This past Saturday was awesome. I took part in a a kickstarter event aimed at funding a a comic book project called Shahrazad which is published by Big Dog Ink (which is also celebrating it’s 10-year anniversary) which is under Aspen Comics, which is based in Culver City, Ca.
The event was held at Jesse James’ Comics in Glendale, Arizona. This was the second comic book shop I’ve been in Arizona with the first being Gotham City Comics (One of my favorites) in Mesa. I had the awesome pleasure of meeting story creator Tom Hutchinson and colorist Nei Ruffino (also a colorist at DC Comics) who were both very awesome.
Tom told me and another person about the inspiration behind creating Shahrazad. I learned that Shahrazad was an inspired by the tale of Shahrazad in the Arabian folklore, the One Thousand and One Nights, or commonly known as the Arabian Nights. In Arabian Nights, Shahrazad was given to a Sultan as a wife. Now this Sultan was known for killing women he married but once he married Shahrazad, she told him elaborate stories to pique his interest so that he wouldn’t kill her and the other women he planned on marrying. And as she told him so many stories night after night, that he ultimately forgot his plan to kill her.
Tom also told me that another one of those inspirations was from the resurgence of Doctor Who. As I read the comic, I could see some elements of Doctor Who, due to Shahrazad living through several life times and different incarnations. And as a Doctor Who fan, I was impressed with the creators adding that element to the comic.
After reading Sharazad Volume#1, I read from several letters to the reader from co-writers Kim Hutichinson and Kari Castor I learned that this was a collaborative project. I have read several of their own insights into creating the comic. And after reading all of volume one in addition to those insights, I decided to offer my support to the kickstarter.
I met a lot of awesome people and also joined a Facebook comic book community group, snacked on a pizza slice and three M&Ms (trying to avoid having too much due to sugar), and I got my comics autographed by Nei and Tom.
Overall, it was a really fun event, and I encourage all of you to visit the aspen comics website to pick up a copy of Shahrazad, by clicking here. I also encourage you to give money to the kickstarter for Shahrazad: Sidequests-“The Geisha In King Author’s Court” here at this link.
-Brian From Earth-16
earth16comicswire.blog 