Creator Interview: Joshua Covey
Posted By Josh Flynn on June 28, 2013
Artwork from Joshua Covey’s BAAKO.
Joshua Covey has spent some time in the comic industry, contributing art to books from Dark Horse Comics and BOOM! Studios. Now Covey wants to put his skills to use to create a personal tale called BAAKO, and in order to do so he seeks help from comic book fans via Kickstarter. Covey took some time to talk to NerdSpan about his career and his new project.
NerdSpan: What can you tell us about BAAKO?
Josh Covey: BAAKO is something that I have been working on for quite some time now, and over the period of time that it has taken to create, it has evolved into something very dear to me. BAAKO is my passion project. The overall story of BAAKO will span across 3 books. Each one being a 100 + page book with a mixture of multiple genres. The story is inspired heavily on the fact that I have a daughter of my own. To tell a story with a strong female lead without the “physical” attributes that are so commonly attributed to such a role is of huge importance to me. The first book will be our origin of course, and will go a little something like this:
It all began when a great star fell from the heavens, unleashing an evil force known by those who inhabit this world as “the Hatred.” From that day onward, it has become a constant struggle for survival. The Hatred continues to grow and to consume everything in its path, leaving behind nothing but a barren wasteland, distorting anyone caught in its path into grotesque minions whose only purpose is to serve and further its onslaught, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction.
The story begins quite some time after the Hatred has spread, leaving very few civilizations remaining. It will follow a mysterious young girl, unscathed by the Hatred. She is discovered just on the outskirts of its reach and is taken in by a very small tribe preparing for their next battle.
Believing the girl is of great importance, the leaders of the tribe decide to send her away to meet with one who they think could clear away the fog that shrouds her past.
Wanting to stay and prove herself a true warrior, she agrees. Unfortunately, before she is able to make it to her destination, tragedy strikes, leaving her with no choice but to turn back the way she came. As she sets out to rejoin the tribe, other mysterious figures come into play. They have hidden interests of their own in regards to our young heroine.
As the first book comes to a conclusion, we will find out who (and what) these “mysterious figures” are and what their true intentions are. We’ll also learn our heroine’s true potential and her purpose in the fight against the Hatred.
Character sketches from Joshua Covey’s BAAKO.
NS: The protagonist is inspired by your daughter. What do you hope she—and perhaps other young girls and female fans—take away from the story?
JC: I think that mainstream media in general is lacking in honest female role models. Not saying there are none to be found, just that I think there could be more. As of right now, there really isn’t a whole lot that she’s interested in. She’s soon to turn six, and everything out there I feel is just a little “too old” or simply doesn’t portray women in a “realistic” manner. Titles that I try to encourage her to pick up are books like Jeff Smith’s Bone and the more kid friendly titles like Adventure Time. As mentioned above, the story of BAAKO is inspired heavily on the fact that I have children of my own. So to tell a story with a strong female lead without the “physical” attributes that are so commonly attributed to such a role is of great importance to me. I want to show that you CAN have a book that shows a woman’s strengths and weaknesses, show that you’re able to give her a realistic and relatable personality as well as show her beauty without lessening the wardrobe. By doing so, I hope others see that doing a book in this nature IS possible, and that they too start to create stories and characters that don’t cater to a certain demographic just because it’s what “sells”.
NS: Can you describe the challenges you face writing and drawing a graphic novel on your own? What sacrifices do you have to make not only to your art but to your daily personal life?
JC: To be perfectly honest, I find it to be very enjoyable to create on my own. Because I am able to this on my own, the creativity seems to flow much more naturally, allowing me to work more efficiently and still spend that much needed time with family and friends. I find it to be far less stressful and more fulfilling. To be able to do a book without limitations is something I have wanted to do from day one. With Kickstarter and everyone’s support, I have the chance to do so.
Artwork from Joshua Covey’s BAAKO.
NS: How did your interest in comics begin and where has the interest taken you as you moved towards creating your own comic?
JC: Back when I was a kid growing up in Campbellsville, KY, there were no real comic shops. So, every week I would head to the local grocery store with my mom and hang out in the “comics” section, which was usually 4-5 titles on a single wrack. I remember the only thing they ever seemed to carry were Marvel titles like X-Men and Spiderman. Once I was able to make it to an actual comic shop with some variety, seeing that there was more to comics than just superheroes, I found myself falling in love with the more creative books like, The Maxx and Bone. To this day, I am still inspired by those types of books, ones that are not afraid to do their own thing.
NS: What are you some of the books you’ve worked on and what roles did you serve in those projects? How did working as a freelancer help you tackle your own project?
JC: Working in the industry has helped me immensely. It really opened my eyes to many things. It helped teach me who I am, not just as an artist, but as a person. It showed me what my strengths and weaknesses were. Most importantly, it helped show me where I truly want to be with my career as an artist.
Some of the titles I have worked on consist of:
My first ever gig was penciling and inking the 11 page short in issue 2 of House of Night for Dark Horse Comics. Shortly after that, I got my first full 22 page gig, penciling and inking the Avengefuls one shot by BOOM! Studios. Once that wrapped, I went to work for BOOM! full time doing covers for Supurbia, Fanboys vs Zombies, Adventure Time, Steed and Mrs. Peel, Aliens vs Parker and became the interior artist on their 6 issue mini-series, Freelancers.
NS: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about the project?
JC: Most importantly, I believe I can deliver a breath of fresh air into the world of comics. The story and art doesn’t cater to a single demographic, but to everyone, young and old. BAAKO is something that is very dear to me, something personal and much more than just another action romp in some cliche fantasy world. Everything within BAAKO has meaning, the title, character’s names and the story itself. I have been working on BAAKO for many years now, and I have done so with the utmost respect for the reader. Fine tuning each and every detail, checking and double checking every possible option in order to make this a book to remember. I have no doubt that I can, and will, complete the project and deliver on every incentive, provided I reach my goal. All I ask is that you believe in me and help support something I know will be well worth your efforts.
To find out more about BAAKO an support the project please visit Covey’s Kickstarter page.
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