After reading and reviewing two issues of Cody Coyote for QEW Publishing, I decided to ask the founder Quenton Shaw for an interview to find out more about the challenges of establishing and running a new company. It focuses on producing quality comic books and graphic novels as an independent studio with many creators working on various projects to be submitted to publishers such as Angel Gate Press and Arcana Comics.
How was QEW Publishing formed?
SHAW: It's origins we're primarily forged out of a sense of creative independence. I'd been collaborating very closely as an assistant editor with a small press publisher, Committed Comics. I had some works that had been licensed to them. But after a duration of no publication, I chose to dissolve the agreements I had with them and form my own operation. It was mostly to help myself find a niche into the industry as a writer.
However, as all ideas do--it evolved into a much larger and more ambitious operation. QEW Publishing became a virtual creative studio of orginal independent comics and graphic novels. I'd established it back in 2003; by 2004 I'd acquired a major associative alliance with my primary publisher, Angel Gate.
CAMILLA d'ERRICO'S: BURN is QEW Publishing's first and only production that has been published and released into the mainstream market. I hope to have others soon released in the future.
How did you come up with the name of QEW Publishing?
SHAW: I wanted a brand name that would distinguish my enterprise from others. QEW stands for Quality Entertainment Works - sort of a take on BMW's Bavarian Motor Work but it's pronounced phonetically "Q" like the actual letter.
What are the aims of QEW Publishing?
SHAW: QEW started out as small, but as I've said, it has evolved. My goals for QEW are huge. First and foremost, I intend to build it into a strong and reliable bastion of independently produced intellectual properties in the form of comics, graphic novels, screenplays, and maybe even novels.
I especially would like to have many of the IPs (intellectual properties) here at QEW transitioned into other licensed media such as film, TV, or maybe even video games.
It will be a tedious and challenging endeavor. That I am very much aware of. The series of goals I've estalished for QEW to attain these multiple achievements are in my opinion very possible. First priority, though, is to focus heavily on developing all of QEW's comics and ensuring the completion of their production.
Everything else at this point is pretty much peripheral... but it helps spur me forward along the line of progress to continue to keep that dream alive.
What obstacles did you have to overcome as a new publisher?
SHAW: Lack of capital, of course. Although the word "publishing" is in QEW Publishing, there is very little capital to do any actual "self-publishing." But that is something I intend to change next year. I intend to release a series of purchasable, downloadable web comics. These will be officially published directly under the QEW banner... one of these is a one-shot short horror story.
Can you tell us more about the QEW webcomic initative?
SHAW: Well there's the two tiered effort..
1st Tier: Angel Gate is currently establishing and tweaking its touches on a new sections of its web site. One is ANGEL GATE DIRECT; the other is WINGS.
Angel Gate Direct will be a section for its purchaseable/downloadable on-line publications and releases of comics its acquired via licenses as a part of its promotional efforts prior to actual print and distribution releases to retailers.
Wings is another section set aside primarily for those comics produced independently by creative artists who're really just cutting their teeth into the industry. Wings is simply a "springboard' brand line Angel Gate will be establishing to help these newcomers. Like Angel Gate Direct, Wings will also have purchaseable/downloadable web comics, too.
2nd Tier: QEW will establish another associative alliance with an on-line retailer of web comics that will have the QEW brand name. So that's the web comic initiative, overall.
What's QEW Publishing's relationship to Angel Gate Press?
SHAW: QEW has an affiliation agreement with Angel Gate as its editor in-chief.
Is your company focusing on any particular genres to publish, or are you accepting any genre?
SHAW: Well both Angel Gate and QEW primarily have a PG to PG-13 standard to many genres. Since QEW has linked itself to AG, AG has formed a new brand line called DARK ANGEL, which is specifically for R standard works for more "mature" readers. Oh, there's also ANGEL GATE KIDS for G-rated works.
The titles produced by QEW Publishing looks fantastic. Could you tell us a little about each one?
SHAW: PLATYPUS REX--A vampire-hunting platypus and his human sidekick take on the legion of the Undead.
ZEVON-7 - A 14-year old boy chases a rogue machine across multiple realities, encountering adult versions of himself along the way.
THE GIFTED - Five uniquely "gifted" adventurers embark upon a treacherous journey to take on an immensely powerful foe threatening to conquer their world.
CODY COYOTE - Here's a link to the first two reviews - CODY COYOTE #1 & CODY COYOTE #2
DARK POWERS - A man possessing clairvoyant powers joins a group of others who also have psionic abilities to pursue some former colleagues, but find themselves confronted by evil supernatural forces.
Will those titles be available on your website or through a distributor ie. Diamond or Comixpress?
SHAW: It is my intention and hope that these titles will be published and released either as on-line web comics on the Internet, printed and distributed books to retailers as compilations - TPB, or both.
What are your current submission policies for both writers and artists who want to submit to your company?
SHAW: There are currently no posted submission guidelines for either. At this stage I really am too busy building QEW to be inundated with submissions. With all I have on my plate now I sincerely do not have the time. Most of the talent I've acquired is derived from me seeking them out myself on-line or at major conventions.
What are your main writing inspirations?
SHAW: To write a successfully memorable and entertaining comic series, to write and produce a great original screenplay that is produced and directed into a fine film, and to write a best-selling novel. Like I've said, I've got big ideas.
Thank you Quenton for taking part in this interview. It's been enjoyable and informative as well. There are preview cover images of upcoming series by QEW Publishing below.
