HOME - IT'S WHERE THE HEART IS. THE COMIC BOOK HEART

Do you think you're an outcast? Do you think that you're so strange, so peculiar, and so out of sink with the rest of the world we all live in, that no one, no how, no where, can understand what you're like as a person and as a human being? If so, join the club. Specifically the following comic book club epitomized by my mate Todd, and his story, 'Home'.





1) What are your own origins, Todd?   I grew up on cartoons and superheroes, plus stories of the like, so it's hard to believe it took me awhile to realize I wanted to be a writer. I went to college to make video games (through writing) and during that time I went to C2E2, which is the Chicago Comic-Con, and got inspired to make comics. It took awhile, but eventually I got a team together and made Guardians, which I still write to this day.

Now I'm just trying to improve and grow as a writer, and make as many comics as I can.

2) What inspired you to create, ‘Home’?   It was during the Oni Press submissions earlier this year, like I said, I wanted to write more comics, and if I had the chance to work for a publisher like Oni Press? It would've been great. So I had this idea that I called "Split", and it was big, and grand, and mind-bending, and then I looked at the requirements for submissions and saw that all submissions had to be mini-series or graphic novels. I pressed further and saw that at most I'd have six issues to tell my story.

I was bummed at first, damn, but I understood why they would do that. So I took "Split" and toned it done a bit, reworked it and came up with "Home", which to me is still an incredibly fun and powerful story.

3) In your own words how would you describe this story?   'Home' is a fantasy comic that focuses on a girl named Elysia. Elysia is an outcast. But not for the reasons you'd think. She was born with natural blue hair, which makes her a target for insults and disgusted looks. We actually have a page done that we show in the Kickstarter and it has this older woman looking at Elysia with such hate and disgust it's great (Editors Note: Since this interview Todd's Kickstarter reached it's goal with time to spare). That's what I wanted to convey, because many of us feel like that at times. That we don't fit in where we live in our lives.

Back to Elysia, she's stuck in life. Her parents are gone, she has to work a dead end job just to live, and her only "saving grace" is that she is a good programmer, which she uses as stress relief. So one day she's walking through her city and she see's what I refer to as "The Code". Which is code in real life, she can see it, it actually overlaps numerous objects in her world. At first she's freaked out, I mean, wouldn't you be? But eventually she finds out she can manipulate the code, and when its "fixed" it actually does something in the world. Usually something good, such as fixing a broken object or the like.

Eventually, she comes across this big pillar of code, and when she "fixes" it, a portal to another dimension opens up, and she gets pulled in. She finds herself now in a place called Altaria. Which looks like a medieval city, but the knights there have futuristic armor, and can use The Code to attack and defend themselves. And they're fighting a war with these monsters known as The Schrief, and they're losing.

Elysia will find out that she can be the saving grace for the knights, but again, not in the way you think, and she'll have to help them before she can go home. IF she can go home.

4) What song would you say best represents this comic and why?   Wow! I don't know about a specific song, but there are lyrics from several songs that kind of symbolize what 'Home' is about. Like, "I know that I'm never alone, and I know that my heart is my home, and the music within makes me whole, more than I could on my own". Or "All I know is I'm not home yet, this is not where I belong".

'Home' is about identity in many ways. Elysia doesn't feel like she belongs where she does -- because her circumstances have not been kind to her. Then when she gets to Altaria, she's put in a situation that's infinitely more dangerous than her life on Earth, and yet she's surprised by what she sees there. In the end, Elysia will understand what a home is, and that realization will inspire a pretty big choice in the book.

5) If you could get a celebrity – either living or dead – to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   Ironically, I have had "celebrities' promote my stuff before. I'm friends with some famous cosplayers, one of which, Ms. AZ Powergirl, actually helped make a cover for Guardians. They were great, and I'm happy to know them.

If I could choose anyone though? It'd be Jason David Frank, who you might know as Tommy Oliver from Power Rangers. That guy is just full of passion, and he inspires everyone who follows him. He's a childhood hero who lives up to the hype in every way possible. Got to meet him at C2E2 awhile back and he was so epic. If he could promote 'Guardians' or 'Home' for me? Wow, I'd probably faint! lol.

6) What have you learnt about yourself through this endeavour?   Writing comics is hard, so I really learned about my passion for writing and desire to keep writing through this. 'Guardians' was very up and down for a long time. We started off hot, had to stop, started again, forced to stop, and now we're in a good place. But none of that would've happened if I didn't believe in what I could do. And I certainly wouldn't have tried to make 'Home' if I didn't continue with 'Guardians'!

7) During your time in this field, what is the one thing that has kept you in good stead?   Friends. Family. There's a good online community for comic people, and though they may not buy everything I put out, they happily see my works and comment on them. Or give them upvotes, or retweet them, etc. And when one does buy it? It makes me happy.

8) If ‘Home’ had a motto, what would it be?   Oh I got a perfect one for this. It comes from the last few pages of Home #1. It's: "Sometimes, life surprises you". And I think that's so true. It does. With 'Home' I'm going to show that life can surprise, and you might be surprised with what those surprises lead to.

And on that very uplifting note, dear reader, I'd like to thank Todd for telling us about his comic book mini-series, 'Home', before directing you towards his facebook and twitter pages.