The following is an interview with Todd Black regarding the recent Kickstarter campaign launch for the STEM-focused comic book series, Seekers of Science. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Black about his shared creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, what readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the launch of your Kickstarter campaign for the STEM-focused comic book series, Seekers of Science! What can you share with us about the premise of this educational series?
Todd Black: SOS is a STEM education comic written by me, but starring two real friends of mine, Tamara Robertson and Tracy Fanara, who are real-life scientists and engineers. In each issue, or volume, we showcase various fields of science and highlight how we can solve real-world problems with real-world science.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with co-creators Tamara Robertson and Dr. Tracy Fanara and artist Alex Garcia to bring this story and its characters to life on the page?
TB: It is very much a team effort. Typically, what happens is that Tamara or Tracy pick a topic, let’s say hurricanes, as that was the focus of issues #7 & 8, and then I get a “tech brief” of everything that needs to be highlighted, showcased, and discussed in the issue at some point.
After that, I’ll write out how I think the script should go, based on the info I have, to try to convey the science in a way that’s easy to understand for those NOT familiar with certain scientific fields and technologies. After that, Tamara and Tracy will look over the script and make edits to ensure I got the science right and accurate. Once everything is approved, we get the script to Alex, and he does a similar process with the art. We do our best to give him all the references he needs for certain scientific tools and instruments so he’s not just guessing as to how they look.
So, again, it’s very much a team effort.
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 story may connect with or impact readers, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it may inspire?
TB: We said from issue #1 that Seekers of Science is meant to help inspire the next generation of scientists and makers. There are a LOT of young people out there who don’t “get” how vast and important STEM fields are, and we hope that SOS will showcase the wonders of it to them. That’s why we have DIY experiments they can do at home, and interviews with experts in various scientific fields, so those who read the series will hear their stories and maybe get inspired by them.
One of our personal goals is to get SOS into as many schools and libraries as possible, because we feel that a comic like this can truly inspire and help kids and teens engage with science in a way that regular teaching sometimes can’t do.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators and publishers?
TB: In truth, the biggest reason that Kickstarter and other platforms help creators like us is that it opens the door for people to truly “stumble into” our project and want to support it. It gives us a wider audience to reach out to. Without such support from readers across the globe, many comics from indie authors and artists wouldn’t have been made, and that would have led others to not want to try putting their ideas out there for the world to see.
That’s why Tamara, Tracy, and I hope that people will check out Seekers of Science and give it a chance, as this is a comic you’re not likely to see anywhere else.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
TB: We have a wide variety of rewards for backers to enjoy, including getting the entire series in digital or physical formats. Plus, we offer the series in English, Spanish, and a “Flipbook” that features both versions in one shot.
Personally, I love the cameo tier, where you can get drawn into the comic. That one is limited in how many people can get it, so don’t miss out on getting put into SOS! Also, a great one is our “Outreach Pack,” where you’ll get multiple copies of Volume 1 & 2, depending on the tier you pledge to, so you can give copies to people you think will really appreciate SOS.
No matter how much you can give to the campaign, we got a cool reward for you.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to share with our readers?
TB: As a writer, I’m always working on something. For example, I’m getting ready to release the third book in my sci-fi spacefaring series, As We Wander The Stars. The first two of which you can find on Amazon.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Seekers of Science campaign and your other work?
TB: To see more about Seekers of Science, go to our website: seekersofscience.com. We even have a special button on the front page to take you right to the Kickstarter.
