<\/p>\n\n\n

With the release of the\u00a0MPLS Sound<\/em>\u00a0graphic novel\u00a0out this week from Humanoids, we are delighted to be joined by co-writers Joseph Illidge, Hannibal Tabu and artist Meredith Laxton for a chat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hi Joseph, Hannibal and Meredith we are so happy that we have all of you here with us today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We would love to start by finding out a bit more about yourselves, would you please introduce yourselves to our readers.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Thanks so much! I started in comics at Milestone Media, Inc., the creators of the first mainstream multicultural superhero universe and \u201cStatic Shock\u201d, moved over to Gotham City and the Batman Editorial group for the birth of Cassandra Cain, The Batgirl. Worked for Lion Forge, Archaia, A Wave Blue World, Valiant, and now Heavy Metal as the Executive Editor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Advocate for diverse representation in comics. Foodie. Sharp Dresser. Husband of Big Barda. No, really. My wife is a warrior who can kick Parademon ass.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: I\u2019m an award winning journalist, novelist, comic book writer, poet and DJ who has worked professionally in the entertainment space since the Hieroglyphics got going. I\u2019ve written for Aspen Comics, Top Cow, Comic Book Resources, Bleeding Cool, and many other places. In other arenas, I\u2019ve built web experiences for American Honda, Kaiser Permanente, Toyota Motor Sales and lots of other corporate and smaller clients. I live in Los Angeles with my wife and two children. My main focus has been decolonizing the comics space with perspectives and quality stories often untold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ML: Hello! Thanks for having us. I\u2019m Meredith and I\u2019m a full-time comic artist and illustrator. MPLS Sound is my very first full-length graphic novel and I am really honored to have been part of the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, can you tell us a little bit about how the two of you originally got together as a creative team?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Hannibal was the first member of the MPLS Sound team, and I was brought on to build on the groundwork he laid through his experiences and extensive knowledge of music history.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: With Fabrice Sapolsky, I laid out a lot of the framework. I\u2019m a huge fan of the old Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, so every character has a gigantic write up that informs their choices in the plot and how they look at things. Fabrice had a very specific aesthetic he wanted, and Humanoids likewise had specific things they wanted, so they smushed me together with Joe into a writing version of Voltron 2, remember the weird one with six arms? Anyway, that was us, and off we went.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, could you tell us about the origin of the\u00a0MPLS Sound<\/em>\u00a0graphic novel?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Humanoids, the Publisher, and more specifically the book\u2019s founding editor Fabrice Sapolsky brought me on board to join the team and galvanize the story of Starchild, a fictional band competing to become Prince\u2019s band instead of The Revolution.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: Out of the blue, Fabrice Sapolsky contacted me and asked me to come to the Humanoids offices. I took the morning off work and did so, and when I sat down in the conference room, Fabrice asked me to sign an NDA. I shrugged and did that too. Then he outlines this big new superhero vibe Humanoids was gonna do with\u00a0Omni\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Ignited\u00a0<\/em>and how the plan was going to revolutionize the space. I got very excited and said that all sounded amazing. Fabrice said, \u201cGreat, forget about all that.\u201d I was very confused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, Fabrice talked to me about his deep passion for the Prince-flavored musical legacy of Minneapolis from the early 1980s. He talked to me about doing an original graphic novel set in that era, brushing up against Prince the way people experienced tornadoes in my hometown of Memphis. We talked about the politics of who got the spotlight and who didn\u2019t, which led to a lot of research that reinforced our loose suspicions, and we were off to the races.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meredith, when you first hear the pitch for\u00a0MPLS Sound<\/em>,\u00a0what did you think?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

M: Initially, I wasn\u2019t allowed to know which prominent musical artist was going to be featured in the book until I signed an NDA. Oh my god, I was so excited when the editor told me it was Prince. I could not ask for a better book to cut my teeth on. I had actually been working on my own Prince-inspired project, so I was in the perfect headspace and everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, what can you tell us about the\u00a0MPLS Sound\u00a0<\/em>graphic novel?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: The story takes place during the Eighties Minneapolis music scene for which Prince became the tip of the spear, the pebble dropped in the pond leaving ripple effects continuing to manifest into our present. Theresa Booker is the leader of Starchild, a band fighting against the tide of the white male-dominated rock scene with their skills, heart, and their unique mix of backgrounds. Theresa\u2019s a determined Black woman who goes through a personal journey that tests her endurance and integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a story of funk, soul, joy, sadness, little victories, anger, music, love, and that Purple vibe from The Purple One.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: The best thing I can say is that you can get it now, because I\u2019ve literally been avoiding talking about it in detail for years. It\u2019s a very hard secret to keep, and I kept wearing Prince t-shirts to conventions (back in the before times, when we had conventions) but nobody ever got the joke. Ah well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, this is a tale of defining success for yourself and working to achieve it, even in the face of structural and personal opposition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meredith, to make the look of the world authentic, what reference materials did you use?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

M: I binged a ton of music videos from that era and explored a lot of music that I hadn\u2019t known much about until then. I also had the opportunity to go through a plethora of old photographs of my dad and his siblings from that era and that gave me a lot of inspiration for the characters.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, what can you tell us about Starchild?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: They\u2019re a band of musicians from different walks of life, backgrounds, and ethnicities, all brought together by one goal crystallized by the dreams of one woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

In another timeline, Starchild would have been The Revolution.<\/span><\/p>\n

MPLS Sound is the story of how and why that was not their destiny.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: \u201cStay tuned for Starchild,\u201d from the Parliament song \u201cMake My Funk The P-Funk,\u201d would have felt like an invitation to Theresa, I figured. She was trying to make the presence and vibe the world needed to tune into, to represent and decolonize a musical scene in a very similar way to Prince, but with fewer weapons in her arsenal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meredith, has it been a challenge creating the characters and the world they inhabit in the\u00a0MPLS Sound<\/em>\u00a0graphic novel?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

M: Surprisingly not so much. Both writers were very gracious to provide me with reference imagery whenever they had something specific in mind and most of the notable locations from the book can be found via Google maps. I have never been to Minneapolis myself, but I found out that you can actually go inside the First Avenue\/7th st entry music venue with Google street view and look around with the 360 camera and go backstage. It\u2019s really cool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, how did Humanoids get involved in the\u00a0MPLS Sound\u00a0<\/em>graphic novel?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Humanoids is the Publisher of MPLS Sound, so they\u2019re the nucleus, origin point, radioactive spider of the equation. Their imprint, Life Drawn, is about real people and stories that live within and alongside history, and we\u2019re honored to be a part of their mission for distinction of story and voice with MPLS Sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: From what I understand, there is a whole line of graphic novels the company wants to produce that are of a very high literary quality, to introduce work that can elevate the discourse. This was one such project, and while I was there, Fabrice showed me so many things\u2026 and now I think about it, I don\u2019t know how much of that I\u2019m allowed to talk about. I\u2019m going to stop talking now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Meredith, do you have a favourite character that you like to draw?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

M: I enjoyed drawing Theresa so much. I felt such a connection to her, her journey, her relationship to her dad, everything. Every concert scene you could tell that she was really singing her heart out and I absolutely love drawing those moments. Designing her stage wardrobe was also a lot of fun and I got to explore clothing options that, maybe, I might be brave enough to wear someday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, how did Tan Shu, Troy Peteri, Ryan Lewis and Jen Bartel join the team?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

HT: Jen was discussed very early on, as she\u2019s from Minneapolis, and her work is so freaking dazzling. Fabrice wanted her to be involved from almost the beginning. I have known Troy for years, and I presume the high quality and reliability of his work were the selling points. I can\u2019t speak beyond that.<\/span><\/p>\n

JI: All credit goes to the Humanoids editorial group for bringing together our dream team. Tan\u2019s color is beautiful, from the very first page. Troy and Ryan are the narrative aesthetic gurus. Jen Bartel is a leader in the industry, so having her create such an iconic, evocative cover for MPLS Sound is nothing short of awesome and heartwarming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joseph and Hannibal, if readers what to see more of Starchild in the future, would that be possible?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Anything\u2019s possible! If readers want to see more of Theresa and Starchild after this story, let Humanoids know!<\/span><\/p>\n

