We were lucky to catch up with Zack Flavin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Zack, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

So when we last spoke I believe I was just working on breaking my way into the industry, animation to be specific. At the time I had starry eyes at all the possibilities my career could bring me to. Jump forward to today I’ve worked 3 industry jobs, some freelance that may or may not ever see the light of day, gone through a global pandemic, and have illustrated two published books.

I worked some cool jobs in the industry, one of my favorites was working development at Cartoon Network. I was able to work with some of the most incredible minds in my field, people I had always admired growing up. It also fueled my love and appreciation for visual story telling! Growing up I always loved coming up with stories, characters, and worlds that I could share with my friends. I’d make little comic books that i’d pass around my class. People came to expect the newest instalment of what ever I was making! Working development gave a boost to my storytelling capabilities making me dust off a story I’d been dreaming of making since high school.

Long before I even left northern california to pursue animation I was thinking up a story called Ninja Mage. It’s essentially my spin on the Hero’s Journey, A young war orphan wants desperately to fit into his magical world. with inspiration from Shonen Anime like Dragon Ball or One Piece, and video games like Final Fantasy. It’s what made me take the leap of faith to pursue a BFA in Illustration. I knew in my heart I wanted to develop it into a series, at first I was developing it as a comic book because that’s what I was familiar with. It’s a medium that allows infinite control on the part of the creator, as long as I can draw and write there’s nothing stopping me from making it.

During the Pandemic I was working remote as a DPA (digital production assistant) on the series Central Park. Prior to this I was on Bob’s Burgers till they switched me over to Central Park. Something about that switch, it’s like something clicked in my brain, I found myself unhappy, the work I was making felt redundant. I was a cog in the machine, not an individual. I had these hopes that by this point i’d be finding myself into stable art work, but that didn’t seem to be the direction my career was heading. And then I took mushrooms.

I feel like this is where a whole other interview needs to be devoted to this key point.

As I mentioned earlier I was feeling unhappy, it got me pursuing means of finding contentment. Friends had mentioned that I should try microdosing magic mushrooms, so I gave it a go. I found peace, and with that peace a gnawing realization, I was unhappy and stagnating in my career. I found myself asking myself what would make me happy? If I had millions of dollars and unlimited resources what would I like to do with my time? Every time I asked, my gut kept saying “work on your story man, work on Ninja Mage!” So I did what anyone fresh off a psychedelic experience would do, I quit my job!

I took this moment to take a risk on my story, and on my art. I knew I was climbing an uphill battle, but from what I saw working in development, there’s no such thing as a safe path when it comes to getting your project greenlight.

At first I wanted to pursue making Ninja Mage as an indie animated series, working with my savings and some friends to hire other artists for a pitch bible. I’m really grateful for the moment as it really helped turbo charge the story to be able to work collaboratively with others. I got in touch with one of my college friend William Terry who was more of a writing major then I was and asked his help further developing the story. I spent a good year developing the story with Will till money ran out and I found myself broke and working instacart to survive. I took on a lot of odd jobs but I still kept working on my story, with no money I went back to the drawing board, back to square one. Animation is an expensive and unforgiving medium, and suddenly the blind mushroom filled optimism was sobering to reality. There was no way I personally could animate a full 11 minute pilot in a reasonable timeline, but there was another option… As I said earlier, comics are a great medium, if you can draw and write you can make a story! So I pivoted from animated indie pilot back to a comic book. I already had the story developed now the key was telling it.

