Seven Stones, Seven Interviews: Kelly Williams

Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, Seven Stones is an anthology of short stories and graphic novel set in the Wrecked Earth, the setting of C.E.L. Welsh‘s debut novel Clutch. The Wrecked Earth is an Earth much like our own, except it’s been bombarded by meteors in an event called “Rockfall”. The meteors and the devastation they brought destroyed society, leaving humans in dire straits. The radiation from the fallen meteors have leaked into the earth, mutating animals and harming the land, making this Wrecked Earth even more of a dangerous place to live in.

The titular seven stones are seven meteors that made it to Earth and stories surrounding them. Seven writers and seven artists were tasked with bringing these seven stories of the Wrecked Earth to life in what will eventually be a combination short story anthology/graphic novel omnibus. With the project running on Kickstarter for the rest of the month, various writers and artists were kind enough to talk about Seven Stones, their contribution to the book, and how it feels to play in another creator’s (devastated) world.

Next is Kelly Williams artist on various projects, like the forthcoming Cabinet and Metaphase. He joins C.E.L. Welsh as artist on Welsh’s story Wrath of the Rat God and colored the cover for the first story of the Wrecked Earth, Welsh’s novel Clutch.

Leo Johnson: First of all, tell us a bit about yourself, if you would.

Kelly Williams: I’m a artist with leanings towards the nerdy. 

LJ: How did you get started in comics?

KW:I got started by making mini comics at my local comic shop. I had done some other punk zine stuff before but, I did my first mini comic by myself when I was 16. Heh, it was a comic called “STUFF” and the first story was about a guy who spent his time away from society and attacking hunters that came into “his woods” (that was the animal rights vegetarian side coming through). He was basically a self proclaimed protector of animals. Then he ended up manifesting some mystical powers are some such and I think eventually he found out his mother was a mystical dragon. Haha, It’s so funny typing that out now.

Then eventually my long time friend Michael T. West and I started doing a regular mini anthology called “Empty, Bare, Naked, Vacant” (we took the title from a sign language dictionary if I remember correctly).

Making comics has just always seemed like the right thing to do. I did stop for awhile but, it didn’t last long.

LJ: You’ve worked on quite a few comics, with current projects like The Cabinet and Metaphase. With these projects, what was it that drew you to them?

KW: I got into comics in general with old EC horror comics and am just kind of into horror stuff in general. I had wanted to do something with a Lovecraft leaning for a while. I had been playing with some design stuff for a couple years and there was a little back and forth with a good friend about a story but, we just never seemed to find time to link up on it. I was taking part in the Alphabeasts project (artists drawing a different mythical creature  every week for each letter of the alphabet) and had started talking to Christian Sager. He had seen a page I posted on my blog from this long gestating Lovecraftian idea and emailed me about something he had been toying with for awhile that was quite similar. After a few emails we realized we had much the same ideas and just really hit it off. I loved the full idea Christian had for the Cabinet and he’s been fun to work with. It’s a true collaboration where both of our input matters. It’s hard to not be drawn to that.

Metaphase is much the same. Chip Reece and I started talking on Twitter while Christian and I were running the Kickstarter campaign for THE CABINET. After a while Chip sent me the pitch for METAPHASE. I was a little intimidated by the idea at first but, Chip’s writing kept the concept interesting. The human element of the story (for me anyways) was far more interesting than the super powered element. Chip’s son, Ollie, was born with Down Syndrome and this story comes from a very personal place for Chip and his family. He’s doing an amazing job pulling all of the elements together and giving the story a sturdy heart. I’ve also grown to like Chip as well, so, again, it’s hard to not want to work with these guys.

LJ: The Cabinet was successfully funded on Kickstarter and Metaphase has plans to go to the crowdfunding site when the time comes. Now, you’re a part of another project, Seven Stones. How has it been making Kickstarter a part of the comic creating process?

KW: Honestly, I always get a little nervous about crowdfunding. Not so much a fear of it not succeeding but more of a concern that people will get tired of seeing another project I’m working on that is running a kickstarter, haha.

I love what sites like Kickstarter have done for DIY creators and self publishing. There is something kind of awesome about readers/fans/creators coming together to support each other and take an idea or a project from start to finish. All of the neat-o stuff people offer up as rewards, all of the people you meet and talk to, it’s all very positive.

It can be stressful though. Like, we lost some production time on THE CABINET earlier this year when I had some medical issues and was taken out of commission for awhile. You tend to become a little concerned because you don’t want the people who believed in you enough to put their money forward to help bring this book they want to see made to completion to think you are just slacking off. So you have to remember that once someone put’s money forward, they are now part of the team. It’s always best, I think, to try and keep them in the loop.

The there is the fact that it’s kinda fun in the end seeing all the people that were interested/gracious enough to want to be involved in the first place.

LJ: The Seven Stones is both a comic anthology project and a collection of short stories set in a shared world. There’s a great group of talent working on the book. What is your contribution to the project going to be?

KW: I’m pretty stoked about it! I’m drawing a story called “Wrath of the Rat God” which is being written by Chris Welsh. Who is also the creator of the Wrecked Earth world. I did the colors for his CLUTCH novel based in that world so it’s exciting to get to revisit the world (and character) in a more involved way!

LJ: Seven Stones is a post-apocalyptic sort of story that ties into an already established universe from a related novel. How does it feel to be adding to an already established universe, rather than helping to make one from scratch?

KW: I’ve worked on projects before in already developed worlds. Working on Seven Stones is cool since there isn’t a wide variety of pre-established visuals. Working with Chris is pretty great too because he knows what he wants and does a great job conveying that but, he is also open to what I have to bring to the table and is open to suggestions. Having Jeremy Mohler on board to help keep a consistent feel helps tremendously as well.

LJ: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

KW: You can check out the METAPHASE preview from Alterna Comics on Comixology for free (even a spanish language version!)