Jones:
What genre is ParaNORA.

Pen:
ParaNORA is a Mystery/Adventure story. I used to want to make a battle series, but if I’m honest those kinda bore me now. Even though it’s Mystery/Adventure you’ll still see confrontations. Just not in the same way a Battle Shonen is usually. More like how Araki does confrontations in JoJo.

Jones:
Will it be using a battle of the week format? Looking at modern stories it seems a lot of artist rather write a cohesive story rather than mini stories into one narrative.

Pen:
In this first Arc titled “Romantic Resurrection” it’s only about 4-5 days tops during “Spring Break” and they’ll move fast at some points. So I’d say you’ll see that kinda thing here and there for sure.

I agree in the sense I’d like to make something like that too. ParaNORA won’t be super long. Only 3 arc’s, but before I say all the plans I have for it I’d like to keep my mouth shut and let my results and story get there naturally for a proper moment and payoff.

Jones:
When you think about it, story that use the evil of the week method help with character development only con will be the slow pacing.
I went back and read the old school shonen of jump and saw a clear pattern as to how to format a long lasting big series what are your thoughts?

Pen:
Ever since I found JJBA and read Araki’s book back in January or February of 2018 I’d like to say I learned the best way to construct “confrontations” if that makes sense. In “Romantic Resurrection” I know where all of those confrontations will be so that it doesn’t feel too slow. For the main character of the story “Tyvola Tasker” you’ll see her develop through these situations and outside of them.

I’d like to also say that Togashi and Yuki Tabata as well as Ryan Johnson as his Knives Out series helped me figure some things out as well.

Jones:
And JOJO is one of those series that lean into evil of the week style storytelling until the big antagonist is introduced.
It’s a well balanced method of comic book writing.

Pen:
I’d say you can look forward to mine differing a bit from that model. In the sense that You’ll see evil sweat a little and react to the main cast and their actions in response to its own “motives”.

Jones:
Are you able to provide any info on your magic system?

Pen:
I can say for sure it’s a very unique one. Some aspects of RPG’s like Pokémon were its inspiration as well as Zelda BOTW. Real life experiences too and lots of research on YouTube lol. Lastly JJBA, HxH, Black Clover, and One Piece are other series I’ve studied for it as well.

Jones:
What part of ParaNORA should people look forward to the most?

Pen:
I’d say the part they should look forward to most is the character moments. Character driven story’s are my favorite honestly. The dynamic of Tyvola, La’NORA, and A’Livia is a nice and funny one, but also with tension as they navigate through the city with eyes constantly watching them at every turn. Other than that I’d say it’s the world itself that’ll draw eyes for sure and how big it is in such a small area.

Jones:
I find the antagonist to a story to be what keeps me interested you really have to dig deep into the worst part of you to make an iconic villain.

Pen:
I can assure the main antagonist of this arc will interest you then. I can’t give away anything obviously, but I’ll say love can be a very, very ugly thing. Especially how far you’ll go for love.

Jones:
Yeah it’s weird because I always find the obsession with love to be the closest thing to insanity.
So how long have you been drawing not just the comic but in general?

Pen:
Well I started back drawing officially back in September of 2017, so it’s been about almost 6 years fully. I had always been writing since 2013, but the call to draw again got me some years after. As for ParaNORA, I didn’t start on it until the Summer of 2018 when I was clocking in on super early shifts at MUSC in the grounds department. Waking up at 2-3am just to get the chance to leave work early so I could have more of my day gave me inspiration for the story. I’ve always liked the supernatural as a whole, and walking to your station in the dead of night always gave me good inspiration. I felt like I was always being watched, so I turned my fear and fascination into a series. I slept with the lights on a lot that year too lol.

Jones:
While drawing what’s the most difficult thing you found getting right? Mine is hands and backgrounds I’m just lazy man lol.

Pen:
I used to hate hands early on but I wanted to get better at them. I still can’t draw a fist well though lol, but my hands are good and can get better tho of course. Now I’d say it’s heads and muscles.
I hate backgrounds too lol, which is why I have my assistant Sabon doing most of them lol
They’ve always bored me, but I do like painting backgrounds though.

Jones:
You know to help with muscles i draw Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star that’s my favorite manga and the art style is the best to come out of jump with Dragonball, Death Note and Shaman Kings being some others.
I recommend you check it out for muscle anatomy.

Pen:
Yeah I remember you telling me to check out FOTNS before one time last year. I’ll def give it a go because I have to draw a few characters soon that are of those types of builds really soon. Love Dragon Ball. I saw Shaman King on 4kids I think back in like 6 or 7th grade
Gohan is still my goat also.

Jones:
On Dragonball the death of Toriyama really hit alot of people.
Apart of me wants to create the next Dragonball in Admiration of such an amazing Mangaka.
What influence has Toriyama had on not just your work but life too?

Pen:
Wholeheartedly. To make a timeless story with fun and funny characters and  a fun world is always first for me like Toriyama did.

His death did shock me a little just in the sense that I thought he wouldn’t go so abruptly. But back in 2018 after the TOP and then the when the Broly movie came out in the states in 2019 I had prepared myself mentally for his passing because at the time DBS was at its peak in popularity and I thought how sad it’d be for him to pass away during this time. I’m glad he got to see the story through up until the most recent chapter of you’ve read it. He’s influenced me with his art style for sure mostly. I’ve always liked more cartoony styles over super realistic ones. Characters like high school Gohan and Gotenks mostly I love. In his death, he’s inspired me to keep going and get the work done and have fun and let the ppl know what interests me and pray they have fun reading it as much as I do lol.

Jones:
I don’t know if you knew but his mini series Sandland got an anime with a new arc made by him before he past also they made a video for Sandland.
It’s amazing how so many companies come together to bring to life the world Toriyama has build.

Pen:
Yeah I didn’t know the new anime was a whole new arc. That’s really cool that he was working on so much like that. I haven’t seen Sandland yet but I will for sure. I did see the opening song for it in Twitter though last week I think. I think it’s always refreshing when OG’s make other series after their biggest hits. I alway cry when I think about how Kishimoto’s Samurai 8 got canceled lol. Shuesha is so impatient.

Jones:
I wasn’t a fan of Samurai 8 but that’s a conversation for another time lol
Well I’m’ll end the interview with this question what do you feel makes a story special?

Pen:
lol to each his own. What I say makes my story special is the characters and how I approach telling the story with them in an unconventional way you wouldn’t see in comics these days. I have American Award Winning Novelist Dan Simmons with his amazing book series “Hyperion” to thank for that inspiration to take stories into different areas and risks to get the story told. Ultimately, ParaNORA is a love story but not one you’d expect. One about how finding and meeting someone can rekindle love inside you that you had for something and the reinvigoration to continue to pursue that thing.
Thanks for having me.