The following is an interview with Jake Mastar and Drawsmile regarding the upcoming release of the graphic novel series, Demon Rush. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Mastar and Drawsmile about their shared creative process in bringing the world and characters to life on the page, how they hope to expand the world of Demon Rush into other entertainment mediums, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Demon Rush! What are you most excited for readers to experience with this incredible storytelling omnibus?
Jake Mastar: Omnibus 1 delivers the full scope of the Demon Rush world, traveling through the past, present, and future. Chapter 1 is a flash forward to the future, which highlights the series at its peak moments, as Rush transforms into a demon and battles the mighty Angel of Destruction. In chapter 2, the story dives into Rush and Soren’s origins, and you’ll be asking yourself, “What did they go through to get so powerful?” In the final chapter of Omnibus 1, the story comes full circle as Rush and Soren have their first major battle.
Drawsmile: Thank you so much! I’m excited about the launch of our graphic novel, which we have been working on for years now. From the perspective of an artist, what excites me most is the reader’s reaction to the quality of art and how it evolves as the story develops. The protagonists grow while philosophical concepts collide with their own ideals, and manage to transmit all these emotions through art.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process for bringing this expansive world and its characters to life on the page?
JM: When I begin writing a chapter, I start by jotting down the major events I want to take place. Then, I’ll fill in the gaps and refine the chapter several times over. When I’m satisfied, I pass it over to the illustrator, Drawsmile, to read. Sometimes, he has ideas of his own, and we work together to flesh out any plot holes while discussing the artistic direction.
He sends me 6 draft pages at a time with sketches, which I review and sometimes redraw if I have an idea for a specific panel. After frequent back and forth, I give final approval, and he goes on to the inking process. He still prefers the hand-drawn, hand-inked style and has adopted it masterfully. After a 6-page batch is complete, we continue the process with the next 6 draft pages, until the chapter is done. Our process is extremely smooth now, and we work together easily.
D: To be honest, this whole experience will continue to be an eternal learning process about creating art and expression, but also about what it generates within the human spirit itself at the time of creating. It is certainly very interesting and elementary work in the sense of introspection, since many times we draw what we feel, and express it in the most creative way possible. In this case, a graphic novel is quite explicit, so it makes it a complex but beautiful job.
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 Soren and Rush’s story may connect with and impact today’s readers?
JM: Sometimes, it feels like the end of the world, and as it is so in Demon Rush. The current state of the world is quite terrifying – we’re on the cusp of World War 3, monetary system collapse, and a sentient AI god taking all of our jobs. There’s a great deal of evil on Earth, and our generation is witnessing more now than ever. It truly feels like a holy war of good vs. evil, which is exactly what Demon Rush is all about.
Rush has had a hard life, and readers can sympathize with his pain. Soren, on the other hand, is valiant and pure, and it’s up to the reader to choose which character they want to side with.
D: The essence and potential of Demon Rush can penetrate deeply into the reader, thanks to the visual expression and action it displays. Besides the popularity of mixing classic and modern, it can also be presented as a reflection of what the human being is capable of becoming, and is also a clear representation of the bizarre times we are living now, and how a strong soul can be transcendent over anything.
BD: The world of these celestial best friends extends far beyond the Demon Rush graphic novel series. What can you tell us about the larger transmedia universe that you are hoping to explore with your work?
JM: We’ve built a large-scale world with a power system and tiers of fighters. We’d love to expand further into the gaming industry, where we can utilize the detailed world to create RPGs, fighting games, and more. My dream is a Demon Rush MMO, but that’s probably over-ambitious. It’s a franchise that can expand into a variety of directions, and we plan to deliver exciting content across various industries.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JM: Demon Rush is not only a story, it’s also a highly competitive Trading Card Game! I played card games like Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic, and Hearthstone for over 20 years, but when COVID hit, I tried to get back into it, and all the games had way too many cards and mechanics to learn. I wanted that old-school card game feel again, that’s why I made Demon Rush TCG! It’s easy to learn, has rare and powerful foils, is highly competitive, and has a growing group of passionate fans! You can get started at https://shop.demonrush.com or join our Discord to learn how to battle!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Demon Rush?
JM: We’ve built a large Discord community welcoming any new fans who want to share ideas or play the trading card game together. You can join here: https://discord.gg/ZBGD3PpKFh
This linktree has all the Demon Rush links you’ll need, such as the YouTube channel, website, x, shop, discord, manga reader, and more: https://linktr.ee/demonrush