Over the past year I went on to outline the whole first book ‘Ninja Mage: A Hiro’s Journey’ and completely drew the first chapter and prologue. My goal is 3 chapters for the first book, I’ve self published one chapter and put it on amazon available for paperback! Ultimately the plan is super ambitious, from there, a large shonen manga style series, with around 12 books planned. Currently I’m in the middle of chapter 2 which is looking to be even more ambitious then the first one. Maybe the goal is just 1 upping myself? Regardless this story is the the story I would have wanted to read as a kid, so even if it never reaches its goal of a full animated series, at the very least I’m happy knowing it exists! The story remains to be said if this risk leaving my stable industry job to pursue my own story will be viewed as a stroke of genius, or a manic magic mushroom fever dream. But at the very least I’m working on the project I love and enjoying myself as an artist again. Even if i’m not a room away from executives that can make my dreams come true, I feel like i’m further along now towards my dream then I would be had I have stayed at Bento Box(Studio that produces Bob’s Burgers and Central Park)!

I’m grateful every day that I’ve been able to find a groove with this and that I can devote my time almost fully to this project. And though I’m at the start of a whole new journey I find with every page the work gets easier and like I’m coming back to life from years of just not feeling like myself. It’s wild how art can be in a sense such a spiritual process. As artists we know in our soul what we want out of life, give me a pen or a brush, a canvas, an ipad, a wacom, I don’t care what. If money stopped mattering tomorrow, if AI took my job, could it really? There’s a freedom in being a self employed artist making your story, no one can downsize you but you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Growing up the weird neural divergent kid in a conservative northern california town I found myself hiding myself. I looked for escapism in my art, coming up with whole worlds where I felt accepted or things were more in my control. There was a comfort in that. I grew up watching a LOT of anime, and this was 2000, Toonami series. Dragon Ball, Outlaw Star, that sort of thing. Key point it was 2000, this wasn’t like today where you can wear an anime sweater and be seen as potentially cool. I got my ass kicked regularly for what I loved. Bullying was a daily occurance in my youth.

But in a lot of ways that rejection in a bitter sweet way is what allowed me to get better in my craft. Going from a kid who was passionate about art to a working professional. I came up with the protagonist of Ninja Mage, Hiro, during this time. I wanted to imagine a version of me that could stand up for himself, someone who wasn’t afraid. From there the story developed around Hiro. At the start it was just an excuse to hyperfixate draw this avatar of coolness. But as the world became more solid so did the character.

As far as my pride as an artist goes Ninja Mage is the thing that brings me the most joy. It’s the story I want to draw, a fun quirky anime inspired action modern fantasy!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Honestly working odd jobs to make my story. There were so many times I found myself crying in my car wondering if I was making the right choice, if this story was worth all the struggle to make. I’m grateful for my fiance, she’s stood by my side even when I was in manic mushroom mindset. Even as the dust settled she could see fully why I was passionate about Ninja Mage.

So many nights I couldn’t fall asleep thinking everyone I knew from the animation industry just thought I was a failure burn out at best, a snake oil salesman at worst. There were a lot of moments during the first year I devoted to building this business that I think I’d do over given the chance. You find out quickly in these moments who are your real family/friends because they genuinely love and support you, and who are just there for what you can bring them.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think anyone of sound mind would think I was insane for quitting my stable 9 to 5 industry job to pursue making a comic book. And truly I agree! But half the fun of being an artist is your brain isn’t like the other kids. So long in my life did I seek acceptance from people that were never going to understand me. The best stories didn’t wait for the right moment. You don’t see the years before Squid Games came out where the creator was struggling just to pay his bills. In his life time Van Gogh was misunderstood and underappreciated. Fingers crossed hopefully I don’t have to wait till after my death for people other than me to enjoy my story!

For a long time I’ve equated this drive to make my story like a fire. There were times where that flame was little more then an ember, barely surviving as the problems of life beat me to an inch of giving up. But I kept that ember safe, let it grow. In many ways that drive is whats saved my life till this point. That sense of purpose. Many people spend their whole existence trying to figure out what their purpose is what they’d be happy doing, I’m fortunate enough to know exactly what my goal is, and the only one stopping me is me!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @flavinflave
• Other: tiktok – @ninjamagecomic

  Amazon – https://a.co/d/068a48CJ

Image Credits

Ninja Mage Copyright 2021-2024 Zack Flavin