The Xcentrikz - Interactive Comic

Interview with the very talented creator of Alpha Luna, Leonardo Vidal!

July 29, 2009

I had the lovely opportunity to chat with Leo from Alpha Luna today. He's an great storyteller, so I hope you enjoy his tales. Alpha Luna is about the adventures of girls and guys who are werewolves! Give it a go, and have a fun read on the interview.

The Xcentrikz Team: Thanks again for the interview Leo, I’m looking forward to hearing all your answers, and hope your readers enjoy it too. So for those who haven’t seen Alpha Luna yet, do tell us more about your exciting were-wolf adventures?

Leo: First, thank you Mark for this opportunity. Well, to get started, “Alpha Luna” is an adventure story about a girl who one day discovers that she has a fuzzy side...a wild attitude... Yeah, yeah, she is a werewolf. I'm bad with puns, you know :p With her nerdy friend Collie, she has to cope with this new dilemma and with the fact that another werewolf, a guy with a cocky attitude named Fang, is there to increase her already troubled life. Beasts, demons, paws, and howls are all here to discover if you give it a try :)

THE XCENTRIKZ: Great, thank you. How did you get started in web-comics, and then create Alpha Luna?

Leo: “Alpha Luna” to this day is my only web-comic series. I did short comics before, but none of them were intended to be this large, both in the amount of pages and time it’s taken to create. I started with an art site when I learned the basics of html back in 1999. Drawing werewolves was one of my interests, and so I dedicated a whole site to do just that. After a while, I was doing comic commissions and transformation art, but in the end, I wanted to create something more personal, and so “Alpha Luna” was conceived. In January 2005, Luna was howling and running.

THE XCENTRIKZ: What do you think about your readers?

They are crazy! Ha ha ha. Actually, I can't help but smile and feel so grateful every time I read a comment. When they share the excitement of the story, it's like getting recharged. Some of them have been so cooperative and so nice that I feel I owe more than I can produce. A few of them became friends in time and have helped me in different areas working on the comic, which is fantastic.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Super. So I really enjoy your illustration style for Alpha Luna. How did you develop your style?

Leo: Because of a lack of comic stores in my country, I used to watch a bunch of movies when I was a child over and over. I clearly remember “Back to the Future,” “Star Wars,” “Robocop,” “Superman,” and “The Terminator,” which I used to make my very first comic renditions. Later, I was introduced to the world of anime thanks to “Robotech,” which I became a fan of, and I then became a fan of Akira’s and Miyazaki's work.

Probably due to anime itself, I was more driven to follow that style when many series started to appear on T.V. in my country, Chile. Through manga, I was fascinated by various artists like Takehiko Inoue, Masakazu Katzura, Yoshiuki Sadamoto, and others. But in the end, it was just my pen and paper and God knows what that came out of my mind and mixed together to become something I could feel proud of.

THE XCENTRIKZ: What do you enjoy the best, about doing these thrilling manga-style stories?

Leo: To feel and see the characters come alive as part of this “other world.” When you feel you're not just drawing but opening windows to the story, then I start feeling like I’m part of it, and then I can't help but keep drawing and smiling. And there is no better reward than sharing the experience of it.

THE XCENTRIKZ: That's really inspiring! What usually instigates your great ideas?

Leo: Watching a movie, reading a book, talking with people, having a walk, etc. Our minds are tricky things. I couldn't find the exact answer if I tried.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Is there something difficult about creating Alpha Luna? How do you overcome it?

Leo: Time! The always unfriendly time. Even when you have a little of it, your energies are all empty at the end of a hard day. The only way to overcome it is to think how rewarding it is when you're done with a new page, and then even the lack of sleep is worth it.

THE XCENTRIKZ: What was it like early on for Alpha Luna? Did you work to promote it? How did your fan base build up to where it is now?

Leo: As I said, I started doing artwork. And if I recall correctly, I was one of the few making werewolf art that...ugly! XD Well, some people liked it, and so I kept drawing and drawing more for a few years. Due to my small comics, I kinda gathered a fan base of readers without actually knowing. When I started “Alpha Luna,” they were already into it, and I was blown away by the reception. I believe the promotion worked through each person to each friend and site alike who happened to like the comic. I was really fortunate because of this.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Do you have a favorite character to write or draw for? Or do you generally like them all?

