Review Fix Exclusive: Mahdi Khene Talks Steel Streets And More

Review Fix chats with comic book writer Mahdi Khene, who talks about his career in comics and so much more.

Review Fix: How did you know a career in comics was for you?

Mahdi Khene: Honestly, I didn’t! I started out as a musician actually. I was pursuing that career up until the pandemic when the gigs just sort of… vanished! I think I was rewatching Smallville for the millionth time, comfort food for the soul, when I had this grand realization that, “hey, wait a minute… I can do that!” And that’s how my career in comics started!

Review Fix: Who inspires you creatively?

Khene: Oh it changes all the time. I find inspiration sort of everywhere, especially in real life. If you spend enough time in a Brooklyn diner you’ll have a whole cast of characters to work with. But artist wise? I love the old Steve Ditko and Stan Lee stuff. McFarlane was huge when I was a kid. A lot of the European artists from the 60s too. It’s hard to settle on just a few names. I’ll go with… Everyone! 

Review Fix: How are your comics different or special?

Khene: Hmm that’s a tough one. I think when you read a Zuperhero Comic, you’re really reading something from someone that adores the medium. From cover to cover, it’s all story. Even the ads, where some are fake and some aren’t, tell a story. I think you get jacked up when you read a Zup book. The art might be gritty at times, the story might be a little vulgar, but I think when you put it down you may just wanna start making comics yourself. 

Review Fix: What about this comic? Sell us. Sell us hard.

Khene: Steel Streets? Oh man… That’s my spoof of the spoof of the spoof that ended up mutating into 9 issues of ninjas, radiation, amnesia, and 1980s pop culture galore. Its New York, Its dramatic, its heartbreaking, its funny, it takes itself seriously without being serious. As Stan the man would say, ‘nuff said!

Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?

Khene: Fans of the black and white boom of the 80s definitely gravitate to it.

Review Fix: How do you want your books to be remembered?

Khene: Oh, as long as they’re enjoyed in the moment that’s fine with me.

Review Fix: What are your long-term goals for your work?

Khene: Just to keep doing it, honestly! 

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

Khene: Well, the Zuperhero Universe is always getting bigger with guest artists and stories so, if you wanna tag along to a shared universe you haven’t seen since the early marvel days, then come onboard ‘cause its only getting bigger from here!

Review Fix: Where can people find out more?

Khene: They can keep up with the latest on instagram at @mahdikhene and @zuperherocomics and on the website www.zuperherocomics.com ! 

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13915 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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