Meet Kanon Daniel | Comic Arist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kanon Daniel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kanon, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I could remember, being creative in any way made me happy. From doodles in my school notes to little stories I’d write in my journals, I enjoyed being able to express myself. It was a passion that never went away. If anything, it only became amplified when I really threw myself into reading comics and delving into these wild stories. At the time, it was a nice escape from the crazy world around me. I didn’t realize how important that could be for someone until I was older, and this journey as an artist became more and more about creating an escape for other people, not just myself, when that realization really hit me. At the end of the day, if I can make one person feel a little better or safer or inspired somehow from my work, then I’d consider that a success. I want to do for people what so many stories did for me at a bad time in my life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently, I am working on a comic published under WildStar Press. I was lucky to speak with them when they first came about, and they were willing to take a chance on me. ‘Plastic Crown’ is the first comic I’ve actually put out there on my own. I do everything from the writing to the drawing down to the lettering. And because it’s my first, I’m extremely excited to continue learning through creating it. I don’t know if I’d call the path to where I am now easy. Of course, the current situation with the world hasn’t been easy on anyone, and it’s hard to work through such difficult times. And it’s different for everyone, but for me, I found that throwing myself into my work and passion helped me weather the storm, but also knowing when to step away and check in with people. It’s okay to work hard, but getting lost in your work isn’t always a good thing either. I had to learn the hard way about balancing those sides of my life, and am still learning to do so. It’s okay to escape for a moment, be it through a chat with a friend or sitting down to play an hour of Animal Crossing. And maybe people can do that with my story. I want my work to be seen as a form of escape for people if they need it. A distraction from the chaotic world outside their door. Honestly, everyone could use some form of escape right now.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
While I am a homebody, Atlanta is full of fun places to visit. When I can pull away from my work and go out with friends, we’ve been known to normally take a trip to Mellow Mushroom for example or walk down to Atlantic Station and look around at the shops for a few hours for fun. And if a Marvel movie is out, you will definitely find us waiting in line for the midnight premiere at the theater! Another spot I love showing people is Sweet Hut, even if we can never get a seat inside, it has a great menu. There’s also a newer place I’ve only been to once, but definitely want to go to again called My Fair Sweets. The shakes and other treats were amazing and the staff was so friendly. It’s definitely on the top of the list of places I would want to take people.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m so very lucky to have so many people I want to recognize here! My whole family, for one, has always been my biggest supporters since day one. It still blows my mind sometimes how supportive they are, but it only makes me want to work harder to make them proud. Not to mention, I had a great instructor in high school who really helped me grow into my own as an artist and start to help me figure out the right direction for myself going forward. Then of course my professors at SCAD helped me refine my craft even further, and passed down their first hand knowledge of the industry to me along with my amazing peers. Who were also a great form of support. We were like a little family that always hyped each other up, and still do so to this day. Finally, I owe a big shoutout to the amazing and hardworking WildStar Press, my publisher who took a risk on me. They’ve been absolutely amazing to me, and I don’t know what I’d be doing right now without them!

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