Creative Director Kirk Benshoff answers questions about 23rd St.'s vision, first year, its next steps, and more:
 |
|
| Kirk Benshoff | |
23rd St. just wrapped its first year--how does it feel seeing the imprint fully out in the world?
In a word, satisfying. This is something that we've wanted to do for a very long time. Seeing the first wave of 23rd Street titles in the wild is surreal after years of proposals, planning, and production. First Second has always been on the cutting edge with publishing for all stages of readers: early readers, middle grade, young adult, and adult. Publishing all kinds of content on all kinds of perspectives. Since First Second has grown so much, it only made sense to carve out a new space to focus on the adult market. Giving our readers who have been with us from the beginning cutting edge stories as they grow into adulthood. It really hit me how exciting this new chapter is going to be when I went into a bookstore and saw a bunch of our titles on display: Harrowing Game, Saint Catherine, The Giant, and Drome. Knowing right on the heels of these amazing books, we had more on the way. It feels good! It's needed! It's VERY satisfying!
What were your biggest creative goals when shaping 23rd St.'s identity, and how have they evolved over the year?
This is something I work very closely with Mark Siegel on. We want 23rd Street to be fun, sexy, exciting, scary, thrilling, and more! We want 23rd Street to be an escape from the everyday. So as we find new projects, look for new talent, and package our books.... We're always keeping those adjectives in mind. We're not constraining ourselves to any specific vision, but rather opening the flood gates to innovate. As the years have progressed, it's been the creative challenge to meet every creative challenge with our books with the equal amount of support.
How did you approach defining the look and feel of 23rd St., and what makes it visually distinct from other imprints?
I wanted 23rd Street to exude strength with a grand presence. Looking at the logo for the imprint itself, the convergence of the 2 and 3 gives the sense of two sides of a building at the corner of an intersection. A hat tip to the origins of First Second at the Flatiron Building, But the angle of the 2 and 3 also gives the feeling of two large objects merging into each other. Where our readers started with First Second as an entry point for comics, readers grow up to the more sophisticated and mature content of 23rd Street. Where the convergence of great stories and incredible art push the boundaries of the medium.
What's been your proudest creative moment so far?
In my role, I'm really there to help clear the runway so our creators can do their best work. My proudest creative moment is watching our creators revel in the success of their hard work. Making comics is inherently difficult, especially if you are doing everything by yourself. It can be a long journey that's affected by all types of things, both good and bad. By the time our creators have finished their pages, these books have become an extension of the creators themselves. So to see the public read the books, rave about them, and our creators on cloud nine... that's the thing I'm most proud of.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next phase of 23rd St.?
I'm over the moon excited about the opportunities to work with new people! I want to work with creators that have only worked in the direct market space. I want to grow our authors who have written for First Second and have them move on to the 23rd Street adult market. I also love the search for finding new and undiscovered talent. I'm excited about the opportunity to push the boundaries of what comics can do. Introducing new types of comics in the U.S. market that may be normal in other parts of the world. We have this rare opportunity to grow with our readers who start reading as part of First Second and keep reading into the 23 Street lists. I'm delighted to watch the 01/23 family get even bigger and publish really cool books!