By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
MIKE Speakman has always been into writing stories.
Some would think it was just a matter of time before the 23-year-old began writing his own comic book series, which is set to be released in Australia next month and pegged for an international release within a year.
But the Berwick comic writer said that he only struck up an interest in the medium over the past 18 months as he became aware of Melbourne’s underground comic fraternity.
“I was looking for a new hobby and I thought, why not?” Mike said.
“I started collecting and I was writing before then but at the time I was just writing a short story and then I started reading comics.
“At the start it was a lot of super hero comics, a lot of flying and capes and spandex, and then I started getting into the smaller publishing groups.
“It doesn’t all revolve around heroes.
“It’s really diverse, literally there are comics on every subject, there are even comics that tap into everyday life.”
It’s this “everyday life” that Mike covers in his own series Carmen, using namesakes from his local Berwick area and adding his own twist of science fiction.
Starring Carmen as the female protagonist, Mike’s series draws on human relationships and questions government control.
“I always write my ideas down – this book is full, now, of anything that comes to mind,” Mike said of his brimming concept diary.
“It’s got some concept art, different ideas, advice that I get given, more concept art, logos, stuff to do with artists and mock-up pages.
“I like to plot out what I want to do in an issue.
“I normally do it in dot points and then from there I try and write.
“If one of the dot points seems crucial to the story I’ll expand on it and write why it is important.”
Along with co-writer Aharon Claridge, illustrator Matt Kyme and colourist Matty Taylor, Mike has put together the first few issues of what he hopes will be a six-part series to be released quarterly.
Over the past few months Mike has hit the internet and the road in an attempt to promote the series and has managed to get Classic Comics to stock it.
And he has already reached out to international distributors and is determined to have Carmen released in the USA by the end of the year.
“I’ve been pursuing that at the moment because I’m ambitious and I’m not content at just staying at one place,” Mike said.
“I’ve been on the hunt to get an overseas publisher, there’s been some interest and it just comes down to what they’re willing to provide.”
Carmen will be launched at Classic Comics on Lonsdale Street in the CBD on Sunday 17 August.
