By: Nicole D’Andria
Spinning out of the 9-page story starring Moon Girl in The
Not Forgotten Anthology, the retro-futuristic world of Moon Girl returns in
this brand new standalone graphic novel! I spoke with the creator and writer to learn more
about this public domain character.
Moon Girl reimagines the public domain character
from the 1940s in a PG rated sci-fi adventure. The artwork
mimics stained and faded pages, thought bubbles, and ray guns from the golden
age comics, combining them with a modern era’s taste for fast pacing. Journey to the moon and experience the life of Moon Girl, who's forced to grow up fast and become a hero.
The 80
page graphic novel is created and written by Omar Morales (CruZader). The interior art is illustrated by Joel Cotejar (Star People Adventures) and colored by
Paula Goulart. There are also several variant covers available on the
Kickstarter by Matt Harding (Ultrasylvania),
Molly Satterthwaite and Nicolas Touris (The
Fear Diaries).
Moon Girl's $4,000 goal needs to be met by December 18, 2018 at 11:48 AM EST for the
project to be successful. Rewards include digital ($6) and physical ($12)
copies of the graphic novel as well as alternate cover pin-ups (starting at $18).
You can even get your own custom Funko of Moon Girl. See the rest of the
rewards on the official Kickstarter page for Moon Girl.
I spoke
with creator and writer Omar Morales about his graphic novel Moon Girl.
 |
| Omar Morales |
Me: What inspired your initial story featuring Moon
Girl in The Not Forgotten Anthology and what made you want to tell more
of her story?
Morales: What inspired me to re-imagine the story
of Moon Girl in Not Forgotten was A) writers had to choose public domain
characters for that particular anthology, and B) Moon Girl was such a
two-dimensional, generic type of superhero in the 1940s that I felt she
deserved to be given new life and a more fully-formed story. I relished the
opportunity to take the bones of her origin, and really put some meat on the
bones in a way that still felt golden age, but more satisfying for the modern
reader of comics.
Me: How would you describe the character of Moon
Girl and what inspires her to be a hero?
Morales: The character of Moon Girl, in my
interpretation, is a little girl when we meet her. She is thrust into life as a
hero at a very young age due to some dire circumstances that cause her royal
family to flee the moon. Her mother, the queen of the moon, entrusts her with a
birth rite at a very early age in a tremendous display of trust and faith.
Imagine a young girl's mom dying and the father saying "you're the woman
of the house now." It's kind of like that - a young protagonist forced to
grow up and take responsibility.
 |
| Inspiration for the world of Moon Girl (artist unknown) |
Me: Tell us more about the retro-futuristic world
in Moon Girl.
Morales: The visual for the world of Moon
Girl is one that's been in my head for a long time. There is an old, pulpy
picture of a "city of the future" that captured my imagination long
ago. It is classic retro-futurism with flying cars and odd-shaped buildings.
When I went to write the story of an ancient race of technologically
advanced women living underground on the moon, my mind immediately went to
that image of the city of the future. It's a 1940s version of a techno utopia,
frozen in time, with ray guns and shiny, metallic clothing. I really dig that
aesthetic.
Me: Since Moon Girl is a public domain character,
are there any plans to bring other public domain characters into the world of
Moon Girl? What public domain characters would you add to the universe?
Morales: At this point, I have no plans to
introduce other public domain characters into my vision of Moon Girl. Essentially, this is a one-and-done complete story arc.
I like creating a full story that can stand on its own where a sequel could
exist, but it doesn't have to. Plus, my version of the story takes place in
ancient history, so there really aren't any opportunities to include other
golden age characters.
 |
| Moon Girl Page 1 |
Me: How did you find Joel Cotejar and Paula Goulart
and why do you feel they were the perfect fit for this project?
Morales: Joel and I have been working together
for a long time, like over 10 years. He and I did a graphic novel together
called, CruZader: Agent of the Vatican - it funded on Kickstarter 5
years ago. He is a known quantity to me, and that is important. He has great
vision for designing vehicles, and costumes, and in the case of Moon Girl,
entire cityscapes.
Paula was
a completely new revelation and discovery for this project. She had been part
of a team that pitched for Not Forgotten but was not selected. When I
saw the image she colored for the pitch, I knew she was the right person to
deliver a classic, golden age look to Joel's art, complete with fading and
staining. The pages really do look 80 years old. Both artists are phenomenal.
Me: If you could spend a day on the moon, what
would you do?
Morales: If I could spend a day on the moon, I
would hunt for evidence of ancient civilizations and alien technology. I know
it is up there! The moon is a fascinating place - it's been there, teasing
us forever - so close and yet so far. It contains so many secrets that are yet
to be unlocked. Did you know the moon is the EXACT size and EXACT distance away
to create a mathematically perfect eclipse? That can't be by accident. I truly
believe the moon was manufactured and placed to be a space station, a place
where humanity could be observed from a close distance. There is a legend about
a dead alien called "the Mona Lisa of the moon," and she makes a
brief cameo in Moon Girl. See if you
can spot her!
 |
| Moon Girl Pages 2-3 |
Me: What's the number one reason why people should
pledge your Kickstarter?
Morales: The number one reason people should
pledge my Kickstarter is because they love comic books. Moon Girl is made by a comic book fan, for all comic book fans -
all ages, all genders, all ethnicities and creeds. It is a retro sci-fi story
that includes a wonderful cast of diverse characters. It's fun, fast-paced and
features such high-quality artwork by Joel and Paula, and also superstar cover
artist Renae De Liz (Legend of Wonder Woman) and letterer Jaymes Reed. Also
this: the book is 80% in the can, and will deliver on time. I am not a
fly-by-night operation, I take the business of promising and delivering very
seriously.
Me: What inspirational words do you have for
aspiring comic book writers?
Morales: The only advice I'm qualified to give
about making comics is this: don't quit! You have to will a comic book into
existence. There will be dozens of reasons to quit, dozens of barriers to
entry. At the end of the day, you have to want it so bad that you will not take
no for an answer. Start slow, start simple. Learn the basics of how to write a
comic book script and experiment with short stories, then move on to a 22-page
single issue. You'll make mistakes, but you will learn a great deal. Also,
write very clear work agreements with artists and pay them fairly and on time.
There are no free lunches, so be professional and honor commitments to everyone
you deal with.
 |
| Moon Girl Page 4 |
Me: For people interested in writing and publishing
stories about public domain characters in particular, what advice would you
give them when approaching such material?
Morales: In terms of doing public domain
characters, which seems to be making a strong comeback these days, do a lot of
research. Find characters you like that you can build around. Also research
them very thoroughly to make sure they are indeed public domain characters.
With Moon Girl, I saw that she was listed all over the internet as a public
domain character, but I also searched for a trademark on Moon Girl with the US
government and found that indeed there was no trademark for the character or
name. Lastly, you have to do your version of the character in a way that does
not copy someone else's interpretation. I can do my own Peter Pan story, but it
can't be a carbon copy of Disney's Peter Pan - I'd have to put my own twist on
it, where it is clearly a unique vision of the character.
Me: Thank you for taking the time to bring a golden
oldie back to the modern world! If you’re reading this and interested in
checking out the Kickstarter, see it here.
Do you
have a Kickstarter? Want to be interviewed about it and have the project
featured on "Kickstart the Week?" Let me know in the comments below
or message
me on my website.
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