MOROCHEY

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So, introduce yourself!    Hello, I'm The Merry Lurker, and I'm the Author of MOROCHEY. I'm..  uh...  ALSO aware that I'm interviewing MYSELF, but this is just an example for now. Where is your comic posted?    You can find MOROCHEY at http://morochey.blogspot.com

When does it update?
   Saturdays

What category is your comic in, and why?
   I chose "Through The Eyes Of" because the story mainly focuses on how the main characters react to what The World throws at them.

   

What is your story about?
   The sacred magic powers of yesteryear are being used for sport-fighting in modern times. Using these powers, the Morochey Crystal Arts, people can use mystic crystals to shapeshift into elemental form. The comic follows twins Pyro and Eva-Chamilla Caster, ex-Morochey-in-training, as they get sucked back into the world of the Crystal Arts.


What inspired you to write this comic?
   Saturday Morning Cartoons. I wateched all the Ninja Turtles, Pokemon, Digimon, Sonic the Hedgehog...  anything with superpowers, bad guys, and "Ooooh... Ahhhhh...  Mystic Legends". Once upon a time, MOROCHEY was an idea my brother and I had about superheroes with crystals that have them powers to BE the "Pokemon". Then, it went through a bazillion incarnations that never got past the first couple acts. Then, it went to sleep for a little while.

   When I was going through my files after starting The Merry Lurker's Workshop, I found my old MOROCHEY stuff, and saw an entirely different story than the one I'd first intended. A few changes here, rewrites there, and in a sense the comic "grew up", and was ready for release.

How different is the new story from the originals?   Way different. The original version took place during The Wars, when Pyro and Eva were kids. The Wars and the Tournaments were actually the same thing..  kinda' like a battle of champions deal. Other incarnations of the story had the twins as adults, filling roles that ranged from ignorant "normals" (people who have never used the Crystal Arts), to criminals, to mysterious ex-heroes. The Wars were cut entirely out of those versions, and Sky Watch was only mentioned in one of them.

Why did you decide to change it?   It didn't make sense to me. None of the previous incarnations really felt believable. They had all the pretty magic and superheroes, but they lacked that anchor to the real world that makes it worth it to step into the story's imaginary world. It was only when I asked myself "If this happened in Reality, how would it REALLY go down?" that I finally came up with something I was happy with.

What kind of world does your comic take place in?    The World is an Earth-like planet that has technology only slightly more advanced than the norm today. The history of this world revolves around these magical Morochey crystals, and there are very old clans that have been practicing the Crystal Arts since civilization began.    The comic begins during the peacetime after The Wars that ended ten years ago. The Crystal Arts are being used for lucrative sport-fighting tournaments, and Morochey themselves are shunned and feared when outside the brawling ring. The Crystals themselves are in high demand, and their use it tightly monitored and regulated by the government organization Sky Watch. What were The Wars like?   The were like the equivalent of a World War. Clans had made war with each-other before throughout history over things like territory, power, or ideals. The Wars were an effort by certain Morochey clans to form an alliance, and take out all the clans (called Shadows) who would use the Crystal Arts for evil, to end the scattered conflicts. Who are your main characters?    The main characters are Pyro and Eva-Chamilla Caster. They're twins who were once in training to be Morochey, but their crystals were confiscated when their clan's sanctuary was raided by Sky Watch.    Eva is serious, cautious, and bitter. She's a traditionalist who hates to see her beloved Crystal Arts being used for sport; and worse, to see the Morochey be stripped of their powers and birthright if they don't comply with Sky Watch.    Pyro is laid back and smart. He was less into the tradition than his sister, and wishes more Morochey changed with the times before it was too late for them--  including his own clan.

What do you think makes your comic unique?
   I think the fact that it's a fantasy comic that's grounded in very real-world issues gives it character. It's all about myth, and magic, and special powers. Yet, at the same time, the storyline centers around things like control-and-safety versus freedom-and-risk, and following tradition versus embracing change.


How would you describe the style in which your comic is drawn? 
   A cartoonish mashup. Like a westernized manga-style.

How do you make a page?
   I draw it in GIMP (which is a free program, by the way, for those who are interested) with a graphics tablet. Sometimes I do a pencil sketch on paper beforehand to get an idea of the layout, but usually I just wing it. I do one layer at a time--  black line-work first, then color and shading behind it, then on top of those speech bubbles with two layers (black line-work and white translucent backgrounds), then I stamp it with my sig an such. After all that's done, I usually send it to a friend who double checks my spelling and what not before publish. Finally, the comic gets uploaded to the site, and scheduled to post automatically.

Do you have any plans to sell your comic in print or e-book form?     Sometime in the future, yeah, but I need to get a good amount of issues together to have enough for a printed graphics novel. Are you part of any comics networks or groups?    I'm on InkOutbreak.com as The Merry Lurker. Have you worked on any other comics?    I also draw Good Witch and Stoplight. I also have plans to continue some other comics that I've intoduced in my workshop, such as Tag-Along and Miss Muffet. Do you have any advice for fellow comics writers?    Learn whatever you can about making comics, but once you get to doing it, DON'T over-think it. Also, I recommend reading Scott McCloud's book Making Comics because there's really nothing like it. Do you have a message for your fans?    Thanks for letting me share my stories with you! Entertaining the audience makes it all worth it.