Todd Black: Home is a fantasy miniseries that I’m making, or attempting to make I think is better to say. Our first issue is titled “The Girl With The Blue Hair”, which is a reference to our main character Elysia. We have a lot of cool high fantasy concepts in here including dimensional travel, living computer code, futuristic knights, and more. But it’s all wrapped up in a personal story that Elysia is front and center in.
AP2HYC: I love the body-positive message – Elysia loves how she looks even though it’s not the norm, is that something that was important to you personally to convey, and why?
Todd: Yes, actually it was. I was picked on a lot when I was a kid, and a teenager…and an adult…lol. I was too tall, my hair is super curly, I wear glasses etc. It didn’t matter what it was, I was made fun of for it. And those are small things, imagine if I was like Elysia and I was born with natural blue hair?
That’s what I’m trying to show here, Elysia’s “body quirk” if you will is obvious, but people have picked on people for less. Yet both Elysia (and myself) wouldn’t change how we look for the world…though I do admit I would love to dye my hair blue…but that’s another story.
We are all unique, by intention or design we are, and we should love that. Now, are there things we can improve on ourselves? Absolutely! But do it because YOU want to, not the world. I honestly get asked a lot “why doesn’t Elysia just dye her hair?” To which I respond, “Why should she change who she is just because the world thinks it’s weird or ‘not right’? and every time they reply, “you’re right, she shouldn’t.”
AP2HYC: There also seems to be a great theme of accepting yourself but not necessarily accepting the situations you find yourself in – hope for the future. Is this inspired by anyone or anything in particular? What does it mean to you to be telling this story?
Todd: Good catch. Hope is a big concept in Home. Elysia does like her life, she accepts it though cause she needs to live. But she tries to hold on to the hope that things will get better. Then she gets tossed into another dimension and her definition of hope changes. But throughout the miniseries, Elysia is going to be on a journey of discovery and asking questions about herself, her life, and what she should do with it…if she survives…lol.
To tell this story is big for me. This would be my second comics series, and it’s a story I honestly can say is based on parts of what I’ve gone through, and what other people have gone through, in life in regards to wondering if life will ever get better. I might appear to be on top of the world cause I’m writing comics, but it was a long, LONG, hard road to get here. And even now my life isn’t perfect. But if Home gives people hope for their future, and teaches them to love who they are even if they aren’t loved by the world? That means I did my job.
AP2HYC: What has been the most enjoyable thing about this project so far?
Todd: The art! Love the art, I even have art that isn’t revealed yet, and won’t be until after the Kickstarter is done, but it looks GOOD! And my team is amazing, I wouldn’t have what I have without them. I can’t wait to make more.
AP2HYC: Are there any parts of the process that have been a struggle?
Todd: There were some struggles making the art, we lost our main artist a few weeks into the project, and had to recover quickly. Then it took some tweaking to get the style I wanted from our new artist, but we made it through. And obviously promoting the Kickstarter for Home to try and get funding is a constant struggle. It’s a task you need to be dedicated to, thankfully I’m fully dedicated to Home, and I really want to see this made.
AP2HYC: As Home is a mini-series, can give us any sneak peeks at what might be coming up for Elysia in the future?
Todd: Well she’s going to be going to another dimension, she’ll become a knight with a wicked cool set of armor. She’ll be fighting monsters, saving a city-kingdom multiple times…and I’ll leave the rest for you to read…and trust me, I haven’t revealed the best parts yet.
If you would like to support the Kickstarter for Issue 1 of Home, “The Girl With The Blue Hair”, you can find it here! And don’t forget to look out for our second interview with Todd Black, looking at his other (very different!) project Guardians.
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