Name: JR Blanton Published Works:Light-Earth #0 & #1 Website(s):Under construction Creative Title:Founder/Owner/CEO/Publisher/Head-Writer for No Gravity Studios Creative Skills: Writing and sketch commissions Why are you working on Comics:It's what I was born to do. Favorite Hero: Green Lantern (Mainstream), Ravnar (Independent) Favorite Villain: Nekron (Mainstream), Vylezor (Independent) Other Facts: (If you want to mention your married a father or collect stamps this is the section for it but limit it to a couple of sentences at most) Married for almost 18 years with two teens and two tots.
JR Blanton you have been sought out, Stand and Face:
The7Deadly Questions
Q: Would you rather own a successful comic book company, making modest money and living well, or work for a major publisher and get seen by millions monthly?
A: I have no real ambitions towards working for a major publisher. Of course, it would be great to write some of the characters I grew up reading about and loving. But ultimately, self-publishing and crowdfunding is highly rewarding and the path I believe that I’ll stick with.
Q: What Character do you need to write or draw?
A: Again, I have little desire to work for a major publisher. I would be lying if I said that it would be easy to turn down writing for Green Lantern, which is my favorite superhero character of all time. However, I would HAVE to have control of the character and story. That won’t ever happen because the editorial machine over there would never allow it.
Q: What sends you into a rage that another creator/artist does while working with you?
A: I expect very little from my collaborators. The only thing I expect is that they are honest about their work and when they will get it to me before the deadline. Having a huge ego and being unpublished and unknown is also no good.
Q: Name a bad habit you need to change.
A: My biggest failing has been being too trustworthy. The amount of money I’ve lost out due to “artists” demanding full payment up front and then disappearing, delivering work months after it is needed, or being pushy. That is on me. But I have taken great steps in correcting that problem.
Q: Would you rather a loyal fan base, or millions of people knowing who you are, but no loyal fans?
A: I believe we already have built a very strong fan base through our successful Kickstarter campaigns and social media networking. I’m not in this for any kind of fame, or notoriety. I’m in it because I’ve loved comics for over 30 years & I’ve always wanted to make them, myself.
Q: What is a success driven goal. I.E. if I get X money I am gonna get…
A: My only goals are too publish the complete Light-Earth Saga, to publish projects for other talented creators, & to be able to officially make this my career.
Q: What current book do you think you could write better and make it no longer suck?
A: I wouldn’t exactly say that it “sucks”, but I know I could deliver a Green Lantern Epic that could rival the magnificent Johns & Reis Blackest Night story. I’ve heard good things about the new Rebirth stuff. But doing a take on the mythos that is unlike anything people have ever seen is what I do best. I’m lucky to be where I am today to even have that as a possibility.
Well well JR Balton you have managed to out smart The 7 Deadly Questions. Impressive. You may now pass to the best sin of all Shameless Self Promotion!
I am currently trying to wrap up the first arc in the Light-Earth series. We have Kickstarter campaigns scheduled for July & October to fund the printing of issues #3 & #4 before the series takes a year break to get back ahead. After that, we have a campaign for a collected edition of issues #0-#4 in January, followed by a campaign for Spectra, a creator owned graphic novel in March I’m working on with my amazing friend and sister from another mister, Michelle Joy Gallagher, that delves deeply into psychological horror. May will see a campaign for the collected edition of all of the covers, pinups, prints, & fan art from Light-Earth #0-#4, followed by the Gallant graphic novel written by myself in July. There is a top-secret project involving a licensed property that we’re trying to acquire the rights to make a graphic novel of in September. It is still tentative. But we’re pursuing it to the best of our abilities. Finally, Light-Earth #5 will hit Kickstarter in November 2017. That will be enough time for us to complete issues #5-9 beofre the campaigns to ensure that backers will only have to wait a month, or possibly less to receive their reward packages.
As a bonus reward The Written Sins Network will be supporting all your up coming Kickstarters. If to only get another crack at you one day soon!
