Review Fix Exclusive: Inside ‘Myrrom Galaxy: Oath’

Review Fix chats with “Myrrom Galaxy: Oath” creator Nate Lindley, who discusses his vast and deep world and how it’s got a lot more in common with RPGs on the Sega Genesis and Humanity than most comic book series.

Review Fix: What inspired this comic?

Nate Lindley: In a nutshell: mankind.  I think creativity is always bouncing off a springboard of reality.

Myrrom:

The idea of Myrrom entered my mind as a reflection of mankind’s internal struggle to gain and control resources and power.

The balancing act that plays-out between power and destruction, good and evil, progress and decline, etc. is intriguing to me.  They all go hand-in-hand and follow each other.  Throughout history, power-seeking seems to be an equally creative and destructive pattern.  It is a crazy paradox!  We seem to seek what we believe will build us up and make us greater, but, generally due to our motivations or flaws, the dilemmas set-in and we somehow wreak havoc upon ourselves.

The Characters:

Those who push back against the desire to gain – these tend to be the heroes of Myrrom Galaxy.  Generally the heroes share this quality at some point.  Some succeed.  Some succumb and break to the temptations of power.  It’s important to keep the struggle real for the villains too.  It’s tempting to just say they are the bad guys because I said so, but the reader needs to understand their viewpoint to some extent.

Oath:

Oath’s story was inspired by the question, “What would happen if myrrom found its way to Earth?”  Previously myrrom was in a far-off planet, but I wanted to bring it home.  The questions that follow are,”How is myrrom disrupting Earth?” and “How did it get here?”  All that will be revealed in the series.  And trust me, there are problems that will follow myrrom’s arrival to Earth – some domestic / some from far off worlds.

Review Fix: How is Myrrom Galaxy: Oath different from your previous work?

Lindley: Myrrom Galaxy: Destructive Power is a great book – it established the creative launchpad for all things myrrom.  However, I wanted to make a comic book.  I write, but I also like making art.  Myrrom Galaxy: Oath bridges that gap, because it is a comic book.  Not only is there a cool story, now there are cool scribbles too.

Review Fix: What makes this comic special?

Lindley: Oath is a story about integrity, perseverance, and family.  Oath is a fictional story about fictional characters and events, but it is so much more than that.  There is a healthy dose of action, adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, and super powers, but beating-up the bad guys is not the main message.

Review Fix: What creators do you think have influenced you the most?

Lindley: As for the courage to make a comic, Derek Lipscomb.  He is the creator of The Maroon.  He makes his comics on his own and he convinced me that I could do the same.  I used to work with Derrek, so I am very fortunate to have a friend who could show me the ropes.  As for style, countless comic book and fantasy artists.  I’ve been a fan of comic books and games since I was a kid.  Top names for me would be David Mazzuchelli (Batman: Year One) and Wayne Reynolds (Magic the Gathering). 

Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?

Lindley: I still look back on things that inspired me, but never hit the top of the charts, like Shining Force on Sega Genesis.  For some reason I felt a connection with that game.  I’d like Myrrom Galaxy to be something like that for someone else.  I would like to see it establish a lasting connection with fans.  Charts and sells are peripheral goals.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Lindley: Oath, Issue 2.  It is already in the works.  And, eventually the sequel to the youth novel, Myrrom Galaxy: Destructive Power.  I also have other comic book and story ideas that I would love to see materialize.

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

Lindley: Fan support is crucial to indie creators.  If you read an indie comic, write a review or tell a friend.  Simple acts of support are heaps of creative energy for indie creators! 

Thank you to Review Fix for having me.  

If you are interested in keeping tabs on what I am doing, follow me @LindleyArt.  

If you would like a digital download, visit my online store at ComixCentral

If you are self-publishing and looking for some tips, visit my blog at LindleyART.com

Feel free to contact me.  Until I hear from you, enjoy Myrrom Galaxy.