Steve MacManus talks to us about all things BLAZER!

Rob Lake chats to Steve MacManus about BLAZER!...

After an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, Steve MacManus' Blazer! smashed it's modest £1,974 target by raising a whopping £8,866 and was backed by 401 backers - myself included. 

The 32-page publication is currently being billed as a one-shot that is a satirical homage to the golden age of comics. 

Blazer! is currently set to be published on 1st April 1974... 

So what exactly is Blazer!? Well anyone who's read MacManus' fictional tale -  The Sheerglam Conspiracy would have heard the Blazer! name before. Blazer! was a fictional 1970's comic book that was set to be launched by one of the comic companies featured in The Sheerglam Conspiracy. During the novel, MacManus fully described how this comic would look and even what strips would appear inside of it. Naturally, this leads to curiosity and with help from The77 publisher - Ben Cullis, Steve MacManus is bringing Blazer! to life. 

I recently sat down with the former 2000 AD Tharg and the all-round top guy to chat all things, Blazer!.. 

Hi, Steve thanks for taking the time to answer some of my questions about Blazer!

Blazer! Has seen quite a successful campaign over on Kickstarter with the publication reaching its funding goal within 40-minutes of going live. How’s this month been with seeing the overwhelming support for the comic? 

The Kickstarter went live on 22^nd January, with a funding target of £1,974. This target was reached within forty minutes and I think the day ended with more than £3,000 pledged!

The Kickstarter ended on 20^th February, has attracted a whopping £8,866 from four hundred and one backers along the way.

This was my first experience of being involved in a Kickstarter and I have to say it was a Thrill-powered ride!

Many of the goodies on offer were pages of artwork donated by the very talented artists involved in creating Blazer! and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all.

Those of us who have read your book – The SheerGlam Conspiracy would have heard of Blazer! before. What’s it been like seeing something you’ve envisioned come to life?

To answer your question, I would say it has been a blast. The scripts for Blazer! were written in the first place to appear at the back of The SheerGlam Conspiracy, following the plot’s er, blazing denouement. I had no plans for them to be drawn and published in a comic, but that all changed when I received a phone call from Ben Cullis, suggesting we do just that!

 (The book tells the tale of a circulation war between two rival comics publishing companies in 1970s London. To establish an outright dominance in the market, one of the companies hires two scriptwriters to create a new title, which is codenamed GNP 13 and later titled Blazer! and it is these scripts, which appear at the back of the novel as a postscript.)

You’ve teamed up with Ben Cullis from The77 to bring the comic to life. How has it been working with the experienced publisher?

It’s been great. I felt like I was back in the office producing comics and annuals at IPC Magazines. Ben did all the work, what with matching artists to the scripts and collaborating with Andrew Richmond who designed the lovely retro cover and feature pages. Also, aided by the The77 Publishing team, Ben ran the Kickstarter itself.

Blazer! Is currently being billed as a one-shot. Considering the support so far are we likely to see another issue?

I have good news on that score. The77 Publishing team has greenlit the second issue of Blazer! I am currently writing the scripts, which wrap up the cliffhangers from issue one. Hopefully, the same artists will be able to come aboard to finish their respective strips.

And finally, what’s next for Steve MacManus?

I always saw The SheerGlam Conspiracy as the first in a trilogy. So, my main next task is to write the second book, which is provisionally titled The SheerGlam Succession.

With news on both a second issue of Blazer! being in the works and a sequel to The Sheerglam Conspiracy, it's looking to be a great time for fans of British comics. 

I'd like to personally thank Steve MacManus for taking the time to answer some of my questions about Blazer! and it's successful Kickstarter campaign. 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev

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