Meet Sloan Varunok

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sloan Varunok. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sloan, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

From the time I was a kid, I always knew I enjoyed entertaining people. Whether it was a funny story, acting, singing, voice impressions, or what have you, I always wanted to bring amusement to any room I was in.

The What: entertaining. Easy. I knew I wanted to do that.

But the how? The how is something I’m still unraveling all the time. One thing I always knew, however, was that my ability to tell a story would be part of it.

Being raised by the TV, as well, showed me what I wanted to be: on TV! Cartoons were and are my favorite genre, and I always knew I wanted to contribute my own ideas to the medium.

Stories were always my favorite assignments in school, writing stories, with or without prompt. The one that sticks with me the most was Elefan, a little DIY comic book about a little blue super-powered elephant I made when I was 9. When I brought it to school, a lot of my classmates wanted to read it, which made me feel I was cooking with something. Originally, it was just for fun, and not assigned for class. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t repurpose the story for next year!

While I never continued on Elefan, I never stopped with story ideas, which led me to Jazzy when I was 18. I just knew Jazzy would be my ticket. It was the first time I had a character who voiced my opinions as boldly as I like to. I’m no agenda pusher, but Jazzy sure helped me find my own voice, and speak up for myself when I feel something isn’t right. She also helps me put my sass to good use. It has to go somewhere!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I like to think of myself as an all-around artist, as I paint, make mod fashion, and dabble in videography and music, though my main focus is my comic series, Jazzy Mag, both the writing and drawing.

Jazzy Mag/JazzyMag.net is a variety magazine that features original comics, artwork, articles, and interviews with figures in entertainment. The comics mostly feature title character “Jazzy” Jazelle Molina, a bold and moody Albuquerque artist, who tries to navigate the annoyances of everyday life and crappy jobs. Never one to hold back her feelings or opinions, she’ll tell you exactly what she thinks, as she doesn’t know how not to. Or show you a finger that speaks for her.

Both the character and magazine, alike, (and by extension, their creator) stand for being outspoken. So much entertainment today is play-it-safe and paint-by-numbers, with all the warmth of a factory machine. Even when an opinion goes against the grain, we all have the right to say what we think, and thus the Mag’s ethos was born! You don’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs!

Jazzy Mag features another series within, World of Wes, a black and white, more DIY-style comic. Following a jobless, socially awkward, nu-metal loving nihilistic druggie trying to find happiness in all the wrong places, Wes was inspired by the album art of the Gorillaz, Korn, and Limp Bizkit.

I printed the magazine in Summer of ’22, shortly before turning 24. Since printing and launching the website, I have hosted names for interview such as Gary Anthony Williams (Uncle Ruckus of Boondocks), Brian O’Halloran (Dante Hicks of Clerks/Jay and Silent Bob), Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph of Avatar: the Last Airbender), and pro wrestling legend Mick Foley, amongst others. Just as well, Jazzy Mag has been stocked in over ten stores throughout New York City and Albuquerque, with Jazzy Nation growing steadily.

I’m just grateful it has been slowly finding its place. The Mag doesn’t fit super neatly into one box or another, much like I’ve felt most of my life. Sometimes people don’t know what to make of it, or make of me, and that’s just fine. Trying to impress those who don’t like what you do already is an exercise in masochism. For this reason, it’s best to make for the love of creation, and allow those who see the vision to follow.

My Etsy store, etsy.com/jazzymagbysloan, features merchandise for sale, as well! Because I grew up and first drew Jazzy in the Bay Area when I was 18, the site features a line of Oakland Raiders inspired merchandise, such as stickers and hats! The beanies have sold out, but three snap backs still remain!

Another happy announcement, I sold my first painting about a month ago as of now! “Down Under, All Over,” my first abstract piece using an Australia-shaped stamp and paint, has started me on a new journey altogether, so I’m excited for the future! The fact a career in art looks like a possibility for my future makes me happy and fills my cup. All artwork can be found on my site.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Originality is my most prized attribute. Every artist or creator starts as the summation of their inspirations. My inspirations are vast and diverse, and I try to see the merit in all things, seeing how they can be applied to my own works in a new way. I’m always excited by what’s new. I seek to break ground, or at the very least, make my own distinct mark on art. To do this, you must do what hasn’t been done, even if it’s a risk, and risk has always excited me! It’s similar to “be the change you want to see in the world.” Back in 2020, I saw Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow, in which a fan asked Smith what he should start his podcast about. Smith’s advice was to create the entertainment you want to see. It was his ethos when creating Clerks, which is an all-time favorite movie of mine. Personally, I don’t see too many comics with a cute art style mixing Eastern and Western influences with raunchy language and speaking how I hear people talk. This is why Jazzy stands for being one of a kind! We simply can’t be told how to think or feel, and have a internal compass, which is our guide. For better or worse, our headstrong instincts have brought us some amazing places with our heads held high.

