Indie Comics Showcase #285: MAGA-Man & Alpha Red

Welcome back to another installment of Indie Comics Showcase, the weekly blog where we signal boost a few truly independent comics that are currently crowdfunding their projects, crowdsourcing their funding in some way, or just completely self-publishing on their own. Every little bit of support for these creators matters, from a single dollar pledge to the twenty-five dollar bundle, and of course the higher tiers are usually fun too! Even if you can’t back a campaign or buy a book, you can share or tweet about these projects to your friends and followers. 

On Indie Comics Showcase, we interview the creators, show off some art, and tell you how you can check out the product for yourself. Below we have some outstanding crowdfunding campaigns this week for you to learn about, enjoy, and hopefully support by backing one or more of them! Thanks for checking these out and for being the best part of Indie Comics Showcase. Let’s jump in!

Check out the campaign here!

Chris Braly: Welcome to Indie Comics Showcase, James. What’s the pitch pitch for your comic Alpha Red?

James Nguyen: Alpha Red is your friendly neighborhood handyman, who is chosen by a covert organization called The Kingdom to have a chip implanted into his brain that gives him super strength, super speed, and super smarts. He’s given an Alpha suit and a hyper car that transforms into a robot. Alpha Red saved the world from the transforming robot tank, Omega Black, who was piloted by Satan, and his omega tank army. Alpha read number six continues our hero’s adventure after he returns from his first big victory.

CB: What inspired this story for you?

JN: As a lifelong fan of comic books, I dreamed of drawing my favorite superheroes. But because I never got the opportunity, I am excited to be able to bring my creation to life as an independent comic book. Alpha Red combines all the elements of my childhood entertainment from G.I., Joe, and Transformers, to Spider-Man and the X-Men. When I decided that creating my own comic book would be the best way to get to draw superheroes, I went back to that well to draw out my all ages, superhero comic book that includes all my favorite things.

CB: What kind of comic readers is this most suited for?

JN: Alpha Red is a love letter to my favorite comics and cartoons from the late 80s and early 90s but it is written for an all-ages audience who enjoy superhero comic books. When I discovered comic books in the late 80s and early 90s, I was drawn to the best artist at the time, including Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane. Following their journey from marvel to image, inspired me to draw superheroes, and create my own characters. My art style is influenced by those early image artists, but also some of the later 90s artist such as Joe Madureira. My writing was influenced by what Marvel was doing with their movies in the early days of the MCU. Lots of action and adventure and fun.

CB: Is this a solo effort, or do you have a creative team you’d like to mention?

JN: The first five issues of a Alpha Red were written and drawn by me, but with Alpha Red number six I brought on a new young writer named Ray MacKay. It was fun to see what another creator can bring to my character and story.

Rei reached out to me at the beginning of the year and asked if I needed help with the writing of alpha read. I turned him down, since I had not worked with a writer to create the first five issues but after I had some writers block, I reached back out to him and asked him to pitch a story for a Alpha Red. I was pleasantly surprised when he turned in three plots in a few short hours, so I chose one and here we are. My letterer, Josh Shelton is returning to do the newest issue. He has been with me through all five initial issues and I am glad to bring him back for number six.

I have had three different colorists working on Alpha Red through the issues, but I am happy to have the colorist of Alpha Red number five, Andrew Cramer, returning to do the latest issue.

CB: You’re up to six issues. What is your workflow like?

JN: Because creating a Alpha Red is not my full-time job, I have committed to penciling and inking one page of Alpha Red per week. That has been a great schedule to hold myself to as I balance my career with my love for creating comic books.  I am currently done with 13 1/2 pages of my 20 page. Issue of Alpha read number six now that I am done setting up the crowdfunding campaigns I can return to finishing up the artwork in time for the campaign and completing the artwork by the end of October. Andrew is done with the first five pages of colors and is on track to also complete the remaining pages by the end of October so that it can be sent to the printers in early November.

CB: With five issues under your belt now, what’s been your biggest lesson learned about crowdfunding and creating through this process?

JN: I have had five successful crowdfunding campaigns through Kickstarter, but with the current issue of Alpha Red, I am branching out to try other platforms to help fund the completion of issue number six.

I am trying FundMyComic and IndieGoGo along with KickStarter with exclusive covers on each individual platform. I have been told that independent comic collectors typically stay on their crowdfunding platform of choice, so I want to meet the customer where they feel most comfortable. If I happen to have super fans of my artwork and creation, and they go to all three platforms to collect the individual exclusive covers for a Alpha Red number six I have a free Reward specifically for them that cannot be ordered from any of the crowdfunding sites.  They will be able to get a 64 page all art version of Alpha Red number six.

The individual exclusive covers for each site will be limited to the number of backers that choose the exclusive cover for the campaign. This will make the reward or perk more exclusive, and very limited. So, on top of the limited edition, exclusive covers any super fan who picks up all three exclusive covers will get an even more rare exclusive version of Alpha Red number six for free.

CB: What’s your long term plans for this series?

JN: Alpha Red is meant to be an ongoing superhero comic book to fill the void of an all ages offering for comic book fans to discover the medium. So I will be doing a Alpha Red for as long as I can.

