Tee Franklin discusses passion project Bingo Love, a graphic novella she created with artists Jenn St-Onge and Joy San. The project was posted on Kickstarter in mid-March and quickly reached its funding goal. Among other unique aspects, Bingo Love is a type of story that doesn’t exist anywhere else in comics–find out why you should check it out.

Graphic Policy: First, thank you for taking the time to speak to me! Would you mind introducing yourself?

Tee Franklin: Thanks so much for having me. I’m Tee Franklin, a writer with story in a few books, maybe you’ve heard of Image Comics’ Nailbiter and IDW/DC Comics Love is Love. I’m also the creator of #BlackComicsMonth.

GP: Your new comic, Bingo Love, is debuting on Kickstarter. Can you describe the project?

TF: Bingo Love is Black Mirror’s San Junipero meets Academy Award winning Moonlight. It’s got love, heartbreak, tragedy, and a honeymoon to Iceland.

GP: Based on the previews, the art and writing mesh beautifully. How did this creative team come together?

TF: The art and colors are absolutely a match made in heaven. I actually put out a tweet looking for LGBTQ women artists and colorists and Joy dropped her link in the tweet. Jenn and I have been trying to find the perfect project for us to work together on and Bingo Love worked out perfectly. After seeing the first page by both women, I knew this was going to be huge.

Editor Erica Schultz has been a great friend for years and she knows I have a phobia of the red ink, so she edits with various colors. Erica knew of Cardinal Rae’s lettering work and vouched for them.

We are The A-Team!

GP: You also have some great stretch rewards. Could you tell us about them?

TF: Oh goodness, we have skype sessions with Kelly Sue, Scott Snyder, Gail Simone and Steve Orlando. Script and portfolio reviews from Al Ewing, Kieron Gillen, Patrick Thorpe, Shawn Pryor, Bryan Edward Hill and Erica Schultz, Of course variants from Nilah Magruder, Genevieve Eft, and Carla McNeil.

I’m truly blessed that there are so many creators who were willing to donate their time to help Bingo Love come to fruition.

GP: You’re also curating the Mental Health Anthology, which is set for crowdfunding later this year. I’ve noticed you’re using two different crowdfunding platforms. Is there a difference in how each platform allows you to fund and market these projects?

TF: The Mental Health Anthology will be happening later this year or possibly next year, depending on how things go. I will say that I was not mentally prepared to read a lot of these stories that many have shared and I have to practice self-care. This anthology is still happening as it means a lot to me.

The reason for Indiegogo is because Kickstarter doesn’t allow funds to go to charity and this project’s funds are going straight to charity after printing and shipping expenses.

GP: Your works have also covered a number of different genres. How do these allow you to explore different types of storytelling? Is there a genre you haven’t gotten to write or draw yet that you’d like to?

TF: I’ve built several worlds in my head. I had a very rough childhood, young adulthood and adulthood, so for me, my escape was the worlds that I created. I’m blessed that I can write different genres and not just known as the “horror” writer or the “all-ages” fantasy writer.

As far as what I’d like to write, it would just be DC Comics Vixen. I’m not a huge cape fan, but boy oh boy would I love to get a chance to write Vixen. I even have the pitch ready to go upstairs in my head.

GP: What drew you to comics as opposed to other forms of storytelling?

TF: Comics are just so damn cool. I got into comics as a child and even though it was all superheroes, there was something that grabbed my interest. As an adult, I’m over the capes. I want murder, mayhem, horror, dragons, romance, mystery, robbery, etc.

Just give me anything besides capes and make sure that there’s representation in the book!

GP: What freedoms does crowdfunding allow you as opposed to traditional publishing?

TF: I wouldn’t consider it freedom, it’s just me writing from my soul. These stories aren’t stories that traditional publishers wants, because they believe it won’t sell. The problem is they don’t know how to market these books and truly believe that POC won’t buy any books that tell vital stories. Judging by the Kickstarter being funded in 5 days, I beg to differ.

Do better publishers, the people want these stories by creators of color. Representation Matters.

GP: I remember reading you saying during Oscar season that there were no comics out that reflected the themes or experiences of the characters in Hidden Figures, Fences, or Moonlight. What were some of the thematic influences for Bingo Love?

TF: Yep. I definitely did say that. There are books out there, but they’re written by white creators and it doesn’t have the same narrative as these Oscar-nominated books. A few days before the Oscars, I watched Moonlight, (I heard about it, but never got a chance to catch it until it came out OnDemand.) and realized that the movie reminded me of Bingo Love.

These stories are needed, not just for film and tv, but also in books.

GP: What are you most excited for readers to see with this comic?

TF: Everything! This love story is one for the ages, it spans across a lifetime so there’s a wedding, a honeymoon, and DRAMA! We want to tell this vital story and hope that it resonates with everyone. I’d be over the moon if a senior citizen reached out to tell me that they lived this story.

GP: Is there anything you’d like to discuss that I didn’t ask you about?

TF: Thanks so much for interviewing us for Graphic Policy. I know this is a different type of comic, but sometimes you need to embrace something that’s not the norm. Love is Love is Love is Love and this comic has so much love in it. We want everyone to be open and respectful to those who love differently than they do. We need more love and kindness in the world.

GP: Thank you again!