Welcome back to another #GiftIndie Spotlight! Once again I apologize, I was under the effects of a cold and sinus infection last week, so things got a bit set back.

But I am feeling way better, I am ready and roaring to post more blogs and spotlights, and I am very excited to post this blog right here.

JL Aviles is a rising star in Puerto Rican comics. Initially he started posting artwork of his favorite characters and Puerto Rican comic characters, until he released his comic.

This year saw the first issue of his comic Omega, which he wrote/created and gave the art duties to artist Sebastian Guerrero. I got the issue myself, and for a first issue by a first time creator, this was in my opinion a great comic. It's almost scary good. The script almost feels like it was written by a seasoned comics veteran rather than a first self published comic.

It has bold, unique artwork that really adds depth and dimension to to the script, and definitely leaves you wanting more.

Issue number two is arriving soon, with artwork by artist David Madrid Du-Art, with colors by Daniela Dominguez Conquista. I have the honor and pleasure of sharing some insights from JL Aviles who was kind enough to share some of his time with us.  

What are you currently working on, or have you launched a crowdfunding campaign recently?

Currently I'm working on expanding the universe of my main character, Omega, including a prequel mini-series that'll start publication next year. There's three comics are on development right now, amongst them is Omega number two, which will be the first to be published in 2022, Omega number zero: La Saga de los Carries is a prequel mini-series that's based before issue one of Omega, and a surprise title that's still on the planning phase.

What made you want to create comics?

When Hurricane Maria happened, we didn't have any media nor way to clear our minds from what was happening. Then I took a notebook and a pen and started writing stories of my favorite super heroes from Marvel and DC. During those days I found a notebook from seventh grade and saw that I had a super hero I had created myself, so I gave it a new origin story and ever since I've been creating my own universe of super heroes. When things went back to normal I went to Aguada Con and met local comic book creators, at that point I didn't know that comics were being made here on the island. That moved me to want to take my own original characters and make physical publications of them. 

​What advantage would you say making an indie comic have over working on a mainstream comic?

The advantage to me, besides the freedom of telling my stories that I want to tell without any restrictions, create different stories, from a totally unique point of view. Working on a conventional comic you have to be tied to the pressure of respecting the way the character is and that limits the story you want to tell, that's the difference and the advantage to me between indies and the big companies.

What would you say to anyone that’s on the fence about creating an indie IP?

I'd tell them to give the best of themselves, write stories that'd you want to read as comic book readers. It's a fun world to be able to write and find yourself in these original stories of every person, so you're not just creating a comic or a story; you're leaving behind a legacy.

What’s your biggest influence?

My biggest artistic influences are Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, and Ryan Ottley. When it comes to comic book writers it's been Robert Kirkman, Geoff Johns, and Jose Cruz.

​What lessons have you learned from creating independently that you wish you had known before you started?

The lesson I learned when creating independent comics that I would've liked to have learned was protecting the characters and stories before showing them to another artist or before publishing.

 What do you suggest to indie creators do to make their work stand out on the stands or on virtual stores?

The most important thing in the world of comics is the cover, it's the first thing you see of a comic and if it grabs your attention it's likely that you'll buy the comic without thinking twice. A good title design and cover art will make people interested in the contents of the comic.

Give us your elevator pitch about your project and why it’d make a great gift!

This is the story that came about from the mind a 17-year-old, with the dream of publishing his own comic at some moment. It wasn't an easy path, but with effort, patience, and a good team it was possible. I've become the youngest self-published local comic book creator at only 18. Take a risk and leave a legacy behind that'll last beyond after we leave this world. This is the ideal Christmas present to show people that dreams can come true. Omega is a comic full of action, entertainment,  a good light story that's suitable for all ages. After not being able to remember anything from his past Omega must confront a strange creature from another universe, can he save the day?

Once again, thank you so much JL Aviles for being kind enough to taking the time in sharing some of his insights, the comic is currently available in Spanish, so if you know Spanish, knows a comic fan that can read it, or if you or someone you know wants to learn or practice their Spanish, definitely give this book a try, you can check out current news and art and other goodies the JL Art Facebook Page here www.facebook.com/JLArtpr and you can contact JL Aviles there. I'll continue to post more blogs and spotlights in the meantime, thank you all so much for checking these out, I'll catch you all next time!
​-Alvaro

Good day, everyone, hope all is well! I've been under the weather so some of the blogs got a bit backed up, and though I'm not 100% yet, the show must go on, especially with the next spotlight!

