Review Fix chats with War Lion creator Onrie Kompan, who discusses his origin in comics, his current Kickstarter and so much more.
Support the War Lion Kickstarter Here.
Review Fix: How did you know a career in comics was for you?
Onrie Kompan: I remember sitting in Stan Lee’s office in Beverly Hills in 2010. It was about two months after I quit my day job to pursue a full time career in comics. He told me that when you do what you love, it isn’t work, it’s play.
That’s what comics are for me. It’s not a 9-5 job. It’s a 9-9 job. It’s seven days a week. It’s every day. But for me, it’s worth it. It never feels like the kind of work that I don’t want to be doing, even when I’m doing things I don’t want to necessarily do. Even on days when I’m exhausted from pulling all nighters or when I’ve been on a convention floor for 10 straight hours slinging comics.
I love it. Every bit of it. No matter how much work it is, it’s worth it for me. I’m doing what I want to be doing and therefore, I am doing what I’m meant to be doing. Having a career in comics isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible if you’re willing to put the time in to make it work for you.
Review Fix: Who inspires you creatively?
Kompan: There are so many people that inspire me. Everyone committed to this business inspires me! Especially the fans!
But if I had to narrow it down, I would say that my biggest inspiration has been, and continues to be, Stan Lee. He is such an influential figure and his energy and enthusiasm was incredible. He was larger than life both on screen and in person.
Brian Pullido is a real trailblazer in the independent comics world. His success is a guiding light for me. Jen King of Space Cadets Collection Collection inspires me to maintain a high level of integrity and has shown me the importance of having a strong ethical mindset. Ted Sikora of Hero Tomorrow Comics is a contemporary and close friend. His ambitious approach to publishing, creative acumen, and efforts that he puts into building his brand is a huge inspiration.
Review Fix: How are your comics different or special?
Kompan: I believe everyone in independent comics is doing something different and special because we are approaching comics the way we want to do it. The way Jack Kirby said it. Do it your way. So what makes my comics different and special is that they are 100% me. They don’t get published unless I give the okay! Or in my case–the OK (my initials)!
Review Fix: Why is this Kickstarter important?
Kompan: Every Kickstarter is important.
WAR LION is not only a new series, but it’s also my first creator owned IP and so it’s important to me to see it succeed because I have a lot planned for this series and reaching our funding goal will allow me to keep things moving and build it into something greater!
Review Fix: What happens if it isn’t funded?
Kompan: I keep going.
The books are already printed and are on the way to my warehouse as we speak. So even if this campaign doesn’t fund, which I can’t foresee happening, I will still have books that are fully paid for and will get on the floor of conventions and start slingin’!
Always be selling!
Review Fix: What happens if it is?
Kompan: Our printing costs will be covered and fans get to be on the ground level of our mission with WAR LION, which is to introduce a new universe to the world of comics. I’m excited for what the future holds!
Review Fix: What about this comic? Sell us. Sell us hard.
Kompan: WAR LION is an ultra-violent dystopian martial arts epic about an old warrior returning to the city he once fought to protect to pass on his legacy to his daughter and settle the score with the vicious tyrant that destroyed his life.
The series is actually a tribute to my stillborn child. It’s my covid machination and I’m so proud of it. The artwork is done by Dexter Wee and we worked together for three years to bring you the first issue, which is a whoppin’ 48-pages. In fact, every issue is going to be 48-pages. We want to give our readers the biggest bang for their hard-earned buck!
This has always been our approach to making comics. We take our time and we do it right because nothing less will do.
Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?
Kompan: I’ve heard some readers say that the book has a very 90’s sci-fi feel to it and I can totally see why. I usually lead off when I pitch WAR LION that it’s BLADE, DEMOLITION MAN, and LOGAN all rolled into one. Dexter and I were definitely inspired by 90’s era art for the production process but really this is a story about characters who are dealing with severe emotional and physical trauma and figuring out a way to navigate through the darkness.
Review Fix: How do you want your books to be remembered?
Kompan: As a creator, all I can hope for is that when people come across my work that they enjoy what they read and that the work inspires them in a profound way. If I can inspire others the way the people who inspired me did, then I’ll have truly paid it forward.
Review Fix: What are your long-term goals for your work?
Kompan: To sell as many comics as I can, to continue building my brand, to provide excellent service to my fans, and to always reach new heights! I will always go beyond the battle!
Review Fix: Why should someone support your work?
Kompan: Because I’m awesome, handsome, and am a really great storyteller! Duh!
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Kompan: Did I mention I also have a wonderful sense of humor and am extremely charming?
Review Fix: What’s next?
Kompan: WAR LION is set to be a three issue series and we’re already more than half-way through Issue #2. Once we finish it, we will go back to Kickstarter to fund it. But the next big job for me will be to finish YI SOON SHIN, which we will resume work on later this year. We have two more issues to complete and the series will finally be completed. I plan to take a trip to Korea later this year to find some inspiration before returning to the series to finish what my team and I started 13 years ago.
Review Fix: Where can people find out more?
Kompan: Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Instagram (@OKompan). Follow me on Twitter (@OKompan). And stop everything you’re doing right now and go to Kickstarter to make your pledge to WAR LION! $15 gets you the first issue shipped to your front door!
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