Review Fix chats with “Spring Heeled Jack†creator Tony Deans, who discusses the fourth issue of the nifty independent comic book series that pits Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his mentor against a baddie they’ve never quite encountered before. Discussing everything from the creation process behind the tale, as well as the emotional and physical toll the creation process takes on a writer, Deans gives us an inside look at one of the cooler independent comic book series in the industry today, as well as his future in the industry.
Review Fix: What has this journey been like for you?
Tony Deans: Stressful yet in the end rewarding. I don’t think it’s any secret just looking at the release pattern of the comic that getting the art completed has raised problems in getting this book out there and for my debut comic I would have liked to have had a much easier ride. Although the first two issues went out fine, the third and fourth one required me to have to search for artists to fulfill what others had agreed to do contractually. It’s hard to keep momentum going when the majority of readers don’t know if they’ll ever even see the final issue come out and I’m proud that I ensured that they could. I have to say that I can’t help but feel somewhat lucky that all the artists who stepped up to the plate were able to keep the tone of the comics and make the transition much easier for readers. When all is said and done, though, I couldn’t be happier with many of the reviews that the series has received and to actually be able to say I have had a comic book published. It makes you feel pretty proud of yourself.
Review Fix: What has changed since the series began?
Deans: Well aside from the artwork I would honestly have to say not much. The entire comic was planned before I wrote it and the scripts were pretty much completed by December of last year. For all the fans who have enjoyed the series so far, they can continue to expect the same standard of writing that they have gotten and in many ways the new artists allow for more expression of certain aspects that were not present in the first three books. In terms of myself as a creator, I’m a little bit more wise to how things work in the comic industry, wary about the fact that people sign contracts they may not live up to but also I’d say I’m a better writer. Confidence breeds success and so to know that reviewers think you might have talent makes you aim bigger and better.
Review Fix: What makes this issue special?
Deans: This issue is special because it’s the end. If you’ve read the other ones, don’t leave yourself hanging. Of course that’s not the only thing, I think that fans of the series will find that this issue is where it really all comes together. Things that might not have made sense will now and you’ll finally be able to put together all the references and clues in Spring-Heeled Jack and figure them all out. The historical element of the series really comes into its own in this one and I think fans of Arthur Conan Doyle will be pleased. On a personal level, the last few pages in my opinion are the best in the entire book. I won’t say much more about them because I don’t want to spoil it for any readers, but I will mention that they capture a gamut of emotions effectively and really make an impact on the reader.
Review Fix: How do you want this series to affect people now?
Deans: I would like them to be horrified, to laugh and to really enjoy the book. I find many comic books either take themselves too seriously or not serious enough. They might be so completely bleak that you really don’t want to carry on reading from page to page because you just can’t take any more of it all. People like Alan Moore (who I’m not comparing myself to obviously) raise the medium because they know that art should be like life in that it has a range of emotions. Works like Watchman have plenty of funny scenes in as well as serious scenes and I’ve tried to learn from that formula and include it in the series. If somebody can not just read Spring-Heeled Jack but experience the journey that the characters undergo and not want to stop reading until they reach the end then I’ll be happy.
Review Fix: Bottom line, why should someone read this issue?
Deans: People should read this issue because I honestly think it’s a well-crafted end to a very warmly received comic that will satisfy a wide range of tastes. I won’t lie and pretend that this will elevate the medium to new heights but what it is, is a story where the comic is contained within itself. You don’t need to buy a tie-in or know the character histories and so you can just approach Spring-Heeled Jack looking to read a good story. It also has a ton of references so anybody who is a fan of Victorian era London or of Arthur Conan Doyle will find plenty of things that will make them smile. It’s a neat comic that has a story to tell and is able to do so without getting cluttered or messy.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Deans: Well my whole journey has showed me that as a comic book writer you need to be realistic. Unless you know a bunch of artists who are willing to really believe in a project and work on a backend deal (and let’s be honest very few people do) then realistically you can only get one four issue mini-serious out there a year. As I mentioned in our last interview my next project Hylox is currently in negotiations with two publishers who are quite noticeable on the indie scene. All that is left for my artist to finish the first issue so they can make their final decision. All the scripts are written for Hylox so I have been considering going the Graphic Novel route for my third comic which I’m in the process of researching and writing but you won’t be hearing about that until at the very least 2017. Personally I think that once you have three comics out there you can establish a “brand” so to speak and start making inroads to a higher level of comic creating. I’m a third of the way there already and I hope that the stories I have to tell are able to reach as wide an audience as possible. That’s the dream.
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