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You've Never Heard Of… Space Pop

Marco Lopez writes,

The purpose of You've Never Heard Of… is to shine a spotlight on self-published creators who release their work in print or digital and creators who work for publishers that don't rank in the top 10.

We're in a golden age of comics right now and in an age of geek none of us could have ever imagined, but with the good comes the bad. As our geek news sites become more corporate they tend to focus less on comics and in some cases less on independent creators. Which is why this series was created. As you all know Bleeding Cool is a popular site and has never shied away from giving a soap box to those starting out and trying to carve a niche for themselves.

So with that having been said let's get this show on the road. Today I'm gonna be interviewing Corey Mikell and Sebas Riera. The writer and artist duo behind the fantastic series Space Pop.

But before you start reading that how about a little summary?

SPACE…a place where dreams cross an endless ocean of stars, it is here that destiny is fortified and the simple hero…becomes legend. The greatest life experience that can be summoned from the ashes of a fallen empire is that nothing last forever. But, what happens to the children that are to inherit rule over billions? Do they become forgotten in time and fade into memory or do they fight to be remembered? This is the tale of one such orphan, the prince-king to one of the greatest dynasties in the universe…his name, Joshua Fallscar.

Space Pop is a coming of age space opera that follows the adventures of a group of social outcast that are struggling with their roles in a splintered universe…a universe where they are hated. Now, with one of their own being hunted by one of the most ruthless powers in the stars, the Crimson Army, the Nephilyn, they will have to set aside their differences and take on the calamity that approaches.

Marco: To start off as I always like to begin a little light. Why don't you two tell us a little about yourselves, your backgrounds and why you decided to get into comics.

Corey: Talking about myself is something I've always been shy about. I'm so introverted. I don't like getting into conversations that simply have, "yes and no" dialogue. They bore the living heck out of me. I was born and still living in Columbia, South Carolina. GO GAMECOCKS. I was raised by parents that gave me everything they could and sometimes couldn't. I was taught to always be respectful for what you have…and don't be angry for what you don't. I don't like coffee; this has no importance to this interview but I thought I'd mention it. The schools I went to were predominately black. I was that one kid who was the "geek/nerd" that no one really understood. I really didn't care. I mean, I wasn't emo or anything like that. I was just the "against the grain" type. I remember this one time before it was super popular; I wore this Dragonball Z shirt. I loved that freaking shit, but now looking back on it, I really was god-awful. The colors were everywhere, just wild and exploding with LOOK AT ME. Anyway, I wore this shirt and this one kid said: "I bet you do like dragon balls". It made no sense to me, but at the same time, it did. The very next year, everyone was talking about Goku and Vegeta. I was ahead of the curve because one of my best friends, David Jackson, told me to watch it when it came on Saturday mornings. We got into an argument that Superman could take Goku, and I still think he can, just for the record. I was in high school back in '97 talking about this. I was super into hero worship at that point. Marvel, DC, Top Cow and other small companies, at the time, were my religion. Those were the characters I wanted to mold myself after. It's true that my first anime was Dragon Ball Z, but my first LOVE of the genre was Kenshin. My god it was perfect. Still to this day, he is my favorite in any form of entertainment. I love those "suffering in silence" types and he is by far the most tragic of these characters.

Sebas: I´ve been drawing since I was a child, focused my studies into the art branch, and, here we are, still drawing. I always loved comics and manga, so, I started to work on "manga" in 2004, publishing several of them in Spain, but this country does not value the art and artists at all. That´s why I started to look for work overseas and reached out to the USA "market". And thanks to Corey Mikell and Jerry Wright, I found what I was looking for. They trusted in me so, it´s been almost 3 years working for both, on their stories: "Space Pop", written by Corey, and "Infinite: The Journey", written by Jerry.

