Only three issues in, Papercuts and Inkstains has already established itself as an eclectic anthology comic that combines nearly every genre in the gambit. Rife with a variety of stories that range from slasher horror to wry humor, Papercuts and Inkstains manages to keep readers entertained each issue with quick writing and grade-A visuals.
Check out our interview with Madius Comics’ Rob Jones and Mike Sambrook, the masterminds behind this diverse comic series!
AP2HYC: I think the obvious first question should be: Where did you get the idea for Papercuts and Inkstains? It’s such a wholly unique comic, largely due to the fact that it provides multiple stories in each issue, and I’m curious as to what the inspiration behind it was.
Mike Sambrook: It started out very much as Rob’s baby, until I muscled my way in. It was originally a column Rob was putting together for our friend Lee over at Intercomics, exploring Rob’s first steps into comics, joining the fandom as an adult, and the challenges and uniqueness that it presented.
Rob Jones: Yup, it was a sort of social experiment as a late twenties guy getting into comics, which lead to me writing a scene with John Constantine in a bar, arguing with some guy; people thought I’d ripped it out of a script when I hadn’t. After that, I kind of got the bug of writing scripts. Mike was an active reader and would participate in all the polls/questions etc. I would put to twitter and such, and we got on really well, so we decided to have a go at “living the dream!” We wanted to have a play with ideas and tropes, and experiment with the idea of writing comics and the whole process!
MS: Exactly. The whole idea of Papercuts is about experimentation and trying out new things. The short story format lends itself to this really well as we get multiple opportunities in each issue to explore different visual aesthetics and genre options. We like to try and keep people guessing throughout each issue and we like to try and surprise people. Multiple stories per issue really lends itself to helping us achieve this. Papercuts is a brilliant way for us to stretch ourselves, take storytelling risks and gives us a tremendous opportunity to work with an amazing array of artistic collaborators.
RJ: Plus, it allows us to hone our writing abilities, see what works, what doesn’t, and tweak and adapt as we go. If people are really receptive to something, we can see about making it a multiple strip story, if not, they’re pretty self-contained, and as such we can leave them off with that single story.
AP2HYC: Going off of that, what’s the process of actually selecting which stories make it into each issue? I assume that there are many that don’t make the cut (correct me if I’m wrong), and I’m wondering what you take into account when deciding what should be included in each print. Genres? Length? Visuals? Storylines?
MS: Generally, we are always writing. Both Rob and I are forever sending each other emails, badgering each other with phone calls and erupting out of each other’s toilets with crazy half-formed ideas. We like to throw inspiration at each other and see what sticks. Then sooner or later something will just land for both of us and there will be an element that just catches our attention and fascinates us. I mean, this can be for multiple reasons, whether it is a clever narrative trick, a solid character, or sometimes just a joke we want to build around; and that’s it – we are off and running. We tend to work via Google drive, and for mine and Rob’s collaborative pieces we just slowly form them together, tweaking and amending until we are both happy that it lands.
For the most part, the stories are written by either Rob or me, but we’ve also had a brilliant superhero story from our own internal force of nature, Nick ‘The Gonz’ Gonzo. When it comes to our solo pieces for Papercuts, it is just all about communication. We make sure we include each other in the process to ensure that nobody spends too much time wandering down a blind alley and try to help each other out to make sure every story is as good as it can possibly be.
The length of the stories is largely out of our hands. Of course there is some flexibility but we aim to have three stories in each issue, and with the page count largely fixed at around 30 pages, it gives us a pretty solid framework. Each story we aim to be between about 6 pages and 10. But as always, there are exceptions. When it comes to stories and genres, we don’t like to think there are any restrictions at all; like I said earlier we like to keep people guessing as much as possible – sort-of an “anything’s possible” sketch show with an unlimited budget. But then, just as you start to get comfortable with jokes, we will throw something different at you. In regards to stories that don’t make the cut, not so much. As I mentioned, communication is a massive element of what we do, so we are always involved in each other’s stories long before they are finished. That way it ensures we are all happy with the direction each piece is taking and there are no nasty surprises for any of us.
RJ: Except that one nasty surprise that one time involving a jellied eel, some long johns, and a blowtorch, but we worked out the kinks there and it was fine…
AP2HYC: As someone who absolutely dreaded the obligatory group projects in school, I’m thoroughly impressed by how many people are involved in the creation of this series. I’m especially curious as to how you co-write such an eclectic batch of stories and manage to make them all cohesive. Is the writing process usually pretty symbiotic where Papercuts and Inkstains is concerned… or is the final product something that emerges from a gladiator-like battle where the victor takes control?
