First Comics News: Xing Xin is a comics creator on a comic title called Ximphonic Versus: Symphony Of The Phantom Knight, which has been ‘outrageously’ successful, as you will see, below! Xing, how did you get started in the comics business, and what were some of your biggest influences in the genre, or other genres, that influenced your craft?
Xing Xin: Thanks Phil, for the interview! Growing up in the 1980s watching Anime, I always loved fantasy, myth, and history. And I love the works of Shakespeare, Homer, Professor Tolkien, George R.R Martin, Joseph Campbell, George Lucas, Tetsuya Nomura, and so many more. I learned art from Chinese, Korean, and European art masters, and I keep working on learning, every day.
1st: I may have this completely wrong, but is all the art in this comic series supplied by others?
What I mean by that is, if so, could we possibly see some of your artwork or preliminary designs on these characters, etc., as well? Is that possible? I do understand that you are the creator and writer of this project.
Xing: I am the creator, writer, and artist of the series. I have many many designs and sketch concepts.
I normally only share completed art so readers can see the final versions. And it has taken many, many years of work to create the style the way it is.
1st: You have a very interesting name. May I ask, what country do you reside in, what nationality are you, and where do you hail from? How old would you say you were when you first began submitting your various synopsis, etc., for your proposed comics series, (plural), and how old are you, now?
Xing: I live in the USA, on the East coast. I am a creator of color, African American/Oriental. I was in my late teens when I was first trying to submit my series. I’m 40 now.
1st: How old were you when you first began writing and drawing?
Xing: Drawing, writing, and creating stories for as long as I can remember.
1st: Do you have any (formal) scholastic training in writing or art, in school or schools, and if so, where? Or, are you entirely self-taught?
Xing: No, I didn’t go to art school; everything is self-taught via books and art masters from China and Korea, like Andy Seto, Wing Shing Ma, Hyung-tae Kim, and many more.
1st: How did the Hollywood Global Genesis Group come to discover your comic book series, and how many issues of Ximphonic Versus: Symphony Of The Phantom Knight have there been, thus far?
Xing: They saw a poster of the series main character Prince Addonnis, that I had posted online. The VP of the company told me to call them on Monday, at exactly 3 PM. Monday rolled around and I called, they put me on speakerphone and said, “You have 30 seconds to pitch us your series.” I did my pitch and 30 seconds later, they said “YES.” I became an executive producer and one of the lead writers on the series, with actual Hollywood credits.
1st: Wow. They gave you thirty seconds to verbalize a pitch. Were you nervous? I would have been. I think most people at that moment, given only 30 seconds in which to elucidate the entire thing, or concept of it, would have been very nervous. What did you do or say to whoever was with you, when you got off of the phone? You must have made some phone calls to friends and family?
Xing: As for comics thus far, Ximphonic Versus is a graphic novel series only. The third volume is next to be released in 2022.
1st: Xing, can you kindly tell me what the other three of these comics series of yours are about, if possible, the ones that have been given television deals? We’d like to hear about the concepts of them, if possible.
Xing: Ximphonic Versus and all my works are Published by my label Quantum Entanglement Publishing. For over 30 years, I have worked on this massive fantasy epic, and I was trying to bring it to publishers. It was rejected again and again, to a total of 157 rejections, by every publisher (minus Marvel & DC.) As for the stories, there are more than three; altogether I have 26 different stories and story concepts. I am always working on more tales to explore and share with readers. The first one is Ximphonic Versus: Symphony Of The Phantom Knight, Lykos Ippotis: Lord Of The Wolf Knights, and Reisu: Sword Of Tears; these are the ones that already have TV deals. And more TV shows are on the way; all of these series are connected, and they exist in the same world. Readers will see how and have access to Royal lineage charts, different languages, artifacts of power and bloodlines cross over. Everything is connected and their world has a very long and rich history. As for what the stories are about, I can share some details below.
Ximphonic Versus: Symphony Of The Phantom Knight:
Synopsis: In A Baroque And Gothic World known as Laevisomnus Vis, Is Ruled By Victorian Dynasties, Modern City Kingdom’s, Magical Beings And Mystical Swords Of Power. A Prince Is Seeking To Defeat Death, And Alter Fate.
As An Ancient Darkness Has Returned To The Mortal World. Forcing Him To Choose Between Two Evil’s, And The Woman He Loves. As These Events Will Lead To A Cataclysmic Outcome, That No One Could Have Imagined. In This Shocking Tale Of Romanticized Darkness. Influenced And Beautifully Interwoven As Shakespearean Lore. Setting The Stage In This Neoclassical Action Fantasy Thriller.
Lykos Ippotis: Lord Of The Wolf Knights
Synopsis: The story is set 6,000 years before Ximphonic Versus. It focuses on the mysterious and powerful Lykos Ippotis. A once sacred knight who seeks to embark on an impossible quest, To defeat a malevolent order that he may break a terrible curse. Reisu: Sword Of Tears, It’s set 2,000 years before Ximphonic Versus, and follows a hunter during the last era of the Drakosin Emperors. Not much more can be revealed about it now, but very soon.
