Way back in 2015-2016, Neil Kleid, Jake Allen, and Frank Reynoso joined forces for Kings and Canvas. The series, described as “Game of Thrones meets Rocky Balboa,” followed the exiled champion boxer Mammoth as he “punched his way out of prison, ready to return to the family, title, and country he’d left behind.” Funny and furious, it was a compelling spin on fantasy with a narrative like a proper left hook.
The only issue, though, is that the book was exclusively available online, which may have limited its initial impact. Until now, that is. That’s because the three creators have joined forces for a brand-new Kickstarter campaign to publish a high-quality hardcover edition. The book not only contains the original six issues (#0 to #5) but the all new issue #6, which is set to wrap up that first arc. The book is available in both print and digitally, including a special variant cover from Michael Avon Oeming. The campaign runs through Wednesday, August 2, and as of publication has hit a little under $1,400 of its $4,500 goal.
We recently caught to catch up with Kleid to talk Kings and Canvas and its campaign. That includes his continued connection to the story, how the final issue wraps up, working with Kickstarter, and the future of Kings and Canvas, among other topics and tidbits.
If you’d like to contribute to the campaign, head here.
AIPT: What can you tell us about Kings and Canvas the story?
Neil Kleid: A fantasy adventure based on boxing themes, Kings and Canvas is the story of Mammoth — an exiled boxing champion who was imprisoned 10 years ago for crimes against his country. Now, he’s punched his way out of prison to journey across a changed America and recover the family and title he’d left behind. But are either waiting for him? At heart, this is a story about a man who’s returned to a life that’s moved on without him. It’s about reinventing yourself when the world you knew has already passed you by.
Oh, and it’s about boxing dragons, pirates, talking polar bears and all sorts of fun, crazy fantastical elements in a country that, well, used to be ours a long…long…long time ago. It’s a tale of dynasties, boxing, family and revenge in a world where honor is gained not by using guns or swords, but rather fists, wits and the courage to change.
AIPT: What’s behind the melding of boxing and medieval fantasy? That feels really novel in the sea of such fantasy titles.
NK: Originally the comic was not a fantasy tale but a crime drama. Years ago, someone used the term “Frank Miller dinosaur” in conversation somewhere and I got this visual of an aging convict, past his prime, hands in bandages who returned to a life that had passed him by in an effort to regain the life he’d lost…and find a new place and purpose within it. Somewhere along the way…maybe because I had started boxing at my local gym…that character — “Mammoth”— became not an aging gangster, but a boxer. I dug the idea of comparing boxing matches to the jousting littered throughout Game of Thrones, which was popular at the time. It felt like a natural fit — rules and principles, a certain gravitas and glamour that both endeavors share. Once I mashed the two together, it felt like coming home.
In this story, boxing is magic. There’s a discipline to boxing—sewing a canvas, making your own gloves, the training and balance—and a wonder that translates quite well to a fantasy setting, especially when you compare it to jousting. There’s discipline and rules of competition, and I wanted to create a world in which a specific style of competition had replaced not only all others, but conflict itself. In Kings and Canvas, most civilized debates, judgments and successions are solved not by war but inside the ring, judged by a mysterious group of monks.
Once I got started, it really all just fell into place.
AIPT: Why was it important to bring this from a digital exclusive to a proper physical book?
NK: Well, we only ever released the individual issues digitally via Comixology…and we never got to finish the first story arc, which the team has always wanted to do. The digital issues did OK, but didn’t really find much of an audience because folks didn’t know the series was there—we were marketing ourselves via social media and grassroots guerrilla promotion. And most of all…folks wanted to hold it in their hands (including us) and the fine people at Outland Entertainment excel at funding beautiful physical editions of great stories, so it was a no-brainer.
Most of all, offering a physical edition helps us get the story into bookstores and libraries, where lots of great comics get a second life. Hopefully, by doing so, we can expand our reach and get the book into the hands of adventure and fantasy readers who didn’t have a chance to discover it when the issues were online.
AIPT: People think of Kickstarter as this established thing for comics. But is it hard to be heard on that platform? Does that process get a little harrowing at times?
NK: …he asked while Neil refreshed the campaign page for the twentieth time that day!
Yeah, it’s hard. There are so many great comics out there — and even more so on Kickstarter. It’s really hard to get a signal out through all the other well-deserving signals. Right now, it’s hard for ANY book, comic or literary project to be “heard” and while we do have a wealth of wonderful options out there competing for the comics dollar, for a guy like me — not a “name,” my first campaign—that has a smaller than average social media reach and isn’t bringing along an extensive fanbase from Marvel, DC or other popular books or comics…it’s a little harrowing, yes.
Look, I’m a big believer in supporting my friends, colleagues, folks whose work I love. I advocate for them and am vocal about great projects out there, using my limited reach to draw eyes to creators like David Pepose, Stephanie Phillips, Dave Hazan, Rob Guillory, Liana Kangas, Rich Douek, Mike Oeming, and more. Hopefully, that love gets paid back. Usually it does. That’s what we do, y’know? We pay this kind of thing forward when and as we can because a rising tide lifts all ships.
And you hope, as you glare at the counter and hope it ticks up to 50%, 75% …that your ship gets lifted when the time is right, and people are sharing your link and social media post, helping bring interested readers to the campaign.
Variant cover by Michael Avon Oeming.
