From Screenplay to Comics: Finding the Form Gunpowder Was Always Asking For

Gunpowder: A Twelve‑Year Journey to the Page (and Beyond)

I’ve spoken elsewhere about how Gunpowder began life as a screenplay and slowly evolved over time. The first draft was written in 2011, a concept trailer was filmed in 2016, and the comic journey officially began in 2023. That’s a twelve‑year span.

A lot can happen in twelve years.

A Story That Wouldn’t Stay Buried

During that time, I wasn’t sitting at a desk endlessly rewriting Gunpowder. Life moved on. I worked on other projects, changed jobs, moved cities, and tried different creative paths. The script would sit untouched for months at a time.

But Gunpowder kept resurfacing.

No matter what else I was working on, the story lingered. I always knew I wanted to see it come to life in some form. I just didn’t know how, or when.

The Concept Trailer and the Reality Check

Filming the concept trailer in 2016 was an important step. It gave a glimpse of what Gunpowder could be in a cinematic form. It showed tone, atmosphere, and scale.

What it also showed was the reality: telling Gunpowder properly as a live‑action film would require a huge budget.

The trailer didn’t magically open doors to that level of funding. At the time, I convinced myself it would either be a script I’d sell, or something I’d eventually make once I’d reached a certain level as a director.

And still, the story kept coming back.

Hitting a Creative Wall

By 2023, I’d directed two feature films, shot three others, and was in talks to shoot another. On paper, things looked busy and productive.

Creatively, though, I was stuck.

I’d come out of a relationship breakup and wasn’t sure where my filmmaking journey was headed next. Around that time, I noticed a friend had launched their own comic series. I read the first issue and immediately saw the possibilities.

A comic costs the same to make whether it’s drama, horror, sci‑fi, or action.

That was the moment something clicked.

Maybe Gunpowder didn’t have to wait for permission from the film world.

Discovering Comics as a Medium

I reached out to Lucas from Free Fall Comics and organised a catch‑up. I had no idea how comics were made or whether adapting Gunpowder was even feasible. I pitched the idea anyway.

Lucas took it to his business partner, and together they agreed to help me get started. Gunpowder would become one of the creator‑owned stories under the Free Fall Comics banner.

I began learning comic formatting and structure and started adapting the screenplay. The plan was simple:

• Issue 1 would be Act One

• Issue 2 would take the story to the midpoint

• Issue 3 would cover the end of Act Two

• Issue 4 would be Act Three

Like any good plan, it didn’t survive first contact.

Learning the Comic Language

One of the most common screenwriting rules is “show, don’t tell.” In comics, this rule becomes even more critical. You can’t let conversations run for pages. Each panel has to work hard.

I had to strip scenes back to their essence and communicate as much as possible visually.

One of the best pieces of advice Lucas gave me was to end every right‑hand page with a mini cliffhanger. You need page-turners.

Using the screenplay as a template helped, until I hit action‑heavy sequences. One major fight alone stretched to nine pages. That meant getting creative:

• How can you progress story during action?

• How do fights develop a character?

• How do you pay off arcs without stalling momentum?

Originally, I was aiming for 35 pages per issue. By the time I reached Act Three, it was clear that wasn’t possible. The story needed five issues instead of four.

Building the First Team

After feedback and numerous rewrites, it was time to move forward.

Facebook turned out to be a surprisingly effective place to meet other creators, and the comic community was incredibly supportive. Lucas recommended Riccardo Faccini, who was also working on Roundhouse Hooligans. I saw some test pages and brought him onboard, followed shortly by Daniel Junior as colourist.

Together, they brought the cinematic qualities of Gunpowder to life on the page.

The First Kickstarter — Trial by Fire

My initial ambition was modest but clear. We’d create the first 15 pages and use those to launch a Kickstarter. The campaign would fund the rest of the issue.

In reality, nothing went according to plan.

Production took longer, costs piled up, and I realised I’d need to fund most of the issue upfront and hope to be reimbursed through crowdfunding. I was already financially committed, and Gunpowder had become my main creative outlet.

So I pushed ahead.

I started building a social media presence around the launch, using my filmmaking skills to create content. Watching the pages come in was incredibly rewarding.

Even though it wasn’t film, the story was finally alive.

Delays, Lessons, and Issue #1

Personal circumstances eventually slowed illustration work, then brought it to a halt. Momentum was lost, and the launch had to be delayed.

Still, we pushed on.

The Issue #1 Kickstarter launched in 2024. It surpassed its modest funding goal, but it wasn’t a financial windfall. I still considered it a success.

I’d learned the production workflow, how to run a campaign, and how to fulfil rewards. Most importantly, I’d proven that Gunpowder could exist as a comic.

Change, Inevitably

Riccardo was unable to continue as illustrator, and Mauricio Caballero joined the project. Changing art style mid‑series is never ideal, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.

It took time to adjust. Now, I love the new art just as much as the original.

Finding Stability Through Issue #2 and #3

Issue #2 began mid‑2024, with a Kickstarter planned for early 2025. I adjusted my expectations. My funding goal shifted to covering printing and postage, with anything extra going toward future issues.

The campaign launched later than hoped but was successful enough to keep the series moving.

I attended events and conventions to promote Gunpowder. Some broke even. Some didn’t. But each one helped build a fan base.

Eventually, I made the decision to retain 100% ownership of the property, which meant parting ways with Free Fall Comics. I’ll always be grateful for their help. The series wouldn’t exist without them.

Issue #3 and the Reality of Crowdfunding

Issue #3 launched in early 2026 and became my slowest campaign yet. I saw behind the curtain of crowdfunding: constant spam emails, reversed pledges, and the pressure of maintaining an online presence.

Talking to other creators made it clear that things were getting tougher across the board.

Still, the campaign succeeded in doing what it needed to do. It paid for printing and postage.

Looking Forward, With Intent

Now, in 2026, Issue #4 is well underway. I’ve learned a lot. But I’ve also realised something important.

Gunpowder can’t just be another project I work on when I have time.

After a conversation with a friend from church, I was forced to confront bigger questions. What comes next? How do I reach a wider audience? How do I eventually bring this world to screen?

The answer might be animation.

That shift requires commitment. It means giving Gunpowder the attention it deserves and taking responsibility for every aspect of its growth.

Where We Are Now

I’m currently researching animation approaches, mapping out Issues 6–10, and becoming more deliberate about building the audience around the project. From here on, Gunpowder moves forward with full ownership, full responsibility, and a clear long‑term vision.

If I don’t know how to do something, I’ll learn.

The story deserves that much.