Tyler Chin-Tanner & Jarred Lujan talk MEZO: Trial of the Roden

[00:00:00] Your ears do not deceive you. You have just entered the Cryptid Creator Corner brought to you by your friends at Comic Book Yeti.

[00:00:07] So without further ado, let's get on to the interview.

[00:00:11] Skirt of Good Mutt sound like something spoken by Cthulhu Cultist or the name of a weird craft beer brand,

[00:00:17] but it's actually the shorthand for this new, wild, crowdfunding comics project Super Kaiju Rock and Roll Derby Funtime Go! from creator David Hedgecock.

[00:00:26] This is a mashup of Jim and the Holograms meets Roller Derby with Kaiju with a twist of 70's pop culture thrown in.

[00:00:32] Harmony, Lyra, Melody, Cadence, and Viola are a struggling 20-something band and a roller derby team flushed with talent but broke as a joke.

[00:00:43] The burnouts are thrilling concert goers with their killer looks and vibe until a music mishap drops a curious ancient artifact into their hands.

[00:00:51] Cheeky, lighthearted and fun. It will be launching soon and there's an early bird special if you catch it in time that scores you a discount and a VIP wristband.

[00:01:00] I'll drop the link of the show notes.

[00:01:02] I read the advance for this and honestly it reminds me of my own carefree days gigging on the road in the music industry but with way better shower scenes.

[00:01:10] The only thing missing is more cowbell.

[00:01:12] Hello and welcome to Comic Book Yetis Cryptid Creator Corner Podcast.

[00:01:20] I'm one of your hosts Jimmy Gasparro and I have returning guests although one of them I haven't had a chance to interview though I was lucky enough to meet them in person.

[00:01:29] But we have from A Wave Blue World Tyler Chin Tanner. Tyler, welcome back to the podcast.

[00:01:36] Thank you.

[00:01:37] Thank you. And also Jared Lujan. Jared's been on the podcast before on one of Byron's episodes and but this is the first time that I get to interview Jared and I'm super excited because I'm like a Jared Lujan super fan.

[00:01:51] I first started reading Jared's comics with Dry Foot and I haven't stopped since. I have I think all the ones that he's had on Kickstarter.

[00:02:01] I just recently last weekend or the weekend before read Southbound.

[00:02:05] You know you might have heard me talk about on the podcast All The Devils Are Here or Blood and Obsidian.

[00:02:13] So I'm excited to talk to Jared because Tyler was here before with Val Rodriguez talking about Mezzo when volume two had come out.

[00:02:25] So now there is a brand new after volumes one and two.

[00:02:27] There's a brand new issue number one the start of the arc for volume three of Mezzo The Trial of Rodin and Jared is involved with that project.

[00:02:35] And I'm just so excited to talk about it because I absolutely love this comic.

[00:02:41] I just reread volumes one and two again before we started recording tonight and just like I just flew through them.

[00:02:47] I was so excited. The artwork is so dynamic.

[00:02:50] The storytelling is so incredible and now Jared's involved in this.

[00:02:55] So I'm over the moon and cannot wait for my copy of Mezzo Trial of Rodin number one which is going to be out May 1st, 2024.

[00:03:05] But I'm just way too excited. We got to get in and talk to them.

[00:03:09] So Tyler and Jared welcome to the podcast.

[00:03:13] Thank you. That was so nice.

[00:03:15] Thank you. I really I got so lucky with like Dry Foot right because the people like a dry foot came out like the worst possible time for comics to come out.

[00:03:27] But the people that got into dry foot have been like to this day like die hard like like loyal and it's so cool and I'm so I'm so psyched.

[00:03:37] I'm very, very happy. So thank you.

[00:03:39] Yeah, I think like being on Twitter and in like indie comic circles.

[00:03:47] And I think it was right around the same time with dry foot.

[00:03:50] And I saw that post you had a post about I'm bringing I'm going to give you Mexicans with swords.

[00:03:57] And I was like, I think I want that. Yeah, let's see what this is about.

[00:04:01] And yeah, I haven't looked back.

[00:04:06] Good. Never look back. Only forward.

[00:04:11] But for any of our listeners who aren't familiar so mezzo is kind of a mezzo-American influence story.

[00:04:19] But it's a fantasy world. It's not really historical or there are some kind of I guess historical roots to it.

[00:04:26] Heavily influenced by I believe Mayan and Aztec mythology.

[00:04:32] But it's kind of like its own fantasy world.

[00:04:35] I'll just give a real quick recap of Tyler, you know, please you can correct anything I get wrong.

[00:04:40] But volume one is there was an event called the rupture, which has kind of separated some of the tribes of this land.

[00:04:50] And now one in particular are trying to like take over and we're quickly kind of introduced to the main players in volume one in terms of these kind of competing tribes.

[00:05:05] Volume two kind of culminates in more of we learn more about our main characters.

[00:05:13] There is a big battle scene. More of this world is fleshed out.

[00:05:20] And we now it sets volume two sets the stage for volume three, one of the main characters in it from I guess the conquering tribe, Rodan kind of sees an old friend and his buddy companion Fagor,

[00:05:40] who is like a giant of a man with a big huge sword and kind of sees him show mercy to an old friend of his from another faction.

[00:05:53] And this kind of sets up the trial of Rodan for volume three.

[00:06:00] But I'm doing a poor job of just like describing the dynamic action in this.

[00:06:06] I mean, Val Rodriguez is artwork. I think most of it is colored at least volume two by Gabe Contreras, which I'm a big fan of Gabe's work.

[00:06:15] But yeah, it is just it's such a just a jaw dropping dynamic action packed series.

[00:06:23] And I just I love all of these characters. I love how they've all kind of come together in volume two.

[00:06:30] I cannot wait to see where volume three goes.

[00:06:35] But Tyler, can you just tell our listeners a little bit about in terms of, you know, I know you talked about it before when Val was on.

[00:06:42] But for anyone who didn't catch that episode, just talk a little bit about kind of your inspiration with volume one and volume two of the story and then get us into volume three and bringing Jared in.

[00:06:55] Yeah. So like you said, it's a fantasy epic.

[00:06:58] There's a lot of similarities to something like Game of Thrones or things like that you're familiar with.

