Graphic Novel of the Week for July 6th: The Apocalipstix Volume 1

We're starting off our first week with a bang, as the creators of The Apocalipstix (our Graphic Novel of the Week for July 6th, the first official week of Word Out!) give us some exclusive details about the creative process behind a graphic novel and offer to answer your questions...

Meet Mandy, Megumi and Dot of The Apocalipstix by Ray Fawkes and Cameron Stewart. They were on their way to becoming one of the greatest rock bands ever... and then Armageddon happened. But with a name like “The Apocalipstix” you know these girls aren’t going to let pirates or environmental collapse get in the way of the next gig on their world tour. This rockin’ trio is heading for the clubs and bars left standing, and they see giant insects and mutant freaks as just another tough crowd.

The Apolcalipstix is a rockin' good read and I had the pleasure of speaking with its creators... 

Lisa (L): How did the Apocalipstix come about and what was your collaborative process like?

Ray (R): Cameron and I have known each other for years, and we'd wanted to work together on something for a long time. We started to discuss what kind of projects would appeal to us both - he was looking to draw something with girls, rock n' roll, and a relatively sparse landscape, and I was looking to write something fun and lighthearted. We put our heads together and came up with the concept for The Apocalipstix together, and we were off to the races.

Cameron (C): I was working on Catwoman for DC Comics and was getting really sick of drawing the complex architecture of Gotham City, and so I joked that whatever my next book was gonna be, it would have to be set in a desert. That got me thinking about what kind of story would be set in a desert landscape and I thought of a blasted, post-apocalyptic world, and then for whatever ridiculous reason I had the notion of a rock n' roll band stuck in the middle of it. I handed that ball to Ray and he ran with it. And ran, and ran, and ran...

R: Our process is very collaborative. I write a draft of the script with the plot and gags roughed in, Cameron draws it, pacing it out in the way that works best for him, and then I go back over all of it to finalize the dialogue and sharpen up the laughs. We're looking over each others' shoulders most of the way, and both contributing input.

C: Reading Ray's scripts is a real joy, they always make me laugh at some funny line of dialogue or a clever little touch. It's also rarely difficult to work from one of his scripts, he manages to write just enough to evoke the images in my head, without having to spell it all out for me.

L: What are some of your reading interests/influences?

R: The influences showing themselves most powerfully in The Apocalipstix are less literary - broad slapstick cartoons and weirdo atomic age B-movies had a lot to do with inspiring much of the book. But there's also a vein of black humor in it that is indirectly inspired by a couple of my favourite writers: Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller.

C: We've always described it as "Josie and the Pussycats" meets "Mad Max", which are of course two very strong influences on the story and my artwork. Josie creator Dan DeCarlo is one of my favourite artists and so I try to apply that playful, stylized cartoon look to the characters, while drawing more realistic environments that are inspired by various post-apocalyptic visons as seen in the Mad Max movies and comics like "Akira" by Katsuhiro Otomo.

L: What advice would you offer a teen who's interested in creating comics?

R: Get to work! There's nothing to stop you from setting pen to paper and writing and drawing your ideas right now. You'll only get better with practice. You don't need to win any awards or sell tons of copies to be a comic book creator. You just have to create comics.

C: Look outside of comics for inspiration - by all means read comics but also read books, watch movies, study art and design, draw the world around you. Grab a sketchbook and sit in the park and draw people you see, or in a cafe and sketch cars and buildings on the street. Write down any ideas that come to you for stories, no matter how small or silly they may seem - they'll come in handy later, and you might forget them if you don't jot them down! Making comics is one of the few jobs where doing the homework is a lot of fun.

L: What other projects are you working on and when can we expect volume two of the Apocalipstix?

R: I've got another project that's soon to be announced from Oni Press (I don't think I can say what it is just yet), and I've got a horror book called "Junction True" coming from Top Shelf comics next year. Volume two of the Apocalipstix is written! Cameron is drawing it now. It should be out...late this year? Cameron?

C: Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye will be coming out in a collected edition from Vertigo soon, and I am also currently writing AND drawing a weekly comic strip called Sin Titulo at www.sintitulocomic.com (it's a lot darker and may not be suitable for all ages - be warned!). Vol 2 of the Apocalipstix will be out when I'm finished drawing it, more likely early next year.

Ray and Cameron will be checking in with the blog, so feel free to post additional questions or comments for them.

Lisa coordinates the selection of materials for youth at TPL. She reads as much as her 2-year-old will allow.

Comments

[Supriya Singh]

I just finished reading Avalon High by Meg Cabot. Its a really interesting story about King Arthur and all the legends that go along with him.

Elaine a.k.a. Ellie/Elle, just moved and her new school is Avalon High. There she falls in love with A. Will Wagner, soon she finds out a group of them a recarnations of the King Arthur World.

Its a great story about belonging, and falling in love.

[Supriya Singh]

I also finished reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I really LOVED this book!!! It made my top 20 list...he..he..he!

Speak is about a teenage outcast. Melinda Sordino calls the police at a summer high school party. Everyone now hates her and her friends don't talk to her. Starting her freshman year is hard, when no one likes her.

