Writer/Creator Adam Watson and artist Joel Cotejar are delving deep into the dark this time, with a supernatural thriller, with a hitman who is haunted by those he kills.
Many comic fans dream big, for some it starts as children when they pick up that first comic and find an escape through these characters who usually overcome all odds and win or at least live to fight another day, and for others, comics provide an outlet for creativity, presenting a genre that allows them to make their own characters, their own universe, where the writer is God and the pen his eternal wrath, or seven days of creation, so to speak. Self-publishing isn’t unheard of but it can be quite costly, and that’s where Kickstarter provides an alternative. This is the first in a series of articles much like our Ron Marz’s Beast of the Black Hand ComicWatch interview and his successful Kickstarter project, this article, and future articles will follow different Kickstarters from inception to success or failure. We hope to help those, such as Adam Watson, succeed in their efforts to launch something they have put so much blood, sweat, and tears, figuratively, into.
Let’s get back to writer Adam Watson and his dark supernatural crime thriller, Ghost Assasin!Watson, the owner of Darkslinger Comics, has five Kickstarter campaigns that have been completed successfully. Over 1,000 copies of the first Ghost Assassin special, “Prelude” were sold in several comic shops including Lonestar Comics and even in some Tattoo shops, but primarily they accomplished this by selling at conventions. Darkslinger products are being placed in some unheard of locations for independent comics. There is even a line of glassware available at liquor stores in Oregan. Marketing is incredibly important when attempting to launch a series through crowdfunding and Watson seems to be aware of this, telling me he attended 40+ conventions in his first attempt at launching his indie Ghost Assassin special, ‘Prelude’.
This crowdfunding Kickstarter is the first time that Ghost Assassin will be published in the format of an ongoing series. While the initial special, Prelude, sold extremely well, it was in a format that differed from the overall story narrative being told.
Watson plans on releasing this series through international distribution channels. Conventions still play heavily into his strategies for getting his titles out there, but in order to reach the largest audience possible, they need to be offered through standard distribution channels.
Watson’s goal at this time is to be able to tell his story until its natural conclusion. It’s an ongoing series, but not a finished series. Kickstarter’s immediate goal is to raise enough money to produce an offset print run of the first issue. If Kickstarter can raise a surplus of funds, it will be used for the finishing coloring for issue #2. Everything about the second issue is complete except for 13 pages that are awaiting color.
Creating is Watson’s driving force. He says that he needs to create and that not creating would drive him crazy. That it’s just something that has to be done and ‘not doing’ is just simply not an option. I can totally relate to Watson’s drive to create, an undeniably strong thread of imagination and creativity that is constantly pulling and tugging at your insides thus one must create, to appease the beast, keeping it well fed and tamed, allows one to reach serenity and contentment, but the ‘not doing’ which Watson refers to will simply leave one feeling unfulfilled.
Adam’s inspiration to write Ghost Assassin occurred while having a conversation with his dad. They would often have conversations about movies his dad had recently watched to pass time while they worked at their family’s glass shop. This particular movie his dad was telling him about revolved around a hitman who was being confronted by a mark that he had failed to assassinate. At some point, the thought crossed his mind and he said to his dad, “you know what would’ve made that movie better? If it turned out that the conversation occurred after the hit was successful.” His dad asked why and he simply said, “because it turns out that the person he’s having the conversation with is a ghost.”
When asked about what Watson’s favorite comic was if he had to choose, he mentioned an issue that was integral into getting him hooked on the genre, he said it got him really into comics and is also his favorite comic is Uncanny X-Men #293. It was difficult for him to answer, but it’s his favorite because there were plenty of issues he had prior to the Uncanny X-Men #293, but they were all related to other media such as the comic adaptation of Willow or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. This comic, however, was different because it was the first time that he had ever read characters that he had no prior knowledge of.
It was also extremely difficult for him to answer last couple questions as well but he said if he was forced to choose a favorite story-arc would have to be The Boys: The Big Ride, which stands out in his mind as one of the best story arcs he has ever read. The ending, he says, delivers a gut punch to the reader in a way that is rarely accomplished in any medium. Oher arcs that stand out to him are the second arc of Elephantmen, the first arc of the Maxx, Sandman: The Kindly Ones and X-MEN: God Loves, Man Kills. All greats!
When asked about Watson’s top 3 favorite artists, outside of the artists that he works with, are Will Eisner, Sam Keith, and Ian Churchill and his among his favorite writers would have to be Jeff Smith, Garth Ennis, and Rob Schrab.
Just to give readers a peek at the range of Watson’s illustrator and close friend, Joel Cotejar, have a look at these masterpieces!
Joel Cotejar Commision!
Joel Cotejar ‘Weapon X Steampunk’
Joel Cotejar Original ‘Mummy’
This is just the first in a series of articles that will follow the progress of Adam Watson’s Ghost Assassin Kickstarter! ComicWatch wishes him the most success as we hope to do a pre-review of Watson’s published material so please share and you can always support Adam Watson’s Ghost Assassin here! You can also reach Adam Watson through Dark Slinger Comics! Darkslinger Comics is the publisher of Ghost Assassin, Chronicles of Van Helsing, El Bovine Muerte and Who Will Save The World? To learn more about Darkslinger Comics please visit us at www.darkslinger.com. Visit Adam Watson’s, owner of DarkSlinger Comics, Ghost Assassin ThunderClap to show support and spread the word as well!
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