CB: Anything else you would like to share with our readers before we sign off?

JN: As I try to build interest in Alpha Red, I will be posting more videos on my YouTube channel. It can be found if you search Alpha red comic on YouTube I do a weekly draw stream at 8 PM Eastern where I talk about my journey of creating an independent comic book from a Christian creator, while I draw whatever character, I am inspired by that week.

CB: It looks great. Good luck

Check out the campaign here!

Check out the campaign here!

Chris Braly: Welcome to Indie Comics Showcase, Jerry! Tell us the elevator pitch for “MAGA Man”!

Jerry Hinds: MAGA Man is an inspirational tale in the fight against corruption, fascism, globalism, and of course…  censorship. A 22 page all-American style colour comic, starring none other than – Donald John Trump himself – the property mogul personality and third time running presidential candidate, who is almost assassinated. TWICE! Elon Musk, billionaire inventor and maverick entrepreneur, thinks the attempts on Trump’s life were a crossing of the line, and requests he take more control of his own destiny and personal security. Along with Vince Everett Ellis of The Right Foundation, Trump and Musk embark on Project: MAGA MAN.

Together, they battle FLAG – Far Left Alliance Globalists, who are waging war on western civil society via numerous neo-Marxist factions. Their weapon of the day – the radicalised youth, who possess high tech armoury of unknown origins. And the nefarious mastermind behind it all is the dreaded… Burnt Klaus. Truth – Honour – Justice. The very definition of – MAGA MAN!

CB: Not many comic creators like to delve into the political realm. What inspired you to take that step with MAGA Man?

JH: After becoming aware of ‘fake news’ about 6 years ago, I’m still quite amazed at the mainstream media painting Donald Trump to be ‘the bad guy’. I’m a comicbook creator, and this is just my way of trying to do my part for free speech and fight back against the cultural Marxism I currently see gripping the west. I’m an old school Bronze & Silver Age comicbook guy. This is aimed at that demographic, or anyone who appreciates that style of all-ages SUPERHERO storytelling.

If Trump wins, there are indeed plenty more stories to explore within the MAGA Man concept – most notably, Ultra MAGA.

CB: Tell us about your experience making comics.

JH: I’ve been the President of the Association of Comic Artists (Singapore) since 2007. During this time, I’ve steered the association toward a sharing of knowledge on the comicbook, manga and graphic novel making process. Through my indie-publishing house, Nice One Comics, I’ve also indie-published a lot of work for both myself and members, and also taken commissions for the public and corporate sectors clientele. When teaching, I always emphasize that comics are indeed literary artforms, so starting with a written synopsis, plot and finally script is my go-to process. I currently have my own SupaCross title available with ThunderZone Comics, and other titles by Association Members with Caliber Comics (Flesh & Steel) and Markosia (Magical Package).

CB: Do you have a full creative team for this, or is this a solo effort?

JH: I’m producing the entire 22 page comic alone. The deadline is very tight, and looking for an FOC upfront collaborator isn’t  something I really want to impose on anyone. But a colourist would be a great help. Penciling and inking isn’t as tough as it otherwise might be, because the pencils can be quite loose when you’re inking yourself.

I’m hoping to reach goal of course, and the printed books are promised for December 2024. I’ve currently completed Pencils & Inks up to Page 9. I aim to complete all 22 pages of pencils & inks by Oct 15th, then all colouring by Nov 1st, and the books be delivered digitally by Nov 15th, and print by early December.

The concept is actually time sensitive, as issue #2 would only make sense if Trump wins the 2024 US election.

CB: Another good reason to have hope in a Trump victory next month. What has been the most challenging element of the crowdfunding process for you?

JH: The marketing effort is not to be ignored. I wasn’t really aware of the pre-launch facility for example. I would have done a lot more with that if I had, but in truth, I wasn’t so sure that Kickstarter would even accept my campaign – anything supportive of Trump can meet heavy censorship across most mediums. This has made me also launch an Indiegogo campaign too, as I’m more than aware that certain aggressive activists may well come after me and my KS campaign at some point should it gain any kind of notable traction.

CB: Any special features in this book or the campaign that you’d like to mention?

JH: There are two covers to choose from. There’s a tier where I will physically pencil MAGA Man with any character of the the pledger’s choice. This has already sold a couple of pledges, which is encouraging, as this is the most high cost tier. I will also feature some behind-the-scenes process insights – most notably my ‘drawing through the object’ digital layering style.

CB: Anything else you would like to share with our readers before we sign off?

JH: I’ve put a lot of work into this book, and hopefully it shows. I’ve done many things life, but this project seems very special, and any backers are more than truly appreciated. Sincerely!

CB: Well, let’s hope President Trump prevails so you can keep telling these tales and we can get to Ultra MAGA! Good luck.

Check out the campaign here!

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That’s it for this installment. If you’re a creator ramping up your own campaign or have a comic available for purchase online and you want to be featured in our weekly column, click here. And follow Indie Comics Showcase on Twitter at @Indie_Comics and reach out to them for more eyes on YOUR crowdfunding comic project. Until next time, support indie comics!