@’s by SWITCH writer/creator Keith Champagne!!!
AMBUSH BUG (BUG): Tell me about SWITCH and how you came up with this concept.KEITH CHAMPAGNE (KC): THE SWITCH is the story of a lifelong supervillain named ELECTRICIA who has, over time, had a change of heart. She's regretting the choices--or lack of choices--she's made in her life that have left her with a big hole where he soul should be and landed her at #2 on the FBI's most wanted list.
Electricia belongs to a Legion-of-Doom style villain group called MURDERER'S ROW but for a while now, deep down, she hasn't felt like she fits in with them anymore. In fact, they kind of terrify her. She wants to do more with her life. She wants to BE more than what she is but she's trapped. The Murderer's Row would never let her leave, she knows all their secrets.
So instead, she starts to 'cheat' on them by creating a new identity, this time as a superhero called THE SWITCH, and starts fighting crime instead of committing it. Things quickly get ridiculously complicated: If the authorities unmasked her, she'd be arrested on sight. But for the first time in her adult life, Electricia feels good about herself. Until, as The Switch, she starts running into her old allies again...
As for the concept itself, I always try to find a thread of truth to build a story on top of. That way, no matter how ridiculous circumstances may get, there's still something the reader can relate to underneath everything else. In this case, it was playing with the idea that sometimes in life, we outgrow our friends. We often move in different directions from the people we once were closest to. I just added supervillains on top of that spine.
BUG: What can you tell me about the art by Tom Nguyen and your collaboration with him? KC: First of all, I'm biased but the art is great! The artist, Tom Nguyen, and I have both had decades long careers at DC Comics (and pretty much every other company out there) so visually, the book looks as good as anything the big two puts out. You can see for yourself.
Tom is doing it ALL on this project: pencils/inks/colors while I write and letter it. Which I didn't know how to do when I first decided to letter it, I learned traditional hand lettering at the Kubert school but had no idea how to computer letter. But really, this is a statement project by Tom. He's drawing a line in the sand and saying, "this is what I think comics should look like" and it looks pretty darn good.
Tom and I don't collaborate in the typical "shoot ideas back and forth" kind of way. When I write full script, I like to go off by myself in a corner and just write the story as completely as I can. The collaboration aspect comes into play by then giving Tom complete freedom to interpret what I've written through his own filter, his own imagination. It's pretty amazing to have such clear mental imagery in my mind and then see it brought to life in a radically different and usually better way.
BUG: Why did you decide to go the kickstarter route with this project?
KC: I've said a couple of times that I don't feel like pitching to established companies is a convenient process anymore. Last year, I had a pitch for a project in with a company for almost a full year before I finally got a rejection over it. Even now, I have pitches in at three companies, all between 4 and 8 months deep. It's become really convoluted; not just one editor championing a project but going through an evaluation from a creative committee, all with different ideas and opinions whether the comic book might also be viable in television or film or whatever.Also, there have been too many times when I've been treated like absolute shit by companies that I've killed myself for. The business has changed; there's not a lot of loyalty towards talent anymore. It's taught me that I need to play for Team Champagne because not too many other people are.
This Kickstarter has gone incredibly well, we hit our initial funding goal in 8 or 9 days but in the beginning, we were really nervous. Tom and I had no idea if people would give a shit about this book, if it would fall flat on its face or come to life. So kickstarting it was a gamble but it was an efficient gamble. We'd know within 30 days. The people backing it would literally vote with their dollar if it was something they wanted to read. There was no middle man, no creative committee holding things up, it was literally sink of swim.
BUG: What kind of perks are there for contributors to this campaign?
KC: What kind of perks AREN'T there for contributors to this campaign, more like. Aside from T-shirts, bookmarks, coffee mugs...all types of swag we've also had tons of A-list guest artists contributing sketch rewards and original comic book art. I'd encourage people to check it out, even now there's stuff by Jerry Ordway up for grabs. Doug Mahnke. Andy Smith. Darryl Banks and one and on. Tom and I our so grateful for our friends for helping us out.
At this point in time, as we climb towards our ultimate stretch goal, we're just piling on free swag on top of the other rewards. EVERY SINGLE BACKER is getting a head sketch of a character by Tom or myself. We're giving away hardcover graphic novels. Full PDF graphic novels. A documentary on the making of THE SWITCH. A lot of people have said we're doing too much and we're basically going to die from exhaustion but it was really important to us that we packed this campaign full of value. People work hard for their money. So should we.BUG: In your experience, what's the most important thing about doing a successful kickstarter campaign?
KC: I'm a lot more experienced now than I was a few weeks ago, that's for sure. I think first of all, you need a concept that will grab people's attention. Otherwise, what's the point?
After you build out your concept and presentation, it's really about how strong your HUSTLE FU is. Have a game plan but allow for flexibility, we've had financial benchmarks we needed to hit by certain times to feel like we were on track. We've been hitting social media hard and doing as many print and podcast interviews as possible. The more people that you can get to click on your page, the more likely some will like the concept. We also tried to have a full complement of rewards for every budget and to give more than the money's worth at every level.
And be honest and transparent. You're not just making a comic book. You're building relationships.
Or you can just make a porn comic. Christ, those seem to pull the money in hand over fist.
BUG: After this project, are there more SWITCH stories planned? KS: We definitely have an idea for a second Switch story in the same universe but played in the opposite direction: a hero becoming a villain instead of a villain trying to become a hero. But one step at a time, we've got a lot of work ahead of us to get the first one finished and the rewards fulfilled.
BUG: Last chance, why should the AICN readers support the SWITCH kickstarter campaign?
KS: First of all, I'm one of you. I'm an AICN reader for like 15 years now. Papa Vinyard drives me a a little crazy too, I read all of Capone's reviews and I dig Quint's stuff. And secondly, because this book is a little different from the rest. If you like books about villains and redemption, this might be for you. If you like books where the bad guys are free to act like bad guys, this might be for you. Ulitimately, Tom and I are comic book lifers who have something to say. We're hoping you'll take a second to listen.
BUG: Thanks, Keith!
KC: Thanks for your time, everybody!
BUG: Below is the SWITCH Kickstarter trailer. Give it a look and if it interests you, show it with some support by pledging to the Kickstarter campaignn!
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
