JL8 #1 - Creator Commentary
Added 2021-10-21 17:13:30 +0000 UTCJL8 #1 by Yale Stewart
Originally published on November 27th, 2011
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Boy, what can I say? Well, I can start at the beginning.
JL8 started as a side-project. I'd just moved home from Savannah to St. Louis and was working on "Gifted," my original creator-owned comic. However, it being pseudo-autobiographical, there was a lot of reference I needed, and being without a car, I wasn't able to obtain it. Not knowing WHEN I'd be getting a new ride, I decided that I needed to figure out some other project to work on in the meantime that'd keep my cartooning skills sharp, so I opened myself up to ideas.
One day while working at my dad's warehouse, I suddenly had an idea of Superman as a young kid--younger than his traditional Superboy incarnation--struggling to control his powers, kind of like a puppy trying to walk. I then thought of him accidentally launching kids into the stratosphere while trying to push them on swings, and that gave me a chuckle. Pretty soon, I was having ideas for a similarly aged Batman, and Wonder Woman, and Flash, and on and on. I felt like it could be a fun idea, the Justice League as a class of school-aged children, so once I got home that evening, I started doodling out some character designs.
Within a day or two, I had the strip you now see above. I honestly don't remember a ton of how it came together. I think it boiled down to the fact that I thought the gag about Bruce's suit was just the funniest thing that had come to me by that point, so start off strong. History would indicate I made a good call.
I think I'll leave it there for the time being, otherwise I might not have enough to talk about on future uploads. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!
-Yale
