Australia Day Interview: Ash Madi

G’Day Crusaders,

Up and coming artist & co-creator of Hellbent Ash Madi wanted to share his love of comics and his journey so far..

How did you get into comics?

When I was a child, my cousin brought around a copy of Spawn #27 and I was blown away by McFarlane“s art. I was already a fan of Batman, Superman etc, from the old-school movies, but it was McFarlane and Spawn that sparked my love of comics.

Which particular title is your favourite?

My favourite title would have to be Dan Mendoza“s Zombie Tramp. I instantly fell in love with Mendoza“s style. The art is sexy. The story is funny, lighthearted, and packed with action. It“s the title that got me into comic book collecting as an adult.

What made you decide to get into making your own book?

After a long, long break from drawing, I eased back into it by doing some fan art. I quickly realised that my passion was to create and share my own characters/stories instead of drawing other artist“s creations. That was the turning point for me.

What have been the challenges in making your first book?

Everything”¦to a certain degree. I“m a self-taught artist/colourist who, up until Hellbent issue 0, has only done “museum poses”“, so to speak. Going from that to telling a part of a story in every panel has been very challenging.

Based on what you learned, what advice can you share with other creators who are thinking about starting?

I feel like I“m still learning so I can“t really give advice”¦but for the creators that are hesitant to start their projects, follow your passion. Start somewhere and take it one panel at a time. If you“re doing it for yourself and for the love of comics, you can“t go wrong.

Tell us about your beautiful wife, as she was involved in your comic creation.

Not only is Skyla beautiful, but she“s extremely talented too. She“s an international bestselling romance author who“s always working hard. With Hellbent, it was hard having two creative minds in the one place, working on the one project. In the beginning, I found myself trying to tell Skyla how to do her job, but after reading Hellbent issue 0, I now know to stay out of her way and let her do her thing.

Romantic suspense, contemporary, and erotic romance are her strong suits when it comes to writing and we“re hoping to incorporate her “novel-ish”“ style into Hellbent.
You can find a myriad of Skyla“s books on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Skyla-Madi/e/B00AJ3MTSE) or order the paperbacks from pretty much any bookstore etc.

When will Hellbent # 1 be released?

We“re aiming to release issue one in the first quarter of 2017 (by March).

Where can fans buy your books?

You can download a digital copy of Hellbent Issue 0 on Amazon (Kindle) for $1.99 (USD) or FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Alternatively, you can order physical copies at www.tightropecomics.com

We are also hoping to tackle some Supanova expos this year and in 2018. Here“s a peek of the exclusive covers.

What does Australia Day mean to you?

For me, it“s a day to celebrate living in such a wonderful multicultural society and appreciating this great country.

Author Profile

Shane Tydeman

The Wonder from Down Under,
Dodgy is a senior contributor to Comic Crusaders. Co-Host of The Yeah-Nah Wepa Show! An advocate of indie comics and is creator of Indie Comics podcasts Flipside Focus, Sunderkatz and Think Indie Podcast!

An unapologetic movie fan, NBA fan, action figure, trading card fan! Also an advocate for Depression awareness!