HT: To paraphrase the philosopher Christopher Wallace, if the check\u2019s right, I\u2019ll be there err\u2019night. There\u2019s a lot of timeline that didn\u2019t get covered, and a LOT of Minneapolis-based musical things we didn\u2019t get time to cover, so if the demand is there, the words will likely rise to meet it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

HT: Thank you for reading, thank you for your interest, thank you for supporting the work in a time when you clearly could do other things. We appreciate you!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

M: If you pick up the book, I really hope you enjoy it! A lot of love and hard work went into making it a reality and I\u2019ll be so happy to see it hitting the shelves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

JI: Read MPLS Sound. Feel good. Get funky. Fight for your dreams.<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say thank you to Joseph, Hannibal and Meredith for taking the time to chat with us, we wish them the best of luck with their new project. The\u00a0MPLS Sound<\/em>\u00a0graphic novel\u00a0out this week from Humanoids.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With The MPLS Sound Team","post_excerpt":"Graphic novel","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-the-mpls-sound-team","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:54:48","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:54:48","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206153","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206134,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-04-09 16:51:20","post_date_gmt":"2021-04-09 15:51:20","post_content":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

Today, we are so happy that we have been joined by the multi-talented writer David Pepose. David is the writer of numerous comics including Spencer & Locke<\/em> and Scout's Honor<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As some of our readers may not be familiar with your work, could you please tell us about yourself?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I'm David Pepose, and I've written comics like the Ringo Award-nominated Spencer & Locke and Going to the Chapel at Action Lab Entertainment, The O.Z. on Kickstarter, Scout's Honor at AfterShock Comics, and more. I've worked as a crime reporter, a comics journalist, and even in TV publicity, but thankfully I've landed exactly where I was meant to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How did you get into the comics industry?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I've been a comics reader my entire life, dating back to my copy of Amazing Spider-Man #346 when I was a kid. I got my first break in the comics industry as an editorial intern at DC Comics, where I worked on books like Final Crisis, Batman RIP, and Green Lantern: Secret Origin. After that, I landed at Newsarama, where I wound up serving as their reviews editor for over a decade. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I found myself really restless creatively \u2014 and so I started writing scripts to pass the time. The first full-length script I wrote wound up becoming my breakout series Spencer & Locke \u2014 once I sold that series, I've been writing ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Who are your favourite comic creators?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Boy, how long do you have for me to answer that? (Laughs) Frank Miller and Devin Grayson are two creators that have always really informed my work, just in terms of experimenting with style and emotion. I've also drawn inspiration from Dan Slott, Geoff Johns, Rick Remender... as I'm thinking about it, Jonathan Hickman and Al Ewing might be my two favorite writers today \u2014 they're insanely talented and brilliant, and their work has consistently inspired me to keep upping my game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Could you tell us about the origin of\u00a0Spencer & Locke<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

When I first decided to try writing a longer-form series, I thought about how people say \"write about what you know.\" That's a piece of advice that I think is often misinterpreted, but at the time, all I could think was, what do I know about anything? I knew about comics. My first instinct was that might be pretty limiting, but then I realized I could lean into it, by mashing up the iconic creative voices of my youth. The idea of remixing old-school Frank Miller crime fiction with something as wild and imaginative as Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes felt like I was putting myself up for a dare \u2014 there's a surprising amount of overlap in terms of their sensibilities, and that overlap allowed turned our psychological crime thriller into a really compelling exploration into trauma and mental illness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How did you find the rest of the team for\u00a0Spencer & Locke<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Through a lot of trial and error on the Internet. (Laughs) I connected with artist Jorge Santiago, Jr. by looking for recent graduates from comic book art schools \u2014 SCAD, RISD, the Kubert School, SVA, just to name a few. I was really impressed with Jorge's portfolio, and as it turned out, he had been really interested in tackling a crime series, so the timing was perfect for us to develop Spencer & Locke. Meanwhile, I knew letterer Colin Bell from my reviewer days at Newsarama, where I had been Colin's editor \u2014 he was really the first pro letterer I ever met, so I pretty much deputized him immediately. Colorist Jasen Smith was the trickiest person to find \u2014 we had looked at samples from a few other colorists, but it wasn't until my friend Taylor Esposito recommended Jasen that we found the right fit for Jorge's lineart. The rest is history!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What can you tell us about\u00a0Spencer & Locke<\/em> 3<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I have to keep things a little close to the vest on this one, since it's still pretty far out \u2014 Spencer & Locke 3 is going to be the exclamation point at the end of the sentence that is our series. We've got a Garfield-themed serial killer picking off our homage to\u00a0 the Peanuts gang, all while Spencer and Locke find themselves navigating a critical crossroads in their unlikely friendship. Combine that with a brand-new partner for them, and there's a lot of balls we have to juggle in this series!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What can readers expect from\u00a0The O.Z.<\/em>\u00a0#2?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that Dorothy Gale has found herself stranded in the war-torn land of Oz, she's going to have to make some tough decisions as the Resistance goes on the hunt for the Silver Slippers. Without spoiling too much, we had a reveal at the end of our first issue of another character who will be joining Dorothy's squadron \u2014 a warrior-king with plenty of experience with courage on the battlefield...\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You started this year by releasing\u00a0Scout's Honor\u00a0with AfterShock; how did the opportunity to work with AfterShock come about?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Working with AfterShock has been a long time coming \u2014 I worked under editor Mike Marts when I was an intern at DC, and when I saw him step away from the Big Two to head up AfterShock's\u00a0publishing line, I knew it was a company I wanted to work with. It took a little while to find the right pitch for AfterShock's\u00a0publishing slate, but I just kept in touch with Mike and president Lee Kramer with each new book I produced. Eventually, the stars aligned and we found something that clicked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How would you describe\u00a0Scout's Honor<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Scout's Honor follows a post-apocalyptic cult that has risen from the ashes of a nuclear war... and their bible is an old Boy Scout manual.\u00a0Hundreds of years later, the Ranger Scouts of America are the leading force for law and order amidst the irradiated Colorado Badlands \u2014 and their most promising recruit is a young initiate named Kit.\u00a0But Kit is harboring a secret \u2014 in this patriarchal survivalist hierarchy that only allows men to serve, Kit's had to conceal her identity as a woman in order to pursue her calling as a Ranger Scout.\u00a0Unfortunately, Kit makes a chilling discovery that is going to shake her entire faith in the Ranger Scout doctrine, as she struggles with losing her religion on a dangerous quest for the truth.\u00a0It's like a post-apocalyptic Joan of Arc, tailor-made for fans of Mad Max: Fury Road, The Hunger Games, and The Handmaid's Tale.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What has it been like working with Luca, Matt, Carlos, Andy and Jose on\u00a0Scout's Honor<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It's been really terrific \u2014 Luca Casalanguida has such a sense of drama to his work, but he's also got that rawness that permeates all the action sequences. Pairing him with colorist Matt Milla has been a real dream team, as we're able to bounce between the harsh earth tones of a post-apocalyptic world, while throwing in neon accents that remind us of the radioactive energy of this world. Letterer Carlos Mangual also threads the needle nicely, not just making my dialogue flow on the page, but adding his own degree of grit to the Ranger Scouts' world. And I can't say enough good things about our cover art team of Andy Clarke and Jose Villarrubia \u2014 these are some of the most beautiful covers I've ever had on my books, and they've really leaned into the high concepts of each issue nicely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For readers who are looking forward to issue four of\u00a0Scout's Honor<\/em>, what can you say about issue four?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Kit's going to find herself lost in the wilderness, both physically and spiritually \u2014 and if the monsters of the Colorado Badlands aren't enough to finish Kit off, her growing crisis of faith just might. It might just be my favorite issue of the whole run.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

