The following is an interview with Marc Jackson, writer and artist of the sci-fi comic book series, Robo Hats. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Jackson about the inspiration for the series, what he hopes that readers will take away from the stories, his upcoming projects, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of your sci-fi comic book series, Robo Hats! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the series’ premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Marc Jackson: The comic is about Howard and Hannah Hats, a father and daughter who receive a mysterious package in the mail one day, the contents of which lead the spirited Hannah and her Dad into an adventure that will span both space and time! I wanted to draw on my experiences as a father of two children. I have girls, and they are both very headstrong, even at 7 and 3-and-a-half. Getting them to listen to the word “no” sometimes can be a real battle, and so I decided to take that concept of a child who thinks maybe they know better and wrap it inside a wild and crazy, sci-fi adventure.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process in writing the series, and what have been some of your creative influences?
MJ: Well, I basically have the idea in my head. It’s kind of fully formed, and I literally type up the basic plot, structure, and dialogue. My scripts are pretty much dialogue driven, with some notes for key scenes. Once I start drawing, though, I always add or change elements to improve on a scene or page layout. With this one, I plotted out the basic idea for each of the issues first, not something I usually do, as I wanted to make sure it was a good idea that could sustain my interest past the first issue.
Hands down the biggest influence on this comic was the Marvel series, Power Pack, from the ’80s. It’s a great comic about a family who all gain super powers with fantastic art – highly recommend.
BD: What do you hope that readers will take away from your work?
MJ: A sense of fun and engagement with the characters. My main aim with anything I do is to engage children with comics and to inspire them to read and create their own, as well.
BD: How many issues are planned for the Robo Hats series?
MJ: Initially, there are 4 in the series, but it ends in a way that this could continue.
BD: If given the opportunity to expand your series into other entertainment mediums, in what format do you hope to see it adapted?
MJ: It would be great to see it as a cartoon series. It was equally inspired by cartoons from the ’80s and early ’90s like TMNT, things like that. The first issue sets the story off and there are plenty of fantastic, weird, and wonderful characters that will come into the story over the four issues.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
MJ: Nothing as yet, but I do have a comic idea which will probably come out in some way next year called Donald Dogsbody Does the Dishes and Other Stories. Kind of like a Ren and Stimpy-inspired funny book. I’ve done the initial character designs, but probably won’t have time to actually start this until next year. Unless an opportunity to get published comes along, fingers crossed!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Robo Hats?
MJ: You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook.
You can also read the first issue right here for FREE!
