Space City Nerd interview series spotlight Devin Kraft
Hyrulian Hero by Devin Kraft
Sean Deflora staff writer: So yea, we’re here with uh (here’s where I totally blank on Devin’s name. Conventions amirite?) Devin Kraft!
Devin Kraft: (Laughts) It’s ok, I’m about to forget my own name in a sec!
SD: Alright, so you got a pretty special project going on called “Dragon Slayer”. Can you tell us a little about that?
DK: “Dragon Slayer” is a comic I’ve been working on since September 2012. I’ve successfully kick-started the first two issues; one in April of last year the other in October I believe. They were both chosen as staff picks, the second volume was chosen as project of the day. I just launched the third kick-starter after working on the final volume for five months or so on and off. I just launched the third volume and it funded in a week at $6,000 asking price and now its working towards the stretch goals. The series has kinda been my baby for a long time.
SD: Wow, so you’ve already met your goal.
DK: six days to go so its in the final stretch…
SD: Congratulations! whats your next stretch goal you’re aiming for?
DK: Last I checked its at $11,000 so next is $12,000, and if I hit that, I’ll do t shirts which is significant because I’ve never put my art on a tee shirt before. That’s my dream amount so I figure if I hit that, I’ll push myself to put my art on a t shirt. So right now it looks like it might hit that but six days to go anything can happen you know.
SD: Any advice you received from other kick-starters?
DK: It’s largely me figuring stuff out on my own. Basically, I did some research, checked out other kick-starters, and watched what they were offering through goals. I was seeing what works and discarding the useless information.
SD: Now it seems these days every Kick-Starter has that “Epic” level reward. What’s that level for you?
DK: I cut those actually and that’s one of the lessons I learned. I had a $500 dollar level where you got all my comics, (there’s like seven or eight comics) you got original art, you got dinner with me in Dallas. It was…the value could have been there, but it was one of those deals where I was like if some eccentric millionaire wants to back at the $500 level I think they could go with just the first two. This time I swapped it out with a much more practical $150 level where you get all my comics as well as an original page, and I’ve never had to part with my pages before but that’s how much i want to make this comic.
SD: So you’d rather part with your original pages than…
DK: have dinner with a stranger, yea!
SD: Okay, I see where your priorities are (laughs)
DK: I would rather someone back for a page than not back at all because of a crazy reward.
Cover of Dragon Slayer collection by Devin Kraft
SD: So you’re gonna throw yourself into the “Dragon Slayer” series; how much longer do you see it going?
DK: It’s the finale, the final chapter is sort of the end of the story. I’ve got stuff uh… threads are still loose and places where I could take the characters, but it’s all one self contained story arc and I’ve got the next comic I’d like to do well in mind.
SD: So this is not going to be an endless saga?
DK: There’s definitely a story arc. I don’t think I gave the pitch yet. It’s a revenge triangle between a samurai, a king, and a dragon. Highly inspired by Akira Kurosawa films, Miyazaki films, Final Fantasy games, and a smattering of Japanese artists who work in manga industry; as far as art style and pacing. yeah, it’s a revenge story, kind of like “The Good The Bad and the Ugly” so it has to come to an end. Three different forces with three different goals all ready to kill each other for different reasons.
SD: That sounds pretty cool!
DK: Yea, it all comes to a head.
SD: Okay last question. Do you have any hints on what you’re working on next?
DK: Yeah I tell everyone this and I am hoping I don’t have to bite my tongue if time takes a little while for me to finish it. So my next comic is an all female cast called “Sirens” and it’s a series about girls who go hunt down the Sirens that have sung their men to shipwreck. That’s the core concept. That’s my jumping off point. I’ve been waiting to get this done so i can jump into that.
SD: Well it looks like you’re on your way. We hope you hit that stretch goal, we’d like to see you at the next con with tee shirts to sell too.
DK: Oh, that’d be amazing (laughs).
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So, just a couple house keeping notes on this interview. Hopefully this will go up in time for readers to head on over to his KickStarter page and make a donation here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cheshirecatart/dragon-slayer-the-collected-edition
At the time of writing this interview out, Devin has over $13,000 raised with a little under 24 hours to go! Now if you’re like me and want access to his art all year round, be sure to check out the links below.
Robocop because…Robocop by Devin Kraft
Shop here! https://www.etsy.com/shop/cheshirecatartor peep his main site here! http://www.cheshirecatart.com/
