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And welcome to Play comics, where once again, we are here talking to a creator about their cool stuff. I know I said I was winding these down, but I have been looking for an excuse to get Felhound here on the show, and it's finally happened, and we're doing it. And spoiler alert, we're talking to fell hound today. So how are you today, Fel?
I'm great. Thank you so much for having me on. I'm really excited to chat with you finally and to talk about all things comics and motorcycle testing.
I mean, if that doesn't excite people right there for what we're talking about today, then, I mean, check for a pulse or something, because motorcycle jousting. They didn't even have to tell me you were working on this one. I was already sold.
Oh, thank you. I'm glad. I'm hoping that that's enough of a hook until I get people to buy it, because actual marketing is very hard.
For anybody who doesn't know what seismic iron clash roulette is about. What is your elevator pitch for this story?
Yeah, I mean, other than motorcycle jesting, it could be described as, like, motor crush meets fence, or as I like to call it, revolutionary girl Utuna meets Kamen Rider. And it's basically a star crossed queer romance set in a fancy academy that just so happens to have a massive underground motorcycle josting ring. And our two intrepid lovers, Avery and Nico, reunite in this fantasy academy. And in order to save their relationship, they must face the trials and tribulations of the seismic iron clash relay, which is the motorcycle joust.
Growing up in all the schools that you went to, did any of them have motorcycle jousting? I mean, where do you get this kind of idea from?
Sadly not. I mean, we had soccer, we had girls rugby, which I guess is also just as terrifying as motorcycle Joe thing. But, yeah, to be honest, I got this idea because in the last year or so, I just got really into anime again. There's this show I really loved called Gundam Witch for Mercury, and that show was inspired by another show I loved called Revolutionary Girl Yutina, and I just became obsessed with the idea of, like, school dueling and big queer romances. And I was like, well, I want to make my own in that genre. I also really like ridiculous sports anime like birdie wing and skate Infinity. So I just decided to make a school dueling insane sports anime because why not?
How long have you been working on this one?
So I had the idea back in March 2023. I think I pitched it in May 2023, but it took a pretty long time to hear back. I've only really started really working on it since the start of this year. It's my first monthly comic, so I'm really trying to learn the ropes of how to make things on a tight schedule and staying on deadline. And yeah, it's been a whole learning experience, but I haven't been working on it outside of the pitch for that long. Well, I guess it's half the year now, so maybe it has been a while. Time flies.
Time has been meaningless for years now, so take that as you will.
I guess that is true. It's still March 2020 to many people. I understand.
I gave up counting the days somewhere around March 830.
Yes. Well, to say that nobody aged in that time. So if anybody asks, I am still young and not 65 on the inside.
We're gonna be best friends now because I've been 65 since I was eight.
My gosh. How's the mental long term care home treating us?
Thankfully, we grew up with video games, so we get to play them, and they call it a mental encouragement, so enrichment. That's the word I meant.
I mean. I mean, that is true. That is true. Still playing the video games just to cope.
What has been the biggest difference working on this with a traditional publisher versus what you have put out in the past?
I think the main thing is, to be honest, this project is very, very different from anything I've worked on in the past. If you're familiar with Commander Rao or, and we love you. Those were very sad, and they were very. It wasn't an art style that I. Where I did a lot of, like, coloring and rendering myself for this one. I guess because it is my first monthly project, they didn't want me to get too overwhelmed. So they're like, we're going to find a colorist for you. And it's my first time working with a colorist, so that's been really fun. Uh, Eleanora Bruni, who is the colorist on sir, is amazing. Her colors are so good. Um, and I think our sort of, like, art styles really jive together, so I'm really happy about that. Um, I guess the main thing really is just, like, working on keeping up with those deadlines. Um, I basically had to learn how to, like, properly ink, like, art for this project, because when I just kind of draw for myself, I don't really use really heavy inks or grays. I kind of just, like, do really simple line art and color everything in. So now I'm actually forced to, like, draw things instead of just, like, randomly painting them. But, yeah, I think that it's definitely been a learning curve, but I think I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. And, yeah, it's been a really sort of fun style and fun, I guess, like, move away from what I did before. But I'm kind of happy with the direction it's going in the.
I mean, I've seen pieces of this first issue. Granted, I know it's advance copies and everything, but what's here is still definitely, no question, your work. So I'm glad that they picked a colorist that is able to keep that fell hound essence of everything.
