Indie Creator Spotlight: Brian Lambert/Wingless Entertainment
Welcome to our Indie Creator Spotlight, where we sit down with the passionate minds behind independent comics and explore their stories, struggles, and successes. Today, we’re talking with Brian J. Lambert, the creator of Air Force Ones, a science fiction action adventure with giant Mechs.
About the Book
Alan Lynch: Can you tell us what your comic is about and what inspired the story?
Brian Lambert: Air Force Ones is a classic Space Opera/Mecha story at its heart. It’s Mobile Suit Gundam meets A Different World. A group of teen cadets stumble upon a Legendary M.A.D. Gear (giant mecha) and it’s the key to starting a revolution and freeing them from the tyranny and oppression of Elysia, the governing body of the world. Air Force Ones came to me in my sleep. I’ve loved space operas as long as I can remember. I grew up watching Robotech and Space Battleship Yamato and that transitioned to Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam Wing, Gun X Sword and so many others. I’ve taken inspiration from all those shows, as well as Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, V, and almost anything else you could think of.
AL: What is the significance of the comic’s title—why did you choose that name?
BL: The title, like the story itself, came to me in the middle of the night. Honestly, all I had originally WAS the title. I woke up saying, “Air Force Ones, but not the shoes, they’re pilots.” It made sense at the time. I’m just thankful I was able to develop a premise that backed up the title (laughs). In transitioning to a different form of storytelling with giant mecha, I also wanted to create something that was intrinsically Black. Air Force Ones are a Black cultural phenomenon. I realize that it’s crossed over into the mainstream, but it started with Black culture.
I wanted to speak to the nerd and the manga/anime lover that looked and thought like me, while respecting the genre and culture that the idea originally came from. It’s been a pretty awesome bonus that when I mention the name and premise together, I always get a knowing chuckle or look from people. It’s something that spans cultures and the significance is easily accessible. There’s an entire shoe market that unites multiple cultures; Nelly wrote a hit-song about Air Force Ones. The title engenders good feelings before the story even takes place. I think that’s an awesome place to start when you want people to buy into the tale you’re weaving.
AL: What was the creative process like for developing the characters and world in your book?
BL: With everything I do, I try to ask “why?” That was my motivation here. Why would finding a giant mecha be the key to salvation for our heroes? Why are they in a situation where they need salvation? As I start answering those questions, the story forms itself. And I’m a HUGE fan of lore. I’ve also realized that lore has a certain place in comics and doesn’t need to be heavy handed.
While I love J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, my 70+ page comic doesn’t need to be that dense with lore. So, I take the time to write the lore in the background and reveal that through the campaign of advertising pages and things like that. It’s always there to answer the questions, but not to burden the story. It was a lot of nights sitting down and researching Gundam book, mecha specs, and trying to create something that’s similar to what we’ve seen but stands on its own legs. And once I got the dynamic between our three heroes down, it was easy to know what was going to happen next.
AL: How did you choose the art style or artist for the comic, and what was that collaboration like?
BL: I had previously worked with Iqbal Prasetyono on a book called The Above, for a content creator named Mo Lowery. He’s a funny guy with a wicked imagination. And when Iqbal and I put his book together, Iqbal was able to capture all these abstract ideas and really give them life. I loved his style from the moment I saw it. I also had him draw a commission of me and my team as members of Voltron. Once I saw his ability to render Voltron, I was sold. I knew I wanted to work with him again. And once I got the right idea, I pulled the trigger. The rest they say, is history.
AL: Were there any unexpected challenges or breakthroughs while creating this specific comic?
BL: In all fairness to Iqbal, this book isn’t an easy lift. There are multiple ships, numerous mecha, tons of characters and all of them must look vibrant and fresh. Not to mention the cultural significance of certain phrases, dances, and all the nuance that goes into storytelling. We had to work pretty hard to make sure that we were telling the story as authentically as I wanted. So, we’ve dealt with a few delays, which are my fault. I am sometimes overly ambitious with my deadlines and need to let things breathe a little. We also had to switch colorists in the middle of the book, which again if I’m being fair, we should have had two colorists on the project the entire time. I’m just thankful that I have great relationships with my entire team and we respect each other enough to voice our concerns and put our best feet forward in order to create an amazing product.
Behind the Scenes as an Indie Creator
Q: What roles or “hats” do you wear in the indie space—writer, artist, colorist, editor, promoter?
I try to learn as much of the process as I can. But as for the Wingless brand, I’m the owner, publisher, editor, marketer, content creator, fledgling artist and anything else that’s called for.
Q: Have you ever struggled with writer’s block or imposter syndrome? If so, how do you deal with it and keep moving forward?
I don’t struggle with writer’s block really, more procrastination, hahahaha. But I’ve been pretty vocal about my struggles with Imposter Syndrome. It’s something that’s always in the back of my mind. Yeah, they loved the last thing, but will they love this one? Is everyone going to suddenly hate everything I do? Also, when you don’t get recognized for the work you do, sometimes it’s hard to remember that work has value. Now, I hope that’s never the case, but that’s what I remind myself when I find that I’m spiraling down the dark path of Imposter Syndrome.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an independent comic creator?
The biggest challenge for independent creators will always be finance. Whether people want to admit it or not, it’s the largest hurdle. Financing turns an online bookstore into Amazon. The same could be said for indie creators. Marketing budgets, editing, coloring, lettering. All these things cost money and time. If you’re fortunate enough to have enough of both, the likelihood that you succeed increases. But when you don’t have that, it shows in the product and the lack of visibility. It’s not that creators lack talent or drive. But if they don’t have the time or funds to produce what’s in their heads, that’s when you see a lot of projects fail.
Q: What advice would you give to creators just starting out in the indie comic scene?
I would tell new creators to take their time. Every creator you meet is going to say they have a TON of stories to tell and you’ve never seen anything like what they’re going to do. We all want to believe we are reinventing the wheel. The truth is that we are not. But the nuance and heart you infuse in your stories is what makes them unique. But remember, you need to FINISH your stories. There are tons of creators with multiple “Book 1s” out there. That’s useless to them and to the audience. But when you tell a complete story, you have an engaged audience that wants more. We’ve seen so much from Marvel and DC, we know what street samurai and super strong men look like. We know how they act. That’s not what’s going to engage your audience. Your story from beginning to end is what engages your audience. So, focus on telling your story and telling it well. Focus on engaging your audience. Get them involved. Be enthusiastic about what you do. And research where you want to be.
Where to find Air Force Ones
You can check out Air Force Ones at Winglessent.com. Follow Brian Lambert on social media:
Alan Lynch is an up-and-coming indie reviewer and lifelong fan of comics, pop culture, and all things sci-fi. With a sharp eye for storytelling and a passion for independent creators, Alan dives deep into the worlds of comics, movies, and video games. He brings thoughtful, honest reviews that spotlight emerging talent and celebrate the creativity driving the indie scene.
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