Thank you all again, please hold your applause. That camera flash is really bright. Make sure you get my good side!
Our star-stellar mangaka Jeyodin has just dropped a banger! Its hotter than the block Lil Wayne was on! *wink*
Jeyodin is illustrating a new manga for the trailblazer show of Rick and Morty! Reporting live from the block we wanted to get all the deats from Jeyodin himself.
Did I mention he has the best laugh amongst our star line up here at Saturday AM?
Lets get into it! Cause I know you’re dying to hear about it!!
Saturday AM: Congrats Jey! How does it feel to illustrate a very popular show like Rick and Morty?
Jey: Thank you so much! I feel VERY excited and honored to work on this project. I’ve loved this show for a very long time.
Saturday AM: How were you approached for this project? Did you volunteer? How long did it take you to complete the comic?
Jey: Good question. I was finishing up a project with Oni Press called Lemonade Code, and I was trying to think of a way to get some more money, but also help further my career. I asked the editor I had at the time if I could draw a Rick and Morty Cover. She wasn’t the editor of R&M but asked for me. Luckily that editor had seen my work with Hammer and loved what I had recently finished with Lemonade Code and started moving the pieces for me to start working on this project. Eventually, it all worked out for me. The deadline was February 28th, 2023, and the contract was signed in May 2022. I just recently finished on February 24, 4 days before the deadline.
Saturday AM: Hammer V4. Comes out within the same time frame as the Rick and Morty comic how we’re you able to juggle so many projects?
Jey: YES! That’s right Volume 4 of Hammer releases within a month of this book’s release. To be honest I’m still finishing up the final touches on that project currently. The deadline for that is April 1st, 2023. Luckily, I was able to manage my time very efficiently and work on the two projects simultaneously, but I’m definitely tired from waking up every day at 1 am and going to sleep at 8/9 pm. However, drawing for me is like going to an amusement park, so I didn’t really struggle that much. The only real thing that sucked is I had to go to the doctor for my wrists. Luckily everything was fine, but for a time there I was drawing with what felt like a pinched nerve so, imagine how much faster I would’ve been able to draw had that not ever been an issue. I tweeted at the beginning of the year that I’m the fastest Mangaka in the west, and I think If I’m not, I’m definitely one of them.
Saturday AM: What’s the best and worst part about working on this project? Would you return if asked?
Jey: The BEST part was the fact that it got me out of retail for the time being, and the worst part, even though it all worked out, was how I didn’t receive the last 90 pages of the script until December 10th. Because of a TON of things, the corrections the writer received came in late, which meant I got the script late, and it really put pressure on me to get serious.
If I were asked to return to this project, I think it would depend on what else I have going on at the moment. I think it would be fun, but we’ll see what happens.
Saturday AM: Are you a fan of Rick and Morty? Since announcing the project has the fanbase been welcoming? (I heard they are very toxic)
Jey: I LOVE Rick and Morty. I think it’s dark humor at its finest. Luckily I’ve not received any negative hate from any R&M fans, so hopefully once they read it and see how AWESOME it looks,
they’ll just think to themselves, “does this artist have any more books out?” And then they’ll see Hammer Volume 4 in stores a month or so later and see how AMAZING that book is, and then
viola a fan or two!
Saturday AM: How do you feel about the overall experience? Give us the ugly truth!
Jey: Honestly, throughout my decade-plus-long career, I’ve learned new things from every experience and project. During this project, I’ve learned more about taxes and finances than anything else. Having to draw roughly 112 pages in 55 days was never something I was worried about, but filing my taxes and dealing with the IRS is always stressful. Overall I’d say I had a good experience, the writer, Alissa Sallah, did a GREAT job with the script. It’s such a FUN ACTION PACKED story, and I really just can’t wait for you all to get your hands on a copy. My editor Bess Pellars was also very appreciated. Working with Oni has never been an issue.
Saturday AM: Last one any advice for those who want to be in your position?
Jey: I’ve been drawing comics professionally for 10+ years. I created a 4-step guide to create comics for everyone out there who wants to learn any tips or tricks from me. It’s $5, 40 pages, and is available on my gumroad account, which you can access via my linktr.ee/jeyodin.
However, the piece of advice I’ll give you here is, DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS! Work as hard as you can towards a specific goal and don’t look back. People will distract you, but all you have to do is keep moving forward.
CLICK HERE TO PREORDER Rick & Morty: The Manga Volume 1: Get In The Robot, Morty!
