In August 2023, we had the chance to speak with writer Michael Schwartz about his debut issue of Clover Press’s Armored and its initial Kickstarter campaign. Now, Michael and artist Ismael Hernandez are launching the complete first volume of Armored on Kickstarter, paving the way for future expansions of the story. It feels appropriate to reconnect with Michael to see how the project has evolved since our last discussion. So, let’s welcome back the talented Michael Schwartz to GVN Talking Comics.
The Learning Curve
GVN: Welcome back, Michael. We last spoke about your book, Armored, back in August of 2023. This was in advance of your FIRST Kickstarter campaign. So, with that experience in mind, what did you learn during that initial stage of development that you feel benefited you as you worked on the following issues?
MICHAEL: Thanks for having me back! It’s hard to believe our first Kickstarter was nearly 2 years ago. I had the first and second arcs of Armored mapped out back then, but the space between the campaigns gave me the opportunity to further develop the next story arc. There were a few elements I wasn’t entirely sure about, and seeing how readers reacted to issues 1–5 allowed me to reshape parts of the story in ways I hadn’t originally planned.
A Great Team
GVN: In our first interview, you discussed the similarities and differences between your work in television and screenplays and creating your comic Armored series. As you continued the Armored story, did your workflow diverge even more from your film writing format, or did they move closer together?
MICHAEL: I’m incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such a talented group of collaborators, including my editor Chris Stevens and illustrator Ismael Hernández. Thankfully, Chris established a solid workflow for our team early on and we’ve pretty much stuck to that, even into the second arc. On the writing side, I’ve loosened up quite a bit with my details when writing descriptions of every page in each issue. It’s still not quite like writing a screenplay, which is actually quite sparse, but I’m definitely looking for more input from Ismael as we move forward together telling this story.
The Pressure of Past Success
GVN: In time, Armored began to gather steam and was embraced by both fans and critics, selling out multiple issues. Did you anticipate that kind of broad-based support, and how much pressure did it put on you for the next installments?
MICHAEL: Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, since I’ve always been on the other side of the comic industry – as a fan. I’m so grateful the story has resonated with readers because that word of mouth is so important for an independent book. Without it, I’m not sure some of the issues would have sold out. Now that there is a small but growing fanbase, I definitely feel the pressure to deliver with the second arc, but also so excited to finally get to this point in the Armored story.
The Premise of ‘Armored’
GVN: For those not familiar with the premise of Armored, can you share the premise of your book?
MICHAEL: Armored follows the story of a 13-year-old named Andy, whose parents vanished two years ago. After months of bouncing around foster homes, he’s adopted by a strange couple whose son, Myles, died under mysterious circumstances. An amateur sleuth at heart, Andy decides to investigate Myles’s death, which leads him to a set of old castle ruins. While there, he falls into a medieval tomb and discovers a magical suit of armor being haunted by the original wearer from hundreds of years ago, a ghostly knight, Sir William. With Sir William as his mentor, Andy must learn to harness the armor’s powers and uncover the truth behind Myles’s death!
The Deluxe Hardcover Edition
GVN: In our first chat, you mentioned that you hoped we could discuss the second arc in the future. Now, nine months later, we’re back talking about Armored and a new Kickstarter campaign for a deluxe hardcover edition. Can you explain how this exciting project came about? Additionally, do you feel more confident about the crowdfunding aspect this time, given your experience from the first campaign?
MICHAEL: With the success of the single issues released by Clover Press, it was the natural next step to collect them all in a hardcover edition packed with extra content. These days, many comic readers prefer to wait for collected editions, so I’m excited by the prospect of new readers. As for Kickstarter, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel confident going into a crowdfunding campaign. It’s always tough to predict what will resonate with comic collectors. That said, I’m genuinely excited because not only are we offering the collected edition, but we’re also including issue 6, which is completely new material, the first part of the second arc.
New Campaign, New Extras
GVN: This new campaign offers some great extras, including: An exclusive dust jacket featuring the stunning Armored artwork by David Mack, a collectible trading card set, and art prints by Jae Lee, David Mack, and Francesco Tomaselli. In addition to an exclusive Preview Comic (Issue 6) for the next story arc, with a cover by Jeff Dickson. How much input do you have when deciding on these great benefits, or does Clover Press make those calls?
MICHAEL: Clover Press and I collaborate closely when deciding what kind of extras to include in the Kickstarter. We both bring ideas to the table, but Clover makes the ultimate decision. They’ve run so many successful Kickstarter campaigns that I really trust their judgement when it comes to tiers and rewards.
Next Projects
GVN: Thank you for visiting again, Michael. Before we finish, I would like to allow you to share any upcoming projects you have. Also, feel free to promote the exciting new hardcover edition of Armored, which features art by Ismael Hernandez and is edited by Eisner Award-winner Chris Stevens.
MICHAEL: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me. I can’t wait for readers to get their hands on this edition. I know they won’t be disappointed with all the bonus content we have planned. Comic fans can also look forward to my next book with Clover Press, Till Death, co-written by Rachael Schaefer and illustrated by Gaia Cardinali. Rachael and I worked with Eisner-winning editor Chris Stevens on the project, and we’re excited to share more about it very soon.
Clover Press Armored, the deluxe hardcover edition by Michael Schwartz, Ismael Hernández, and Ferran Delgado, is now on Kickstarter. You can check out their campaign here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
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