Hey, Quinn here. You may know Oscar Osorio as one of the talented contributors on this site, but did you also know that he wrote an upcoming comic, A Never-Ending Adventure? We sat down and asked him all about the creative process behind the comic which you can support here.
GC: You’re probably familiar with the ol’ “GateCrashers classic”, but we’ve gotta ask anyways: What’s your favorite sandwich?
Oscar: Pan con chicharron. It consists of bread, fried pork, sweet potato, and red onion. It’s typical in Peru and super, super good. Usually, it’s eaten for breakfast.
GC: This seems like a very personal project. How much of yourself would you say that you poured into Mark?
Oscar: It’s a very personal story, as I’ve inspired Mark in my own story, going from economist to comic book writing and discussing the struggles that come with having to prove to myself, and my loved ones, that I could make it as a writer. All of it while struggling with undiagnosed ADHD that makes it difficult to focus.
Writers need to put themselves in their stories, literally or figuratively, as it’s a way for readers to know the creator behind the tale. I wanted this book to be my first crowdfunding campaign as it shows who I am and what I want to bring to the comic book industry.
GC: What’s the process of finding artists like?
Oscar: A Never-Ending Adventure features four artists to portray the protagonist’s mental dispersion. When he loses focus and changes his train of thought, the art changes, and Mark travels to a medieval land, a foreign world, and his past, all to become a comic book writer. Therefore, not only did I need to find one artist, but four. Fortunately, social media has its benefits, and it allowed me to connect with artists from Canada (Mary Landro), Italy (Terri Susca), Germany (Amalas Rosa), and Brazil (Vinicius Carreiro). Along with my editor from the US (Devin Arscott) and I, we created an international ensemble.
GC: What would you say is the biggest obstacle in making a comic?
Oscar: That’s a great question because it makes creators go to the dark side of something they love. I have two answers: the first one is the willingness to do it, as people don’t realize that you are a writer the moment you write something and are afraid to get out there, with much reason. The industry is complex, the economy is not collaborating, and it isn’t easy to get in there, especially in the short run. But it will be impossible if you don’t try.
The second answer is money.
GC: As a writer, who would you say is your biggest influence?
Oscar: I’m influenced by many writers I’ve followed for the past five years, so I’ll mention some of them: Scott Snyder, because of his ability to tap into many genres with stellar results and how he teaches others to achieve what he has. Donny Cates because he showed me how to mix portraying your most intimate memories with making dope shit. Zoe Thorogood because she put vulnerability into slice-of-life stories while revolutionizing the medium. And Sarah Gailey for creating stories with profound social commentary relevant in today’s polarized world. There’s no A Never-Ending Adventure without them.What part of A Never-Ending Adventure are you the most proud of?I’m proud of this book as it’s my way of showing that I can make a complete story (a 32-page one-shot), but what makes me most proud is that I managed to find a way to include different art styles that all contribute to the story, and portray the mental dispersion me and many people I know suffer. So hopefully, they see themselves in the pages.
GC: What’s a question that you’d hope that someone would have asked about the comic that no one’s asked about yet?
Oscar: Because I’ve made the comic book, I know of stuff in there that will surprise people, so in general, I would’ve liked to talk more about the plot and what would happen; tease the readers a bit. But I’m aware that as a new writer, the readers are more interested in the general premise and how I got here.
GC: How does it feel knowing that A Never-Ending Adventure may convince others to pursue their dreams of making a comic?
Oscar: That’s the dream. Following the lessons on making comics, number one is to write what you would like to find on the shelves. One year ago, I would’ve loved to see this kind of book, and I’m sure it would’ve inspired me to go on this journey. Having it happen for other aspiring writers would be closing the circle.
