In our latest Squadcast interview we caught up with comics creator and writer David Pepose.
David is known for his creator-owned titles Spencer & Locke, Going to the Chapel, Scout’s Honor, and The O.Z.
His work has been nominated for multiple industry awards and his catalogue of work is continuing to grow into new publishing venues.
His latest work, The O.Z., is a book that he is publishing through Kickstarter. The first double-sized issue was funded last year and currently the campaign for the second installment is underway. Backers have until September 15th to get behind this excellent comic.
Since David and I spoke for this Squadcast, the first issue of The O.Z. has been nominated for best single issue for the 2021 Ringo Awards.
David has grown as a writer and creator over the years that Pop Culture Squad has been around and he continues to be one of our favorite interviewees.
Check out the interview and the Kickstarter campaign below.
THE O.Z. #1-2 – A Fantasy Classic Reimagined for Comics
What is the O.Z?
What if The Hurt Locker took place in The Wizard of Oz? Find out in The O.Z., an action-packed fantasy comic series from Ringo Award-nominated writer David Pepose (Spencer & Locke, Going to the Chapel, Scout’s Honor) and superstar artist Ruben Rojas (Proton) that transforms a childhood classic into a war story for the ages. Returning to Kickstarter with our double-sized, 44-page second chapter, this campaign is dedicated to bringing this adrenaline-fueled twist on L. Frank Baum’s iconic Oz novels to life. Fans of Mad Max: Fury Road, The Old Guard, and Fables will not want to miss out on The O.Z.
THE HUNT FOR THE SILVER SLIPPERS
Decades ago, when a young girl defeated the Wicked Witch of the West, she said farewell to the magical land of Oz… but unwittingly plunged the country into years of brutal civil war. But a generation later, the name of Dorothy Gale lives on in her granddaughter, an Iraq war veteran grappling with disillusionment and PTSD — until a tornado strands her in the war-torn battlefield known only as The O.Z. Forced to navigate warring factions led by the Tin Soldier, the Scarecrow, and the Courageous Lion, Dorothy must face her past and embark on a dangerous quest for the all-powerful Silver Slippers if she ever hopes to bring peace to the Occupied Zone.
The campaign is set to be funded and is doing terrific. Remember the project funds on Wednesday September 15, 2021; so, you only have about 11 days to get on this. As I said to David in the interview, this is the best example of storytelling that he has done in his career. The pacing is fantastic. The characters are engaging. The story itself is captivating.
When I first heard about this story from David, I thought it would be good, but it is so much better than anticipated and I am looking forward to more.
There are plenty of interesting backer rewards for every level of supporter and the stretch goals keep getting better.
What Else Is in the Squadcast?
David and I spoke about his creative process and the different experiences he has had as a self-publisher on Kickstarter. We also took some time talking about Scout’s Honor from AfterShock comics and how that book came together. As you can expect, we also got into some current comic creating topics. We hope you enjoy the interview and let us know what you think.
One more time, you can get to the Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/3CTK8qo
You can find David on Twitter at @peposed and at his website.
The Pop Culture SquadCast can always be found here at Pop Culture Squad and also on the following podcast delivery mechanisms:
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/735092/listings/spotify
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5wFbqy01CaklR2Z1Nqo6nh
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2d40b9a5-02b5-4ecc-92b5-605df68a4524/pop-culture-squad’s-interview-squadcast
Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS83MzUwOTIucnNz
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=517456&refid=stpr
TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts–Culture-Podcasts/Pop-Culture-Squads-Interview-SquadCast-p1315677/
Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/3062710