This spring, author Francesca Perillo and artist Stefano Caldocelli collaborated for “Love Me: A Romance Story.” In a future where robots have taken over humanity’s most undesirable jobs, Jojo, a taxi-driving robot, falls in love with a human involved in the mafia. The two, who have yet to complete a deeply human story set in a strange future, reunite for “The Long Cold Winter.”
Created by colorist Lorenzo Scaramella and letterer Buddy Beaudoin, Long Cold Winter is set in a future Earth where the air is completely unbreathable. But fortunately for the citizens, the conglomerate Ayr has built “generators that will provide oxygen to those who can afford it,” allowing people like our protagonist Peace Dog, an ex-soldier. is helping to promote a “do it all” system. To get breathable air. But when Peace Dog finds a mysterious boy in need of help, he embarks on a desperate escape from the city towards a brighter future – if he can escape the clutches of the airline, of course.
If you’ve read Love Me, Long Cold Winter captures a similar benchmark. An edgy and deep human encounter with robotics and future technology. The storyline is direct yet deeply relatable. And a lot of action starts. In a nutshell, The Long Cold Winter is a singular vision of the future, a world in which humanity can live in the most hopeless and heinous of situations and still have great love and goodwill. There will be robots with giant swords, but stay in the center of everything.
Ahead of the release of Long Cold Winter #1 from Mad Cave Studios this week (December 4th), both Perillo and Caldoselli recently took the time to answer some questions via email. That includes their collaborative process, the power of Knight’s deviant narrative, the scope and focus of the core narrative, and the influence of spaghetti westerns.
Variant cover by Mark Aspinall. Courtesy of Mad Cave Studios.
AIPT: Where did the idea for “Long Cold Winter” come from?
Francesca Perillo: I grew up with my grandparents who were farmers. Since I was a child, I was lucky enough to run in the fields, climb trees, and observe how plants grow. The idea for “Long Cold Winter” came from the simple attitude of my grandparents, who respected nature and its cycles and always worked hard. Although winter is obviously not an important season for agriculture, it plays a fundamental role in the growth of the next season’s crops. Therefore, a “long cold winter” is needed to pave the way for a different future.
AIPT: One of the things I like about it is that the story touches directly on the action and the core of it. Why was that important?
FP: Stefano and I liked the idea of telling a dry, action-packed story without changing too many words. This led us to study several characters with distinct identities. It was fun creating the backgrounds for each. I emphasized to Stefano many times that he wanted to use certain accessories and clothing to best express his character. I really like the villain of this story that readers will meet in issue two.
AIPT: What was it like reuniting after “Love Me: A Romance Story”? Why do you two work so well together?
FP: Stefano and I live together. DI is very fortunate to be able to talk to him frequently during the day about work. We usually start our breakfast with good coffee. Finding the right compromise between idea and graphic realization isn’t always easy, but we like a challenge, we love what we do, and we’re here.
Courtesy of Mad Cave Studios.
Stefano Caldoselli: This is my first time living with a screenwriter. This can be exciting and sometimes complicated. We both have strong personalities so sometimes we clash, but in the end we always find the key to creating the best. At least I hope so! What are our readers saying?
AIPT: Based on your last question, are there any similarities or connections between “Long Cold Winter” and “Love Me: A Romance Story”?
FP: These two stories are completely connected. They both belong to the same universe. Long Cold Winter is set approximately 50 years after the events of Love Me: A Romance Story, in a future where the air is no longer breathable. “Don’t Spit in the Wind” is the final chapter in a four-part series we devised. In fact, I’m working with Mad Cave Studios again on a prequel script for Love Me: A Romance Story.
AIPT: Francesca, you said, “As we live overwhelmed by technology and progress, I believe that we need to return to valuing our relationship with ourselves and the environment.” Can you tell us more about that? How do sci-fi stories help us better interact with the world?
FP: I use science fiction to tell stories that encourage self-reflection. Ever since I was a child, my father and older brother have shown me science fiction movies such as (Stanley) Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”, (David) Lynch’s “Dune”, and (John) Carpenter’s “The Thing,” and the film director’s “Blade Runner.” (Ridley) Scott, please put me in a position to ask myself. Science fiction allows us to examine themes that are far removed from our modern times. In reality, this is just an illusion. In science fiction, everything becomes concrete and suddenly we can’t bluff ourselves. Peace Dog and The Kid live on Earth with unbreathable air. We know the problem too.
Courtesy of Mad Cave Studios.
AIPT: Stefano, you’ve said that you’re influenced by spaghetti westerns and the films of Sergio Leone. Can you talk about what specifically inspired these films and approaches?
SC: I’m a big fan of Sergio Leone’s films and spaghetti westerns. This story was perfect for building a setting with wide open spaces and endless desert, reminiscent of the long shots of 60s and 70s movies. The close-up allowed me to play around with details and details. It was really fun!
AIPT: I love stories like this, like a knight’s anecdote. Why is this format and approach so interesting and worth reading?
FP: Probably because each of us can easily empathize with one of the characters, whether human or robot. We are all on a journey in life: research, salvation, hope.
AIPT: Can you share some highlights from the rest of the story/adventure? Do you have a favorite page or scene to discuss?
FP: It’s very difficult to tell the story without spoilers. At some point in the story, the main character, Peace Dog, finds himself having to deal with his past through very specific knowledge that readers discover during the series.
Courtesy of Mad Cave Studios.
AIPT: Are there any characters in The Kid and Peace Dog that you find more interesting or that you personally relate to more?
FP: Great question! Difficult to answer. Although I started with the premise that the characters have very different personalities and different goals and objectives to accomplish, I feel that they both have a lot in common. But the one I relate to the most is Kid.
AIPT: Is there anything else we should know about the long cold winter, science fiction, comics, art, the future, life, etc.?
FP: I love writing stories, and I think there are still many things I want to tell. I think writing has become a necessity that I can’t live without anymore. There is a new project that Stefano and I are working on. I hope all the readers will like it too. Fingers crossed!
