The following is an interview with Robert Jeschonek on the Kickstarter campaign for the prose anthology, Legends of Indie Comics – Words Only Volume 2. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Jeschonek about the process for bringing together the who’s who of comics talent for the collection, the exciting backer rewards available to supporters of the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the success of your Kickstarter campaign for the prose anthology, Legends of Indie Comics – Words Only Volume 2! What can you share with us about the overall premise of the collection?
Robert Jeschonek: This book will feature all-new prose stories of classic indie comics characters as written by their creators, from Nexus by Mike Baron to Star Slammers by Walter Simonson. Garth Ennis and Howard Chaykin are also writing stories for the book, as are Colleen Doran, Joe Staton, Mark Wheatley, and others. The book also includes lost tales and artwork by underground superstar Vaughn Bodē.
BD: How would you describe the process for bringing the various creators together, as well as the thematic approach to crafting a complementary collection of stories celebrating our favorite ‘80s comics characters?
RJ: For the first volume, I went after creators whose work I’d loved in the 1980s, plus a few from later years. I was thrilled when Paul Chadwick agreed to join us, contributing a Concrete tale for the book. Likewise, Mike Grell had always been one of my favorite creators, and Jon Sable had been one of my most-loved characters. The same goes for Dave Sim’s Cerebus, John Ostrander’s GrimJack, Michael T. Gilbert’s Mr. Monster, Joe Staton’s Michael Mauser, Mike Baron’s Badger, Donna Barr’s Desert Peach, Don Simpson’s Megaton Man, and Mark Verheiden’s The American.
I went into volume 2 with a different approach, determined to add more diverse voices and reflect different facets of indie comics history. I brought in some underground flavor with the work of Mark Bodē and his late father, Vaughn, on Cheech Wizard and Junkwaffel. Alternate cartoonist Roberta Gregory’s Bitchy Bitch from the acclaimed series Naughty Bits introduced another texture to the mix, as did Colleen Doran’s literate sci-fi epic, A Distant Soil. I went after more satire this time, as well, with Henry Vogel’s X-Thieves, Ty Templeton’s Stig’s Inferno, and Donna Barr’s returning Desert Peach. There’s plenty of science fiction, too, with Walt Simonson’s Star Slammers, Mike Baron’s Nexus, Jan Strnad’s Dalgoda, and James Artimus Owen’s Starchild. And of course, I roped in a bunch of super-heroes, including Joe Staton’s E-Man, Gary Carlson’s Megaton, Bill Willingham’s Pantheon, and David Quinn’s Faust. Then, there’s Frankenstein Mobster by Mark Wheatley, which is in a class of its own (and incredibly well-written).
Above all, I went into Volume 2 with one primary requirement: to find creators with top-shelf talent who could bring their classic characters back to life with style and relevance.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
RJ: Crowdfunding has developed into an effective tool for creators to market their products direct to potential readers. Other tools and providers have in turn made it possible for creators to produce comics and prose books on demand, feeding content into the pipeline opened up by crowdfunding platforms. Together, these high-tech systems have enabled the creation of a new and streamlined infrastructure for the sales and delivery of comics and books in ways that just weren’t possible years ago. With careful planning and attention to detail, creators can produce, sell, and fulfill orders while still maintaining a respectable profit margin that makes their efforts worthwhile. To say the least, this has opened up the indie comics marketplace, effectively creating an alternate distribution system that makes it easier for diverse voices to reach an expansive readership.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RJ: We’ve locked in our first stretch goal, meaning the book will feature a new story by Garth Ennis. When we reach the next two goals, we will ensure that at least one black-and-white illustration will accompany every story (except one, for Reasons). The next stretch goal, when we reach it, will secure a totally cool jam story starring many of the characters in the book as written by their creators. That’s the one I most want to read, because the X-Thieves will lead the action and I just know it’s going to rock.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to share with our readers?
RJ: Legends of Indie Comics: Words Only, Volume 1 is on sale in digital and print formats via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other outlets…and it’s as jam-packed with stories of classic indie characters by legendary creators ad Volume 2 is. Here’s the link to the Amazon page for the book.
I also recommend the 1970s-themed science fiction anthology, Space: 1975. This book includes stories by Peter David, Mike Baron, and other top-tier authors, and it has an introduction by Barbara Bain, one of the stars of the classic SF TV series, Space: 1999. Here’s the link to the Amazon page for the book.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Legends of Indie Comics campaign and your other work?
RJ: I hope readers will check out my website, www.bobscribe.com, for news about Legends Vol. 1 and 2 and other projects I have planned (including a Volume 3, for which I’ve already begun to recruit authors). I also suggest that new readers subscribe to my Substack newsletter for timely, periodic updates about my work. Here’s the link: https://bobscribe.substack.com/
