Comic book creator Omak Vera has built his work around a love of comics, animation, and the larger-than-life movies of the 1980s. Drawing inspiration from everything from The Road Warrior and RoboCop to Thundarr the Barbarian, Transformers, and X-Men, Vera has carried those influences into his own independent comics, including Tales of Scarcity. His latest project, Doom Fighter Fuga, sees him teaming with Shane Berryhill and Keith Finch for an interdimensional fighting story that brings a lighter tone and manga influence to his work. Fanboy Factor’s Anthony Andujar Jr. caught up with Vera to discuss his creative journey, balancing comics with everyday life, and the development of Doom Fighter Fuga.
Interviewee: Omak Vera
Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr
Q1: What set you on the path and influenced your journey into comics?
OV: I think it stems from when I was a little kid in the ’80s. There were so many great movies and cartoons coming out—The Road Warrior, Escape from New York, They Live, RoboCop, just to name a few. That’s not even mentioning all the comics and cartoons from that time, which really inspired the kind of vibe I try to capture in my own work. Growing up, comic books were everywhere in grocery stores, convenience stores, and waiting rooms. They were just a part of everyday life for as long as I can remember, so naturally, I wanted to try making them myself.
Q2: Were there any particular movies and music that shaped the way you view storytelling and art, and how did it influence your approach to making comics?
OV: Movies from the ’80s were a huge influence on me and my work. There was so much great stuff—The Terminator, Predator, and a lot of the cartoons from that era. Thundarr the Barbarian was one of my favorites, along with Transformers, G.I. Joe, and, of course, X-Men. All of that stuff I consumed in the ’80s and beyond became a big part of my creative DNA and continues to influence the kind of stories and artwork I make.
Q3: What were notable comic projects that you feel changed your approach to your craft?
OV: One of my own projects that really changed my approach was Tales of Scarcity. It was basically my first creative endeavor; it’s the comic I learned on. It was so cool to be able to build a post-apocalyptic, superhero, political thriller with an aspect of the supernatural cross-genre extravaganza. It consisted of a bunch of short stories and gave me a chance to experiment with storytelling and drawing. A lot of what I know about making comics came from working it out through that project. However, I’m still learning and evolving. I also had the great honor to contribute to a bunch of super fun fan projects that really opened me up to the independent comics community where I met a lot of cool folks, and I felt encouraged to make more comics!
Q4: As a creator, you balance many things, working on comics and a day job outside of comics. When balancing art and life, what is something you feel creatives often take for granted, and what’s something that is valuable in life that impacts your creative life?
OV: I have a full-time job working in construction, and sometimes that makes creating difficult— especially when I’m using jackhammers, shovels, or doing other physical work where my hands can get pretty sore. Sometimes you have to let them rest, and you’re definitely less productive art-wise when the construction work gets heavy. But construction also has lulls and breaks between projects, so I try to use those periods to create. If I have a comic project going during a particularly busy stretch, I make an effort to prioritize some time for it. If my hands are hurting and I can’t draw, I’ll switch gears and do some writing, brainstorming, or thumbnails instead. I’ve learned to work around the situation rather than completely stop creating. Sketching and brainstorming are also really important for feeding my creativity. Reading, watching movies, and taking in good material that inspires me all help keep that creative energy going.
Q5: You currently have a comic in the works titled Doom Fighter Fuga. What’s the story about?
OV: Doom Fighter Fuga is about an awkward young man who gets transported into an
interdimensional fighting tournament for unknown reasons and eventually discovers that he’s actually pretty good at it. It’s a different kind of project from what I usually do. I’m working with Shane Berryhill and Keith Finch on this one, and normally I work by myself and develop my own ideas. With Doom Fighter Fuga, we developed the project together. It also has a lot more humor. I usually gravitate toward post-apocalyptic stories and darker tones, while this is lighter and funnier. It’s been a really enjoyable change of pace.
Q6: What inspired the formation of this comic, and what has the development been like to get it off the ground?
OV: It started when I did a pin-up for Shane Berryhill’s Deathslinger book. He asked if I’d be interested in working with them, and eventually he reached out and asked what kind of project I’d like to work on. Originally, I was going to work on a Samson comic that Shane had written, but we decided it would be more interesting to develop something completely from scratch. That eventually became Doom Fighter Fuga. Once Shane sent me the script, I started doing concept sketches. For me, sketching is one of the most important parts of developing something because that’s how I start getting a feel for the characters and the world. After that, I sat with the script for a while and started laying out the pages. It’s been a slower process, but that has actually been a good thing. I’ve been able to take my time and really put some love into the pages. I’m enjoying the process, and I think the work is coming out better because of it.
Q7. What do you feel sets Doom Fighter Fuga apart from anything that you’ve worked on previously?
OV: Usually I work from my own partial scripts. The way I write leaves a lot of room for me to figure things out visually as I’m drawing. With Doom Fighter Fuga, I’m working from Shane’s script and ideas, but he gives me that same kind of freedom, so I’m still able to use a process that feels natural to me. What really sets this project apart is the tone. It’s lighter and funnier than most of my work, and I think the artwork is more refined because I’m taking more time with the pages instead of rushing through them. It’s teaching me a lot. I’m growing as an artist, and having other people involved means I have people to bounce ideas off of while we develop the story. It’s been a really good process, and I think that shows in the work.
Q8. What do you find is creatively challenging when working on Doom Fighter Fuga?
OV: One of the biggest challenges is getting the comedic timing right. Shane helps a lot with that because his scripts are descriptive about what he needs from a scene. There’s also the challenge of keeping everything consistent while taking more time on the artwork. Normally I can work through pages faster, but with this project I’m deliberately slowing myself down and working through the difficulties of putting each page together. In a way, it’s refreshing. It’s almost like going back to school for me. I’m learning while I’m doing it.
Q9. What is something that you hope for readers to take away when they read this book?
OV: More than anything, I hope people just have fun with it and enjoy reading it. Like I said, it’s different from the other work I usually do, and there’s more of a manga influence here. Growing up, I watched things like Star Blazers and Robotech along with a lot of the Japanese animation that was making its way over here in the ’80s. I’ve always wanted to do something with that kind of manga and anime influence, and Doom Fighter Fuga has given me the opportunity to explore it. I’m having a lot of fun making it, and hopefully readers can feel that when they read the book.
Q10. Where can readers follow your work for updates on this book and future projects?
OV: You can follow my work on Instagram at Ronin2K. That’s where I’ll be posting updates, behind- the-scenes looks, and news about new projects. You can also sign up for my newsletter at KingRonin100@gmail.com
Dan Kleiner