Every month we are on the look out for the best Australian crowdfunding books to support, this month is from Silver Fox Comics superstars Sorab Del Rio & Don Ticchio. To celebrate their 10 year publishing anniversary they are releasing the 4th installment featuring their lovable character Bazza the Bogan Barbarian.
Kapow sits down with the fox of the group Sorab to talk about his career in comics and their latest book.
For those who haven't seen your glorious tables at one of the local Australian Comic Cons what types of books have you & Don been working on over the last few years? Don Ticchio and I are Silver Fox Comics. He's the Silver and I'm the Fox. We're a Sydney based indie comic book publisher best known for our Australian themed action, horror, sci fi, comedy graphic novel series "Bazza the Bogan Barbarian". Titles include "Sydney Zombie Apocalypse". "Australian Alien Invasion" and "Carnivorous Cane Toads on a Cruise". Our latest release for 2020 currently on Indiegogo is "Bazza, The Bat and the Drop Bears". Prior we also had the "Zombie Cities" series.
How did you start working with Don Ticchio and whats your creative relationship like?
Don and i have known each other for almost 30 years. We worked on separate comic titles briefly in the late 90's when comics were still sold in newsagents. We then formed Silver Fox Comics in 2010. I am the writer for Silver Fox Comics, Don manages post production and together we manage the art direction. It's a great collaborative relationships as we both love comics - Don's influences are comics from silver and bronze age of comics, and mine are the modern age. We've have a great experimental lets try anything approach. In one part of the story, some of the post production Don did was to scan in spiderwebs to create a horror feel - very experimental and it worked!
For those who are new to the Adventures of Bazza what can they expect from this story? We are on a mission with Bazza, the Bat and the Drop to create all Aussie action icons. While the US have multi universes of characters, in Australia only a few come to mind such as Mad Max, Ned Kelly and arguably Wolf Creek. Here's the synopsis: This is Australia's wildest comic! Meet the Australian legend Bazza the Bogan Barbarian. Bazza's a boss, he's got two drop bears Thriller and Killer, and he runs "Bazza's Monster Killing Business" from his mancave in Deadfern, South Sydney. Bazza barracks for South Sydney, he loves his vegemite, he dunks his meat pies in beer, he has a talking Torana, and he's armed with the weapon every Aussie should have - a cricket bat signed by Donald Bradman. It's more than a cricket bat, it's a sentient cricket bat who might just be Bazza's conscience. Bazza's married to his ball breaking wife Shazza, who's quite the monster killer herself. Together they got two little teenage squids Aero and Michelle. In "Coronapocalypse", they battle Zombies, Carnivorous Cane Toads and Giant Spiders against the backdrop of Covid-19 in a wild night of maximum mayhem
Do readers need to have purchased the first 3 books? No they need not to as each book is a stand alone adventure. However they should purchase all as they are just awesome books. They are the books that should be on every book shelf and coffee table in Australia.
This is your 4th story with Bazza, what draws you to keep telling stories with this character?
We're building the universe of Bazza. In each release, we've introduced new characters. In "Sydney Zombie Apocalypse" it focused on his family - his wife Shazza and the squids Michelle and Aero. In "Australian Alien Invasion, we introduced the Drop Bears, as well as his country rural upbringing with his Dad and Nan. In the 3rd release,we introduced the Sentient Cricket Bat and Carnivorous Cane Toads. In the new release, we've introduced the Talking Torana. We've also looked at environments such as city, outback, at sea and in the new release the cover of covid-19.
The title is quite topical with everything that's happening around the world, were you worried this cause any problems for you?
We don't make light of the situation. Humour is one of the best defence mechanisms we have, and I'm sure everyone has seen funny memes on life in lockdown from wanting to kill your partner to bad haircuts LOL.
Do you find it important for creators to provide social commentary with their work?
I can only speak to our releases in that we wanted to provide a cultural context that is Australian from our characters, the language, the settings.I love signature works and I hope we create that with Bazza, the Bat and the Drop Bears. I'd like to create something as distinctive as the Aussie Aboriginal Detective Jay Swan movies/ series - see Mystery Road right now.
Bazza originally spawned from your Zomibe Cities books, is there a chance any other characters might get a spin off?
You bet I am looking at doing a series based on the Basketballer Zombie from our "Zombie Cities' series.
Why use indiegogo for this book?
With each release, we always need the help of friends and fans to help us bring it to market. We do commission the art at a great financial and life expense. For me its always a choice, do i go on holiday, fix up my place or do comic and I choose comics. Anytime I buy something, its like...can i use this money for a new page in my comic or do I really need a pair of new sneakers, do i really need to go to that lunch lol
We commission great artists and the books look as slick as any other book in market. The art is always done and the crowdfunding campaigns are to help us raise money for the printing.
Where can people find you?
Our indiegogo campaign is at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bazza-the-bat-the-drop-bears/ Our website is www.silverfoxcomics.com.au Our FB www.facebook.com/silverfoxcomics
