The following is an interview with Giovanni Smith, President of Sinopia Comics Inc., on his comic book series, Days of Dark Fire. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Smith (and character Tyson) about the inspiration behind the comic book project, his creative process, what he has in store for readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the release of your fantasy adventure series, Days of Dark Fire! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the series’ premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Giovanni Smith: Thanks for the kind words about Days of Dark Fire! I hope you don’t mind, but I thought I’d bring Tyson (one of the main characters from Days of Dark Fire) along to help answer some of these questions.
Tyson: Basically, Days of Dark Fire is about super-powered medieval knights who LOVE to drink ale and fight bad dudes. Just watch the Days of Dark Fire book trailer I directed…it explains all.
Giovanni: Days of Dark Fire is about an immature young prince who is unwittingly manipulated into turning his father’s kingdom against itself by a secret society of Dark Mages.
To save his kingdom, the Prince will have to unite his team of self-absorbed fighting companions and discover the ancient magic locked deep within himself, if he is to have any hope of defeating the dark forces that now prowl the streets of this proud kingdom.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process in working with artist Mike Gaughran, and what have been some of your creative influences?
Tyson: Mike can hold his ale (unlike Giovanni), and the creativity that come out of Mike’s crazy mind when you take him drinking in a medieval tavern…wow!
Giovanni: Mike Gaughran is such a talented artist. Being a fantasy book, I always envisioned this comic as having a lot of detail and powerful, bright colors. Mike has exceeded all my expectations. Watching Mike take my script and bring it to life with so much passion has been such a rewarding process. Mike has also been such a good friend. He’s been my rock on this project, always believing in Days of Dark Fire and the story we wanted to tell.
BD: What do you hope that readers will take away from your work?
Tyson: That I’m indestructible, and deserve my own line of action figures…obviously.
Giovanni: That Days of Dark Fire is “fun fantasy.” One reviewer described Days of Dark Fire as a laugh-out-loud fantasy adventure. Even though this comic is set in a fantasy world, I wanted this book to be fun and relatable for people. And I truly hope that it will provide fans with a unique fantasy adventure they can escape into.
BD: There are currently three available issues of Days of Dark Fire. How many issues do you have planned for the series?
Giovanni: We currently have plans for six issues, intended to take us on an exciting adventure filled with magic, lots of action, and some betrayal that will change the lives of our main characters forever.
BD: If given the opportunity to expand your series into other entertainment mediums, in what format do you hope to see it adapted?
Giovanni: I think Days of Dark Fire has the potential to make for a charming RPG video game. The series also has the makings of a wonderful animated movie.
Tyson: Don’t forget the spinoff TV series starring Titan Tyson as he drinks his way across the entire Phoenix Empire! Come to think of it…that’s a great video game right there. Call me!
BD: As the President of Sinopia Comics, what do you feel defines a Sinopia comic book?
Tyson: Any book that has me in it? Again, obviously.
Giovanni: Here at Sinopia Comics, we spend A LOT of time hammering out what makes our comics unique before we ever put a series into production. And then once we put a comic into production, I strive to ensure the quality of the art and story is as professional as it can be. This means beautiful artwork, and stories that are properly structured. But most of all, Sinopia’s comics are a lot of fun (both to create and we hope for fans to read as well).
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
Tyson: Oh, there’s that cool one with…
Giovanni: We’ve got a lot of big plans now that Sinopia Comics has launched. None of them are at the stage where we can talk about just yet, but…
Tyson: Not even the one with the…
Giovanni: But we’ll be sure to have Tyson keep you in the loop as things develop. We’re also currently accepting submissions from other creators looking for an online self-publishing platform. More information can be found here.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Days of Dark Fire?
Giovanni: The good news is that Sinopia Comics is a donation-based platform.
Tyson: All we ask is that fans donate what they can when they can.
Giovanni: Here’s a link to chapter one of Days of Dark Fire. A big thank you to Fanbase Press for this opportunity and for all you folks do to support indie comic creators! It really does mean a lot to us!
