After a bit of a hiatus, it’s time to return to Crowdfunding Q&A. Currently on the blockchain-free comics crowdfunding platform Zoop, Thirty-Three is an action comedy family drama. That’s a lot of adjectives right there! ComicsXF’s own Cat Purcell reviewed the book when it was on Kickstarter, a review you can read here, but after not making its goal, it has returned on Zoop. I sat down with series writer/creator Juan Ponce to talk about balancing tone, why Zoop and other aspects of the campaign. Check out the interview after you check out these unlettered pages from the book.
Matt Lazorwitz: So let’s start with the basics: What is the elevator pitch for Thirty-Three?
Juan Ponce: A middle-aged office drone and his dysfunctional family are confronted by his past: a league of genetically enhanced super assassins. To ensure their safety, the once deadly hitman must take his family on the road. Along the way he’ll have to come face to face with those he’s hurt, all while fighting off the world’s deadliest mercenaries. Well. trying to.
Matt: How did the creative team for the book come together?
Juan: I was very lucky with both teams on Thirty-Three. Marco (Finnegan) and Ellie (Wright)’s work really stood out to me at the comic shop and online. So when issue one’s script was ready I contacted them both and luckily both were available. Ariana (Maher), issue #1’s letterer, had just worked with me on a short and jumped on board early into development. That first issue couldn’t have been any better.
Unfortunately the first team was unable to continue a short while after issue #1 was complete — such is the timing of comics. Luckily the amazing Gavin Guidry had just wrapped up work on Going to the Chapel around this time. My wife and me were fans of Gavin, and I knew he had to be the artist for Thirty-Three. He instantly got the book; it didn’t take long before I called it our story. When it came to finding a new colorist, Gavin recommended Michael (Fisher); after seeing his phenomenal sample pages, it was a no-brainer to have him as our colorist. Trust me, his coloring work is going to blow people away. Gabriela (Downie), our letterer, was recommended to me by Ariana. I was honored she decided to join. Then I was floored; she came in swinging! Much like Gavin, I can’t imagine this series without her. She’s so much of its DNA. Lastly there’s our awesome editor, Brittany Matter, who helped me pitch Thirty-Three years ago. Once I was developing the series into a trade, I contacted her once more to see if she’d like to be the series editor. Lucky for us, she said yes and has made the book sing ever since.
Matt: You initially ran a Kickstarter campaign that didn’t make its goal, and so you brought it back and are now on Zoop. Why did you decide to make the switch?
Juan: I really appreciate everything Kickstarter offered, it was a bummer that we didn’t get funded that first go around, but it was so cool to see so much of the comics community get behind this indie title. This second time we chose Zoop as our platform site because they care about comics and their creators. I really liked Zoop’s mission statement, and from Day One they’ve demonstrated that they weren’t just talk. They really pushed for our book and continue to work hard to ensure Thirty-Three finds success. Kickstarter just couldn’t do that, it’s not how they’re designed, and that’s OK. The creators behind this book garnered most of Thirty-Three’s backers last time. It was a very difficult task to accomplish alone. This time I wanted a platform that was actively trying to help Thirty-Three get printed. Zoop offered this opportunity and is putting effort in helping us reach our goal. As a creator, you can’t ask for more.
Matt: The campaign describes the comic as “an over-the-top dark action comedy and family drama.” That’s a lot of genres and tones. How do you work on balancing all of them?
Juan: It’s a tightrope act, for sure. Keeping the characters grounded and authentic as possible is key to accomplishing this balance. We have some real oddballs in this series, as well as crazy situations, yet we also have quiet, sometimes even bleak, moments. To keep the reader engaged and guarantee they connect with the world, the characters have to feel real. When a character is hit by guilt, it has to ring true; same goes for when they’re experiencing a great joy in life. Once a reader has some affinity for a character or characters, they’ll want to see what comes next. And as long as I stay true to the world of Thirty-Three and continue to build strong characters, the overall story will flow well.
Matt: The campaign page says this collects issues #1-5, but you’re releasing them exclusively as part of a trade. Had you ever considered releasing them as more traditional single issues?
Juan: That’s actually one of our stretch goals. If we reach $7,000, we will offer a physical bundle pack of all five issues of Thirty-Three. I really wanted this series to be monthly and designed it to read that way. Each chapter/issue ends in an awesome cliffhanger. Chapter 4/issue #4 is one of the best single issues I’ve ever written. In addition to e-trade of Thirty-Three, I’m also sending every reward backer all five digital issues of the series.I just love traditional single issues so much.
Matt: This is just the first half of the series, correct? How far along are you in planning/producing part two?
Juan: Yes, this is just the first half. There’s still more to tell — more characters to examine and questions to answer. The entire last five-issue story arc is outlined. Gavin and the rest of the team are ready to start, but it all really depends on how Thirty-Three performs here. This series was 100% out of pocket, and as much as I want to finish this epic story, sales will be a crucial part of the final arc’s destiny. We’re all eager to finish this series; here’s hoping we get the chance.
Back Thirty-Three on Zoop. The campaign runs until Feb. 24.
Matt Lazorwitz read his first comic at the age of five. It was Who's Who in the DC Universe #2, featuring characters whose names begin with B, which explains so much about his Batman obsession. He writes about comics he loves, and co-hosts the creator interview podcast WMQ&A with Dan Grote.