Thank you. And, yeah, I'm really glad to, like, I absolutely love working with Eleonora. She is amazing. I cannot say enough good things about working with her.
Which part of you between Rider Fel and artist Fel is really in charge of this project?
I feel like it's working in tandem, because writer Fel can be like, oh, we have such ambitious ideas for drawing those motorcycle fight scenes. And then artist Fel goes to drawing them and is like, why did you do this to me? So I think the one thing about being writer and artist is that I can sort of. I guess I know, like, how and when to take some shortcuts so that I don't, like, die drawing a billion motorcycle fight scenes. But, yeah, I think this is one of those projects where they're really working in tandem together so that we can have something that's really fun and full of motorcycles. And also, so, like, artists made us die trying to figure out how to choreograph a motorcycle fight scene. Cause those are very hard, as I'm learning.
I would very much prefer if you don't die, if that's okay. I want this series to be.
I would do my best. Yes. Well, I can't die, because arcane season two comes out in November, so I gotta live for that.
Well, there, we heard it here first. Or this time, Phil will not die ever, as long as there is a show to look forward to. Yes, I'm glad you brought up the motorcycles, because those are insane in all the best ways. Like, how much fun has it been just making, like, every eight year old's dream motorcycle come to life on the page.
Yeah. So the one thing about motorcycles, there was a lot of discussion about how, like, between me and my editor and just kind of me and myself, about how and what they should sort of look like for me. I really wanted the motorcycles, like, I wanted each rider to have their own, like, sort of distinct look and, like, distinct rider Persona, but I also wanted to keep them kind of grounded and not make them too fantastical. And I've decided that, like, just. I thought it'd be really fun to, like, have all the bikes sort of be centered around, I guess, the design of, like, dirt bikes and, like, motocross, just because when I see a lot of comic books, I feel like a lot of, like, most bikes that you kind of see in comic books are about, like, either street racing or, like, biker gangs, and they usually have, like, a more cruiser or, like, the traditional Harley Davidson style. And, you know, you really kind of see, like, motocross bikes or, like, bikes that are, like, really agile and can, like, jump off platforms and are just, like, quick to turn. So that's kind of what I decided on when doing all the bike designs. And, yeah, it's been really fun sort of figuring out, like, you know, each character's rider Persona and, like, how they present themselves when writing and their sort of, like, writing styles.
I can just imagine now the arena having all kinds of, I mean, for lack of a better way to put it, Mario kart track style things going.
Yeah. You know, maybe in future issues, I could add, like, the blue turtles or the. The zappy thing.
Nintendo, please don't sue.
Legally distinct blue turtle shells and legally distinct zappy things.
And going along with the bikes, too, though, the characters different rider Personas, I really love how they're definitely matching their bike, but not a copy of the bike or the bike being a copy of their rider Persona.
I really. I have a lot of fun doing the character designs on this. Even for some of the fodder characters that you kind of just see once, it's like, you kind of think about how they should look like or like, what? Like, even, like, down to, like, what their weapons should look like or like, how their bike should look like. Everything had to be sort of in sync, but also distinct from each other. But, yeah, I had a lot of fun doing the designs for this, even though it was a little hard designing a million bikes, but it's been fun.
And one thing I've noticed here, compared to your other work, is that this hasn't made me want to curl up in a ball and cry yet. I mean, that's just something we haven't gotten to at this point yet, I'm assuming, right?
Yeah. So I jokingly tell people I'm in my no more war, no more sadness era. Instead of sad gays, we're gonna have rad gays, where they're just, like, fun and riding motorcycles, and nobody dies. That said, there are four more issues, so we will see what happens. If I can actually stick to my.
Promises, it can't be a fellhound book.
If nobody dies, I can neither confirm nor deny that there is a death. But if anybody asks, nobody, I'll tell you the protagonist will live, which I think is a lot better than my other books.
Another thing that really caught my eye here, and I'm pretty sure I've seen you talking about this online, was the tattoos that Niko has and just the level of detail that goes into those, I have to imagine that was a giant pain in the ass to keep straight, you know, as arms turn and stuff and keeping things where they're supposed to be.
