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Interview with Corey Lakel Pruitt

·Robert Anderegg

Hello everyone and welcome back to Comic Crusaders! I’m your host, Bamfing Bob, and today we have a special treat just in time for Halloween!

Now, most of you know I am a Twitter addict and I follow a TON of amazing people- comic creators, publishers, fans, celebrities, and so much more. One of the more vocal personalities is Corey Lakel Pruitt (aka @multiTASKmedium), who is a champion for diversity in the comics community and against pineapple on pizza. For years, he’s been getting fans riled up about whatever the hot topic is at the time, unafraid to speak his mind and let loose against objectors, but now it’s his turn to write comics instead of just talk about them.

That’s right! Pruitt has launched his own Kickstarter for a comic he says has been in the making a very long time. The Leaders of the Free World has been teased and previewed for months, and now is finally the time so go get it! Corey reached out to me for a chance to speak about the project and I was thrilled for the opportunity.

CC: What is your background in comics? When did you start reading and what do you gravitate toward?

Pruitt: I started reading comics when I was 3 years old. I grew up in a rough neighborhood so it was good to escape to a world where the heroes actually won. I would sometimes imagine Hulk and Wolverine jumping through the walls of my home to save me and wisk me away on an adventure LOL.

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CC: And how has that shaped you into an adult?

Pruitt: I can almost say it was a gift and a curse LOL. I have a great imagination and a good outlook on life. But I always have a thirst for justice. Like any type of wrongdoing upsets me to the point that I want to put on a cape myself HAHAHA. So I just try to put that energy into my stories.

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CC: Speaking of your stories, what inspired you to become a writer? How did you make the leap from comic book fan to comic creator?

Pruitt: Well I felt like it was time for me to give back to the culture that made me the man that I am today. Besides I’m pretty opinionated on what I want from comics but never thought about doing my own. Then one day I said…why not?

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CC: What do you think about the current state of comic fandom? Because I’ve noticed more and more fans have adopted this mindset as crowdfunding and self-publishing has become more common- that if you don’t see what you want to see on comic racks, then it’s up to us to create that content.

Pruitt: I think the current state of comic fandom is at it’s most creative than it’s ever been. With better technology comes easier access to other creators and stories that we probably could ever read because we didn’t have access to a comic shop or it was sold out. However comic fandom is at their most divisive, with people wanting to dictate what should or shouldn’t be in comics. Gotta take the good with the bad. But I’m all for representation and inclusiveness, which is the driving force behind my book.
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CC: Where did you find the inspiration for your new comic book “Leaders of the Free World”? Has it been a lifelong dream or a recent concept?
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Pruitt: I’ve always had an idea of doing a team of superheroes that were from around the world since the Grant Morrison JLA days in the 90s. One of the best comic books ever made, but I always had an issue with it. Why were all the best characters ONLY in America? The Only ones that weren’t American came from fictional places (Themyscira & Atlantis). I wanted a team that really was from around the world. I’m from California, which is a melting pot. And I remember reading comics with my friends and they were wishing to see themselves more in comics, which explained why we were huge X-Men fans. There was a little bit for everyone. It wasn’t just that they were diverse, but my friends felt like their culture was represented well.
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CC: All New, All Different indeed. So, let’s talk about your characters a little bit. Who are they, where are they from, and what makes them super?
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Pruitt: There’s
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Surreal The Monkey King – Chinese decent, from America
Eco – Jamaican
Tech-Neek- Samoan
Doctor Séance- Mexican
Medic- Filipino
Moonshine- Icelandic/Alien
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They have come together to show the world that we are better together than separate. In my world everyone is divided and don’t get along with people from other countries. My team is a beacon of hope for the world to follow.
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CC: So, do they simply fight injustices around the world or is there a main protagonist for the first arc?
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Pruitt: They not only fight injustice around the world but they’re also fighting a tyrannical government that is forcing people to stay in their own country. So they not only fight villains but other “heroes” as well who think the group is breaking the law. So the protagonist is pretty much the whole world LOL.
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CC: So they’re rebels…
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Pruitt: In a sense…yes. Absolutely.
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CC: And what about after this first story? What are your plans for the future of the team?
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Pruitt: My plan is to also introduce new characters who live across the world who now want to join the Leaders and represent the whole world.
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CC: Kinda like the current Champions book! I love it! So, let’s talk publishing. What led you to pursue funding your comic with Kickstarter, versus traditional indie publishers?
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Pruitt: I watched a lot of successful Kickstarters from creators that I was following who made their dreams true using the platform. I studied what they did and realized that with hard work I can do one as well. It was harder than I thought it would be but I made the right choice.
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CC: And I’m so glad you did. So, you’ve got the story. How did you find Eli Johnson and the rest of the creative team?
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Pruitt: When I realized the story I wanted to make I went on a quest to find an artist. Not just any artist, but one that understood how to take ideas and make them reality. A friend suggested we check reddit. I saw a guy in there looking for work and checked his page. Dude was incredible. He actually had panel work and had done books before. I particularly liked this pic of Rogue that he did. That“s how I knew he was the one for the job. When he linked up he already had worked with Ross (our colorist) and Toben (our letterer). So after finding Eli the rest just fell into place perfectly.
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CC: How has the process been, turning your script into a work of art? Any obstacles in that process?
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Pruitt: One of the hardest things I“ve had to do is make sure that Eli understood exactly what I wanted on the page. I can be a little TOO descriptive when it comes to things so I didn“t want to overdo it. It was tough getting on the same page, but to be honest it didn“t take that long. Eli is that good.
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CC: Awesome. Now final question, just for fun: If you had to choose your favorite character in Leaders of the Free World, who would it be and why?
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Pruitt: LOL you can tell that Surreal is my favorite. He’s basically me if I was in a comic. Cusses like a sailor, claps back at haters and listens to lots of hip-hop. Yea Surreal is that guy.
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CC: Ha, I’m personally a fan of Doohickey, but I haven’t read it yet, so who knows? Thanks for chatting with Comic Crusaders and good luck with Leaders of the Free World!
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Pruitt: THANKS FOR HAVING ME!!!
I’m not gonna lie to you folks… this comic looks really good. I already pledged to the campaign which I am happy to announce has been fully funded! However, the campaign is live until Thursday, November 8th so you still have plenty of time to go and pledge and be a part of this project! Check out the link below for all the info you could ever want on the creators, the characters, the rewards, and more! Full bios (with art) and a video by Corey Pruitt explaining the whole thing. SUPPORT INDIE COMICS! And read on for a preview of his first issue, featuring Surreal the Monkey King!
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*CLICK HERE* The Leaders of the Free World Kickstarter Campaign *CLICK HERE*

 

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