Richard: What is "Samurai Elf" about?

Miguel: "Samurai Elf" is a 7-part graphic novel series that begins with Ardan Nasan, a naive teenager who finds out he's the last elf on the planet Tyr. He is forced from his home and is hunted down by a ruthless, cybernetic army called the Horde, but has no idea why. The Horde is marching the planet towards a horrific future as their enigmatic mastermind is poised to unleash his army on an unsuspecting world. If Ardan is captured, it could mean the total enslavement of Tyr.

Richard: How did you come up with the idea for it?

Miguel: A few years ago I had a more lighthearted story in mind. It was going to be a straight up fantasy adventure with a lot of humor, but as I began to rough out the story, Suzy Dias, my co-writer, and I developed it into something with more depth. I liked the idea of developing the world of Tyr and its inhabits just as much as the main character; a world on the edge of collapse. Where a few people have opened their eyes to see the threat developing around them, while the majority continue to live their lives as though nothing would affect them. Suzy and I still use light hearted scenes to de-pressurize the darker themes, but you'll feel each volume become more bleak and forlorn.

As the story developed, I began to create a world where things from our own time were naturally blended with fantasy elements. I like the idea of a mirror world with contradictory elements that we wouldn't find here. There are cultural influences from all over the world - east, west, north and south. For the technology I merged past, present and future. Most inhabitants use basic, holistic technology based on nature, while the Horde embodies the other technologically advanced extreme, where the ends always justify the means.

Richard: How do you and Suzy Dias your co-writer get along working together?

Miguel: We have a rare ability to see exactly where the other person is going with an idea. I'll start a sentence and she'll finish it. This makes it easy to collaborate. She adds so many things along the way, we often forget who thought of what. It's a very easy working relationship. We're always bouncing ideas off of one another. She's particularly good at finding inconsistencies and always figures out how to plug up any plot holes. She also figures out how to explain my tech drawings. For example, I'll draw a motorcycle that hovers and she'll find a scientific explanation for how it works. Or I'll draw a cool weapon and she'll say, 'it looks like it could this, this, and that,' and then finds the science to explain it and work it into the dialogue.

In terms of our process, I plot everything out and give Suzy a rough draft of the script and the page layouts. She then takes my initial script and rewrites it 6 or more times until it flows and it sounds natural. She might thing the pace was too fast or slow, find inconsistencies, add more character development, or maybe change up the dialogue to better match the characters' expressions. I generally leave the dialogue to her and she manages to make the characters say the right things.

Richard: What are Ardan and Keegan's personalities like?

Miguel: Ardan Nasan is an innocent and naive teen who was raised by his grandparents in an isolated village. He has had limited exposure to other people and finds it awkward to express himself. He's dedicated, hard working and easy to embarrass. When the Horde attacks his village and he's forced from his home, Ardan needs to learn why this mysterious and brutal army is hunting him down, what happened to his parents and why his life seems to be tied into the Horde. He's thrown into a situation that he isn't ready for and gets angry when people talk about him like he is the key to defeating the Horde. He thinks he's a nobody and has no idea why people place so much responsibility on him.

Keegan Wulfston is intelligent, hardworking and fiercely devoted. She has an adventurous streak too which is why she decides to go with Ardan to Tev Dar to help him find some answers. She has a sunny disposition, so much so that Ardan often loses patience with her. But when pushed, Keegan's as accomplished a Samurai as Ardan. Once she's fired up, even the elite Horde soldiers can't defeat her.

Richard: What is the storyline of "Alric the Wild"?

Miguel: Alric the Wild is meant to teach kids about ancient history with a slap stick twist. It's sort of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" meets the "Three Stooges." Alric is boy who was raised by a 2-headed wolf and so naturally, he thinks he's a wolf. He dreams of becoming a hero and he sets off to save the weaker human creatures he sees. He meets up with Monkey King, an invulnerable, magical immortal from Chinese mythology who is made of stone, and Camilla, an Amazon princess who must endure many trials before she can become Queen of her warrior clan. Together, the 3 take on a series of misadventures through key moments in ancient history to wreak havoc and set the course of history screaming off course.

It's basically an idiotic romp of epic proportions.

Richard: What is the purpose of this comic?

Miguel: Alric the Wild is an all ages graphic novel series that uses humor to teach kids about ancient history. The idea was to do a comic that would get kids interested in key events in ancient history. We take Alric, Monkey King and Camilla and drop them into these real or mythological events, but add a slap stick style.

Richard: Why would a wolf boy, a Monkey King and an Amazon Princess all work together?

Miguel: Well, the Monkey King goes along with Alric for his own amusement. Monkey King's irreverence for power, even the Chinese pantheon of goes, and his irrepressible curiosity were a perfect match for Alric's innocent blundering and good natured intentions, which often leave people worse off. Monkey King sees Alric as the ultimate source of entertainment.

