Comics Experience Creators Workshop member Ben Miller has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the comic Judges – a story of three exceptional people who band together to fight demonic forces! The story combines elements of real-life current events with the supernatural, and features a cast that includes a SEAL Team Six member, a Sudanese freedom fighter, and a Syrian-born hacker.
Ben initially workshopped the Judges script on CE’s Creators Workshop critique forum, where he credits peer feedback for improving his work. In one example of the workshop’s influence, Ben says that before receiving critiques, “pacing isn’t something I really thought about that much.”
But through the workshop process, Ben began to focus on details that were critical to the story’s pacing, like adjusting the number of panels per page and amount of dialogue per line. “The script critique was vital,” Ben says. “It helped me write a better story.”
With issue #1 completed and scheduled for print, Ben is now seeking supporters to continue with issue #2 of a planned 4-part series!
Judges marks Ben’s debut as both a comic writer AND self-publisher – but he didn’t plan it that way at first! Although Judges won a publication contest with a monetary prize, the awarding organization unfortunately folded, leaving Ben without a publisher. But ultimately, he received a portion of the award money – and used it toward launching issue #1 himself!
Judges features art by Marvel and DC artist Cory Hamscher (Ghost Rider, X-Men Forever), with color by Sean Forney and lettering/graphic design by Marshall Dillon. The team became acquainted through local comics events in the Gary, Indiana area, where Ben and Cory met. “When I needed to hire an artist,” Ben says, “he was the first person I contacted.”
The Judges Kickstarter campaign launches January 15, with supporter incentives that include art prints, T-shirts, sketches, and more. To check out and support the campaign, please visit the site here!
Congratulations and best of luck to Ben and the Judges creative team!
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Posted by Nicole Boose
nicole@ComicsExperience.com
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