Leo: All of them have this or that that increases my enthusiasm, but in the end, Luna is the one who I really take care of since she is the only character who has to both grow up mentally and spiritually. Her quest of searching is what makes me care for the story and outcomes. Besides, isn't she sexy? :)

THE XCENTRIKZ: Your viewers probably appreciate that! What are some parts of Alpha Luna you’re most proud of, and why?

Leo: You know, for a long time, one of the main reasons that drove me to write the story of “Alpha Luna” was the fact that I couldn't find a single werewolf comic where they could be admirable creatures, other than dark stereotypes of monsters of the night. Even more so, I couldn't find a manga about werewolves where they weren't demons or something similar. Many of my ideas were shared by other artists who took that alternative and created “were-art” at some point, furry fans alike, too. But again...no serious comic was there to support our admiration. Secondly, whenever there was a transformation scene, they were all so damn repetitive with a lack of realism that I couldn't help but make my own approach after being so influenced by movies like “American Werewolf in London” and “The Howling.”

I was probably one of the first using those ideas in an actual comic-manga adventure. If not, at least I feel satisfied that I helped to contribute to it, I guess XD

THE XCENTRIKZ: Sounds like you're a really creative guy, good for you! Being a cartoonist can be great fun. Although since many web-comics are published for free viewing, it can be hard for some authors to maintain a web-comic. Any opinions on your cartooning life?

Leo: If you’re a new comic author, you should do it because you enjoy drawing and telling stories without expecting some sort of attention. Everything comes in time, but you have to be patient as you keep your readers interested in what you're doing. Test your work, and then, only if you feel it has gained a nice group of people supporting it, make the next step. Get surrounded by people sharing your interest, and I know they'll want to help you in any way you want to go.

Many of the new comic artists do short runs when they attempt big sagas of incredible stories. The fact is that most of them run out of gas when they realize how hard it is to keep drawing. So start simple, and grow the story in time. Hang in there, but more importantly, have fun doing it.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Great points. What’s one of the weirdest things that’s ever happened to you in doing comics?

Leo: Mmm, I remember a guy adding me to MSN and saying he was a real werewolf and “only those worthy were chosen.” I wasn't sure whether to laugh or be worried. He told me a bunch of “rules” and how what was depicted in my story was real but not because I was worthy or not… Yeah, scary people.

THE XCENTRIKZ: So do you have advice to share with other comic creators?

Leo: Write your comic beforehand. Know what you’re going to do, accomplish, and surprise readers with before making “cool poses” and cliché dialogue! *sigh* Am I being too harsh? Seriously, a comic is 90% writing. Your drawing may not be as good, but if you know how to deliver characters who feel full of life and true to the stories, the comic will work, and people will believe in you.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Very very true. Even if there isn't a lot of actual dialogue, one has to do a lot of planning... So would you like to give a cheer to any special people, who helped you to success?

Leo: Of course, Pedro, a.k.a. “Sinner Chrono,” is a great guy who helps me keep the site growing and running. He is a really cool friend and fan of RPG games and strips. I still wonder what he liked about my work XD. Michael Perone is another friend who has been helping me in the grammar department for a long while. He's a dedicated and good person. Also, Alex Brugnera from Brazil has supported me for a long time. He’s given me about six figurines of my comic characters! How awesome is that?

Last but not least, my generous fans have helped me keep the site running! Thanks to all of you.

THE XCENTRIKZ: Is there anything else you’d like to add? What’s coming up in Alpha Luna…?

Leo: “Alpha Luna” is now in the pitching process to get published in the U.S.A. This means offers are open :) Just send me an e-mail at licantro AT gmail DOT com. In other news, this year, “Alpha Luna” went through a revamp, and issue 1 especially got a makeover, so if you were an old reader who lost interest when I went on hiatus in 2008, take another look, and who knows? You may like it again :)

THE XCENTRIKZ: Okay, good luck on that! Thanks again for the chat today about Alpha Luna. Please keep up the great work. I hope your fans enjoyed this interview.

Leo: Me too, and thanks again for this opportunity.

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