You are working on another project called\u00a0Grand Theft Astro<\/em>.\u00a0Can you tell us all about\u00a0Grand Theft Astro<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Grand Theft Astro is the story of Hakeem \"Hermes\" Henrikson, who races spaceships as the fastest starchaser in the galaxy. Unfortunately for him, after he tests out an experimental quantum supercharger in the middle of a race, he winds up ripping open a wormhole seven years into the future. Stranded in a universe that's long since left him behind, Hakeem must embark on a faster-than-light heist with his formerly younger brother if he ever hopes to return to his home era. It's kind of like The Fast and the Furious meets Back to the Future, with a little bit of Star Wars thrown in for good measure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank you all for your support for Scout's Honor, Spencer & Locke, and The O.Z. \u2014 every preorder counts, so be sure to call your local comics shop to add our series to your pull list! Beyond that, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram at\u00a0@peposed, on Facebook at\u00a0@davidpeposecomics, subscribe to my newsletter Pep Talks at <\/span>bit.ly\/pepnews<\/a>, or visit my website at <\/span>davidpepose.com<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say a big thank you to David for taking the time to chat with us. Scout's Honor<\/em> #4 is on sale next week on the 14th of April. <\/span><\/p>","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With David Pepose","post_excerpt":"Scout's Honor","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-david-pepose","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 15:56:42","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 14:56:42","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206134","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206099,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-30 18:01:04","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-30 17:01:04","post_content":"

With the launch of\u00a0Inferno Girl Red<\/em>\u00a0graphic novel on Kickstarter today, we are delighted to be joined by the co-creator and writer Mat Groom. Mat has worked on numerous comics including\u00a0Self\/Made<\/em>,\u00a0Crimes of Passion<\/em>,\u00a0Tales from the Dark Multiverse<\/em>,\u00a0The Rise Of Ultraman<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0The Trials Of Ultraman<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hi, Mat thank you for taking the time to sit and chat with us today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks for having me! I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about INFERNO GIRL RED.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mat for some of our readers who may not be familiar with your work, could please tell us about yourself?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sure! I\u2019m from Sydney, Australia, and during the day I work at a creative agency called FOR THE PEOPLE as a writer. And during my evenings and weekends, I write comics! I started with SELF\/MADE, a creator-owned series published by Image Comics, I\u2019ve done a few small one-off things for DC Comics, and I currently co-write the ULTRAMAN books for Marvel, with Kyle Higgins!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

You have just launched a Kickstarter campaign for your new graphic novel\u00a0Inferno Girl Red<\/em>, could you please tell us about the\u00a0Inferno Girl Red\u00a0<\/em>graphic novel?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Absolutely! INFERNO GIRL RED is a 100-page graphic novel about a teenage girl named C\u00e1ssia Costa who has to overcome her hard-earned skepticism to wield the power of a magical dragon bracelet and save her city, which has been ripped out of our existence by ancient cult and their army of demons! It celebrates hope in the face of darkness and action in the face of apathy, and features a mix of superhero action, teen angst and tokusatsu action.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why did you choose to use a Kickstarter campaign to release your graphic novel?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We did approach some publishers initially, but the only options before us in traditional publishing were splitting the novel into single issues or giving up the intellectual property rights (and thus control of the destiny of the series). Neither of those options was acceptable to us, so we decided to take the book to Kickstarter! This allows us to genuinely gauge reader enthusiasm for the series and, if funded, will mean our art team can work on the book for the better part of a year and still be able to pay rent and buy food!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Could you tell us about the origin of Inferno Girl Red?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah! The mother of our lead character C\u00e1ssia, Ana, became something of a pariah years ago for unjust reasons and because of that C\u00e1ssia and Ana have had to move from city-to-city, barely getting by as Ana looked for work. It\u2019s not like C\u00e1ssia has a bad life, Ana is a supportive and loving and enthusiastic parent, but their situation has meant that C\u00e1ssia has grown up pragmatic, and highly-rational-- not a big believer in fairy tales.<\/span><\/p>\n

But when she gets an invitation to a prestigious boarding school in the near-utopian Apex City, it looks like her situation is about to turn around. Her skepticism seems to be validated, though, when the entire city is ripped out of our existence. It looks like there might be hope when C\u00e1ssia encounters a magical dragon bracelet that lets her transform into INFERNO GIRL RED\u2026 but the gauntlet is powered by belief, and C\u00e1ssia might be the worst person in the world to wield it\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Is there a reason you wanted to release\u00a0Inferno Girl Red\u00a0<\/em>as a graphic novel instead of telling the story in parts using single issues?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a little difficult to describe other than \u2018this felt right like the right format for the story\u2019. I write single issues for ULTRAMAN, I wrote single issues for SELF\/MADE (and particularly loved playing with the format there), but at every stage of building this story it was clear to me that this story would work best as a novel, with a bit more time to breathe and without the need to have a beginning, middle and end every 20(ish) pages as you really should in single-issue comics.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How did Erica D\u2019Urso join the project and what has it been like working with her?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Editor Kyle Higgins and I conducted a long search for the right artist for the series, but it wasn\u2019t until we found Erica (who was recommended to us by Francesco Manna, our artist collaborator on ULTRAMAN) that we knew we\u2019d found the right person. Erica can handle explosive, dynamic action just as easily as heartfelt emotional moments, and that was the balance we needed\u2014but she also has a tremendous sense of style and design that fit just right. Since we\u2019ve been working together, I\u2019ve also discovered that she is lovely, enthusiastic, wildly inventive and really dedicated. So, basically, I\u2019m the luckiest writer in the world!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Can you talk us through the design of the character of Inferno Girl Red and how her look came about?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well that was all Erica, but I can talk a little to the conversations we had during the design process. We talked a lot about the awesome design aesthetics of tokusatsu heroes like the SUPER SENTAI and the KAMEN RIDERS\u2026 but also the design choices of recently-created American superheroes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the goal was to create something clear and iconic, but also very forward-thinking and fresh\u2026 I think Erica absolutely nailed it. There are so many great touches, from the super sneakers to the energy scarf\u2026 and it was all Erica.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

On The\u00a0Inferno Girl Red\u00a0<\/em>graphic novel you are working with Igor Monti, Becca Carey and Kyle Higgins what has been like working with them?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh it\u2019s been a dream. Igor and Becca are both doing work that I really do think will be looked back on as ahead of its time. Igor creates these wondrously vivid and electric palettes that look kind of wild but actually aren\u2019t, they\u2019re very carefully guiding the tone of each page from panel-to-panel. And what he does with light and shadow is some sort of magic trick. Becca took our request to make the lettering feel as emotive and dynamic and create as the art\u2026 and just RAN with it. So good.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Kyle\u2014we've been friends for years, and we co-write ULTRAMAN together, so we have a very natural working relationship. But I never take his experience for granted\u2014he has so much wisdom to share, both about storytelling but also about the process of producing comics, which is really important to know if you\u2019re doing a creator-owned comic.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Do you have a favourite Kickstarter reward?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh actually my favourite I can\u2019t talk about just yet because we haven\u2019t announced it quite yet, it\u2019s taking a little longer to finalise\u2014but it\u2019s SO cool, and I think completely unlike anything I\u2019ve seen from a comics Kickstarter before.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s a bad, vague answer, so I\u2019ll instead say: our art prints. Seeing our world interpreted by legends like Nicola Scott and Darko Lafuente and Tiffany Turrill and so many more\u2026 it\u2019s been an incredible thrill and a real privilege, and I\u2019m so happy with how they turned out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Is there a connection between\u00a0Inferno Girl Red\u00a0and\u00a0Radiant Black?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes.<\/span><\/p>\n

☺<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope you\u2019ll consider backing our campaign! It\u2019s a genuine passion project from a team of creators pouring their hearts and souls into it, and there\u2019s no way it can come to life without community support. So please, come check out our campaign\u2014come for the gorgeous art, stay (and back) for the heartfelt and timely story that has something to say about what it\u2019s going to take for humanity to persevere.<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say thank you to Mat for talking to us about his new project. We would like to wish the whole team of\u00a0Inferno Girl Red\u00a0the best of luck with their campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n

To support the campaign, visit Kickstarter: Inferno Girl Red<\/a>.
<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With Mat Groom","post_excerpt":"Inferno Girl Red","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-mat-groom","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 16:01:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 15:01:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206099","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206067,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-23 14:24:19","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-23 14:24:19","post_content":"

This week see the return to the Baltimore<\/em> universe with the long-awaited release of Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens<\/em> from Dark Horse comics. The series is co-written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, with art by Bridgit Connell, colours by Michelle Madsen, and covers by Hugo Award-winning illustrator Abigail Larson. We got a chance to sit down with the author Christopher Golden to talk about Baltimore<\/em>. Christopher Golden has written a wide range of novels and comics, some of these include Angel<\/em>, Baltimore<\/em>, Buffy the Vampire Slayer<\/em> and Hellboy<\/em> just to name a few.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hi Christopher we are so excited to have you here with us today, we have been fans of your work for a very long time. We are so delighted that you are here to talk with us.<\/span><\/p>\n