Yeah. So that was something that I designed. Being like, that's so cool. It fits Niko so well. She's gonna look so cool with him. And when I actually got to the page, I basically decided that Niko is gonna pull her sleeves down for the remainder of the issues, because I. To be honest, I only designed the front of the tattoos, and I totally forgot that when you turn your arm, you don't see the back of the tattoo. So I basically had to, like, sort of mentally wrangle what the back of her arms are gonna look like when the tattoo turns, and that was definitely something I should have thought about earlier or maybe, like, design so I could just, like, copy and paste the back of the tattoos. But, yeah, I did not do that, so it was a lot of suffering. And I hope you enjoyed seeing Niko's tattoos in the first issue, because you might not see them again for a while, depending on if I feel like trying to figure that out again.
I'm officially voting for police, trying to figure it out, but don't let anything else suffer in order to figure it out.
Yeah, I just, like, you know, as long as people know she has the tattoos and that she's, like, a. Like, a. A cool person with, like, cool tattoos, and maybe we'll see it again here and there.
So which one of the characters in the story are you?
Oh, I'll see. I feel, like, in, like, bits of, like, different characters. I mean, I feel like Avery's character design is pretty androgynous, and, like, in real life, I'm also, like, you know, like, hold a very androgynous style. But Niko, I know, you know, people listening to this might not have read the issue. Issue yet, but Niko is someone who is very hard on herself, and she is a bit of, like, a. Sometimes, like, a perfectionist who's always, like, stuck in her own head about things. And I definitely feel that. And there's some other characters that come in later that I can't really spoil. But, yeah, I feel like there's a little bit of me in all of the characters except for maybe our main antagonist, Oscar, because he is very confident and overly flamboyant, and I feel like I could probably use more of that in my life.
Well, just in case you haven't heard it today, your art is very good and your writing is very good, and I wish you would have more confidence, because you definitely have built up the work to have that level of confidence.
Oh, thank you. Thank you. I will do my best. I'll do my best to live up to that.
How far can you see this series going? Or is this in your head? As, here's the miniseries thing, and that's it.
So I pitched it as a five issue miniseries, and currently it really is just the five issues for now. One thing I cannot stand, unfortunately, is cliffhangers. I hate cliffhangers. I always want my stories to end in a satisfying manner. So I hope that when people get to the end of sir, they'll be like, yes, this has been resolved in a satisfying manner. I mean, if it does well, there's potential of maybe like, a volume two or second series, but everyone, please buy this book so that we can make that happen.
But you're right. There's a definite difference in, I'm just going to have cliffhangers for Cliffhanger's sakes, and here I'm gonna wrap up the story, but then throw you a little plot thread for something else that could be happening.
Yeah. And, like, I. You know, it's always nice to keep an open door, but for me, I'm just like, it needs, like, the main plot needs to be resolved. I've read so many comic books that I've adored, and then they just never ended. And I'm in a perpetual state of anguish over that. So I don't want to do that to other people. I just always want my stories to have beginning, middle, and end.
Well, that's nice of you. You're gonna destroy us emotionally, but at least give us an ending. I can appreciate that.
Yes, I'll try. Happy or sad, we don't know, but it will be an ending.
This one is getting published by boom. What was it that made boom the right choice for this story?
So, to be honest, boom came to me first, and they were just like, hey, do you want to pitch to us? And I did pitch them some other stuff that unfortunately didn't yet picks up. And then I think Sur was one of the fourth thing that I pitched to them. I think it just got really a bit of luck was involved because I pitched them a ya comic, and I didn't know that this year was gonna be, like, the Boombox 10th anniversary and they were looking for YA books. So I think it was just like, right place, right time, but I was really glad. I do think boom is the right home for the story because they've put out a lot of queer books under the boombox line. They've done a lot of queer sports books under the boombox line. And I felt like something like Sur would really fit in. Cause I actually comped some of their other boombox titles when I was pitching it. Stuff like fence heavy vinyl and even the recent I heart skull crusher. I think it really fits within those books, so I'm kind of happy to have, like, shelf space alongside them.
I mean, let's be real, though. The real best home for this is in everybody's house. What has been the reception that you've seen online, for sure?
