Interview: Lennit
Emerald Star Comics' publisher Lennit has big plans for the company. He stopped by CBI studios and talked about the company's announcements and their new titles...
JMH: Tell the readers about Emerald Star Comics. What are its origins?
LENNIT: Emerald Star Comics started as a dream in 1992 during the time the industry was seeing massive growth, new publishers, and talent flowing in from all sides. Unfortunately, I didn't have the means to create any comic books at that time and the dream started to fade. Fast-forward twenty years and we see technology (and a steady job) presenting an affordable means of creating comic books. Having that passion to write, to create, to tell a story...still burning inside me, help drive me to create Emerald Star Comics. It truly is a place created to mine the vast talent available via the internet and bring them together to make the best books possible. This isn't your traditional team. Emerald Star Comics has talent working, literally, across the globe. Many of these talented stars wouldn't even register on the radar back in 1992, but now, with modern tech...they have come. "Comic Books. We can rebuild them. We have the technology. We can make them better than they were. Better...sexier...finer."
JMH: What sets Emerald Star Comics apart from all other Publishers?
LENNIT: There are a couple of things that set ESC apart from other publishers. One is a secret that will be revealed when the time is right, one is spirit (we are creating books for the fans...not the dollars), and one is that we are risk takers. Who are we to try and guess what the next big hit will be. You have a story, a good story, we want to publish it. Let the fans be the judge. You won't get that kind of treatment from ANY of the other publishers. You'll be lucky if you even get them to respond to you.
JMH: You've relaunched the line. Which titles will roll out first, second...
LENNIT: We currently have six titles in production. We plan to roll out 2 new titles a month starting as early as May 2014. Right now we haven't committed to which will be released first but the current plan is to release Lady Satan #1 and Zombie Ever After #1 during the initial roll out. Starburn #1 and The Eighth Day #1 will follow, with Nowati #1 and Invasion! #1 finishing off the first round. We have 3 new titles being ramped up...but I can't say anything more about them right now.
JMH: What made you lead with (your first title) as opposed to any of the other titles you’ve announced?
LENNIT: We wanted to make a statement with our first title (Lady Satan). Staying true to our slogan (Proving Big Stories can still be found in the Small Press), we wanted to show everyone that an old character has plenty of new life and new stories. We brought in pulp master Gary Phillips to revive the Golden Age crime fighter and he does so in an awesome way.
JMH: Can you give us a sneak peek into one of your other titles?
LENNIT: There's plenty of a 'sneak peek' into each title on our Facebook page, but here's a few exclusives for your readers. Nowati will appear in Invasion! at some point. Also in Invasion!, we'll be poking fun at the stereotypical female comic book characters - they may look good on the outside, but... We are currently looking at reviving another Golden Age hero...let's just say that though our color is green, we love red. ;)
JMH: How are your books going to be released? Print, digital, or both? Why?
LENNIT: ESC titles will be released in print and digital. Though there are more profit opportunities in digital sales, we want to establish a name in the print publishing world as well. The market tends not to 'recognize' you unless you print AND get listed in Diamond's catalogue. We have just announced a digital only imprint, Supernova. We created Supernova for books that we don't have a print budget for but they still have such a good story they have to get out there somehow.
JMH: Who are some of the talent Emerald Star Comics is bringing to readers in the future?
LENNIT: I mentioned Gary Phillips earlier - he's working with artist Marcelo Salaza, colorist Lynn Kranz, and letterer Micah Myers. We also have superstar-in-the-making Kelly Bender and the very prolific and wonderful Liz DeJesus. Liz has written many things and this is her first stab at comics. We've also uncovered some really talented artists - so talented that I'm sure they won't be around long. One of those is S. Rhoades. You'll be blown away by his work for Invasion!.
JMH: have you worked with these creators in the past?
LENNIT: Kelly Bender, Micah Myers, and Lowdy (The Eighth Day artist) have been with ESC since the beginning - so yeah, they get special treatment. :)
JMH: When do Emerald Star Comics hit the streets and where can readers go to get their copy?
LENNIT: The current plan is to have a free 'intro' book ready for Free Comic Book in May 2014 with the first issues hitting the shelves the next week. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for updates on availability.
JMH: Anything else you'd like to mention that we haven't covered yet?
LENNIT: Yeah...a little teaser... In 2014 comic books are more than just pictures and words on a piece of paper...they will have a life of their own.
JMH: Pitch Emerald Star Comics Comics to the readers! In 10 words, tell us why Emerald Star Comics books are a must buy…
LENNIT: Proving Big Stories can be found in the Small Press!