Marco: The great thing about being interviewed by a geek site is almost everyone here at one point in their life can relate to your story, Corey. One of us! One of us! Of course, I'm gonna kindly disagree with you on the whole Superman being able to take on Goku. That's a pet peeve of mine. Now I noticed you named Dragon Ball and Rurouni Kenshin and Top Cow among others as some of the companies and books you enjoyed growing up. But what are some of the work that inspired Space Pop? As a fan of manga and anime I'm gonna go with Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star, but I feel there might be some not so obvious inspirations. As Space Pop has a very adventurous almost Star Wars fantasy feel versus the bit more (kind of) grounded semi-pulp sci-fi that is Outlaw and Bebop.

Your comment on Spain not valuing the art and artists at all when you were putting out your own work there Sebas. Do you mean art in general or the art of manga and comics? I'm not very familiar with the comic scene in Spain. I know Carlos Meglia's comic Cybersix was pretty popular over there but first started in Italy and was definitely more popular in other European markets. Before you started working with Corey did you ever attempt to get into the Franco-Belgium comic market?

Corey: Well, Marco, you're absolutely right. Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop were two of my influences when I was idealizing the story. However, there were plenty from that era that brought me to where I am today. Other titles such as Trigun, Slayers, Dragoon, and Record of Lodoss War helped me mold the archetypes I wanted. Now, as far as comics go, I was a fan of the unknown with titles such as Darkness, Witchblade, Maxx, and Pitt. But, overall, when it came to heroes, I have to say the big blue Boy Scout, Superman. Love that guy. He always was a moral compass for me growing up. Now, Star Wars, I'm not a big fan of. I know bring out the pitchforks, right. I've always had a fascination with characters that go on this journey with heavy hearts. Those that have this past that keeps chasing them even when they believe they have outrun it. They smile through the darkness that surrounds them. They play the "goof" when really they are troubled souls. A personification of a Greek tragedy manifested into a character of boundless capacity to just want to exist. But, the troubles that surround them won't let that occur. Space Pop is an adventure story first and foremost; the action comes from a natural place. They aren't fighting just to fight. Also, it's about being young and discovering just what you're capable of. Sebas and I, we have this thing, I call it, "the Power of One". It's when all the characters surrounding the main character are absolutely pointless. Yeah, they may have cool abilities but they really amount to a whole bunch of show. They just sit there and wait for the main character to arrive and then the story drags out for about four to five chapters. I hate it. We won't dare go there with what we're doing. Everyone has to serve a purpose…otherwise, why are they there?

Sebas: To try it on the Franco-Belgium market would be the best option, but I have a concrete style, mostly manga, and it doesn't fit on those markets. So, I had several months of no one knocking at my door, but suddenly, some American offers appeared.

About Spain and the art, I mean the art in general, not just manga and comics. We're ruled by an incompetent unqualified president, but he and his political party are the best at stealing the money and rights of the people, I´m sorry to speak like this about this country, but it's the reality. A lot of young talented people are flying away, looking for a job and life in other countries.

Marco: Corey how did you find Sebas and what made him the perfect match for Spacepop and someone you knew would be great to work with? And the same for you Sebas. What is it about this property and Corey that made you want to work with him?

Corey: When I first decided that Space Pop, well at that point that wasn't the title, it was "the Last Epic". It was a horrible title and I was just running with it like a moron. It really was terrible. But, Sebas and I first met on deviant art and oddly enough he was the first person I felt could do it justice. Everyone else just seemed so…typical. I hate typical. However, when we first talked he was going through some things but told me he was interested in working on it. This was in January of 2014, I believe but it wouldn't be until 3 artists later in October when I was about to just throw in the towel that he contacted me and he told me he was still interested in the project. Even though he didn't take the project those many months ago, we built a really cool friendship and got to know one another. We both had the same sense of humor. He knows what I'm talking about. From there, we just wanted to create this story that felt nostalgic to the great manga and anime of the past. Space Pop is meant to feel "good". If you don't have a smile on your face and aren't enjoying the characters and their expressions…then we've failed. We both hate to fail but we love to try. And that's why we work so well together. We make each other want to be better because of the material. We know it's something special. He is my partner in this, not just my artist. We are a team, through and through. Like, if it goes down and one of us gets into a fight, we're both fighting. Even if we're taking on MECHA GODZILLA or something, we're both fighting. I mean, if I see the fight is pointless then I might have to pull him to the side and just say, "Nah". At times, these internet folks can be rude and I don't do that…at all. I can come off as anti-social when in reality, I just don't like dealing with stupidity.

