Most of you who read the previous Black Cherry Bombshells review will have already visited ZudaComics.com and had a read of a quality comic. Since the review, Johnny Zito (co-creator of The Black Cherry Bombshells) and I have been in touch, and pulled together a little interview for you to let you in on some of the influences behind the comic, and some of the future plans for the story...
Biff Bam Pow Comics: Hey there everyone! Welcome to a Biff Bam Pow Comics interview with Johnny Zito!
Johnny Zito: Hello, all!
BBPC: Those of you who read the recent review of Black Cherry Bombshells and followed the links littered throughout will know the name already, but for those of you who didn't - Johnny, can you tell us a bit about your work?
Johnny Zito: I am the co-creator and co-writer of The Black Cherry Bombshells. The latest comic to join DC's online imprint: ZudaComics.com
BBPC: Which - if you didn't read the review - is a great read!
Johnny Zito: Thank you!
Johnny Zito: You can check us out at BlackCherryBombshells.com or at ZudaComics.com
BBPC: So what inspired you to write The Black Cherry Bombshells? (I've picked up on a few influences - perhaps a little Russ Meyer and Mad Max?)
Johnny Zito: Absolutely. The comic is essentially about ultra violent girl gangs fighting for survival in a world where every man has been mutated into a flesh eating zombie.
Johnny Zito: Right up front are Mad Max and Clockwork Orange.
Johnny Zito: The Warriors, Myers and Argento
BBPC: I did wonder about a little Clockwork influence... Some of the eye-makeup had me wondering...!
Johnny Zito: Oh yeah, the rival gang, The Robot Sepaku!
BBPC: That's the stuff...!
Johnny Zito: Definitely.
Johnny Zito: A lot of the credit for that goes to our wonderful artist: Sacha Borisich.
Johnny Zito: She did a lot of the design work on the fly because we were pressed for time. But she knew all the references and short hand. Never missed a beat.
BBPC: She certainly did a great job on it!
Johnny Zito: Anyone who digs Sacha's work should check out our MySpace
Johnny Zito: where we have tons of sketch work and promo material from Sacha that you can't get on ZudaComics.com
BBPC: I was pretty impressed when I read it through the first time, how she's managed to convey menace in the strip, but still kept it (for want of some better words) 'light'...!
BBPC: The comic never feels overly harsh - just the right side of grim with a dash of playful thrown in for good measure!
Johnny Zito: My co-creator, Tony Trov, and I wanted to be violent and dangerous and sexy but not get all
grim and gritty.
BBPC: I think you've definitely achieved that! In all honesty, if the artwork had reflected just how grim the world could be - it would have been a very different comic. This is definitely better!
BBPC: Which actually brings me onto a good point... Love 'The King' - whose idea was it to have a female Elvis in the series?
Johnny Zito: Me and Tony came up with everything together.
Johnny Zito: We have a pretty big obsession with Elvis to begin with and when the series wound up set in Post-Apocalyptic Vegas, well, it just made sense. Right?
BBPC: lol - You're right - post-apocalyptic Vegas and Elvis do go hand in hand.
Johnny Zito: Hope everyone digs it. We think the style opens it up to a larger audience.
BBPC: Certainly does...! So, what are some of the plans for the series? I know on page 8 there's a nice 'reveal' that was hinted at earlier...
Johnny Zito: Well we're on a lil hiatus. We come back with more screens in a month or so. Zuda will make an announcement. When we do return expect things to slow down a bit. The first 8 pages were a pitch and now we really get a chance to explore this world.
Johnny Zito: and we will.
Johnny Zito: we're going to learn about how hard it is to survive.
Johnny Zito: The crazy laws that keep order among the gangs.
Johnny Zito: New gangs, new gangsters, more zombies and tons of kicking.
Johnny Zito: Everyone should check out our trailer on YouTube which teases artwork from the upcoming series.
BBPC: Sounds interesting... Especially the crazy laws - something I was wondering about when we saw 'an ol' fashion dust-up' for the first time...!
Johnny Zito: We're really interested in world building.
Johnny Zito: The premise indicates that the whole world ended and this is what took its place.
BBPC: I am a little intrigued as to the pre-zombie world too... But having said that - drawing a comparison to The Walking Dead - there is something to be said for having that mystery in place.
Johnny Zito: and as we tell a very harsh revenge story it's our job to explore the surroundings it exists in.
BBPC: Gives the reader something to explore within their mind, coming up with their own conclusions!
Johnny Zito: Yeah. How things got that way is secondary to where we're going.
BBPC: Well - hopefully we'll see more of The Black Cherry Bombshells in a month's time - but in the interim, we'll have to make do with the YouTube teaser to whet our appetites!
Johnny Zito: Plus we do regular updates on our MySpace blog with sketches, scripts and teasers.
BBPC: Any quick additional shouts out or recommendations you'd like to make?
Johnny Zito: Yes!
Johnny Zito: Everyone should check out ZudaComics.com. Free comics by some of the most talented people on the internet.
Johnny Zito: If you're a writer or an artist check out the submission guidelines and get involved!
Johnny Zito: Hook up with a team and tell your unique story.
BBPC: I'll second that - I was pretty amazed at what was out there!
BBPC: So much in fact, that as of Wednesday next week, a new regular web-comic review slot will be starting up, cleverly titled...
BBPC: 'Web-comic Wednesday!'
BBPC: lol
Johnny Zito: Alliteration!
BBPC: lol
BBPC: Johnny - thanks for agreeing to do this interview - will you come back once the story develops a little further?
Johnny Zito: Absolutely! Thanks for having me.
BBPC: No problems at all - anytime!
BBPC: Don't forget, The Black Cherry Bombshells can be found on Zuda at: http://www.zudacomics.com/node/324
Johnny Zito: or BlackCherryBombshells.com
Johnny Zito: so you can tell friends and family without having to say the word 'node' over and over
Johnny Zito: Drop a comment while you're there. Visit the other great comics, too!
Johnny Zito: Web Comics are the future.
BBPC: Get out there, and get reading!