There are very few artists that has had the type of career Jim Balent has had. He is founder of Broadsword Comics, where he alongside fantastic artist Holly Golightly, who produces other titles as well, produces the long running indie comic Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose for 21 years now, with no signs of slowing down.

He had a spectacular run at DC comics, where he designed the 90s look for Catwoman. His art was in many of the great Batman crossovers of the 90s, Knightfall, Contagion, No Man's Land, to name a few.

I have always been a fan of Balent's art, to me it's just poetry in motion watching the characters flowing on the page or gracing a cover or pinup. I may have tried to copy his Catwoman style one or two times when I started to get interest in drawing. Or three or four times. Maybe more.

So, it is definitely my honor and pleasure to pick the brain for a bit of a creator that defined the look of an iconic character for a generation and then blazed his own trail with his comic Tarot, here is Jim Balent.

What are you currently working on, or have you launched a crowdfunding campaign recently?

Currently I am working on Tarot: Witch of the Black rose # 132 which will hit stores and on my Website
            www.jimbalent.com at the end of February! I will launch a NEW KICKSTARTER in the beginning of January!
It's a Trade paperback called "Raven Hex: Return of the Dark Witch!"

What made you want to create comics?

Since I was five years old I was drawing!!!  I had a collection of comics when I was a kid... Loved Spider-man and Batman ! And I still do!

​What advantage would you say making an indie comic have over working on a mainstream comic?

I never looked at Advantages or Disadvantages when I worked on Mainstream or Independent comics.
          Sure there are differences... but... if you like a Project, none of those differences matter.​

What would you say to anyone that’s on the fence about creating an indie IP?

Feed your Dreams and one Day your Dreams will Feed you!

What’s your biggest influence?
   
Frank Thorne, Frank Frazetta , Frank Miller and many for Comic and Fantasy Artists.

​
​​What lessons have you learned from creating independently that you wish you had known before you started?

Lessons I've learned? Well...I have always been a Self Employed Artist... A Freelance Artist. So I am always learning everyday.
        I have been Creating Independently since I was five like I said. Technology keeps changing... and you adapt to that.

What do you suggest to indie creators do to make their work stand out on the stands or on virtual stores?

I tell Creators to Create what they Like. Draw or Write what they like. An Audience will find you. Readers can tell if you are not being honest in what you create or if you don't Love what you create.
        That's how you stand out.

Give us your elevator pitch about your project and why it’d make a great gift!

HAHAHA! I hate Pitches. They always sound so phoney!
        I can tell you about My Book and Broadsword Comics.( The Company that Me and my Wife Holly Golightly run.)
        Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose is a ongoing Bimonthly comic series, (That is still going strong for 22 years coming this March of 2022!)
    Its a story about a Voluptuous  Female Red Haired  Witch who is chosen by the Goddess to be her Swordmaiden and to keep the balance between Man and Magick!
    Tarot has lots of monsters and nudity in the books. It's a Mature Readers title... and it's filled with Adventure... sometimes it's serious and sometimes its funny!
    so pick it up at your local Comic store or go to my website www.jimbalent.com Thanks to all the Readers out there for their two decades of support and counting!

Once again, thank you so much for sharing a bit of your time, Jim Balent, and I will be quoting "Feed your dreams and one day your dreams will feed you" many times! What a great quote! Thank you all so much for reading, you can check out www.jimbalent.com to stay up to speed on any Broadsword news from Jim Balent or Holly Golightly, order their comics and merch, stay p to speed on social media, or sign up to their newsletter.
Thank you all for reading, next spotlight is a young up and coming Puerto Rican comic book creator, JL Aviles. Catch you all next time!
​-Alvaro 

Welcome back to another installment of #GiftIndie! For today's blog, I have the honor of chatting with fine artist Diane Negron.

We met through an art FaceBook group and became cool friends. She is so talented and creative, I have bought art from her before and the delivery is quick, efficient, and the art arrived in great condition.

She's very versatile in her illustrations and paintings,  ranging from anime inspired art to spooky landscapes to cute animals to extra terrestrials, you can find a wide variety of art with her versatility.

Diane has also been kind enough to share some of her insights on being an indie artist, specifically in traditional/fine arts.

What are you currently working on?

​I'm currently working on a galaxy! After that, I'll be making a fantasy themed piece and a cosmic horse.

What inspired you to be an artist?

I've always been artistically inclined. After getting my bachelor's degree in English teaching, I decided to try something else. Mid 2014, I came up with my own online art business.

