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And welcome to Play comics, where once again, we are here looking at something that a pretty cool creator is making. You've heard me talk to Fernando Pinto before. Last time was about just him talking about the awesomeness of some artists you probably know. And I know he knows pretty well, Fernando Pinto. I hope he knows himself pretty well. But also today we are here looking at gun Punch. Fernando, that is such an awesome name. And I have to assume that you getting to say that today means you're having a pretty good day.
Yeah, dude. Yeah. It's been a good couple weeks telling everybody about my comic gun punch. It's been fun. Glad you like your name, though.
It is such a good name for anybody who is curious about why is this called gun punch? Can you give us a bit of an elevator pitch for the story?
Evan had the worst day of his life and got drunk, hooked up with a mysterious girl, and woke up being the chosen one to save Earth from an alien invasion, and he sucks at it.
And with that, I am hooked. Although, I should say, I mean, let's be more accurate, I'm rehooked because this is one that was put out a few years ago already, right?
Well, I started as a webcomic, and I did about half the story during the pandemic as a webcomic, and then I got some publisher interest and now faded out. And now we're back at it with rocket Ship Entertainment, who is the publisher that is running the Kickstarter and sending everybody the books and rewards once they're out.
And this is a Fernado Pinto solo project, if I remember right.
Yes. I created it. I'm writing it. I'm currently inking page 99 out of 142, and then I'll color it and letter it and do everything.
I am always so jealous when I see somebody who can do everything like that, because I will consider myself very lucky if I can pull off one of the things I don't know.
I've always wanted to just write and draw my own stuff. This is, like, my third graphic novel, first one in color. And I appreciate that, man. It's a really fun process. It takes a while, and it can be kind of hard sometimes, but it's very rewarding. So I really enjoy it.
So when I saw this before, it was black and white. Had a lot of that manga feel to it. Were you always planning on having it eventually be in color?
I mean, if you want to sell comics in the american market, you have to make them in color. Sadly, I'm a big fan of black and white comics, but I think people that read comics regularly are used to just reading. If they're not reading manga, they're reading comics in color. And I like coloring. I think I came up with a decent color palette for it. It looks really cool in color, but if I had my brothers, I would probably put it out in black and white. But color is great, too.
All of the colors make sense with this. They're roughly what I was imagining anyway. So, I mean, somehow I guess you made the black and white seem colorful, if that makes any sense.
I mean, I don't know if it does make sense, but it sounds cool as hell, man. So I appreciate it. Thanks.
What got you connected with rocket ship?
Well, the editor in chief, Tom Acle, was my editor when I was working at Webtoon. I was doing a strip with Fred Van Lente and Crystal Skillman called Eat Fighter. We did that in between 2018 and 2019. So I knew Tom, and after one publisher that I was doing gun punch with kind of like dropped the ball with it, I sent it over to Tom because I saw that he had started rocket ship, and they were putting out such cool comics, like, they're putting out outrage and urban animal. And so I was like, I'll try this out. And Tom read it, and he was like, yeah, I really like this. Let's do it. So that's how I knew those guys.
And what's it like starting something with one publisher by yourself like that and then having that whole new set of expectations with a new publisher put onto.
It, it was kind of weird and disheartening. I won't tell you the publisher it was with before, but those guys, like, they seemed really interested, but then they were like, they stopped answering emails, and then they would answer, and it just took a while, and I just got kind of like, eh, I don't know. And I kept seeing them doing other books, so I was like, oh, maybe they're not as interested, which is fine. I mean, I can't blame a publisher for going wherever, whatever strikes their fancy. So I was like, okay, I'll just look around, see if anyone, like, is really interested in it. And it's been really great at rocket ship because they really, really like the book. And they've been like championing it. Like the whole process of creating all the assets for the Kickstarter and the prints and all that stuff. Like, they've been really hyped for it. So it's been great, man. It's been really rewarding as a creator.
And were you always planning on having this come out as just a full story graphic novel, or were there ever thoughts of single issues?
