David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

As a lifelong comic book enthusiast, I am thoroughly intrigued by the new series “Ekos Vol. 1”. The concept of introducing readers to a fresh perspective through the eyes of an alien named Grell is both form and cool. It’s reminiscent of the charm that made me fall in love with superhero stories in the first place – the excitement of discovering a new world, learning about its inhabitants, and witnessing their interactions.


In simpler terms, Michael Turner was a renowned figure in the comic book industry, and one of his collaborative creations, Ekos, is finally receiving its much-awaited limelight with Ekos Volume 1. Co-created by Turner and writer Geoff Johns, Ekos never developed into a full series initially, but Marvel Studios’ Founding Chairman David Maisel has partnered with Aspen Comics to adapt the Grell story into a graphic novel. This is just the beginning of bringing Turner’s expansive universe to life not only in comics, but also on television and film in the future. Ekos Vol. 1 is now available for backing on Kickstarter and Backerkit, and it has surpassed its funding goal, unlocking additional rewards, with ComicBook having the opportunity to interview Maisel about the Kickstarter project, the character Grell, constructing this world from a six-page preview, and setting the groundwork for a significant crossover.

Turning An Idea Into A World

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

Maisel boasts a wealth of expertise in translating comic book realms onto the silver screen, being instrumental in kickstarting the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Moreover, he’s long admired Turner’s artwork, noting its captivating quality, whether within or beyond the comics sphere. In his words, ‘I was drawn to Michael’s sketches and how stunningly beautiful his pencils were, as well as Peter Steigerwald’s colors. People who weren’t even into comics would stop and admire it.’ This appreciation is crucial because when Maisel produced the Iron Man movie, only 3000 comics were being sold, with many doubting its potential. The market was saturated with Batman, Superman, X-Men, and Spider-Man, but Marvel characters like these were not as popular.

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

In essence, Warner Brothers held the rights to Iron Man for quite some time and chose not to renew them. Eventually, those rights came back to me. Since creating a film of that scale requires a wide audience, I decided to create Iron Man not just for comic book enthusiasts, but for everyone around the world. After all, to justify such an expensive production, you’d need more than 3000 people to watch it, so I made sure even my mom would want to see it at the time.

Ekos Steps Into the Spotlight

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

Readers have had limited exposure to Ekos’ realm so far, as it was among contenders in a Wizard Magazine vote to determine Turner’s next undertaking. Regrettably, it didn’t secure the win, remaining untouched since then – until now. With J.T. Krul at the helm as writer, Alex Konat as artist, Mark Roslan as inker, Peter Steigerwald handling colors, and Josh Reed overseeing lettering, the Ekos Vol. 1 crew is eager to breathe life into this universe.

Michael oversaw massive comic franchises; Fathom, which became the top-selling comic globally in 1998, and Soulfire, another significant franchise, were among them. He also collaborated with Geoff Johns on one issue of Ekos. However, fans of Wizard Magazine chose Soulfire as Michael’s secondary franchise, a decision that makes sense given Grace’s appealing appearance.

Getting To Know Grell

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

In the artwork, Grell stands out among Aspen’s beloved characters due to his distinctive design. Maisel is eager for fans to explore the character behind this unique look, and they’ll also get a glimpse of other characters from Turner’s worlds like Fathom and Soulfire.

An Impactful Ending

David Maisel Talks Bringing Ekos to Life on Kickstarter, Creating a Dream Aspen Crossover, and More

In essence, Maisel refers to three significant aspects in the book – issues one, two, and three – and considers it as a trilogy-like initial set. He emphasizes that there’s an impactful concluding moment, similar to Iron Man revealing his identity, which he calls “I am Iron Man” moment.

If you’re eager to delve into the realm of Ekos, you have the chance on Kickstarter or Backerkit. You’ll be able to choose between getting a large hardcover edition or individual issues, both boasting captivating covers. Additionally, you can grab numerous fantastic Marvel tribute covers, such as the breathtaking tribute to Turner’s variant cover of Marvel’s Civil War #1. The campaign has already unlocked 16 extra pages of content, new stickers, and an improvement for the hardcover version, with even more rewards on the way.

Ready to join Ekos Vol. 1? Let’s chat about comics on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!

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2024-10-05 23:11