Fairytales are a dime a dozen — unless, of course, they’re crafted by true visionaries. Enter Michael Dialynas, who has created not one but many worlds with great success across different genres. Drawing and designing everything from The Woods and Wynd to Amala’s Blade, Dialynas knows his way around stunning worldbuilding. Beginning November 8, Dialynas will add writing and drawing an entire world to his resume with a brand-new project.
Zawa + The Belly of the Beast focuses on the titular main character, who is trapped inside a mountain of pollution-spewing factories for eternity. Two siblings from a nearby village change everything when they eventually help Zawa escape. Part post-apocalyptic narrative, part foodie fever dream, this new series aims to open up both the mind and the heart (eco-friendly narratives tend to do that, ya know).
To get a better understanding of what we’re in for, I had the chance to ask Dialynas all about the new series as well as his creative process in building a world from the ground up. Based on the preview below, along with Dialynas’ thoughtful answers, I think we’re in for a great new young adult fairy tale.
Issue #1 of Zawa + The Belly of the Beast arrives November 8 via BOOM! Studios.
Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.
AIPT: I first discovered your work with Amala’s Blade, and it looks like Zawa + The Belly of the Beast will continue your work crafting brand-new creatures and worlds. What aspect of the worldbuilding has been the most fun to draw with the new series?
Michael Dialynas: Oh man, yeah, creating the city of Mesa’s Boon, where our story unfolds, was the best part! I knew I wanted the world to have a feeling of an overgrown society full of vending machines built on the bones of a small fishing town and covered with loads of billboards. But I only started to really dig into the look while drawing the layouts of the book. Once I started penciling the actual pages, the city started to speak to me, letting me know what I needed to add to make the place look lived in.
It’s weird really, since it’s the first time I’m creating something from scratch, so all the brainstorming I was doing was on my own then throwing the ball to my editor, Eric Harburn, to let me know if it all made sense. There are a lot of fun world-building elements that I’m trying to get across with the visuals, so please feel free to ogle the backgrounds and see all the weird products that I’ve added to all the vending machines!
AIPT: Zawa + The Belly of the Beast is being dubbed an eco-friendly series, how have you tackled that in the series?
MD: The eco-friendly part stems from the real-world issues that have been becoming all the more apparent lately, from natural and economic disasters to the grim fact that things are kinda getting worse and they won’t stop until we as people start making a big U-turn to prevent any more damage. I didn’t realise that this was something that i wanted to talk about in this book but it kinda crept in there as the whole story started to take shape.
I really felt like I was filtering all the bad news I was reading every day into Zawa’s tale, but isn’t that what all good post-apocalyptic cottage-core fairytales about a trapped mountain deity do?
AIPT: It also sounds like foodies will adore this series. Aside from new eats you’re creating, is there any cooking going on in the series?
MD: Yes! Food was one of my main ingredients that I wanted to use for Zawa. Without trying to spoil much, Zawa gets stronger by eating a good home-cooked meal. Food made with love and intent to nourish will always taste better than grabbing a microwave-heated pastry that you picked up at the supermarket. So expect Bandit Blackbird, our young aspiring chef, to whip something up for her!
Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.
AIPT: The press release says there’s a chill chicken. Please say more, he sounds awesome!
MD: Haha yes — Spot! Spot is the Blackbird Bakery’s resident chicken that produces fresh eggs for Bandit to experiment with. Spot is also guarded by the fearless Belle the Guard-cat, she has little bells in her bushy tail ready to sign the alarm if threatened! They are a fun duo that will be having their own little side stories.
AIPT: The plus in the title is unique. What made you go with that format?
MD: That’s funny that you mentioned that. It’s basically how I write the & sign or the word, “and.” It’s just a quicker way to jot down notes that made it’s way in the title! There’s no hidden meaning, and I’m not Zawa PLUS-ing it hehe.
Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.
AIPT: What is it about YA that appeals to you to work in?
MD: I think the majority of what I read or watch has always been YA, from my anime to growing up with all the best shows like TMNT to Goonies and reading Enid Blyton books.
I’ve always liked stories with adults in the making, real problems haven’t dragged them down yet, and some of them are full of spit and vinegar, ready to make the change they want to see. So yeah expect to see some teens in ZAWA ready to take matters into their own hands.
AIPT: Something about your work screams Zelda to me, particularly the newer games. Do you play Zelda or any other fantasy games?
MD: I’ll take that as a compliment! I did play a lot of Breath of the Wild when it came out, I wanna say 150 hours and I have most of the amiibo figures. Sad to say I haven’t had much time to play Tears of the Kingdom yet, I managed to get 30 hours in to but I soon realised that it was a 200-hour game for me and then I had to start gearing up Zawa! I’ll try and make a “Zelda Week” once I’ve wrapped the book.
I try to pick up a good indie from time to time, I see a lot of cool creativity in those, but If i don’t have time to play then I will definitely look up a bunch of art from the game and watch videos about them while I work.
Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.
AIPT: If Zawa + The Belly of the Beast was a song, what would it be and why?
MD: Since Zawa + The Belly of the Beast is a “smoothie” of everything that I like, then the song would be a mix of chill lo-fi beats, alt post-rock atmosphere with a dash of Japanese girl-band riffs and vocals. I run on this stuff daily!
The Lo-fi beats and poppy rock would be all about the chill moments with our group of teens, hanging and eating, the happy parts. The alt post-rock is the heavy backbone, telling a sad story about natural disasters, and can have a beautiful melancholy to it.
Then the J-rock gets you into action, screaming to make go fast and get stuff done! Pure vibes and madness!
I think giving you a couple of examples of each would help. I’m overthinking this question, but I’m also vibing. Also, is this an official playlist that I just made?
Clammbon by Nujabes – Imaginary Folklore
—
toe – Everything Means Nothing
Dying Giants – And so I watch you from afar
Maybeshewill – Not for want of trying
(This has all the sorrow and anger of the world in it.)
—
Polkadot Stingray – Telecaster Stripes
(Yes, the last two ones are the same band with different names — I just love them so much!)
—
(To cap it off with some video game vibes!)
Courtesy of BOOM! Studios.
AIPT: With Woods and Wynd under your belt with James Tynion IV, do you foresee the two of you working together again, or maybe forever?!
MD: Wynd isn’t under our belt yet! We still have a book or two to get to once I finish up Zawa!
So, yeah, we’ll be working together again soon enough and probably forever — haha!
You must be logged in to post a comment.