Review Fix Exclusive: Mario Simone Talks ‘Heroes Haven’

Review Fix chats with author and Gotham City Films founder Mario Simone, who discusses his comic book series, “Heroes Haven.” Discussing the inspiration for the series and his goals, which also include a video game, Simone has some big goals for the project.

Review Fix: What inspired this graphic novel?
 
Mario Simone: For me I was so inspired by my characters, they practically would be screaming in my head to be released and live in this alternative universe to find their truth and overcome their obstacles.  I took this journey with them and bleed my emotions into them, so it’s a beautiful experience to watch the audience connect with them deeply and go on this journey with me.

Review Fix: Who are some authors that have influenced your style?
 
Simone: I loved Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke, such interesting shots with gripping story, and Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale’s The Long Halloween is so unique in its color palettes and film noir styling.  Frank Millar’s work always original and I enjoy Garth Ennis, Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder’s Witches is really cool.

Review Fix: What inspired the art style?
 
Simone: I was really inspired to design a style that felt like paintings, almost like a gruesome pop art type of feel but anchored in these shots that felt viscerally charged and almost frozen in time with this retro painting feel.  I studied so many of the great painters and I wanted my designs to focused so much in the detailing that you really wanted to take in each panel on its own, separate and then synergized together. 

Review Fix: This book just screams animated series. Any hopes on one day transitioning to another medium?
 
Oh yes, My dream with these characters and story was to build it purposely to live on in other mediums.  I am a filmmaker so I designed the book and story as if I would a movie with art direction and shot design.  I wanted to scope so much on the character motives, wardrobe, backstories, and detailing with the cinematic style.  My goal was to bring this to life on blank white pages and connect to readers and always have that world exist on in the books, and then breathe life into the TV show, movie, and possible the video game world.  We’ll see, I try to let the characters guide their destiny. 

Review Fix: How do you want this book to be remembered?
 
Simone: I would love the book to be remembered as a deep psychological and philosophical journey that allows readers to go on a great adventure  and inspires them to follow the journey of the characters and look deep within themselves and “Awaken your inner hero”   That’s the mantra in the book.

Review Fix: What do you think makes it special?
 
Simone: I think for me it was such a difficult journey to get this book to fruition and I had so many obstacles with making my first graphic novel as well as building my own publishing division in Gotham City Films, because I really wanted to make the book my way without influence of other comic publishers.  I really took all that pain and struggle and wrote it into the characters and art of the story.  So I feel like there is such honest truth to the emotion in the book, and I wanted to push the envelope with style and really bring something new to the audience.  And even pushing through rejections from all the big distributors on the first three issues, I stayed true to the vision and voice of the characters, and just connected to the fans along the way that saw the vision.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Simone: I am currently writing and designing the next six issues, as well as the spin-offs so I can release storylines of certain characters all at once, and all become a different part of the roadmap that leads the reader down different paths.  I am also working on finishing up the first 13 episodes of the TV series, and taking meetings with gaming companies for the IOS as well as AAA video game.