The following is an interview with director, concept artist, and comic book creator Joël Dos Reis Viegas regarding the recent Kickstarter campaign launch for Urbance: The Graphic Novel Saga, collecting over 800 pages of the bio-punk series in collaboration with Magnetic Press. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Viegas about his experience in adapting the animated pilot to the sequential art medium, the incredible backer rewards to be included in the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: What can you share with us about your creative process in adapting your cult-favorite animated pilot to the sequential art medium, and how do you feel that the 2 mediums overlap and diverge?
Joël Dos Reis Viegas: For the graphic novel, I decided to rewrite everything from scratch. I kept the strong elements from my original creative bible that were already present in the animated pilot: the characters, the virus, the drug, Coevo, and the separation between men and women.
From there, I built a structured world with rules that justify the hatred and division within Neopolis — something that didn’t exist in the pilot. In a way, the graphic novel is the fully realized, on‑paper version of what the animated series could have become.
BD: How do you feel that the graphic novel series enabled you to delve deeper into the world and characters of Urbance?
JDRV: It allowed me to dive deeper into the characters’ complex relationships and their individual motivations, and also to discover Neopolis through their eyes. I had fun showing both perspectives in parallel — men vs. women — to make the story more thrilling and less linear. I also added the characters’ inner thoughts, something that’s much easier to integrate in a graphic novel than in animation.
BD: In light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you feel would be most appealing to readers?
JDRV: For this campaign, we went BIG: a softcover edition, an exclusive hardcover edition, an exclusive sketchbook featuring behind-the-scenes artwork from the comic, the re-release of the GENESIS OF URBANCE artbook, and many more surprises to celebrate the project’s 10th anniversary.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has become such a vital resource for creators of all mediums?
JDRV: There are so many mass‑market products and creative works out there today that it’s hard to stand out. A platform like Kickstarter is essential for independent creators who need visibility among an avalanche of major competitors. More importantly, it helps build a strong, lasting community — a meaningful connection between creators and their audience that’s worth more than any marketing budget.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JDRV: I’d rather mention a few references that inspired me while creating Urbance. The project sits at the crossroads of genres — somewhere between Japanese animation, video games, and sci‑fi literature. There’s obviously Orwell’s 1984 and Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, both depicting dystopian tyranny. Indirectly, the aesthetics of Katsuhiro Otomo and Takeshi Koike also influenced my line work. And many fans have pointed out similarities with the video game Jet Set Radio — and honestly, I can’t disagree!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to lend their support to the Urbance Kickstarter campaign and to learn more about your other work?
JDRV: Here is the link to the Urbance Kickstarter campaign.
I truly hope readers will love the universe I’ve created and spread the word. Urbance is a passion project for me, developed alongside my main work as a video‑game Art Director. It complements everything I’ve created before.
