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February 28, 2007
Taking a Look at Septagon
Studios and Scorn
by Rik Offenberger
Septagon Studios’ debut title Scorn, launched to strong reviews
form fans and pros alike. Septagon president Nicola Defina stopped by to
chat with Newsarama about what it is like when dreams come true and how
Septagon selected their first title.
Newsarama: Septagon is a family business, what advantages
does this give you in the market place?
Nicola Defina: There are many advantages of having a family
business in the market place. We all have common goals and similar
views. We work together as a team and function as a unit. We have known
each other for our whole lives, so we can easily give constructive
criticism and take it. We have diverse strengths in various departments,
and most of all there are never any major disagreements. We balance each
other out with our different educational backgrounds. Our focus is on
one thing only, to do what’s best for Septagon Studios.
NRAMA: Let’s break that down - who are the officers in the
company and how are they related to you?
ND: We have three officers within the company. Philip Defina is
the V.P and Art Director, Domenic Defina is the Art Consultant, and
myself Nicola Defina the President of Septagon Studios. Aside from
Philip and Domenic being brothers they are also my cousins.
NRAMA: You’ve said that working the comic book field has been a
life long dream of yours. Now that you’ve made it, how does the reality
of being a publisher differ from the dream?
ND: Being a publisher does not differ from the dream at all. I
always envisioned working within the comic industry in some form or
another. I have a real passion for comics that developed at an early
age. Being a publisher allows us to fully create, to be free, and put
out some unique projects. Ultimately it allows us to bring the
imaginations of others to life.
NRAMA: What is the benefit to creators to bring their creator
owned projects to Septagon instead of larger companies like Image or
Dark Horse?
ND: Septagon offers many benefits to creators. We offer unmatched
communication with our creators. Contact with creators through email and
instant messengers a daily basis. Septagon treats all projects and
creators equal. Each piece of work will be marketed accordingly so that
it receives maximum exposure. One of the benefits that we focus on is
complete creator freedom. We want our creators to produce work in which
they feel comfortable with. We feel that if creators utilize their
abilities by setting their creativity to push the envelope and
experiment then they will be able to produce a solid body of work. The
only limitations are the creator’s imaginations. No rules, no
boundaries, no restrictions, just complete creator freedom at Septagon
Studios.
NRAMA: You partially fund creator-owned projects. Does that limit
the number of title you can produce?
ND: As a company that’s just starting to get its feet wet, the
answer is yes it will limit the amount of titles we produce initially.
We are hoping that with the start of the New Year, we will be able to
offer more to our readers. We are not here to inflate the marketplace;
we want to keep things simple for our readers and retailers offering
them quality products over quantity.
NRAMA: How do creators submit their projects to Septagon?
ND: We want creators to submit creative and original ideas. We
want them to experiment with layout, format and structure. We look at
experimentation as a key element. Septagon Studios accepts pitches and
full proposals. Our forum is fully functional and occupied with creators
looking to collaborate.
For submission guidelines visit
http://www.septagonstudios.com/PROPOSALS.html
For our forums visit
http://forums.septagonstudios.com
NRAMA: Septagon started in 2003 and you are just now publishing
your first comic. What took 4 years between forming the company and
publication of the first comic?
ND: The initial idea was in fact created four years ago. Septagon
Studios was then incorporated in 2005. As an independent company there
are many obstacles that must be overcome before launching a title. We
had to insure that all contracts and administrative policies were
completed before launch. We did plenty of research prior to the
incorporation. With our first publication we did not wait for
submissions, we began searching for a unique title that would stand out
and reflect the very foundation of Septagon Studios. During that process
we finalized our business plan, and our marketing objectives. We will
not be pushing satisfactory products, we intend to put 110 percent in
every aspect of the company and infuse that energy into all projects.
NRAMA: Was this all part of the original business plan or did
things move slower then expected?
ND: With the original business plan we had hoped for an earlier
release. As I mentioned previously every publisher has their setbacks.
Ultimately it is up to the publisher to choose how to handle those
setbacks. We chose to push forward and here we are today with Scorn.
