Catching up with Indie Comics creator Greg Burnham of “Tuskegee Heirs”
We’ve been fans of the “Tuskegee Heirs” indie comics series for a while now. So it was a real thrill to get to talk with the co-creator of the series at Awesome Con in Washington, D.C., in June. We spoke with writer Greg Burnham about “Tuskegee Heirs: Flames of Destiny,” his newer project, “The Search for Sadiqah,” and something entirely new.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:
I own the first four issues of “Tuskegee Heirs: Flames of Destiny” and really enjoy what you and artist Marcus Williams created. Can you talk a little bit about that book for those who are not familiar?
GREG BURNHAM:
“Tuskegee Heirs” is futuristic / sci-fi and takes place 80 years from now. You have five teenage pilots who are martial artists. They’re great pilots, and they happen to have jets that turn into mechs sometimes.
Tuskegee Heirs Indie Comics Series and Brand
We have four issues so far, working on the next set of stuff to come out. We’re also working on a little bit of animation behind the scenes as well.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Really? Animation… can you tell us how that project is going?
GREG BURNHAM:
We got some money to do a cinematic short. We’re working on that, but getting everything together, even though this short is going to be… very short. There’s a lot that goes into it.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:
You mentioned earlier that you’re working in comics full time now. What has been the most challenging part of going into the business altogether?
GREG BURNHAM:
I was in finance for really like 18 years. When you’re used to getting paid regularly, you have all these benefits and all these other things. So, I guess that would be the biggest thing is building yourself up to a point where you could be able to give this a shot. And I did that, and COVID happened like four months later. So, it was kind of tough, but you know, you figure out ways. I felt like I learned a lot through that process. [Those struggles] have helped me be better now.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Are your titles available on digital platforms?
GREG BURNHAM:
Not right now. With “The Search for Sadiqah,” that comic is kind of on a hiatus right now because we’re working behind the scenes on some stuff. We’re thinking about it for “Tuskegee Heirs.” We’ve had talks with Comixology and some of the other people.
INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Tell us a little bit about “The Search for Sadiqah.”
GREG BURNHAM:
“The Search for Sadiqah” is a historical action adventure. It takes place in the 1920s, and you have a 13-year-old girl who flees Tulsa, Oklahoma, after the Black Wall Street massacre. She goes on this quest across the Southwest United States. She’s trying to find this mythical land and these people as she thinks they are her family. She’ll become a hero to the people she comes across on her journey.
We had to end the interview there, as we were talking to Greg at his table, and there were a ton of folks in line waiting to buy “The Search for Sadiqah.” What we didn’t get to ask him about was his appearance on CNN back in February. He and the co-creator of “Tuskegee Heirs,” Marcus Williams, were interviewed about how they’ve blended high technology with history and adventure.
A quick check of Greg’s Twitter reveals that one of those other projects he was talking about is now on Kickstarter. Check out his tweet below for information on how you can back Greg’s latest project, the children’s book, “Swim, Kelly! Swim!”
Visit the “Tuskegee Heirs” website for complete details on Greg and Marcus’ latest projects and for more information on how you can pick up a copy of their fantastic indie comics!
Check out the other interviews we did at Awesome Con with indie comics creators Ryan Dunlavey, Scott Cox, and William Anderson.