[00:07:04] But, you know, I wanted it to be different.

[00:07:08] I didn't want to just repeat the same sort of character designs and species.

[00:07:14] So I was looking in, you know, for a different way to do it.

[00:07:19] And the Mesoamerican thing was actually suggested by the first artist and he wanted to who did most of the character designs, Josh Singerman.

[00:07:28] He said we should tap into this Mesoamerican history.

[00:07:32] You know, I forgot exactly how we put it, but he's like, I would love to draw those sort of things.

[00:07:36] So he started drawing and I started researching and got myself some books.

[00:07:40] I can pull some off my shelf over here reading all about it.

[00:07:44] And I just thought that this was so ripe for a fantasy tale with everything about their sense of astrology and the sun and the eclipse was a big theme, but also the migrations of people.

[00:07:59] One of the things I draw on is there was an occurrence of a volcanic eruption which caused a huge migration and actually one of the first big cities that was built in the Mayan culture was because of that coming together of natural disasters.

[00:08:17] And it was just like the beginning of it was just very sort of free form characters coming in.

[00:08:23] And I was like, is Bigor blind only because Josh drew him with that helmet on it?

[00:08:28] Which spawns this thing right here.

[00:08:31] And I was just like, why can't he see or why does his helmet drawn like that?

[00:08:36] And he's like, I don't know, I just drew it like that.

[00:08:38] I'm like, well, he's blind. He was blinded by these things.

[00:08:41] And that story started.

[00:08:43] And I started off volume one just with fighting.

[00:08:47] And I was just, you know, an invasion, you know, begins with an invasion and go from there.

[00:08:52] Find out more about these characters and get into the flashback of what happened back in the rupture that set everything.

[00:09:00] But I didn't want to just do a big info dump first.

[00:09:03] So I'm like, well, let's start right in the action of present day and figure out how we got here in the history and how that influences what they're doing now because they're all trying to prevent this disaster from happening again.

[00:09:16] In this new eclipse. And everybody has their own theories about, you know, was it their God angry at them?

[00:09:22] Was it this and that? You know, and that's some of the things that come in play.

[00:09:26] So, you know, politics, religion, culture, migration, all of that just thrown in together in this big pot until I drove myself crazy and it was like, I need Jared to come on.

[00:09:39] Well, I mean, that's a great jumping on point for Jared.

[00:09:44] So, Jared, were you familiar with the series before getting involved in it or did you have to play catch up to see what you were kind of getting yourself into?

[00:09:54] So my I had an LCS.

[00:09:59] But at some point, not not my one.

[00:10:03] I had suggested that I read mezzo.

[00:10:06] And so I got I'm pretty sure I have an issue of it around in my house somewhere.

[00:10:12] I haven't I have do not have the kind of time to commit to that search right now.

[00:10:17] But I really want to find it because I think that'd be a really cool thing.

[00:10:22] And then Tyler had emailed me asking if I was interested and I was like, well, like, it seems like stuff that I'm interested in.

[00:10:30] But I want to read it before I say anything because if if I can't get into it, then I don't know.

[00:10:35] I'm only going to bring it down.

[00:10:37] And then I got super into it.

[00:10:39] I got I got a lot of people interested in it.

[00:10:42] And so I got a lot of people interested in it.

[00:10:45] And so I got a lot of people interested in it.

[00:10:48] And then I got super into it.

[00:10:51] I got I got freakishly into mezzo.

[00:10:54] So I was really psyched with how everything kind of unfolded in terms of of going from where I was and kind of coming into seeing sort of the how everything is kind of clicking around with where it's going in the next volume.

[00:11:11] And I thought it was really cool for that.

[00:11:13] This is the first time that I've worked on a book that that like really didn't start with me.

[00:11:18] It's the first time that I've come into a book with like multiple issues in the back issues already.

[00:11:24] So I read and I and there's the first time that I came into something really as like a fan of the work and then trying to figure out what I wanted and what what what places that that of the story that I thought I could make better and elevate.

[00:11:40] With and maybe not better. I don't know if that's the right term, but I like to elevate it right like we all we all that's that's the whole goal right is elevating this book.

[00:11:49] And this world because of all these great characters that that wall of us.

[00:11:56] I'm sure at this point are very invested in like all of us want to see what is happening to and where everybody's going from it.

[00:12:06] And so, yeah, it was very interesting coming on.

[00:12:09] I really wish that I had been a fan of Mezzo longer.

[00:12:14] I really wish that I got the single issues just because I think there's like so many people that could could totally get into this.

[00:12:22] This is such an easily accessible story and what it brings to people is so easy for you to get hooked on that you can read those two volumes really quick.

[00:12:33] And then you're kind of almost Jones and so I'm also excited that I get to be like an active proponent and telling people to read it and give it a chance and things like that because it's very good.

[00:12:45] And things that you like are the easiest thing to sell.

[00:12:49] So it's been really cool talking to people with with coming into this where I'm like, do I need to buy the previous two issues trade volumes and I'm like, you should.

[00:12:59] You should like I it's they're good.

[00:13:02] Like it's don't don't get it just because you think that it's now going to start being good.

[00:13:06] It's been good, you know, like it could give it a give it an honest chance.

[00:13:10] And I think you dig it.

[00:13:12] Yeah, I mean, one of the things that I love about it is that I think it's there's two volumes out so far.

[00:13:19] Like I said, it's five issues each volume.

[00:13:21] I think the first volume sets the stage very well as the character introduction with a lot of action.

[00:13:31] The second volume, though, with the flashbacks, it's never exposition heavy and it's always just enough to kind of get more into the character motivations as everything starts to come, you know, to come together.

[00:13:46] You know, when we see how do you pronounce the I guess the leader of the the Zala cool is it or do you H.

[00:13:58] Yeah.

[00:13:59] Okay.

[00:14:01] I mean, as you see, like more about him early on as you get into that second volume and there's it's never like hitting you over the head with backstory.

[00:14:13] But you really get just enough, especially in the visual visuals to get more about why these characters are the you know, the way that they are and where it all builds towards in.

[00:14:25] The battle scene in volume two is incredible.

[00:14:30] I mean, it is just some of the best writing and best work in terms of, you know, especially Val's work in volume two.

