CHECKING OUT BIZENGHAST WITH M. ALICE LeGROW

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

M. Alice “Marty” LeGrow or Queenie is totally into cosplay, latex modeling and Goth-Loli fashion – that much should be obvious from looking at her work. She’s spent much of her early childhood in Germany and other parts of Europe - ditto. Her work is heavily influenced by a combination of the German language, art and architecture, as well as the ghost stories and legends of New England, where she currently stays – and need we say it? Again.

Her August-debuting series from TOKYOPOP, Bizenghast, is described by the publisher as a wonderfully inventive combination of hypnotic plot and intricate artwork that promises to be an unforgettable gothic masterpiece.

She has a BFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and also - M. Alice LeGrow was a runner-up in TOKYOPOP's Rising Stars of Manga 2. We caught up with her for a quick chat.

"I think Bizenghast is something special," TOKYOPOP Senior Editor Aaron Suhr told Newsarama. "It has a certain spooky charm that I find very appealing, and I believe most readers will agree. It's sort of like an Alice in Wonderland for the new manga generation. The characters are very likeable, because they seem very real, even if their world is rather fantastic.

"Marty is a total trip. She's lot's of fun to work with--very creative and passionate about her story. She's also overflowing with ideas about promoting her book and developing new and interesting projects. She has even sent me funny little mini comics starring the two of us, engaged in office hijinks. Hilarious."

Newsarama: What made you decide to enter the Rising Stars of Manga contest?

M. Alice LeGrow: I heard about it from my friend Christy Lijewski, who also won a later edition of the contest and also works for TOKYOPOP now. When I heard about the contest, there were only two weeks before the deadline, so I acted fast and threw a story together, mostly on the road trip home from Christy's house, stopping at rest stops and gas stations to scribble ideas down on my arm. In fact the main character, Sally Notch, is named after a road sign I saw on the way home.

NRAMA: How has your world changed since winning the RSOM contest?

MAL: Not a bit. I still like sammiches and soda and I still basically contribute nothing of value to society. I like to stay constant.

NRAMA: What have you learned from your experience at TOKYOPOP?

MAL: That my professors at SCAD weren't screwing around when they said I should always make my deadlines. Any young artist who thinks they can skip out on deadlines and turn things in late is in for a nasty surprise. Amazingly enough, publishing houses aren't college. If you turn work in late, they don't mark you down a whole letter grade. They just fire you.

NRAMA: Tell us about Bizenghast. What’s it about and who’re the main characters?

MAL: Bizenghast is about life, death and fabulous outfits (not in that order). Its main character is a girl named Dinah and her partner in crime Vincent. It mostly centers around their underground adventures in the town of Bizenghast.

Dinah is a schizophrenic girl who lives in the extremely isolated New England town of Bizenghast; her best friend Vincent, avid bicycle enthusiast and unwitting enabler of Dinah's condition, and Edaniel, everyone's favorite talking green thing.

Bizenghast has a lot of religious themes, some very interesting background drawings, and the mother of all secret codes and hidden riddles that only the most dedicated readers will be able to solve. It's like The Da Vinci Code, only it's a comic and probably won't sell as many copies.

NRAMA: How did it come about, and what inspired you to create Bizenghast?

MAL: I really like riddles and I think a lot of people can sympathize with that. Therefore I wanted to create a dark story that had an insane number of codes and mini-puzzles, which would in turn be part of a larger mystery happening behind the scenes of the real story. It's been very difficult to orchestrate…I've had to assemble a team of people to help create the website and filmed features that tie in with the entire riddle premise. The project is called Riddle Road and is the result of both my own efforts as the creator and the efforts of a large group of actors, designers and technical crew, without whom the entire project could never have existed.

It's definitely been a much bigger and more expensive project to produce than a simple comic book series.

NRAMA: How big of a manga fan are you? What’re some of your favorites? What about comics?