MS: Well, there has certainly been many a gladiatorial battle between us, but it is never anything to do with stories. That’s just a weekend hobby. For some reason Rob jumps at every possible opportunity to wear knee-length sandals. Really though, group work is the reason we do this. There’s no way we could do any of this without the support and input of each other. The whole Madius crew is just brilliant; they are a never-ending tidal wave of enthusiasm, positivity, encouragement and support. Writing can be an incredibly draining experience and in a lot of ways can be very isolating. I think working as a team like we do really helps limit the negatives of that and helps everything gel together into a cohesive voice.
RJ: We are very fortunate in the fact that Mike and I seem to “get” one another very well. And so it makes for a pretty smooth creative process. I mean it’s even gotten to the point where we can finish each other’s…
Mike?
Nope, must have gone to go buy more stilts… But still, we are lucky to be able to work so cohesively together on so many things, and it’s nice that we play with different genres (we’ve got a comic which is Jam and Jerusalem meets the Thing coming up, plus an issue which even has a THEME!) so that’s been great. I think the only time we ever bicker is when it gets down to the wire and I’m lettering pages and Mike is constantly editing, grammar policing and such, but that’s more because I am a huge grump. Mike is a cracking editor and by lettering ourselves, we can edit right up until print day, which really helps.
‘Profits of Doom’ Papercuts and Inkstains #1
AP2HYC: The most consistent thing in every story within Papercuts and Inkstains is the dark humor and sarcasm that is strewn throughout. Is that something that you consciously include in each story, or is that an element that is pretty much ingrained in your writing style and not something that you deliberately highlight in your work?
MS: I don’t think we can help it. I think the collaborative aspect really helps to bring out that side of our personalities. Much like when you are sat in the pub with friends you start to joke around, poke fun at the holes in what each other are saying, and out of these conversations humour finds its way into the stories. I think when you are working on something solo it can be incredibly easy to take things way too seriously. A fresh set of eyes in your world can often see the humour in something you are overlooking and help turn a lifeless world into something much more interesting. Also I think humour is a great way to present much more serious themes and slip them under the radar.
RJ: They do say that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, which is great for Mike and I as it means we don’t have to work too hard to write it… But, more seriously, I think Mike summed it up best as a way of getting some more serious themes and undertones into otherwise farcical and whimsical stories. It all adds to the layers of the Papercuts onion.
AP2HYC: In addition to multiple writers, you have a bunch of talented artists who contribute to Papercuts and Inkstains. I’m curious as to how that relationship works. Comics are often initially thought of as a visual medium, and I wonder how involved you are where the actual aesthetics are concerned. Do you tend to have an idea as to what you wish to see and articulate it to your artists, or is it more of a blind faith situation where you have full confidence in letting the artists take control of their medium?
MS: Without the artists we are nothing but a bunch of idiots shouting at each other. We couldn’t do any of this without them. We try and make sure we tell them at every available opportunity that we have nothing but buckets of love and admiration for every single one of them. They have all been so patient, understanding, creative, and inspiring. The collaborative working aspect I would say is the thing I have enjoyed most out of the whole Madius experience. We have been lucky to work with a ridiculous amount of talented folks, and have made some amazing friends through collaborative creation.
When it comes to the control we have, the biggest influence we have is selecting the artist for the project. Whether that be someone we have already worked with or somebody new. This is something we take a great deal of care over as the visual aesthetic is critical to the success or failure of a story. Once we know who is working on a project, it is generally around working to their strengths and making sure they are happy and comfortable. Every artist likes to work slightly differently and we always try to make sure we keep things fun for anyone stupid enough to work with us. Some artists like very detailed scripts with layouts, others prefer for the script to just be bare bones and only include the critical storytelling elements. So there really isn’t an answer to that question; it varies tremendously from one end of the scale to the other.
Another factor is the story itself and how specific the details need to be for the story to work. I guess that’s a long way of saying, every story and every artist is different. When it comes to trust and confidence in the artist, we have complete faith; otherwise, we wouldn’t have approached them with the script. We are always open to suggestions and revisions to stories, and try and make sure we aren’t precious. Artists can see things in ways we were completely missing and bring unique ideas to the table, we like to think that a story isn’t finished until the final pages are lettered and see the whole creation process as a fluid thing.
