This was a big week for interviews! First we had the brilliant Anthony from Something Ghoulish. After that we talked with the talented Chad Meisenheimer. We are very quickly coming up on the next milestone of 25 interviews! It feels like I just started yesterday. That just goes to show how much fun I am having getting to know all of you.

For my last (but not least) interview of the week I got to speak with Nate Lindley. Nate is comic creator and the founder of Ashcan Comics Pub. Nate and company have a lot of great ideas in the works. I hope you enjoy our chat!

An Interview With Nate Lindley

Aaron Iara: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me this week. Please tell the readers a little bit about yourself.

Nate Lindley: Hi Aaron, thank you for having me. My name is Nate Lindley and I make comics. I write them, draw them, and publish them. Myrrom Galaxy: Oath is my ongoing series and I am the founder of Ashcan Comics Pub – a platform dedicated to small press promotions of indie comics.

Aaron Iara: It is nice to meet you! I had a great time reading your book. Could you please give the readers a quick synopsis of Myrrom Galaxy: Oath?

Nate Lindley: Myrrom Galaxy: Oath is a story about family and courage with a sci-fi and fantasy twist. Myrrom Galaxy is a three part series. Oath is part three, but the reader can jump right in with Oath. Dwaine Oakson (Oath) comes into contact with this mysterious stone called myrrom and immediately experiences more-than-natural events. He is chosen by the Spirit of Peace to become the Champion of Peace and to fight the manifestations of Chaos. He becomes Earth’s mightiest defender, Oath.

Aaron Iara: That is a great overview of the series. I can’t wait to dig deeper into the lore of Oath.

Your shading in Myrrom Galaxy: Oath is very very heavy on hatching. I love this style and it is how I do a lot of my shading as well. What made you decide on this style of art work?

Nate Lindley: I originally thought I would color Oath, but I decided to limit myself to black and white. I am a big fan of ink. The crisp and heavy contrast is beautiful. Penciling is my strength, so I had to find a style that worked for me when I started inking. The rhythmic lines that create the shadows in the artwork sort of happened on their own. The style seemed to be comfortable for me. It looked unique and felt true to my creative idea. From there, I was committed to polishing this technique and forming my style. In Oath 3, I am exploring this same style, but digitally. I just started using Procreate and I love it for inking and coloring. However, I still prefer pencil and paper for sketching.

Aaron Iara: I can totally relate. I love inking as well. In December of 2018 you started your own imprint called Ashcan Comics Publishing. How has the experience been so far?

Nate Lindley: Ashcan Comics Pub. has become so much more than I could have imagined. I started Ashcan to put a brand on my own comics. As I began marketing Myrrom Galaxy: Oath, I realized we (indie comic creators) are all in the same dilemma: time and energy. It was exhausting and awkward to constantly promote my work. I was so discouraged that no one was anywhere near as interested as I was about Oath. And, I saw so many other people experiencing the same problem.I figured, Kickstarter and Indiegogo were great options, but a tremendous amount of work for a single production. What if I could bring something to the community that offered more staying power? What if Ashcan could build a support network that could remove some of the awkward self-promotion, avoid the ‘Unsuccessful’ brand of a failed campaign, or the rinse-and-repeat of a second issue funding campaign?

Ashcan is building a platform to form community and launch indie comics into the hands of fans, creators, and supporters of the arts. Since December, Ashcan has published 3 books: Myrrom Galaxy: Oath 1, 2, and Hush Ronin 1 (by J. Paul Schiek). Even further, Ashcan is currently working on a flash fiction and art anthology titled Old School Monster – More than a dozen artists/writers are collaborating on this project (releases March 2019).

People are creative. Great stories and art are being made everyday. Ashcan is attempting to bridge a gap in the indie community. Ashcan wants to bring these indie creators directly to an interested market.

Aaron Iara: That sounds like a great plan. It is similar to what I am attempting to do with Effective Nerd. I want to help empower independent creators. That is not possible without other community-minded people like yourself. 

