BReview Fix chats with Battlecats writer Mark London, who lets us know what makes the newest volume of the comic book series a special one.
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Review Fix: What were some of the lessons learned from volume one?
Mark London: If making a comic book is not easy, just imagine starting a publisher from the ground up. Battlecats was a product of Mad Cave’s inception and back then we were still figuring a lot of our process and identity as a company. I think that Battlecats volume one was caught up in all that. If I could do it all over again, there are things that I would do differently. But I don’t regret anything. We learned a lot and that is why I’m very excited about volume two. Now we are really getting to the good stuff and we are going to see a side of Valderia that we only hinted at in the first volume.
Review Fix: What makes volume two different?
London: For starters, we have a new art team and, man, they have really taken it upon themselves to make this the best looking Battlecats anyone has ever seen. Mike Camelo is going to be the next big thing, mark my words. And Tekino’s colors are exactly what the series needed to bring to life the rich lore in the new volume. I’m lucky to have these guys in my corner. Also, this new arc builds and expands upon Valderia. The environments are over-the-top, the emotions will be high, the action will be mad!
Review Fix: What was the creative process like for you?
London: For me, it’s all about storytelling. I grew up in the late ’80s, a beautiful time to be exposed to all sorts of media: Comics, video games, movies, animation, literature; all very different in their own way. I devoured everything I could get my hands on. So, I simply put all of them into the proverbial “blender†and I begin to web different scenes in my head. Scenes that then pinpoint settings, genres, moods, situations, and characters. With all of that laid out in front of me, I begin to connect the dots. That’s the best way I can explain it.
Review Fix: Why is this volume special to you?
London: It’s our flagship title and you always remember your first. Battlecats is very dear to not only me but all of Mad Cave for that reason. It’s been a labor of love for the past few years and it’s a strikingly impressive story and I can’t wait for people to read it.
Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?
London: As one of the best medieval fantasy stories in comics. I want all of our fans to walk away thinking they just purchased a quality book. I want them to have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. And finally, I want to move people. That’s the ultimate goal. This story has everything, from action and fantasy to even the supernatural, and did I say action? I mean… what’s not to love?
Review Fix: What’s next?
London: Our next stop is Show’s End which is written by Anthony Cleaveland and drawn by Jefferson Sadzinski (two of our talent search winners from last year) and colors by Julian Gonzalez and Wolvenheart, drawn by Alejandro Giraldo (Midnight Task Force) and yours truly provides the words for the latter. By the end of the year, you will see even more of the high-quality books you would expect from Mad Cave, bringing fun, diverse stories with a mad twist.
Review Fix: Anything you’d like to add?
London: Mad Cave has an aggressive strategy for the next three years that we strongly believe will benefit fans of all genres. Mad stories with mad twists are coming your way from diverse writers and artists that love the medium and the industry. Rest assured everyone is giving it their best so that fans everywhere can have the best time possible reading comics.
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