Zona Negativa: First of all, thank you for this interview. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your beginnings with comic books?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: My pleasure, Thank you for having me. Sure I started with Marvel Comics on Venom #13, and then later became the cover artist for Teen Titans Go! for 2 years.
Zona Negativa: You’ve been working in animation and comic books. Which are the differences in these worlds? Which one is better in a creative level?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: In animation you work more as an assembly line due to the different levels of skill sets and demanding deadlines. In comics it’s pretty straight forward. You know you have 22 pages due by a certain date, so you can pace yourself. Comics allows you to be creative on all levels since it’s the pencillers job to convey everything from composition of the page/panel, to having to draw props, people, and backgrounds.
Zona Negativa: We can see influences from animation in you kickstater project. It’s only at design level? Do you use animation techniques when you’re plotting Bastion’s 7?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: When plotting Bastion’s 7, no. To execute the final product, definitely. My team and I can do it all, but sometimes due our own personal busy schedules it’s easier to break up the duties like in animation.
Zona Negativa: You’ve been working as inker, artist, colorist and cover artist for many houses. Have you tried to publish Bastion’s 7 with one of them? Why Kickstarter?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: I’d love to, but the first steps for me is I need total control on my property when getting exposure for it. I say this because I want to tell a story I’ve been wanting to share for years in a format I find appealing and not common. Especially seeing how alot of people are reading digital books via electronic devices. Once I tell the story, then I welcome publishers.
Zona Negativa: You got your goal at Kickstater sooner than expected. It’s been a surprise? What can you tell at all the people that support your work?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: Honestly, I am always surprised if my project is funded. You never know how much people like it until you ask them to take a chance on supporting it. My heart and gratitude goes out to everyone who have been waiting for the project to come into the light. Thank you, everyone!
Zona Negativa: What can you tell us about Bastion’s 7 that we can’t read at the kickstarter web?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: Bastion’s 7 comes from a real place. The main character, Kai is basically loosely based off of me. I was raised in a very physically and mentally abusive household, and it took a lot of determination to not let it get to me, and to push hard to find a place to fit in. This story is a sci-fi version of my life, but with comedy and alot of cool action and hope.
Zona Negativa: There’s many members in Bastion’s 7 project. What’s the creative system? How do you coordinate between all of you?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: There are quite a bit! HAHA I am basically the creator, designer, plotter, and art director. My team and I tag team on many avenues on the project from layout, to clean up, to colors, to 3D modelling. I coordinate it by meeting with my team each day and give them tasks and have a check in time for me to overlook what’s been done.
Zona Negativa: Bastion’s 7 it’s only going to be in English or have you think about editions in other languages?
Sean ‘Cheeks’ Galloway: No, I am looking into other avenues to print the book in several languages as well as make an app, so that the book can be read electronically.
