Bryan Baugh: Iron Age Marketing Podcast Episode 031

In today’s episode of Iron Age Marketing, I talk to Bryan Baugh, the creator of the vintage-flavored Wulf And Batsy comic series.

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Let’s Meet Iron Age Creator Bryan Baugh

Bryan Baugh is the creator of the “Wulf and Batsy” comic book series. TV Animation Storyboard Artist by day, Horror Comics artist by night.

Igniting A Passion For Horror

For some, the journey into the realm of horror begins in childhood, where fascination intertwines with innocence, shaping perceptions and igniting a lifelong passion. Brian Baugh, creator of the comic book series “Wulf And Batsy,” traces his love for horror back to his earliest memories. He recalls his father sharing with him the wonders of classic black-and-white monster movies. Through the lens of his father’s guidance, Brian discovered not only the allure of the supernatural but also the artistry behind the creation of cinematic illusions.

Driven by an innate fascination with monsters and a keen understanding of the boundary between fantasy and reality, Brian’s journey into the world of horror was inevitable. From the chilling tales of werewolves to the haunting specters of vampires, he found his place in the macabre, embracing it as a foundational element of his interests in life.

Horror In The Age Of VHS & Wulf & Batsy 10, 11, & 12

When I begin talking horror, it’s difficult to get me to change topics, as you know from my previous episode with Ali Sanguis. This conversation was no different. While we discussed Bryan’s inspirations and how they have changed over time, we found our way to the topic of “video stores.” More than video stores though, we reminisced on what it was like finding a video store with “that section” where the one employee would talk your ear off about whatever the weirdest stuff they had was.

Having fully geeked out about video stores and my jealousy over Bryan’s having actual original print EC comics, we finally get to Bryan’s current campaign on fundmycomic.com. Bryan is continuing on with issues 10, 11, and 12 of his formerly Alterna Comics series Wulf And Batsy and recounts how the campaign was fully funded in under three days. Not without some sadness, we do begin exploring the reasons for leaving his publisher for the current run of Wulf And Batsy

The Tumult Of Small Publishers And Deals Souring

Diving deeper into Bryan’s exit from his most recent publishing arrangement, we see that what some people dream about isn’t always roses, even when we think it is. Even in the best of times, small publishers have a tendency to shut down. These aren’t the best of times; now add that to the market, is a fickle mistress, and physical media goes out of vogue, and you’ve got a recipe for disappointment. An important factor to keep in mind is that relationships can change just as quickly. This all leads us to the conclusion that if you can make self-publishing work, you should.

We tried our best to be honest about this part of the interview, but Bryan is a very nice guy who didn’t feel comfortable going into too much detail about the departure. Still, I think we captured enough of the event to be useful to other creators considering the small publisher route.

Learning Crowdfunding And Passing On IndieGoGo For FundMyComic

As we wrap up our conversation Bryan and I get into more of the logistics and changes from his 20+ years in publishing. Luckily for people interested in self-publishing the quality of services available to small creators has improved dramatically and stabilized considerably in that time period. There is always a little angst in opening that first box of product, wondering what minute imperfection you’re going to have to live with, but is that all that will be wrong?

Since the production part of the process has improved, Bryan’s real change has been learning the ropes of crowdfunding, which a publisher would have handled in the past. For Bryan, picking his crowdfund platform literally came down to the customer service he needed while learning. It was IndieGoGo’s lack of customer service that led Bryan to choose FundMyComic for his crowdfunding campaign. Luke and the other staff did their best to help where needed but also created a platform that is easy enough to navigate on its face.

Hopefully, today’s episode with Bryan Baugh serves as both inspiration and education in your own journey to bring your creation to the world.

Bryan Baugh Resources & Extra Media

Shilling In The Iron Age

Need help connecting with or growing your audience for your book, comic, TTRPG, or other creative endeavor? Check out Nicky P @ ironagemarketing.com

ironagemarketing@nickpecone.com

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