A “Super” Kickstarter
A couple of months ago, I was asked by creator Joshua Crowther to do some editing for him. He had a book that was already well underway, but being intrigued with the premise, I agreed. Then I started asking Josh some questions about the story. Here are the answers, and what he wants to do in order to complete the project.
What made you want to get into comics?
Other than a deep seeded fetish for tights? I have always enjoyed telling stories. I’m always the Dungeon Master when my friends and I play Dungeons & Dragons. But to tell the truth, I was a late comer to the world of comics. Other than the strips and cartoons, like Calvin & Hobbes or The Farside, I was one of those snobs that thought comics were just for kids.
Then, my senior year of high school, my friend handed me a copy of Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man, and I was suddenly aware there was this entire world of stories I had deprived myself of. I was hooked and I began to realize comics were just another excellent way to tell a story!
What is Super about?
Super is actually a really, really simple concept. It basically takes a teenager, gives him super powers, puts him in the real world, and takes away the super villain. I want to see if a super hero could actually save the planet. That’s the idea in a nutshell. It’s pretty damn simple, and I’m surprised it hasn’t been done before!
You asked me earlier what made me want to get into comics, and one of the things is the fact that this story didn’t exist. I kept walking into comic stores and asking guys behind the counter, “Hey, what’s a really, really realistic super hero comic?”, and I could never find what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I realized, “Well hell, I guess I have no choice but to write the damn thing.”
What makes Super interesting?
I think the main thing is you really don’t know what will happen! As much as I love Marvel movies, the moment the villain is introduced I think, “Aw man, that character is really cool. Too bad he is about to get his ass handed to him in a few minutes.” I think we all know before the movie begins he will lose, and our hero will win. After a while it really starts to kill the suspense, no matter how many explosions you add.
With Super there’s so much more for our protagonist to face. He doesn’t have a clear cut villain to chase, and he really has freedom and burden of choosing what he is meant to do with the power he is given. As I was writing, even I was continually surprised by what my characters were doing!
Why go to Kickstarter to fund it?
Kickstarter is amazing because it allows creators to get the funding they need without giving up creative control. There’s not going to be someone knocking you over the head saying, “No you can’t do that! Our surveys show that profits will drop 20% if THAT happens.” It let’s you worry about making something that’s true to your vision, instead of something that will make your publisher happy.
With a story like Super, it’s inevitable our character will be faced with some touchy subjects. I really want to make this comic happen, but not at the cost of making it the wrong way. With your help I’m really hoping I will get the chance to do that.
If you want to help out you can back the Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/753985167/super-issue-2
You can also find a link at: www.jaycrowcomics.com