I mean, it is like a five chapter story. Every chapter is like a little different in length. I always had it like the first five chapters to be just the first arc. You know, I have ideas for a whole trilogy, but in my head, a graphic novel just made sense. So I guess, yeah. To your question, I don't know. I just wanted to make it, man. To be honest.
Honestly, that's one of the things that kind of got us caught up at the comic shop today was single issues versus trades and people grabbing the issues or waiting for a trade. And how do you feel about it? I like getting the single issues, but I also end up getting a lot of smaller things or things that from the bigger publishers, but it's because of the creative team as opposed to because of the characters that it is, right? I like letting the publishers know that I like their stuff, or I like this creator stuff so that eventually they'll actually make the trade. Because that is one thing you have to worry about going through a publisher is they're not going to make the trade if they don't think they can sell it.
Right. I mean, that makes sense on a business sense. And I really like the monthly format as well. But I don't know. There's something about a big, thick book that's a whole story from beginning to end. I like that. But I'm the same way as you, man. I'll pick up single issues when I really like a creator. Like, I'm not a monthly reader of anything, but I don't know. Like, for example, you tell me Daniel Warren Johnson is doing a book, I'm going to buy the single issues, you know what I mean? Because I really want them to put out whatever he puts out. Also a trade.
How often did you think, man, I wish somebody else could do part of this book with me or for me?
I don't know if I ever thought that, because, like, I work with a lot of people, I work with writers, I've worked with colorists, letterers and all, and that stuff is great. But for this story, like, I've had the idea for this book in some incarnations since I was like, 13. So I was like, now this is kind of my thing, and I just wanted to do it my way, which, for better or worse, you know what I mean? Because I wanted to letter it a certain way. Like, the balloons I draw on the pages are different than the balloons I've seen in other comics. And I just wanted to do it my way again, for better or worse. But I just want it to be like a distillation of what I like in comics, you know what I mean? Collaboration is awesome, and I've met some amazing people working in comics, but for this one particularly, I just wanted to do it myself.
It makes perfect sense to me, you know, a story that you've had in your head for that long, I can imagine it would be pretty hard to let somebody else have even the smallest bit of input on your baby.
I think the creators that I like the most work with the least amount of people, you know what I mean? Like, they're like authors, even like, guys that do manga stuff like that. They may have an assistant, but it's their name on the book, and it's just their name, you know? So it's. You get, like a person's, I don't know, sounds corny to say, like essence or whatever, but it's who you are as a creator, I think, gets distilled the less people are working with you, you know? So I don't know. I think it's all forms of collaboration and working comics are valid, but I think as a creator, I want to know what a specific creator feels like when they're working by themselves, you know? And sometimes it really works and sometimes it doesn't, but when it does, it's really, really cool. So I just wanted to aspire to that, you know?
What kind of challenges have you had trying to sell people something that they could go on webtoons and get?
I didn't see it as much as a challenge in that respect. I think people like a book, you know, they like a complete product. When you have a weekly webcomic and stuff like that, it can get a lot of readers. But I think there's such a market and such an interest, especially today, when we consume so many things digitally, to have a physical book, to have a whole package delivered to you, I don't think that was the hardship or the complications in gaps. It, like, sold to a publisher or whatever. I think the story itself, I believe it's a little outside of the canon of the kind of books that people consume today. I think I see it in superhero books and, like, even indie books, there's a lot of taste for drama and human stories and somewhat dour stuff that's really wordy and very. I don't know, like, it's not. I don't. I don't see it as fun. And I think there's a reticence in the public to consume stuff that's just, like, made to be fun and entertaining. You know what I mean? And that's what I wanted to do with my comic and what I've always aspired to do with my comics. And I think that's that market. Even if people end up consuming it, the market for it doesn't seem to be as open at first glance. Some people get dismissive, you know? But I think that was, like, the hardest part to make people see, like, okay, this is a fun book, but it's also, I think, really good. And you'll enjoy it if you read it.
You know, I've enjoyed every bit of this that I've seen. I'm still trying to decide if my wife is gonna like it, but she's a weirdo.
What would that be, like, the language thing? Cause there's a lot of cursing in it.
