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GrayHaven Phase 2 Interview with Drew Goletz

GrayHaven Comics is a comic company specializing in up-and-coming creators looking to get published. The Gathering is GrayHaven’s ongoing self-published anthology.

I recently had a chance to speak with GrayHaven’s President, Andrew Goletz, regarding GrayHaven’s Phase 2 and how you can help via Kickstarter.

GFBRobot: Okay. I’ll be honest with you in saying my readers and I are probably unaware of who GrayHaven is and what Phase 2 is all about. Care to enlighten us on who and what GrayHaven is?

Drew Goletz: GrayHaven is a self-published anthology with each issue focusing on a specific theme.

About three years ago I had an itch to create a comic book. I had attempted to participate in several other anthologies that seemed to fall apart in various stages of development so I figured (with just a touch of egomania) that if I ran the entire project from start to finish it’d either get off the ground or I’d only have myself to blame.

I was a member of Brian Bendis’ Jinxworld forums and I posed the question: “who’d be interested in writing and drawing a comic” to members of the DC board on the forums. Response was overwhelming and we were lucky to have so much talent right there on the board.

Midway through the production of that first issue I knew we had enough material to start working on a second issue should the first one prove to be a success. Thankfully, it was.

One of the many comic pros who visit those boards, Gail Simone, took a huge interest in the project, doing a very very in depth review of the entire book and even graciously volunteered to do a story for the second issue.

That started a tradition where we were able to get other comic pros like Sterling Gates, Glenn Greenberg, and John Jackson Miller to participate in other issues.

The goal of the book, aside from telling the best stories we possibly can, is to provide new creators a place to get their work published (often for the very first time). I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve been able to feature close to 200 creators over the past three years and one of the cooler perks for them is the fact they’ve also been able to make those debuts alongside some more established pros.

GFBR: Wow! That’s quite the feat. And do you take unsolicited submissions? And I assume that was all Phase 1?

Drew: We don’t really take unsolicited submissions in the manner that you’re thinking but we’re always looking for new artists, and 4 times a year we have a big open submission period for writers to pitch to our upcoming books. Like right now on the submission part of the site there are the guidelines on how to pitch for some of the books set to come out next year.

And yeah most of that was phase 1, just the anthologies.

GFBR: So guide us through what to expect from Phase 2?

Drew: For nearly three years we put out the anthology and we’ll continue to put out The Gathering for as long as readers keep enjoying it. I love that we’ve been able to give so many new talents the opportunity to get their work in print for the first time and want to continue giving others the chance.

But we’ve shown to ourselves and others that we can put out quality comics on an ongoing basis, so now it’s time to tell bigger stories.

Phase Two is about GrayHaven Comics aggressively expanding their publishing line with New One Shots, Mini Series, and Ongoings, which will begin to roll out over the next few months through New York Comic Con and into 2013. In addition to print collections of several of our popular web-comics, there’s also the one-shot SPARKS, a hard boiled detective drama by Glenn Matchett and Cassandra James and MY GEEK FAMILY, a heartwarming slice of life tale by Doug Hahner and DOBER-MAN, a love letter to the Silver Age of comics by Travis Holyfield and Ed Whatley. We’re also releasing 5 major projects in the first quarter of 2013:

CHRONOGRAPHER- a time travel mystery by Erica Heflin, Fabio Pio, Edson Alves and Carlos Paul (mini)

TOMORROW- sci-fi superheroic epic mini-series by Jason Hissong, John Coker and Devin Taylor. (mini)

RUN LIKE HELL – the comic adaptation of the hit YA Thriller by Elena Andrews and George Amaru. (mini)

11:59 – a post-apocalyptic horror series by Andrew Goletz and Nick Francis (ongoing)

TITANIUM STAR a Sci Fi/Western series of mini series by Victor Gischler (X-Men, Deadpool, Shadow) and Sam Tung (ongoing)

GFBR: Oh wow! Victor Gishler? He’s one of my favorite writers right now, so I’ll be looking out for that one in the very least. So how does Kickstarter factor in?

Drew: The Kickstarters have helped to offset costs of printing and distribution as well as comic cons, comp copies for editors and comics shops, etc. It also helps get some interest going to the books themselves. A successful Kickstarter gives us a bit of an early indication of what books may be generating more interest.

This time out we’ve taken some of the best ideas we’ve used in the past as well as what some others have used and put them all together. We have the more economical pledge levels, which have rewards of comic books, original art, limited edition sketch covers, and the like.

As we move up in price you have things like naming a character in one of our books or having your likeness in the book. Then the higher tiered levels are professional art/script or comic critiques from pros like Justin Jordan (Strange Talents of Luther Strode, Team 7), Jim McCan (Hawkeye and Mockingbird, Return of the Dapper Men, Mind the Gap), John Jackson Miller (Star Wars), Joe Eisma (Morning Glories), Victor Gischler (X-Men, The Shadow) and many others.

It’s a great opportunity for up and coming creators to have in depth reviews of their work by professionals who’ve made it in the business.

GFBR: Wow! I’ve checked out your Kickstarter (even dropped some cash on it myself) and have to say there are some very cool rewards for supporting.

I’m a fan of Gishler’s work so I was sold as soon as his name came up. But after looking at some art and info from your Kickstarter page, I’m very curious.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

With just over a week left on GrayHaven’s Phase 2 Kickstarter, head over there and show your support. Like I said, there are great perks to be had and what looks like some awesome comics coming soon.