Yeah. So, like, with everything else I do, the moment I decided I'm gonna make something, I just start talking about it. So even since last year, when I started, like, teasing these characters and this and, like, the world of Sur, which is like, these two girls on motorcycles, people seem to really dig, I guess, the art. I've had several people tell me that they wanted to die for Niko, which. Thank you. That comments like that keeps me going. Yeah. And then when it got announced, I was really happy that people seemed to be excited for it and that they still were excited for it, even though I've been talking about it for over a year. And. Yeah, it's just. It's just this is, like, my first, I guess, big release in about two years. I took a bit of a break since I wasn't. I was going through some stuff, but now I'm back and I'm really happy that it's this book. And I'm glad that people seem to dig the idea of motorcycle jousting.
If you had a chance to drive motorcycle jousting for yourself, would you actually try to do it?
See, I can barely keep myself stable on a yemenite bicycles. I don't know how well I would do on a motorcycle. I could do it. I would probably die, like, immediately, but I think it would be a good way to go.
Okay, so you're not allowed to do motorcycle jousting, then. We'll add that to the list. I don't know what this list is, but I'm sure somebody has it somewhere.
I'll do it. If I'm, like, wrapped in bubble wrap, a lot of it beforehand.
What wouldn't you do if you were wrapped in bubble wrap?
That is true. I mean, if I'm, like, skydiving without a parachute, it'll depend how high and how much bubble wrap I'm surrounded by. That might be a little iffy, but.
Looking through this book, this thing is just amazing. I mean, one thing I really want to highlight is how you're showing us Avery's phone and what's been going on there, and I think that is just. Instead of just telling us, oh, you know, 5 billion messages, why has Niko kept calling or not called? And whatever direction you're wanting to look at, depending on what page you're looking out there, I think seeing the phone, there was such a better way of getting that emotional connection everywhere, because everybody has that person that they wish would just answer the damn phone.
Yes. Their relationship is definitely very complicated. In the beginning of the book, at this point in time, they happened. You know, they were, like, these lovers. They were very close. But at the start of stir, it turns out they haven't communicated in over a year, and they probably went all the way to the school just to find Niko and get some answers. So I really, you know, and I like, because this is, like, a monthly issue, and we have, like, 22 pages, I need to find a way to, like, show that while also being aware of the space I had to tell the story, and I think just, like, showing stuff on the phone was kind of the easiest way to do it. Instead of just telling you all this, I just show you in a text, and readers can get the idea that their relationship is kind of on the rocks.
What are you most looking forward to seeing people's reaction to when this gets out?
I mean, I would hope that they would enjoy it. Even if they don't enjoy it, I hope they appreciate my effort to bring more lesbian romance into the comics world. If I'm to be completely honest, we don't always see a lot of it. And, you know, I think there's some future issues that have some really cool moments that I'm really excited to draw. And I think people, you know, the one thing I hope is that this empowers people to believe in the power of love and motorcycles, because that's kind of the whole shtick of the story. It's about the power of love and motorcycles. And with the power of motorcycles, you can achieve anything, including, you know, fixing the relationship with your true love.
So I have a bunch of friends that are very clearly in the sword lesbians camp. How do I convince them that it's okay to have motorcycles?
I mean, if I told them that, I mean, swords and lances are kind of related. So if you just told them that they have, like, some kind of martial weaponry on a motorcycle, maybe that will convince them to check out motorcycle jousting. Unfortunately, I couldn't put an actual sword into this because it is sort of a place where, like I said, no one dies and swords kind of like, kill a lot of people. So we only have, like, sort of mostly blunt weaponry.
We're all just going to be looking for those hidden swords now.
Yes, they might have to be blind swords, but maybe I'll put one in, who knows? It's a surprise.
I mean, I'm not going to lie. The second that I was sold on this was it's existing. There's motorcycle jousting and within ten minutes. And it only took that long because I was at work, texted one of my friends at the comic shop and said, here, you're getting this.
Oh, thank you. I'm glad that people are excited enough to sort of spread the word through their shops. It means a lot. I think this is, you know, my first direct market release in almost two years. So, yeah, it's just really excited to see people excited about it and, like, wanting to read it and pre ordering at their local comic shop, which supports both the shop and me.
Buying local is always good. Supporting the artist is always good. You should do both things whenever possible, unless your local shop is evil. Thankfully, mine is not.
Yes, if your local shop is evil, there are some online shops who are less evil. And I would be happy to help connect you to any local shop that is not evil.
Is there anything else about, sir, that you think listeners need to hear to convince them to buy it, that you're actually allowed to say without having the boom lawyer swarm down on you.