CG: Thanks so much!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You have been part of the Baltimore<\/em> universe right from the beginning, how does it feel to be still creating in the Baltimore<\/em> universe?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

CG: It\u2019s fantastic. When Mike and I created Baltimore in the novel\u00a0Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire<\/em>, we had some thoughts about there being a sequel at some point. But we never dreamed that it would grow to be this enormous mythology that goes back to the beginning of time, and the idea that it would become its own comic book universe never occurred to us. But then\u00a0Joe Golem\u00a0<\/em>happened, and over time it grew organically into this much larger thing. Ideas and characters kept presenting themselves, and now it\u2019s something I spend so much time thinking about, and I just want to keep exploring. And who could be anything but thrilled with the artists we\u2019ve collaborated with while creating the Outerverse? Ben Stenbeck, Patric Reynolds, Peter Bergting, and Bridgit Connell. What a rogues\u2019 gallery that is!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You have been working with Mike Mignola for quite a long time, what's it like working with Mike Mignola?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: As of this year, Mike and I have been working together for a quarter century, which is insane. We started way back when I persuaded him to let me write the first\u00a0Hellboy\u00a0<\/em>novel,\u00a0The Lost Army<\/em>, which came out in 1997. I\u2019d like to think we\u2019ve been positive influences on one another. We share a certain frame of reference and a lot of similar interests, but our approaches have always been very different. My mind is always searching for explanations for things, trying to force order onto a story, and Mike\u2019s much more about the weirdness and the beauty and not so much about explanation. Working with him has always inspired me by giving me the freedom to NOT explain something, to let the weird and beautiful just be weird and beautiful.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What can you tell us about the first issue of Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens<\/em>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: Thirteen years ago, Sofia Baltimore took part in a battle that decided the fate of the world. Her husband\u2014her closest friend, Lord Baltimore\u2014died during that battle. The great evil of the Red King was destroyed, but that didn\u2019t drive all evil from the world. There are still monsters, there\u2019s still darkness. It took time to begin to gather but now, as World War II begins and the Nazis ally themselves with a congregation of witches called the Hexenkorps, Lady Baltimore has gathered a small group of her own allies to combat the insidious evil and the monsters popping up around Europe. In the first issue, she encounters an old ally, Judge Rigo, who tells her that stories abound about Baltimore\u2019s ghost appearing in various places. He needs her help in his own work against the Nazis, and if she\u2019ll help him, he\u2019ll help her get to the bottom of the stories of Baltimore\u2019s wandering ghost. Of course, that\u2019s just the first step in a dark, epic story of war, evil, love, and resurrection\u2014but not the way you might think.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you and Mike Mignola are writing together how does that work? Do you write the plot together? Do you write the script together?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: It really differs from project to project. Most of our work together is done on the phone. Sometimes Mike has a lot of plot elements in his head and we talk them out, or he\u2019ll write down ideas. Sometimes I\u2019ve dreamt up most of a story already. Either way, we hash it out, and then I\u2019ll put flesh on the bones and run it all by him for his take on it all. The best part is that many of these characters and stories are big, sometimes epic, and Mike always has the ability to pull out the essence of a thing, to carve off the fat, whether in the plot or in the dialogue. When I started as a comics writer, I would overexplain everything, and Mike has done his best to cure me of that.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens<\/em> comic includes the talent of Bridgit Connell, Michelle Madsen and Abigail Larson. How did they join the Lady Baltimore comic and what has it been like working with them?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: Michelle has been the colorist on most of the previous Outerverse comics, and she\u2019s fantastic. I wouldn\u2019t want it any other way. With Bridgit\u2014Katii and I had a long, ongoing email chain and various phone calls as we built a list of potential artists for this book, searching for someone who could bring the right combination of action and movement, who could do the kinds of backgrounds and visual world-building these stories need, and who could give life to the characters\u2019 faces the way we wanted. We winnowed that list down to two or three people and then presented them to Mike. Katii and I had Bridgit as our first choice, but I don\u2019t think we told Mike that. He had met Bridgit before, and loved her work. What I\u2019ve found, working with Mike, is that he has a great eye for artists who are already really good but who have it in them to really level up, and he saw that in Bridgit\u2026and boy, was he right. With Abigail, that was a Katii and Mike decision, but I\u2019m so glad they made it. Abigail\u2019s covers give\u00a0Lady Baltimore<\/em>\u00a0a gorgeous, distinctive style that sets the series apart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of our readers maybe not be familiar with the Baltimore<\/em> novel and the comic series, is Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens<\/em> #1 new reader-friendly?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: Absolutely. My hope is that new readers will pick up\u00a0Lady Baltimore\u00a0#1<\/em> and, though they shouldn\u2019t need to read\u00a0Baltimore<\/em>\u00a0to understand it, they\u2019ll be intrigued enough to go back to the beginning. Fortunately, the whole\u00a0Baltimore<\/em>\u00a0story is available in two gorgeous, affordable omnibuses\u2014check \u2019em out!<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

CG: Just a thanks in advance to readers who are willing to give\u00a0Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens\u00a0#1<\/em> a shot. It\u2019s a wild ride with a new hero I hope you\u2019ll love as much as we do. Sofia is her own woman, with her own mission, and I can\u2019t wait for people to see where it takes her!<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say a big thank you to Christopher for taking the time to talk with us, Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens #1<\/em> is out this week from Dark Horse comics.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With Christopher Golden","post_excerpt":"Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-christopher-golden","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 16:13:29","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 15:13:29","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206067","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":206022,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-03-10 15:40:02","post_date_gmt":"2021-03-10 15:40:02","post_content":"

We got a chance to sit with Eisner nominated writer\/artist Ibrahim Moustafa to talk about his upcoming graphic novel Count from Humanoids. He is best know for his work on Jaeger and High Crimes but has worked on numerous titles including James Bond, Mother Panic, Moon Knight and Guardians of the Galaxy to name just a few of the titles he has worked on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hi Ibrahim we are so delighted to have you here with us today, we have been fans of your work since your High Crimes comic with Christopher Sebela. We are so happy that you are here to chat with us today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks so much for having me, and for the kind words!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Before we talk about your new graphic novel Count, can we just step back a little bit and talk about you signing a three-book deal with Humanoids, can you tell us how the deal came about?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Count was actually how it came about, haha. I had pitched the book to Humanoids, and we had developed a really great working relationship, and when we were about 2\/3 of the way through, Mark Waid and editor Rob Levin presented me with the idea of signing an overall deal for Count and two more books. It was a very good email to receive, haha.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Your new graphic novel Count which is out on the 16th of March it's an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, what made you want to adapt Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I love stories about justice and revenge, and I've really loved the story of Edmond Dantes for a long time. It's the ultimate story of comeuppance, and I realized it was incredibly fertile ground for a reimagining of this scale. There are also a lot of themes in the original that are sadly still relevant today; classism, wrongful imprisonment, governmental corruption... I wanted to amplify some of that by putting it through a new lens that highlights the fact that whether it's 200 years ago in France, or in this adjacent sci-fi world I've created, they're issues that affect us all.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What has it been like working with Humanoids?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Great!<\/span><\/p>\n

When did you start working on Count?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I had the idea to adapt it back in 2017, and then I began the process of slowly developing it in my head for a while as I did various other projects, and then I went back to it in earnest in 2018 and started chipping away at character designs. I pitched it in early 2019, and then started working on it full time in the summer of that year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brad Simpson and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou are both working with you on the Count, how did they join the project?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hass and I have been online friends for a handful of years, and I had been chomping at the bit to collaborate with him on something. So when the opportunity came up I was thrilled that we were able to ask him to join this project. Brad and I had a lot of mutual friends in comics and so I was familiar with him and his work, and when it was time to find the right colorist for the book, his work was 100% what the book needed. And luckily, he was available at the time!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

