The following is an interview with writers Owen Rosenblum and Morgan Rosenblum (Darkrose Studios) regarding the upcoming release of their cyberpunk comic book series, Ramgod, through Massive Publishing. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with the co-writers about their shared creative process of bringing the world and characters to life on the page, what they hope that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Ramgod! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the series’ premise?
Owen Rosenblum and Morgan Rosenblum: It’s like The Fast And The Furious meets Point Break (the original Keanu one) but set in a cyberpunk setting that features a new global sport (think Tron Legacy) that’s taking the world by storm. Former troubled star-athlete turned NCPD Beat Cop Clint Bowler is living a life marked by a criminal past, a strained relationship with his son Malcolm, and the thankless grind of police work. His fortunes take a sudden twist when a viral video showcasing his athleticism and fearlessness during a police chase catches the eye of the Barracudas, the hottest team in the world’s most dangerous sport, RAMGOD. With the league’s latest rule change requiring each team to add an additional player to their rosters, the Barracudas decide to offer Clint an invitation to try out. Tempted by a second chance at a life of adventure, fame, and purpose, Clint accepts their offer, unaware that his new teammates are also notorious thieves. As Clint is pulled deeper into their world, he faces a moral dilemma. Does he turn in his teammates, risking his own freedom, burgeoning stardom, and newly improved relationship with his son? Or does he embrace his newfound identity, diving into a life of crime that’s all too familiar? Either way, it’s a dangerous game.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in bringing this exciting, new world and characters to life on the page, as well as the collaboration between Darkrose Studios and Massive Publishing?
MR: It’s been a journey to get here, and I’m all about the journey. I’ve been writing in comics for over a decade, but this is the first title I’ve co-written with my brother. Owen came to me with the idea of creating a series together during COVID, and I told him he had to do his homework and really wow me with his concept pitch if I was going to get involved. He did. So, I got on board, and the journey began.
Getting to work with Massive had been great. We really love their team over there, and they really respect and value their creatives – probably because they are creatives themselves, so they understand us and the whole process has been very collaborative since we brought Ramgod over to them.
For example, we had essentially already finished the entire 6 issues, when we signed on with them, but they had some dialogue notes for us to consider to strengthen certain scenes. This can be tough when the artwork is already completed, so whatever changes we might make, had to still work within the already finished artwork. Owen and I are not stubborn or egotistical creators – we have always employed a “best idea wins” mindset. So, if the best idea came from our publisher, rather than us, we’ll go with that! Long story short, we were able to make little revisions here and there based on their thoughtful feedback, that still worked within the artwork and really elevated the story and characters. So, big shout-out to Michael Calero, Kevin Roditeli, Trevor Richardson, (and Chris Yates on the marketing side)!
OR: The creative process with my brother is ideal. While we’re VERY different people, we get each other creatively and understand each other and complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I’m a producer by trade and being a writer is newish to me. My brother Morgan is more experienced than I am in the comic/graphic novel space, so having him involved as a co-writer and creator has made this whole process way smoother.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Clint’s story may connect with and impact readers?
MR: I love this question. I think, after shelter and food, stories are the next most important thing in the world. When you really think about it, since the beginning of time, storytelling is what makes humans unique, and what drives our empathy. Whether that be a story shared verbally around a campfire, a religious hymn sung in ceremony, an old radio show, a movie, a video game, or a comic book – stories are what connect us to one another.
In our story Ramgod, while it takes place in a fictional sci-fi future, we ground it with our core characters and relatable interpersonal problems they are dealing with. Clint is our flawed protagonist, he’s his own worst enemy. Filled with potential, but riddled with bad choices. He has a teenage son Malcolm who is beginning to give up on his dad, after years of simply not trying hard enough. But then a rare second chance at the life he wants dreamed of gives Clint an opportunity to do things differently. Will he make the same mistakes? Or perhaps all new ones? Or will he finally prioritize someone over himself. This story is about family, redemption, and ego. And also has some epic worldbuilding and adrenaline-pumping action.
OR: Clint’s journey isn’t a classic redemption story. He’s a bit of a flawed anti-hero in our book. He’s not a particularly “good” father in the traditional archetype sense that is. He’s a guy who had tremendous potential in which the world was his oyster when he was a young promising collegiate athlete. But he made some bad decisions and associated himself with the wrong crowds and that bright future quickly disappeared leaving him with almost nothing that he valued at the time. So, flash forward to present-day Clint, he’s working a job he barely tolerates, he isn’t close with his son, and is a man whose “glory days” are clearly behind him. The chance to jump back into the limelight and prove he’s still got what it takes while simultaneously bonding with his son through a common interest and goal seems like a no brainer. However, nothing is ever as good as it seems and this new path could easily go from a short-term win to a long-term loss. This question and theme of instant gratification and being able to fulfill the dreams of one’s past is something that I think we can all relate to in some way.
BD: What makes Massive Publishing the perfect home for Ramgod?
MR: For me, it’s how they value their creators, and are willing to put in the work to build relationships beyond just a publishing agreement. I feel as though we can actually work with them on a creative level, where all voices are heard and respected. If we don’t agree on a particular art execution or the way a certain scene unfolds, we can actually talk through it with them, and find the best possible solution. This is an extremely healthy kind of partnership, and one I don’t think is too common in the industry.
OR: Simply put, Massive Publishing is future-facing. They understand the fundamental reality that the comic industry needs to adapt and evolve with the times. That’s exactly what they are doing. From Storytelling to Marketing – they get it. They support the creatives that they work with and get branding.
BD: Do you foresee developing additional story arcs for Clint and/or the larger Ramgod world and ensemble if given the opportunity?
MR: We wrote Ramgod from the start to be an ongoing series. In fact, part of our initial pitch for Ramgod included where we planned to take the story after season 1 (the first mini arc). We don’t put in all of this work to build an immersive world with compelling characters in the way we did, only to have it end after one mini arc. As you read through season 1, you’ll see some B and C storylines that will hint at a bigger world, and set the foundation for the next mini arc. Hopefully, the first mini arc performs well from a sales standpoint and we get the opportunity to continue this awesome series forward.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
MR: Mhmmm! We have Winds of Numa Sera (WNS), our dark fantasy epic. Started as a Kickstarter graphic novel in 2020, then was later picked up and published by Dark Horse in 2022. Now, we’re about to launch the board game adaptation of WNS on Kickstarter. If you like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, or Witcher, you’ll probably dig Winds of Numa Sera. Please check it out here: play.windsofnumasera.com
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Ramgod and your other work with Darkrose Studios?
MR: Darkrosestudios.com and follow us on social media at @darkrosestudios. Sign up to our newsletter to get behind-the-scenes access to the cool stuff we’re working on. We love engaging with our fans and building a real community of people who love this stuff. And so we’re always sharing stuff we’re working on with the people who sign up on our website, and ask for feedback before we send stuff to final print. We’ve found this to be super helpful and the fans/community seems to love being part of the journey.
OR: Please check out Darkrosestudios.com. We’re a boutique IP development studio with a bunch of different titles under its umbrella. Predominantly in the genres of sci-fi and fantasy. We’ve been building content for years, and we can’t wait to show them to people!