No, she's cool with that. She's not as much into the alien stuff. She does love your work, though. Like, she completely was all over long ago and far away.
Nice, nice. Yeah, that was a cool book. And, well, I'm working on the sequel right now, parallel to gunpoint, so.
Has working on both of those at the same time had any kind of negative impacts?
Not really, man. Like, I'm used to working in more than one project at a time. Because when you work in indie comics, like, the schedules are always kind of different. And, like, I've got a bunch of kickstarters this year, and a lot of the books have already been done. Gun punch. I'm in the middle of long ago and far away. We fund it with just a few pages done. So it depends. Like, I'm always juggling three or four books at the same time and has been that way for the last five, six years. So it's. I'm pretty used to it by this point.
How do you keep everything straight in your head when you're working on that many things at once?
I try not to think about it too much, to be honest. If I think about it, I get anxious. But I don't know, man. I'll dedicate in a month. I'll dedicate a full week to one book. And it depends on the day, one day maybe I'll get to do two pages. So if I get two pages done one day, then the next day I'll just do one page and work on character designs or maybe some layouts, and then the next day, I'll probably have to teach. So I'll draw half a page, but then on the weekend I'll catch up. I don't know. It depends, but it's. I have a like. Like an excel spreadsheet with how many pages I've done, how many pages I have left. So I kind of keep track of it that way. But I try not to overthink it, because if I do, I'll just snap.
Yep. I don't understand that at all. As I look at all the episodes I need to get edited.
I mean. I mean, it's. It didn't happen overnight, you know? I mean, I've been working in comics for a long time, so I worked in advertising for a long time doing storyboards. I was trained to work pretty fast and pretty efficiently, and I'm always, like, trying to work on my process and how can I get this done quicker but still good? You know what I mean? So I keep those muscles pretty trained.
At least in gun punch, because I haven't seen anything with the second volume of long ago and far away, nothing looks like you super rushed through it or anything like that.
Oh, thanks, man. I appreciate it. I try to do my best so it doesn't look rushed, and I appreciate you saying that. So that's good.
Looking at the Kickstarter, how did y'all decide what kind of rewards to set up for this one?
We had a meeting, and we talked about, like, what I liked in Kickstarter, what they usually do. And we came to the conclusion that everyone likes, of course, the physical book and the soft cover and the hardcover. People love hardcovers, of course. Commissions. People love those. But we started talking about the book, and, for example, the main antagonist is this alien race. That is a shape shifting race, right? So, okay, one of the words could be, like, maybe you can draw somebody getting transformed into an alien, you know, in the book. So that's one of the rewards that came from the. From what the book is about. You know, we talked about, like, what we liked. I really like pins, so, like, doing the little chibi characters from the book as pins, you know, seemed like a natural thing. So, you know, it was. It was a mixture of things between what they do, what everyone knows that people like in Kickstarters, and what I.
Was interested in doing looking through the reward tiers. First off, I'm kicking myself for not having back this already, but time just, just run away from me. But, like, I mean, no, it's entirely my fault. Like, what do I expect you to do? Sit down right next to me and, like, yell in my face that you started it?
I try not to do that with people that support the film.
I mean, honestly, I wouldn't have minded. But you have more important things to do, like actually finish the book.
That's true.
But looking at all these, I mean, the prices on these are in a great spot. What you're getting on everything is. It's making it a very tough decision on what I'm going to get.
Nice. I'm glad to hear that. So that means that you like the rewards. My personal favorite. I love the pins, but the triptych print set is probably my favorite. I really like how those came out.
I've seen a lot of people doing the retailer packages. Is that something that you've done before?
I know we've done it in other campaigns. I think the Mechaton campaigns had those. That's pretty cool because it gets the book, like, two stores right away before book distribution and all that stuff comes into play. So I think that's a pretty cool idea. And it's really cool when a retailer, like, picks it up and trusts your book because they think they can sell it, basically. So it's not just that they'll enjoy it, but they think their customers will enjoy it. So I think that's just a really cool thing and a really cool tier.
As we're looking at this one on March 20, you've very, very easily cleared your goal for getting this one made.