[00:14:38] I mean, it is incredible all those parts coming together and it's it's on it's unreal how fast it goes.

[00:14:46] And yeah, I got done like right, you know, like 20 minutes or 25 minutes before we are going to start recording and I was just like, all right, ready to go.

[00:14:55] Like, just just ready to excited to talk about it more people I want I want more people to read it.

[00:15:00] I want more people to talk about it.

[00:15:02] It is so good and I cannot wait to see this volume three.

[00:15:05] You know, but Jared talking about coming onto it and wanting to kind of elevate it and do, you know, kind of leave your your mark on it.

[00:15:13] You know, you know, with things like the Twin Blades and Blood and Obsidian or at least more so that the Twin Blades, you have some of those familiar elements in terms of the fighting.

[00:15:27] But there's still a part of that that is, you know, like a modern story and kind of like the past kind of intruding on the modern world with your brother and sister main characters in that.

[00:15:39] So was there any research you had to do aside from reading Mezzo to kind of get into the I guess the even though it's a fantasy world like the mythology of it or is that something you felt comfortable with?

[00:15:54] I felt comfortable with it, but I'm always like I really like to take influence from and see what other genre like when I haven't written something fantasy like you're talking about.

[00:16:09] Right. Especially with something as complex as as what Mezzo was doing with its interconnected storylines and its flashbacks.

[00:16:17] So I did like research in terms that I read other things that felt like fantasy and started kind of like playing with the ideas that I had.

[00:16:31] And then to bring in new and inventive things that we could do down line or whatever.

[00:16:37] And then the other part of it was really fleshing out where do we want these characters to end up?

[00:16:46] Because that was kind of like we know what the story engine is. We know there's a trial. We know it's a railroad and we know what it's about.

[00:16:56] So where does it go and how does that conclude and where do we branch out from there?

[00:17:01] Because that's what I got. That's what I'm most interested in is how do these events like permanently alter the people that are in this story?

[00:17:12] And I didn't like I've had plenty of ideas that we were that was like no, not that, not that.

[00:17:19] And but as I've kept like kind of thinking about it and Tyler and I have gone back and forth on it.

[00:17:26] I really think that that it's going to be it's just exciting.

[00:17:30] I'm just so excited to see what everybody thinks and how people react to where everybody ends up going because, you know, I've mentioned this in a couple of other places.

[00:17:39] Tyler and I have had different storytelling styles and I think that we're really coming up with something that compliments them both very well.

[00:17:46] And I'm pretty psyched. I am. I'm excited about this volume of Mezzo. I'm excited for the future of Mezzo.

[00:17:53] Like I just really think that that coming into it like I have so much background because the Mezzo-American stuff is my personal culture.

[00:18:03] It's my it's from my own history. And so coming into it with that background felt good.

[00:18:09] I really was just looking at other fantasy things so that I could alter those is really what where I think is my short answer.

[00:18:18] Take take something. How can we flip it on its head?

[00:18:22] How can we give it this different twist, this different edge in this world that Tyler's created?

[00:18:26] OK, so you like playing with the tropes of the fantasy genre to see how you could kind of leave your mark on it.

[00:18:32] Yeah, like everybody like like one of the most distinct differences that I really liked about Mezzo on like my second reread right was was there is a very distinctive cultural differences among the tribes and how they fight

[00:18:46] and the weapons that they have. And I thought that was a fascinating take on it, not just because obviously metal metals development in North America was different, but also like in fantasy.

[00:19:00] It's the trope of this European concept of knights is so prevalent. But and you see but you see them everywhere.

[00:19:07] You see the battle armor, but everything in Mezzo looks different. Right. Like it's a completely different feel.

[00:19:14] And so I wanted to kind of check out these things that they're doing and saying, OK, so how can we do that in a completely different setting in this world with the history that we've already established and that we are going to establish?

[00:19:27] What what can we do with these things and how can we make them our own and give them distinct and make them unique?

[00:19:34] That was something that I was really more obsessive with when I was sitting down to write or plotting out what what anything I want to do in the future and the characters and where I wanted them to go was was kind of my big obsession with coming into it.

[00:19:49] Right. Is is is Val still on Val still on art duties?

[00:19:57] Yeah. What was it like working with Val, Jared?

[00:20:02] So I actually didn't get to work without directly because of the time really like I mean, we were we were we were getting it all together.

[00:20:15] Val was already drawing as a matter of fact. But but only like the first issue, I think.

[00:20:22] But I'm I got to change scripts and I'm really excited to see things that I that I got to write in that Val now has to draw and things like that.

[00:20:34] I've been a fan of Val since he did a book with vault called Deep Roots.

[00:20:39] Yeah, yeah. And I was a fan of Val and I was like, man, one day, you know, I'll try and get him on something. I think I actually tried to get Val.

[00:20:49] I'm not positive if I actually reached out or if I just had him on a list.

[00:20:53] But he was actually one of the people I was going to talk to about doing a twin blades cover for Blood and Obsidian.

[00:21:01] And obviously, that never materialized. So it's been cool knowing that he's I'm going to see what he's drawn and things like that.

[00:21:08] But but yeah, he's he's still he's he's he's great. I love Val so much. I love Val's art so much.

[00:21:15] Well, with that, like how did the like the writing process work then?

[00:21:19] Like, Tyler, were you know, were you handling like some of the story? Did you have an idea how you wanted it to go?

[00:21:26] And Jared came into script. Like, how did that interplay work in terms of the two of you?

[00:21:30] Yeah. Well, you know, I had started it like two years ago, was having a really hard time figuring out.

[00:21:36] Like I had set it up and I knew what I wanted to do. Had an idea.

[00:21:39] Yeah, volume two says mezzo volume three in twenty twenty three.

[00:21:43] I'm not waiting. Learn the lesson. Don't never do that.

[00:21:54] That is coming out in the year because we ended up skipping a year because we did when I put out the trade,

[00:22:00] we had started like broken ground, so to speak.

[00:22:03] But I was just like deliberating and I don't know.

[00:22:08] And I didn't want to draw something and then change my mind.

[00:22:11] And he was like having a tough time waiting.

