Comic book writer and artist Gary Scott Beatty asks, “Is madness a way to survive the zombie apocalypse?”
Beatty is a writer, illustrator, and publisher and has been offering comic books through Diamond with his Aazurn Publishing company since 2008. His comic titled “Number One” with “Adventures of Aaron” artist Aaron Warner was named one of the best indie comics of 2014.
“Wounds: one man’s descent into madness accompanied by Death in a Tuxedo during the zombie apocalypse”, is Beatty’s 56-page graphic novel now available on Amazon and Comixology.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1635299861/
https://www.comixology.com/Wounds/digital-comic/510672
“Wounds” is one of Gary’s stories in ‘Strange Horror’, a Kickstarter book from January 2017, that was picked up by indie legend publisher Caliber Comics.
In the strange and awesome world of comics, you can find nearly anything to pique everyone’s interest. It hardly matters if you are a comic enthusiast or not….there is truly something for everyone. Rarely do we find SOMEONE for everyone, however. In the case of Gary Scott Beatty, I think we may have found the exception to the rule. He makes writing, publishing and everything in between exciting, and read worthy by any standard. Welcome to the world of …..well….see for yourself.
BU: Hi, Gary. We appreciate your being with us to do this interview. Your work is highly regarded by many readers and the artwork definitely adds the knockout punch to the work you create. It is bold and stands out as unique and character-defining. You are a force to be reckoned with in your marketing as well!
BU: To give us a better idea of who you are and what you do, I would like to ask a few questions to clarify the phenom we call Gary Scott Beatty.
What’s the best thing about what you do? The thing that most makes you want to get up in the morning? What makes you feel alive?
GSB: Are you kidding? I get to make comics and meet people who enjoy reading them. I’ve worked in factories and for corporations, and the steady paychecks there were great. But freelance work is the way to go for me. I wouldn’t recommend freelance writing, drawing, coloring, and lettering comic books to anyone, though; it’s tough. But making stories readers enjoy is worth getting out of bed….whatever time that may be. 😀
BU: Well, you told us that you started a Kickstarter fund. Not everyone is able to get their Kickstarter fully funded. That’s impressive. When did you write Wounds?
GSB: “I wrote ‘Wounds’ in an ‘eternal waking’ style that leaves the characters and the readers trying to figure out what’s going on”.
“I really like reading a story that forces me to pay attention. It has to be entertaining and it has to move along, it can’t bog me down with unnecessary details, but I just love figuring things out. I can’t be the only one who enjoys this style, so I figure writing the way I like to read is the way to go!
BU: (Well, as my journalism professor used to say, “WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW, and WRITE HONESTLY”). That is apparently what Gary has done.
BU: So, what you’re saying is that you write the way and in the style you like to read?
GSB: Yes, that’s how I wrote ‘Wounds,’ fast, manic, complex, crazy, but it all came together in the end. It’s me and that’s how I do it.
BU: Hmmmmm. It sounds like how I live. :D, fast, manic, complex, crazy! Makes the world more exciting! You know, I applaud that because you have taken that chance that there are others like you. Not as many would be so brave~
BU: But, you’re also a publisher, right? That is a crazy lifestyle in itself.
GSB: Yes and as a publisher, I have become known for the Aazurn Publishing anthologies, which are 10 large issues of “Indie Comics Magazines”, two issues of “Indie Comics Horror,” and three issues of “Indie Comics,” which is now in full color on Comixology, by the way!
BU: That’s also impressive. Is there a website for that?
Readers can keep track of Gary and download a free preview of “Wounds” at http://aazurn.com/
BU: Publishing is hard work! How do you manage? I have spoken to others who publish and what I have gleaned from their stories is that publishing is an art and you MUST love it. So, what was your drive?
GSB: It’s all I do! Believe me, keeping track of the social networking and all the outlets for creativity now is overwhelming. There’s so much noise it’s difficult to restrain from becoming a publishing clone, but hey, we already have Ninja Turtles, they’re great, but we don’t need 10 more comics doing that same thing. With all that noise, I appreciate those who take the time to read what I’m writing. I try to offer a lot of value, like the Kickstarter freebies, to those people who get what I’m trying to do with a story. I think what I have to offer is different as I said.
GSB: I became tired of the never-ending mega-series that have become so popular with the big publishers, so like my heroes Stan Lee and Walt Disney, I decided to make the kind of entertainment I enjoy: short-form stories. So I am part of the new breed of publishers.
Several contributors to the “Indie Comics” anthologies have gone on to greater things, including Terry Cronin, whose story in “Indie Comics Magazine” #4 is now in production as the Christmas adventure film, “O Holy Knight.” I think I am sticking to what I know and what I do best, and that is to offer a different type of comic experience which anyone can enjoy.
BU: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
GSB: I’m writing and illustrating new stories for a Kickstarter in January 2018. I’ll be taking Strange Horror into new territory as well, so stay tuned. AND, always protect what you collect! Bags Unlimited has such a wide variety of sizes and optional choices, there is no better place to go!!
“Worlds” the first Gary Scott Beatty retrospective, is now on Amazon and Kindle, along with “Jazz: Midnight” with art inspired by ’50s album cover design. Both are offered by Caliber Comics.