Other than just yelling motorcycle jousting? And the power of love and motorcycles very loudly. If you enjoy queer romance, this one's for you. If you enjoy girls love or lesbian characters, read this book. If you enjoy revolutionary girl, Yutina, or witch for Mercury, this is basically a love letter to those genres. And I have to shout out my incredible creative team again. Eleanora Bruni on the colors. We've got Becca Carey, who lighted radiant black, doing the letters. My editor, Elizabeth Bry, who is amazing. Everyone's really excited about this project. Everybody is, like, bringing their a game. I promise it's gonna be a really cool motorcycle fun time. And, yeah, please buy it so that I can afford a house in Toronto, which currently costs, like, $1.2 million.
I live in Charleston, South Carolina. I understand your pain there.
Oh, no. That's the one thing the power of love and motorcycles cannot fix, which is the housing crisis.
Not with that attitude. There's plenty of things we can fix with love and motorcycles on the housing crisis. And we start by taking out the Airbnbs.
That is true. Yes. Everybody, crash your motorcycles into the Airbnb so we can take them out. Wait, it's pg 13. I don't know if I can say that. Sorry. I do not want to incite violence.
We want you to hurt the houses, not your motorcycles. There. I think that covers us legally, yes.
Yes.
Also, don't do crimes. It's bad.
Yes.
If you could sneak one Muppet into this story and have them be actually in the story, not just, oh, look, there's a face in the crowd. Which Muppet would it be?
This is the part where you realize when I say I'm 65 on the inside, maybe I'm closer to 85 because I'm so out of touch with pop culture. The only Muppet I can remember is, like, Kermit and Miss Biggie. And because they're the only two that I remember, I would say probably either one of them. Both of them can be in it. I just know Kermit from the memes and Miss Piggy. Cause she used Miss Piggy.
They'd both be so good in there, though. I mean, having Muppet show Kermit trying to corral all the motorcycle jousters and everything, that would be amazing.
Yeah. And then we will have, like, the dark Kermit. I don't know. I know the memes. So I assume there is a dark kermit somewhere.
There is dark everyone.
That is true. The darkest timeline.
Fel, it has been great talking to you about this one. Somehow getting me more excited for this book, which I didn't think was possible. But if people want to hear more from you, and I'm assuming more about love and motorcycles, where else can they find you? Around the Internet.
Yeah. So I am still on Twitter, for better or for worse. But I am also on Instagram and I am also on Tumblr and I'm also on blue sky, and I am also on basic, basically every social media out there. I am on TikTok. I am on Cara, the new one that just popped up. I have a live journal that's still live somewhere. You can find me anywhere. Or just go on my website and sign up for my mailing list if you are done with social media, which I also understand, but my mailing list only goes out once a month. You get to have cool sneak peeks of stuff. You get to hang out with me. So yeah, I am everywhere. If you want to look hard enough.
I highly encourage everybody to look hard enough because it is definitely worth it.
Thank you.
But let's face it, you won't really have to look that hard because as always, we'll have links to everything down in the show notes because clicking links is so much easier than taking the effort to actually go try to find where those links go to. As always, if you want to hear more from me, you can head on over to playcomics.com, where there's links to all the social media things, including Twitter, which is where I still am and will forever still be for the foreseeable future. Somehow, I don't know. If you want to help support the show, the best way to do that is to tell your friends and family and enemies and random people on the street about it. Make sure that they know they can listen. Or, you know, you can be like, oh, no, lit class or Dan McMahon or Carl Antonovic and give the show money. But, you know, if you can't do that, for whatever reason, just tell people about it. Leave reviews on Apple Podcasts and pod chaser and all those other cool places. Or, you know, just tell me somehow and I promise I won't cry. Maybe don't forget that play comics is a part of the getahgeek.com network, home to such other wonderful shows as legends of S h I E l D Yddeh, where we are currently making our way through evolution. I haven't seen this show before, so, you know, if you've seen it before, then come hear me and my reactions, as well as Michelle's as Lauren takes us on a guide through the show that Michelle and I haven't seen before, or if you haven't seen it before, then come watch it along with us. It's an episode at a time. It's pretty easy commitment. If you like like the music that I'm really talking on top of right now, head on over to Soundcloud.com best j to check out best days music. But most of all, just grab a game, grab a stack of comics, and go find yourself a new favorite character.