[00:22:14] And then a natural order came up. He's like, I got this job.

[00:22:18] You know, I can do both or whatever. I was like, no, just just go do a natural order.

[00:22:23] Like that's a great thing. I didn't even know how hard they were going to push it,

[00:22:26] which they ended up doing a great job promoting that title.

[00:22:29] But I was just like, no, just get it done. Just just focus on that.

[00:22:32] I'm going to sit here. And so I sat there with my editor, Joe Michael Mocio.

[00:22:39] I don't know. I don't see the text. I don't write it out.

[00:22:43] Michael Mocio. Yeah, I'm driving him crazy because I kept changing things and I'm just like, man, I don't.

[00:22:51] And then I'm also like running a publishing company and trying to make other things.

[00:22:55] And I was just like, yeah, I need.

[00:22:58] And at the same time, I've been getting to know Jared, like reading his his comics, Twin Blades and how much he loves Mexican with swords.

[00:23:06] But but even sometimes that like south south bounds and all the devils are here.

[00:23:12] You know, just just like, you know, really liked I think what he was saying exactly what I don't do as well,

[00:23:20] you know, which is like the really like character emotional arcs and the energy and the sharp dialogue and everything that I struggle with because I'm all like threads in my head and trying to do backstories.

[00:23:31] And how do they intertwine kind of like thing? But that can sometimes create a failure to launch.

[00:23:37] So anyway, that's a long way of saying that I did bring him in sort of after we had broken ground, but in like a nice break period.

[00:23:46] So he got to read the scripts that I had written.

[00:23:49] And then the first issue was like basically like, well, that's you can change the dialogue, but it's already drawn.

[00:23:54] But everything else you can start working in.

[00:23:57] And so, yeah, he did some redrafts.

[00:23:59] Most of the stuff I was cool with some things I'd be like, I don't know if that's quite aligns with where I see these characters going.

[00:24:08] You know, and we've you know, it's a process because I mean, the only person I've co written before was my wife.

[00:24:15] And then, Jared, you were saying you hadn't done co writing yet.

[00:24:20] So, yeah, you know, we're learning and figuring out how to complement each other.

[00:24:25] But as Jared said, I think it's a great fit with our writing styles.

[00:24:29] Really our strengths are in different areas.

[00:24:31] So it's just about bringing them together perfectly.

[00:24:34] So, yeah, I'm excited to see with this because like you just said, Tyler, in terms of all those threads coming together, like the groundwork that is laid in volume one.

[00:24:43] And I said the characters come together in volume two and such like interesting ways when you start to see how all these different characters are connected in volume two.

[00:24:53] So I'm really curious as to be able to see that and like those connections, but then combined with, you know, with Jared's writing.

[00:25:02] And one of the things I think that that, you know, Jared, that you do exceptionally well in comics right now is working with collaborators.

[00:25:12] And in terms of your dialogue, I feel like you do a lot in terms of kind of characters inner workings or emotionality with like very little dialogue.

[00:25:24] I mean, you kind of like it whether or not it's drama, something that's more dramatic, something that's like the characters in dry foot and like what they're going through.

[00:25:34] Or even in terms of humor with, you know, like Crash and Troy and their relationship.

[00:25:40] Like I don't feel like you have like, you know, your dialogue isn't burdensome and you can convey a lot with it.

[00:25:49] So I'm very curious to see how those two things combine in a comic that I really have loved the first two volumes.

[00:25:57] So it's just one more reason I'm very excited about it.

[00:26:01] I like I keep saying, right.

[00:26:04] I was I was psyched when I saw what everything was going on with volume three.

[00:26:09] Right. Like a volume three was good before.

[00:26:13] Like like we you know, I think Tyler and I are really figuring out mostly like the ending sequence at this point.

[00:26:20] Right. But I loved all the book.

[00:26:24] I like where it's going. I like the direction that it was heading in before I came in.

[00:26:27] So it's really just been really fun for me to be kind of like see what we can do and what what buttons we can push and everything.

[00:26:35] But yeah, and dialogue. I love writing dialogue.

[00:26:40] I think that I really do appreciate that as a compliment because that is something that I personally think that I'm good at.

[00:26:48] I think that I'm good at conveying emotion in a way that isn't like beating somebody over the head with it unless I want to, you know.

[00:26:57] And then I want you to feel like garbage, you know, and like dry foot issue number three.

[00:27:04] So like that whenever that's when I want to punch it through.

[00:27:08] So it's fun. Like there's a there's a sequence of with two characters that I can't tell you which one.

[00:27:14] But that was the one that I kind of like went back and forth on the most.

[00:27:19] It's between a husband and wife, and I'll leave it there.

[00:27:22] And I was like going back and forth on that one because I was like, OK, like how would how does this person do?

[00:27:32] How much do we know about her and this this and establishing and like because I wanted it to be like this really sincere moment.

[00:27:41] Because I've been in the scenario that it is.

[00:27:45] I've been there like I know what that's that situation is like.

[00:27:49] I know how how tense and terrifying it is to see somebody you care about in a certain situation.

[00:27:56] So that was like something that I took really seriously.

[00:28:00] And but that's what it's so cool, right?

[00:28:02] Because that was that that that was already there.

[00:28:05] I just got to come in and play with the emotional drama and everything between these two characters a little bit more.

[00:28:11] But this is the sequence that was already there that all I got to do is just, you know, sneak in and and tense it up.

[00:28:20] So like I'm really excited for people that are already fans of the book to see what I brought in alongside Tyler,

[00:28:29] because I think Tyler had great things in there and getting to go in there from time to time.

[00:28:35] Right. And just tweak it a little bit or or or tweak it a lot of it that just so happened to work out between two of us like it was really it's really cool.

[00:28:44] It's been it's been a cool experience.

[00:28:46] And I do think that I'm like an I think I'm a fairly easy collaborator.

[00:28:49] Like I'm something of a of a of a like a cultural anarchist.

[00:28:56] Right. Like I'm not really attached to a lot of things, you know, I get really the things that I get super into obsessively doing that.

[00:29:06] That's one thing. But that's like one percent of things and 99 percent of things.

[00:29:10] I'm like, OK, you know, like as long as there's that, like I trust Tyler, I trust that Tyler wants to make this as good as he possibly can.

