Ashley Land has been writing for CBR since 2022 and has a special interest in pulp comics, the DC Universe, science fiction, and thrillers. His project can be found at:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-unbreakable-argonauts-1-second-campaign#/
FCF: Ashley, you are not known as a creator but as a journalist who writes about comics and movies. Tell the fans a little bit about that side of your life.
Ashley Land: Yeah, I think that how you know me will somewhat depend on where you follow me. On Twitter, I generally focus on the comics I’m making because it’s really important to have that direct marketing and communication tool. As far as my writing for CBR and ScreenRant, I’ve always been open about my opinions of comics and films that I enjoy, and at one point, I was going to do this type of work on a Substack. Still, I then came across an ad for a job writing about comics at CBR, and it’s just ballooned ever since. I love writing, so it’s a job I enjoy.
FCF: When did you start reading comics, and is it true you’re a big fan of such diverse things as the JSA, Jack Kirby, Alan Moore’s Tom Strong, and Tomb of Dracula?
Ashley Land: I’m a late bloomer, for sure. I think I’d read a few sparse issues of Spider-Man as a young kid, and I remember getting a couple of trade paperbacks here and there in my early teens, but I got serious about collecting in my late teens. I remember buying a copy of ‘Tec #596 and having a blast reading it, and from there, I delved into more Batman, Superman, Swamp Thing, and Spawn. My first serious comic book haul was the first 30 issues of Spawn for about $100, and that got me interested in the indie scene when I realized it didn’t all have to be Marvel and DC.
I am a huge fan of Jack Kirby, especially his Bronze Age DC work, like Kamandi and New Gods. In case you can’t tell, I’m a much bigger DC fan, but there are some Marvel books I’m a sucker for, like Tomb of Dracula, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, Howard the Duck, etc. I’m a really big fan of the weird side of Marvel, and I grew up on Universal Monsters and Hammer horror movies, so if you put a werewolf, swamp monster, or vampire in a comic, I’ll pick it up.
FCF: What made you decide to become a creator?
Ashley Land: Since discovering books like Phantom, Doc Savage, and Green Hornet, I’ve been a big fan of the pulpy side of comics, but it’s always a corner of comics I’ve felt was underserved and never reached its full potential. So I started coming up with ideas like “If I could write a big pulp fiction universe, what would I write?” And it sort of blossomed from there. Ideas became short stories, and short stories became comic book scripts. In the end, I made up this wonderful world that focuses on these more street-level heroes but who coexist alongside Justice League-level superheroes. Something about a comic dedicated to the underdogs of a superhero universe who are forced to rely on skill, gadgets, and wits instead of super strength I found appealing.
FCF: Tell fans about your current project, The Unbreakable Argonauts, and how long you have planned it.
Ashley Land: The Unbreakable Argonauts is kind of a mash-up of my favorite things in comics, focusing on pulp fiction. But we’ll also have elements of Golden Age horror, science fiction, action-adventure, and some war here. The first story arc covers issues 1-2, and this is very much an introduction to the characters. Issue 1 is the set-up. We get to see the heroes in full action, saving lives and taking down bad guys, but towards the end, the team gets thrown into crisis, and issue 2 will be centered around a rescue mission. This first story arc borrows lightly from Giant-Sized X-Men #1, so if you liked that, I think you’ll like it.
FCF: Many creators choose the Kickstarter platform, but you went with IndieGoGo. Why?
Ashley Land: Mostly, it was market research and taking advice from fellow creators. A lot of Twitter polling and asking around. I’ve also found that IndieGoGo is a more user-friendly platform, it’s simpler and more flexible. I think Kickstarter is a great platform if you’re on your third campaign, but the ability to adjust the time window on IGG is the reason I was able to get funded. Down the line, I’d like to use multiple platforms, and I have used FundMyComic too.
FCF: What makes the creative team unique, and how did you assemble it?
Ashley Land: The creative team includes myself, artist Daniel Max, and colorist Russell Vincent Yu. It was a long search for both because everyone brings their style, and that doesn’t always fit the story. When I posted online about wanting to find artists, a lot of the portfolios I looked at were very Manga-inspired. Others were very 1990s-style or more cartoonish. When I found Daniel, we clicked early on, and his art was just the perfect match for the era this story is set in. The same was true of Russell, whose colors, I think, really bring out the fun, old-school look I’m going for.
FCF: Is there something else you want to do once your current project is completed?
Ashley Land: I have a couple of projects I’m scripting and will soon begin commissioning pages for. The next book I’m launching is Santa’s Nuclear Winter Special, which I’m hoping to go live with in late July or early August. Shortly after that, Unbreakable Argonauts #2 will also launch sometime in the Fall or early winter.
FCF: I’m curious: What are you reading these days?
Ashley Land: I’m very creator-oriented. I gravitate towards the work of Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Robert Venditti, and Ram V, so I enjoyed Johnson’s Action Comics immensely. Same with Venditti’s Superman 78 work. I’ve just finished Dan Jurgens & Mike Perkins’ Batman First Knight, which I enjoyed. Jeremy Adams’ Green Lantern has been fun for me, and I hope he becomes the mainstay JSA writer. I did start Johns’ JSA, but with all the delays, I’m just waiting on the hardcover so I can fly through it. Unfortunately, my pull list isn’t what it once was. It’s just that I’m saving more and more money to make my comics, so I’m slowly becoming a trade paperback and hardcover guy. I recently jumped into the old JLI run, so I’m hoping to tear through that over the summer.
FCF: You’re relatively new to doing a crowdfunding campaign. What advice would you give to a creator thinking about launching a campaign?
Ashley Land: I think there’s no such thing as too much marketing. At the end of the day, your ability to market your comic, network, gain followers, and meet people is going to be the make-or-break part of your success. You can have the best idea in the world, but if only 30 people know you exist, you might struggle to make it. So I’d say to any creator, spend a good few months meeting people and getting yourself out there before you launch. Don’t be afraid to show your face, and always ask for help and advice from other creators — the worst that can happen is they say no. I was very fortunate in that some big channels in the YouTube comics space were willing to have me on to discuss my comic book, and those appearances got me to the finish line. It’s a lot of work, but if you put the hours in, you can get there.
FCF: You get the last word. Do you have any closing thoughts?
Ashley Land: The last thing I’ll say is that The Unbreakable Argonauts is a passion project that has been years in the making, and I’m excited about our future projects. We’ve assembled a great team of creators for the book, and we’re excited to make our contribution to the incredible world of indie comics. If you love old-school pulp fiction or the Golden Age of superheroes, we’re making comics for you.”
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