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It takes all kinds of people to create a thriving community for creators of indie comic books. But then there are some folks who can do it all — like David Taylor II. First and foremost, he’s the CEO of a new indie comic company, Nucleus Comics, where he’s building a new universe of stories. Oh, and by the way, Mr. Taylor is not only a writer, but he’s a musician, producer and says that he comes from a family of entrepreneurs. We contacted Taylor to see how he does what he does, and his plans for Nucleus Comics.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:Hi David! Thanks for agreeing to talk with us. Tell us a little bit about yourself…
DAVID TAYLOR II:I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I’ve been writing music since I was seven years old, poetry and comics since I was six. I heard the words and melodies inside of me and had to begin writing them down. I started reading comics at four, my father introduced me to them, and I fell in love instantly. The costumes, the powers, the transforming from civilian identities into super identities, I loved it all instantly.
Then I started creating my own heroes and story worlds, because there were certain things I wanted to see them do, so I knew I had to make my own. My first comic was named “Bat Boy.” I’ve been in choirs since I was around fourteen and have started several groups of my own.
At first all I wanted to be was a songwriter, that was enough to make me happy! But then I met and spent some time around some music producers, some of whom were very shady and charging way too much money for what they were offering, and I realized that I needed to learn how to produce music myself, and have never looked back.
I’ve done national commercial work, international performing, lots of musical theater, and lots of religious music.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:You appear to be very multi-talented (music, writing, producing, etc.) What inspired you to become a comic book writer as well?
DAVID TAYLOR II:I have loved comics since I first started reading them, and wrote my first comic around 6 years old. I knew I had stories inside of me that I wanted to tell.
INDIE COMICS ZONE: For you, how is the comic book creation process different than other types of media — like writing in other genre?
DAVID TAYLOR II: For comics, every component of the comic has to work. The initial premise, the illustrator that does pencils and inks, the colorist, the letterer, the editing, the pacing, the overarching story, the cover…every part has to work and mesh well to make a cohesive, interesting comic.
INDIE COMICS ZONE: Tell us about your new project…
DAVID TAYLOR II: New project is entitled The Z-Normals. Here’s the Kickstarter link: http://www.inked.pub/z-normals Cover art is by Amancay Nahuelpan, of DC fame, here’s his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amancay_art
INDIE COMICS ZONE: Tell us how this project is different from your recent titles…
DAVID TAYLOR II: The premise of this book is, ‘What if you could turn pain into powers?’ and ‘What if the people that did that for you was the Mafia?’
INDIE COMICS ZONE:What are some of your long-term comic book plans?
DAVID TAYLOR II: I have already started my own company, Nucleus Comics, and I want to make and release comics full time. I’ve got tons of stories to tell.
INDIE COMICS ZONE: What kinds of things do you look for in a collaborator (or team of collaborators)? Is there an art style you favor?
DAVID TAYLOR II: My style is… I’m more of a director. I can see the panels and the flow in my mind. I have to find artists that can realize my vision the way I’m seeing it. But sometimes they want autonomy, so they just want the script and then they can bring it to life.
So, for each book, I have to find the right artist, depending on how much of it I already have mapped out in my head. I tend to lean towards liking the styles of Adam Kubert, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, and Todd McFarlane.
INDIE COMICS ZONE: It looks like you do appearances frequently… do you feel that local comic shops or cons are a better fit?
DAVID TAYLOR II: It just depends. Comic shops are normally for hardcore fans of the genre, so you will meet more people that still have that pure love for comics. With cons, each con has a personality and a focus, so you have to find a con that’s more focused on whatever your goals are.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:There is such an explosion of interest in independent comics right now… Can you give some advice to creators who want to get involved?
DAVID TAYLOR II: The most important thing I could convey is to not give up. The most common trait that all successful people have is perseverance. The second thing I would say is that, it takes time and experience to learn how to build a good comic, so don’t expect to not make mistakes. It’s a learning process that is continual.
Follow David Taylor II on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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