With the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for the Loba Loca graphic novel from Oni Press and Magnetic Press, we are delighted to be joined by Run and Guillaume Singelin. Guillaume “Run” Renard is a cartoonist, animator, director, and writer. He is the creator of Mutafukaz and DoggyBags. Guillaume Singelin is a writer and artist. He has worked on many comics/graphic novels, including King David, The Grocery, Doggybags, Midnight Tales and PTSD.
Hi Run and Guillaume, it’s so great to have you both here with us.
RUN: Thanks for having us!
Guillaume Singelin: It’s a pleasure!
Could you please introduce yourselves?
Guillaume Singelin:
Hi! I’m Guillaume. I’ve been working as a comic book artist for about fifteen years now. I’ve known RUN for a long time—we became friends pretty quickly. We’ve learned a lot from each other over the years, whether it’s about storytelling, drawing, or sharing cultural influences. And of course, we’ve collaborated on quite a few projects together.
RUN:
Hi, I’m RUN, creator and writer of MFKZ, as well as the founder of 619 Label , which I now co-direct alongside Guillaume Singelin, Florent Maudoux, and Mathieu Bablet.
Can you tell us about the origins of Loba Loca?
Guillaume Singelin:
The MFKZ universe is entirely RUN’s creation, but I was already a huge fan from the very first volume. After we met, I naturally immersed myself in his world. Working on the MFKZ animated feature helped a lot, but even outside of that, I’d constantly draw characters from the universe in my personal sketchbooks because I found it incredibly inspiring. RUN had originally offered me a spin-off centered around one of the wrestlers, set in Japan. At the time, though, I was already committed to other projects, and honestly, I also felt a bit intimidated by the idea of drawing Tokyo. A few years later, he came back with this new story: a heroine that immediately appealed to me, a lighter tone that suited my sensibilities much better, and a California setting—which I’d actually visited on vacation not long before. I loved the idea right away and immediately said yes!
RUN:
During the pre-production of the MFKZ animated film, while we were figuring out how to adapt the characters for animation, Guillaume drew me a younger, leaner version of El Diablo—proud and striking, almost like a matador. I loved the energy of that drawing, but it wasn’t the direction the character needed to take in the film. Still, that image stayed with me. Years later, after Guillaume told me he’d be available to collaborate on a spin-off following PTSD, I suddenly remembered that drawing. That’s when I had the idea that El Diablo might have a secret child who unexpectedly enters Tigre’s life after the events of the first MFKZ story arc. In the meantime, I’d become a father myself. So that son eventually became a daughter. It felt like a much richer way to explore themes of identity, family legacy, and what we pass on to the next generation.
Who is Guadalupe Mayflower?
Guillaume Singelin:
Guadalupe is the daughter of a legendary luchador she never had the chance to know. But what I really love about her is that, above all else, she’s an impulsive teenager who’s willing to make bold, sometimes reckless decisions because she’s carrying a lot of pain inside. Her encounter with Tigre is fascinating because they complement each other so perfectly.
RUN:
I chose the name Guadalupe as a reference to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint and spiritual figure of much of Latin America. Her last name, Mayflower, references the ship that carried the English Pilgrims to North America. Together, those two names embody the contradictions and inner tensions of a young woman caught between different cultural legacies and searching for her own identity.
Visually, did you want Loba Loca to be different from MFKZ?
Guillaume Singelin:
I wasn’t consciously trying to make it feel either different or similar. I simply approached it through my own artistic influences. Since I already knew the MFKZ universe so well, it had become second nature to me. More than anything, I wanted the artwork to match RUN’s story—a lighter, brighter atmosphere that really captures the feeling of a road trip.
RUN:
I wrote this story specifically for Guillaume. We’ve known each other for years, and I wanted to craft a spin-off that was tailor-made for him while expanding the offbeat world of MFKZ. With Loba Loca, I moved away from the edgy, excessive, and irreverent tone of the original series. Guillaume excels not only at action and violence, but also at intimate, quiet, non-verbal storytelling—which is much rarer. Working with him allowed me to tell a much more emotional story, one I simply couldn’t have told in the same way otherwise. That sensitivity is also a part of who I am as a writer.
Is Loba Loca new-reader friendly?
Guillaume Singelin:
Absolutely. It was designed that way from the beginning. It’s a complete story with a beginning and an ending. Everything readers need to understand the plot is right there on the page—we really wanted it to stand on its own. That said, longtime MFKZ fans will also discover plenty of connections, callbacks, and hidden references throughout the book.
What can you tell us about Loba Loca?
Guillaume Singelin:
Loba Loca is truly a passion project. The relationship between Guadalupe and the aging wrestler Tigre is beautifully written by RUN. As an artist, I had an incredible time bringing it to life, and I think that enjoyment really comes through in the pages.
RUN:
Two people who seem to have nothing in common collide in the middle of their own personal crises: one is struggling through adolescence, the other is going through a midlife crisis. I found that unexpected father-daughter dynamic between two complete strangers incredibly compelling. The story also explores the gap between generations with kindness and empathy, never judgment. And perhaps most importantly, it shows that passing something on isn’t a one-way process.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Guillaume Singelin:
I’d warmly encourage everyone to check out Loba Loca, whether you’re discovering the MFKZ universe for the first time or you’ve been following it for years. We poured our hearts into this book, and seeing it reach readers beyond France thanks to your support would mean the world to us.
RUN:
We really hope you’ll enjoy the ride!
We would like to say a big thank you to Run and Guillaume for chatting with us, and wish them the best of luck with the campaign for the Loba Loca graphic novel.
Fee free to check out the Kickstarter campaign for the Loba Loca graphic novel.
