"A rousing, satisfying graphic novel adventure"
Reviewer Peter Dabbene Interviews Tyler Chin-Tanner, Author of Mezo: Battle at Cobán Rock
With hundreds of reviews of indie graphic novels for Foreword Reviews over the years, Peter Dabbene has developed a keen eye for exemplary projects—countless librarians and booksellers have learned to rely on his judgment.
And when the opportunity arose to connect Peter with Tyler Chin-Tanner, author and publisher of Mezo: Battle at Cobán Rock, we were thrilled to see that in his review, Peter found the book to be full of “incredible creatures and magic,” outstanding artwork, and dynamic action. We had no doubt the conversation would offer a master class in what makes a compelling illustrated book for adults.
Enjoy!
Mezo: Battle at Cobán Rock is the second book in the Mezo series. It’s published by A Wave Blue World, the company you started in 2005. How did you first get involved in making comics? How challenging is it to be creative while also keeping an eye on the business side of things?
I co-founded A Wave Blue World with my wife, Wendy, during my final year of art school (The Kubert School). I knew that I wanted to work on my own stories after graduation as the idea of doing work-for-hire on other publisher’s properties didn’t appeal to me. That’s why it made sense to form my own company. And this would also help keep everything of mine under one umbrella, so to speak.
As far as running the business, it is difficult to balance that end of things while also finding enough time in the day to be creative. They’re different mindsets. I find I have to either split up the day or alternate. Some days I’ll fully immerse myself in a story, while other days I’ll blitz a whole bunch of emails, contracts, and financial statements.
With its large cast of characters, and seamless blending of historical and fantasy elements (including magic), the Mezo series reminds me a bit of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire—though steeped in the history and culture of a different continent. Is that a fair comparison? For those who aren’t familiar with Mezo, how would you describe the series in a sentence or two?
I refer to Mezo as a Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy epic. The refugees from a natural disaster build an empire of their own. But the Emperor convinces his people that their god has predestined them to rule the entire land. With that as a driving force, they begin their conquest over all the other tribes.
Who would you say are your main storytelling influences, in comics or other media? Any particular books or storylines that made their mark on you, either in general, or specifically with regard to the Mezo series?
I’d have to say that the Star Wars movies, the Lord of the Rings books, and the Elfquest comic book series all had a big influence on this story. Nothing too specific. I wanted Mezo to stand on its own, but nothing is completely original. And if you’re going to draw inspiration from somewhere, it might as well be from the best.
In the first book of the series, Mezo: Rise of the Tzalekuhl, you included some fascinating historical notes regarding the inspiration for the series, and recommended books for further reading on the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, along with Mesoamerican astrology. What prompted the idea of a story set during this cultural era, and how far did you go in conducting your research?
I did a lot of research on Mesoamerican history and civilizations. I read a number of books that covered everything from Maya and Aztec society, mythology, and even astrology. Although Mezo is a fantasy tale, I wanted it to be based on something real. At the time I started this, I didn’t feel there were enough stories that drew its inspiration from this particular region and point in history. It’s started to improve, but there’s just so much untapped material. I look forward to seeing what else could come from it.
Fantasy fans will have plenty to love in Mezo aside from swords and sorcery—in Mezo: Battle at Cobán Rock, there’s a giant creature called a t’jaktl, along with a number of other fantastic creatures. Are any of those based on actual legends from the area?
I had to include some animals, right? And the jaguar was such an important part of their mythology that it made sense for that animal to show up in a “big” way. The Aztec word for jaguar is tlacaocelotl, so I came up with a word that was similar, but not exact.
Some character names, like Itza’be and Ne’nezi, seem distinctly Mesoamerican, while others, like Kyma and Roden, seem like they might have been “adapted” to be easier for the English-speaking audience. Did the names of the characters and locations come out of your research, or did you invent names that would “fit” in the Mezo world? Is there any particular significance to those names?
The names are a bit of a mixed bag. Some I came up with completely on my own, while others have connections to the Mesoamerican history and mythology. Take the hero twins, for example. We have our own version of the twins in Mezo. They’re a brother and sister duo named Uhna and Balaque. In the actual mythology, it’s two brothers named Hunahpú and Xbalanqué.
That’s probably the closest I got to using actual names as I really wanted the hero twins represented in this story, even if it was our own versions. The other names are loosely taken from other gods, or have meanings that fit their personalities.
The artwork is amazing, and extremely detailed in its depictions of everyday life, clothing, and even sporting events from the time period. How much of Val Rodrigues’ work required hunting for references, and how much was pure imagination? Was deciding on a character’s armor, weapons, and appearance a collaborative effort, or did you give Val a free hand to design them based on your script?
Val’s artwork has been amazing, but I should mention that the original character designs were by Josh Zingerman. Josh was my first collaborator on Mezo. He drew the first two issues of Volume 1 before leaving for a storyboarding job. Val took over midway through that arc and has continued ever since. He’s done a lot of world building of his own and has even put his own spin on the characters.
I’ve been sending him a lot of reference along the way. Whatever I can find that might help, but I’m not trying to be too prescriptive. This is a fantasy world after all. I want Val to feel free to be as creative as possible. I’ll describe characters and settings as well as I can, and then send him some images to look at. But in the end, it’s up to him to depict a lot of this stuff as he sees fit.
It’s been a fun collaboration and I think that creativity really jumps out on the page. Mezo is very unique. It doesn’t look like anything else out there.
There’s obviously more planned for the story of Mezo, as Volume 3, The Trial of Roden, is slated for release in 2023. How far ahead have you mapped out this story, and how long do you anticipate it being when completed?
I’ve mapped out five volumes for the series. I’m not positive I’ll be able to fit the finale in a single volume, so maybe it will end up being six. But I do have a solid plan as to where this is all going. This isn’t to say there haven’t been some stories that have developed along the way, or took a turn that surprised even me, but the groundwork is there. It was important to me to avoid the problem some stories fall into where they build up a lot of mystery and intrigue, but then aren’t able to tie it all together at the end. I feel pretty confident that everything we’re building toward will come to a satisfying conclusion and readers will be glad they stuck around for the end.
BATTLE AT COBÁN ROCK
MEZO: VOLUME 2
Tyler Chin-Tanner Val Rodrigues (Illustrator) Gab Contreras (Illustrator) Varga Tomi (Illustrator) A Wave Blue World (Nov 15, 2022)
Brave tribal members battle religious warriors who are bent on exterminating those who don’t follow their god in the Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy graphic novel Battle at Cobán Rock.
A large cast of characters populates this world, including Kyma, who seeks an alliance with her estranged mother and her tribe of warriors. Kyma believes that such a partnership is the only way to defeat the Tzalekuhl Empire, which seeks to eliminate anyone who doesn’t convert to its religion. Incredible creatures and magic play important roles; and an impending eclipse has serious implications, unless the missing pieces of a celestial seed are found and brought together.
This vibrant world with Mesoamerican influences features Mayan- and Aztec-inspired architecture, clothing, and sports, all incorporated as parts of a larger imaginative landscape. People on all sides of the narrative have rich backstories and a variety of perspectives on the unfolding events. Drama permeates the book as questions of loyalty and betrayal are cast alongside the complications of family, friendships, and religion.
The full-color artwork is outstanding, featuring lush landscapes, dynamic action, and attention to details. Large-scale battles are crucial to the story, filling more than half of the book, and they are delivered in an intense, compelling visual language.
Battle at Coban Rock blends historical and fantastical elements into its rousing, satisfying graphic novel adventure.
Reviewed by Peter Dabbene November / December 2022
Peter Dabbene
