Interview With Tom Bilyeu Of Impact Theory

Steve Aoki is a musician to most people, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Aoki is a talented man who has a huge following but lately, he’s been branching and exploring new routes. This new route is something geeks love; comic books. He’s teamed up with a publisher called Impact Theory and together they’re working on a sci-fi/cyberpunk themed comic book series titled Neon Future.

Photo Credit: Luis Gutierrez

I had the luxury of sitting down with Tom Bilyeu the founder of Impact Theory and co-creator of Neon Future. Bilyeu gave an amazing insight into the comic and a lot of the behind the scenes work. Bilyeu pitched Aoki the idea bringing life to it. It was something that came pretty easy.

“I approached Steve- he’s like-minded to me, very techno optimistic and I thought it’d be a lot of fun to tell a really great story based around his album series”.

It takes place in a dystopia tech-based world. Where there are two kinds of people, one where they have technology implanted in them or the others which are traditional people much like you and I. Bilyeu didn’t want to tell your typical dystopian story where you escape but one where you live together.

“There are so many dystopian stories that are about you know defeating the machines defeating A.I and we wanted to tell a different story. Could we find a third way where technology and humanity live in harmony together.”

Aoki isn’t the first artist to make a comic at all. One notable artist that did this and is doing it successfully is The Weeknd. Which is a very galaxy based comic called “Star Boy”.  This gave them, even more, hope that Neon Future would succeed as well.

One of the biggest things you’ll notice about this comic is, of course, the art, which has to be good in order to get anyone’s attention and they are successful in doing so. It’s very eastern and true to Aoki. Impact Theory had done some fantastic work by finding incredibly talented artists to do this as well. Even getting people who have worked for both Marvel and DC to help.

“We have worked with one of the most legendary artist working today who’s from South Korea a guy who’s named Kim Jung Gi.”

Photo Credit: Luis Gutierrez

The team has been pretty much on the same page from the start. As busy as Aoki is, he makes time to meet with Impact Theory. To get the ball rolling he’s been the key part in all of this. While he had the ideas, the team put it all together.

One great thing about this series is no matter how it is received, they are guaranteed six issues. They do hope to go for 18, however, to fully complete the story over three six-issue story arcs.

Bilyeu is very passionate about this project and his achievements thus far. He strongly believes that it will succeed and if not, he knows he’ll learn from the mistakes he made. He believes in the comic so much that they give it away for free at conventions!

“At all the cons we attend we give it away for free cause we just believe in the story. It stands on its own I don’t have to trick you into buying it.”

“If five years from now I don’t look back on Neon Future and feel a little embarrassment then I just haven’t improved.”

Bilyeu worked very hard to be where he is at today, a true self-made man. It definitely shows.

“I took myself from scrounging couch cushions to find enough change to put gas in my car. To building a billion-dollar business.”

The only way to get these comics currently is from their website “NeonFutureComics.com”, and you can buy it as it releases. You can download it online for free on the same website a month after the issue is out. If you want to wait for Neon Future at your local comic book store you’re going to have to wait till March 2019.

So if you find yourself with some free time do yourself a favor and read this! You won’t regret it, because it is worth the read.