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.Nick Defina is President of Septagon Studios Incorporated and
when SBC said he was up for an interview I decided to ask a few
questions about the new comic publishing house.
                                   

TH: Well, Nick, I guess I have to ask that first
question of how long have you been a comics fan?
ND:I have been a comics fan for quite some time.
The very first book that made me an instant fan
of comics was Alpha Flight #76 dated November 1989.
It was that very book that had me addicted. I now
have Alpha Flight framed and mounted. It is one of
the reasons why I am where I am today.   TH: What were your favorite comics as a youngster
and then as you got older -and how have they influenced
you, if at all? 
 

ND:When I was young I had many favorites. I was
mostly into the superhero comics published either
by Marvel Comics, Valiant Comics, DC Comics or Dark
Horse. Some of my favorite characters to note were
Spiderman, Batman, and Magnus Robot Fighter.            

As I started to get older I became a heavy fan of Image
Comics. For me, Spawn was one of the most influential
characters. I still enjoy reading Spawn books. When Image
was born it made me realize that they are many different
types of stories to be told in various styles and formats.

TH: So can I ask when you decided that you wanted
to get into comics?  Did you have aspirations of being
a comic writer or artist?
 

ND:When I was young I loved drawing. Drawing ideas that
I had, I felt a sense of freedom not to mention that kept
me occupied everyday. I created stories that were based on
one page illustrations. Once my ideas became overwhelming I
decided to write about them. That is when I discovered my
true passion. Writing played a great role in my life when I
was younger and still does today. 

TH: And now we have Septagon Studios Inc.  When exactly
did you decide to become a comic book publisher as opposed
to other, possibly more lucrative forms of employment? 

ND:It was a hard decision. I did plenty of research on the
comic book industry before I made my choice. I was always
interested in becoming a comic book writer, but at the same
time I wanted more. I wanted to be more involved. Upon
researching aspects on the Comic industry I came across a
commonality that so many Publishers stood by.

Creators had to conform to the Publishers style and their techniques,
drawing in a certain way or writing in a certain manner. That is when
I started coming up with ideas and sketches. I had so many
ideas and so I decided to venture into publishing. As a
child I loved the freedom to create, without imposed restrictions.
I asked myself “why would it not work for a Publishing company?”

That is why we created Septagon Studios, a company where creators
would be able to unleash their imagination and creativity and bring
their ideas and dreams to life. This is my passion and I would not
change this with any other type of employment for the world. This
is not a job for me; it is something I love to do. 

TH: So, why “Septagon”?
 

ND:Septagon Studios was created to venture forward from the traditional
way we look and read comics today. Septagon Studios was created from a collaborative effort. My cousins and I have done extensive research to
bring Septagon Studios where it is today.  We believe that we can provide readers with a new experience. Septagon Studios is about being Imaginative and Creative and using those skills to create something that is truly distinctive. We put emphasis on creator freedom, we allow our creators to express themselves and be free. This enables our creators to use their abilities to their fullest potential.

As for the name Septagon, it was chosen because it is truly unique in every aspect. There are many secrets on the whole concept behind Septagon Studios but at this point of time we cannot divulge any. We feel that when the time is right the truth about Septagon Studios will be unleashed.

TH: Now, there isn’t much on your web site at the moment apart from a few teaser pages and these are from your first-to-be-published title, SCORN.  What can you tell us about this -is it a mini series, one-off or—–?      
 

ND:Scorn was designed as a limited series. Scorn is a dark tale of revenge that uses real Windy City locations as its backdrop. Kevin Moyers also uses actual events to set the story in motion. The gritty and unique artwork from Philipp Neundorf brings this emotional tale to life. The book revolves around 19 years old Michael Riggs whom witnesses the murder of his best friend at the hand of notorious gang leader Robert Torres. Michael becomes obsessed, and nothing can stop him on his vicious and bloody rampage of vigilante justice.  
 

TH: SCORN begins rather grimly -is it a vigilante style comic or super hero?

