Spotlight: Spider Venom and Fox Charms
On Webtoons and soon to Kickstarter
With two issues now live on Webtoons, and an upcoming Kickstarter, I had the chance to ask creator Josh some questions and looks at Spider Venom and Fox Charms.
It’s always fun to jump into an origin story. It doesn’t seem to happen as much any more, so reading Spider Venom and Fox Charms we get straight into that.
There is an excellent blend of action and commentary as you work your way through these first two issues. We get some fun with powers, and characters as we move through what is happening.
It’s still early in the series, but the first issue has some fun and wholesome scenes. This works well with some background into the characters and the heart in the story. The second issue gives us more action and a fun fight scene.
The artwork is great, and the story has some excellent angles. I also like the X-ray style of some of the power aspects.
What inspired you to create this comic?
My childhood dream was to be a mangaka (graphic novel writer or artist, I'm definitely more of a writer). But as for, "Spider Venom and Fox Charms" in particular. I wanted to show off the real Los Angeles and Orange County of Southern California, as well as write from a truly personal and vulnerable place to rehabilitate myself as a creative. Some parts are fiction and others are written from my real life experiences.
How did you come up with the main idea and characters?
If I'm being completely honest, "J." Is an idealized stand in for myself. Kind of symbolic of both my love of superheroes, as well as my own real life struggles with being vulnerable, and learning to iver cone viewing himself as a burden to others, allowing himself to break down and cry.
J.'s love interest Kazumi, is meant to be a foil to him. Teaching him how to not be prideful about being open, to not view himself as a parasite and to need to rely on others. She's also very playfully bratty, always teasing him, borderline taunting him. Banter is her drug of choice, and J is the one guy that can take her, but only because she lets him. She's the biggest positive influence in his life. And as J learns to open up to her, and rely on her, she learns to embrace herself fully, even the aspects of herself she has repressed.
Were there any specific comics, books, or media that influenced your work?
My biggest influences would have to be the Toei's Kamen Rider Franchise and Marvel's Agent Venom. J's duit design, for the bio weapon that bonded to his blood is merch much almost a futuristic Mashup of Kamen Rider Hibiki × Flash Thompson Agent Venom. The main difference is J's bioweapon is not sentient. Another major influence would be, Durarara, at least in how they show the real ikebukuro down to even getting the vending machine on the side wall correct.
Can you describe the main characters and what makes them unique?
Instead of having the character be their unbreakable, happy go lucky, symbol of hope , that issue later has a mental breakdown due to the dress of being a hero, that happens very early on for us. J also has his own baggage from his less than perfect, oftentimes oppressive/repressive relationship with his parents. All J has been fighting for is to have a quiet normal life, marry a cute girl, go on their honeymoon and travel the world together. But it's J, nothing comes easy for him. He had no choice but to become a public figure as a irl and gaming streamer and internet musician to even have his peace and quiet. He's forced to be a superhero when a bio weapon bonds to his blood. He didn't choose to be a hero, he didn't choose his powers. A bio weapon bonded to a spider that hitched a joy ride on his car, and followed him home. His sense moral obligations actually forces him to continue being a hero, although at times it will make him physically sick from all the adrenaline.
J's flawed, he's human, he's got his baggage. It doesn't define him, or cripple him from functioning. He's not an alcoholic, not a drug user, but the story begins with him broken and being healed through Kazumi's embrace of both his light and darkness. Eventually also becoming that for her.
How do you approach character design and panel layouts?
I'm a 2 man team. I write my scripts in an a4 notebook, then bring them into a word document. I hand sketch the original concepts for all my characters. I then commission my friend Marcus to draw out my story. I was playing around with these two characters for years before I met my friend Marcus. After commissioning him, we'll sit in either a zoom or discord call and storyboard together over screen share.
What tools and techniques do you use to create your comic?
I know Marcus uses Illustrator and Clip Studio Paint. I use a combination of in person photography, Google images. Not only are the places based on real places in LA and the OC, but some of J's possessions have been referenced from my own.
