Welcome, J.J. Kocholek, to the first ever Legion of Myth member interview. Legion of Myth really appreciates you taking the time to support this small corner of the universe, and we are excited to promote you and your project across the internet.

For those of you who don't know, J.J. Kocholek, a Registered user on the Legion of Myth forums, writes and produces a comic book called The McGuffin Exchange. Our twenty questions will mostly revolve around this project of his.

Q: Can you give me a short synopsis of The McGuffin Exchange?

JJK: Sure, Jay and Simon are two couriers sent to the North Shore to deliver a package for their boss, "The Old Man," soon after arriving they run in to all kinds of strange and extraordinary things going on in this out of the way city.

Q: Whether overt or subtle, do you have an underlying theme to your story?

JJK: There are a few things in there. I don't want it to overshadow the fun and thrill of experiencing the story. If you walk away with something additional to being entertained, then great, we'll have something to talk about.

Q: Where did you get the idea for the story?

JJK: My friends and I had just finished making our first high school movie about time travel. My take on Ray Bradbury's, A Sound of Thunder. I wanted to do something scary and exciting, and being a new fan of X-Files, listening to Nine Inch Nails a lot, I penned the first 32 page draft while being juiced up on Rumplemintz and malt liquor.

Q: So, you have had this story in your head for quite some time then; what took you so long to get it all penned down and out to the waiting public?

JJK: Less Rumplemintz and malt liquor... but seriously folks. That summer, I wrote something simpler to enter into a video maker contest, which did horribly, but was still fun to make. Then it was off to college. Up to that point, it kept growing and growing until four of us graduated and decided to make it our first feature film under our Chocolate Thunder Productions banner. We couldn't raise the money in time so the team broke up. I moved back to the source of this story, Minnesota, and literally went back to the drawing board to adapt it to a comic book.

Q: Are the characters of Simon and Jayson based on anyone you know?

JJK: For sure, these characters embody some aspects of me. Most of the inspirational side of these characters comes from experiences in my life. Simon is to me the representation of all our aging heroes; at the time in his life where he feels stepped out of the spotlight and the world has moved on with out him. Jayson, I tried to use things I found both fun and annoying about people's behavior toward one another.

Q: How many issues do you plan on doing for this story?

JJK: Twelve, that's the plan; four acts, enough to tell the screenplay, which blew up from 32 pages to 101. There is a ton of back story and major characters that don't see the light in this tale, so there is a lot more material to use if it's necessary. I just found this point in all of it, the most attractive to expose to the audience.

Q: Is this comic book suitable for all ages, or is it more adult themed?

JJK: I think it's adult, and if it isn't there for some people it's going to get there. I stick the camera in places to obscure what may make you uneasy to look at for now. I mean the second to last page of issue one does have us looking through the hollowed out head of Jay's friend. There is going to come a point where I can't protect you any longer, evil is going to get up in your business.

Q: Will this story only be told in black and white?

JJK: The more we sell the more resources we have to reinvest. We did well enough in sales with the first issue to bump up the quality in paper for the second issue and my art got a bit savvier. Opting to use more shades of gray and not just straight pen and ink. I'd love to get color covers on future issues. Regardless; I'm always looking for ways to improve the book.

Q: How much time does it take for you to conceptualize an issue, storyboard it, and get it to final print?

JJK: My first outing took me almost three years. The second issue took me one year after, this last September (this is all while working a regular 40 hour a week job, etcetera. Ah, the life of the independent). The third will be done this spring, so I'm getting faster and better at it.

Q: What has been the most difficult step in making the comic book?

JJK: Continuity, with all the duties you take on publishing just one of these, you really have to mind the details. I get help from family on proof reading and continuity and that helps tremendously.

Q: After someone reads the first issue, what do you think will have your audience wanting - nay, needing - to read it again and to purchase subsequent issues?