Making comics while running a publishing website takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Do you have any strategies/routines for maintaining productivity?

Nate Lindley: Make a list every day. I am a pretty easy going person, but I do establish a daily list of things I want to accomplish. First thing in the morning, I list everything I can think of. Drawing, contracts, manufacturing, conventions, web updates, Patreon management, shipping, etc. From there I chip away. By the end of the work day, I squeeze in a couple hours of drawing or writing (This is my play time). Then, I hit the brakes. I still answer messages from the Ashcan team (aka Flash Fiction Force) as much as possible, but I need to know when to stop. I have a family and I need to know when to hit the brakes so I can invest in them – they are more valuable than anything I can draw or write.

Aaron Iara: I am a big list maker myself. I sometimes have to stop myself from over-organizing. What are your biggest obstacles when it comes to making art in general? How do you overcome them?

Nate Lindley: My biggest obstacle is doubt. Teddy Roosevelt I believe is credited with saying something to the effect of, “comparison is the thief of joy.” I think this is so true. I am not the best artist out there. In fact, I’d probably rank low compared to the amazing talent out there. But, that’s not what it’s about. I love being creative. What I draw is what I can do and what I bring to the table. It is special. I remind myself to be ok with what I can do and to work with what I’ve got.

Aaron Iara: Doubt can be incredibly hard to get over. The internet has no shortage of successful people. This is why I think it is so important to set realistic and obtainable goals.

Who are some of your favorite indie creators?

Nate Lindley: I’d have to say the people I’ve worked with. Derek Lipscomb, Joey Tremblay, and J. Paul Schiek have been very inspiring. Without Derek I don’t think I would have ever made a comic book. Joey and I have spent hours talking about Ashcan Comics Pub. and his comic The Blue Book Universe (coming early 2020). J also spends a lot of time talking with me about Ashcan and he was the first artist that saw value in what I was trying to do with Ashcan. When I asked J to let Aschan make a limited run of his work (Hush Ronin), and promote his work, I thought for sure he wouldn’t even respond. When he said, “Yeah, I’m interested.” I think I almost fell over. These guys all have impacted me greatly.

Aaron Iara: Do you have any advice for those who want to start making their own comics?

Nate Lindley: The best thing you can do is draw and write. Have fun with it all the way through. Don’t do it for the money. Do it because you enjoy it. And, when you are ready contact me and let’s see what we can do to showcase your work through Ashcan Comics Pub.

Aaron Iara: Do you have any upcoming events/projects/releases you would like to talk about?

Nate Lindley: Definitely. Thank you for asking. Every month Ashcan Comics Pub. will release a comic. We have plans to be releasing two – one anthology (flash fiction paired with art) and one full length comic. Oath issue 2 is available now. Hush Ronin 1 releases February 2019. Old School Monsters and Oath 3 release March 2019. Much more after that. Our anthology theme will change monthly.

Aaron Iara: Looks like you have a lot on your plate! That is very exciting!

Thank you again for talking to me! Tell the readers where they can find you and your work.

Nate Lindley: Thank you so much for having me. And, on the behalf of Team ACP, thank you for promoting indie comics. Let’s Make Comics!
You can learn more about Ashcan or reach me at
Our Official Website
Patreon
Twitter

Thanks Nate Lindley!

A huge thank you to Nate Lindley for taking the time to speak with me this week. Make sure you keep an eye on Ashcan Comics Pub. for more comics and developments.

For more information, please visit Ashcan Comics Pub.

Nate Lindley can be found on Twitter.

If you would like to help support Ashcan Comics Pub., head over to their Patreon.

Are You a Creator?

Are you an independent creator? Effective Nerd wants to talk to you! Regardless of your craft, we want to hear about your story and creative process. Hit me up on social media or email me at [email protected].

The post Nate Lindley of Ashcan Comics Pub. – Creator Spotlight appeared first on Effective Nerd.