Scavengers Reign artist explores speculative science fiction in new comics

You may recognize Jonathan Ayoub SaifWork from animation projects such as Surreal science fiction series The era of the scavengers Or the recent Gorillaz short film The mountain, the moon cave, and the sad god. But before that, the French artist and animator released self-published cartoons depicting alien worlds and futuristic societies. Now he revisits that work with the release of two stunning graphic novels. “I think most people who follow my work don’t necessarily know that I publish comics,” Nkondo says. Edge. “I’m mainly known for my work in animation, so revisiting those books and promoting them again was a good way to spread the word.”

Earlier this month Nkondo has launched a Kickstarter For the English versions of these books, the campaign exceeded its funding goals. He says he “wasn’t expecting much” from the crowdfunding campaign, but it has so far raised more than $100,000, while the initial goal was just $7,500. “Maybe I’m living in my bubble too much,” Nkondo says. “I’m not familiar with things that might interest people.”

The two books mentioned are called Peaceful forgiveness and wanderingBoth of them were previously published in French. As part of the campaign, black and white comics will be available in both digital and hardcover formats, depending on the amount you pledge; A limited edition complete with art book is also available for $99.

Peaceful forgiveness It follows the lives of an elderly couple living in a space-age suburb where houses were built in asteroids, further complicating their already complicated relationship. wanderingAt the same time, it is a dialogue-free journey through a vision of the distant future viewed from two perspectives: a wealthy man within a futuristic city, and a younger man trying to survive the wasteland beyond.

Both explore personal relationships on an intimate scale and for fans to come from The era of the scavengersthe books move at a similarly measured, contemplative pace. It also looks absolutely amazing, with amazing original designs of architecture, technology, and more. Nkondo says that when it comes to design, he starts with the aesthetics before paying attention to practicality or realism. “I think in terms of shapes first, and then I try to apply them to fashion, architecture, or vehicles,” he says. “My designs may look great but they are usually not the most realistic.”

Another similarity between The era of the scavengers Nkondo’s solo projects are a sense of calm. They both rely more on visual storytelling than dialogue, and this is especially true in wanderingwhich contains no text at all. It forces the reader to slow down and take in each image to understand what is going on. Nkondo says this model is just a byproduct of the stories he wants to explore. “I feel like I’m in a comic book, As in my short films“The stories I tell are not necessarily dialogue-driven, so I don’t feel pressured to add a lot of words,” he explains. “I’m good at portraying events or moods using visuals.”

There is still some time left in the Kickstarter campaign, and the books are expected to start shipping this summer. It is an opportunity for those who have come to Nkondo’s work through his larger collaborations to discover a new side, one with similar energy but with greater personal stakes. However, when it comes to the future, he points out that two upcoming projects — a comedy and a short film — represent something of a departure, as they explore a more dialogue-heavy approach to storytelling. “It’s as interesting a challenge as the silent stories I’ve worked on,” he says.