Business acumen has allowed me to expand my comic outside my typical reach. I understand that success has far less to do with skill, and far more to do with recognition. Because of this, my business model has all artwork and comics entirely free to read JazzyMag.net, with an option to purchase merchandise or the physical copy of the Mag. Merchandise is where most of the money is made, so I’ve decided to focus heavily there. If my art is to become my business, it need be treated, to an extent, like a business. I know that my art skill is without a doubt secondary to my writing, in which I’m far more skilled. Plenty of people have dumped on my artwork, but they’re entitled to their opinions. Many comic creators will have artwork that blow mine out the water, but their writing tends to lack a human feel to it, and the dialogue tends to be somewhat awkward and Attack of the Clones-y, which is what a lot of readers come to expect. Because of this, advertising to a non-traditional comic crowd, I feel, can introduce more people to the genre in a fresh way that they feel they can relate to. Advertising through streetwear merchandise has proven effective, as our Jazzy Raider beanies sold out of our original run! Aligning Jazzy, who has a tough and brash image, with the Raiders, a team and fanbase known for the same, has been a hit, even with non-sports fans! Analyzing and reading up on the strategies of those who have become successful is something I’ve enjoyed since high school. I like learning how what I loved got big, and how I may take their lessons, myself. I’ve learned a lot since printing the book, and am still thinking of new strategies to grow all the time. Many artists have an aversion to thinking of their art like a “product.” I totally get it, it can be reductive. However, when you put something on the marketplace as a commodity to be bought and sold, your work is ultimately a product for consumption. That isn’t a bad thing! Guess what: your favorite movie, book, TV show, song, or cartoon is a product! Does that fact, alone, demerit it’s artistic value? I think not.

Last is my passion and knowledge of pop culture. I first learned how to talk by repeating lines I heard on TV, something I’ve never stopped doing. Characters live in my head, my own included. Whether its music, film, TV, sports, fashion, or elsewhere in entertainment, if it makes a statement, I want to see why and how. Because of this, whatever I’m watching at the time will influence, in some way, what I create and write, as well as how I speak and act. Captain Kirk of Star Trek is a character I defer to quite often when unsure how to approach a situation. The series, itself, is largely about navigating moral dilemma, in which Kirk, who represents the human, must listen to the advice of Dr. “Bones” McCoy, who represents the heart, and Chief Science Officer Mr. Spock, representing the brain, to make an informed decision. This is the case with many more characters, as each situation calls for a different way of acting. Having a broad knowledge of pop culture, my work takes influence from far-reaching and disparate sources to create something new. This was George Lucas’ approach to Star Wars, which mixed genres and motifs of all kinds to culminate in a series that people around the world can relate to. Even with crazy alien creatures! Many people who create within a genre may be fully immersed in that singular genre. They eat, sleep, and breathe it. Introducing them to something else may or may not go according to plan, as they may see it as a deviation or distraction from their norm. Take Slayer, for example. They’re a dyed-in-the-wool metal band. Their influences are metal, they play metal, and are known for it. However, their lack of musical diversity limits their ability to reach outside their main audience, which is big enough to where they don’t need to. However, this is why Metallica is one of my favorites, as they’ve expanded their sound over the years. The more influences you draw from, the greater chance you’ll mix elements that haven’t been mixed before! You only know by trying!

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

To bring Jazzy, and by extension, all my art to scale in the way I envision, I simply need more money behind the brand. I know Jazzy Mag has an audience out there, but it needs proper reach and advertising. Typically, this is best done on a grassroots level from attending trade shows and conventions, as you get your work in front of your potential crowd. However, these are costly, and I’ve definitely spent more than I wanted on tables in which I got zero sales. Just as well, printing books and creating merchandise in mass required a mass-ive amount of cash, which on a currently very part-time writing budget, I don’t have. I know giving up is the one way to guarantee I’ll never be a success, so the plan is re-strategizing!

Because of this, I’m in the process of studying for my Series 7 and Series 63 financial exams to enter the field. As someone without a formal financial education, yet professional experience and extensive knowledge in finance, funding the dream seems to be the best way to go. I figure working in finance will provide me a comfortable living and enough money to fund Jazzy Mag and other projects until it earns me enough to become my full focus, even if it means a pay cut. Just as well, it can help me plan for a future for both myself and my business. Some may see this as selling out. I see it as doing anything for what I love.

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Image Credits

Profile Image by Kyle Paul

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