AIPT: What was the original feedback of the story/title? Do you feel like you’ve gotten a good reception this time around?
NK: Yeah, again, I think the folks who know about the comic and have heard the concept — read the pages — tend to think it’s pretty swell. It’s about making sure those eyes (and, uh, dollars) find their way to the Kickstarter page, you know? The reviews we’ve seen for the book have all really embraced the world building, the characters and dialogue, the brilliant art by Jake Allen and Frank Reynoso. If they’ve read it, they’ve loved it.
But they have to read it, you know? They need to find it. Otherwise, the reception is simply deafening silence.
AIPT:Has your relationship or understanding of this book changed since it debuted initially?
NK: I’ve always loved this book. I’ve long-wanted to expand Mammoth’s world and tell tales both in the main timeline and across the history of his story. I’ve been playing with a prose prequel in my spare time, and I have ideas for spin-offs and sequels.
A lot of the comics and graphic novels I’ve written have been pretty dramatic. Kings and Canvas is just…fun. I want to write more fun comics — and honestly, I love the world we’ve created in this one here. Jake and Frank breathe the settings, the characters, the rolling hills and crashing waves to life…and the writer in me wants to fill in every corner of the map with story and people and places and things that make it feel lived-in, well-worn and a place the reader wants to walk around in and absorb.
I wish I was writing this book full-time, to be honest. I’d love Kings and Canvas to be an ongoing title — my Saga, as it were — and tell the tale from start to finish, and then stretch my legs in a direction where the story leads me away from Mammoth to other characters, other tales. Maybe that’ll happen one day? I really hope it does.
AIPT: Similar to that last question, is there something extra relevant about this book rereleasing right now?
NK: The key thing is simply timing. Jake and I have just been off doing other things, and as the last few years has shown crowdfunding to be one of the best avenues for independent creators to get their books directly into the hands of the consumer, I started to think about projects that I might want to fund. Collecting Kings and Canvas was really at the top of the list — specifically, collecting the first arc and by doing so, finally completing the sixth, lost issue. Thankfully the stars aligned and Jake was finally available, so we’re proud to bring it to life…assuming, you know, you you fine people help us bring it to life by meeting our reasonable funding goal!
AIPT: The book is set to feature issue #6. What can you tell us about this grand finale for the first arc (please feel free to be as spoiler-heavy or -avoidant as you see fit)?
NK: Ha ha…I wouldn’t want to ruin it for folks that have been eagerly waiting since 2015!
Basically, at the end of the fifth issue Mammoth had just boxed with Liam Valorous, gallant captain of the kingdom’s Royal Guard, as they stood astride two boats racing down a raging river! The last panel of issue 5 saw Mammoth—his right arm run through with a sword, exhausted and water-logged — faint away into a stupor. The sixth issue picks up hours later, as we follow Mammoth and his friends (Nik, Mammoth’s boxing trainee; Milla, a talking polar bear; Ennio, a sea dwarf warrior; and Linus, a tiger with a boat) upriver to safety…but not until we experience some of Mammoth’s frenzied dreams, laying bare some of his history as he lays comatose in the boat. Finally, valiant readers get their first glimpse at our series antagonist…the villain of the piece, who will appear quite familiar to dedicated readers.
And, y’know, there’s more to the story. But “more” requires we get enough folks to support this first collection. Then maybe our pals at Outland will order up the second arc, in which–
— OK, you almost got me.
AIPT: Does the end of the first arc mean we can get more issues/another arc? What’s this title’s long-term future for Kings and Canvas?
NK: See above! Yes, we’d love to offer more volumes of Kings and Canvas. But it depends on you. (Well, not you, Chris. Maybe you. But the “general you.”) Any good comics needs to be supported by the folks who want to see its story to the end. But that means getting the signal out, supporting it with your dollars and your eyes and word of mouth. If that happens, yes, there could be more issues and another arc. Maybe two.
I definitely have more story to tell. This collection leaves us our readers in a very specific place, and if we can do more that’s where volume two picks up. We just need to fund this first volume now…and hopefully, if people love it, we’ll get to do more.
AIPT: Why should anyone support this campaign/book?
NK: Because Kings and Canvas is an all-ages fantasy boxing adventure that offers something for everyone. It’s got boxing dragons, knights and pirates, a giant rhinoceros, beautiful and unique locales, a deep and compelling world with a rich history and culture all it’s own, and a cast of fantastic supporting characters that will make you fall in love.
Oh! And most importantly — look at some of the art by Jake and Frank. Isn’t it freaking amazing?? Don’t you want to hold it in your hands? Don’t you want more?
And at the end of the day, supporting a book like Kings and Canvas shows that you want to support creator-owned independent comics by devoted, engaging creators who simply love the medium of comics and both the genres of fantasy and sports. That, to me, is a way to make your money mean something—not just to get something cool (which you’ll get, as well), but to show that you believe in unique independent comics. Look, you can do the same thing by supporting other amazing comic book Kickstarter campaigns…
…but how many of them have a boxing dragon?!
At the time of these answers, we’re about 800 bucks from the halfway point with 13 days to go. Please tell your friends. Please tell your family. Heck, please tell your enemies, too. Kings and Canvas can use your support, comics family. Help us meet our funding goal and the next time you see me, Jake and Frank at a comic convention we’ll give you the biggest high five ever.
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