He was growing bored after a few centuries of nothing much going on. He loves that with Alric, he never knows what's going to happen next.

Camilla, the Amazon princess, is more of the straight man. She's organized and mythodical, the perfect foil for Alric's and Monkey's impulsive behavior. She needs to build her experience in fighting different enemies - warriors, monsters, even the gods - and Alric and Monkey seem to get into so much trouble, she knows that hanging out with them will expose her to more fighting experience than she could find on her own. She also feels a strong obligation to save them from the perils they get into. She thinks if she wasn't around, they'd be arrested or killed in no time.

Richard: How was Iberian Press formed?

Miguel: Suzy and I wanted to publish our books without subjecting the art or story to another publisher's editorial team. Since we wanted to do it our way, we had one option - put your money where your mouth is. We started our own company in 2006. If you really believe in what you do, you have to go for it.

Richard: How did you become involved with Heavy Metal magazine?

Miguel: Interestingly enough, I met the co-owner of Heavy Metal at the 2006 Comic Con International in San Diego. They were looking for a Spanish to English translator and gave me the job (I previously translated for NBM Publishing from 2003-2007). I translate at least 1 short story in almost every issue of the magazine, as well as translating books published by Heavy Metal. Last year they also published a short story of mine called "Bed Bugs," a dream come true for me. I have lots of short story ideas, and you'll start to see a few of them in the magazine next year. Short stories are great because you don't need to fill a 22 page comic or an entire graphic novel. It's just an idea that can be told quickly. It's a nice change of pace for me and I get to try different art styles.

Richard: Are there any other comics planned for Iberian Press?

Miguel: We have tons of other ideas, but "Samurai Elf" and "Alric the Wild" are the initial priority. "Samurai Elf" because it's the longest series Alric because it's all ages and fun to write. There's another comic (or graphic novel, not sure of the format yet) creeping just around the corner, so stay tuned. Who has influenced your career the most? Ouch, that's a hard one seeing that there are so many great artists and writers that I admire. I guess Japanese story telling has been a dominant influence in my work for the last few years. I've read almost everything by Kazuo Koike, Katsuhiro Otomo and Osamu Tezuka. After reading "Lone Wolf and Cub" by Koike, my understanding of what can be done with the medium completely changed. It opened my eyes to pacing, strong character development, and telling a story with just a few words. Koike changed my notion of what comics could be. Then there's the energy of someone like Katsuhiro Otomo or the incredible imagination of Masamune Shirow.

Ultimately, all Japanese artists and writers have been inspired by the one person, Osamu Tezuka. I'm discovering his works now (he wrote 700 manga!), and can say that as of late, Tezuka is the biggest influence on my storytelling. I just finished reading "MW", "Apollo's Song," and "Ode to Kirihito." It never ceases to amaze me how advanced his topics were and how farseeing his vision was, even by today's standards. He wasn't afraid to tackle any issue. Every time I read one of his books, I feel like he's pointing out the grandness of the world, it's beauty and it's suffering. He reminds me to be more daring and not shy away from saying something.

On the western front, Will Eisner is my biggest influence, but there are many others like Moebius, Fred Beltran, Massimiliano Frezzato, Alessandro Jodorowski, Kyle Baker, and J. Scott Campbell. Those are all the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Richard: What comics did you read as a kid and do you read now?

Miguel: As kid living in Spain, my dad (who is American) fed me a steady diet of Spiderman, Superman, Casper and Batman. I also read European comics like "Tin Tin," "The Smurfs," "Asterix," and some lesser known comics here like "Zipi y Zape," "Bottones," and "Mortadelo y Flemon" (very slap stick comics). There was also a lot of Japanese anime like "G-Force" (Gatchaman series) and "Mazinger Z." I think having all of these influences is why I have a blended style today.

Currently, I'm reading the "Buddha" series by Osamu Tezuka, "Path of the Assassin" by Kazuo Koike and "Battle Angel Alita Last Order" by Yukito Kishiro.

Richard: How can someone contact you?

Miguel: People can just go to www.iberianpress.com to find all the info they need.

Richard: Any final words of wisdom?

Miguel: Words of wisdom, hmm. Just remember that talent alone can't carry your career. You can be the most talented person in the world and no one will know it. The mountain will not come to you, you have to climb it. Then there's luck and timing. If you're ready to react when the opportunity presents itself, then you have a shot of being published or making the right connections. I also find that a lot of artists are afraid to use computers. Don't be afraid to use anything. For example, you might want to be a penciler and get a great job as a colorist. Arm yourself with multiple skills. It'll help you develop your art in ways you never thought possible.