Sebas: I noticed from the beginning that he was a serious person, who had a great story written in his hands. We used to talk (and still do) almost every day, so, the communication was always nice, and fun. We´re now great friends and enjoy to work together. Of course, I loved his script, "Space Pop" offers and story and characters I love to work with, so, I decided to make it. We have a long road until we finish it, but, I´m sure 2017 will be a productive year, and we want to publish the full first "Space Pop" volume.

Marco: Ah, the internet. Home of many a pointless argument. Do yourselves a favor then and don't read the comments when the article goes live. HA! Kidding. I love all of our fans of Bleeding Cool. Please be gentle. Anyway, I'm glad you brought up the humor of Space Pop. One of my favorite films of the past five years is Guardians of the Galaxy and Space Pop has that same fun and funny adventurous feel to it. Was Space Pop always a feel good, by the seat of your pants adventure story? Or was there ever a more serious version? Walk us through some of those previous versions of Space Pop. Without spoiling anything for those who haven't read the comic.

Speaking of the story and characters Sebas. What inspired your designs? I'm seeing a bit of JRPG influence there. Maybe some Star Ocean, the last few games and Alina Hex reminds me a bit of AnnaPuma and UniPuma from Dominion Tank Police. Sorry for the comparison guys. I know that's a bit of a hot topic with creators now a day.

Corey: The story was always meant to have a humorous and adventurous vibe. It was meant to be slightly tongue and cheek, dramatic when it needed to be, and very self-aware. I'm not talking about breaking the fourth wall or anything, but aware. As the story progresses and we learn more about what's really going on, I want the reader to feel like these characters are, in a sense, home. I want you to feel connected to them because you can relate to them. It's not meant to be overly-dramatic…it's meant to be a ride. My writing style for this project, I call it a nostalgic narrative. It's meant to give you a feeling of familiarity. Not as if you've read the story before but joy of meeting this characters again, but for the first time. You're going to witness the crew grow into adults and that's really the fun thing about the story. They are teens and the lesson to be told is, "live and learn". They will make mistakes. They will believe they know everything. They will not listen to authority. They will be fighting for their lives in a universe that doesn't give a damn about them. All of these things will affect how they come into adulthood.

Sebas: Well, the main cast was already designed when I joined Space Pop, so, it wasn´t me. But I´ve designed almost everything else, and yes, it may be JRPG influences here and there. I love Final Fantasy series (the old titles mostly), Lost Odyssey, Infinite Undiscovery, etc.

Marco: Now, let's talk length, printed work and publishers and future work. What kind of ride are the fans and fans yet to be in for? Are you going for a crazy multi-volume manga like run or something closer to American comics? And have you reach out to or had any publishers reach out to you guys? Or do you prefer to self-publish? I know you printed a small number of volumes for the first log (What Corey calls the Space Pop chapters) and volume one and two if I'm not mistaken were once on amazon kindle. When it returns will it be a webcomic or will there also be digital purchase versions? And last but not least. Is Space Pop the only book on your plate or is there anything else in the pipeline? Or maybe something Space Pop related in development.

Same for you Sebas. I know you mentioned a few questions up another comic you work on. But are you planning anything that's all you? Writing, art, etc.

Corey: Space Pop is still being written, so I really can't tell you how far it will go. Right now, it's three volumes in. Each volume will contain six chapters and at the end of each volume, there will be a CHIBIPOP, which is cute, slice of life adventure of the crew. It's just something funny that I think my audience will get a kick out of. I want to show the life around their adventures and I figured the best way to do so would be these shorts. As far as release Space Pop: Episode One, is now available for purchase through Amazon for $3.99, US. Episode One is over 70 pages and contains LOG#ONE and LOG#TWO, a 10 Page preview of LOG#THREE, four ChibiPop's, and a few promotional pieces. When it comes to other properties, I don't like to pile on stories. So what I do is craft details in my head. I've started penning two of them. One is called, "Girl in the Green" and the other "the Hound of Fame". The Girl in the Green has a very Studio Ghibli form of storytelling. The Hound of Fame, now, that's going to be my next big baby. It's about giving the establishment something to dread. It's going to be super dark, which is normally the way I write, believe it or not. I've been published in Churn Magazine for my short, "Dead Man's God". I plan to continue that at some point. When? I can't tell you. As far as publishers, this is the exciting part; I don't believe I can say anything… until I can. So, I'm going to leave it at that.

