The following is an interview with artist Rachele Aragno regarding the return of Leonide the Vampyr in Leonide The Vampyr: The House of Yonda, a new 2-issue mini-series in collaboration with Mike Mignola and Dark Horse Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Aragno about her shared creative process in continuing to build upon Leonide’s character, the potential for new adventures, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently returned to Leonide The Vampyr with the 2-issue mini-series, Leonide The Vampyr: The House of Yonda #1. For returning readers, where will this story find Leonide in her adventures?
Rachele Aragno: This time, Leonide, taking advantage of the kindheartedness of a passing man, will enter a small town and wreak havoc once again. She will meet a very special man who will have a powerful impact on her life, and this will give us a new perspective on our little vampire.
BD: You have well established the complexities of Leonide’s character in her previous one-shots. When tackling each new adventure, is there anything that guides or propels your approach to crafting the story and characters around her?
RA: Every time I start a new story, I focus on what it means to me or to the writer. It’s important to understand what we want to communicate and how we want readers to immerse themselves in it. The tone changes depending on whether it’s a horror story or a love story, so understanding the atmosphere is the first step. Then, I always create the main character, carefully studying all their characteristics, even doing a lot of iterations. It’s not always possible to find the right shape and the right traits. Then, I move on to the characters surrounding them, always trying to maintain the style that will then be reflected in the backgrounds. It must be consistent; no one should seem randomly placed. On the contrary, they must be cohesive and seem to have lived in that world forever.
BD: If given the opportunity, do you envision an opportunity for Leonide to participate in her own full-length adventure, whether in the sequential art medium or beyond?
RA: I think Leonide really has huge potential for a full-length series of her own! Her world and lore are vast, and she’s a very intriguing character who could be further expanded with other creatures and worlds. I won’t deny that I’d love to see her in a movie or TV series; I’m sure everyone would love it!
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RA: I’ve worked on a lot of things, but the projects I’m really passionate about are Yuletide, a three-issue series I drew with George Northy as a writer for Oni Press, Aquinnah with Matteo Casali writing for Dark Horse, and as a sole author I created Melvina, which I won several awards for and is known in the US as Mel the Chosen.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Leonide The Vampyr: The House of Yonda #1 and your other work?
RA: I’d also recommend reading the other two previous issues of Leonide the Vampyr, because they’ll fall in love with them, and it’ll be even more fun to read the new ones. I’m working on a lot of new projects at the moment, so I hope you’ll continue to follow me on my social media so you don’t miss out on all the latest!
