, crowdfunding allows for niche genre books like Bixby Grant to find that niche audience without having to overprint and get into financial trouble by trying to compete with larger publishers. And as our audience grows, we have the funds to print a few more copies to put in the hands of those new readers.
There was also an unexpected value in crowdfunding: the community. I’ve always loved the camaraderie and connection I’ve felt with other creators, usually at conventions. But now I get that with dozens of folks through the crowdfunding community – people I’ve met on Discord servers, Kickstarters, and even in real life. Anything that helps creative people get connected is of high value to me.
BD: Are there any specific backer rewards that you’re most excited about with the Kickstarter campaign?
PC: Yes! We have beautiful new 1.5” enamel pins of Bixby Grant’s head, which you can get along with the new issue for a discount, or just on it’s own. And for the first time, we’re offering a limited run of inked and pencil sketches of Bix by interior artist Gonzalo Martinez. They’re gorgeous and I want to keep them all for myself, so don’t sleep on this!
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you want to highlight for readers?
PC: As I mentioned earlier, there is a stand-alone 72-page OGN called Bixby Grant, Private in Wolf, She Cried that is a one-and-done story involving werewolves and corporate espionage. And the two previous issues of Bixby Grant: Fangs & Brimstsone. If you’re new to Bix, all of these can be acquired in the latest Bixby Grant Kickstarter campaign, live now!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Bixby Grant: Private Eye – Fangs & Brimstone #3 and your other work?
PC: If you like pulpy, noir, monster-laden stories full of two-fisted, hoo-ha action, and want to know when you can expect more of it from Bixby Grant and his cohorts, you should sign up for my Substack newsletter, “Robots, Ninjas & Monkeys.” Each month, we give away a hardbound edition of Wolf, She Cried – a newsletter exclusive, not available for sale anywhere on Earth!