Sebas: I worked on my own story before Space Pop and Infinite: The Journey. A manga called "Shinto", 400 pages long and published in Spain. But now, I don't have the time to work on another original story, I have plenty of work to do (Thank God). Anyway, I love Space Pop, it feels like if it was mine (Sorry Corey, this is life lol)

Marco: I asked this question when I interviewed Mikhail about the crossover you guys have planned between Mythallica and Space Pop. So, from your point of view tell me a little about it. How did it come together and what can we expect and what will the length be?

And you Sebas. How excited are you to get the chance to draw Mikhail's characters and the world and have them interact with Joshua and his crew? Anything or characters, in particular, you're looking forward to illustrating?

Corey: Well, the crossover just came about. I liked what I read of Lux Nova and the universe that he's building fits so closely to what we're doing. So, I messaged him and he was completely down with the idea and from there I started with the concept. We talked it over and came up with a way to integrate the stories together in a way that makes sense. If something doesn't make sense, it's not going to work. Joshua and Aether are two characters I feel must meet. I think they complement each other in a multitude of ways. They will have to take a step back and realize there's something more grand and frightening that needs their attention. Also, a few more characters might show up. So, people will have to read it.

Sebas: Lots of excitement. I admire Mikhail Sebastian, he´s a truly talented artist and a hard worker. I have to receive and read the first Mythallica: Lux Nova volume, so, I cannot talk about a concrete character, but what I´ve seen about the first volume is great. Can´t wait to draw everything related to it!

Corey: Also, Sebas has drawn a promotion piece that involves them taking on a few enemies from the crossover. If you purchase EPISODE ONE for only $3.99, you get to see what they're up against and the planet in which these two characters meet. Not just on KINDLE. You can purchase it and it will work on phones and laptops. Remember, it also makes a good gift for that manga or anime lover in your family. Just go to Amazon.com and search: SPACE POP: EPISODE ONE and there you go. Ok, plug done.

Marco: Alright guys we're at the end and I wanna thank you so much for allowing me to interview you, but before you go. Tell the people out there who haven't checked out the comic and or know nothing about it why they should check out Space Pop when it returns.

Corey: Space Pop is a throwback to the classics. If you're a fan of Outlaw Star, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Kenshin…and even something more modern as Space Dandy then Space Pop is what you've been looking for to fill that void. A tale of classic characters on a timeless adventure to save a beautifully realized universe and like our promise, when it's all said and done, "Space Will Never Be The Same."

Sebas: First of all, thanks to you about this interview, is a true honor! I was so happy when Corey told me about it.

And about Space Pop. People have to check it because they will enjoy it. It has a sense of humor, fresh characters, action, and the best stuff are about to come. We're doing great with it, and we will have great news related to the Space Pop soon. We are so happy about it!

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Well, that's all she wrote. I hope you all enjoyed this article. Let us know how you feel below. And don't forget to check us out in two weeks when I interview Scott Eos and his comic book Harland Buck Freesword. But before you go if you like what you read and have seen of Corey and Seba's work then follow them on Facebook, Instagram and again purchase Episode One on Amazon.com. So don't forget to catch up so you can read the continued adventures on November 24th.

Marco Lopez is the co-owner of the website Atomic Rex Entertainment. Where you can find the ongoing weekly webcomic Massively Effective, that Marco describes as Abbott and Costello in tights. Also hosted on the site is Marco's web strip series Orion's Belt that follows an Afro-Latino family of adventurers in space and his anthology series A Shot of Whiskey. Marco has also written for Zenescope Entertainment and Lion Forge Comics.

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