The following is an interview with Nicole D’Andria, Marketing Director and Submissions Editor of Action Lab Entertainment, as well as creator and writer of the independent series, Road Trip to Hell. This interview takes place at Baltimore Comic-Con 2018, where Senior Contributor S.T. Lakata sits down with D’Andria to discuss the convention, various Action Lab titles, and her own creative works.
S.T. Lakata, Fanbase Press Senior Contributor: Thank you so much for taking time to chat with me, Nicole. Are you returning to Baltimore Comic-Con, or is this your first visit to BCC?
Nicole D’Andria: This is my first time.
STL: Are you local to the Baltimore area, or did you travel for this convention?
ND: I traveled from New Jersey. I was able to catch a couple rides – first with a family member to Philly and then drove down with a friend from there.
STL: Is there a person or a panel you’re interested in checking out while you’re here?
ND: There’s a good chance I’ll be stationed at the booth most of the weekend, but I do want to go and buy some stuff. I would like to see Tom King and Scott Snyder.
STL: What are some of the works you are promoting this weekend at Baltimore Comic-Con, and where can these comics be found for anyone interested to purchase?
ND: Miraculous Ladybug is the best seller for Action Lab which is based off a popular TV series, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The show recently won the Teen Choice Award for Best Animated Series which is great because it went up against the likes of Family Guy and The Simpsons.
There’s also Vamplets: The Nightmare Nursery, and that story revolves around vampire children and their babysitter. There are also toy figures and plushies that have been created from the series. Toyetica currently has two volumes, with a third volume scheduled for a March release. And Toyetica has been picked up for an animated series.
Everyone can go to actionlabcomics.com and search through our titles.
STL: Those are some cool things happening at Action Lab. Can we also talk about the great things happening with your own series?
ND: Yes! My series, Road Trip to Hell, has just been fully funded on Kickstarter. The premise of this story is that the main character is born with terrible power. He’s the son of the devil, and when the devil dies, he inherits the kingdom of Hell. Now, everyone evil in history is trying to kill him to take over his role, which lends to some dark humor in the story.
STL: Congratulations on your Kickstarter success! With you being busy with Action Lab and creating your own comic, do you have any time to decompress? What are you a fan of recently?
ND: I usually will binge-watch some TV when I can. Recently, it’s been Mad Men and The 4400. With Mad Men, it’s fun to get frustrated at characters. As for The 4400, people who have disappeared at various points in time all come back at the same moment – and each has powers. Both shows resemble aspects of my comics, so even when I’m not working, I’m still working a little bit.
STL: To finish up, where can people follow you online?
ND: Everyone can follow me on Twitter, and they can also go to my website, www.comicmaven.com.
I want to give an extra thanks to Nicole for taking so much time to sit down with me and talk about Action Lab, her own creative works, and what she’s a fan of currently. If you are attending Baltimore Comic-Con 2018, you can find Nicole and Action Lab at Booth 2008.
