Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Juaquan Allen with his Scarlet Knight campaign — to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters.
Who are you?
My name is Juaquan “Jay” Allen. I’m a creative. I act, direct, and write comic books and novels (coming soon). I started writing after living in Los Angeles, and really got tired of waiting for a opportunity, so I created a few of my own.
Click here to read more about Allen’s journey to LA and back.
What is the Scarlet Knight?
The Scarlet Knight: Defender of the Block is my comic book series. It’s about two cousins who return back to their hometown — where they were raised by their grandparents — after medical school. The two ER doctors find a magic gem that makes them knights in modern-day times.
The overall story is a dedication to my grandparents who passed away three years ago, with details loosely based on my brother and me. Raised in the same house, we went two different ways in life. I’m working on Issue 2 of the series now, which is all about choices.
If you had the chance to hurt those who harmed you and get away with it, would you?
What’s your ‘why’?
I hope to provide the world with great content. I come from the inner city, but never really saw our stories mixed well with great superhero stories. “What if there was a superhero in a place like my home, and he dealt with the same issue as me?” I would love to see my stories on the big screen, but I’m definitely fine with making people fans of comics again — speaking to kids about their dreams and showing them that the sky’s the limit.
Click here for the Scarlet Knight crowdfunding page.
How much do you hope to raise with the crowdfunding campaign?
What do you plan to use the funds for?
This will help me pay my creative team to complete the project, along with printing.
How are you differentiating your campaign?
The Scarlet Knight author’s grandmother
Showing people of color in my comics is pretty unique within the industry. Also, these are completely true stories when you strip away the superpower elements. Each aspect of this comic deals with a component of my life. Even some of the people are real people. My grandparents being two of those people.
Is there anything quirky with your campaign?
Each $25 contributor receives a Scarlet Knight shirt to sport. All my vendors are local to Kansas City. I want to support our own first.
What’s some advice you have to others launching a crowdfunding campaign?
Be consistent and don’t be discouraged. Use your resources. If it doesn’t work, keep pushing anyway. They will see later. Hard works pays off. It went from a dream to kids calling me a inspiration overnight.
If you or your startup is running a crowdfunding campaign, let us know by contacting news@startlandnews.com
