Meet Marcus D. Newsome | Author, Illistrator & Animator
We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcus D. Newsome and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Marcus D., we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I took a risk when I quit my security job to pursue art full-time. I put all my focus in learning animation at Santa Monica College to sharpen my skills in storytelling and animation.
This one life-changing decision resulted in me developing a relationship with my instructor, artistic friends, and attaining an industry mentor. After publishing three volumes of Lightning Strike comics, I met my wife at a convention while tabling. We were married within the year and got pregnant on our wedding night. Our son Storey Blaze is a dream.
Our film “A Day in the Life” a short in the Lightning Strike world won the Afrocomicon International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award. I thank my wife as she was my editor. None of this would have been possible if I wouldn’t have quit my security job.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart is that I strive to create a collaborative, creative environment. I often host creative meetups providing a safe place to create. My wife is a crafter and cosplays with my son. My wife often has me draw her ideas. I’m most proud of my family. My wife is my partner in life and art.
In the beginning, my art was a form of escapism from 90s Compton that at that time was wrought with drugs, gangs, and police brutality. My mother, a single parent of 11 did her best to keep us out of the streets. With 8 boys, our household was chaotic. Although all my brothers could draw, I had a passion for it in which every time I would sit to draw, the world around me would disappear.
I arrived here professionally with many metaphorical scrapes, and bruises. Nothing has ever come easy to me. When I quit my job to pursue art, I lived out of my car. I overcame homelessness with my determination and stubbornness not to give up on my dream. I took every opportunity to create and sell my art. The most important lesson I learned in my journey is to surround myself with productivity, positivity and essentially fostering an artist’s dream environment. That’s why I named my studio is named Nuedreamz Studios.
I want the world to know that all obstacles can be overcome with thinking outside the box, hard work and determination. I’m constantly perfecting my craft.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First, depending on my friend’s tastes I would take them to these restaurants: Phat Noodle, Cliff’s Texas-style burrito, Tams Burgers on Long Beach Blvd., Planet Health Compton, and Shin Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen.
These attractions are a must: Art by Wash community center, Compton Art Museum, Compton City Hall meeting (Tuesday evenings) Getty Museum, Griffith Observatory, Lemert Park for live music, and the Comic Bug. When we aren’t outside of course we would be in my studio creating art.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shoutout to The Sketchy Bug group, Don Walker, Don Nguyen. Jerrell Conner, Irving Suero, Ceron Christie, Phillip & Paula May, Jimmy West, my mother, and most importantly My wife Lonnie Khanya Lucas.
Website: https://www.lightningstrike.store/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lscomicx?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
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