Iron Circus Comics latest independent crowdfunding campaign for the final installment in the Cautionary Fables series: The Lizard Prince and Other South American Tales is another 200 pages of traditional fables and folktales by an array of talented artists.
We spoke to editor Alberto Rayo about the new entry and what it is like putting together such a diverse and vibrant collection in this exclusive interview.
How did you initially become involved in the Cautionary Fables series?
Alberto Rayo: I was recommended by Joamette Gil from Power & Magic Press after our work in Mañana: Latinx Comics From The 25th Century. Before that, I read the Asia edition of the series which I loved!
Was it difficult deciding on specific stories? Which one spoke to you the most out of the stories?
Rayo: We asked the authors to propose the stories they wanted to make. Our decision was based on their strength as cartoonists and to avoid too many similarities between the stories. Something we learnt was that a lot of South American fables involve birds! I think the ones that spoke to me were “The Ring” and “The Lizard Prince”. I loved the eeriness of the stories and how they portrayed the places the stories occurred.
What goes into the process of arranging the stories in a mythological anthology like this one and your previous volumes?
Rayo: The stories that we have in the book are as diverse as the authors and countries themselves, and I think that’s one of the strongest characteristics of our anthology. Arranging it can be tricky since every process is a bit different, but a good rule of thumb is to have the less scary stories first. That way, the kids can read as much as they decide.
How do you determine which stories get paired with each creator?
Rayo: As I mentioned, every author proposes the story they want to tell. Other factors in our decision was the page count and how fleshed out the story was in their proposal. Letting the authors pick the stories they wanted to tell was important, we wanted them to adapt stories close to their hearts!
Why do comics and folktales/mythology make such a great marriage in terms of the medium?
Rayo: Because comics are the best medium!!!! Haha, sorry, okay, I seriously think that the medium allows stories to be told at a rhythm that lets every reader have an unique experience. Each one of them can focus on a sequence, panel, dialogue that they keep as the part of the comic that truly impacts them. Mythology and folktales work in a similar way due to their condition as lore where one part of the story is kept in every retelling. Comics allow these stories to maintain that while also giving them a pace and a design for their iconic characters!
Any plans for a large collection of all of the regions’ stories?
Rayo: There are no exact plans at the moment, but I’d be sure to check Iron Circus Comics’ socials to get to know the new releases! They are @IronCircus on Ig and @IronCircusComix on Twitter.
Cautionary Fables & Fairytales: The Lizard Prince and Other South American Stories is available to back until September 21.
