The following is an interview with Matt Knowles and Steph Cannon regarding the recent launch of their Kickstarter campaign for Tales from Nocturnia from Insymmetry Creations. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Knowles and Cannon about the inspiration behind the project, their shared creative process in bringing the final installment of the series to life, the great backer rewards available for supporters, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for Insymmetry Creations’ final installment of the Tales from Nocturnia series. For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the premise of this comic book series?
Matt Knowles: Tales from Nocturnia is about a kingdom in shambles after the deaths or disappearance of their entire ruling party. Their kingdom is under the threat of an imminent invasion from their arch nemeses in Sinisteria. Unexpected leadership emerges in the form of their executioner, Benonoch. Unfortunately, he is so distraught by the deaths of their leaders that he has forsaken the axe, hoping for a simpler life. …But a simpler life is not yet in the cards for him… As we enter into the final installment, the invasion that’s been feared has come to fruition and obliterated Nocturnia and its citizenry. When things seem to be at their darkest, the nomadic sorcerer Shamsid emerges with some valuable information for the survivors… but is it too little too late? You’ll have to read it to find out!
Steph Cannon: It may be cliche to say, but you’re in for a wild ride! To me, it’s a really great blend of insane action and thoughtful character arcs.
BD: You have an incredibly talented team working on Tales from Nocturnia. What can you share with us about your shared creative process in bringing the story to life, and what (or who) were some of the influences for the story?
MK: First, thank you for the compliments! “Shared” is a great word there. Steph and I think with similar minds and have similar goals in creating, so it’s never about “me” or “mine” – it’s always about what’s best for the story. Of course, there are times when someone has to make an ultimate call, but for the most part our flow is pretty organic.
SC: As far as influences, Nocturnia was birthed from a scene in our steampunk time travel story arc, Heirs of Isildur – The Crossroads Conundrum, that took on a life of its own. While it’s an extension of that universe, it stands on its own legs. You don’t need one to enjoy the other, but there are some interesting ways that they do intersect.
MK: And the great part about the overall team (including Stephen, Jesse, Bryan Afrel, and all the cover artists) is that we simply want the STORY to shine in the end. Whatever it takes to get there is all we care about. Stephen brought up some logistical challenges in issue 3 that Steph and I had to solve, and we did. Jesse helped us with some art consistency issues in issue 2, etc… It’s great when we all are on the lookout for the items that could take the reader out of the story.
BD: What are some of the fun backer rewards that are available to those who contribute to your campaign for the third and final issue?
MK: We always have to keep it fresh and unique. This time around is no exception. We have two Garbage Pail Kid homage covers done by MetalSharkBro’s Walter Ostlie. Dragon’s Lair shirts as well as facemasks, which we all need in this day and age. We also have wooden logo stickers from Carvencraft. We may have a surprise or two if we can get deep enough past our initial minimum funding goal.
BD: What do you feel defines an Insymmetry Creations title?
MK: We always look to do two things: create characters people can relate to and universes people can escape into. Our stories always have a strong fantasy element, but we never want to lose the ability for readers to feel some sort of human connection to the characters.
SC: We like to pride ourselves in bringing unique stories in the most professional way possible. We love interacting with our readers, friends, and fans, and always strive to go out of the way to make sure they feel appreciated. We know the stories we write are wild, and we try to reflect that in what we do (we have metal albums after all!), but we never want to lose the personal touch we add to everything we do.
BD: At Fanbase Press this year, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Tales from Nocturnia’s story will connect with and impact readers, and why do you feel that this story was important for you to bring to life?
SC: It’s not your typical hero story, but it’s also not your typical underdog story. Benonoch is a little bit of both, and I think that helps to make him more relatable to a wider audience. He’s just gone through something traumatic, and then almost immediately is faced with the decision to either help bring this wayward kingdom together, or turn his back on everyone. Early on you get to see that this big hulking executioner has a soft side, and that to me is one of his most likable qualities. It’s okay to be tough when you need to be, but it’s also just as necessary to care for those around you and not be afraid to show that.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find out more about Tales from Nocturnia, its Kickstarter campaign, and Insymmetry Creations?
MK: The best thing they can do right now is to check out our KICKSTARTER at www.tinyurl.com/tfn1-3 or simply www.talesfromnocturnia.com. We will be updating frequently with character profiles, campaign updates, milestone / stretch goals, etc…
Our online store is located at www.tinyurl.com/insymshop and Insym’s main website is www.insymmetrycreations.com.
On Facebook:
www.facebook.com/insym
www.facebook.com/heirsofisildur
www.facebook.com/talesfromnocturnia
On Twitter:
Matt: @DrAnguish
Steph: @SCannonComics
@InsymCreations
@TFNocturnia
@HeirsOfisildur
