Putting My Money, Where My Mouth Is: Artist Edition
Hello everyone! If you don’t know me, my name is Marcus Jimenez, and welcome to Dauntless Dispatch, my publisher’s corner. I’ll share rants, fun updates, cool art, and exclusive pages from my upcoming projects here. It’s a space for us to connect, collaborate, and celebrate creativity.
As the title of this blog post says, I want to talk about artists taking a chance on themselves.
As a publisher, marketer, designer, writer, and ultimately, artist, I’ve had to bet on myself since the very beginning. This year marks my fifth year making comics professionally, which is amazing to say out loud. I’ve learned so much through countless mistakes over the years, but the most important lesson I’ve learned is this: take a chance on your dreams.
I always emphasize on social media that now is the time for artists to create their own stories. Choose a genre you love, add your own twist, and suddenly, one page at a time, one scene at a time, you’re bringing to life the story that’s been living in your mind.
But you might be wondering, What if I don’t like writing? What if my writing isn’t there yet? To that, I say two things:
It will get there, so just start.
If writing really isn’t your thing, find someone whose work you admire and ask them for help. Collaboration is powerful, and the world would be a better place if we all offered a helping hand and felt okay asking for one too.
Now, that’s easy for me to say, right? Well, let me put my money where my mouth is and announce two projects I’ve been betting on!
Project 1: VOID
This is a story that has lived in my head for three years, evolving through countless iterations. Now, it’s finally coming to life. I’ve outlined five issues and written two of them. To keep myself accountable, I’ll be sharing pages right here on the Dauntless Dispatch for you to follow along and read for free.
So, what is VOID about?
Void follows a young man named Tiago, who lost his homeworld in a cosmic catastrophe. He becomes the champion of Singularity, the god of space, gravity, and knowledge. Together, they embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind a divine murder, navigate celestial politics, and face powerful rivals. It’s a story about the delicate balance between humanity and divinity, filled with epic stakes and personal struggles.
Project 2: From Fire and Blood
This project is a collaboration between myself, artist Taylor Stauft, colorist,Sean Baggs, letterer Toben Racicot, editor Brent Fisher and designer Matt Harding. It came about due to a canceled project. Taylor and I love working together, and when the funding for that project fell through, we still wanted to create something. So, I asked him, "What’s your dream book?"
He said, "Honestly? As a kid, I loved Short Round from the Indiana Jones movies. It was my POV into that world and made me feel like anything was possible."
From there, a three-year journey began to craft a really fun mythical adventure following our titular character, Jason Zhang, as he hunts down a crew of criminals attempting to find a mysterious weapon from Arthurian legend.
From Fire and Blood is going to be a four-issue mini-series, delivered by us and Diamond Distribution. Pre-orders through Diamond kick off this March!
What’s Next?
Stay tuned for more updates on VOID, From Fire and Blood, and other projects I’m working on like my next project with Dauntless creative director Brent Fisher. This space will be a hub for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and moments of creative chaos. Whether you’re a creator, a reader, or someone looking to take that first step toward their dream, I hope Dauntless Dispatch inspires you to take your chance. Sign up for the newsletter below to stay up to date for when dispatch sends out another message.
Remember: Your story deserves to be told. Start today, and let’s make something amazing together. Be Brave. Be Bold. Be Dauntless.