Hi-Fi Color's Brian Miller Uses His Art To Help Fund An Archaeological Dig in Oman

Hi-Fi Color's Brian Miller is no stranger to the fictionalized versions of history that working on Booster Gold comics and Indiana Jones projects for Lucasfilm carry with them--but right now, he's joined his wife Kristy--a real-life archaeologist--on a trip to Oman, where she's running a lab for categorizing and preserving artifacts from the long-lost port city of Al Baleed. The ruins of the city were found decades ago, but archaeological excavations aimed at preserving the site have only begun in earnest in the last few years. Kristy Miller, who has been in Oman a number of times, brought Brian with her to the site along with Dr. Krista Lewis, Dr. Lamya Khalidi and Dr. Sarah Graff. What they found was that the project was massive and their resources limited--so Brian Miller took to IndieGoGo to raise funds for the expedition. Giving supporters access to a digital photography library that gives a sense for the project's scope, Miller is also producing replica dig patches for anybody contributing more than $5 and an exclusive lithograph for those who donate over $30. Anyone donating more than $250 to the dig will get the lithograph signed by Miller and the four doctors running the site. Brian Miller joined us for an interview about the project; you can check out a video from the Al Baleed site below, followed by our conversation with Miller.

ComicBook.com: How did you come to the decision that this was a way you could help out your wife's archaeological expedition? Brian Miller: When my wife Kristy and I arrived at the site of the excavation I was blown away by the sheer size of the ancient city. I had been told in advance this was the largest archeological find in all of Oman but I was not prepared for the true scale of what is here. It was immediately obvious to me that Dr. Krista Lewis and her team (affectionately known by the locals as "The 4 Doctors") could spend the next decade coming here with the goal of unearthing the buildings and learning about the people who once inhabited the ancient port city of Al Baleed, the hub of the frankincense trade in the ancient world. On day one Krista held a meeting and outlined each team members' responsibilities for the 2013 excavation season. Lamya Khalidi would focus on lithics, Sarah Graff on pottery, Kristy on running the lab for cataloging and preservation, and I would focus on paperless archeology. During this meeting one subject kept cropping up again and again. Basic items needed to collect and preserve the artifacts from the excavation were not provided for in the budget. I want to be clear that UALR and the Sultanate of Oman have provided much including food and housing... none of us would be here without them. That said some very basic necessities for the field and lab were essentially unattainable. It's like airlifting the world's greatest surgeons into a remote location to save a dying patient then telling them the only tools they can use are a chainsaw and a toothpick because there is no money for scalpels. It was heartbreaking to see this amazing site and top archaeologists struggling to make do with what they could source locally and inexpensively. To me the clearest example are the cloth bags needed for collection of artifacts in the field. These only cost a few dollars each but when you need hundreds it does add up quickly. For now plastic bags are being used which is not ideal as they can trap moisture and potentially damage delicate pottery and bone. Some of the items needed simply can not be sourced locally which adds to the expense and some items like software are simply expensive no matter where in the world you are. During this meeting when I kept hearing that the team could not do things that needed to be done because they were not in the budget I felt helpless and frustrated. I knew that if Krista and her team were to make a difference at this site over the next decade they needed to have a successful 2013 excavation season. I posted my frustrations on Facebook and many fans suggested a fundraiser. I wondered what I could do to raise funds and decided that the best way I could make a difference was using my creativity. I sat to work designing a vintage style travel poster for Al Baleed, also known as the Land of Frankincense. While designing the poster I was also inspired to create a "Dig Patch" too and the Indiegogo campaign to save the Land of Frankincense was born.

