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Misericordia, the Interview

posted by Matt Knicl at 12:00 am.

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Silence Is Golden

I was fortunate enough to interview the minds behind Archaia Studios Press’ Hybrid Bastards! after writing about the publisher in my column for The Buzz.

I was able to speak with another comic writer/artist for the sci-fi/art project Misericordia.

Rebekah Brem’s 11-issue series kicked-off this week. The first issue was presented without speech and the story was told with its art. Readers were introduced to a world where humans live underground and robots rule the surface.

Matt Knicl: What message(s) are you trying to convey with the project?

Rebekah Brem: Misericordia is my vision of our future as humans in a world run by technology. With the advancements of artificial intelligence, it won’t be long before robots take over most of our jobs. I took it a step further with humanoid robots taking over the entire human world.

The humanoids imitate humans to the point of developing all the bad that comes with being “human”. They become ruthless criminals who ultimately turn on their creator.

Matt: Can you explain what the world is like in the series?

Rebekah: Humanoids have overthrown the human government and have taken over the human world as we know it. Humanoid police invade people’s homes, tearing families apart. Some are killed, and the rest are thrown in humanoid correctional facilities.

Some humans manage to escape and form underground refugee cities. They are self-sufficient from the humanoids. Their jobs are assigned at random. The entire refugee community must work solely to build their city and to fight the war against the humanoids.

Matt: The sparse use of speech is a very interesting choice. Can you speak to that, why the story is told in visuals?

Rebekah: Before I decided to be a cartoonist, I wanted to be an animator, so I tend to imagine the characters moving like a film. I let their actions tell the story. It’s a quiet and lonely world in Misericordia, and silence is more real to me than a narration.

Matt: What was the inspiration for Misericordia?

Rebekah: The world around me, living in different cities. I’ve spent most of my life in New York City, then moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, Amsterdam and back to New York. As different as they are, the struggles are the same and you can see that in Misericordia. My fascination with technology and science played a huge role in my inspiration.

Matt: What do you think your comic brings to Archaia that other projects may not?

Rebekah: Aesthetically speaking, I use gouache and pencil instead of the traditional ink and coloring techniques. I also use gold and metal leaf—these are unusual mediums in comics. There are a lot of personal aspects of my life in the story as well that keeps it unique. The sparse use of dialogue and imagery is also different than traditional comics.

Matt: Are there any comic book/literary influences that helped shape your vision?

Rebekah: Well, I only read science fiction, so that helps. I used to follow all the new advancements in A.I. technology. When I read an article that fascinates me about what their capable of doing with robots, mixed with my love for writers’ predictions, that always inspires me.

Matt: What do you feel about mainstream super hero comic books or the industry in general?

Rebekah: I love old superhero comics, but I find it hard to keep up with the modern titles. I feel like most mainstream books don’t balance the good art/good writing ratio that you find with independent comics. I think the industry is in a good place right now. Graphic novels and comics are finally getting the respect they deserve.

Matt: Do you feel like your book is mainstream or not?

Rebekah: I don’t think my subject matter and style fit in with the superhero comics. I can’t see teenage boys reading it. (Well, maybe to look at the nudity). Solita is a superhero in her own way, but she fights her enemies in a much slower, smarter way.

Matt: Who is your intended audience?

Rebekah: Sci-fi fans, anyone interested in the future of robots and humanity. And I guess anyone who likes to look at a half-naked girl!

Matt’s Last Word: Being a comic book fan is exciting these days. Thanks to the increase of comic book readers due to comic book movies and television shows; underground cartoonists, graphic novels, and indie comics are finding a new foothold in our typically cape and cowl dominated comics.

Things that may not have generated attention in the past now have the chance to reach a new era of readers.

I find that every month there are new and unique series popping up that challenge the comic reader’s preconceived notions of the medium.

The world of Misericordia is a unique one that integrates traditional science fiction with dystopian literature. It is an art comic, so if you prefer Marvel and DC heroes in tights bashing the crap out of each other this may not be the book for you. But, if you are willing to give something new a chance, you may find that Solita’s journey will surprise you.

And of course, you get to see a naked girl.

Images used with permission from Archaia Studios Press.

Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.