By: Nicole D’Andria
The Kickstarter being showcased this time is for Lonesomes
#1, which features loneliness combined with the "collectible monster
genre". So if you’re a fan of Pokemon, Digimon or Monster Rancher, you may
have just found the beginnings of a new comic book series to enjoy!
The
series is about mystical creatures called Lonesomes who are drawn to a person's
unique loneliness. This story in particular focuses on a lonely boy named Tom
whose Lonesome appears to him for the first time.
Ryan
Little is the writer of the series. His stories have appeared in the
anthologies Alterna Press’ Steam Punk Originals, Santa's Favorite Tales:
Holiday Comics for Grown-up Kids and Death Saves: Fallen Heroes of the Kitchen
Table.
 |
| Tom and his Lonesome |
Fahriza
Kamaputra is the colorist. He has worked on numerous titles including Stellar
Labs’ Boston Metaphysical Society,
Image Comics’ Mind the Gap, DC Comics’ Batman Superman Annual and Deathstroke as well as Top Cow Productions’ Witchblade. He also did work on a
comic book previously feature on Kickstart the Week, Time Stop #1.
The first
issue of Lonesomes will be funded if
at least $2,000 is raised by May 26, 2016 at 11:06 AM EDT. The book has already
been completed, the cost is simply for having the book physically printed by RA
Comics Direct.
Rewards
range from a $1 Thank You to rewards for over $200 or more. For $5 you can get
a PDF of the first issue and for $8 a hard copy. You can pledge money to their
Kickstarter here.
I
interviewed the writer of the series, Ryan Little:
 |
| Ryan Little |
Me: What is it you like about the collectible
monster genre?
Ryan Little: I absolutely love the collectible
monster genre, but the reason why may surprise people. Pokemon celebrated its
20th anniversary this year. It's a global power house brand that most people
probably think they understand. What I love about it, however, is something
people may not recognize about the genre.
Sure the
collectible nature is fun, but what I think makes the genre so endearing is the
relationship the monsters always have with the kids they interact with. No
matter which show it is, the monsters are friends who treat their partners with
unconditional positive regard. I think that's what we love about them. The
little monsters are loyal companions through thick and thin. It's that
relationship that I love and that's what really inspired me to write this
comic.
Me: If you had to pick your favorite monster
collectible show (Pokemon, Digimon, Monster Rancher, etc.), which one would it
be and why?
Little: This is tough, but I'll have to say Pokemon
over Digimon. The easy reason is because I think there are more good
episodes/volumes/ games in the brand, though I'm really a huge fan of both. I
think Digimon experimented with some really interesting things, especially
considering it was ten years before digital life became so prevalent in our
lives. That said, Pokemon is still the genre establishing standard everything
riffs off of, so I’ll have to say Pokemon takes the cake.
Me: If you could be any Pokemon, which Pokemon
would you be and why?
Little: Super hard choice. I guess the responsible
thing would be to say Celebi, that way I could time travel. If we're being honest,
however, I think I'd say Mewtwo. I think he's just such an iconic design and
after reading some of the background material, he's just a great character.
Me: If you had to pick your favorite collectible
monster of all time, who would it be and why did you choose them?
Little: I'd have to say Omnimon from the Digimon movie
for a couple reasons. First off, he’s just an incredible and invocative
character design. I also love the fact that not only is he a crescendo of a
major fight scene, but also the perfect introduction to this massive section of
unexplored lore. Best of all, he's the physical manifestation of the
relationship between two kids and their monster companions. He’s everything
that’s great about collectible monsters AND he has a sword.
Me: Why do you think it is important to do a story
exploring the concept of loneliness? What are you hoping to achieve with the
series?
Little: I spent several of my formative summers in
college teaching grades K through 3 in an inner city school. It was fascinating
to be on the other side of the desk and see what we prepare kids for in life.
I never
felt like we really taught them how to face loneliness. We simply said
"try and feel more included" or "don't feel like that". But
what happens what that emotion isn't their choice?
I think
loneliness is one of the most universal feelings in the human experience. It
only makes sense that we really dig into it. My goal is to help readers look at
their loneliness and find a way to carry it in stride.
Me: What advice would you give to people who are
struggling with loneliness?
Little: Don't give up. There's a
whole glorious world out there waiting for you to explore it. I can't say
loneliness will ever go away. It’s the one thing you'll always have is you,
which can be a real double edged sword sometimes, but even if you can't
completely make the feeling go away, you can pick it up and carry it with you
as you continue on.
Me: How many issues are planned for the series and
can give you us some hints about what is in store for future issues?
Little: The first volume is set to be five issues, all
of which are already written. I don't want to give away too much, but so far
we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. Tom is a lonely kid who found
a lonesome. He's hurt and just wants a friend in the world. There are other
kinds of loneliness felt by an array of both good and bad people that will
attract all sorts of lonesomes. We’ll also approach the nature of these
creatures and their origins.
 |
| Artist Eder Messias |
 |
| Colorist Fahriza Kamaputra |
Me: How did you meet and decide to work with artist Eder Messias and colorist Fahriza Kamaputra?
Little: I've been publishing
shorts in the anthology world for the last two years, which is how I got my
introduction to the legion of creators trying to break in. I met Eder and
Fahriza on a website for writers to find artists. I posted an ad explaining the
gist of the book (Pokemon meets I Kill Giants) and they were both interested. The
best part, though, was that after reading the script, they knew EXACTLY where I
was coming from. The three of us all live in different countries. We're all
even on different continents! The themes of the book, however, are universal
and creativity transcends all the barriers the three of us might have had
meeting in normal circumstances. Once I saw how they were engaging the
material, I knew they were right for the job.
Me: How would you describe the art style of the
book?
Little: Eder's art would traditionally be called
"manga style" as it has a clear anime/manga feel, but I think that's
a pretty simplistic way to look at it. This book only works because the
characters he draws can emote. And they emote HARD. The style is full of life,
which is why readers may be surprised how much they find themselves empathizing
with the events.
Me: What are some words of advice you have for
aspiring comic book writers?
Little: Take the leap. Make something. I can promise
you that if you do, your new favorite comic will always be the one you're
working on. There's just nothing else like seeing a random thought you had at
four in the morning be flushed out into a real comic. We all have that power.
All you have to do is be brave enough to act on it.
Me: Thank you for your time Ryan! If you’re
interested in exploring another addition to the monster collectible genre, check
out the Kickstarter for Lonesomes #1.
Do you have a Kickstarter? Want to
be interviewed about it and have the project featured on "Kickstart the
Week?" Let me know in the comments below or message me on comicmaven.com.
Other “Kickstart the Week” features:
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