[00:29:18] I want to do the exact same thing.

[00:29:20] So if if you're telling me that in the same thing with with like I've had artists who are like, I think this might suck.

[00:29:26] I'm like, OK, well, let's figure out how to like not make it that way.

[00:29:30] Like, let's figure out how to do this the best possible way, because that's ultimately what I want for the book.

[00:29:35] And that's ultimately what I want for the characters.

[00:29:38] I'm so invested in that. Like, I love them so much that I want to tell the story well for them, even though, you know, some people will have broken hearts.

[00:29:48] Oh, no. Don't tell me that.

[00:29:52] All right. Let's take a quick break.

[00:29:54] Hey, comics fan, the comic book publisher Banda Bars just got a level up and announced it is now a cooperative.

[00:30:01] This heralds a new era for them, including a partnership with Dauntless Stories.

[00:30:05] And they added several new members to the ownership group.

[00:30:09] Marcus Jimenez is now chief operating officer.

[00:30:12] Brent Fisher takes on the role of chief diversity officer.

[00:30:15] And Joey Galvez is introduced as head of Kickstarter, ops and social media manager, which is sure to increase their capabilities overall as a publisher.

[00:30:24] And it further promotes their mission statement of advancing representation, inclusion and diversity in the media.

[00:30:31] They also established a new board of directors to help chart the new path of their journey with new projects in the works like Alaskan by dropping in June.

[00:30:39] I'm broken soon launching on Kickstarter and Paul and coming up with Dauntless.

[00:30:43] Stay tuned to this space for more exciting news from the growing Bards family.

[00:30:51] Let's get back to the show.

[00:30:53] You know, I've seen before whether or not it's your newsletter or, you know, like on social media talking about the importance of representation and that I think you said something before and I'm probably paraphrasing this maybe poorly.

[00:31:05] But, you know, you don't want to write characters that are Mexican or of Mexican descent that are kind of like the same type of stereotypes.

[00:31:15] So even though this is like a fantasy world, it's kind of influenced by Mayan and, you know, Aztec mythology.

[00:31:22] You know, it's Mesoamerican.

[00:31:25] Was that like a kind of like not only was volume one and two, you know, we've said a great story, but was that kind of like an additional bonus in terms of being able to write these characters that at least kind of embody that history a little bit or, you know, culturally?

[00:31:44] Yeah, I mean.

[00:31:47] You can you could get me anywhere if you offer me a Mexican with a sword, you know, like, like pretty much right?

[00:31:54] Like, but but I have an issue writing characters that match the same stereotype that like right and I'll say it because I'm the one that says it anyway.

[00:32:05] It's immigrants and cartels, right?

[00:32:08] I don't have any issue with either.

[00:32:09] I think both stories should exist.

[00:32:11] But when it's the only thing publishing offers, I start to feel a little bit uneasy about that.

[00:32:17] You know, like we should really diversify it and write.

[00:32:21] And write and so whatever, diversify what we're doing and representing the people.

[00:32:26] So doing something like Meso is really cool because it is wildly.

[00:32:33] It's diverse in that everybody comes from the same region or is inspired by the same region that I myself come from.

[00:32:40] Like, so maybe a little bit further.

[00:32:43] I'm actually probably too far north to come from it, but I deal with the sun all the same.

[00:32:49] So because it's so hot all the time.

[00:32:52] But it's one of those things where I was I was you probably like you.

[00:32:59] I wouldn't have written a normal fantasy story.

[00:33:01] Right. If somebody had been like, hey, do you want to hop on the story with knights and orcs and wizards?

[00:33:05] I'd be like, no, I'm cool.

[00:33:08] So getting to see this this whole thing and getting to see how lovingly it was done and respectfully it was done where I was like, hell yeah.

[00:33:17] Like, hell yeah. I want to get in on this.

[00:33:19] Like that's that's a that was exactly where it came from.

[00:33:24] Right. Like I was like, this is already being this has been done well.

[00:33:28] This has been done respectfully.

[00:33:30] You can tell Tyler's probably looked at enough pages of the Borgia Codex to draw drive himself insane.

[00:33:38] And so I was like, yeah, no, like that was definitely one of the reasons that I wanted to do Mezzo was was the strength of these characters and their desires.

[00:33:52] And the I'm also not a big fan of the normal moral black and white.

[00:33:58] I'm a much more bigger fan of characters that exist in that gray.

[00:34:03] And there's so much of that. Right.

[00:34:05] Like you can kind of get behind what everybody's saying, maybe not Fagor.

[00:34:11] You know, you know, not to cut you off, but I was just going to say I thought the same thing in the beginning with Fagor.

[00:34:18] But like there's a scene and I don't want to spoil everything.

[00:34:23] But if anyone hasn't read it and wants to pick it up, but there's a scene in volume two kind of like the part of like the climax with Fagor's character.

[00:34:32] And he's kind of like explaining his main motivation.

[00:34:36] And I'm like, I kind of get it.

[00:34:38] Like, I mean, I get why he is hell bent on revenge.

[00:34:43] You know, he feels like his people were totally abandoned and he suffered because of it.

[00:34:48] Everyone he loves suffered.

[00:34:49] And I'm like, shit.

[00:34:52] Well, right.

[00:34:53] I'm going to say right now I am like Fagor's biggest fan.

[00:34:57] I think Fagor is easily my favorite.

[00:35:00] Right.

[00:35:01] But the other thing, the other beautiful part of Fagor is that he was he's he was the son of a scientist who and he was blinded during the solar eclipse.

[00:35:14] So Fagor is one of the only characters in this entire book who sincerely lost more than just family members on the day of the rupture.

[00:35:24] Fagor has sacrificed a lot and he has sacrificed a lot because he literally dared to stare into the face of God, you know, the sun, whatever.

[00:35:34] And he let it was taken from him.

[00:35:37] Fagor is that is is one of the characters who's a real true believer in what he is saying and his religious affiliations with with Va and and cool.

[00:35:50] And I just like it's so hard to kind of think that Fagor Fagor is a good villain, but he's a good villain because you almost feel bad for him.

[00:36:00] And and there's like it's such a heartbreaking thing.