NRAMA: How did you decide on the initial comic to launch your
company?
ND: We wanted a comic that represented and conveyed the idea of
Creator freedom. We searched for a title that would stand out with not
only the artwork but the story as well. Scorn had that look, the
art is unconventional the story isn’t your typical revenge fiction. It
is a book derived from passion and hard work from we publisher, but also
from the creators Kevin Moyers and Philipp Neundorf. This project will
set the benchmark of future titles that will be published through
Septagon Studios.
NRAMA: Who is Kevin Moyers and how did he get involved with
Septagon?
ND: Kevin was born and raised in Chicago. His great ambition is
displayed through his fantastic works. He has a great attitude and is a
straight forward type of guy. 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. He is
also an accomplished writer. Currently he is involved in writing two
television shows that are in production.
(Kevin Moyers joins us at this point)
Kevin Moyers: I'm just a guy with a simple dream. I want to write
for a living. I don't remember exactly how I got hooked up with Septagon.
I think they found Philipp first, and we went from there.
ND: Kevin's involvement through Septagon Studios happened in a
very strange sort of way. We initially contacted Philipp Neundorf. We
wanted to know more information about Scorn and who exactly was
the creator. Soon enough I was in contacts with Kevin with an offer on
the table.
NRAMA: Scorn: Obsessed is your first title, what is it
about?
KM: It’s a story of a young man seeking revenge for the murder of
his best friend. He's a regular kid filled with your usual angst, so you
can imagine how an event like this could set him off.
NRAMA: Was Philipp S. Neundorf involved with Scorn from
the beginning?
KM: No. I had another artist on Scorn initially, but he
proved to be unreliable. Once I found Philipp, there was no need to keep
looking. I found the right man for the job.
NRAMA: What type of reaction have you received from the first
issue of Scorn?
KM: Great reaction from readers and the reviews have been very
positive. I have found that Scorn has gotten great response from
female readers, which is very encouraging.
ND: With the release of the first issue the response and reaction
has been filled with positive reviews. We have also received great
responses from creators within the industry as well.
The reaction towards Scorn since its announcement has been
overwhelming. With the release of the Scorn trailer, many readers
inside and outside the comic book industry have been curious to know
what the book is all about.
[The Scorn trailer can be found at the following links:
http://www.septagonstudios.com/trail...rntrailer.html
http://www.myspace.com/septagonstudios ]
NRAMA: Your official statement is “The objective of Septagon
Studios is to add to the diversity of the comic book market with a wide
variety of titles” So what are those other titles and when can we expect
to see them?
ND: Our primary objective at the moment is Scorn. We want
to give the miniseries its rightful attention; however, we do have a
diverse set of projects lined up, some on contract and others that are
being discussed as we speak. We hope to be launching some of those
projects within the New Year. All announcements will be made soon.
NRAMA: What will fans notice about Septagon that will
encourage them to build brand loyalty?
ND: Fans will notice how we strive to be different with
everything we set out to do. We are unlike any small press independent
publisher. We take pride in the quality of work we produce. This is
displayed through our website, and our first title Scorn. The
art, story and quality of the printing are top grade. We are confident
in saying that when you pick up a Septagon Studios book, you are not
just getting a great story or only great art. We deliver a full and
complete package that will enhance the experience of the reader. Our
plan is to relate our titles to many genres and not limiting ourselves
to specifics that are fads in the industry. We are not here to saturate
the market with books and ideas that already have been done.
NRAMA: What other creators are working at Septagon?
ND: We consider our creators part of our staff. Preston Park
Cooper (Half-Dead) is our Editor In Chief; he has been very
helpful in day to day operations. Anthony Zicari is our Marketing
Assistant he has secured some very important contacts. Chris Hansbrough
is our Editor who works on copy editing and has been a tremendous help
to Septagon Studios. David Hayes is a writer and has worked on Scorn
issues #3 and #4 as well as some other projects. These are just some of
the people who have been working with Septagon Studios.
Scorn #1 is currently out, and is also available for purchase
directly through the Septagon Studios website:
http://store.septagonstudios.com, with a cover price of $3.50
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