During the adaption process is there any part of the process that you enjoy the most, the layout of the pages, pencilling, inking?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I actually came to the realization recently that my favorite part is always the step that I'm about to do next. Then when I'm doing it, I can't wait to get to the\u00a0next<\/strong>\u00a0step, because then\u00a0that<\/strong>\u00a0step is my favorite part, haha. If I had to choose though, I think penciling is my favorite. It's often the most relaxing (unless I keep messing up a face and having to redraw it over and over).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Before you signed your deal with Humanoids, what did you think about them as a publisher?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Humanoids is a publisher that I think people discover when their taste in, and love of, the comics medium and what it has to offer elevates to the next level, and they begin to go deeper into the rabbit hole. For me personally, I got into comics, I read a bunch of the excellent superhero books that are available, and then I went \"okay, what's next? What else is out there?\" and that's when I discovered Humanoids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How would you describe Count?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Count is a story about revenge, retribution, and revolution, with cool sword fights, and robots.<\/span><\/p>\n

What has it been like working on Count?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Incredibly fun and very exhausting, haha.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Do you have a favourite scene from Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I really love the scene where Albert has challenged Edmond to a duel, and Edmond in a display of prowess, shoots a bullet through the ace of spades on a playing card. It was a cool way to show how much he had honed himself over the years.<\/span><\/p>\n

We would love to know what comics are you currently reading?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I recently tore through several volumes of\u00a0The Undertaker<\/em>\u00a0by Ralph Meyer and Xavier Dorison from Europe Comics. It's a really cool western about a traveling undertaker who is more than he appears to be. I also recently finished\u00a0Hawkeye: Freefall<\/em>\u00a0by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt, which was maybe the funniest comic I've ever read, and very good.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Would you have any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope you enjoy Count! If you're curious about it, you can visit\u00a0<\/span>www.countcomic.com\u00a0<\/a>and watch a pretty cool trailer that I put together for the book, and there you'll also find a link to a number of purchase options. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!<\/span><\/p>\n

