Interview: JPG Lays Down The Soundtrack to ‘Ninja Funk’

Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen

If it smells like Phunk it must be Ninja Funk from WhatNot Publishing! A fun, high-stakes adventure that comes with its own original face-melting soundtrack!

In the following interview, JPG — one-half of the musical duo Ninja Funk — gets us back on key with his universe-saving mini-series. On that promise frequency-bending warrior DJs, cyborg housecats, and a motley crew of electronic musicians fighting to restore their dying planet. Keep reading…

Troy-Jeffrey Allen: Word on the street is that you aren’t just a comic book writer, but also a retailer. Is this your debut comic?

JPG: Yes, a lifelong dream has become a reality with the release of Ninja Funk #1. I went from working 15 hours a day as a retailer to now passionately working 24 hours a day as a creator. I live and breathe Ninja Funk, even when I’m dreaming. Being a retailer, I wanted everyone around me to have the greatest experience. Now, being a creator, I am the one having the greatest experience. I’m thankful to Jack DeMayo and the Whatnot Publishing team for believing in it. Jack always says he just wants me to win. Because of this experience, I am. It’s changed my life forever.

TJA: Catch us up to speed. What is so funky about Ninja Funk?

JPG: Steve Schuitt and I wrote the story for Ninja Funk, but we also produced the music soundtrack to each issue. We wrote the music after the illustrations were done and drew inspiration from the scenes to create the music. This was done to give the maximum emotion for every scene.

TJA: Without giving too much away, the rhythm of the universe seems to be at stake. How did the universal rhythm get so broken?

JPG: When writing the story. We wanted to bring real music theory to Ninja Funk. In real life, music is tuned to 440 hertz. In Ninja Funk, some believe the Beat of Earth is set to 432 Hertz and all Music is Off-Key. There are groups that think this was done on purpose to easily control the minds of the people.We wanted to explore those concepts in a fantastic way, but we’re also talking about the broken rhythm we have always seen in our own universe.

TJA: A rag-tag band of misfits. Frequency-Bending Warrior DJs. Cyborg Housecats. Tell us about the players because the description of the cast characters seems nuts (in a good way)! Why are they important to this story?

JPG: Lazerwolf, the self-proclaimed leader of Ninja Funk, is a “Lazer Bender” that can cut through anything with precision. He wants to bring true harmony to the universe.

JPG Mcfly, an Afterlife Bot, is a long-distance marksman — not that he can’t fight, he just doesn’t want to get his drip dirty. He is searching for a meaning to his existence and does it with style.

Wolfgang is a cybernetically enhanced housecat and the master of all unheard frequencies. He is so overpowered that he willingly wears bionic gauntlets that depower him. Just like every cat, he does what he wants.

This is Ninja Funk and they are here to Save the Universe from B.A.D. Music.

TJA: This book is wildly unique but must have some inspiration from other sword and sorcery stories, right? Any in particular?

JPG: Yes, we draw inspiration from Arcane, Battle Chasers, Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones to name a few.

TJA: You share writing duties with Steve Schuitt. How do you two balance each other?

JPG: It’s awesome because we want key elements in this story to be unique. When we bounce ideas off each other, we ask each other if it’s been done before or hasn’t. That’s how we came up with the concept of the characters in the Ninja Funk Universe warping frequencies to create their powers or how dissonant frequencies could be the cause of our demise. We love that, we love to create things that are new and fresh. Having a writing duo really keeps the story closer to unpredictable.

TJA: What made artist Alex Riegel the right ninja for the job?

JPG: We were looking for someone that fit the vision of Ninja Funk. The most important thing to us was someone that could pull off dynamic, exciting, and memorable images. After dozens of artists, and even one industry veteran, Jon Bolerjack introduced us to Alex Riegel. Alex was off the charts, his style and his passion for art was unmatched.

When Jon introduced us, he knew he introduced us to a diamond in plain sight. Alex was always meant to be the Ninja Funk artist. He is the definition of how we want this universe to look.

TJA: Looking forward, what can readers expect from Ninja Funk?

JPG: A character-driven universe that we have outlined for each character for the next five years. We’re hoping you love some characters. We’re hoping you love to hate some characters. We love Ninja Funk and we hope you do too. Other than that, expect the unexpected.

Ninja Funk (APR221632) is available on November 2, 2022, at comic shops from WhatNot Publishing. Reserve your copy with PREVIEWSworld Pullbox.

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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the producer and co-host of PREVIEWSworld Weekly. His comics work includes MF DOOM: All Caps, Public Enemy’s Apocalpyse ’91, Fight of the Century, the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics, and the Ringo Award-nominated Magic Bullet.