MAL: Uzumaki is possibly my favorite manga of all time, with Kenji Tsuruta's Spirit of Wonder a close second. Thieves and Kings by Mark Oakley has always been my favorite non-Asian comic (Oakley is Canadian). My recent collecting spree is of the original Sherlock Holmes comics with art by Frank Giacoia. And of course I love all things Will Eisner.

NRAMA: How much have these influenced you as a creator?

MAL: They've been a big influence. My favorite part of drawing comics is doing the backgrounds, which is usually the opposite of most other American manga artists. I developed an intense appreciation for backgrounds, object detail and perspective from my favorite comics (as well as from my Drawing for Sequential Art professor at SCAD, Paul Hudson). I think backgrounds are sadly overlooked or generally cheated through by newer artists, and I'd like to reintroduce the concept of spending as much time on backgrounds as on character design.

NRAMA: Lastly, do you have anything else to add about Bizenghast?

MAL: More than anything I hope people will just enjoy Bizenghast as a good comic that entertains them. Ideally I'd like to feel that all the extra effort (both on my part and on the parts of my crew) that went into creating the Riddle Road project will pay off by being both a challenge and a source of amusement to readers.

Book One is finished and I'm a good way through Book Two. I'd imagine I can have Book Three finished by the beginning of 2006, though of course if the series does well on a whole than I'll be doing other volumes after that.

For more on LeGrow and Bizenghast, go to www.bizenghast.com and www.tokyopop.com/bizenghast

Related articles:
TOKYOPOP’S RISING STARS I: JESS STONCIUS ON WORK BITES

TOKYOPOP’S RISING STARS II: FELIPE SMITH ON MBQ

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS IV: AMY KIM GANTER ON SORCERERS & SECRETARIES

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS V: LINDSAY CIBOS ON PEACH FUZZ

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS VI: CHRISTY LIJEWSKI ON RE:PLAY

RISING STARS of MANGA VII: IRENE FLORES ON MARK OF THE SUCCUBUS

RISING STARS OF MANGA VIII: RON KAULFERSCH & MIKE SCHWARK ON VAN VON HUNTER

RISING STARS OF MANGA IX: SHANE GRANGER (w/ JASON HENDERSON & TONY SALVAGGIO) ON PSY-COMM

TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS X: WES ABBOTT ON DOGBY WALKS ALONE

ON FIVE SETS OF RISING STARS: JEREMY ROSS ON TOKYOPOP'S RISING STARS OF MANGA

[tania del rio]

Congrats, Marty!

It looks great. Can't wait to see in in stores ^_^

Tania

[Rivkah]

Next to "The Dreaming," I don't think I anticipate any book more than this one. Marty's style is so incredibly *her*--it's beautiful, whimsical, and gothic--and the premise is fascinating.

Go Marty! \^o^/ I can't wait to read this!

-Rivkah

[Johnny Bacardi]

Not the biggest manga fan in the world here, but I like the fine-line detail she's showing in her art, especially on the first couple of examples. Almost Nell Brinkley-ish! I'll try and keep an eye out for this.

[Luna]

That's beautiful work. I will pre-order Bizenghast for sure!

[Tentopet]

Wow--I didn't realize how much was involved in this book--that's amazing, especially since this is your first publish series (I'm assuming). I think it's awesome that you've put so much thought into this. I, too, love riddles, and this whole staff of people--I'm interested to see how it all works out, because I can't quite picture it yet.

[Crispy]

Oh, like they said, Marty is quite a trip. I'm really looking forward to her book because I think the story sounds so very original. I hadn't realized exactly how involved she had made it though, I'm intrigued to see how well it's carried off. (I'm also astonished at her speed... it feels like just yesterday that she said that she'd finished Book 1.)

[Emo Steve]

The pages look great, I can't wait to have a whole book full of them!

[hamsterdance]

I have been waiting for this book ever since first learning about it in a newsletter.

[mrfstr]

featured guest at Phoenix Cactus Comicon this year!!!

www.phoenixcomicon.com

she's giving a lot of herself to this con... EXTREMELY particpative.