Meet the cast of MIND THE GAP & Issue #2 Sold Out

With so many new comics out in 2012, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but with the second issue coming out this week, Mind The Gap has quickly become one of our favorites.  Jim McCann and Rodin Esquejo have come together to give us what has the makings of a great thriller comic and we can’t wait to see more. If you listen to the Pick of the Week Podcast, you may have heard us discuss Mind The Gap #1 and discuss how with regular people as the cast, it would help to have a page outlining them all.

Lo and behold, in our advanced copies of Mind The Gap #2, there it was! So we caught up with writer Jim McCann to get the full scoop and while doing so, McCann shared the news that Mind The Gap #2 has already sold out before hitting comics stands (after getting pulped and rescheduled due to a printing error).  So without further adieu, here is Jim McCann discussing the cast page, which can be seen below.

iFanboy: We noticed with the  upcoming second issue of Mind The Gap, there’s a cast page at the beginning. Why did you decide to add this and will this be a permanent fixture to the book?

Jim McCann: Yep the cast page will be sticking around for a while. There were a number of reasons that this felt right. Firstly, there are a lot of people involved in the attack on Elle and (now as you’ve started to see) the greater conspiracy at work. How that relates to Elle — and to each other — will be seen in the pages of the book, but you’ll also see their status and relations change in the captions. This will help existing readers and also new fans as well since the book is continuing to sell out with each issue (just got word that issue 2 is sold out before hitting stores tomorrow!)

Another reason is for the simple fact that many readers are used to characters long established or flashy costumes or even just gradually introduced. In Mind the Gap #1, the readers were plunged into Elle’s world in mid-action, so a lot was thrown at once, but that’s one of the things that’s exciting about the book to me– we hit the ground running and don’t plan on slowing down. Will there be more people added to this page? Well, you meet at least two new players in issue 2 and another in issue 3. Will this page get bigger or will they take the places of some of the characters currently on the canvas? Read and find out!

Also, some podcast about eye fan boys mentioned it would be a good idea. Little did they know it was already planned…

iF: Moving from superheroes to real people in realistic settings, do you find it necessary to define physical characteristics to make them distinguishable to the reader?

JM: Absolutely, and I think that’s where Rodin and Sonia really shine. It was important to me (and the rest of the team) to have a diverse cast, in ethnicity, gender, socio-economic backgrounds, professions. In doing that, it helps people identify who’s who, like seeing Geller in her scrubs mainly, or Elle staying in those same clothes from the attack, and Bobby’s stylish look that I so envy. Since this IS taking place in New York, I wanted this to be a true New York City experience as well.

iF: Can you tell us about the design of the page? What went into the approach and as you’re working on a creator owned book now, how important is the overall visual design and look to Mind The Gap?

JM: Being creator owned doesn’t mean you’re floating on an island alone and holding color files in one hand and lettering files in the other– actually, that’s EXACTLY what it would be like for ME– if I didn’t have such an amazing team and people who know far more about what they are doing than me. I knew I wanted this to feel like a family tree (almost like the Game Of Thrones map that came with the first season boxed set), especially since there are people who fall into certain categories right now. Because three of our main characters- Elle, Jo, and Dane- work at the Vineyard Theatre, designer Damien Lucchese had the idea to do it sort of like an old Playbill. He laid it out and I was sold!

I think the page gives a nice tone to set up the book and helps the reader feel like “Okay, I’m about to read something different,” and opens the door to Mind The Gap. Having things like the cast page, the supplementary materials in the back, and the visual differences between the real world and “The Garden”, gives me, as a writer especially, a feeling that I’m doing something…different. I’m definitely pushing myself out a bit more in writing and also developing not just my own voice but my own eye as well.

Did you add Mind The Gap #2 to your pull list yet? Go pull it and get in on the mystery.

 

Comments

  1. Not so impressed from #1, a promising beginning, nothing more. I hope #2 is better. And that cover from Francavilla is sweet.

  2. i enjoyed the first issue, will try the second. Its very weird thats for sure.

    i’ve always wondered how indie creators and publishers really feel about selling out the first printing like this. Makes for good press, but also means it may have been under ordered (and printed) and going back to press on a short run is a lot more expensive than adding a few thousand to the first run…i’ve read Stephenson’s article on the subject, but kinda curious if it kills the bottom line for the creators? I know it may be a bit inside baseball, but always curious on that.

    • Firstly, thanks!

      Regarding the 2nd printings– it doesn’t hurt us in the way you’d think. It does mean there is less product on the shelves than there is demand, which can ultimately cost us (and retailers) sales, and dwindling numbers because casual fans will give up on/forget about a book if it’s not on shelves. The goal is to relay to retailers that there is demand and hopefully gets them to up their orders. The most important thing relaying sell-outs does, though, is encourages and reminds readers how important it is to pre-order books…ESPECIALLY indie books. Retailers are opperating blind on indie books for the most part when ordering, so that’s why we creators always harp on pre-orders.

      Hope that answered your question & helped understand that side of the biz. 😀

    • thanks for the answer Jim! Good to know all that stuff. The worst thing ever is hearing about an indie book too late to pre-order it, and then not being able to find it anywhere, especially when its getting buzz.

  3. I got issue #2 a couple of weeks ago. Is this the second printing that is coming out tomorrow? Or did I get a cool advance copy or something ? 🙂

  4. I have it on my pull list at my local store. I’d better get my copy tomorrow or…….I don’t.

  5. I am so far on board with this title, it is very intriguing, and a change of pace from my usual cape books. It is kinda hard to read as a monthly though, I feel you need to pay REAL close attention to everything that happens. I may let them pile up to around 5 or so at a time so I can read them in a row, or wait for the trade, but id rather buy the actual books and support image on the frontlines