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Brian Lambert (@brian_wycoff_lambert) Brian joins us on the Black Superheroes Matter Podcast. Brian Joseph Lambert is the award-winning, lead contributing writer at Wingless Entertainment. He specializes in bringing diversity to action/adventure, fantasy and sci-fi worlds. Brian’s current projects include “WAR FOR THE SWORD- THE CHRUSION SAGA BOOK 2”, a CG animated feature film entitled, “RUBICON “and “JUSTICE- THE FALL”, an ongoing series for WINGLESS COMICS, a division of Wingless Entertainment. Brian Lambert and I discuss some of the ways COVID-19 has impacted what “normal” means and how creating art can be a form of therapy during times like these. “One of my favorite experiences is at conventions when I see kids and they’re a little shy but they want to come and talk to you or see the poster or ask you stuff or ask “how do I get into it” or “hey should I keep writing?” It’s great to be able to talk to them and say “yes you should, I want to see you behind this table” because you can see a light in their eyes, you know, the same one that somebody saw in yours when they were talking to you about it.
Notes from the Podcast:
Question: what are you doing creatively?
24:30-25:05 “Creativity is cool and it’s also a double edged sword. As an athlete, if you do your thing and leave it all on the field and get all emotional and angry, no one really faults you for it because it’s an emotional kind of thing, you’re putting your all into it. Being able to translate that type of emotion to a creative field- I love being able to do that.”
Topic: Being creative is an outlet/form of therapy
25:05-25:35 “You do have creatives that are misunderstood. “They’re temperamental, they’re angry” no, sometimes they’re just passionate about what they’re doing and it’s hard to express that because they’re expressing everything they can through their passion. It’s a very war like mentality sometimes. Sometimes you have to be stuck on that one task.”
Topic: creativity inspires/helps others
26:20-26:47 “One of my favorite experiences is at conventions when I see kids and they’re a little shy but they want to come and talk to you or see the poster or ask you stuff or ask “how do I get into it” or “hey should I keep writing?” It’s great to be able to talk to them and say “yes you should, I want to see you behind this table” because you can see a light in their eyes, you know, the same one that somebody saw in yours when they were talking to you about it.
Topic: art is a community service
28:00-28:30 “I love that people have made the movement to call a lot of creative people ‘creators’ even if they’re just the writer, the person that thought of the idea, I think it is great because you do have to create this whole structure behind whatever you’re doing. You want to do it well and you want to do it correctly and you’re creating this mythology, creating more than just for yourself, you’re creating a communal kind of idea.”
Topic: the impact of creative ideas
29:00-29:55 “Get other people to imagine “man I could do this too, I can think slightly differently and spurge a whole movement”, just thinking on that scale of affecting other people with what you’re passionate about and getting them to be passionate about whatever it is that they’re passionate about, it’s great”
Q&A with Brian Lambert
What do you do?
CEO, writer, creator, editor, letterer
How did you get started?
Been writing as long as I can remember. After self-publishing an award-winning novel, one of the first people I worked with was the very talented Chris Williams. I eventually joined another company and ran a successful #0 issue and Kickstarter campaign with them. At the end of 2019 I ventured off alone and started Wingless Comics. I’ve been fortunate enough to work and interact with various talents, including Greg Anderson Elysee, Dorphise Jean, Concept Moon Studios, Constant Hustle Comics and many others.
How has COVID-19 affected you?
The uncertainty of the market in general has affected us all, I believe. The lack of conventions makes interaction with supporters difficult. I am fortunate to still able to produce Issue #1 independently, but the Kickstarter and crowdfunding market is also in a precarious position. Not to mention the human side of things. I lost my Aunt on April 16th to Covid-19 and that’s not something that can be undone. It’s a matter of attempting to have some form of stability, while deeply hurting for not only myself and my family, but for all the families around the globe experiencing the same.
Has it been difficult trying to find success as a Black creator in the industry?
I actually believe the black community of creators is one of the most inviting and inclusive environments that I’ve ever been in. We are in a place where the inclusiveness piece is one of the most important. Add that to us having engaging and intriguing stories to tell. It’s a very fertile ground. There are still roadblocks and gate-keeping, but finding what I want to do and how to do it has been fostered in the black community and black comic community as a whole.
How would you describe your creative style? What/who was your biggest inspiration?
I’m not sure I could name one. But I was a HUGE fan of Mark Waid’s work on Kingdom Come. Also Frank Miller (before he went off track) and his Dark Knight Returns work was amazing. The darkness MacFarlane brought to Spawn. And I have to say, Justice, in his current incarnation wouldn’t exist without David Hine’s run on Spawn with that Divine Spawn. That cover is STILL iconic.
What was your favorite superhero growing up?
Batman… I started out as a Superman guy, but made the switch.
What Projects are you currently working on?
Currently, Justice Issue #1 is being completed and will hit Kickstarter in June. I am also working with Concept Moon Studios and Constant Hustle Comics and an inter-company crossover called Nightfall, that will debut in October. Wingless Comics will also have projects from Malachi Bailey’s Her and a few other surprises.
Why do Black Super Heroes Matter?
Because representation matters. When we see ourselves as something greater, we often strive to be something greater as well. Black Superheroes break barriers in fiction and art imitates life. We can show children and generations to come that they aren’t stuck in some little box people put us in. They can be anything.
Follow Brian Lambert’s Work at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Winglessent/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_wycoff_lambert/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/winglessent
Hey, this is Steve. I played football at Oregon State University and University of Hawaii. Now I doodle cartoons and blow stuff up on camera. I also make web comics too. Hopefully I can make this whole thing a full time gig so I can make the big bucks to pay for Medical School! (Fingers Crossed) If you would like more thought-provoking content or a quick laugh consider supporting me on Patreon, checking out my webseries Eyelnd Feevr, or checking out links to my other projects below:
Eyelnd Feevr Webseries | PDX Black Rose Podcast | Stuck E Podcast | Black Superheroes Matter | Artist Portfolio | DIY Arts Tutorials & Blog |