Interview Time: MADE IN KOREA Writer, Jeremy Holt
This interview was conducted by Chris Doucher, Editor-in-Chief, Writer and Comic Panel Moderator for GeekNerdNet. (Image credits to: Jeremy Holt, and Image Comics)
Recently, I had the absolute pleasure to chat with writer, Jeremy Holt, about MADE IN KOREA. It’s Holt’s latest comic book series—and first published work with IMAGE COMICS. The six-issue miniseries written by Holt, art by George Schall, and lettering by Adam Wollet, makes its highly-anticipated debut this Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at your local comic shop. To say that I’m excited about this series would be a massive understatement. Holt gives us a bit of a background behind MADE IN KOREA, and the personal connection to it:
“It’s an artificial intelligence story focusing on identity…I have always felt that a good A.I. story is rooted in an adoption story, and I’ve just never seen anyone tackle that head on. So as a trans-racial adoptee, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to both explore my own identity—that I’ve been exploring in all my books—but this time doing it through the lens of science fiction.”
Holt and I also discuss about their previous publishing success, and how landing a published book with IMAGE was like landing the Holy Grail. We also discuss the importance of representation, as Holt says:
“I wanted to specifically create a protagonist that is Korean because I think representation is really important. I think that the fact that this book is coming out when it is—considering it was delayed due to the pandemic—I think it’s really interesting timing that Hollywood is recognizing more POC’s (*people of colour)…it’s an exciting time to be telling stories that don’t exclusively involve white people.”
Holt also shares recent interactions with people who have reached out to them about experiences, and how they’re excited to read a story that is intimately their own. Having now read issue one of this series, I’ll say this about it: Be sure you pick up MADE IN KOREA, a one-of-a-kind, original, engaging, and thought-provoking story.
Go on, hit play below, watch, and enjoy the full interview with Jeremy Holt.