New York Comic Con 2022: ZESTWORLD Creator Interviews

By Chad Burdette

on October 14, 2022

Zestworld is one of the subscription platform for comic book fans to follow some of their favor creators and get comics and commissions in the process.

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Media Coverage:

Launched at the beginning of 2022, the platform has already partnered with creators like Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, Alex Segura, Joëlle Jones, and many more.

Founder Chris Giliberti was the head of TV and Film at Spotify, was with Gimlet Media where he founded Gimlet Pictures, and executive produced Amazon Prime projects such as the series Homecoming.

In an interview, Gilberti explained the philosophy behind Zestworld:

Put simply: we’re a digital platform for comic book creators. A place they can share their creator-owned work directly with fans on email newsletter and build a sustainable business. Put more ambitiously: we think the entire comics industry needs an overhaul. From events to collectibles and IP, we want to improve it all.

He went on to describe the philosophy behind Zestworld this way:

“In setting out to build this, we started with the problem statement that this industry is broken for creators; and it’s broken in publishing and TV and film; it’s also broken in events and collectibles. We wanted to build something that’s useful across all areas of their business — anywhere they generate income.”

Last week at New York Comic Con, I had the chance to speak with Content Manager Ron Cacace about Zestworld and how it compares to other similar services:

I also had the opportunity to interview many of the creators involved with Zestworld:

Jimmy Palmiotti/Amanda Conner (Paperfilms)

Paperfilms is the collaborative effort of award-winning creators AMANDA CONNER and JIMMY PALMIOTTI. With a wide range of experience and background in advertising, production, editorial, film writing, production, media presentation and video game development, AMANDA and JIMMY have worked for numerous clients and with hundreds of properties. Their client list ranges include (but not limited to): Marvel, DC Comics, Warner Brothers, Nike, Disney, Lion’s Gate, Fox, New Line, 2KGames, THQ Nordic and more. They have founded or co-founded several companies and have a full library of creator own properties and licensing projects.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/Paperfilms
Website: www.paperfilms.com

Joëlle Jones

Joëlle Jones is a multiple Eisner-nominated artist currently based in the United States. Since attending PNCA in Portland, OR, she has contributed to a wide range of projects. Most recently, following her work on Batman and run on Catwoman, she created/wrote/drew the character Yara Flor for DC comic’s Wonder Girl. Other works include her creator owned title Lady Killer, published by Dark Horse comics. Jones has also provided the art for fashion designer Prada, and various projects for DC, Marvel, Boom, Vertigo, Oni Press and The New York Times. Joëlle currently has projects with DC comics as well as continuing her Series Lady Killer.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/joellejones
Website: http://www.joellejones.com/

Sean Von Gorman (of Comics)

NYC-based Comics Illustrator & Writer known for Co-Creating TOE TAG RIOT (Black Mask Studios), Ghost Planet (Scout Comics), and PAWN SHOP with Joey Esposito (z2 Comics). He has also contributed art for projects published by Image, Dark Horse Comics and Dynamite Entertainment as well as Anthologies such as Occupy Comics (Black Mask) and the Eisner Award Winning Love Is Love (DC/IDW). He has also contributed covers for IDW’s Star Trek line of books.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/seanvongorman
Website: www.seanvongormanart.com/

Alex Segura

Alex Segura is an acclaimed, award-winning writer of novels, comic books, short stories, and podcasts. He is the author of the upcoming noir novel, Secret Identity (Flatiron Books), Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, and the Pete Fernandez Mystery series (including the Anthony Award-nominated crime novels Dangerous Ends, Blackout. and Miami Midnight). Alex has also written a number of comic books, most notably the superhero noir The Black Ghost, the YA music series The Archies, and the “Archie Meets” collection of crossovers, featuring real-life cameos from the Ramones, B-52s, the upcoming all-ages superhero adventure The Dusk, and more. He is also the co-creator/co-writer of the Lethal Lit crime/YA podcast from iHeart Radio, which was named one of the best podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times. By day he is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Oni Press, with previous stints at Archie Comics and DC Comics.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/alexsegura
Website: www.alexsegura.com

Jim Mahfood

Jim Mahfood has been working as a professional freelance artist for the last 25 years, amassing an impressive cult following across the globe. working in the fields of comics books, illustration, advertising, animation, feature films, toy design, live art, and gallery exhibitions. Highlights of his career include art chores on Kevin Smith’s Clerks comic books, set design for the Sarah Silverman Program, designing and illustrating the entire ad campaign for Colt 45 malt liquor in 2007-08, his collaborative graphic novel Marijuana Man with musician Ziggy Marley, and character design work on the Oscar-winning Into The Spider-Verse animated feature film. Jim’s current projects include illustrating loading screens for the incredibly popular Fortnite video game, and his new creator-owned comic book, Grrl Scouts: Stone Ghost exclusively on ZestWorld.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/jimmahfood
Website: jimmahfood.com

Bill Walko

Bill Walko is a comic book illustrator and animation artist. His work has been published in DC Comics, Archie Comics, Dynamite Comics (“Vampiverse”), Image Comics (“Stray Dogs”), The New York Times (“My Moments with Stan”, “How a Comics Reporter Uncovers Marvels”), and a number of independent publishers.

Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/billwalko
Website: billwalko.com

Lauren Moran

Lauren Moran is a pop-culture-inspired illustrator and merch designer based in the Catskills She has illustrated shirts for musicians such as Jack Harlow and Lights, and many wrestlers both signed and independent including Brodie Lee and New Day, along with cover work for PWI magazine.