The following is an interview with Rising Empire Studios’ Ridge Kiley regarding the upcoming launch of the Rising Empires Kickstarter campaign. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Kiley about the shared creative process of working with Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid and AJ Light to bring the story and characters to life on the page, what readers can anticipate from the Kickstarter campaign’s backer rewards, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You will soon be launching a Kickstarter campaign for the comic book series, Rising Empires, in partnership with Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid. What can you share with us about the premise of this upcoming series?
Ridge Kiley: Rising Empires is a sci-fi action thriller set five years after The Awakening. It follows a new generation of heroes and villains navigating a world still dealing with the fallout of that event. At the center of it all is Dr. Sommers, a reluctant genius who uncovers a disturbing pattern: Alphas are disappearing.
As Sommers investigates, he crosses paths with new allies like Razorback, Brick, and Huff. The story dives deeper into the Alpha Clash universe, but it’s also designed to stand completely on its own. If you’ve been with us since day one or you’re discovering this world for the first time, Rising Empires delivers a grounded entry point into our universe.
BD: As a transmedia studio, why do you feel that this story was the best fit for the sequential art medium, and what do you feel defines a Rising Empire Studios title?
RK: Comics allow us to world build in a way connected way that’s extremely complimentary. Comics and trading cards can go hand in hand. Currently, there is no one else doing something like this. With someone like Mark Waid partnering with AJ Light, Rising Empires is shaping up to be an awesome story. With the talent we have, something like this will thrive in a sequential art format.
As for what defines a Rising Empire Studios title: It always comes down to a few things: memorable and likeable (or sometimes unlikable) characters, an immersive and expandable universe, and good storytelling. Everything we produce needs to stand on its own, but also contribute meaningfully to the bigger world we’re building across comics, games, and other media. We always say as a team: “If we’re going to do something, it needs to be done right.” Rising Empires is being “done right.”
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with Mark Waid to bring this story and its characters to life on the page?
RK: Working with Mark has been a great experience. Although I’m not on the writing/creative side, I am a part of the overall process and really get to see his expertise and knowledge shine. He understands what makes a good comic from start to finish: the writing, the artistic process, and everything in between. He approaches the process in a different way we were before, and it’s refreshing.
Our process has been very collaborative. Speaking mostly from a business and operations lens, we started by mapping out characters, themes, how this story fits within the overall Alpha Clash timeline. At the same time, it needed to be different. It needed to stand out. From there, Mark and AJ took the mantle, while the rest of our team continued feeding him lore, ideas, and artwork, and anything they needed to for our new venture. It’s been a true partnership; going back-and-forth with ideas, refinements, suggestions, artistic team selections, and general collaborative moments. Seeing this team bring this story to life has been one of the most rewarding creative experiences we’ve had as a studio.
BD: Crowdfunding has proven to be a phenomenal resource for comic book creators and publishers who want to bring their projects directly to readers. What encouraged you to utilize Kickstarter for this project, and how would you describe your experience with the process thus far?
RK: For us, Kickstarter has been and continues to be an incredible tool for connecting directly with readers. Kickstarter offers an incredible platform to get in front of larger audiences. We are indie and wear that badge of honor. We believe we have similar levels of talent for writing and artistic expression when compared to larger non-indie studios. Our campaigns aren’t just about funding in the moment, it’s about building momentum, community, and visibility. Kickstarter lets us put the spotlight on the creators, the story, and the vision without any barriers in between.
There’s a lot of work that goes into building a campaign at this scale, but the platform really helps you rally a dedicated audience and reward the people who choose to support you early. This is now our sixth Kickstarter campaign, but I believe it’s shaping up to be our best one yet. We’re excited to finally share everything we’ve been building toward.
BD: In light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RK: We’ve spent many hours and put a lot of thought into the tiers, add-ons, and stretch goals, because we want this to feel like a real celebration of the series that also rewards the early adopter. Collectors will find plenty to love with things such as the variant covers from some of the well-known artists in comics. There’s something for everyone in the campaign from the casual reader to the ultimate collector. The various tiers, which will be shown off in the coming weeks, offer some really unique things.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to learn more about Rising Empire Studios and the upcoming Kickstarter campaign?
RK: The two easiest ways are to: follow the Kickstarter campaign where you can hit “Notify Me on Launch,” so you don’t miss anything when we go live. The other is to sign up for our VIP offer, which can be found here, which offers backers exclusive rewards when they back the campaign. We’re also active across our social channels for Rising Empire Studios and Alpha Clash TCG. If you’re interested in the Alpha Clash universe, the comics, or the TCG, those are the best places to get plugged in.