There is more information about this company available at their official website QEW Publishing and also at their official blog. There's also more information about the affiliated Angel Gate Press and the comics QEW Publishing has produced at Angel Gate's website. Previews of the comics can also be found at QEW Publishing's ComicSpace site.
How was QEW Publishing formed?
SHAW: It's origins we're primarily forged out of a sense of creative independence. I'd been collaborating very closely as an assistant editor with a small press publisher, Committed Comics. I had some works that had been licensed to them. But after a duration of no publication, I chose to dissolve the agreements I had with them and form my own operation. It was mostly to help myself find a niche into the industry as a writer.
However, as all ideas do--it evolved into a much larger and more ambitious operation. QEW Publishing became a virtual creative studio of orginal independent comics and graphic novels. I'd established it back in 2003; by 2004 I'd acquired a major associative alliance with my primary publisher, Angel Gate.
CAMILLA d'ERRICO'S: BURN is QEW Publishing's first and only production that has been published and released into the mainstream market. I hope to have others soon released in the future.
How did you come up with the name of QEW Publishing?
SHAW: I wanted a brand name that would distinguish my enterprise from others. QEW stands for Quality Entertainment Works - sort of a take on BMW's Bavarian Motor Work but it's pronounced phonetically "Q" like the actual letter.
What are the aims of QEW Publishing?
SHAW: QEW started out as small, but as I've said, it has evolved. My goals for QEW are huge. First and foremost, I intend to build it into a strong and reliable bastion of independently produced intellectual properties in the form of comics, graphic novels, screenplays, and maybe even novels.
I especially would like to have many of the IPs (intellectual properties) here at QEW transitioned into other licensed media such as film, TV, or maybe even video games.
It will be a tedious and challenging endeavor. That I am very much aware of. The series of goals I've estalished for QEW to attain these multiple achievements are in my opinion very possible. First priority, though, is to focus heavily on developing all of QEW's comics and ensuring the completion of their production.
Everything else at this point is pretty much peripheral... but it helps spur me forward along the line of progress to continue to keep that dream alive.
What obstacles did you have to overcome as a new publisher?
SHAW: Lack of capital, of course. Although the word "publishing" is in QEW Publishing, there is very little capital to do any actual "self-publishing." But that is something I intend to change next year. I intend to release a series of purchasable, downloadable web comics. These will be officially published directly under the QEW banner... one of these is a one-shot short horror story.
Can you tell us more about the QEW webcomic initative?
SHAW: Well there's the two tiered effort..
1st Tier: Angel Gate is currently establishing and tweaking its touches on a new sections of its web site. One is ANGEL GATE DIRECT; the other is WINGS.
Angel Gate Direct will be a section for its purchaseable/downloadable on-line publications and releases of comics its acquired via licenses as a part of its promotional efforts prior to actual print and distribution releases to retailers.
Wings is another section set aside primarily for those comics produced independently by creative artists who're really just cutting their teeth into the industry. Wings is simply a "springboard' brand line Angel Gate will be establishing to help these newcomers. Like Angel Gate Direct, Wings will also have purchaseable/downloadable web comics, too.
2nd Tier: QEW will establish another associative alliance with an on-line retailer of web comics that will have the QEW brand name. So that's the web comic initiative, overall.
What's QEW Publishing's relationship to Angel Gate Press?
SHAW: QEW has an affiliation agreement with Angel Gate as its editor in-chief.
Is your company focusing on any particular genres to publish, or are you accepting any genre?
SHAW: Well both Angel Gate and QEW primarily have a PG to PG-13 standard to many genres. Since QEW has linked itself to AG, AG has formed a new brand line called DARK ANGEL, which is specifically for R standard works for more "mature" readers. Oh, there's also ANGEL GATE KIDS for G-rated works.
The titles produced by QEW Publishing looks fantastic. Could you tell us a little about each one?
SHAW: PLATYPUS REX--A vampire-hunting platypus and his human sidekick take on the legion of the Undead.
ZEVON-7 - A 14-year old boy chases a rogue machine across multiple realities, encountering adult versions of himself along the way.
THE GIFTED - Five uniquely "gifted" adventurers embark upon a treacherous journey to take on an immensely powerful foe threatening to conquer their world.
CODY COYOTE - Here's a link to the first two reviews - CODY COYOTE #1 & CODY COYOTE #2
DARK POWERS - A man possessing clairvoyant powers joins a group of others who also have psionic abilities to pursue some former colleagues, but find themselves confronted by evil supernatural forces.
Will those titles be available on your website or through a distributor ie. Diamond or Comixpress?
SHAW: It is my intention and hope that these titles will be published and released either as on-line web comics on the Internet, printed and distributed books to retailers as compilations - TPB, or both.
What are your current submission policies for both writers and artists who want to submit to your company?
SHAW: There are currently no posted submission guidelines for either. At this stage I really am too busy building QEW to be inundated with submissions. With all I have on my plate now I sincerely do not have the time. Most of the talent I've acquired is derived from me seeking them out myself on-line or at major conventions.
What are your main writing inspirations?
SHAW: To write a successfully memorable and entertaining comic series, to write and produce a great original screenplay that is produced and directed into a fine film, and to write a best-selling novel. Like I've said, I've got big ideas.
Thank you Quenton for taking part in this interview. It's been enjoyable and informative as well. There are preview cover images of upcoming series by QEW Publishing below.
There is more information about this company available at their official website QEW Publishing and also at their official blog. There's also more information about the affiliated Angel Gate Press and the comics QEW Publishing has produced at Angel Gate's website. Previews of the comics can also be found at QEW Publishing's ComicSpace site.
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