We would like to say thank you to Ibrahim for taking the time to sit and chat with us. We wish him all the best for his new project, Count which will be out on the 16th of March from\u00a0Humanoids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With Ibrahim Moustafa","post_excerpt":"Count","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-ibrahim-moustafa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 16:19:20","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 15:19:20","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=206022","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205967,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2021-02-24 10:52:39","post_date_gmt":"2021-02-24 10:52:39","post_content":"We got a chance to sit down and chat with the very talented Ricardo Delgado, as his latest project Dracula of Transylvania an illustrated novel goes live on Kickstarter.<\/span>\n\nWelcome<\/span><\/strong><\/em> Ricardo, thank you for taking the time to be with us, we are so happy that you could join us.<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: Hey, I\u2019m happy to be here talking vampires, ghosts and other things that go bump in the night!<\/span>\n\nFor some of our readers who may not be familiar with your work, could please tell us a bit about yourself?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: I\u2019m a comic book creator, novelist, conceptual designer and storyboard artist. My comic book AGE OF REPTILES has been published by Dark Horse for a quarter century, my novels WARHEAD and SAM SPECTER AND THE BOOK OF SPELLS precede this one, and my film credits include MEN IN BLACK, INCREDIBLES, STAR TREK FIRST CONTACT, X2 and a bunch of other stuff.<\/span>\n\n\nWe would love to know about your history with Dracula?<\/span><\/em><\/strong>\n\nRD: I have to start with the different versions from my childhood, from the creepy elegance of the Universal films to the violence and terror of the Hammer films to the TOMB OF DRACULA Marvel comics which I obsessed over and honestly there used to be these very cool Ben Cooper Halloween costumes that I LOVED as well. There was a series of monster model kits in the 1970\u2019s by this company named Aurora and I collected nearly all of them, and man did I love my Dracula model, complete with the glow-in-the-dark head! But more than anything the classic Universal monster movies just seared themselves into my heart and spent many of the days leading up to Halloween watching all of them. To this day because they are in black and white those movies remain\u2026ghostly to me. No other way to describe it. And there was this set of trading cards with stock photos of the universal monsters that I avidly collected. I\u2019ve just loved that stuff my whole life. There\u2019s also this reeeeallly cool image of Dracula and the Frankenstein monster that I found in one of Frank Frazetta\u2019s art books and man did I obsess over that image, nearly as much as the one where Dracula fights the Wolf Man in a graveyard! Wow, to this day.<\/span>\n\nCan you tell us about the origins of Dracula of Transylvania?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: Nope. Of course! At first I developed this as a story, not sure whether it be a comic book or novel. In the end I went with novel because it was a challenge. I like challenges and think the project came out the better for it. The art here is really lush and beautiful and horrifying, just like the story itself. I appreciate how the story works well to inform about history as it goes along and mostly how it takes pains to celebrate the Victorian Era ghost story like those of Edgar Allan Poe, M.R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu and Bram Stroker himself of course. I love that stuff, those stories and sought to weave that feeling into this story and feel like I\u2019ve succeeded.<\/span>\n\n\nWhat has the process been like working on Dracula of Transylvania?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: Well, I had to do some historical research to set the stage for the story, but the real work began after that in a broader sense to connect the story\u2019s settings, costumes and other details to the era\u2019s context. I went through three drafts then a dialogue polish. I then created historical \u2018interstitials\u2019 throughout the story, especially when the narrative moved to a different locale, to further explain where that setting and place in the world was at that time in history. After all that I had a novel, but then how to make it unique and more interesting to publishers? That\u2019s when I started creating the concept art that\u2019s part of the book. My pitch was ART OF STAR WARS meets SALEM\u2019S LOT.<\/span>\n\nHow would you describe the novel, Dracula of Transylvania?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: THE EXORCIST meets LORD OF THE RINGS. Horror within a sprawling adventure that vastly expands the supernatural world of Dracula. Lightning-fast action sequences framed by some pretty damn scary stuff, with endearing protagonists that decide to do the impossible: fight back against Dracula, who once destroyed a combined army of all the city\/states in Europe. Some seriously wicked and violent stuff from the count, who does not whether you are human, vampire or otherwise, he is the son of Satan and you will do his bidding or suffer the consequences.<\/span>\n\n\nThere are many different versions of Dracula in books and on the big screen, do you have a favourite version of Prince of Darkness?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: A lot of them, but I do really like a few of the more modern retellings like the 1979 Frank Langella version and the Coppola BRAM STOKER\u2019S DRACULA for different reasons. The first because it\u2019s a great mood piece with a very good story and the second because there\u2019s a layer of artistry and artisanry that I really like.<\/span>\n\nWhat can you tell us about the Prince of Darkness in the Dracula of Transylvania novel?<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\n\nRD: That you\u2019ll read about how Dracula came to be, how he rules over all the Nosferatu as king and how this version of Dracula has had a presence throughout history. This novel takes place between 999 and 1899 AD. You\u2019ll also see how some off the vampire king\u2019s subjects aren\u2019t too thrilled with his ruthlessness and taxation, how they resent him for thinking of them as subjects and how certain historical figures throughout time were actually vampires themselves. Heady stuff, hopefully.<\/span>\n\n\n\nWould you have any message for the ComicBuzz readers?<\/em><\/strong><\/span>\n\nRD: Yes, if you think that Dracula is played out, if he\u2019s become a lesser villain in your modern eyes, then this is the book for you because Dracula of Transylvania takes no prisoners, puts everyone in his path to the sword or stake and seeks only to continue to rule, and those vampires that agree with him can come along and be ruled or they can die by his hand. This is the no fooling around version of Dracula, and with some fun yet terrifying stuff to read along with. DRACULA OF TRANSYLVANIA is the novel you\u2019ve been waiting for, with some impressive concept art and historical annotations along the way. Check it out, it\u2019s everything you wish a book like this could be.<\/span>\n\nWe would like to thank Ricardo for taking the time out of his busy schedule to chat with us. If you would like to support Dracula of Transylvania and in the process pick up some great rewards please check out the campaign, visit Kickstarter:<\/span> https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/cloverpress\/ricardo-delgados-dracula-of-transylvania<\/a>\n\nThey have already unlocked a stretch goal at the $24,000 mark for several postcards featuring Ricardo\u2019s art and they have added a new stretch goal which is still locked for a two-sided bookmark at the $33,000 mark.<\/span>\n\nThe Dracula of Transylvania campaign is live now through March 25th, 2021. For updates, follow Ricardo Delgado<\/span> on<\/span> Instagram<\/a>,<\/span> Twitter<\/a> and<\/span> Facebook<\/a>, follow Dracula of Transylvania on<\/span> Twitter<\/a>, and follow<\/span> Clover Press on<\/span> Instagram<\/a>,<\/span> Twitter<\/a> and<\/span> Facebook<\/a>.<\/span>\n\nTo support the campaign, visit Kickstarter:<\/span> https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/cloverpress\/ricardo-delgados-dracula-of-transylvania<\/a>","post_title":"ComicBuzz Chats With Ricardo Delgado","post_excerpt":"Dracula of Transylvania","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"comicbuzz-chats-with-ricardo-delgado","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 16:26:13","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 15:26:13","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205967","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205852,"post_author":"5","post_date":"2021-01-08 15:27:26","post_date_gmt":"2021-01-08 15:27:26","post_content":"Well, would you look at that! 2020 is more or less over and not a moment too soon! So let me just sit back and recap on all the films, movies and more that I was fortunate enough to enjoy this year. Hopefully you lot will find something worth checking out from my thoughts of what I deemed an \u201cOtaku 2020 Review\u201d.<\/span>\n\nSo I\u2019m just gonna tip toe around the whole pandemic, bush-fire, Carole Baskin crap show that was 2020 and just dive right in to what I managed to do articles of this year.<\/span>\n\nMust Watch Film:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\n\u2018Zombie For Sale\u2019 is the first zom-rom-com to have emerged from Korea and the only one that comes to mind after the 2013 American film - \u2018Warm Bodies\u2019. This fantastic addition to the genre, reminds me of the comic style of \u2018Shaun of the Dead\u2019. Making it completely rewatchable and enjoyable time and time again. Released from Arrow Video on DVD and BluRay, you can also catch it over on Amazon Prime. Hopefully this film will make it to film festival screenings next year when the pandemic allows.<\/span>\n\nhttp:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/zombie-for-sale-review\/<\/a>\n\n\n\nA special mention has to go to Third Window Films for their release of \u2018Melancholic\u2019. Another fantastic film, that follows the midnight executions that go on in a run of the mill Japanese bath house. I still have to write this review up, but its a film well worth mentioning and is available to buy now over on their website. <\/span>http:\/\/thirdwindowfilms.com\/distributed-films\/<\/a>\n\n\n\nIf Asian film and subtitles just aren't your thing, then don\u2019t fret as \u2018Becky\u2019 has you covered. This film puts Kevin James in a role I never would have imagined he\u2019d play. Having just escaped from prison, Kevin plays a Neo-Nazi that is on the hunt for a key he hid in the foundations of a house years ago. How and why he did this, well I have no idea. But I do know - that the action was astounding! With a very resourceful and anger driven teenage girl lurking in the woods, its Kevin\u2019s character that is in the most danger! Definitely a film for the action lover in your life. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/becky-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nAnother film I have enjoyed myself this year is the follow up sequel to 2016\u2019 Train To Busan - Peninsula. Another zombie action flick that held its own against its predecessor and had some superb driving sequences from his youngest co-stars. Although already out on DVD and BluRay from Studio Canal, I hope to catch this film next year in the Japanese Film Festival at my local cinema and I advise you all to do the same if you get the chance.<\/span>\n\nCheck Out This Manga:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s the hit anime and manga series of 2020, which although it made its debut in Japan back in 2016. It has since caught the rest of the World by storm in the last 12 months. With the manga series just after ending, if you can\u2019t wait for the final volume to be released - you can always download the Shonen Jump app onto your phone and read all the manga you want for just \u20ac1.99 a month! And that includes ALL of the old and latest chapters from Demon Slayer, Dragon Ball, Boruto, Jojo and more!<\/span>\n\nhttp:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-vol-1-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nAnother notable manga that I have enjoyed this year, has been The Promised Neverland (also available on the Shonen Jump app!). Which is another series that has since finished, so you can binge it now over on the app.<\/span>\n\nNotable Anime Releases:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nThis series certainly caught me by surprise this year, Cop Craft is only a short 12 episode series but was jam packed with action from start to finish. It was a mix between Men In Black meets Lethal Weapon, certainly a show well worth introducing to those skeptical of anime. Definitely one worth mentioning to your co-workers to entice them over to the nerdy side. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/cop-craft-the-complete-series-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\n\n\nNext up is the isekai, \u2018The Rising of the Shield Hero\u2019 season one. Now this one was quite interesting in the fact that the hero in this show was brought into the world as one of four heroes. However due to only having a shield and no weapon, he was more or less cast to one side with zero help and left to level up on his own. Other mad shit happens along the way, he gathers an unusual party but also manages to do his bit to save people as best he can. I haven't enjoyed an isekai as much as this, since I watched Log Horizon. Well worth checking out both shows, as they each have a new season coming our way in the new year !<\/span> http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/the-rising-of-the-shield-hero-review\/<\/a>\n\n\n\nNext up is what I would class as a reverse isekai. Where the magical creature instead ventures into the \u2018real world\u2019 in search of peace. \u2018Miss Kobayashi\u2019s Dragon Maid\u2019 is just full of laughs, and also has an interesting take on the lead character. Although addressed as Miss and is indeed female, the way the character is portrayed you could easily change the genders. She acted much like I would imagine an adult Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran HighSchool Host Club would, so it looks like I have found my anime counterpart once again! There are also talks of a second season coming our way in 2021 for Miss Kobayashi, and there is plenty of manga available now in the franchise from Seven Seas Entertainment to keep us going until then. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/miss-kobayashis-dragon-maid-the-complete-series-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\n\n\nOkay I have two more anime releases well worth mentioning. Let\u2019s begin with \u2018The Promised Neverland\u2019 from Anime Limited. This anime wasn\u2019t long throwing you into the deep end when it comes to watching it. I got so hooked after Season One ended, that I got the Shonen Jump app and read all of the manga from start to finish. Now I will admit, Season Two next year is going to be very action packed! There is a lot to fit into the storyline, but it is just one of those shows where you can connect with the characters instantly as you both find out the dark truth about their world at the same time. Anime Limited have also done a wonderful job when it came to the packaging and cover arts.<\/span> http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/the-promised-neverland-season-1-review\/<\/a>\n\n\n\nLast but certainly not least - we have Season One of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. I haven\u2019t seen an anime with so much hype surrounding it since Season One of Attack on Titan! Once again, this is another show that when I finished watching it, I went and read all of the manga. And it was so satisfying! I could find zero flaw, even in the show. It was just so entertaining and the sword battles were among the best I have seen since Bleach and Claymore. I loved the old time, feudal feel to the show and the various personalities throughout, the hardships they all fought against and Tanjiro\u2019s sheer determination to help his sister Nezuko. Also, Nezuko is my Best Girl this year. All I want now are the figures for them all. Fingers crossed we will also get access to the film shorthly, hopefully via Crunchyroll or Funimation.<\/span>\n\nNot anime?:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nAlthough not an anime, 2020 was the year I finally managed to finish watching Samurai Jack! Thanks to Manga Entertainment UK who released the complete saga on Blu Ray back in December 2019, the fifth and final season ended Jacks\u2019 story that we have all waited for ever since the show ended abruptly back in 2004. This collection is well worth investing in and the story plus animation even holds up to this day - <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/samurai-jack-the-complete-series-review\/<\/a>\n\nStreamable Anime:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\n2020 has definitely been the year I have streamed most of my anime. Fruits Basket Season Two is still my obsession, with Season Two Part One getting a physical release sometime around February 2021. For the last few months though, I have solely been watching it on the Funimation app. If you haven\u2019t seen it already or have preferred the manga, I can assure you this adaptation comes straight from the manga pages and is sure to make you weep. It\u2019s emotional no matter what episode you end up watching.<\/span>\n\nOther shows I have watched on the app this year include: Demon Slayer, The Promised Neverland, Fire Force, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, How Heavy are the Dumbbells you lift and currently, the final season of Attack on Titan. January is also looking to be a packed year of even more anime to watch, with several second seasons to shows I am highly looking forward to returning to. Funimation has been a must have app on my phone this year, alongside the old faithful Crunchyroll - which I just finished watching \u2018Is It Okay To Pick Girls Up In A Dungeon?!\u2019, as well as \u2018Mysteria Friends\u2019.<\/span>\n\n\n\nAnother streaming service that came online this year, has been \u2018Screen Anime\u2019. Launched back in May by the people behind Anime Limited and Scotland Loves Anime film fest, it was a way of getting through the pandemic in a time that was going to clash with the yearly anime screenings up in Scotland. They offer a monthly service which includes four filmes and a series each month that you can binge. They have also included film premieres before they got a physical release, including \u2018Ride Your Wave\u2019 and \u2018Lu Over The Wall\u2019. Its a subscription well worth checking out and supporting, with a very affordable cost of under \u00a34.00 a month. However it is only available to view in the UK and Ireland at the moment.<\/span>\n\nhttp:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/screen-anime-june-july-2020-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nA Good \u2018Aul Book:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nIf you have attended any of the MCM Comic Cons in England over the years or just picked up your monthly Neo Magazine, you would be well acquainted with Cakes With Faces. A British company set up by designer Amy Crabtree, who has brought out many \u2018kawaii\u2019 alpaca and sushi hoodie designs over the years and whose stall has continuously grown over the near decade she has been trading at cons. She also has a superb YouTube channel that focuses on her trips to Japan and how you can organise your trip too! Which she has now put pen to paper and has created her very own travel guide! All thanks to her kickstarter campaign, the book is finally out and she has even done a second printing, so make sure to check out her website to order your copy today! <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/cakes-with-faces-your-guide-to-japan-review\/<\/a>\n<\/strong><\/span>\n\nComics Galore:<\/strong><\/span>\n\n\n\nI have really been slacking on the comic reviews this year, but two very important franchises do in fact come to the front of my mind. Over the last year or so, I have been enjoying the weekly Critical Role nights but I am a long way off from being up to date on the current Campaign 2. The team behind the Mighty Nein and their DM Matthew Mercer have since teamed up with Dark Horse Comics to put their first Campaign to paper as a comic series. Thus the Origins of Vox Machina was released. However my eyes are solely set on the up-coming Mighty Nein origins stories that are set to be published next year, beginning with our own little sapphire: Jester. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/critical-role-vox-machina-origins-vol-1-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\n\n\nAnother comic series and company worth checking out, is Wolvenheart from Mad Cave Studios. This epic tale tells the story of not only Van Helsing, but the organisation he establishes to track down the evil demons that have emerged through various points in time. It\u2019s time-traveling demon slayers in a nutshell. With appearances from the Queen of England, Dracula and the infamous - Queen in Black! Follow Van Helsing's apprentice - Sterling Cross, as he travels throughout time to stop the destruction of the Wolvenheart Organisation! <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/wolvenheart-vol-1-legendary-slayer-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nGraphic Novels worth checking out:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nI have really come to love Katie O\u2019Neills\u2019 work in the last year. From her \u2018Tea Dragon Society\u2019 series to \u2018Aquicorn Cove\u2019 - it just brings me back to the types of books I used to read as a kid. However these ones are still capable of catching my grown-up imagination, by transporting me into a story filled with joy but also personal challenges for the characters. My favorite of which has been the \u2018Tea Dragon Festival\u2019 - <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/the-tea-dragon-festival-review\/<\/a>. A book and series that is well worth adding to your collection, and also makes as a lovely gift for younger readers. Truly this is one series I would hope to pass down through my family for decades to come.<\/span>\n\n\n\nMy second graphic novel recommendation has to go to \u2018The Magic Fish\u2019 from Random House Graphic. This beautifully illustrated story combines some foreign fairy tales that I have never heard before and entwines them with the struggles that young Ti\u00e9n is going through. The only child of an immigrant family, that moved from Vietnam to America for a better life. Throw in the reality of knowing that he is poorer than his classmates, the amount of work and effort his parents put into their daily lives and the sadness he sees on his mothers\u2019 face when she talks about returning back to Vietnam to visit her ailing mother. Ti\u00e9ns\u2019 native language is English and although he has dual languages to a certain degree, his parents native tongue will always be Vietnamese. It just adds an extra layer of communication complications, when Ti\u00e9n struggles to understand his own feelings towards boys but doesn't know how to voice them to his parents. It\u2019s a book I am miserably failing to properly describe, but is well worth picking up and reading! Please take my word for it!<\/span> http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/the-magic-fish-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nA Little Box of Sunshine:<\/span><\/strong>\n\n\n\nEach month, without fail I have received my SoKawaii box subscription sent straight from Japan. With a different theme each month, it comes packed full of stationary, useful goods, cups, blankets, plushies etc. Delivered through DHL, it has managed to arrive within days of leaving Japan and does not rely on Japan Post at all. Which at the moment has not shipped to Ireland since March. Just check out my latest review of SoKawaii for their December box to find out how you can sign up and use my discount code: <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/sokawaii-december-2020-box-review\/<\/a>\n\nOther noteworthy boxes include Nihon Box, which currently can\u2019t ship to a number of countries at the moment due to Japan Post restrictions. So perhaps its best to wait until normal postal services resume before signing up for your crate. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/nihon-box-march-2020-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nAnother service I found just recent enough, is Leannes Anime over on Facebook. Based in England, she can create custom anime mystery boxes for you, locate certain merch from Japan and is even working on getting a website made for the new year. With quick turn around, fast shipping and reasonable prices, she is well worth checking out for the anime figures and merch that she buys in. Make sure to check out her live videos as well for all the latest merch that arrives. <\/span>http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/leannes-anime-demon-slayer-mystery-box-review\/<\/a>\n<\/span>\n\nAnd last but not least, I want to give a massive shout out to all the Irish conventions and their committee members, stall holders, attendees and guests that have had to cancel all their plans for 2020. Let\u2019s face it, this year sucked in many ways! But outside of that, we all managed to slow down just a tad. To take an extra long breath and just deal with what was in front of us. There will be many more conventions in the future, we will all be extra excited to attend, to get out of the house and even leave our own county at long last! Imagine being able to go to Dublin for Dublin Comic Con and J-Con, to travel to Cork for Kaizoku Con, Galway for Akumakon and maybe even new conventions that haven\u2019t even been announced yet. We will grace those trade halls yet again and we will not take it for granted when we line up to meet an overseas guest.<\/span>\n\nHere\u2019s to 2021, even if it goes to s*** - at least there will be a new season of anime to watch!<\/span>","post_title":"Best Content of 2020?!","post_excerpt":"Let's recap 2020","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"best-content-of-2020","to_ping":"","pinged":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/zombie-for-sale-review\/\nhttp:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/becky-review\/\nhttp:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-vol-1-review\/","post_modified":"2022-10-08 17:05:10","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 16:05:10","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205852","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205587,"post_author":"11","post_date":"2020-11-16 11:42:42","post_date_gmt":"2020-11-16 11:42:42","post_content":"

