Review Fix Exclusive: Inside ‘Battlecats’

Review Fix chats with “Battlecats” writer Mark London, who lets us know what inspired the series and why it’s a special one.

Review Fix: What inspired this series?

Mark London: I grew up in the ‘80s, and I like to think that was a helluva time to be exposed to emerging types of media: Comics, video games, movies, animation, literature; I mean, I devoured everything I could get my hands on. I guess you put all that into a blender, and that’s where I get the inspiration I need. And if you look at my other works, this is also the reason why I like to explore so many different themes and genres, that might seem opposites, but I’d like to think they complement each other when done well.

Review Fix: What was the research process like?

London: Long but memorable. I had to dust off my love for King Arthur, for Conan, for the Lord of the rings, for D&D and even playing the Witcher 3 video game helped in the final stages. I love researching all the ideas  I want to put on the page, so I enjoy this part of the process. I always have like 150 slide PowerPoint presentation for the team before we even start sketching.

Review Fix: Was it difficult to put together?

London: Well, the Battlecats lore proved to be a cathartic, “World-Building” experience. After all the research and the info to fell in their place, the result was a full-blown encyclopedia. It explains the expansive medieval fantasy setting, which includes deities, maps, timelines, character descriptions, etc. The concept phase became an obsession aimed at fleshing out Valderia’s history and add as much context as possible. And the work on this front continues! Maybe next year we will release it as The Tome of Valderia so you guys can see what we accomplished.  Nevertheless, once I found the backstory, the direction where our warriors will go next became clearer.

Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself as a creator through this?

London: That I can long hours and even days without food or sleep and still be a normal functioning human being. But you need coffee though. All kidding aside, with each new series I create, I try to push myself, I try to surprise myself, I try to get faster, more concise, more precise, I guess what I’m trying to say is that with everything new I need to improve my craft.

Review Fix: Who’s your target audience for this?

London: With BATTLECATS, we wanted to offer a fresh perspective on a familiar genre that the direct market lacked. Inspired by classic action/adventure comics and cartoons from the 80’s, BATTLECATS provides a unique storyline that appeals both to fantasy comic fans and new comic readers alike.

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Review Fix: How is it different from other comic books in the genre?

London: Battlecats builds. With each new issue, Battlecats never stops building worlds, environments, teams, emotional contrasts, intrigue, etc. Our readers will quickly recognize that exploring Battlecats is a continuing process, one that will pique their interest issue by issue, never letting go. The building aspect also grabs hold of retailers in a way that allows them to know they can build a new customer base with Battlecats in particular, and grow with Mad Cave, in general.

Review Fix: How is it different from your previous work?

London: Well, my previous work is Midnight Task Force which was supposed to come out before Battlecats, but we ended up launching Battlecats first. I’d say my previous work (Midnight) dig’s deeper and goes darker into the psyche of the characters. Also, the setting is very different, its set in the future and it involves a detective who is fighting his demons while trying to a catch a vicious killer. A killer whose methods are different from any case he has ever seen before.  Midnight Task Force is very different from Battlecats, but that’s part of why I make comics. I like to challenge myself, and everyone on the team feels the same way. Plus it gives Mad Cave Studios a variety of offerings from different genres, a variety of themes, diverse characters and so on.

Review Fix: How would you describe it to someone who has never read it?

London: BATTLECATS is a medieval fantasy comic series that explores an immense world–Valderia– built on a rich history and diverse culture. Immediately, the story takes off during an imminent power struggle among fierce, feline warriors destined to protect Valderia and its King and those wishing to destroy those institutions. Through in-depth character development, expansive environments, and captivating artwork, BATTLECATS grabs hold of the reader immersing them in a comic book reading experience like no other.

Review Fix: What’s next?

London: All I can say is that Battlecats builds. It’s an emotionally-charged, action-packed adventure enveloped by a captivating medieval fantasy setting that continually grows both in size and appeal. Battlecats offers something for every comic book reader–from fantasy fans to overall indie lovers, from the avid comics lector to the more passive ones. We want to submerge each Battlecats reader into Valderia’s precious environment and experience this world through their eyes.

Given this reality, much is in store for the series. Volume 1 will contain three complete story arcs consisting of Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3–each with five issues. Also, Mad Cave will publish The Tome of Valderia, an encyclopedia/concept art book that offers readers more content and backstory. Again, the aim is clear: Battlecats provides the roadmap towards a medieval fantasy world that continually evolves while bringing different aspects that engage a wide-ranging audience.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

London: Next stop is Knights of the Golden Sun which we plan on releasing in November, and for 2019 we have a very aggressive plan which involves six new titles and the continuation of our flagship Battlecats. Those titles are, Honor and Curse, Legends of Wolvenhart, RV9, Nuke Lands, and two others that are in the pipeline.

There are many projects in tow at Mad Cave. Here is a quick description of each title:

Midnight Task Force

A mystery, thriller set in Detroit, 2055. The story centers around the anti-hero, Det. Aiden McCormick, and his struggle with mental illness while trying to solve a series of grisly murders plaguing the city. Will Aiden be able to solve the case? Or is there more going on than even he can imagine?

Knights of the Golden Sun

Our biblical take on historical fiction and mythology during the events that divide the Old Testament with the New. For four hundred years, God was silent. Without His leadership, the angels and their fallen brothers fought over His throne. What will become of humanity and the angels that watch over them? The struggle for Providence begins…

Honor and Curse

Set in feudal Japan, this martial arts inspired, action adventure comic follows a young shinobi: Genshi Sakagura. Haunted by the questions about a tragedy in his past, now his doubt is beginning to manifest itself supernaturally. Will Genshi be able to control this spirit or will he lose himself to the darkness?…

It’s been an amazing journey so far. Making comics is a tough business. The creative process can be pretty tough, too. But it’s really surreal getting to see your ideas and writing brought to life when you have the privilege of collaborating with so many talented artists, colorists, pencillers, editors, and more.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13819 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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