How long does it take you to finish a piece?

Some artwork takes me a few hours. Some could take months! It really depends.

What would you say to anyone that’s on the fence about doing something creative?

​Do it! Find what moves you and go for it, even if it requires the tiniest of baby steps.

What’s your biggest influence?

​I'll be honest. I have no idea, haha. I wish I had one.​​

What lessons have you learned from creating independently that you wish you had known before you started?

​Don't take things to heart. Some people won't like your work no matter what, and that's okay. Focus on your accomplishments and less on what you think you lack.

What do you suggest to indie creators do to make their work stand out on the stands or on virtual stores?

​Make as many connections as possible, both online and in person. Word of mouth will take you far.​

Give us your elevator pitch about your project and why it’d make a great gift!

My work is one of a kind and made with a lot of heart. I like to think outside the box. Want a miniature? Ya got it. Want a painting half my size? I'm on it! Worried about international shipping costs? I have a solution for that! (I'm blessed to ship worldwide every year).
  
But I digress. Thank you again, Alvaro. This was fun!​
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Thank you so much for spending some time with us, Diane. You can check out more of her art at www.facebook.com/dianeooakart you can also contact her there for inquiries about her artwork.

As always thank you all so much for giving this a read, I hope you all have been having a great weekend. On our next #GiftIndie blog, I have the enormous pleasure of picking the mind a little bit of a comic book great, the amazing Jim Balent!

Cath you all next time, stay safe!
-Alvaro 

What are you currently working on, or have you launched a crowdfunding campaign recently?

I am currently working on my main character Alpha, the series as such and mini series of the character, including the one from his origin, by the way, not long ago a campaign was launched through Kickstarter with Subject Alpha # 1, which is the English language version of the Alpha # 1 comic.

 What made you want to create comics?

Like most of us who are  
in this medium of comics, whether we are writers, artists, inkers or colorists, we are collectors of comics from an early age, I also liked to draw precisely superheroes and robots, after many years, they gave me the opportunity to draw my first comic locally and from there I wanted to create my own characters and stories.​

What advantage would you say making an indie comic have over working on a mainstream comic?

​The advantage for me, in addition to having more freedom in creating and not having so many restrictions, is to do something different than usual but offering stories that the comics of yesteryear offered and unfortunately no longer do and they only want to sexualize characters and direct agendas, that is the difference and advantage for me between the indies and the big two as they call them.

What would you say to anyone that’s on the fence about creating an indie IP?

​I would tell them to do their best, not to be conformist with their creation, not to be self-conscious or afraid of what is indie, not to fear believing that they will never achieve anything or that because they are not of fame or name like the greats, they will not have Success, as long as it is about being creative but original.

What’s your biggest influence?

My biggest influence, when it comes to comic book writers or artists are artists and creators, Jack Kirby and Bob Kane, John Byrne, Dan Jurgens and Jim Lee.​​

What lessons have you learned from creating independently that you wish you had known before you started?

Lessons that I learned when creating indie comics that I would have liked to know before, because I had done it much earlier, for me, wait a long time and life is short and when you have even an idea like that, it is slight or not concrete, however you want to expose it, use it, translate it . 

What do you suggest to indie creators do to make their work stand out on the stands or on virtual stores?

​
​That they work seriously on the cover, the cover is the first thing you see on a store booth or it is what we usually see first in a digital version. A well-assembled cover, which is legible if it has text, use the correct fonts, the main thing, the art, that draws attention and the theme, at least something that has always bothered me, mainly about the big two and that is not It is from now but even from golden times, it is when they expose you something on the cover and that art does not represent anything in relation to the interior content, do not do that.A good title logo, that calls, that in some way in its design , connect or reflect in any way with the character (s) or story.

Give us your elevator pitch about your project and why it’d make a great gift!

​My stories are recommended for all ages, entertaining, with non-sexual content, not that those who have it in their publications are wrong but it is not my selection, I just try to make stories like the comics I grew up with and collect and love all of my youth and that I still love, that is based on that, history, characters not forced or sexualized or using hidden agendas. My stories are therefore highly recommended and more to be a gift not only in this Christmas season but in any other. Support independent creators and artists, there is nothing to envy the famous greats.

Thank you so much to Jose Cruz for taking the time in answering these questions and spending some time here on this blog.

If you like the more classic super hero comics, you can definitely check out Silver Island Studio over at www.facebook.com/Silverislandcomics 
​and contact them for more info on ordering any comics or merch that is available.