ComicBook.com: It's kind of perfect, isn't it, that you've done work with LucasFilm before? It gives a whole Indiana Jones vibe to the proceedings. Miller: This trip has been a reminder of how much I enjoy working on Indiana Jones projects for Lucasfilm. Being married to an archaeologist I always hear, "real archaeology is nothing like Indiana Jones," but you know what, Al Baleed is EXACTLY like Indiana Jones. Each day when I walk through the excavation site seeing the sand, the stone buildings, the friendly Omani people, I am reminded of the films. Even the way the archaeologist are greeted by the locals at Doktora Krista & Doktora Kristy makes me think of all the characters running around yelling Doctor Jones! It really is like that. As far as my own Indiana Jones artwork, I may have an Indiana Jones Masterpieces sketch card that will be appearing as one of the major perks on Indiegogo. Stay tuned... ComicBook.com: Are you still working at Hi-Fi as you're off in Oman, or are the Elves running the North Pole for you while you're working on the dig with your wife? Miller: Kristy and I are doing double duty while we are here. During the day I am working with Krista to design and implement the paperless archaeology solution we are building on-site. I spend the evenings coloring and painting Hi-Fi projects as always. The time change works well as my evenings here in Oman are morning to mid-day in the U.S. so I can stay connected with editors and other creators. Hi-Fi is made up of a talented team of flatters, colorists and painters and everyone has been supportive of Kristy and I while we are in Oman. I think a few of our editors may have been a bit worried about the time difference at first but once they realized they were still in constant communication with us via e-mail and all the deadlines were being met they were happy. One DC artist even joked about his inks being done in Spain and now the colors being completed in Oman making an upcoming project a true world-comic. When everyone in he U.S. is asleep I'm working on the paperless archaeology solution for the Al Baleed excavation. Our team is using iPads to collect data and photos in the field and in the lab. While many archaeologist are testing the paperless archaeology waters there is no, "off the shelf," solution available. What we are doing is building a database in the lab to collect and store all the data recorded using each iPad. Part of my assignment is to create the user interface elements for each of the iPads and their intended usage. My job is to make it easy for the archaeologist to use the form and to make the experience of collecting the data feel as natural as if they were jotting down notes in their field notebook. It is sort of like Star Trek: The Next Generation meets Indiana Jones. One of the additional benefits comes from the archaeologist using the built in camera on the iPad to capture photos directly into the database eliminating potential confusion and lost photos later. When the season is complete the Museum of the Land of Frankincense will be given all of the artifacts found while Dr. Krista Lewis and her team will have access to the data collected for further examination and research. The paperless archaeology project is another area where funding is non existent. This is cutting edge archaeology. If you remember only a few years ago comic book publishers were struggling to decide how to get their content onto the iPad and now Comixology sells as many, if not more, comics on iPad than traditional comic shops sell printed comics. Archaeology is in the same situation as comics were then. They recognize the iPad as a great solution but the universities, museums, governments, and grants that fund these projects have not caught up yet. For the 2013 excavation season UALR has provided Dr. Lewis with an iPad and the rest of us have each purchased an iPad using our own funds. We have managed to build the database in the lab and I now have 3 of the 4 iPads deployed with the archaeologist collecting data and images. The missing piece to this puzzle is the specialized software that allows all 4 of the iPads to automatically sync their data back to the master database in the lab. ComicBook.com: You've just hit your initial goal for the campaign. What does this supply for you, and why should people still be interested in helping out even though you've passed the initial $1,900? Miller: We are thrilled to have met the initial $1,900 goal in the first week. I can tell you there were tears of joy here in Oman when the campaign crossed $1,900. This will purchase the database syncing software and the bare minimum lab supplies needed for 2013. I am working on several new creative perks for fans who get involved via Indigogo and I would be love to see our amazing comic book community double or triple the $1,900 in the remaining 19 days. There is a need here for scientific equipment like a field microscope to analyze artifacts. There is a need for lab equipment including archival storage supplies including labels, bags, and boxes to ensure he artifacts are properly preserved. I know my fellow comic collectors can relate to this. We also have technology needs like a printer, scanner, and wi-fi router. If archaeologist do not preserve these finds they may become lost to erosion from sea, new construction, or looters. The more we can invest into Al Baleed in 2013 the better chance the team has to save these discoveries now. As the funds are used we will post updates showing the progress here in the Land of Frankincense. ComicBook.com: Can you tell us a little about Al Baleed? I'd never heard of it before your dig, and I suspect I'm not alone. Miller: You are not alone. While I knew of Oman from my wife's former excavations here I was not aware of Al Baleed. The ancient city lies within the area now know as Salalah in the southern region of Oman. Southern Oman is known as the Land of Frankincense and the regions are almost like wine regions in France. Instead of varieties of grapes, Oman has specific varieties of Frankincense and the variety grown in the Al Baleed region is considered the finest in he world. The ancient port city of Al Baleed was the primary hub for trading goods, including frankincense, between the West and the East in ancient times. Archaeologist here are finding coins and pottery indicating trade with China and Rome among others. I can also tell you that the people of Oman embrace comics and Western culture. There is a KFC and Pizza Hut in Salalah and every kid I see going to school is wearing a backpack with cartoons or super-heroes on it. Cartoon Network is available here dubbed in Arabic and there are even a few American made cars roaming the streets. Kristy recently found a newsstand with an section devoted to Western magazines and newspapers where we found Archie Comics and some issues of Superman available. Al Baleed sits on the Arabian Sea which is stunningly beautiful but it can also make excavation and preservation extremely challenging. We are constantly fighting the humidity and salt making proper archival and preservation very important. The team wants to ensure the artifacts found today are preserved for the future. ComicBook.com: Who is overseeing the project? I'm interested by the photos and video you've taken but surprised that whoever's in charge of it is allowing that stuff to get out while it's all still in progress. Miller: I'm glad it seems that way but in all honesty I am sharing far less than the archaeologist here. The only difference is I have followers outside of academic circles. As you mentioned many people have not heard of Al Baleed or Oman. The people here are very supportive of the work we are doing and happy to have us sharing Al Baleed with the world. While I'm not allowed to take photos inside the museum everyone is excited that I am sharing the behind the scenes archaeology and on-site work. No one involved with the museum or the excavation have done anything other than encourage me to share the site with others. The Sultanate of Oman is making big efforts to expand tourism and part of that effort is Al Baleed. While the city was discovered decades ago much of the major archaeology and excavation has only happened recently. The Museum of the Land of Frankincense is now open and features an amazing collection of artifacts from Al Baleed as well as models and recreations of the ships that sailed into the port during ancient times. You can even take a walking tour to see many of the buildings that have been partially excavated. Along with the museum there are several resorts now open and more being built nearby, with the sea and palm trees you might think you are visiting tropical Jamaica until a herd of camels walks past you on the beach. There is a new boardwalk being constructed along the sea-front next to Al Baleed that will feature cafes and shops. It may be several years for all of this to be completed but the idea is to create a tourist destination that sustains the area and helps to partially fund the ongoing excavation, preservation, and restoration of Al Baleed. There is much work to be done and by getting involved today you can take pride in knowing you helped preserve the history of the Land of Frankincense and get some cool perks to commemorate your efforts.