[00:36:03] But but that's heartbreak is what makes the worst of us.

[00:36:07] You know, I I fucking love Fagor.

[00:36:12] I like I am so into Fagor.

[00:36:16] Yeah, I think he's a great I think he's a great character and he's and he's a bad guy.

[00:36:21] That's that's the moral black and white.

[00:36:24] You're talking about someone who is who is distinctly a bad guy with no mercy for people like that.

[00:36:30] That and I and you feel bad for him.

[00:36:32] You feel something for him that rules.

[00:36:35] That's awesome shit.

[00:36:37] Well done, Tyler.

[00:36:38] Thank you.

[00:36:39] My inspiration.

[00:36:41] I don't know how much you picked it up.

[00:36:42] But one of the things I was really channeling there was was I thought the the sort of a redo off the North Darth Vader Anakin's storyline, you know, because I was so frustrated.

[00:36:53] That was handled in the prequels, which were terrible.

[00:36:57] I just view it as my version of telling the Anakin to Darth Vader story.

[00:37:04] Oh, I dig that.

[00:37:06] Yeah, I was picking up on like like Superman Red Sun vibes because his father was a scientist and was trying to warn everybody else.

[00:37:16] And, you know, but oh, my God.

[00:37:20] Like the part with his father was like one of the most heart wrenching parts because you can you can tell, like.

[00:37:27] Like this really sucks that fake figure became this way out of no actions really of his own.

[00:37:34] Like he's he's a and and even in volume two during what during the game you see is just a kid, you know.

[00:37:42] One of the things I mean, you know, we haven't talked too much about like story specifics.

[00:37:47] But one of the things I really loved about the flashbacks into not that it wasn't like exposition heavy and you got to, you know, to get some of the character motivations.

[00:37:58] But you also got a real sense in terms of when something terrible happens, when there is some type of like cataclysm, some type of tragedy.

[00:38:09] How easily like children can be influenced by not having a full understanding of what's going on because all the kids that we see in the flashbacks were the main characters when we go back to present day.

[00:38:21] They've all been one way or another kind of influenced.

[00:38:25] And we can talk about the moral gray of it, rightly or wrongly by the adults and how they reacted to the situation around them.

[00:38:32] And we see how differently, you know, each of them kind of developed with Fagor and Rodan going one way with the twins kind of abandoning, you know, their their people and kind of like the

[00:38:46] And, you know, we all kind of you kind of see how like all of that has really affected them and just these little limpses.

[00:38:54] But you can understand how it is kind of carried through in the years since the rupture.

[00:38:58] I think it's great. It's fantastic storytelling.

[00:39:02] I literally almost spoiled volume three because I kind of forgot what I kind of got overlap.

[00:39:08] I literally almost dropped like a massive spoiler.

[00:39:11] So I'm glad I didn't.

[00:39:13] But yeah, like I and I think again, like I'll shut up and let's end with Tyler after I say this right?

[00:39:20] Like it's the it's the way that the flashbacks parallel the main storyline that you uncover so much as so much happens.

[00:39:29] And that's been really interesting to work on with volume three is seeing learning.

[00:39:35] I was kind of learning what was happening to them too.

[00:39:38] And I was like, oh, shit, you know, and adjusting things based on that.

[00:39:43] But I love that. I also am a big fan of the flashback and parallels.

[00:39:48] Well, because I landed into something in the second volume where like we started every issue with a flashback.

[00:39:56] You get five, six pages of flashback and then there's a transition into the next chapter.

[00:40:01] And I think that's what I was really interested in.

[00:40:04] And I think that's what I was really interested in.

[00:40:07] And I think that's what I was really interested in.

[00:40:10] And I think that's what I was really interested in.

[00:40:13] And then there's the transition into the flashback.

[00:40:16] You get five, six pages of flashback and then there's a transition into the character,

[00:40:21] the same character we were focusing on in the flashback.

[00:40:24] Now you start seeing the modern day world through that character's eyes.

[00:40:28] And I was hoping people would dig it and that they could learn about both at the same time.

[00:40:36] This is where you didn't get a big dump of flashback.

[00:40:39] I think that's where I think the character arcs become important in the modern timeline,

[00:40:44] including knowing the history of Rodan and the twins and things like that.

[00:40:48] It's like, oh, you get to see it. You get to see them as kids, a little snapshot of that.

[00:40:53] So it makes more sense, hopefully has more emotional resonance when you see it play out in the current timeline.

[00:41:00] Oh, yeah. I can't wait.

[00:41:03] Jared, I wanted to ask you something you touched on earlier about your first time

[00:41:08] coming into something that not only was a series that had like 10 issues already,

[00:41:14] but some of the issues for volume three had already kind of been drawn.

[00:41:19] What do you think was the biggest challenge in terms of doing something like that

[00:41:25] as opposed to building a series from the ground up?

[00:41:29] Were there unique challenges to doing that that you found as a writer?

[00:41:34] Yeah, I mean, first and foremost, it's a collaboration at the writing stage,

[00:41:42] which is already something that's super different from what I normally do, right?

[00:41:48] Because it's the first time ever.

[00:41:50] But in terms of like the actual technical work of going and looking through the scripts

[00:41:56] and figuring things out there, I really didn't feel like I had a ton of difficulty

[00:42:02] with any of that really at all.

[00:42:04] I felt like, like I think my biggest thing is when coming into a project is how much do you know about the character?

[00:42:13] Because if you don't know everything about that, you really can't tell a story.

[00:42:20] And so whenever I came into the writing, the technical aspects,

[00:42:26] exploring the character arcs and things like that, I felt like I knew the characters pretty well.

[00:42:33] And that helped me kind of hit the ground running with it is that there was there was groundwork laid.

[00:42:43] There was a reasonable amount of groundwork made right.

[00:42:46] Nobody was like, hey, read 50 years of comics because I would have been like, no, I don't have time.

[00:42:53] So like, there's not that it was it was pretty straightforward.

[00:42:59] And like and the characters are like we keep saying like are really fantastic.

[00:43:03] So it was that part I did not really feel like I had any difficult time with at all because I knew the characters so well.