Thank you all so much for reading, catch you all on Sunday with the next spotlight, artist Diane Negron. Stay safe and have a great weekend!
​-Alvaro

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 Jimmy Palmiotti is a creator I've admired for a long time. HE can work for the big two but he can also take chances and work on creator owned projects.

Working alongside Joe Quesada they made Event Comics. Ash, 22 Brides, Painkiller Jane, all great comics and that were different from what the stands were offering at the time. 

That would also lead into Marvel Knights, where Marvel Comics had their talents work on Daredevil along with Kevin Smith. Guardian Devil is my all time favorite Daredevil story. Everything from the artwork, to the story, it's everything that made me fall in love with super hero comics.
But with the increased workload of broadening the Marvel Knights line, unfortunately in the year 2000 Event comics was no more.

Joe Quesada went on to have a bigger role at Marvel and Jimmy Palmiotti went on to work on both Marvel and DC titles such as Deadpool, Jonah Hex, Harley Quinn, Power Girl, and so many other great titles, as well as do various screenwriting work as well.
He is one of the founding members of Paperfilms with long time collaborators  Amanda Conner and Justin Grey, as well as with Craig Weeden, Patrick Wedge, and partners Frank Tieri, Paul Mounts, Dave Johnson, John J. Hill, Pier Brito, Challenging Studios, and Juan Santacruz.

​Jimmy Palmiotti is one of my all time favorite creators and certainly an inspiring creator, and I had the enormous pleasure and fortune of getting some insights on indie comics as well as checking out the roster of available content that would make any comic fan (or any person that wants to start getting into comics) great gifts. And now, Jimmy Palmiotti:

1- What are you currently working on, or have you launched a crowdfunding campaign recently?
​​I kickstarted a PAINKILLER JANE graphic novel that was successful. I am currently working on a campaign for a soda company and a graphic novel for a soon to be announced project. Nothing I can talk about yet, but it will be a mostly digital project that will span a year for starters. ​

2- What made you want to create comics?
I have read comics since I was a child and have loved them ever since. I am an art collector so its the best of both worlds with this particular medium. 

3- What advantage would you say making an indie comic have over working on a mainstream comic?
The main advantage is you own your own property and can control it, the second is not to have editorial telling you what you can and cannot do. It is theses two freedoms that keep me in the indy game. 

4- What would you say to anyone that’s on the fence about creating an indie IP?
I would ask what they are on the fence about. If they cannot come up with their own characters or story, well…maybe this isn’t the job for you. If its about money, make sure you pay your bills first with a job before you commit and hope you sell some books. Be realistic, most indy comics do not make much money. Have another income when starting out. 

5- What’s your biggest influence?
In the beginning, my parents and their encouragement. Now it's about getting these damn stories out of my head and making them come to life. Its my drive more than my influence really. I am always influenced by great storytellers in every medium, not just comics. 

6- What lessons have you learned from creating independently that you wish you had known before you started?
I learned you have to do everything yourself as much as possible and that hiring others can be a slippery slope and cost you most of your profits. I have learned to stick to the people that come through for me and to walk away from problem people. I have also learned to surround myself with positive people that believe in me. 

​7- What do you suggest to indie creators do to make their work stand out on the stands or on virtual stores?
Not an easy thing to do, but if you want to stand out, you have to blow people away with the visuals- and then be persistent. Push your book on social media daily, go out and get as many interviews you can and work the con circuit. After that, be polite, engaging and believe in your work. People will catch on…but it will take a ton of time and energy. There is no easy way otherwise- unless you are wealthy and can buy attending with a PR firm. 

8- Give us your elevator pitch about your project and why it’d make a great gift!
I have too many to pitch, so I will say visit PAPERFILMS.COM, take a look at the variety of projects I have worked on and support and try the ones that interest you. 

Definitely go and check out www.paperfilms.com/ for the catalogue of wonderful projects they have there. I personally have ordered through their site before when they put up Gatecrasher, they are fast, efficient, professional, you can not go wrong ordering off their site.

Thank you once again to Jimmy Palmiotti for taking the time in sharing with all of us, and thank you as well for what you and your team do for the comic book community.

Our next creator that we pick the brain of is the multi-talented Jose Cruz from Silver Island Studios, I hope you all have been enjoying these blogs and hopefully finding great stuff to give to other people and also learn something of value along the way if you are walking the indie comics path. Catch you all next time!
​-Alvaro

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