[Interview] Ian Flynn | One Man and His Original Works

“Man plans, God laughs.”

This week at Miketendo64, we have cooked up something extra special and its all thanks to a gentleman named Ian Flynn. As a long time writer and creative consultant, Ian Flynn’s extensive career has been an impressive story in itself and we recently had the chance to talk about with him at great length. So, strap yourselves in for a five part interview series as we go over Ian Flynn’s elaborate career, covering his involvement in the cancelled ARMS graphic novels, his extensive work with Sonic the Hedgehog and so much more.

While Part 4 covered Ian Flynn’s involvement with the ARMS graphic novel series, in our final instalment, we’re moving away from IPs owned by other parties and are instead discussing Ian Flynn’s own unique creations:

Got to be Ian it to Flynn it:

Miketendo64: Before we dive right into the probing questions, we always like to begin by asking a couple of easier questions first. Therefore, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a bit about yourself and your background?

Ian Flynn: I’m Ian Flynn, a freelance writer and creative consultant. I’ve worked in comics, television, streaming media, video games and other published media. Done a fair bit of ad copy too. I’m best known for my nearly twenty-year stint on Sonic the Hedgehog related media and my 55-issue run on Mega Man. I grew up in Charlotte, NC and later settled in Toronto, ON. I’ve had a variety of odd jobs over the years, but my career and passion has always been in creative writing.

Miketendo64: Having been involved in the likes of ARMS graphic novels that never came to full fruition, and a couple of Nintendo IP related books, if you had the chance to be as involved with a Nintendo IP as much as you have been involved with Sonic the Hedgehog, what would be your dream IP?

Ian Flynn: StarFox. No question, no hesitation. I would love to do a robust retelling of the story that began in StarFox 64, follow that thread through StarFox Command, and then follow Marcus’s tenure as the third McCloud. I know exactly what I’d do. I have the vision.

One Man and His Original Works:

Miketendo64: While you’ve been heavily involved in a variety of Sonic the Hedgehog projects in recent years, you’ve also been working hard at producing your own original content. In the case of The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee, how did the initial idea come to you?

Ian Flynn: I have a bad habit of plotting out grand, sweeping epics. Klaws McGee was an exercise in keeping things simple and fun. Eventually it got plotted out through a few books, but the core focus is still to be on whimsy and humor.

Miketendo64: For our readers unfamiliar with The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee, can you tell us a bit about the series and specify some of the hijinks that ensure in the first two volumes?

Ian Flynn: It’s a fantasy-comedy about Klaws McGee across his nine, very different lives. What’s unclear at the moment is if there really are nine different McGees, or if they’re all tall tales told by an old man to entertain his grandson. Is the Jangle Bell a reality-shifting totem of arcane power – or just a jingly little bell?

Miketendo64: How many designs did you and Jonathan Griffiths (Art) have to go through before you created the one that made you say “this is our Klaws McGee!!”?

Ian Flynn: Jon is an absolute dynamo at character design. His style and sense of comedic timing are brilliant and why I sought him out specifically. Almost everyone was nailed in the first pass, and any second attempts usually came down to me not having a clear direction at the start.

Miketendo64: Having collaborated with Jonathan Griffiths (Art) and Reggie Graham (Colours) on the The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee, what brought you guys together to work on issue #1 in the first place?

Ian Flynn: Jon is one of the people I’ve wanted to work with for years. We had collaborated on a horror/dark comedy book at one point but it feel through, so I was itching for another chance to work with him. His style and humor were a perfect fit for Klaws McGee.

Reggie has done gorgeous work on the IDW Sonic Series titles, so combining his talents with Jon’s was a no-brainer.

Miketendo64: With two instalments out already, both very reasonably priced on your online store, do you have a rough idea as to how many instalments you wish to create for the series during its run?

Ian Flynn: There’s sixteen planned issues, broken up across four trades (and maybe one omnibus?). Production is slow since I’m funding it out of pocket, but the dream lives on.

Miketendo64: Are there any particular fantasies you’re looking forward to tackling in a future instalment of The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee?

Ian Flynn: The first two issues establish the nine lives and a lot of the players in them. From here it’s building upon that foundation, exploring each of the goofy little scenarios, and having fun with all the characters and their antics.

