Outland Entertainment has released an omnibus version of Jason Rosen’s Monsterwood, a dark fantasy coming-of-age story co-created by Nick Efstathiou. The story continues with Princess Jocasta and teen troublemaker Jovis as they struggle to navigate a magical forest packed with giant inhabitants, the same monster who appears to have murdered Jocasta’s parents, the king and queen. The art in this book comes from Steve Ellis, Chris Campana and Figue. Rosen chatted on Beat about the release of a new omnibus.
Deanna Destito: What inspired this story?
Jason Rosen: The birth of my first son, Joseph. He was the impulse of Jovis, the central figure in Monsterwood. I was blown away with this little man and had so many questions. Who are you? What have you done when you came here? From there, I began to build the whole world around him, and those outside questions became his questions. How do we make our lives meaningful in such a large and complicated world? How do you nurture yourself to become part of the solution for a better life and society? How do you delve deeper into yourself to be someone who honors everything that has come before, with faith, courage and dedication to yourself, and to be someone who has honored everything that has come before, while maintaining a lifestyle worthy of living in the future?
Destito: How did you work with the creative team to create the look and feel of the story?
Rosen: Nick F-Stachi, co-writers’ creative team, artists Steve Ellis and Chris Campana, and I’m the same age. We grew up in the incredibly exciting times of the 70s and 80s. In my mind, it was a golden age of comics, movies and even toys like him. I wanted to feel the journey of an old school hero in stories that took place in a world that was big enough and fully formed, so that you could feel like you could live there. I spent a lot of time sketching, sculptures and maquettes. As a concept designer and sculptor, I play an active role in creating both the world and the character’s appearance. Together, this all combines with one cohesive look and feel in the world of Magog.
Destito: Why do you like to create in this universe?
Rosen: Monsterwood allows me to explore complex subjects, philosophical questions, and even social issues in a fun and imaginative way. It may not be all on the page (yet!), but the Monsterwood world has history, many different cultures, and even laws of internal logic in a world that makes your readers feel realistic and appealing. I feel that this world lives older. It’s a love letter to everything that really influenced me as a child. Nothing like that ever left me. The idea that Monsterwood might just as entertain and inspire readers is my great ambition. I hope your readers will search for it and, ideally, enjoy it as much as we have created it.
Deanna Destito: If you could sell this to someone who doesn’t know anything about this, how would you explain it?
Rosen: The King and Queen are dead. Live your princess for a long time.
When the King and Queen of Magog are murdered and the giant inhabitants of Monsterwood are blamed for their deaths, the young Princess Jocasta is left as the heir to the throne, and the ominous Tiberius as the Regent. As her 16th birthday approaches, she is determined to complete the ritual so that she can return to Munsterwood and be painted as Queen, but Tiberius bans it due to the dangers lurking there.
However, the city of Magog is not so dangerous, especially for those of Mar Heritage, who are oppressed by Tiberius and his elite Zumari forces. Teenager Jovis has been in trouble many times. His only safe haven is the equally dangerous Monsterwood. When he meets Jocasta in disguise and her companion Scrug, he boldly assures them that they will not go far without him. Together, the three discover that Monsterwood and Magog are at risk.
Monsterwood Omnibus: All Beeon is packed with odd creatures, otherworldly jungle landscapes and ominous villains! Perfect for readers who enjoy the rich world of films such as manga, dungeons and dragons, featuring fantasy aesthetics from the 70s and 80s, as well as lots and dark crystals!
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