Photo: Contributed
Kamloops artist and manager of High Octane Comics, Nick Klie, has released the second issue of his self-published comic book series Life The Necropolis.
Writing, drawing, inking and colouring are all part of the process for a local Kamloops artist who has now released the second issue of his self-published comic book series.
Nick Klie, manager High Octane Comics, says when he published his first issue of Life The Necropolis last year he thought he would have to do everything in his power to sell the hundreds of copies he printed over a year’s time.
“I sold out within under two months,” Klie said.
“It just went over really well here at the store. It went well online. I was just starting, I didn’t think it was going to do that and to be honest, I didn’t print enough — I should have printed more.”
Klie said he has now followed up his success with a second issue, titled Life The Necropolis: The Red Wizard.
The series follows a travelling space mercenary named Life. Klie said the first issue isn’t required reading for the second, with each issue serving as a self-contained story with different characters, places and conflicts.
“It’s kind of like an Indiana Jones movie — it’s his next adventure,” he said.
“Completely different characters, except for the main character. Life is still there.”
Klie said the series art is drawn in a retro 1970s fantasy style, and he hopes his new issue will show how he’s grown as an artist and writer over the previous year.
“Even the story is a different tone. I tried to write it like the old fantasy and sci-fi cartoons like Wizards and Heavy Metal,” he said.
“I wanted to tell a story about a gang of losers who battle an evil necromancer, with mutants and robot horses.”
He said he printed “significantly” more copies of his second issue and now the challenge is on him to get his name out and start spreading his work.
“I’m going to try to go to conventions, I’m going to try to send them to every comic store in Canada and some stores in the States,” he said.
“It’s all those things I wasn’t able to do the first time I’m going to try to do this time.”
Klie said the whole experience has been nerve-wracking, but has exceeded his expectations. He said he plans to keep producing new issues as long as he can.
“Just keep trying until the wheels fall off,” Klie said.
Klie said copies of his new comic book are available at High Octane Comics in downtown Kamloops and online.
Photo: Contributed