Miketendo64: With a very busy schedule, has any work for a The Nine Lives of Klaws McGee #3 gotten underway and if so, is there anything you can tease for this new instalment in terms of ideas or concept art?

Ian Flynn: It’s plotted out, but there’s nothing to show for it yet.

Miketendo64: Another personal project you have in the works is Drogune. Dating as far back as 2016 with its original run being adapted into a downloadable comic and a book on the way, how much has Drogune changed in the last eight years?

Ian Flynn: It’s changed a lot in some ways, and not at all in others. The pacing of how we’ll tell the story, the order of some events, the look of the characters and the world – those have all evolved over time as we experimented and learned. Fine details about the world and species have been tinkered with. But the crux of the story – Wynd struggling to find justice and an outlet in a cosmos that’s co-opted her heritage and identity – remains the same.

Miketendo64: Being the science-fantasy epic that it is, Drogune is the story of Wynd Tevan. Said to be the last of her species, a species comparable to gods and “the creators of the Six Realms,” Wynd Tevan is does her best to stay ahead of the Galaxant, who was created by the Drogune themselves. What drove you to create this narrative and how does it differ to your other existing works?

Ian Flynn: I’ve spent my entire career doing licensed material. I’m very thankful for the opportunities and to work on properties near and dear to my heart, but they will never be mine. I see no residuals and, ultimately, am a footnote to franchises’ legacies. Every creative decision is scrutinized by at least two layers of approvals, if not more.

Drogune is mine. My story, my vision, my mythos. I’m collaborating with Adam Bryce Thomas, of course. He’s been critical to realizing the vision and has been a source of inspiration. But this is something I can claim as my own. If it grows into something that defines me, that’s great. If it never gets attention beyond a niche crowd, that’s fine too. It’s mine, I made it, and that is immensely liberating and satisfying.

Miketendo64: Having shared a sneak peak of Drogune: Ether Ore, to your Patreon supporters back in December 2023, how was the initial feedback and how has work on Drogune: Ether Ore progressed since?

Ian Flynn: Folks are excited. For one thing Adam’s art is always on point, so it of course it looks gorgeous. For another, we’re finally making progress on realizing the full vision instead of experimenting and taking things at our own pace. We’re aiming for a Summer 2024 release, but I want to be sure we do it right rather than do it fast.

Miketendo64: In a previous news post from January 2024, you previously stated work on Book One is in full production and that optimistically, “it could be as early as this summer.” Now that we’re in April, is Summer 2024 still a possible but optimistic release window or is it starting to appear more like a general Autumn / Winter 2024 release?

Ian Flynn: Adam wants it out by summer. I live by the motto: “man plans, god laughs.” We hope for the best and plan for the worst.

Miketendo64: Having been involved with Drogune for as long as you have, what have been the hardest parts of trying to make Drogune a reality?

Ian Flynn: The logistics, mostly. It’s easy to produce a book when a publishing house is paying for everything and organizing all the moving parts. With just the two of us, with little experience beyond our specializations, there have been challenges. We also wasted a whole year shopping it around to publishers. We should’ve stuck to our guns and stayed full indie.

Miketendo64: Given how extensively tied and pivotal you have been to the story of Sonic the Hedgehog in recent decades, how have you found the creative process of working on an established IP not of your making and those that are? Are you able to separate the multiple worlds existing in your head?

Ian Flynn: They’re different worlds. When I’m working on the Sonic Series, I’m in that zone. When I’m working on Drogune, I’m in that realm. They don’t intermingle with each other or anything else I’m working on.

Miketendo64: Long term, what are your hopes for plans for the Drogune series?

Ian Flynn: Full multimedia explosion. Books, games, merch, animation – the full gamut. I’m a kid of the ‘80s, and I still remember the joy of hunting down toys and eagerly awaiting the next episode of each cartoon I was into. I’ve gone from a consumer of a brand to a maker of it, and I love both sides of that coin. I want Drogune to be a source of that joy for others. I want it to be a world they can get lost in, revel in, and play in. In return I get to create for it and enjoy their enjoyment.

But we have to get that first book out. I can dream big, but the reality has to be achieved first.

Alas, the end has been reached at last. It’s been a long week and Ian Flynn has graced us with many fantastic answers, which we are grateful for. We hope you enjoyed this five-part series as much as we did.