Oh, yeah, man, it was, it was surprising. We cleared the minimum on the first day, and it's been going up since then. So we still have, like three weeks left. So I'm pretty optimistic. So with how far we can take.
It, any thoughts on adding other rewards or add ons or anything since you've already passed that goal?
I mean, we have a couple stretch goals with, like, bookmarkers and big vinyl stickers. If we reach, I think it's 10,000, but I'd be open to it. I have to have a meeting with the guys at Rocket ship to see if we'll add some more stuff. But sure, I'd be willing to, like, open more commission slots or whatever people think would be cool if somebody listens to this and sees the campaign and wants to leave a comment with something that they like, I'm totally open to that.
I've gotten a commission from you before. I know you know that, but the listeners necessarily don't. Quick turnaround time a couple times that you kind of showed me progress as it was going, so you were very good to work with from that side of things as well.
Oh, thanks, man. I try to, you know. Cause, like, people, people are giving you their money and trusting that you're gonna finish this. You know what I mean? Like, I've been part of, I think, eleven or twelve successful Kickstarter campaigns in the past. Everything's been delivered within the timeframe that we promised. I try to be as professional as I can because, I mean, one, this is my livelihood. And two, like, people are supporting your career, man. You don't like, it pisses me off when people like, I mean, I can get a delay or something and people, like, keep communication with you. That's fine. But there's, you know, about those Kickstarters that you support and then they never, you never receive them and that I think that's just really bad. Like, that's not good at all, man. Like, those people should not do that.
Luckily, I haven't gotten caught up in too many of those.
Yeah, especially. But, like, I don't know, I've seen, like, a couple big names, you know, I think Rob Liefeld had one that never materialized. Jason Pearson may rest in peace. He was an amazing artist, but I think he had a body bags comic that didn't come out. And that's just. Just sucks, man. I mean, it just taints your reputation, and I think it's pretty hard to, like, come back from that.
How easy is it for you to, like, compare different Kickstarter campaigns that you've done, considering that they're, they're not under your account, really? It's like three or four different people that are technically putting it out. Who aren't you?
I don't know, man. I mean, I try to, like, pull my weight, you know what I mean? All these guys run the campaign and they're shipping everything out and they're talking to the people that pledge and all that stuff. So I just try to hold my end of the deal, just get the art done as best as I can and as quick as I can so that the books get to their destination as soon as I can. But I don't know, like, running a Kickstarter, even though I've been a part of so many, I've never ran my own. So I just admire the people that do it because it's so much work, man. It's just so much.
Is that one reason why you wanted to go with a publisher and their Kickstarter thing to put this one out?
I mean, it makes things a lot easier, especially cause I'm in South America, so, like, shipping stuff to the US. Like, my shipping costs would be astronomical, you know, and people. And that turns people off, you know, so I just. It makes it definitely easier on my end so I can focus on getting the book done, and it helps out a lot. So I'm very thankful for it.
I mean, it'd be really easy for you to things across your country, east.
And west, of course, in my country, but usually the market for the kind of comics that I do is better on the outside of my country.
So how many backers and stuff do your projects usually get from down where you are?
You get some. Maybe like 15, sometimes 20. But it's small part compared to the people from the US that back them.
Your art style is one up of a small handful that I can see even just a little thumbnail of. And, oh, look, it's Fernando art. Like, it's you, Peach, Momoco, Lane, Lloyd, and one of my friends Mishams. And there might be a few other people.
You're putting me in very good company there.
That's kind of the point, because they would say the same thing about being in your company, too.
I would like to think so. I would like to think so, but thank you. Appreciate that.
I mean, I know for a fact one of them has, because I was in the conversation when they said it.
Oh, okay. Wow. Okay. That's really flattering. Thank you.
How do you manage to get an art style like that? That is. I mean, not just good, but so distinct from basically everything else that's out there.