JJK: Our heroes are going to be a lot of fun to watch, the story will be very engaging, and visually I believe people will be stunned. Weather you like it as a whole or not, I'm striving in all aspects to give you something you want to remember forever, like referencing a favorite movie or book when something happens in your life.

Q: Where can people go to purchase your comics?

JJK: www.jjkocholek.com, The Source Comics and Games, Uncle Sven's Comic Shoppe, Hot Comics & Collectibles, and Beyond Shinders, all in Minnesota. Just do an internet search for the locations it's easy to find.

Q: What other projects are you working on, or want to work on?

JJK: I have several other pieces of things in the works. I get ideas from dreams and life, all over, which help fill them out. I really try to keep the focus on The McGuffin Exchange. Though, I'd take a crack at anything.

Q: What inspires you?

JJK: Ideas, people, poverty (more specifically my own).

Q: How important is input from your fan base to you; do you consider their perspectives in your work?

JJK: I do very much value the fans input, it's my divining rod, telling me if I'm keeping on the right path or not. Their reaction is what I'm going for and if I don't get what I was looking for then I say o.k. that didn't work, what went wrong, let's get it right. Some times you get a reaction you didn't intend but it's sublime and you just thank the powers above for that extra help.

Q: If not you, who would you like to see direct the film version of McGuffin?

JJK: I've been a nut over Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's Evil Dead since high school. That's really what I started out doing with this way back then. I wanted this to be my zombie movie, like George Romero, of course it's gotten to be much more than that now. I still get a charge out of Tim Burton's dark interpretations. David Fincher can put this movie into the grimy reality it's set in, based on his Fight Club and Seven. I feel like I identified with Troy Duffy's work on Boondock Saints.

Q: Considering your appreciation for Sam Raimi, and similar appreciation for Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series of novels, have you formed an opinion about the new Legend of the Seeker television show that Sam Raimi is producing?

JJK: After watching 3 episodes I would like to give a huzzah for the Hercules and Xena formula coming back to T.V. With battle sequence, slow motion savory ness, no less.

Q: What can we expect from you in 2009?

JJK: At least one more issue, I'd like to have it by spring for the mini con at the Minnesota fair grounds. Another animatic based on issue 2 is in production. The first one you can see on my Facebook or MySpace profile, it's also up on you tube. My wife and I are expecting our first kid, so we've been working to get ready for that. We're very excited. Plus, who knows, 2009 is going to be as much of a surprise for us as it will be for our friends and fans, I think.

Congratulations to JJKocholek and his wife from Legion of Myth!!

Q: Are there any people, companies, or entities that you wish to thank or send a shout-out to?

JJK: First of all you guys at Legion of Myth for being great supporters, the crew at the Source for the same. My wife for keeping things at the fore front of my memory. All my friends scattered across the country for all the help they give me on this project.

Q: Here is the last question for you. Is there anything else you want to say, promote, or get off of your chest? In case you're concerned about how others will view you, gossip, conspiracies, and closet skeletons are welcome here.

JJK: I did not have sexual relations.... Juuuuust kidding. I would just encourage people to keep reading what I come out with. I really love the attention. Plus, I like to hear what you have to say. Contact me if you want an issue, an animation, or whatever. I hope to meet you down the road and we can talk a while.

Final comments from your interviewer, MaxLiao:

Once again, Legion of Myth thanks JJKocholek. As you read, he's a very busy person with a career, a budding family, and the McGuffin Exchange. We are thankful that he gave us the opportunity to interrupt his life for a moment, and wish him nothing but extraordinary success in his ventures. To find out more about JJKocholek and The McGuffin Exchange be sure to check out his web page www.jjkocholek.com, or send him a private message via this message board.

Links and locations identified in this interview:

McGuffin Exchange Homepage: http://www.jjkocholek.com The Source Comics and Games: http://www.sourcecandg.com/ Uncle Sven's Comic Shoppe: Yahoo Map Hot Comics & Collectibles: http://hotcomicsmn.com/ Beyond Shinders: Google Map