INTERVIEW: Don’t stray too far from Carlos Giffoni’s ‘Strayed’
Image courtesy of Dark Horse / Provided with permission.
Strayed #1 is now out in comic book stores thanks to Dark Horse. The feline series follows an astral-projecting cat named Lou and his dedicated owner, Kiara. The two must band together and take on the evils of the universe, trying to save humankind and catkind from destruction.
The comic series is the brainchild of writer Carlos Giffoni and artist Juan Doe. Matt Krotzer provides lettering, and Dustin Nguyen has crafted a variant cover for #1.
Hollywood Soapbox recently exchanged emails with the writer about his new cat book. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style. (Click here for Hollywood Soapbox’s Q&A with Doe.)
How did the initial idea for Strayed come about?
A little over two years ago, I met someone at a friend’s dinner who was obsessed with a technique the CIA developed called ‘remote viewing.’ This individual said he was trying to use the said technique to reach a hidden civilization living in Mars. This person was utterly insane. But I looked into it, and remote viewing was very much a thing. There was indeed a government program between the late ’70s and ’94 that was canceled by the CIA which was trying to create psychic spies to keep tabs on other countries. The program was a failure, of course. There is plenty of declassified information available from the government if anyone is curious about it.
So anyways, with those ideas fresh in my mind, I looked at my cat who was completely spaced out staring into the wall, and the beginning of the idea just hit me.
I wrote down the initial concept, and a few months later, I had the initial draft for the Strayed proposal. I tried to work with a less experienced artist to develop it further, but they were just not able to bring the world to life and eventually left the project. Frustrated, I reached out to the artist that I originally wanted for Strayed, Juan Doe. I didn’t think I could get Juan to work with me since I was new to comics, but after an email and a few hours on the phone, Juan was on board. I already had letterer Matt Krotzer in the team, and the final piece was editor Chas! Pangburn; and off to the astral cat realms we went.
What was the working relationship like between you two (Carlos and Juan)?
Honestly, it has been like working with a good friend since the start. We both see comics the same way — a visual medium in which each page, each panel, needs to be treated as a piece of art in storytelling. And beyond that approach, we just had a lot of things in common. We are often texting, talking on the phone or emailing about things that go beyond this book. It has been like finding a lost brother that wants to create exciting concepts and bring them to life. I am fortunate to count Juan as a dear friend now.
As far as the tactical aspect of getting the work done, it was initially a standard writer/artist situation. I am writing the scripts and shaping the story while Juan does all the art and brings the story to life with his magic. However, once Juan was on the book, I started writing every page with him in mind. A musical melody locked into a feedback loop where his art has also influenced the direction of the story. We have our own strange improvised music visual band, but instead of creating music, we are making a comic book.
Are you cat people yourself? Do you love this animal?
I have two cats — Lou Reed and Viktor Fulgencio. Yes, both of them are deeply important in my life; they have helped me get through some dark moments. I am very thankful to them and love them very much. I am rubbing Viktor’s belly right now, and Lou just came over and sat next to us.
Is it difficult to write a feline character?
For me, it wasn’t much different than writing a human character. In this book, both human and cat are basically at the same level when it comes to intellect, so just like a human, I needed to give Lou a believable personality and voice. I also had my cats to observe when it came time to write a human/pet moment that would feel realistic. I think it was one of the most fun parts of the book, imagining what Lou would think and say. That probably says a lot about me.
Do you believe Strayed offers commentary on today’s society and issues in 2019?
I believe so. When it came time to write the antagonist in the story, it wasn’t hard to imagine someone in power that would dehumanize an entire civilization to exploit it for gains. Not only does this happens today, but it is also something that has happened many times in our history. It also wasn’t hard to imagine how that character could have the support of the masses. A big part of politics nowadays really is the art of manipulating large groups of people into believing lies. Being a Venezuelan living in the U.S., I have had exposure to this phenomena for most of my life.
While I was writing Oscar, I was afraid that some people might believe that what he is doing is right. After all, he is trying to save humanity in his twisted way, with no regard to the soul that makes humans, well, human. The story is very much about standing up for what is right, regardless of the consequences.
When did you first fall in love with comics?
The first comic I remember picking up as a kid was an issue of Superman from a newsstand in Venezuela; I was probably 8 or 9. I was already familiar with the character from re-runs of the Super Friends show, but these drawings were different. The fights were more exciting; the stakes felt more real. It was one of the issues featuring Lex Luthor wearing a power-suit/armor that gave him a fighting chance against Superman, who was supposed to be an all-powerful being.
That concept blew my young mind, and I think I was rooting for Luthor a little bit, as the underdog. There weren’t that many comics published in Venezuela, so I felt out of touch with them and instead became invested in music and video games. Much later in my life, I started dating someone who was reading Y the Last Man; that was the book that opened my mind to the idea that there was a lot more to comics than superheroes — I was hooked again!
Nowadays I have a pull list at my local store that is way too big, and I read way more comics than I watch TV, play video games or do anything else really. I love this medium. I love seeing the crazy things people are doing in it, and I am delighted to now be part of it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Strayed #1, written by Carlos Giffoni and with art by Juan Doe, is now available from comic book sellers. Click here for more information on the series. Click here for Hollywood Soapbox’s interview with Juan Doe.
