The following is an interview with Charis Loke and Paolo Chikiamco regarding the recent release of their graphic novel anthology, Delay, with publisher Difference Engine. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Loke and Chikiamco about their shared creative process in bringing the collection celebrating Southeast Asian creators to life on the page, the themes that they hope may resonate with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of Delay! What can you share with us about the genesis behind this collection and its aim to highlight the voices of Southeast Asian creators?
Paolo Chikiamco: Thank you very much. The anthology is the second in the series from Difference Engine which provides a platform for Southeast Asian comics creators to explore particular themes and show a concentrated slice of culture and talent from our region.
Charis Loke: Difference Engine came up with the theme and approached us to edit the anthology, which entailed being involved with the creator selection process alongside DE’s team, and working with the creators from the developmental stage all the way to the final stories.
BD: As editors for the collection, how would you describe your thematic approach to crafting a complementary collection of stories that would encapsulate various creators’ lived experiences?
PC: Putting together an anthology from multiple creators is always like putting together a collage. You want to make sure the materials you choose are great in and of themselves, and that each brings something unique to the whole – but you also want to take into account how each one fits with the others, and how the picture looks as a whole. Given that we also want that picture to serve as a window that gives a small glimpse of Southeast Asia, we also need to balance showing the diversity of these experiences with highlighting issues of common import.
CL: For me, I was particularly drawn to stories that engaged with the theme of ‘delay’ not only in terms of plot, but also in the use of comics devices and intentional formatting. And a big part of the editorial process is working together with the creators to help them craft the best possible story they can, within the constraints of the project. Anthologies like these serve as a capacity-building opportunity for beginning creators, and a chance for more experienced teams to try new things or push themselves. With that in mind, one consideration Difference Engine had in terms of the selection process was also finding a good balance between new creative teams (to DE) and returning creative teams from the previous anthology, SOUND.
BD: Are there any stories and creators that you would like to highlight from the book?
PC: The anthology itself is a “highlight reel” of sorts, considering that these were chosen from a larger pool of submissions. But while I can’t choose any particular ones to name based on preference, what I can do is point to the ones which I think dealt with the theme in the most unconventional ways: “Fish Curry Tastes Better the Next Day” by Paati/பாட்டி Philosophy, which uses cooking and flavor to illustrate how delay might work in familial relationships; “The Adventures of Sunday Domingo feat. Yaya Precy” by Julius Villanueva, which shows how domestic helpers trade the immediacy of time with their families to support them materially; and “The Other World” by Cathlyn Vania, which deals with delay as a mental distraction from being in two places at once.
CL: Besides the stories Paolo mentioned, I’d point to “Limerence Station” by Eliot Lime, which showcases the use of different drawing styles and bold composition to highlight the tension and delayed encounter between two students; and “Ma, Pa, Delayed Ako” by Hansel Dimapilis—another story that examines the pressures faced by a student. Both of these may be relatable to younger readers around the world.
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 Delay’s stories may connect with and impact readers, and what, if any conversations, do you hope that they may inspire?
PC: One of the goals of the anthology is simply getting Southeast Asian comics creators and stories out to a broader audience, because there are still a lot of people – even within our region – who have never read comics by a Southeast Asian creator, or featuring Southeast Asian characters or culture. As a child, I was a comic reader for years before I first stumbled across a Filipino comic at the store, and it was a revelation. But even for those immersed in the scene, we hope that the way our stories touch upon family, expectation, and identity will resonate with readers, especially in the world that we find ourselves in today.
CL: There are stories within the anthology that touch directly on social issues like statelessness, the pressures of expectations around education achievements, and the challenges of caregiving; it’s my hope that these stories encourage readers to think about how societal infrastructures are shaping their lives and the world around them—and to begin conversations with their friends and families about these issues.
BD: What makes Difference Engine the perfect home for this collection?
PC: These anthologies are actually the brainchild of DE themselves, and they are a good representation of the kind of books and creators that DE champions.
CL: Which is to say, unashamedly Southeast Asian stories by SE Asian creators.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
PC: If you enjoyed DELAY, please do check out the SOUND anthology, as well, and the other books that DE has been putting out, such as Tiger Girls.
CL: SOUND features the work of more talented Southeast Asian creators, including Paolo (who wrote “Folk”, the first story in the anthology). For an award-winning hybrid comics-prose novel, see “Work-Life Balance: Malevolent Managers and Folkloric Freelancers” by Benjamin Chee and Wayne Rée, who contributed to SOUND and DELAY, respectively.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about Delay and your other work?
PC: The easiest way to find my work right now is through the Tuttle editions of my work – Alternative Alamat (a short fiction anthology I edited) and Muros (a comic I co-created with Borg Sinaban) are available through them. Or, even easier, check out my pro-wrestling interactive fiction game SLAMMED! From Choice of Games on your phones or through Steam.
CL: Seek out the individual artists or creative teams on social media too; they’re doing lots of interesting work both within and outside of comics! My own work is predominantly in book illustration for genre fiction—I enjoy mapmaking for fantasy and genre-bending stories—and the occasional tabletop game based on Malaysian culture, like wet markets or five-foot ways.