ND:I would not call Scorn a super hero style comic book, in fact Septagon Studios has enforced a great policy that as a company we will refrain ourselves from publishing super-hero tales. We believe there are plenty of Superheroes currently in market with many stories and characters to choose from. Readers can get their
super-hero doses from Marvel and DC Comics. Scorn is a vigilante story based solely on vengeance and obsession.  
 

TH: Big question, natch, who is writing the comic and who is the artist[s]
-new talent?

ND:Scorn is written by: Kevin Moyers with Artwork provided by: Philipp Neundorf Kevin was born and raised in Chicago. At the age of 26 he finally realized his love for entertaining. He has already acted in several films such as Machined from Lions Gate Films, and performs stand-up comedy at clubs throughout Arizona. Kevin is known for speaking his mind, whether on stage or on his weekly radio show. Kevin is also an accomplished writer. He is writing two television shows currently
in production. 

Philipp S. Neundorf lives and works as an artist inBerlin, Germany.
He started focusing on comics about five years ago. Since then he’s published several short stories, various cover artwork and pinups, both online and printed. Next to that, he exhibits his artistic work in Berlin whenever possible. He has also worked as a graphic designer for video games, and has been known to illustrate the occasional
CD cover. His most recent published work can be found in Images comics Runes of Ragnan #4.

TH: When can we expect to see Scorn on the comic book shelves? 

ND:In regards to Scorn’s release date we are pleased to announce that Scorn will be available for pre-order on May 7, 2007 directly from the Septagon Studios Inc website. The book will ship once it becomes available. Fans and readers that Pre-Order the book will also receive a free special limited edition lithograph more details are to follow.
Scorn is set to make its debut at this year’s Paradise Comic Con in

Toronto June 8-10. The announcement will be made first on our website with related press in regards to Distribution information.

TH: And do you have the next comic lined up -and even more importantly; what’s it about?

ND:Currently we have a wide array of projects that are in the contract negotiation stage, as well as some that are being put to paper as we speak. At the moment we cannot reveal any works. Once the news breaks, it will be posted on our website.
(www.septagonstudios.com ).  
 

TH: You’re based in Canada, right?  So you follow in a fine tradition of Canuck Comics, Vortex and Aardvark Vanaheim -do you think being Canadian based will be an advantage or disadvantage? 

ND:Yes we are based in Toronto, Canada. We believe the Canadian market needs something new and unique, and that is where Septagon Studios comes in to play. Septagon Studios will bring an alternative medium and will add a little something different to the mix.

Currently there are some terrific Canadian Publishers such
as Arcana Studios, andDrawn & Quarterly, to name a few. We believe being a new Canadian Publisher will work as advantage. At the moment there are not too many Canadian Publishers, so by having something truly unique as Septagon Studios, we will be offering comic book fans a change and a choice from the ordinary.

TH: And anyone reads this that might have a project proposal in mind -are you limiting Septagon to a specific genre or is everything from horror, super hero, crime, etc. acceptable?  

ND:As of now we are planning not to publish any super-hero titles. However we will publish everything and anything beyond that bracket that we feel will bring something new to the market. We want people to submit creative, original ideas. We will pin point your weaknesses and make them stronger. We accept pitches and full proposals we are willing to work with writers and artists. We have a fully functional forum full of creators looking to collaborate. 

For submission guidelines visit
http://www.septagonstudios.com/PROPOSALS.html

For our forums visit  
http://forums.septagonstudios.com  

TH: Okay, here is a chance for the big pitch!  Why should someone buy a Septagon Studios Comic book -what will, fingers crossed, make it better than most of the other Independent comics we can find in store?
 

ND:Septagon Studios books will be uniquely classified in terms of story telling, artwork, and panel structures, thus creating a new comic book experience. We have up and coming new talent and new artists that are unheard of in North America. Septagon Studios is about freedom of expression and the desire to go beyond and that is what we want to provide our readers with. We plan on breaking traditions and setting new boundaries. 

I would like to conclude this interview with a final thought. “Be imaginative, be creative, be yourself. Think outside the box, or better yet, think that the box doesn’t exist”. Unleash your talent and the rest will follow”. 

TH: Nick -my thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions and the best of luck with Septagon! 
ND:Thank you for the great interview Terry