By: Nicole D’Andria
Join the space pirate PRINCE-S STARthief on her intergalactic journey in the near future to take down corporate-run monarchies! Creator and writer Jason Martin discusses the explosive series that he calls “Star Wars meets Kill Bill by way of Aeon Flux.”
PRINCE-S STARthief is a space opera starring Prince-S, corporate royalty who rebels against her family. Now, she’s piloting her starcraft carrier with tech from across the galaxy alongside an AI bot companion that can become a mech. They’re on a quest for a mysterious item that will pit her against her family.
Jason Martin’s PRINCE-S STARthief is part of his Pulp Girls project, a universe full of concepts (some of which we’ve previously featured on Kickstart the Week, like Swiss Army Woman). Some of Jason’s previous projects include Danger Doll Squad and Night of the 80’s Undead. The artwork for the PRINCE-S STARthief is by his longtime collaborator Winston Young of Zombie Tramp with colors by Ronaldo Barata.
The PRINCE-S STARthief 1-3 Kickstarter has raised over $20,000 and rocketed past a few stretch goals, so be sure to catch a ride on the ship before the Kickstarter ends on June 15, 2022, at 9:15 PM EDT. Digital copies of each individual issue are available for $5 each and there are a variety of covers available to get in your hands, including the main Winston Young cover ($15), a Bill McKay variant ($20), and many, many more talented artists’ takes on PRINCE-S STARthief for a variety of reward tiers that you can check out here.
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to chat with Jason, whose series Vampblade and Amalgama I used to edit. So without further ado, let’s get some insight into his very own explosive space opera!
Nicole D’Andria (ND): For the concept for PRINCE-S STARthief, you specifically mention Star Wars, Kill Bill, and Aeon Flux. What elements from each of these sources are reflected within your series that fans would appreciate?
Jason Martin (JM): First of all, the character obviously takes inspiration from Star Wars. That being said, it’s not a gimmick. It’s an actual new character and concept that blends different inspirations to hopefully create an exciting story that fans of those concepts might dig (especially if you can get into large hair buns).
I’m a big Tarantino fan, and similar to his films, my works always remix a variety of familiar touchstones to create something that both honors those, but also strives to deliver a new exciting comic book experience!
So PRINCE-S STARthief takes a sprawling sci-fi adventure, infuses it with a twisted family revenge tale, and drenches it all in kinky stylized visuals!
ND: How would you describe Prince-S and her power-drunk family to readers?
JM: Our PRINCE-S is corporate royalty. In the near future, corporations take over Earth and then spread to the stars, becoming like monarchies. The worst attributes of power unleashed on a galactic scale. Instead of embracing that, she rebels. Becomes a bit of space pirate who uses her resources to strike out against the family.
As the series begins, we’re gradually introduced to her royal family, PEP-Cco, and their f*cked-up dynamics.
ND: Each issue of Pulp Girls showcases amazing artists. Why did you decide Winston Young was the perfect artist for this particular concept along with colorist Ronaldo Barata?
JM: I’ve worked with Winston for years, and he’s not only an incredibly talented comic artist but his style also perfectly fits mine visually. So, as we wound down our work on Danger Doll Universe titles at Danger Zone (most notably/recently Vampblade and Amalgama), I was dying to start up a new series with him!
We’d just started the Amalgama: Space Zombie series that, due to a variety of reasons, was cut short. So I was thrilled to jump right into another killer sci-fi romp with him!
And though I started out coloring the series (in addition to writing and lettering), with issue two we brought in some help on colors to assist with production and get the books turned around faster. So the STARtheif team now includes Ronaldo Barata on colors!
ND: PRINCE-S STARthief is the latest character featured in your concept series Pulp Girls. What can you tell us about the previous concepts and how each one compares and contrasts with this latest issue?
JM: Yes! Pulp Girls has been a passion project of mine for years. I’ve created numerous concepts that all share a similar pulp action vibe, but also all with different cool female protagonists. So, while it’s not a shared universe or anything, they all share that similar DNA, while all being unique to the other. Both in terms of genre and then also artists. Each offers a showcase for different exciting artists who also have a similarity in style. Explosive, stylized, animated, and visually unique!
We’re currently Kickstarting PRINCE-S STARthief #3 with Winston, but we’ll be offering Swiss Army Woman #2 next with another longtime collaborator, Monika Maccagni!
ND: If Prince-S had to go up against the previous Pulp Girls, who would win in a fight and why?
JM: Well, Swiss Army Woman literally has an arsenal of weapons attached to her right thigh, so PRINCE-S would be hard-pressed to go up against that with her black hole blade. But if she had Nan, her AI-bot companion/mech with her… maybe?
ND: And if you could only pick one of the Pulp Girls to hang out with for a day, who would you choose and why?
JM: STARthief. She drinks wisk-E, has a DJ set-up in her mech, and a starcraft carrier full of cool sci-fi tech!
ND: What’s the number one reason why people should pledge money to your Kickstarter?
JM: For some cool comics of course!
But really, check it out. These are fun books with twisted characters and amazing art and covers. Something for anyone that enjoys subversive fun and eye-popping visuals!
ND: What inspirational words do you have for aspiring comic book writers?
JM: Do it!
Create them. Go to shows. Showcase them online. Use crowdfunding.
Keep doing it!
ND: Promote yourself! What other projects are you working on that we will be seeing in the near future?
JM: The aforementioned Swiss Army Woman.
You can pick up issue one via the current STARthief Kickstarter, which will also get you a limited preview book for issue two! And then we’ll launch a new Kickstarter for Swiss Army Woman #2 in August!
And then later this year we’ll have more Pulp Girls after that (both more STARthief, as well as more new concepts)!!
It’s all Pulp Girls right now for me 😄
You can follow it all at PulpGirls.com.
And the current PRINCE-S STARthief issue 1-3 Kickstarter here:
https://kickstarter.com/projects/1489023868/pulp-girls-prince-s-starthief-1-3
ND: Thanks for taking us on a ride to the stars, Jason! Readers should be sure to check out the PRINCE-S STARthief issue 1-3 Kickstarter listed above for more thrilling artwork and reward tier options.
Do you have a crowdfunding project? Want to be interviewed about it and have the project featured on “Kickstart/IndieGogo/GoFundMe/etc. the Week?” Then message me on my website. Also considering checking out the official Kickstart the Week: Interviews with Comic Book Kickstarter Creators Volume 1 on Kindle.
Other “Kickstart the Week” features:
Turner Family Terrors 1-3: The Suburban Slayers Are Back!
IMPOSSIBLE 2C: IMPOSSIBLE JONES & POLECAT TEAM-UP!