[00:43:12] OK, I was just curious, you know, because I'm always whenever I, you know, whenever I because we do mostly, you know,

[00:43:21] I read a lot of all kinds of different comics and, you know, whenever folks are especially on Twitter,

[00:43:28] someone will say like, you know, what what other IP do you have like a dream to write for?

[00:43:34] And like everyone throws out there. I have a story and I want to do this.

[00:43:37] And I'm always just like, I don't know how folks do that aspect of it.

[00:43:41] Like I have stories I want to tell and characters I want to write.

[00:43:46] But like I seriously I could not think of a single Batman story to tell.

[00:43:52] And I'm always so impressed when folks can like jump into anything else that somebody has kind of already had a history with and told some type of story.

[00:44:02] I always feel like that presents like more unique challenges than building something from the ground up.

[00:44:09] You know, something like this, though, I understand your point that, you know, you didn't have to read 50 years of continuity to kind of get into it,

[00:44:16] which I'm sure was kind of helpful to get into who these characters are.

[00:44:22] But yeah, I don't harbor any secret ambitions to write Batman one day or anything.

[00:44:28] When did we as the general public start saying IP to talk about things we like?

[00:44:33] I don't like why what happened where we have to talk.

[00:44:37] I have to talk like a Hollywood exec to be like, you know, you get to see Star Wars, you know, like, yeah, I blame.

[00:44:43] I think Entourage started it and then I'll blame I'll blame the TV show Entourage.

[00:44:49] I think that was the that began the downward trajectory.

[00:44:55] But in any event, so, Tyler, when they ask you.

[00:45:00] So we know Mezzo volume three, the trial of Rodan that May 1st.

[00:45:04] What else can we look forward to this year from a wave blue world?

[00:45:08] Is there anything else right now you can talk about?

[00:45:12] For this year? No, I think I think you've got.

[00:45:15] Oh, actually, it hasn't come out yet. Sorry.

[00:45:17] But yeah, we have becoming who we are.

[00:45:21] Real stories about growing up trans is coming out on May 22nd.

[00:45:25] So, yeah, that's coming out. It's funny in my head.

[00:45:28] I've been working on that last two years, so it's like old news.

[00:45:31] It's like, oh, no, wait, it hasn't come out yet.

[00:45:35] Coming out in May and then, yeah, we're going to do the five issue run, which I'm super excited to do issues.

[00:45:42] It's fun. I like to do issues. I like things that come out that way.

[00:45:46] So it is fun to have at least one series where I'm still doing the individual issues with the trade paper back at the end of the year.

[00:45:53] And that's going to close out my 2023.

[00:45:58] We are going to do a Kickstarter in June for our anthology for next year, so you can look out for that.

[00:46:04] I won't announce it yet, but you'll know very soon.

[00:46:07] And then, yeah, I'd like to do a volume four.

[00:46:09] I'd like to do a sequel to my orphan king YA series.

[00:46:13] So I'm working on that right now.

[00:46:17] So you haven't got a lot of things in the fire.

[00:46:19] We're going to keep we're never going to be a big company like that's not my goal, but we're going to keep some good things coming out.

[00:46:25] Awesome. Well, I'm happy to hear it.

[00:46:27] And Jared, how about you? Is there anything else that you can talk about?

[00:46:32] I know that sometimes the timing of things you're always not able to say what the next thing you might be working on is.

[00:46:38] And that's that's fine.

[00:46:39] We understand that here at the Cryptid Creator Corner.

[00:46:42] So I have a book called Bulls.

[00:46:45] So I have Mezzo all year.

[00:46:48] And then I have Night From Hell coming out.

[00:46:52] I don't know when in the summer because it is a hashtag, the Raza summer.

[00:46:58] OK, Mezzo, Night From Hell back to back in the same summer.

[00:47:02] So that's going to come out from B.O.B. and Dauntless sometime this summer.

[00:47:07] I know it's coming out in preview soon.

[00:47:10] So whatever that would be.

[00:47:12] And then I have a I'm going I'm actually pitching a book to Tyler and probably a month or so for a black and white book that I've had sitting in my drafts folder for a long time.

[00:47:28] I'm going to get an artist to start working on it.

[00:47:31] So we'll have some pages and things going.

[00:47:33] But yeah, I and then if that if if Tyler's like, no, I'm busy.

[00:47:38] I'm big time, you know, which is fine or or he hates it and thinks it sucks, which is also fine.

[00:47:44] I'm going to take that to I'm probably going to take that to Kickstarter at the towards the end of the year, depending on when we get started with art.

[00:47:54] And then after that, South Band number two will be hitting Kickstarter, hopefully early 2025.

[00:48:01] But unfortunately, Emiliano and I have not been able to link up on a schedule yet.

[00:48:06] So we have not been able to start art.

[00:48:10] It was my fault. I took a break towards the end of last year and I didn't do a script when I was supposed to.

[00:48:14] So but we're going to get linked up on that.

[00:48:16] And so so yeah, there should be a lot of happenings in the next.

[00:48:21] Over the course of the next like eight months, I think.

[00:48:25] Awesome. Yeah, I just recently, you know, read my copy of Southbound number one and yeah, loved it.

[00:48:33] Fantastic. Fantastic. Thank you.

[00:48:36] Can't wait to see where where number two goes.

[00:48:38] Yeah, listeners, if you're you know, if you didn't hear me talk about that or, you know, on social media or where if I haven't mentioned it before.

[00:48:47] But yes, Southbound number one was great kind of like a.

[00:48:51] And what is Sassen for hire cyberpunk set in the future Dallas?

[00:48:57] Yeah, cyberpunk Dallas, Texas, baby.

[00:49:03] Yeah, so much fun just to say what a what a fun pitch that is that pitch got rejected just by a lot of people.

[00:49:10] And I'm like, that is the coolest sentence of all time.

[00:49:13] Cyberpunk Dallas assassin, you know, that that's it.

[00:49:17] That's all I want. Yeah, I love the character design for that one.

[00:49:24] And I can't wait. I think I have the cover where there's a chainsaw man on the front like a guy with a chainsaw.

[00:49:31] And I can't wait. I don't I think we only got like a little taste of those in issue one, like just a mention.

[00:49:36] So I'm super excited because those those dudes, they don't they look like they got some stuff going on.