I think I tried my hand at copying every single style, and I couldn't do it right, and it just came out the way it came out, you know, I tried drawing, like, so many people, man. I tried drawing, like, joe Matt at one point, like Mike Mignola, like Eduardo Rizzo, so many guys, and I just. I just couldn't get it right. Bruce Timm and I. But I think every time I try to imitate it, a little bit of their style came into mind, and it's just like, it turned into this cocktail with my own. The way my hand moves and the way my brain works, that. And at one point, I just gave up, and I'm like, I'm just gonna draw like this, and I hope people like it. And that's. That's where it ended up, man. But, like, it was just trying to, for years, just trying your hand at different techniques, different styles, different reference, and it was like, okay, some of this works, but it doesn't look like the guy you're trying to look like. So I was like, all right, screw this. And the next week, you get obsessed with Duncan Figuero, and I would try to ink like him, and it wouldn't come out like that, but a little bit of his stuff would stick. So I think it just became this cocktail mixed with whatever is in my brain, and it just. That's how it comes out. And now I'm old enough to be like, eh, I like the way it looks. I hope people like it.
From the sheer number of successful campaigns that I've seen you be a part of, I have a feeling that they do like it.
I hope so as well, man. I hope so. They're not just being nice.
I mean, it's either that or you're with writers that can carry something completely by themselves. But then this book being all you, throws that idea out the window, too.
That's not for me to say, but I do appreciate the compliment.
I'll say it. You make good art.
Oh, thank you, sir. Appreciate it. I hope people think I'm a decent writer as well.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure people can say you're at least a decent writer. Let's go with that, because I think it's the only compliment you'll take right now.
No, I have a very hard time with compliments, but I do appreciate them, because I don't know if this absurd, and I think a lot of it happens to a lot of people, but, like, you see all the faults in what you do. So I'm like, yeah, this could have been better or whatever, but I do realize that it's of a level that people can appreciate. So I'm not. I'm not being falsely modest, but at the same time, I'm like, you know it. I'm not gonna toot my own horn. I'm not that great at that.
No, I get it. We see what you put out and not what you had in your head.
Oh, thanks, man. I appreciate it. I. So people have a good time with the book because I'm having a blast doing it.
So you said about 144 pages on this one?
Uh, yeah, around that. Maybe I'll squeeze a couple more. I don't know, because I'm. I have it all laid out, but maybe if I think a beat or something needs a little more space. Maybe I'll give it another page or something. The book should be around 150 altogether.
I mean, no matter what you do with that, it means I have about 100 pages of stuff I haven't seen yet, so that is really exciting.
Yeah, dude, that's. That's the whole thing, right? Because people can. Can read, like, first half of it if they want on my site, but it's not the final version, and I'm probably going to do revisions on the writing and all that stuff as I go, so. But, yeah, people can check out at least, like, the first finished ten pages are on the Kickstarter campaign, and if people pledge and like it, just hit me up on twitter and maybe I can send you a full chapter. Maybe if you're nice.
You have to be nice to creators, because then they know that you like them and they keep making things.
Exactly. Exactly. I'll speak for all creators now, and we appreciate it.
What has been the best random compliment message? Whatever you've gotten from a fan?
I once read a review of my work, which was a book I did with scout comics. We created it with my buddy Alan Medina. The guy that reviewed it said they really liked my art and that they saw an influence of mainstream american comics, but also of comic strips, like, newspaper comic strips. And I'm like, yes, I like that because I'm a big fan of those as well. So I was like, okay, this works. I can describe my art like this. If somebody asks, oh, cool.
A compliment and a way for you to describe your art. That sounds great.
Exactly. Yeah. It's two for one, right?
I don't want to get into spoiler territory too much, but I believe you said there potentially, maybe there could be more from this gun punch story besides what we're getting in this book.
Oh, yeah. I mean, if. If people like this one and it does, well, I. And I've talked with rocket ship, maybe doing more with it. I have ideas for a whole trilogy, and it just gets bigger after the first book, so I hope I get to do it because it'd be really cool and explore really, like, the sibling relationship between Evan and his sister Dee and his powers and how it affects his life and all that stuff, and have, like, bigger aliens and robots and stuff that they fight. That'd be great.
So I have one final thing I want to ask you about, which might be purely a me question, and nobody else might care, but I'm going to ask anyway.
