Such is the case with Connecticut publisher Twin Robotz Comics. Located in East Windsor Twin Robotz is the publishing dream of Wally Czyzniak, who founded the company to publish his tongue-in-cheek horror/comedy comic, I, Sherman. The comic follows the adventures of Sherman, an office worker who is wandering aimlessly through his own life until he comes face-to-face with his mortality. While tooling around on the Internet, Sherman lands on a website that reveals to him the date of his own death. Discovering that he may have a year to live, is, naturally enough something of a startling discovery, but that is just the beginning for Sherman, because shortly after this event the living embodiment of Death literally begins to follow him around. Now, sporting a t-shirt proclaiming, “Death is my Wing Man,” Sherman starts to deal with his unique predicament in hilarious ways.
According to Czyzniak he initially learned about comics when he encountered Disney’s Duck Tales while in first grade, and immediately fell in love with them. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s the passion for comics really took a hold of him with the release of Tim Burton’s Batman movies. “I became obsessed with Batman as a kid,” Czyzniak said, “and people in my family would bring me Batman comics. It wasn’t until I was 16 and could drive myself to the comic store every week that I bought my own comics.” While in high school, he began to try his hand at writing and developed some ideas for both comics and films, however, it wasn’t until 2010 that he got serious about producing his own comic book.
It was then that Czyzniak took a course in Graphic Novel writing at Free Lunch Studios in Granby, CT to learn how to write and craft his own comics. Taking this course also motivated Czyzniak — a beginning artist — to actually venture out into the world of comics publishing and thus Twin Robotz was born. Adapting an idea from a dusty movie script of his, Czyzniak wrote the first issue ofI, Sherman. He then commissioned veteran cartoonist Matt Ryan (Bigger, Pork 'N Beans, Junk Food) to illustrate the comic. Ryan — who is one of the owners of Free Lunch Studios — is very excited that another one of his students has begun working on their dream to produce comics. “The Free Lunch guys have been like mentors for me,” Czyzniak stated. It is Czyzniak’s intention to produce a six-issue story arc of the comic that he can then re-package as a graphic novel. Needless to say the larger story of Sherman and Death will continue for much longer. “I really don’t see any end in sight for the characters, so hopefully it can continue forever.”
According to Czyzniak the actual process of producing the first issue was something of a grueling one, taking over a year to go from concept to print. “It’s a lot more work than I originally thought it would be. Good to get it off my shoulders, something that’s been in the back of my brain for years, good to get it out on paper.” Czyzniak is debuting his comic at the East Windsor Comics and Collectibles Show which is being held at the Golden Gavel Auction House in East Windsor, CT. The twice annual show is promoted by Scott Pellin and Greg Kalagian, who are local comic collectors and vendors. Looking to the future, Czyzniak plans to attend the Boston Comic Con in April to promote his book to a larger audience.
The first issue of I, Shermanis a standard-sized comic, and has a cover price of $3.50. Czyzniak is looking forward to meeting the attendees of the East Windsor show and autographing copies of the book. The comic is also available at a couple of local retailers, Matt’s Comics in Enfield, and Buried Under Comics in Manchester. The second issue of I, Sherman is already with the artist, while a second series, called Cosmic Kiss is also forthcoming from Twin Robotz. Czyzniak hopes to follow in the rich tradition of the great comic creators of the past and launch his creations off into the stratosphere of imagination.
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