Web Artist Wednesday: Golden Campaign interview

If you want a tattoo you're going to have to kill a mech! Such is life in Golden Campaign. Creator Cristian Ortiz and co-writer Daniel Martin answer our twelve questions about the world they've created.

    

1. For the poor souls not already reading, please give a brief synopsis of your comic.

Cris: Golden Campaign is a dystopia which is centered around war, clans, mechs, empires and tattoos where the main character has to grow into adult life learning that life doesn't  always give us a clear path to our goals but it's up to us as to how we achieve them.  Technology only goes as far as the 1940's but you still have clans and warriors using bows and rudimentary weapons.  

2. What materials and/or software do you use?

Cris: I use standard photoshop with some personalized brushes to colour my pages after I hand drawn them.

3. Are there any books, movies, toys, artists, or authors that have inspired or continue to inspire your comic?

Cris: Akira Kurosawa has always been a great influence in my work in the way his stories are simple but have flawless narrative with strong characters. Italian Illustrator Gipi  and American Comic book artist Brandon Graham play a big part in why I do Golden Campaign. oh and Tekkon Kinkreet by Taiyo Matsumoto too.

4. Are any of your characters based on real people in your life?

Cris: of course, starting with the main character which I loosely base on my self and past experiences but always adapting it to the story with the help of Daniel. My partner is somewhere there in the story too and sometimes some random people I sketch at cafes make their way to the pages of Golden Campaign because of the way they look.

5. Are there any actors you know you would want to play or voice certain characters in a movie of your comic?

Daniel:  This is an interesting question for me to answer... if I could think of certain actors to play some of the characters in this comic, I think that Shia Labeouf could make a good Monty, voice-wise. For some of the other characters, I'd have maybe Jeremy Irons do the voice of Von Kruger, Louis Garrel and maybe some other French toned actor to voice the Twins, and that's all I can think of to do some of the voices of characters that have appeared thus far...

6. What songs would you like in a soundtrack of your comic?

Cris: Well I never thought of this until last month when I friend of mine showed me the game Sword & Sworcery (which is stunning) and has a beautiful soundtrack called "The ball;ad of the space Babies" by Jim Guthiere. I would love the music of Golden Campaign to be just like that.

7. What is your overall goal for your comic?

Cris: My overall goal really is a following, a fan base for Golden Campaign. I want people to talk about it and enjoy it so much that they want to know about back stories and ask me questions that I dint think of. That's mainly why I have been publishing the whole thing for free. I just want people to know Golden Campaign exists!

Daniel : I contribute this comic, and I just hope that this comic gets the recognition that it deserves because I think it's a pretty cool concept and from others I've personally shown this project to, they seem to love it and ask when it's getting published...

8. How has managing a comic impacted your life?

Cris:  Well considering that I have only done it since July this year, I'd say the impact has been positive so far. It gives me the discipline to make at least two pages a week since I want to be consistent and don't want to let people down on my weekly updates.

9. What do you do to advertise your work?

Cris : Well I mainly do it through twitter and Facebook. I also have wonderful friends and followers who always spread the word about it and it really helps a lot. 

10. Web comics can be very time consuming and sometimes expensive to keep up. Often there is little reward in regards to money and sometimes public attention. Why do you do it?

Cris: Public attention and recognition all the way. I don't want any money from it right now. If I was to choose between having loads of money from a comic book noone cares about or not getting money at all from a comicbook everyone loves and praise, I would always choose the latter. 

Daniel: The reason why I co-write with Cris is because it's been a long time dream of mine to be involved in comics, one way or another. This story has drastically evolved from what Cris had in mind and I am kind of glad to have contributed to that factor. If I wasn't doing this project, I'd probably be doing something with comics, but it wouldn't be as widely recognized.

11. Got any other projects we should know about?

Cris:  At the moment I can only handle my everyday job and Golden Campaign. from time to time when I come across a commission that I find interesting I recklessly take it.

Daniel:  Well… I personally, when I'm not working on the script for Golden Campaign, am working on a variety of writing projects that I am pursuing with other small time artists just getting a start. I also do some drawing of my own, though they're not as great as Cris' stuff.

12. What advice would you give to aspiring creators? 

Cris: I'd say the most important thing is to finish things. if you have an idea or a project, make sure you finish it and make sure you do it. There is always a big gap between thinking, talking about something and then doing it.

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Thanks so much for taking the time for our interview. I'm eager to see the mech battles in all their horror/glory! 

If you dig Golden Campaign you can show your love by up-voting the submission for this interview at Reddit Webcomics. Up-voting keeps Golden Campaign on the front page of the webcomic category longer which means more people get to see it! 

Thanks for reading! Please drop us a comment below to let us know what ya' think. Then prepare for battle in he Golden Campaign!

-Mat

evanyeti.com

If you would like to be interviewed about your web-comic send an email to evanyeti@yahoo.com titled "interview" with a link to your comic.