Jimmy Palmiotti On the Direct Market Focusing On All The Wrong Things

Posted in: Comics | Tagged: amanda conner, jimmy palmiotti, kickstarter, Triggergirl 6

Jimmy Palmiotti has launched a Kickstarter for the new Triggergirl 6 book, Justice, his new project with Juan Santacruz and Amanda Conner.

Jimmy Palmiotti On the Direct Market Focusing On All The Wrong ThingsJimmy Palmiotti On the Direct Market Focusing On All The Wrong Things

Jimmy Palmiotti is best known in comics for his work with Joe Quesada. They created the publisher Event Comics, and characters Ash and Painkiller Jane, later created the Marvel Knights imprint, and were the inspiration for the leads in Chasing Amy. Since then, Palmiotti has been known for his work on Harley Quinn with his wife Amanda Conner, but also for a series of graphic novels funded entirely by Kickstarter donors, and consistently delivering on time, and on budget, while launching their own production company Paper Films. And now he has launched a Kickstarter for the new Triggergirl 6 book, Justice, his new project with Juan Santacruz and Amanda Conner.

“a 70-page total adventure told in a TWO-ISSUE epic story… an action-packed adventure of TRIGGERGIRL 6 as she deals with a future where animals are able to communicate with humans and their main advocate is a genetically created warrior named Triggergirl 6 – who embarks on an adventure filled with high stakes, high drama, romance, sexual themes, and TONS of action making this a Mature Audience title.”

I sent a few questions to Jimmy Palmiotti when he was on his way to San Diego Comic-Con with Amanda Conner. He sent a reply yesterday at 4 am, his time, He wished me good luck.

You are at San Diego Comic-Con. What’s it looking like compared to previous years? Any protests? And what will you do if you have to cross a picket line to get to a signing or your panel?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I am writing this on the last day. No picket lines anywhere, so no reason to address it. The show this year was just wonderful. Artists and publishers are raving about great numbers as well as a feeling of new fans wanting to explore the world of comic books more than ever. The lack of big studios gave way to fewer lines outside and more people inside shopping and attending panels. This was an amazing show.

Tim Seeley has gotten Zoe Thorogood to write and draw a Hack/Slash series from Image Comics. Who, outside of the usual genre-focused comics creators, would you like to see on Triggergirl 6 aside from you and the more traditional crew?

Jimmy Palmiotti: That’s an interesting question. My first thought was I think I would get an amazing take on Triggergirl 6 from someone like author Hugh Howey, known for writing Wool – his sci-fi series that is also having success with its adaption SILO on Apple TV. We met a few times, and I co-wrote an adaption of his work and his way of looking at the world, and his world-building skills are off the chart. My second idea would be someone else I admire, and that’s Stephen King. Just been a fan so long, and to have his view of the character would just make this fanboy explode. Last would be Quentin Tarantino, just because. I love all of his work so much, and the character voices would be so unique.

What is it that keeps you on Kickstarter for crowdfunding, as opposed to the other options from Patreon to Substack to Zoop to Crowdfundr to Indiegogo to hanging around on street corners offering the service of your body? Why do you stick with the Kickstarter?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I didn’t know hanging on the corner offering my body was even an option. Trust me, I wouldn’t do very well- have you seen me lately? With Kickstarter, I have successfully funded over 20 campaigns- interacted with the crew there and built a relationship over the years with the people that believe in my work. I am a loyal business partner and tend to stick to something that works for me. That all said, each offers something unique, but for me, Kickstarter is it for now. My audience I have nurtured over the years seems to like the platform as well. In the end, my site paperfilms.com is the main hub for my work.

The traditional direct market sales are slow at the moment, the manga seems to be tumbling, kids graphic novels seem to be booming, is any of this affecting your own sales and appeal? 

Jimmy Palmiotti: Not really. The reason things are down is because the direct market is focusing too much on all the wrong things. They are forgetting that the audience can smell a gimmick a mile away as we are losing a lot of legacy readers in their never-ending attempt to keep rebooting loved characters. Consistency is important.

Is there a cut-down Little Miss Triggergirl out there suitable enough to appeal to Raina Telgemeir fans, without getting politicians to ban you from school libraries?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I make books for adults mostly, and I’m not trying to follow the latest market sales but just trying to give my audience what they want and the best books and products I can with the hope that word of mouth grows and new people will give my work a look. My numbers and audience are growing, so I am doing something right – but I can go on all day why I think comics in other places are hurting. It’s a different job chasing libraries’ needs and trying to speak to all ages, and God bless those that do, but my job is to publish the things I feel passionate about and not chase just money. The heart of Triggergirl 6 and her purpose is an all-ages thing, but I want to cut to the reality of her situation, and it’s a little more adult in the way I choose to tell it. I love the variety of voices like that out there, and my voice is distinctly my own and maybe not span such a wide appeal as slice-of-life all-ages work. But we all know There is room for both.

Triggergirl 6 was created in a lab from a mix of animal DNA. By any chance, could there have been a bat or pangolin in that mixture? And was that lab in Wuhan? What are you trying to say here, Jimmy?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I think it’s a case of what you are trying to say with that question than me. What my overall message is all about with Triggergirl 6 is to bring hope to a world where nature and the environment are being destroyed by the greed of man, and nature is tired of waiting for mankind to fix the problem they started. This is a story of hope and a character created to deliver it.

The new book focuses on rare animal smugglers for the dinner tables of the rich. Do you have any experience of this? What’s the rarest animal you’ve eaten – and what would you eat given the opportunity? And can you aave me a slice of a giant tortoise?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I am a carnivore by design, so I have tried horse, ostrich and bear out of curiosity but never went back for seconds. I have the diet of a 12-year-old so that doesn’t appeal to me at all, and as I get older, the appeal of trying that stuff again has entirely gone away. And no turtle soup or anything like that for me. I can live on pizza very easily.

What are you most Triggered by?

Jimmy Palmiotti: People that are proud to be stupid. Lack of manners. People who do not do what I do for a living telling me how to do my job. People that treat others terribly. And the number one thing is greed and everything associated to it. Obviously, I have a lot of triggers.

Have you seen Joe Quesada’s film yet?

Jimmy Palmiotti: Of course. Joe is one of those guys that can do just about anything he puts his mind to. Artist. Writer. Singer. Performer. EIC and now film-maker and director. This film proves he can do it well and also, there is more to come.

What pisses you most off about comics these days?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I am pretty damn happy overall, so I gotta dig in this one. Probably my number one thing is companies that pop up throwing money at creators to create comics just to sell their ideas to film and TV. They don’t care about the medium, just to use it and the talent as tools. They create disposable books that they have no intention to invest in other than that and offer terrible contracts knowing most won’t run to a lawyer to review them.

What specific examples in and around comics can you cite that might give us all hope?

Jimmy Palmiotti: I am meeting more and more creators willing to step up and do their own thing with crowdfunding or creator-owned publishing.

Triggergirl 6 is currently funded for $72,226 against a $32,000 goal from 779 backers with 17 days to go. Stretch goals have already improved the paper stock and added spot gloss/UV on all the printed titles. Subsequent stretch goal will see it add new digital comics and stickers so far.

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