By: Nicole D'Andria
This time
on “Kickstart the Week” we’re featuring a Kickstarter relaunching the comic book series Hotshot. Originally published by
Freestyle Komics, creator Michael Watson is teaming up with Short Fuse Media to bring back
Hotshot, a superhero series with super problems (as well as the everyday variety). I spoke with Watson about Hotshot, Short Fuse Media and his
own superhero origins, among other things!
Hotshot was created and penciled by Michael Watson. He
is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Freestyle Komics. This time around,
Watson is enlisting the help of Short Fuse Media (the publisher of our very own
Kathryn Calamia’s Like Father, Like Daughter) to relaunch the
series and help it reach new heights. Writers for the series include Victor
Dandridge (#0, 1-6), Cary Kelly (#7-8) and Michael Watson (#0, #9). Inkers
include Matt Keltner and Marc Voltich (#0, 3-4), Bernard Binder, Alexander
Diochon & Alex Miller (#1), as well as many others. Some of the colorists
include Ryan Carter (#3) and Sang Nivagune (#1, #6).
Hotshot will be successfully funded if it reaches
$4,000 by September 18, 2017 at 9:00 PM EDT. Rewards include digital and print
copies of the first nine issues of Hotshot
depending on how much you pledge as well as Hotshot T-shirts and action
figures. View more details about the rewards on their officialKickstarter page.
Now for a
conversation with Hotshot’s creator, Michael Watson:
 |
| Michael Watson |
Me: Who is Hotshot and how is his story different
from other superhero stories?
Watson: Hotshot is a young man living in Columbus, Ohio
trying to prove to his girlfriend he never cheated on her while not revealing
he is a superhero and not get kicked out of college because he's
a superhero. While he balances those big life issues he has to learn what
his powers are and how to control them.
The story
is different for a number of reasons, it takes place in Columbus/Cleveland,
Ohio, all the titles are formed after "The Zero Event" so we get to
see the world of Hotshot come to life, the lead character and supporting
cast features characters of color, the story is loosely based on my life
in college, and it starts with a breakup where our main character has to deal
with it. He can't fix it and when he tries he makes it worse. As the
classic statement goes, "When a woman is fed up...".
Mike/Hotshot
wears his feelings on his sleeves so you will get to experience this story
from a very passionate and unique perspective. We will deal with a ton of
very relatable and personal stories in this series: physical
abuse, alcohol, losing employment, and more.
Asking
the reader, how far would you go with powers if you could correct a past wrong,
if you were given another chance? In ways it is inspired by Naruto,
Spider-man, Invincible and Wolverine.
Me: What can you tell us about the supporting cast
in the book?
Watson: The supporting cast plays very important
role as Mike's personal life is just as important as his superhero one.
One thing you will notice is there will be a lot of females in this story. My
best friends that I was closest to were females in college. Maria (Best
Friend) for one does not pull any punches with Mike as she is aware of him
being Hotshot. She will let him know EXACTLY where he screwed up.
Carla (the Love Interest/Ex-Girlfriend) is very important to the story as we
will get to see that she has legitimate feelings. She comes off as a jerk when
her and Mike talk but when you look at it from her perspective, she's
right. Vigilance is a great friend to Mike/Hotshot as she is showing him how to
be a better hero. She is blunt and to the point but Mike/Hotshot shows her
how to be more relaxed.
Me: Who are the antagonists Hotshot faces off
against in the series and what makes them so dangerous?
Watson: Our first Villain is technically Carla. She and
Mike have a very serious conversation about things and this is a
fight for Mike to try to win the conversation, to bring her back to his
side.
Void on
the other side of things is a problem Hotshot can actually punch. He is an anomaly of
destruction only seeking to destroy and kill Hotshot. Void appears at a time in
Hotshot's career where he has not faced a threat of Void's level before.
He can fight better than Hotshot, he's stronger, quicker and has more power as
well. What makes him deadly is the fact that he seems to know what
Hotshot is and even where his (Hotshot's) powers have come from. When someone
is more intimate with your origin than you are that will create
problems on a different scale.
Me: With eight issues under your belt so far, what
has been your favorite scene to write and/or draw so far and why?
Watson: The conversation with Carla. When Carla
discovers that Mike is in fact Hotshot. Trying to make the pages capture
the emotion in that conversation. It’s also a great
story moment that a lot of people in relationships can get behind because the conversation
is grounded in reality. Victor Dandridge did an excellent job penning that
dialogue. Vic wrote the first 6 issues of Hotshot.
