Indie Comics with Markosia in 2016

London Super Comic Convention was a major hub for indie creators in the United Kingdom, and Markosia was right there in the middle of it. While I was only able to talk with them briefly while I was there (their booth was busy with the non-stop signings and promotion!), I was able to correspond with Jordan following the convention to find out what some of their current and future plans included as the largest indie comic publisher in town.

Q: London Super Comic Convention marked your debut of Future Primitive. How was the reception for it?

A: The response to ”˜Future Primitive“ going into LSCC “16 was just amazing.Â The reviews were just fantastic so we knew it would do well, at the show customers loved

it.Â They were coming up to look through it, then coming back to buy and get Kevin (Gunstone) to sign.Â Other creators were coming up and voicing their appreciation for the book, we do tend to get professionals popping by the stand to see what we are releasing or working on, but the heat generated by ”˜Future Primitive“ had them coming by just to get a look at it.

Q: Dark Mists also got a long-awaited sequel recently. Was Ms. Eade busy with other projects or simply waiting for the right story?

A: Annika (Eade) is incredibly busy so we wanted to release the book when she was able to be there to support it and it was also finding the right artist to compliment not only her work but the original book.Â It was all about the timing, really.Â Babisu (Kourtis) really gave the fans what they were hoping for, he has not disappointed with what was a high standard that had been set by Lee Garbett in the first book.

Q: Are there any major projects coming up, following LSCC, that you’d like to mention?

A: We have some great new titles coming over the next year or so, including an exciting new partnership with ”˜Tales of Midnight“.Â It was nice to confirm that ”˜N-Guard“ is heading to the small screen to join ”˜Alpha Gods“ which is already in development.Â There is also a second volume of the ”˜British Showcase Anthology“ alongside new works by artists Mick Trimble (Bloodfellas) and Paul Fry. We generally look to launch at least 12 new books each year, so there will be lots for everyone!

Q: What are some of your goals as a publisher and what do you look for in creators and comics?

A: Markosia wants to put out the best books possible, we pride ourselves on our output being different from other publishers.Â If we like a book we will back it even if that means investing in a project that other publishers would be unwilling to take a gamble on.Â We trust the creators to deliver the best stories they can and in return we hope they trust us if we suggest changes need to be made.

We look for writers who have a good story to tell and artists that are talented with a good work ethic, we are always asked for our opinions at shows and it is in everybody“s interest for us to be truthful.Â If a writer has a great idea but not the experience to deliver we can partner them up with an editor who will help and mentor them as well steering the project in the right direction. Â We get lots of artists pitching their work to us and we actively encourage new and unknownÂ artists to partner with us, our success at introducing dynamic new talent into the industry has been phenomenal toÂ date. We look for artists, young or old, who strive to become published and who have the drive and enthusiasm to work towards that goal, and are happy to learn from advice and guidance that we can give them to improve their art. We are proud of our success in this area and will always look to continue to introduce new talent.

Q: Business seemed to be good as the largest indie publisher in the UK. Do you think that indie titles are becoming more popular?

A: Customers are looking for more from their books.Â We listen to our readers which is why our books are complete stories as opposed to individual issues that have to be collected to tell the complete story.Â It could also be argued that as readers mature they move away from capes and tights.Â Then there is the economics, a complete graphic that retails for Â£9.99 has more pages and no real adverts.Â It makes more sense to invest in books that tell the complete story; readers get more for their money and they don“t have to wait 4 weeks for the next installment, they can enjoy a story in its entirety.

Q: Do you have any goals for next year’s convention?

A: For next year“s LSCC we hope to unveil a whole range of new titles, exciting characters along with our established line-up of signing sessions.Â The LSCC is the biggest and best show of the year for us so we like to bring as much to the show as we can.

Anyone interested in learning more about Markosia or any of their titles can visit www.markosia.com.