Written by William G Chandler Jr., July 8, 2016, at 6:15 a.m.
You get inspiration from an image. You watch a series as a child. You follow the creator of the legacy. You get your own tools and climb the ladder to success.
It is not easy but Jamaal Malik Clymer comes from hard work, talent, and inspiration. I met him at Too Many Games, in Oaks, Pennsylvania. He is D13Mon-Studios, and you can see some of his skill on his Facebook page. If you ask him, he will create it. See below.
Jamaal Malik Clymer: The Interview
Slickster: Where are you originally from, and what is D13MON-Studios?
Clymer: I’m from Long Beach, California. D13MON-Studios is my very first studio. It is where I can publish my own manga series and create whatever I want whether it’s my own characters, or fan art.
I saw your interview video from Awesome Con 2016. Whose spot are you trying to take?
Stan Lee, in my eyes. He is the greatest comic book creator of all time. He didn’t have social media. The entire world didn’t see his work at the time. He trusts other artists with his stories so he can bring them to life. He worked hard as a writer and that’s why I respect him, but in my eyes no one has surpassed him and I’m going to be the first.
Who is Jamaal Malik Clymer, at age 12 and up to now?
I’m just a fan that loves to draw anime, video game or comic book characters. When I would see Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Spawn, I told myself that I wanna do that for the rest of my life.
What can you say about the Dark Blood manga?
Don’t want to say too much about it because I feel like we reveal too much of the story where the reader isn’t interested. All I can say is that it’s my first story with my own characters and I’ve been putting Volume 02 on hold and it’s about time to start working on it again.
What does it mean to be the greatest manga artist, original, master of fan art prints, bookmarks and commissions?
That if you’re in this business that you should want to be in the number one spot and if that isn’t the case you shouldn’t be in this business. When you have competition from everyone trying to get into that top spot you know you’re going to get the best out of everyone. When you don’t it gets slow and boring. That’s why I love to compete against different artist, writers, or whoever. If you compete against someone with no passion or desire to be number one then it’s pointless.
After exposure to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in Japan at age five, when you look at it now, how will you know you’ve reached the pinnacle?
When my mind tells me that I did it and it will take years for anyone to reach me.
What won’t you accept?
Because I know I’m number one.
When you hear the word nirvana, what comes to mind?
Nothing.
What work would you want to work on professionally that you have not currently?
Animation or video games.
How do you get through difficult requests?
Looking at yourself [and] knowing that you’re alive. To keep going until it’s your time.
You can also see