Me: Can you tell us the story of how you came into
contact with Short Fuse Media and why you decided to relaunch Hotshot with
them?
Watson: Actually, I had just recently
announced on social media I was no longer with a previous publisher
and all my titles were still with me. Sean messaged me and asked me to
bring Freestyle Komics (FSK) to Short Fuse Media (SF). Without telling Sean I
spoke with a few members of SF and got their perspective on the
company. Everyone had nothing but positive things to say. I talked
with Sean for several hours over several days and the fact that he
understood my previous situation and worked with me on the things that
caused me to leave the other studio spoke volumes. Then of course
I did some homework on the studio itself and their presence in the comic
community is impressive. SF's mentality for the business of making comics was
right where I wanted it to be and I am a huge TEAM guy. After that, the
decision was easy.
The
relaunch is to increase the audience on the FSK titles and bring the FSK
fanbase to SF. It was a "Let’s start off fresh and get out there with all
this content". We want to show we are in the business of making komics.
Me: What can you tell us about the HotshotVerse and
your future plans for it? Will there be any crossover between your universe and
Short Fuse Media’s other books?
Watson: There will defiantly be crossovers with
several titles from SF. That is already being worked out.
As far
as the HotshotVerse is concerned we have big plans as we are five titles
strong, Hotshot, Vigilance, Heroes International, Emerald Quest, and The
Cypher. We are leading up to a mini event for each title and one huge
cross over with 4 titles. After issue 9 of Hotshot we are going into his
origin and showing what The Zero Event is. Vigilance will have demons to face,
Heroes International will have to grow up quickly, and you will see
how Emerald Quest is connected to the HotshotVerse as a whole.
Me: If you lived in the Hotshotverse and could be
one of the characters, who would you be? And what is their origin story?
Watson: Hotshot and that is gonna be unveiled in issues
#10-13 of Hotshot. Hotshot is based off
me.
Me: What if you became your own superhero? What
would be your origin story?
Watson: Geeky art college student crushed by the death
of his Hero Justice and the loss of all the Extras in what is now dubbed
"The Zero Event" falls asleep wondering who will protect us now.
Awakes
the next morning floating on his bedroom ceiling. In shock he tries to get down,
clawing as the air and a rush of heat overtakes his body and surges through his
hands to the floor below, scorching the carpet. He falls and quickly gets to
his feet and stamps out the flame.
Looking
at his body, his hands, the ceiling and the scorched floor. The same question
from last night popped in his head. Who will protect us now?
I will.
Me: You also founded Freestyle Komics. Why did you
initially create this company and what is its mission statement?
Watson: I initially created this company because Marvel
comics told me "No". I tried get hired by them and was told my art is
too urban and I said ok and started my own komics. The mission
statement of FSK is "To create an unrestricted free movement of
imagination expressed through hand and received in Komic form."
Freestyle
Komics is a comic publishing studio. A studio focused on creating stories and
characters you can relate to and become united beside them. At Freestyle our
mindset is anyone can be epic no matter their shape, size, or color of one’s
skin. We all have the ability to be heroic or a villain.
Me: What is the number one reason why you think
people should pledge money to your Kickstarter?
Watson: The number reason is because the
komics we are crafting are the answer. For all the complaints of the
wrong doings in comics and what the big two are failing to do. Hotshot is doing
all of it and has been doing it, and not because of public outcry
either. We have no one to answer to and we don't have
a quota to meet, we just make komics. We are making stories with
diversity and consequence.
Me: What inspirational words do you have for
aspiring comic book writers?
Watson: Take out that pen to the pad and create. That
is the only way you will make it happen. Be open to feedback, you do not
have to take everything everyone says. Use what you want and throw out the
rest.
Me: What inspirational words do you have for aspiring
comic book artists?
Watson: Draw and never be happy where you are at as an
artist. Find people that want you to succeed, people who will not praise
what you’re good at but search for your weakness so it’s not a weakness
anymore.
Me: Thanks for your time, Michael! Best of luck
keeping your HotshotVerse cool. If you’re reading this and you’re interested in
checking out Hotshot, take a look at
their Kickstarter here.
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 my website.
Other
“Kickstart the Week” features:
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