Our Creator Interviews for Creator Appreciation Month welcomes Writer, Filmmaker, Actor, and Comics Editor Vaughn Coleman, founder of Rebel Oasis Studios. With two current titles and more coming soon, as well as a currently live Kickstarter Campaign, there's lots to talk about. Let's dig in!
GlobalComix: Thank you for joining us today! Tell us a little bit about your work, yourself, and what inspired you to start Rebel Oasis Studios?
Vaughn Coleman: Thank you for having me! I always wanted to write stories, though initially I was majoring in filmmaking. When I was in college, I fell deeper in love with comics and took note of the indie comic book scene. I saw comic books as a better creative outlet for me to get all of my big ideas out there and the more research I did the more my love for the medium and community grew. Rebel Oasis Studios is me charting my own path and creating a place where I could create our own stories freely.
Cover: Phenomenova
GlobalComix: What was the moment you realized you wanted to create your own stories rather than work on existing IPs?
Vaughn: Honestly, for me it was a series of moments. Tons actually. It started with Hollywood franchises I loved like Star Wars going downhill but I was seeing the same thing happen with comic books too. I remember I started reading the classic Claremont X-Men comic books then reading what was currently on the shelves- the characters were unrecognizable now. I am very protective of the characters that I love, but I can’t protect or control characters I don’t own. I can protect my own, and I will. That excites me greatly. The possibilities are endless and nobody can place restrictions or mandates on me in regard to what I can do with my characters.
GlobalComix: What does the name “Rebel Oasis” represent to you and your creative philosophy?
Vaughn: Rebel Oasis is meant to be a place where I (and hopefully others down the line) can create independent art freely away from corporate control. Art is a lot of things, including expression and escapism and it is very important at Rebel Oasis Studios that people can think and create freely. I want people, whether they be fans or creators or both, to feel that they have a safe haven here.
Page from Phenomenova
GlobalComix: When starting a new project, what comes first for you, world-building, characters, or theme?
Vaughn: Characters almost always come first to me. Both of my titles so far, Phenomenova and Land of the Lawless, started with my ideas for characters before branching outwards. Having interesting worlds and themes are important, especially themes, but those things mean nothing to me without interesting characters that you care about to explore them through.
GlobalComix: How would you pitch Phenomenova in to readers who are new to your work?
Vaughn: In an age of deconstruction and cynicism, Phenomenova is an optimistic reconstruction of the superhero genre. 20 years after World War III, the story follows a brand new team of young superheroes that are inspired and shepherded by the heroes who fought during the war.
Cover: Land of the Lawless
GlobalComix: Can you share an Easter egg or behind-the-scenes detail fans might not know about for Phenomenova or Land of the Lawless?
Vaughn:
I went through many, many different superhero names for Miles before deciding on Galvaknight and you can see a few of those names that were used in previous drafts and iterations of the story in his notebook during the sequence in Phenomenova Issue #1 where he is picking out a name.
While there aren’t really any easter eggs in Land of the Lawless, this was written as the self-contained opening scene to a much larger story. I would love to expand on the story in both comic book and movie form down the road.
Page from Phenomenova
GlobalComix: How do you balance the creative side of comics with the business side of Rebel Oasis?
Vaughn: Oh, man, it is TOUGH. Honestly, I am still working on it, so I will let you know when I have the answer, but I try to be creative in how I do business. I always have bright ideas for the future, and the hope of bringing those bright ideas to life forces me to do the hard work I need to do to get there. I have great creative ambitions and I need to do whatever I can to make that happen.
GlobalComix: Lastly, what advice would you have for creators who are on their own journeys? We all start somewhere, after all.
Vaughn: Hone your craft to the best of your abilities and seek guidance and feedback from everyone you can, especially creators that you admire, which brings me to my next point - networking is EVERYTHING. Network with everyone you can. Find online communities, go to conventions, do everything you can to meet people. Build relationships and build an audience. Make friends. That stuff is extremely important. However, that does not mean relying on others. If your entire audience can be taken away by someone else, they were never yours to begin with. Get people who are loyal to you. Earn that loyalty. And most importantly, never give up on your dreams.
Thank you so much to Vaughn for sitting down with us and answer our questions. Running an entire studio sounds like a lot of work, but it clearly can be worth it to maintain control and do things your way. Good luck on your current Crowdfunding Campaign for Phenomenova Issue 3! If you'd like to support Vaughn and his works on GlobalComix, here's a list of links:
samzzatw 2 weeks ago
Great Interview