In 2015, Der-Shing Helmer, a science fantasy and educational comic artist, launched Webcomic’s Mare Internum. Married to her multifaceted interests (biology, education, cartoon), Helmer has created a friendly yet fascinating story about “the isolated inhabitants of the planet Mars and the ability to last through the darkness.” Mare Internum was eventually nominated for Best Online Comic’s highly cobbeted Eisner Award. The full story is now collected and reissued as an Inner Sea (course of Vault Comics): Mare Internum.
The 320-page saga follows Dr. Michael Fisher, “an embarrassing planetary geologist living on Mars,” and Dr. Bex Egunsola (“the station’s latest biologist”) “After accidentally breaking through the floor of an unstable lava tube into an ancient underground world…” Then the pair “how thin does the line between life and death run? And will the fallen people have an opportunity to return to the world of living?” See everything from Hillhouse’s unforgettable Hillhouse to the Mars Chronicle to the Inland Sea.
Utsumi: MARE INTRANUM will be on sale this week (September 9th). Prior to the release, I emailed the Helmer to explain the book in detail. This includes moving books from WebComic to traditional releases. Her preference for exploration/die stories about waters. Her job as an editor at Vault. The relationship/dynamics between Fisher and Egunsola.
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
AIPT: You originally self-published this book/story. Especially since you were nominated for Eisner, what was it like to go that route?
der-shinghelmer: It was so much fun! I self-published the physical volume of my first book, another webcomic The Meek from a few years ago. It was a great learning experience. My focus up to that point was on publishing free read web comics, and the ability to continue messing around with art and share it without barriers to access was one of the first reasons I started making comics from the start. The self-published mares as “fixed” versions that I couldn’t keep updating were a bit difficult to accept, but it came out well. I am extremely grateful for the re-release of Utsumi’s safe, which allows me to polish it all up one last time.
aipt: How was it to build that last question and go back to the book for this re-release? Has the story connection/understanding changed completely?
DH: It’s fun to read again – I’ve never read this book at all since my last proof in late 2019, as I became fatally embarrassed by my work about two seconds after finishing it. And it still made me laugh a lot a few times too.
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
aipt: What about these kinds of stories (especially underwater, exploration was lost)? Do you think you’re trying to work on this story within the specific scope?
DH: I once had a very respected creator and was involved in that anthology, so I was asking what the point (about suffering) of my story was. I was so worried that I ended up submitting a completely different comic book, but I’m still thinking about that question. I think I’m probably a bit of a bad person, haha. I’m really pathological as an outlet for everything. I love adventure stories, exploration stories, true survival stories, and more. Writing such a story is to a certain extent slowly rubber necking the disaster I control, but I also contemplate human resilience.
aipt: Is it more free or complicated to act as a writer, artist, colorist, etc.? How would this book be different if you worked more directly with others?
DH: I think it’s much easier and more satisfying to create a solo comic. From a practical standpoint, it’s faster. From a creative side, I trust my ideas and don’t necessarily want to argue or justify them with others. I’m also a workaholic and don’t mind comicking for more than 16 hours a day when I’m in my zone. (At the time, when Marley was serialized online, I would promote it by posting five pages a week between two projects.) I think my pace and level of interest in creating stories have faded a lot if I had to work with others, but in my editorial role in Vault comics, I definitely saw the benefits of working as a team. I haven’t collaborated on my personal projects yet, but I’m considering trying it out after managing and collaborating with so many great teams at Vault.
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
AIPT: You work as a managing editor for Vault. That perspective tells you how you can create comics and tell stories?
DH: Working at Vault was great. I really enjoy learning about the various technical and strategic aspects of making comics that didn’t necessarily work solo, with a close-up view of numerous processes, creative discussions. But honestly, I’m working with my editor-in-chief Adrian Wassel to make the most of my skills. This guy can seriously edit rockets on the moon. A legend of absolute story analysis. Learning from him allowed me to create stories that I couldn’t do before. He is the main reason why I reissued this comic in Vault.
AIPT: I have a background in educational art and cartoons. Do you hope people learn something from this book (and what is that)? And how do you balance that educational aspect with telling a truly moving and moving story?
DH: This is a stylistic art choice for me, but I’m trying to incorporate all of my background. Do not leave the background blank. My preference is not to let the characters float around non-more. I feel the same way about the technical aspects of the science fantasy genre I write about. I like structure, I like the rules, and at least have some rigours burned into science, which is necessary for me to enjoy writing it. At the time I was a research biologist and followed it with a bit of teaching, so I’m happy to sclan and share it with the audience for information. You can then reach the “fantasy” part of the “science fantasy” label and focus on asking readers to connect to the human character in the foreground before pulling out the lag.
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
AIPT: The book features two scientists, Dr. Michael Fisher and Dr. Bex Egunsola. Who would identify more in this story? Should more comics star planetary geologists and biologists?
DH: All cartoons definitely need to star in biologists and planetary geologists. I think this is the second rule for comics you make after you learn how to panel. But I’m certainly like bex… I like esoteric things and trust my abilities and decision-making, even if they aren’t what others wanted. I’m not particularly eccentric about cricket, but I still go out a little bit.
AIPT: Do you have any favorite moments in this story? Maybe he is most interested in the core of this bigger story or will he talk about it?
DH: I also like the moments with slips because I’m simple and excited. But I am most pleased with the flow of water in the story. Whether water is present or lacking on Mars is at the heart of the story, and water leaves a mark on the character at moments that are important. The transition between the last page of the first flashback and the moment the microphone enters the ocean is probably my favorite.
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
AIPT: You also got a really amazing The The The The The The The The The The Ignuts. Is there a connection between that book and Utsumi: Mare Internmu?
DH: In the end, all of my comics tend to paraphrase the same questions in different ways. What are all the points of this? Gentle, the question is about inheritance. When humanity appears to be destined to repeat old mistakes, are the next generation entitled to inherit the Earth? The problem with the Inland Sea is why we choose to last when we cannot escape death and grief. So basically the same question, and I say, “Because…!” in different ways.
aipt: What should we know about this story, you and your art, Mars, lava, plants, cartoons, science, etc.?
DH: That’s true. Look at the wrong mash of words – haha. My comics consist of a bunch of random things I find interesting, then I break them along with the photos. that’s great. Even when they’re not big, the act of creating something from nothing is incredibly shit. Before this, but especially in this age of computerized AI nonsense, I am blown away by everyone who makes comics and tells stories. Creating original works based on my interests and experiences has led to so many wonderful things in my life. Hopefully, if my little cartoon had or had the will, they would be summed up to someone else who was inspired to pick up a pen and make their own art.
