Super Pro K.O.! Show : The Incredible World of Jarrett Williams

It’s been awhile but I’m back! The best part is that Super Pro K.O.! 3 Season is well underway. It all begins with a new exhibition called “The Super Pro K.O.! Show: The Incredible World of Jarrett Williams.” This exhibit is up at the FAB Gallery at South Carolina State University through October 16^th. It includes a ton of  work, mostly from Super Pro K.O.: Gold for Glory! coming from Oni Press in early 2016. More on that soon :)

What’s great about having this show is that it gives readers a brand new way to engage my comics.  I owe Giordano Angeletti, a professor at SCSU, for really making this show happen. It’s great having such supportive people in my corner.  Check out some photos below:

Here’s my Artist Statement for the exhibit:

“When it comes to making comics, I have always drawn inspiration from my childhood. I think back to my youth and the things that encouraged me to pursue a creative career in my adulthood. In the mist of the books, comics, board games, LEGO, videogames, cartoons, and movies, there was also one other interest. I was the epitome of a pro-wrestling fan.

Saturdays consisted of my relatives and I watching Midsouth Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). The real-life heroes of the ring were so amazing to me and my love for wrestling went well beyond college and into the present. When Oni Press decided to publish my original graphic series, Super Pro K.O.! (S.P.K.O.!) , I was beyond ecstatic. This was the result of years of working the comic convention circuit looking to get my big break. I finally had a chance to create a fictional pro-wrestling world where the characters were just as over-the-top as the stars I recalled from my childhood. I used my personal experiences breaking into the comic industry as a frame of reference to showcase my main character, Joe Somiano, rising up the heavyweight-ladder within S.P.K.O.!

This exhibition contains a significant amount work from Super Pro K.O.!: Gold for Glory (releasing in April 2016). This is my third graphic novel, and over 280 pages so I’m truly proud of what I accomplished here. Fun characters, detailed-environments, dynamic energy, comedic writing, and nonstop action--it’s everything I love about comics. I worked on this book over 2.5 years. If I can make the reader feel like they’re experiencing a live, Super Pro K.O.! event, then I’ve been successful at my job. And who knows, it might lead them to become a fellow pro-wrestling fan as well. “

I’m pumped about the artist talk I’ll be giving on Tuesday, September 29^th at 2:30pm at the B. Vaughan Recital Hall. I’ll be talking my journey into comics so far and what’s ahead. 2016 is the year! Stay tuned!

Later,

Jarrett