With the release of the Battle in the Flower Gardens graphic novel from Comixology Originals, we are delighted to be joined by cartoonist Eduardo Medeiros. Eduardo’s work can be seen in Roderick and the City of Morhil, Funny Creek and Open Bar.
Hi Eduardo, it’s so nice to have you here with us. Could you please introduce yourself?
Hi, my name is Eduardo Medeiros. I’m from southern Brazil and have been working in comics since 2007. After publishing locally for many years, I’ve been focusing on breaking into the North American market as a creator and artist since 2019.
My work has been published by Comixology Originals, Dark Horse, Oni Press, Andrews McMeel, Sourcebooks, Marvel, and DC. Currently, my primary focus is on children’s and YA comics.
Can you tell us about the origins of Battle in the Flower Gardens?
I think the main origin of Battle in the Flower Gardens comes from growing up in the ’90s. I didn’t have much freedom living in the city during the school year, but we spent our summer vacations in Capão Novo (about two hours away) where I had total freedom. I only had to come home to eat and sleep. It was the last decade when our parents didn’t know anything about our lives once we left the house. Having a son now, that sounds absolutely crazy to me, but I wanted to recreate that feeling—when life felt so much more personal than it does today, filled with the excitement of discovering the world.
Who is Luke?
Luke is a quiet, nerdy kid caught in that awkward space between childhood and adolescence. As he starts getting interested in girls, he convinces himself that being a nerd won’t help his chances and he’s determined to change that this summer.
How long have you been working on Battle in the Flower Gardens?
I’d say about three years. I had to stop working on it for almost a year to finish two other books I was under contract for, but I’ve been building this book in my head for a long time.
How much of your own real-life experience are seen in the pages of Battle in the Flower Gardens?
I talk about that on the last page of the book—but you’ll have to read it to find out! Haha.
What can you tell us about Battle in the Flower Gardens?
This is a deeply special book for me. I spent a lot of time looking through family albums, and my dad helped me find old files from the ’90s in Capão Novo (where he used to work as an architect). I also talked a lot with my parents and friends to bring those memories back to the surface.
Since I live close to Capão Novo now, I spent a lot of time going there to walk around and reminisce. It was a truly wonderful project to work on.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Thanks for having me here—I really appreciate it, and I hope you get the chance to read the book. As I said, it’s a deeply special and honest book for me, and a chance to see what it was like to be a kid in Brazil in the ’90s.
Thanks!
We would like to say a big thank you to Eduardo for chatting with us, and wish him the best of luck with the release of Battle in the Flower Gardens.