RJ: I think again, to echo Mike, the element we want to bring most to our stories is fun. Fun to write, fun to read, fun to draw. We do stick our heads together with the artists we work with to enable them to get their input into things. Take Rory Donald in “Cast Adrift”, his visuals, the viewpoints and angles of panels and his emphasis on shadow really added an lovely visual aid to the sense of menace we had wanted to build up in that story. That’s all Rory. Taking our script and making it something better, enhancing it, evolving it into a bigger beast. Same could be said with Dan Butcher in “FPS”.
‘FPS’ Papercuts and Inkstains 3B
He took a script written entirely from the fixed perspective of a soldiers helmet and made it this JJ Abrams inspired, close, tense fight scene with a nice little payoff at the end. You can’t write in an artist’s keen eye or their ability to take a particular scene and give it life. We’ve been incredibly lucky to have worked with the people we have so far, we’re incredibly lucky to be working with even more talented people on Papercuts 4, 5, 6, and 7… (SPOILER ALERT… Yes we are that far ahead…)
‘Profits of Doom #3’ Papercuts and Inkstains 3B
AP2HYC: I think I’ve been almost overly eager with my vocalized love for “Profits of Doom.” It’s such a favorite of mine, and I’m wondering if there’s a particular story of yours that just really made you giddy when you first saw it in it’s printed glory. Which, if any, is the one most likely to be framed and less-than-subtly hung above the mantelpiece?
MS: Thanks for the “Profits of Doom” support! God we love those idiots. In terms of a personal favourite, it would be so difficult to choose. We’ve got so much love for everything we’ve done, otherwise we wouldn’t have put it in print. Ok, forcing myself to pick I would probably say for me, selfishly, it would be “Together Forever” from Papercuts 2. Simply because that was my first true solo outing, and I think that’s a special moment for any creator. But you could ask me that question every day for a week and get a different answer every single time. I love everything we’ve done.
RJ: Just to echo Mike’s sentiment, thank you for the “Profits” love. People seem to really dig those idiots in robes, which baffles me slightly as they were written as utter idiots on purpose. I love that people seem to identify with them on some level, like there’s a little idiot in all of us, I’m just lucky as my little idiot materialised and co-wrote some awesome comics with me. Plus, we struck lucky to work with an artist like Mike Smith. Somehow, that man is able to make hooded robes so goddamn expressive, and his body language and comic positioning is impeccable. He really helps make the comic so great. I mean, Mike and I could write all the snarky, argumentative dialogue we wanted, but it would be absolutely moot without Mr. Smith’s insane visuals.
With regards to stories in print, that’s a toughie. I have equal love for all the work we’ve done together. Every script, from creation to putting that final letter on the page, is a labour of love. I think I would have to say “Vampire Wonderland” would be my choice at this moment in time. (possibly because I’ve been putting together and lettering the VW Christmas Freebie comic we are giving away on Christmas Eve!) That was a fun comic to write; it appeared from nowhere and morphed into this wonderful little chase comic, which Paul Moore beautifully crafted into a stunning story, and now we have another two parts coming to it. It’s gonna go darker, it’s gonna be more ridiculous, and Sabi is gonna crack more wise in it. Can’t wait for you to sink your teeth into “Vampire Wonderland” 2!
‘Vampire Wonderland’ Papercuts and Inkstains 3A
AP2HYC: Lastly… I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you about any possible teases for the next issue. Is there anything in particular that you think avid readers will really enjoy in #4?
MS: Generally I’m the one who shouts when we put out previews and sneak peaks, so in keeping with that, I will let Rob tease ya, and then tell him he told you too much.
RJ: In the style of Lulu…
WEEEEEEeeeEEeeeEeEeEeeell…
We’ve got more “Profits”, more “Vampire Wonderland”, more “Cast Adrift”, a new ongoing from “Together Forever” artist Jim Lavery called “Valkyrie”, which is our roadside assistance in a Mad Max style world comic, there are murder mysteries, aliens, monsters, robots in love, a prisoner of war story, 80s style action, a 70’s style punk/ska/two tone love story, a father/son relationship on the galaxies most remote petrol station, space ninjas, barbarians, and did I mention more Profits? And if that isn’t enough, we’ve got an exclusive peek at a page from “Valkyrie” just for you AP2HYC readers! How’s that, Mike?
MS: ROB! *fetches the chasing broom*
As teased by Mr. Jones himself…
Exclusive first-look at Madius Comics’ upcoming ‘Valkyrie’
Be sure to head over to the Madius Comics online store to snag yourself some hard copies of Papercuts and Inkstains, and keep your eyes peeled for issues #4-7 that have been teased!
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