The following is an interview with DJ Wooldridge on returning to Kickstarter to fund Danger Boi & the Statesmen. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Wooldridge about his experience in returning to the world and characters of The Antagonists for the sequel story, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on your recent return to Kickstarter with the latest issue of Danger Boi & the Statesmen! Where will readers pick up with The Antagonists in this new installment?
DJ Wooldridge: Thanks! In Danger Boi & the Statesmen, our loose-knit group of misunderstood outlaws, the Antagonists, are still learning to work together while they prepare for the heist of the century, robbing the world’s most powerful heroes, the Statesmen. The stakes are incredibly high for Danger Boi and the rest of the crew, and now that we’ve set up the players in Volume One, it’s time to pit them against each other more directly.
BD: In continuing your collaboration with artist Sean Peacock, do you find that you’ve developed a creative “shorthand” for developing the story and characters?
DJW: I feel like Sean and I have been on pretty much the same creative wavelength from the start of the series. We have a very similar vision for the book, which makes Sean an easy artist to write for. Plus, JP Jordan is joining the team as our colorist and he’s doing some really gorgeous stuff with Sean’s inks, while Taylor Esposito’s lettering is as dynamic as ever. This is a comic with a real distinct artistic identity and I think it’s a really beautiful book.
BD: Looking back at the success of your first Kickstarter campaign, what has been your experience in sharing this series with new readers, and what are you excited for them to experience as the story continues?
DJW: The response to this book has been really rewarding. There’s so much real-world villainy out in the open right now that it has been really cathartic to write colorful characters who stand in opposition to that, and I think our readers gravitate to that kind of storytelling, as well. The story really escalates in exciting and unpredictable ways in this volume and I’m excited for our backers, new and old, to experience that!
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards or tiers that you’re most excited about?
DJW: I’m always fond of the “Drawn In” tier, because not only do you get all the covers, stickers, and other rewards we’re offering, but it allows you to see yourself depicted in Sean’s artwork and to be immortalized as part of the book, which I think is really exciting.
BD: In addition, are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
DJW: My friend, Jonathan London, from Geekscape has a new book coming to Kickstarter very soon, Super Action Man. It’s a throwback to ’80s action epics like G.I. Joe and Rambo. So, I recommend that for anybody looking to have a good time.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about the Danger Boi & the Statesmen campaign and your other work?
DJW: Go to dangerboicomic.com and that will take you directly to the Kickstarter. We’re nearing the end of the campaign and are tantalizingly close to reaching our next Stretch Goal. So, if any of this grabs your interest be sure to back it!