The next generation of consoles is here, the PS5 is Sony's next-generation console. <\/span><\/p>\n

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First impressions of the PS5 while unboxing and moving the box is the sheer weight of the PS5, it's a heavy console (Blu-Ray version) weighing in at 4.5kg (9.9 lbs) and the digital version comes in at 3.9kg (8.6lb). The contents of the PS5 box is minimal with a console, a power lead, controller and HDMI included. <\/span><\/p>\n

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As I unboxed the console, two things were very striking, the console design and the controller design. The console is an impressive unit and is huge but the sleek design. It's the main unit is a black glossy plastic that has vents at the back for cooling and air circulation, this is offset by two white plates that have the Playstation symbols embossed on the inside. The final piece is a stand that allows for the PS5 to be used in standing or on its side. The design isn't uniform as the unit goes from a thin base to widening top when standing up with the white plates diverging at the top. The design is reminiscent of a building design as opposed to a console, it looks like a building that has been made into a console. The console isn't one for being hidden in a TV stand, I think it's been purposely designed to stand with the use of the white plates to make it stand out. AV equipment is generally black so this will contrast whatever AV equipment you have. Another thing to note is that you may find it to be a tight fit in your TV stand as it's big and wide. Despite the sheer size, the two-tone colour design, I'm growing to like this big impressive piece of tech. I'm still coming to terms on how massive it is. I assume Sony went for the statement piece of art in your living room\/bedroom should be a PS5. Hidden in the front of the main console unit is a 3 USB-A, USB-C port, ethernet port, WIFI, eject (BLU-Ray) version and power button. The power button and eject button aren't the same sizes so no more turning the console off by mistake.
<\/span><\/p>\n