I'll care.
Okay, well, of course you'll care, because you're here and it's still asking about you. How do you name your characters?
How do I name my characters? Okay. For the main character, the hero gun punch, I was trying to come up with a two syllable name that sounded awesome, but also sounded dumb, like hellboy or shark knife, you know, and that's how I approached it. So I was like, okay, this guy, when you think of fruit punch, it's a bunch of fruits getting squeezed and you get juice, right? So. And this guy has guns that comes all sorts of guns and stuff that come out of his. Of his hands, and you punch with your hands, so. All right, gun punch. And that sounds catchy as hell, right? So that's how I came to that. It took me a while, though. As for the character names, I just trying to think of stuff that sounds cool. I always like the name Evan. I like D. Just one initial, you know, so I just try to make it sound cool. I'll be honest. That's all I go for.
That's totally not, because I'm naming my characters with, like, the main character. Search with M for a name.
Okay.
Because, I don't know, it's just a way to knock it down.
All right. That's cool, though. Do you want to, like, share the name or is it still secret?
Right now I'm writing it as Mike because it was just the first name I thought of.
Okay. All right, cool. I like that. I mean, Mike, I think short names work really well in common. You know, it's just like. It gets to the point and I like that.
Well, Fernando, it has been great talking to you about this. I can't wait to have my copy here so I can take it with me to my parents house. Because let me. Let's face it, I don't bring single issues to places. I bring the trades.
Oh, crap. Well, I appreciate you saying that. And thank you so much for having me in the show. For people listening, the campaign is going till, I think, April 11. Then they can still back it. And the book should be in your hands by late this year or maybe early next, I don't know. Depends. I'm going to try to get it to you as quick as I can.
Well, good art takes time. And like you said, if you're going to be late, just let us know.
No, I definitely will. I'm going to try and share as much as I can of the process with every single person that backed it. And if you haven't gotten a message or anything, just hit me up on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram and just ask me where the hell the book is and I'll. I'll keep you posted.
If people want to harass you, where exactly should they find you? Online or be nice, they can do that too.
I'd rather they'd be nice, but sometimes when people are dicks, you can get some fun conversation out of that, but they can reach me. If you go to Fernando pintoart.com, you get to all my links and all my social media, my Instagram, my Facebook, my whatever. I'm on almost every platform. I'm also on like blue sky and threats, but I don't know how popular those are.
So I keep trying to leave Twitter, but my people are still on Twitter and it's hard to leave your audience and bring them somewhere else.
I feel you man. And the memes are the best at Twitter. I'm sorry it sucks as a website, but the memes are so good as always.
We will have links to all that down in the show notes because clicking links is so much easier than trying to remember how to spell things.
This is true.
If you want to hear more from me, the best place to find me is playcomics.com because there's links to all the social media things, including Twitter, which is mostly where you can find me because unfortunately it's just a vicious cycle of creators staying where the audience is and audience staying where the creators are. Twitter will never die because of this. It will just be a shell of its former self. If you want to help support the show, which is definitely not a shell of its former self despite what I just said. You know, you can leave a review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts or you can be like Carl Antonovitz or Dan McMahon or oh no, lit class and donate money to the show because this does actually cost money to do despite what everybody tells you. Or you can just share it with a friend. That's cool too. Just shove it into their ear holes with consent because you shouldn't stick things into people's ear holes without consent because that is just icky. Don't forget the play comics is a part of the Gunnegeek.com network, home to a bunch of other wonderful shows including legends of S H I E l D where were looking at X Men 97 because were cool and its cool but it is much cooler than us. Although lets be real, it is X Men 97. Its a lot cooler than a lot of people and a lot of things. If you like the music that im rudely talking on top of right now, head on over to soundcloud.com bestday 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.
Putting the book out. Can you hear me? Yes. I don't know. I keep hearing, like, beeps and boops on my.
Yeah, I think your other instance dropped out, which is fine, because I can hear you on this one. So how long do you think it's gonna be before you run your. No, that's dumb. You just told us that you're never gonna do it.
I've never seen, ever, but it'd be kind of tough.