The following is an interview with Rob Jones regarding the recent Kickstarter campaign launch for the collected Kate Carter Adventures trade paperback. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Jones about the shared creative process of bringing the story and characters to life on the page, the backer rewards that will be available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of the collected Kate Carter Adventures trade paperback! As you prepare for the collection, what will new and returning readers have in store with the release?
Rob Jones: Thank you so much! The cool thing about this trade is that it not only collects the first story arc, which was a three-issue story about Kate’s first adventure trying to find the remains of Alexander the Great, but also all the pin-ups we’ve gotten so far from pros and upcoming talent alike, as well as some layout roughs that my friend and mentor Dick Giordano did for me many, many years ago.
It’s a nice, little collection that can live on your bookshelf instead of being hidden away in your long boxes.
BD: In looking back at the development of the series, what can you tell us about your shared creative process that truly made this series unique to your respective bodies of work?
RJ: Well, the creative process of this series has changed over time. At first, it was going to be longer stories of two- or three-issue arcs, but after the first arc took me years to complete, I decided to focus on one-off stories instead. So, starting with issue #4, you can pick up and enjoy any issue on its own.
We were also lucky enough to work with another artist, Mauricio Mora, on a couple of issues, and he draws and tells a story much differently than I do. It was a fun experiment, and I think that fun comes across to readers, as well.
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 Kate’s story has connected with and impacted readers, especially in light of the incredible response to the series?
RJ: The feedback I’ve gotten from readers has been great—and very useful. I’ve replied to and applied lessons from each email I’ve gotten about the book, so it really is like having a collaborative experience. For this campaign, I did a couple of sketches for our backers to vote on for the stretch goals, and we had a really good response. It turned out better than I could have hoped for!
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
RJ: Oh, we couldn’t do this without our crowdfunding friends! In years past (I’m old enough to have lived through some of the olden days!), if you were not working for the big two there was only one outlet for your work, Diamond Distribution, and if you weren’t lucky enough to get selected for their catalog, you were out of luck. Now we have so many options to reach people, have those one-on-one conversations, and get feedback that you don’t need to work for the big guys in order to tell your stories. You can literally tell any story you want, as personal as you can get, and find “your people.” It’s an amazing time to be a creator.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RJ: We always try to have the reader’s budget in mind, so we have options to fit everybody. If you just want to dip your toe in, you can get the PDF. The next step up is a physical copy; then a signed limited edition; and, finally, we have some original art rewards where, if you want to commit to a bit more and get a really personal experience, I will draw any character you’d like for you.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RJ: I’m very proud of the book I did with Steve Bryant that came out last year called Shaken and Stirred. The basic idea is: What if James Bond went bad and the Bond girls had to go get him? It’s a big book and took me two years to draw, so if you’re interested in spy stories, this one is a lot of fun. Also, I am now the regular artist on Heroic Publishing’s Liberty Girl comic, having done some framing pages and an origin short story in issue #7 before fully taking over with the next issue.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Kate Carter Adventures campaign and your other work?
RJ: First, thank you for the interest! I’d recommend checking out the Kickstarter for the trade before committing to the campaign in any way, because I have the whole first issue posted there to read. You can also follow me on Substack (https://perfectstormpublishing.substack.com/), where I post art and updates about Kate Carter and various other projects, and write little behind-the-scenes bits every month.
For the full “Rob Jones Experience,” you can also follow me on Instagram or BlueSky (@perfectstormpub.bsky.social).