Emerald Star Comics' publisher Lennit has big plans for the company. He stopped by CBI studios and talked about the company's announcements and their new titles...
JMH: Tell the readers about Emerald Star Comics. What are its origins?
LENNIT: Emerald Star Comics started as a dream in 1992 during the time the industry was seeing massive growth, new publishers, and talent flowing in from all sides. Unfortunately, I didn't have the means to create any comic books at that time and the dream started to fade. Fast-forward twenty years and we see technology (and a steady job) presenting an affordable means of creating comic books. Having that passion to write, to create, to tell a story...still burning inside me, help drive me to create Emerald Star Comics. It truly is a place created to mine the vast talent available via the internet and bring them together to make the best books possible. This isn't your traditional team. Emerald Star Comics has talent working, literally, across the globe. Many of these talented stars wouldn't even register on the radar back in 1992, but now, with modern tech...they have come. "Comic Books. We can rebuild them. We have the technology. We can make them better than they were. Better...sexier...finer."
JMH: What sets Emerald Star Comics apart from all other Publishers?
LENNIT: There are a couple of things that set ESC apart from other publishers. One is a secret that will be revealed when the time is right, one is spirit (we are creating books for the fans...not the dollars), and one is that we are risk takers. Who are we to try and guess what the next big hit will be. You have a story, a good story, we want to publish it. Let the fans be the judge. You won't get that kind of treatment from ANY of the other publishers. You'll be lucky if you even get them to respond to you.
JMH: You've relaunched the line. Which titles will roll out first, second...
LENNIT: We currently have six titles in production. We plan to roll out 2 new titles a month starting as early as May 2014. Right now we haven't committed to which will be released first but the current plan is to release Lady Satan #1 and Zombie Ever After #1 during the initial roll out. Starburn #1 and The Eighth Day #1 will follow, with Nowati #1 and Invasion! #1 finishing off the first round. We have 3 new titles being ramped up...but I can't say anything more about them right now.
JMH: What made you lead with (your first title) as opposed to any of the other titles you’ve announced?
LENNIT: We wanted to make a statement with our first title (Lady Satan). Staying true to our slogan (Proving Big Stories can still be found in the Small Press), we wanted to show everyone that an old character has plenty of new life and new stories. We brought in pulp master Gary Phillips to revive the Golden Age crime fighter and he does so in an awesome way.
JMH: Can you give us a sneak peek into one of your other titles?
LENNIT: There's plenty of a 'sneak peek' into each title on our Facebook page, but here's a few exclusives for your readers. Nowati will appear in Invasion! at some point. Also in Invasion!, we'll be poking fun at the stereotypical female comic book characters - they may look good on the outside, but... We are currently looking at reviving another Golden Age hero...let's just say that though our color is green, we love red. ;)
JMH: How are your books going to be released? Print, digital, or both? Why?
LENNIT: ESC titles will be released in print and digital. Though there are more profit opportunities in digital sales, we want to establish a name in the print publishing world as well. The market tends not to 'recognize' you unless you print AND get listed in Diamond's catalogue. We have just announced a digital only imprint, Supernova. We created Supernova for books that we don't have a print budget for but they still have such a good story they have to get out there somehow.
JMH: Who are some of the talent Emerald Star Comics is bringing to readers in the future?
LENNIT: I mentioned Gary Phillips earlier - he's working with artist Marcelo Salaza, colorist Lynn Kranz, and letterer Micah Myers. We also have superstar-in-the-making Kelly Bender and the very prolific and wonderful Liz DeJesus. Liz has written many things and this is her first stab at comics. We've also uncovered some really talented artists - so talented that I'm sure they won't be around long. One of those is S. Rhoades. You'll be blown away by his work for Invasion!.
JMH: have you worked with these creators in the past?
LENNIT: Kelly Bender, Micah Myers, and Lowdy (The Eighth Day artist) have been with ESC since the beginning - so yeah, they get special treatment. :)
JMH: When do Emerald Star Comics hit the streets and where can readers go to get their copy?
LENNIT: The current plan is to have a free 'intro' book ready for Free Comic Book in May 2014 with the first issues hitting the shelves the next week. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for updates on availability.
JMH: Anything else you'd like to mention that we haven't covered yet?
LENNIT: Yeah...a little teaser... In 2014 comic books are more than just pictures and words on a piece of paper...they will have a life of their own.
JMH: Pitch Emerald Star Comics Comics to the readers! In 10 words, tell us why Emerald Star Comics books are a must buy…
LENNIT: Proving Big Stories can be found in the Small Press!
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