Somehow Melinda makes it through, learning how to deal with such problems by speaking out.

[Sahiti]

I love graphic novels! When I start read the one I like, I cannot put it down, literally! I will look into this one too!

[Sravya]

I am a big fan of the Twilight series. It`s such a good book and u ppl should try it. It has a little bit of everything, action, suspense, mystery, and so on. Don`t rely on a bunch of ratings from anywhere, make an opinion of your own. Be confident.

[sogand]

I read harry potter books for the third time any one whao hasnt read harry potters they totally should read it is awesome!!!!!!!!

[Lynn]

Heyyyyyy! I started to get into HP last Summer and read the first 4 books and watched the first 5 movies. I've gotten quite lazy and I'm trying to quickly read the 5th book. I hope I finish soon! I read whenever I'm on a walk and stuff so I read about 20 pages. Lol. I want to finish the 6th book by the time the movie comes out!! So excited ><

[Teresa]

I also read Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn which is about two people who have undying eternal love for each other. It all started out back in prehistoric times, where two people were fighting over an emerald they had both spotted, each with a different desire and use for it. Only instead, they plummeted to their deaths. From Ancient Egypt to Ancient Greece, the civil war, present time, and more, they always keep on meeting once again.
They're eternal undying love for each other is always stopped by an some sort of obstacle -- which is really frustrating.
It kind of dragged on a little bit too long but it's still a decent read.

[wala]

have u guys heard of the 39 clues it's about a family who has some power over in the world ,it's a mystery book but instead of them telling the ending u solve it and u go to their web and if u solve it you get money as the prize.

[wala]

i love graphic novels,they're really good.

[Teresa]

I finished reading Ransom my Heart by The Princess of Genovia Mia Thermoplis yesterday. Ransom my Heart is about Finnula Crais, the miller's daughter, one of six, though she was rather eccentric. She prefer to wear men's leather braises, poaches the earl's game using her bow and arrow. But when her sister Mellana is in a sticky situation and spent all of her dowry on trinkets and hair ribbons, Finnula has to help her sister.
Hugo Fitzstephen, who returns home from the Holy Land from fighting, along with his rather annoying squire Peter. That is when Finnula decides to kidnap Hugo and hold Him for randsom, though he lies to Finnula about his identity.
His lord starts to fall for Finnula, and so does she.
The beginning was slow, and I just couldn't stop thinking that it needed to be sped up and they should reach Stephanstate Manor already!
Still they amuse me with their lack of knowledge of love, and they're bickering.

[Sravya]

Hey guys, I just signed out this awesome book called, "The Geometry of Sisters" and it a great book. You guys should try it.

[Agnes]

I can't wait to read this book! I find that I prefer reading graphic novels than manga. I think it's because in manga, everything is black and white, but graphic novels have all these colours which make it more interesting, in my opinion.

[S.Sivanesan]

I'm not such a graphic novel fan, but I will try to get my hands on this book and read it as it sounds pretty interisting! In my opinion I like books that follow a few certain like those babymouse books which only has pink, white and black.

[Natasha]

Wow! this suggestion sounds really interesting. Having read a couple of graphic novels this year: The Watchmen, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman Vol. 1, V for Vendetta & Batman, I think I could enjoy my hand on this one as well.

As for the HP series, I am done all of those books! =) I can't wait for the sixth movie to come out!

[cameron Stewart]

Agnes - I hope you like the book, but uh oh! We're also a black and white book, not full colour. Feel free to grab some markers and add your own.

Natasha - You've started with the best, Alan Moore! Hope we can live up to those...

[Alan H.]

Cameron: Just not to a library copy with the markers, please. ;)

(this is mostly just an excuse say that I really loved Seaguy and am looking forward to reading the second volume)

[Supriya Singh]

I just finished reading, It happened to Nancy.

Reading this book, might save your life! Its about a teenage girl who gets raped and is given HIV. She goes through it all aging, knowing every second of her life is now precious. This is a touching story, that warmed my heart.

[Kamille]

This graphic NOvel seems awesome, I can't wait to read it!!

[Lucy L.]

Apocalipstix sounds like a really great comic/graphic novel. =D
Kind of makes you think about the environment/apocolypse and what humans are doing to the Earth.

[Mary]

I like reading graphic novels, but i mostly like reading mangas. Expecially this manga called Until death do us part.

[Supriya Singh]

I'm a more of a novel reader. I can read graphic novels, but, most of them don't interest me.

[christine]

i love to read graphic novels. i like how they have pictures but i read normal novels too

[Allison]

sounds cool!!

[Lithiya]

I love graphic novel books and I really enjoyed this one it was amazing and great. I would read it everyday!!!!!

[Sibyl]

I'm into the Twilight series, I finished all the books in a couple of weeks, I heard there's a new one, but I'm not sure on how true that is. I also like books by V.C. Andrews, my favorite is Secrets in the Attic. It's about how these too families end up being related because the guy has a child with this girl and the girl ends up going crazy but the guys sister was the other girls best friend. It's really good because you don't know this until the end. And throughout the book it's about the girls as best friends. It's really good. I advise anyone to read it.