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Amy Chu and Kristin Sorra Discuss Capturing NYC, Coloring Comics, and Working on DMC #1.5

The creative team behind the upcoming DMC sequel get in-depth about the book.

Cover by Tula Lotay
Cover by Tula Lotay

Last year, Darryl Makes Comics introduced itself to the world with the book DMC, a book that starred Run DMC member and publisher Darryl DMC McDaniels as a super-hero in an alternate universe where he never picked up the mic and became a super-hero who fights crime. Now, the new super-hero universe expands with DMC #1.5 "Lak6," which follows the newest hero in this world, featuring art from Allison Smith. We talked to Editor-in-chief Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, writer Amy Chu, and colorist Kristin Sorra on the phone about this series.

Editor-in-chief of DMC Comics, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, opened the conversation talking about the company and how they wanted to tell stories based in New York City and how they want to expand the universe, starting with DMC last year. Publisher Darryl DMC McDaniels didn't want to be the only super-hero in this world. Edgardo said Lak6, a young graffiti writer, was introduced in the first story and they wanted to make a story that included it. Writer Greg Pak helped them with the ideas for the first book and suggested to work with Amy Chu. They wanted Lak6 to have her own story before jumping into a second volume of DMC. DMC Comics pushes diversity within its creators and its characters, which is very important to the growing company.

Miranda-Rodriguez goes on to say that they wanted to give the character dimension and give her that first adventure. Chu said she was excited to work on the book and in the alternate universe of the 80s. She talked about her inspiration. She took an art class, which was an excuse for her to go to New York City and she became really interested in graffiti art in NYC and she took pictures of the art around the city for the project. She said the artform was male dominated, but she found Lady Pink, an artist who Chu got really excited about. Lady Pink does the graffiti art within this book, so it all came full circle.

Colorist Kristin Sorra said that she liked doing a collaborative project. When she worked on colors in the past, it was a bit thankless and male dominated. Sorra said she's always inspired by new ideas, talent, and company. "It's what drives me, creatively." She says she was a little intimidated because it had been a while since she did interior color work. A lot of her career is based in children's books, so she enjoyed the fact the main character is younger.

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"There's some amazing colors in this" Chu went on to say.

Miranda-Rodriguez praised Sorra's art for her being a pioneer in digital coloring and working collaboratively on this book with the mixed media or comic art and graffiti art. He said they wanted to recreate a lot of elements from NYC, during the time this book takes place, like the electricity going out in the cars as it traveled. He says Kristin really pushes everyone on the art team to be better and to raise the bar.

Sorra says being a colorist now is easier because the art is much more respected and recognized. She says when she used do colors, everyone was a fine artist because everything was done by hand and no one was working on computers. "What people can do with a computer now blows me away."

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Within the available preview for the book, Sorra is doing something that hearkens back to a flashier time in comics with much more contemporary shading. "I was in a crunch for this. I'm a product of the 80s. I'm a child of the 80s" explained Sorra. "That's another reason why I was so drawn to the book. Bright colors, with a bit of rendering and a bit of grit and texture. I like to combine the two. It does have a traditional comic style, and I kinda wanted to ground it, in that sense."

As for the character Lak6, the star of the book, Chu put it simply by saying "She's a badass." Chu said she doesn't have super-powers, but that's not the point. "She's a real girl. She's a real smart girl. She's badass. She aspires to be DMC. He's her idol. We wanted to make a story girls could relate to but boys could relate to as well. This is somebody who grew up in New York City. She's got some baggage, but she's got a fierce determination. New York City, back in the day, was not quite so nice, bright, and shiny. It was gritty. She's a kid who thrives in that kind of environment." Chu says Lak6 is a martial artist and learning that craft.

A big part of the original DMC, as well as #1.5, is the city it takes place in. "New York City is the backdrop, but it's also a character" says Chu. She says part of the exciting part of the book was working with the city, its environment, and culture of NYC during the 80s.

Thanks to Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Amy Chu, and Kristin Sorra for talking to us about the book. DMC #1.5 goes on sale in NYC on Wednesday, September 2 at Forbidden Planet and will be available at both NYCC and Comikaze.

Amelia Vidal's DMC & LAK6 centerfold poster from DMC #1.5
Amelia Vidal's DMC & LAK6 centerfold poster from DMC #1.5