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The next piece of kit you will want to get your hands on is the new PS5 dualsense controller. It has the same two-tone effect going on, the controller is slightly longer and slightly heavier than the PS4 controllers. It has a translucent d-pad and buttons, built-in mic, speaker, touchpad with RGB lighting, motion feedback, create button, options button, two dual shock controllers, longer L2 and R2 triggers with extra haptic feedback. A huge emphasis has been placed on the controller as being the next part of innovation for the PS5. The additional haptic feedback in the triggers that allow for touch-sensitive use of the controller means that this will allow for gamers and developers to use it. I will delve into the additional haptic feedback as part of reviews of the games. The charging port is a USB-C.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How does the new tech fair up in the gameplay experience? Once I started the console, the sheer speed and quickness of every element of the console are impressive. The game boot times are drastically reduced and once the games started the loads are dramatically reduced. The console from boot to login is about 20 seconds and then seamless when logged in. To load Spider-Man: Miles Morales approx 15 seconds and very little noticeable load times. The console is a pure joy to play, the quickness and general responsiveness is what makes the PS5 a winner. The controller and extra haptic feedback make the whole experience more immersive and just consume you in the game. Sony has delivered on the next generation aspects of speed, design and the next era of gaming consoles. The next-generation games will take some more time to be developed and released but the speed and architectural improvements make this console a worthy purchase. The SSD, the 4K gaming and overall improvements are visible within seconds of turning the console on. Sound is clear and even more vibrant, all in all, the console is very impressive.  <\/span><\/p>\n

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Tech Details, if you are into the hardware details. <\/span><\/p>\n

CPU<\/strong> x86-64-AMD Ryzen™ \u201cZen 2\u201d 8 Cores \/ 16 Threads Variable frequency, up to 3.5 GHz<\/span><\/p>\n

GPU<\/strong> AMD Radeon™ RDNA 2-based graphics engine Ray Tracing Acceleration<\/span><\/p>\n

Variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS)<\/span><\/p>\n

System Memory<\/strong> GDDR6 16GB<\/span><\/p>\n

448GB\/s Bandwidth<\/span><\/p>\n

SSD<\/strong> 825GB<\/span><\/p>\n

5.5GB\/s Read Bandwidth (Raw)<\/span><\/p>\n

PS5 Game Disc<\/strong> Ultra HD Blu-ray™, up to 100GB\/disc<\/span><\/p>\n

Video Out <\/strong>Support of 4K 120Hz TVs, 8K TVs, VRR (specified by HDMI ver.2.1)<\/span><\/p>\n

Audio <\/strong>\u201cTempest\u201d 3D AudioTech<\/span><\/p>\n

The PS5 review unit was supplied by Sony.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","post_title":"PlayStation 5 Console Review","post_excerpt":"Next generation is here","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"playstation-5-console-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-10-08 19:13:27","post_modified_gmt":"2022-10-08 18:13:27","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/comicbuzz.com\/?p=205587","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":205501,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2020-10-26 17:35:59","post_date_gmt":"2020-10-26 17:35:59","post_content":"

We got a chance to sit down a have a quick chat with the very talented creator Peter Ricq as he gets ready for the release of his first illustrated book Ghosts Are People Too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hello Peter, could you give a quick introduction of yourself and your numerous careers that you have for our readers that may now be familiar with you?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

HI! Yeah I can do that. My name is Peter Ricq and I was born in Montreal Quebec (french for Canada). My parents let me watch whatever I wanted and my dad even rented classics like Alien and Aliens \"You kids have to watch this\" when we were 7 or 8 and Predator or Robocop \"this looks sick, let's watch this tonight\". Obviously, he said these in french and so it sounded different. I didn't end up like a murderous crazy person and am very kind but I do love anything that has to do with murder, mysteries, the supernatural, science fiction and you can see that in my work. Here is what I do:<\/span><\/p>\n

- I'm a fine artist and have been active in the art scene since 2004 (PeterRicq.com)<\/span><\/p>\n

- I'm a filmmaker and have directed many music videos and made a horror\/comedy Dead Shack that is streaming exclusively on SHUDDER.<\/span><\/p>\n

- I've made 3 graphic novels 'Once Our Land 1&2' (Scout Comics) and A King's Vengeance.<\/span><\/p>\n

- I'm in several bands HUMANS, Gang Signs, Ladyfrnd, The Red, Samatata.<\/span><\/p>\n

- I've created several animated television series like The League of Super Evil (Cartoon Network, YTV, BBC).<\/span><\/p>\n

- I'm a very good vegan chef.<\/span><\/p>\n

- I love Halloween.<\/span><\/p>\n

You are currently Kickstarting your first illustrated book, \"Ghosts Are People Too\". Which is currently going very strong over on Kickstarter (<\/span><\/strong>https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/peterricq\/ghost-are-people-too<\/a>). What keeps drawing you back to using this site, as this is your third time I believe in crowdfunding your books?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fourth time! Yeah, I love how the site makes it possible for entrepreneurs and artists to put their ideas out there, get the word out, find followers from around the world, and get the funding they seek so they don't sell their soul along with their baby. I think Kickstarter is one of the best things to come out for independent artists and entrepreneurs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So this book is about making friends with ghosts, and getting the message across that they are also scared of us that are living. Can you tell us about the origins of the book and if have you ever had an encounter of the spooky kind?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I kind of wish I did have an encounter but I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle it honestly. I think I'd be too scared and so I made this book to help myself with the idea to be less afraid of ghosts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The book idea came from seeing Edward Gorey's books in the bookstore and thinking \"Is this the only dope kids book here? Where are all the other morbid spooky books?\" So I figured, I can help put an end to this tragedy and give the kids in the world what they want and deserve, another great, morbid, funny, and fun kids book with wonderful illustrations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Which came first - the idea for the story or Ethan's' character?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea, as for Ethan, I wanted to his design to be contemporary like the Cartoon Network shows but I wanted the execution to be more like something out of an old book you would find in a haunted house.<\/span><\/p>\n

How long have you been working on \"Ghosts Are People Too\", and did the current global Coronavirus lockdown allow you to focus more on your work or did it restrict your creative thinking?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I've been thinking about this book for years but you could say that I've been working on this book my whole life since it takes everything I've developed since I started drawing and has put them together all into this one thing here. The pandemic has helped me see it to its completion though yes. I was scared, lost a ton of work and decided to finish this book as I wait for things to get better.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You have mentioned before that you enjoy the works of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman. Can you recall how you came across their works and which has been the most influential on your own style?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tim Burton's work, I don't like his newer stuff but I love and still rewatch in aw his older work. I think I saw all his films as they came out starting with Pee-Wee but Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Batman were my favorites and the art direction and vision in his films were just incredible. His work was so magical and it made me feel like anything is possible. I loved how he always had his monsters kind and not necessarily villains (Just like Guillermo Deltoro) and I wanted to do something in that vein with this book.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you are creating an illustration for this book, what is that process like and how long does it take? Did you research or have any source material that helped you develop the final character design for Ethan? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, I use a ton of reference and with my photoshop wizard skillset, I manipulate the photos to make them look a bit more cartoony, like their shapes. I then draw my characters and sometimes use photography as a base too. I then print it, pencil it, then transfer the pencil to the illustration board and start inking a few lines but mostly do pointillism to give it that old-time look. It might sound like it's a long process and it is but I get to relax when doing this and listen to great podcasts, audiobooks, TV shows, and youtube videos. I learned a lot about the world and history while working on this book.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How would you describe the look of the book?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I would say it's a more contemporary\/cartoony version of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton's work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you very much for your time Peter, it was a pleasure getting to interview you. Have you any message for our ComicBuzz readers that will be reading this right now?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Be afraid, be very afraid MUHAHAHAhahahaaaaaaa. Nah I kid, enjoy yourself, and be kind to your supernatural roommates. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you would like to get a copy of Ghosts Are People Too<\/strong> or find out more information about it please feel free to check it out at:<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/peterricq\/ghost-are-people-too<\/a><\/p>\n

I would first of all like to say a big thank you to Peter for taking the time out of his busy schedule to sit and chat with us. I would also like to thank Vixen Ninetails for all the help with this interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

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