[00:49:42] So I want to know you will love you will love issue number two.

[00:49:46] Yes, thank you. Thank you.

[00:49:52] All right. Well, I mean, Tyler, Jared, this has been fantastic.

[00:49:58] I'm just excited to talk about this.

[00:50:00] I got if nothing else, this episode gave me an excuse to read volumes one and two again.

[00:50:06] And I'm I'm just like enthused. Like it's one of those comics that I read.

[00:50:09] And I'm like, yeah, this is why I first started a few years ago to think maybe I could write like a comic, like something like this that just makes somebody feel something or escape or just, you know, look at this artwork and say, like, this is just it's just fun.

[00:50:27] I just love it. So I'm so excited for May 1st for mezzo volume three, the trial of rodent.

[00:50:34] I cannot wait for that first issue.

[00:50:36] I am just super excited. Val is a phenomenal artist and really like the creative team.

[00:50:43] Excited to see kind of Jared's influence on it.

[00:50:47] And yeah, Tyler, it's you know, it's it's a phenomenal series.

[00:50:50] So so so glad you guys are here. Talk with me tonight.

[00:50:54] Oh, my gosh.

[00:50:56] I love that cover.

[00:50:58] Yeah, listeners, I know you can't see, but this cover that is just phenomenal.

[00:51:04] Yeah, we didn't even talk about how good the covers are for this series, you know, like Maria Wolf Christian.

[00:51:11] I yeah, yeah, I know.

[00:51:14] We didn't some of the covers are phenomenal.

[00:51:16] Yeah, yeah.

[00:51:17] Maria Wolf's work is just incredible.

[00:51:20] And yeah, I'm a big Christian fan.

[00:51:23] They do phenomenal work.

[00:51:25] So I think his number three is my favorite.

[00:51:28] Can't wait to put that out there.

[00:51:30] He did a bad ass number three.

[00:51:32] He did. He did.

[00:51:34] Yeah. So yeah, too many variants.

[00:51:37] But you know, when you can get awesome artists to do their vision of the characters,

[00:51:42] Is Thomas Mauer still lettering?

[00:51:44] Oh, Thomas.

[00:51:46] So I found out what happened to Thomas.

[00:51:49] He he broke his thumb.

[00:51:52] Oh, no.

[00:51:54] And he wasn't able to letter it.

[00:51:56] And he's also he's teaching now.

[00:51:58] And so he's going to do it over his break.

[00:52:00] And then I guess he broke his thumb over break.

[00:52:02] And so we're having Pete Carlson, who does who's the artist, who's the director of the book.

[00:52:07] Oh, doing the production design.

[00:52:09] He's lettering it now, too.

[00:52:10] So OK.

[00:52:12] Well, I cannot wait.

[00:52:15] So excited for this listeners.

[00:52:17] Make sure you tell your your your LCS or wherever you get your comics pre ordering it,

[00:52:23] adding it to your pull list.

[00:52:24] It not only helps the shop, it'll help you because you'll make sure to get it.

[00:52:27] And it helps the creative team as well to let them know that people are going to be able to get it.

[00:52:33] And if you haven't yet, please go read Mezzo volume one and two.

[00:52:37] You will not be disappointed.

[00:52:38] It is just an amazing, amazing series.

[00:52:41] And you'll get all caught up.

[00:52:43] And look, we all have a to be read pile.

[00:52:45] So by the once you start getting issues, one, by the time you get through volumes one and two,

[00:52:50] you'll probably have issue one to maybe even three ready for you to go.

[00:52:54] So it won't be as much of a delay.

[00:52:57] But, yeah, Tyler, Jared, so great that I got to meet you and see you both in person before Baltimore Comic Con.

[00:53:03] I'm a big fan of Baltimore.

[00:53:05] And, yeah, Jared, it was great meeting you in person.

[00:53:07] You know, you were there for Crash and Troy, another phenomenal series, get nominated for a Ringo.

[00:53:12] And I just I really appreciate you both talking with me tonight.

[00:53:16] Please come back any time.

[00:53:19] This was quite a thrill for me.

[00:53:21] All right.

[00:53:22] Listen, oh, I almost forgot.

[00:53:24] Shout out to my brother, Bobby, the Crypti Creator Corners, number one most dedicated fan.

[00:53:28] Bobby listens to all my episodes and he buys a lot of comics.

[00:53:31] And yeah, and he tells me I know if he likes an episode, because he'll just text me and I'll go, can you put this on?

[00:53:37] Can you add this to my pull list?

[00:53:39] Because so I always shout out to him on every episode.

[00:53:42] And I'm like, I'm going to go to the next episode.

[00:53:44] And he's like, I'm going to go to the next episode.

[00:53:46] I'm going to go, can you put this on?

[00:53:47] Can you add this to my pull list?

[00:53:50] So I always shout out to him on the episodes.

[00:53:52] But listeners, I really appreciate you listening.

[00:53:54] Let us know if you like the episode.

[00:53:55] Let us know if you like the comics.

[00:53:56] Please anytime find me on on Twitter and let's talk about comics.

[00:54:00] Thank you very much for listening.

[00:54:02] Have a good night.

[00:54:03] And I will see you next time.

[00:54:05] Jared, you have something else before we go.

[00:54:07] Bobby preorder Mezzo.

[00:54:10] Tell your shop buddy.

[00:54:11] You'll like it.

[00:54:12] I promise.

[00:54:14] I'm going to get a text now. I just know it.

[00:54:16] See if you can hear something.

[00:54:18] Alright, thanks a lot.

[00:54:20] Good night everybody.

[00:54:22] This is Byron O'Neill, one of your hosts

[00:54:24] of The Cryptid Creator Corner, brought to you by Comic Book Yeti.

[00:54:27] We hope you've enjoyed this episode of our podcast.

[00:54:31] Please rate, review, subscribe, all that good stuff.

[00:54:35] It lets us know how we're doing, and more importantly,

[00:54:38] how we can improve. Thanks for listening.

[00:54:41] If you enjoyed this episode of The Cryptid Creator Corner,

[00:54:45] maybe you would enjoy our sister podcast,

[00:54:47] Into the Comics Cave.

[00:54:49] Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.