Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Brown
Hi Edward, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The DEATHBLADE comic IP came about four years ago when I wrote and outlined the
plot, storyline, characters, and the overall depiction of the universe. This universe
combines horror, martial arts/hand-to-hand combat, and supernatural powers, inspired
by characters like Ghost Rider, Blade, Swamp Thing, Predator, and Alien. We aimed for
a raw, savage, and brutal action style intended for mature audiences.
In the early stages, I reached out to Jiba Molie Anderson, a well-known figure in the
independent comic circles. Jiba’s unfiltered feedback was instrumental in helping me
focus and refine the project, for which I am truly grateful.
Our journey involved a lot of collaboration and hard work. Award-winning writer Leland
Bjerg and artist Phillip Mattics were crucial in the early stages, helping shape the initial
look and feel of DEATHBLADE. However, the project has evolved significantly since
then.
A pivotal moment came when Ruben Alba of Arts by Direction in the UK helped us
redefine the visual style of DEATHBLADE. His guidance led to the look and feel that our
audience will see in February 2025 for our Kickstarter release of DEATHBLADE #1.
Following this, I brought on Emmanuel Chukwuka from Nigeria, a region experiencing a
creative boom in comic book artistry. Emmanuel had already worked on two of our IPs,
PROJECT DARK and BLOODLINES. Brian Cochran, who served as a consultant has
become one of the main writers for DEATHBLADE.
We continued to expand our team, bringing in Ringo Award winner Chuck Pineau as our
editor to ensure the DEATHBLADE universe was meticulously crafted. Other artists, like
Anthony Sturmas, contributed to character concepts and development.
A major breakthrough came through my new Art Director, Alim Leggett, creator and
artist of The Diary of Sweet Pea, a Kickstarter success and Heroic award nominated
creator. His artist, Yusuf, hailing from Nigeria, brought M & DEATHBLADE characters to
life with an incredible artistic touch. Yusuf's work helped us achieve the look we
envisioned for these characters in 2D and 3D.
Additionally, our variant cover artist added to the development of DEATHBLADE,
IMAGE Comics artist Leo Colapietro contributed to refining DEATHBLADE's cape and
overall body, while DC Artist Oscar Pinto helped define face and enhance
DEATHBLADE's overall facial appeal. Our goal is to blend a 90s aesthetic with modern
elements to captivate our audience.
The journey of creating DEATHBLADE has been challenging but immensely rewarding.
We aim to captivate our audience with stories that engage them for those 15 or 30-
minute moments.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey of creating and developing DEATHBLADE has been filled with challenges and struggles, but it has also been incredibly rewarding. Our primary goal is to craft a story that perfectly matches the epic look of M and DEATHBLADE, ensuring that our readers are captivated by both the artistic visuals and the compelling dialogue. We aim to create a narrative that keeps our audience turning every page, feeling like they might miss something crucial.
We want to challenge our readers with great surprises, thought-provoking questions, and interesting plot twists. We are eager to hear from our readers and engage with their feedback. Our objective is to maintain their attention and keep them invested in the story, making them eager to see where it goes next. This drives us to provide a comic story that exceeds expectations and offers a mainstream level of quality from an independent creator.
Finding the right artist was crucial, and we succeeded in that aspect. Crafting a storyline that fits the characters and resonates with the audience has been equally important. DEATHBLADE is designed to be a comic you will want to read multiple times, as we have set up spoilers and plot twists that will surprise you and keep you guessing.
We aim to deliver a next-level comic story that challenges readers and earns their loyalty. Our approach includes a bit of Hitchcock-style storytelling, complete with cliffhangers that leave you wanting more. We want to make your 15 to 30 minutes with us unforgettable, earning the trust and admiration of the comic reader community through our dedication, time, and energy.
Creating DEATHBLADE has been a labor of love, and our biggest challenge is ensuring that our readers feel the same excitement and passion for the story as we do. We are committed to delivering a unique and engaging comic experience that will keep you coming back for more.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In my professional life, I work with Cotiviti, a company that collaborates with more than
180 healthcare payers, including all the top 25 plans in the United States and Globally.
We focus on delivering higher-performing payment accuracy, risk adjustment, quality
improvement, and consumer engagement programs. By analyzing billions of clinical and
financial data points, we help our clients discover ways to improve efficiency and quality.
Additionally, Cotiviti supports the retail industry with audit and recovery services to
increase efficiency and maximize profitability.
My role involves enhancing how providers send records to our platform via sFTP or
through integration with their EMR/EHR systems, via FHIR. This streamlines the
process, secures the data, and ensures the safety of the records. I am passionate about
my work and believe Cotiviti is a great company to work for. Recently, we were
rewarded as owners of the company, which is truly amazing. I have been with Cotiviti for
almost four years.
I am particularly proud of our team as we lead an initiative on the FHIR protocol, setting
industry standards for secure data transmission. With a background in banking and
healthcare integration, I have focused on automating manual processes, reducing costs,
and transforming data transactions across various industries. It has been a great
journey, and I am proud to work for such a forward-thinking company.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I want to express my deepest gratitude to Kevin Guillotte and the Ink-Studios family for
their patience and support as they handle our DEATHBLADE Kickstarter. They've been
instrumental as we move closer to our debut. Additionally, I want to thank my parent
company, JackieBoy Entertainment, LLC in Maryland, and the company’s President
John Tillery, and his incredible team for their unwavering support.
Our creative team has been fantastic, and we have some great surprises in store. I'm
thrilled to announce that our website and Kickstarter page are now live. I also want to
thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for me, for blessing me
with this talent and the opportunity to share it with the world.
While I do feel some anxiety, I'm incredibly excited to share DEATHBLADE – THE
AWAKENING. If you are a fan of Underworld, Mortal Kombat, Ghost Rider, Blade, Alien,
Swamp Thing, and Switchblade, you are going to love what we have in store for comic
book fans universe.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jackieboyent.com or www.skullvalleycomics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skullvalleycomics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561152053318
- Twitter: https://x.com/DEATHBLADEAWK
- Email: info@skullvalleycomics.com
- Phone: 301-852-7503/404-667-5006
- Website: www.Inked-Studios.com
- Email: kevin@inked-studios.com
- Phone: 800-846-5341
