When Death Stops Working: Talking Indie Comics with Laurie Calcaterra
Episode 91
Independent comics continue to be one of the most exciting spaces in storytelling today, and few creators embody that creativity and hustle better than Laurie Calcaterra, creator of Path of the Pale Rider.
In our latest episode of Talking Comics, Laurie joins us to talk about her journey into comic creation — a journey that didn’t begin with writing at all.
Starting out in martial arts and fight choreography, Laurie worked closely with production companies crafting combat scenes before eventually catching the writing bug. What began as film scripting quickly evolved into something bigger when she realized her story would thrive in the comic book medium.
Path of the Pale Rider began as a full-length movie script. But transitioning from screenplay format into sequential storytelling required learning an entirely new creative language — one that balances visuals, pacing, dialogue, and panel composition. Comics demand precision. You don’t have hundreds of pages to explain your world — every panel must show and tell at the same time.
And what a world it is.
Path of the Pale Rider takes place in a reality where death itself is broken. Bodies can die, but souls never leave. Humans — and animals — are left to exist in their own decaying forms, slowly losing memories, humanity, and control. Society begins to collapse under the weight of immortality as food chains break down, governments impose restrictions, and technology emerges to separate the living from the undead.
It’s horror — but it’s also psychological, societal, and deeply human.
We also dive into Laurie’s approach to indie comic marketing — from appearing on over 30 podcasts in a single month to building her audience through conventions, social media engagement, and interactive fan experiences that allow readers to help name characters within the book.
Her first Kickstarter campaign set an ambitious funding goal — one many would consider risky for a first-time creator — yet through persistence, networking, and relentless promotion, she not only reached it but exceeded expectations.
Now eight issues into the series, with trade collections available and an eventual omnibus planned for the first story arc, Path of the Pale Rider continues to grow as both a narrative and a brand.
For indie creators looking to break into comics, Laurie’s journey offers an important lesson: success rarely comes from a single platform. It’s built through community, collaboration, and showing up consistently — whether that’s online, on podcasts, or at conventions.
The indie comics space is alive and thriving — and creators like Laurie Calcaterra are helping lead the charge.
“NOW GET BACK TO WORK”
👉 Hit the Kickstarter “Remind Me” button to follow the project launch (coming March 12th 2026). https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/641500179/the-chronicles-of-panel-pete
👉 Watch the Panel Pete trailer now