I am pleased to introduce the creator, CozyCroww. Yes, it is one of the cutest usernames. No, you can’t take it. Deal with it.
CozyCroww is the author and creator of the newly launched WEBTOON, The Blind Prince, which features Elaine, a girl desperate to undo her curse, and Sebastian, a prince desperate to reclaim his stolen throne and eyes. Yes, I said ‘eyes.’ This prince may be missing his eyes, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s lovely to look at! Together, they will explore a whole new world, presumably unearth the cause behind Elaine’s curse, and reclaim Sebastain’s throne. Read now to find out how the two meet!
Some time ago in 2020, The Blind Prince debuted on CANVAS, and as a lover of CANVAS, I immediately pounced on this new story and loved it immediately. I loved the art style and the main cast, so I was excited and stumped when the story was put to a halt … because it was greenlit by WEBTOON to become an Original! It meant waiting for the story to be rewritten and rebooted, but I was eager to see how CozyCroww reinvented The Blind Prince.
I will give no spoilers, but this story has given more Swan Lake vibes. If you are a ballet fan, you will LOVE some of the music that goes with this comic. It is delightful to listen to and tempts me to dance a few times.
To support CozyCroww and gain access to their sketches and concept art, consider signing up for their Patreon for three dollars a month. I may even sign up myself! The artwork is straight from a storybook, and I am here for it!
If you want to learn about CozyCroww’s comic and creative process, the following passage includes a Q&A that delves into what it takes to be a comic creator and what it took to build The Blind Prince from the ground up.
- What led you to become a comic creator?
I’ve always been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. I just loved the way stories made me feel, and I’ve always had this desire to tell my own ever since I was little. But since I was also an artist, I wanted to draw my stories too, and comics were a great combination of both. For a long time, I’ve been writing down all my ideas in my sketchbooks for the “future” when I would be good enough at drawing to actually take what was in my head and put it on paper. When I finally did reach a level of skill I thought was acceptable; I immediately wanted to start a comic. I knew I was still a rookie, though, so The Blind Prince was supposed to be my “starter” comic. My intention was to make it a short story of about a hundred pages to practice my skills. I had no idea how far it would take me.
2. What inevitably led you to use WEBTOON as a platform?
I’ve always been drawn to online indie comics, and I thought the only way to publish my comic was through my own website or blog. I never knew anything else was out there for people who wanted to publish independently. But then, one day, I came across Lore Olympus online. I was fascinated by the way the story flowed in the scrolling format. I liked how accessible it was and how much easier it was to read on a phone screen than a pdf of a print comic. I also liked that the format didn’t cover up half the art with word bubbles, so that was a huge perk. I downloaded the app out of curiosity, and after reading a couple of webtoons, I knew this was the way I wanted to publish The Blind Prince!
3. What did you learn from your time as a CANVAS creator?
Before I posted The Blind Prince, I wanted to learn more about WEBTOON and how the app functioned. So I made a secret alt-account and drew up a comic on the fly with no planning whatsoever. I got a lot of feedback from readers on how big the panels and text should be, as well as what the ‘Staff Picks’ feature was. After a couple of episodes, I deleted it to start my real comic. It was kind of cheating, but I think it gave me a great headstart because I got to avoid all those rookie mistakes when I started posting The Blind Prince on CANVAS. It was a fun, low-stakes experience!
4. What did you learn from writing your CANVAS version of The Blind Prince that you have applied to write the Originals version?
I learned that it’s okay to ask for help from others. I always thought making comics was something you needed to do completely alone, and that mindset negatively affected how I perceived my own work. It wasn’t until I started The Blind Prince that I learned that making comics is never truly an independent career. You need to have friends to bounce ideas with, fans to get excited with, and the support of other artists to get you through all your doubts and insecurities. Collaborating with Audrey helped me see the story from a totally different perspective, and that’s also something that you can’t do alone. I was surprised by how many friends I’ve made in the webcomic community, and I’m excited to meet more in the future. Without them, I don’t think this story would be where it is now.
5. What inspired The Blind Prince?
It started with Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers. The music was so dreamy and romantic that I felt inspired to write a fairytale-Esq story for my character Elaine. It was from there I started to delve into fairytale stories and retellings. During my readings, I saw a lot of tropes running through the stories, like eyes being plucked out, talking ravens, transformations, evil stepmothers, and suspicious deals. I wanted to have all those elements in my story as well, even if it’s just to subvert them. I especially loved how in Cinderella’s story, the ravens would sing warnings to the prince of the evil stepsister’s ruse. It inspired me to make ravens the core aesthetic of the story, and I designed everything around that.
6. Who is your favorite The Blind Prince character?
I really enjoy writing about Charles the most. He’s so messy and flawed, and impulsive that he ends up pushing the story in super fun directions. When I write Elaine, I usually have to write a catalyst to get her to make a decision. But when I write Charles, I write the first thing that comes to mind because, at his core, he doesn’t think more than one step ahead. And that’s what makes him so interesting to me because, despite his flaws, a small part of you can still understand his actions, even if you don’t agree with them.
7. What would you suggest to any aspiring comic creators?
I would recommend creators start small. Write short stories and let them grow organically. When you start with big expectations of epic battles and a large cast of characters, you may end up overwhelming yourself before you can even start. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists! Half the joy is in working with others, and you’d be surprised where it will take you on your journey. If you think you have a great idea and you don’t know how to execute it, ask someone for advice or find someone to work with who also shares your vision.
New episodes of The Blind Prince debut every Tuesday, so check them out and see how the story suits you! The comic and cast may sweep you off your feet and into the sky!
