First Comics News: Why did you decide to create “Ink Island”?
Ryan K Lindsay: I wanted something my kids could read, as well as the kids I teach. Most everything else I do just is not fit for the kids, y’know?
1st: What is the setting for “Ink Island”?
Ryan: It’s set in a lighthouse that’s there to keep the monsters in the dark away. And far off the coastline is Ink Island, a mythical place where the monsters live.
1st: Is there a lesson to be learned in “Ink Island”?
Ryan: There’s a lesson about facing your fears, and also another lesson about not assuming gender roles or who needs to do the rescuing.
1st: Who are the main characters in “Ink Island” are they characters close to you?
Ryan: The two lead characters are my two children. I thought they’d get a kick out of being in there, and I gotta tell you, they are dying to read this comic [I’m making them wait until we have the printed copy before they can enjoy].
1st: What is the relationship between this brother and sister like?
Ryan: They’re like many siblings, they push each other a little, but they are also extremely supportive. I didn’t want to set the status quo of combative siblings and for them to learn to support each other – I wanted it assumed that they cared from the very start.
1st: Will there be any more issues of “Ink Island”?
Ryan: At this stage, no. It’s a one-shot – but that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping my mind very open as I watch my kids grow.
1st: Who is the artist on “Ink Island” what is their style like?
Ryan: Craig Bruyn is a an Australian genius. His previous book was a gritty superhero affair [FROM ABOVE] which felt very inspired by the early Image books, but his work on this is much more Skottie Young influenced, it’s very cartoony, and he’s killed it on these pages.
1st: What is “Beautiful Canvas” all about?
Ryan: It’s a far departure from Ink Island, and fits with my much more adult comics. Beautiful Canvas is my book with Sami Kivela through Black Mask that’s about Lon Eisley, a hitwoman who is contracted to kill a small child the same week she discovers her girlfriend is pregnant. And from there things just get weirder.
1st: Why is “Deer Editor” important to you?
Ryan: I feel like that book is something only Sami and I could have made together, and in it we can completely go off the grid because we aren’t beholden to any publisher, only our audience through Kickstarter. It’s silly and personal and completely what we want to do, which is always nice to get to be completely creative.
1st: Will you be working more with Sami Kivela?
Ryan: Man, I hope so. He’s still got one more issue of Beautiful Canvas to ink, so I guess I have a few weeks to come up with something new for us to do…
1st: Do you have any ideas for other comics?
Ryan: I have plenty of work that’s unannounced, and at the moment am heavily breaking the story for the next big thing I want to pitch, and there’s another idea I’m noodling with. tl;dr – yes :]
1st: Which comics besides ones you worked on would you recommend?
Ryan: Oh, man, let’s keep a tight list here – DEADLY CLASS from Wes Craig and Rick Remender never fails to ignite – the next book from Paul Allor is not yet announced but it’s so damn good, stay tuned on him for that – Scott Snyder and the rotating artists on ALL STAR BATMAN are crushing it – the new KINGPIN and BULLSEYE series from Marvel are right up my alley – THE DREGS from Eric Zawadzki and Lonnie Nadler/Zac Thompson is great.
1st: What type of adventure would you like to go on?
Ryan: A quiet one, where I get to read, and play with my kids, and probably have no internet.
1st: What do you have to say to those who read your comics?
Ryan: THANK YOU – oh, man, to tell a story is one thing, to have it land is a whole other mess of emotions; thank you
Ink Island at Kickstarter.com
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