1st: That is a lot of rejections, but what I truly admire is your extreme persistence to get this project published!
And, of course, I understand that, eventually, everything worked out for the best, by your eventual decision to publish it, YOURSELF! And this way, you OWN the commercial property, 100%, outright! Bravo!
Xing: Thanks so much!
1st: How many years would you say you spent submitting your comics series proposal to those one hundred and fifty-seven publishers?
Xing: It was a span of over seven years, that I was submitting again and again, to publishers.
1st: Can you name some of the comics companies that turned you down? It perhaps hardly matters now, of course, but since you’re NOW going ‘great guns’, so to speak, as a highly successful self-publisher of your own comics series, I don’t see a need to keep that info secret, if you can see what I mean, regarding what I am going to ask you, next. I would venture a guess as to say that their loss was your gain, of course, because, by self-publishing your own highly successful series, I assume you LEGALLY OWN the whole thing, unlike so-called ‘Work Made For Hire’ comics contracts, like at Marvel and DC Comics, where they pay you to publish your comic, and then, THEY end up owning the entire franchise/-comics universe that you created. And so, with that in mind, who were some of those publishers (or all of them), who turned you down, if we may ask?
Xing: That is a great question, it was basically every publisher except Marvel and DC. Image rejected it 45 times, the most rejections came from them. Now we fast forward, and my series has sold nearly 5K (five thousand) physical copies, there are no digital versions of the full book, only the prelude is a PDF. And yes I own all my work, I do share the TV rights with the film company. Other than that, I have 100% control over my graphic novel series.
1st: That’s five thousand copies of your first graphic novel volume, or all volumes combined? Either way, it is TRULY IMPRESSIVE! Was the reason that you never approached Marvel (and/-or) DC Comics with your comics project, for the reason that they offer ‘Work Made For Hire’ contracts, wherein they would OWN everything, legally, that you created? If so, I completely understand that; it makes perfect sense.
Xing: They are superhero-driven publishers; they don’t do “creator-owned” unlike some publishers. And yes, how awful would it be to create something, and then they keep it, and you have no power over it? That is a nightmare, for sure.
1st: Sorry, but what are KS and IGG? And, has your title appeared in the Diamond/-Previews catalog, since? Although, with your high success rate that you told me about, that appears to not even have been necessary!
Xing: KS is Kickstarter & IGG is IndieGoGo. No, my work is not in PREVIEWS or Diamond, but I was determined to see my work released, no matter what. So I began self-publishing it. And without the use of those platforms of a major publisher or being in PREVIEWS. I’ve been very fortunate to have my work achieve the goal all publishers hope for. My series has SOLD OUT above Distribution Level, as of November 2021. The graphic novel Ximphonic Versus has sold 4,741 physical copies; the only digital version of the book is the Vol.1 prelude, which is free to download on the official website. And it is such an amazing experience knowing that some of the biggest names in video games, film, and comics have given my work high endorsements.
1st: Of course. I am familiar with both. I just don’t clue in all that well with acronyms, sometimes. LOL. I’m pretty impressed. Which actors and actresses, in particular, if we may ask, are you referring to?
Xing: I don’t always share their names because what has happened before is other creators see that, and then barrage them with requests, some often demanding they review their work as well. What I can say is they range from HBO’s Game Of Thrones, Santa Monica Studio, Blizzard Entertainment, Gamma Games, Konami, Mercurysteam, Image Comics, DC Comics, IDW, Lionsgate, and more.
1st: I can understand that. I do completely understand. Now, that is impressive! How many volumes are there? I’m assuming, rightly or wrongly, that you mean paper trade paperback copies/-collected volumes, collecting several issues, under one cover? And how many single issues were published, which were then collected?
Xing: Thank you for your kind words. And the series is solely a graphic novel series, not a single issue. The main storyline is massive and spans 330 chapters. Volume one is 148 pages, volume two is 108 pages, and volume three is 108 pages. Since the main storyline is 330 chapters, the spin-off series and single tales all connect. When all is said and done, this story is closer to between 500-900 chapters. Vol.1 is episodes 1-7, Vol.2 is just episode 8 and Vol.3 is episodes 9-14. I am also working on Vol’s 4-6, as well. We are still very early on in the main storyline. The Anime TV show will allow for more ground to be covered at a time.
1st: when do any of the live-action (filmed actors) series commence filming? And, has the Anime series started production as yet? And if so, when, for both?
Xing: Did I send the picture of the action figure?
1st: Umm, I don’t think so. Is it a prototype or has it been produced, by a company? Either way, we’d love to see it and include it with the interview!
Xing: I’ll send it to you; it’s being produced by a manufacturer in Asia. One second I’ll send the image.
Inline image
1st: Sounds great! And, readers, here is what the image of the character from the series looks like, being produced, as Xing said, from a company in Asia! Hoo Hah!! This figure really rocks!! It’s sick! (That’s the new word for ‘cool’, I’m sure you realize!) It’s truly bitchin’-! I myself collect action figures, and I’ve got to get this one when it comes out! Way over the top!!! Hand-painted, I presume. And idea of how many will be made, and what they will retail for? Also, how large, in terms of
inches, will it be, high?
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