Interviews Editor of Comic Book Yeti, Andrew Irvin, welcomes Samuel Sattin, writer of the latest UNICO installment; UNICO: Awakening, a graphic novel out now through Scholastic.
It is first of four volumes planned to release through the Scholastic's Graphix imprint.
CBY: Samuel, it's a pleasure to have you visit the Yeti Cave! For those who may not be aware of Unico’s origins under Osamu Tezuka - legendary mangaka of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, and a variety of other titles that shaped manga and anime alike, the character was initially introduced in 1976 in serialized form, receiving a few animated adaptations, including two features in the early 1980’s. How were you first acquainted with the Unico title, and what initial discussions led to your involvement with Tezuka Productions in bringing Unico: Awakening into development?
SAMUEL SATTIN: It definitely started with Unico in the Island of Magic, which I think I saw when I was 10 or 11 years old. It made a big impression on me… It was a dark and beautiful story, with some heavy themes and scary villains that would stick with me for decades. It’s funny, actually--I didn’t discover the serialized manga itself until I was in my thirties, and it took me a while to draw the line from it to the film I’d seen as a kid. Things really came full circle in 2019 when, after my Tezuka-obsessed self was introduced to staff at Tezuka Productions through a string of colleagues, I got the chance to pitch a character-reimagining. It really did happen like that. I was told that Tezuka Productions would be open to a pitch, and that they had been trying to figure out what to do with Unico for a long while. I reread the manga, really dug into it. And I thought to myself that this was a story that wouldn’t just be fun to retell, but that could have a positive impact on the world.
CBY: I'm glad to hear you landed that pitch! You’ve been working with Gurihiru, the studio of Chifuyu Sasaki and Naoko Kawano, who may be considered to be engaging in a bit of a homecoming with a manga title like Unico: Awakening after their years of work on various Marvel and DC titles (which have garnered both Harvey and Eisner awards). Their approach to the characters has involved a redesign from previous iterations; what sort of coordination and communication went into working effectively from both sides of the Pacific to bring this English-language publication together in a manner considerate of the various requirements of both Tezuka Productions and Scholastic Graphix?
SS: Gurihiru is…brilliant, to put it simply. An incredible duo who fundamentally understands not just character design, but how to have those characters convey immense amounts of emotion and movement on the page. Though I can absolutely see what you mean when you say that this project is a bit of a homecoming for Gurihiru, they have been working on both sides of the Pacific for a while now. That is precisely why I think they’re so perfect for this project. What they’re doing with Unico is retelling a beloved work from the God of Manga, and that’s a big responsibility. What helped us accept this responsibility was the support and guidance of Tezuka Productions, and the way in which Gurihiru themselves figured out how to make Unico new, while providing homage to his roots. As long as we maintain the themes and “feeling” of the original work, Tezuka Productions allows us to expand upon our vision. It’s a magical process.
CBY: Exploring further the artistic collaboration involved in this title, the Kickstarter campaign involves contributions from over a dozen artists (including some of my favorite illustrators like Peach Momoko and Tomm Moore). Denver Jackson was also enlisted for the fantastic animated trailer for the graphic novel. I know there’s a broader editorial team involved in wrangling all these participants in the creative process, so can you walk us through what went into soliciting and securing all this supporting material for the publication? From amongst the guest artist contributions, do you have any personal favorites we should look forward to seeing?
SS: I’m so glad to hear this. I’ve felt incredibly lucky and grateful to have garnered this much creativity and support for this project. As for what went into making it all happen, I can truly only speak to the Kickstarter. When it came to the Kickstarter, I worked with an agent in Japan named Aki Yanagi. Together, we solicited artists for contributions like Peach Momoko, Kamome Shirahama, and more. Thankfully, they were so enthused to help bring Unico back they enthusiastically pitched in. I then dug into my own network and reached out to artists I admired and had some kind of proximity to, including Junko Mizuno, Tomm Moore, and more. Mangasplaining’s Deb Aoki helped a lot as well. It was loads of work, but at the end of the day everyone who participated did so out of a genuine love and appreciation for Unico and Tezuka-sensei. We didn’t have to pull teeth. It was a project built and executed on behalf of goodwill.
Denver Jackson is amazing, as is the composer of the Unico theme song, Mason Lieberman. But I didn’t have a hand in choosing them to work with, as that was Scholastic/Graphix’s initiative. But wow, am I grateful. They did incredible work.
As far as favorite pieces of art, I honestly don’t have one! Everything was so well done. There’s not one piece of art that I wouldn’t want to wear or display or mount on my wall.
CBY: That's a testament to the quality of the group involved in rebuilding this narrative world. Despite its manga origins, Unico has always been produced in a format friendly to Western readers. The story pulls from elements of Greek mythology, and without spoiling anything, succinctly acknowledges both its origins and past iterations before setting up the main narrative for Volume 1. You’ve got a 4-volume run planned, which provides a lot of space to tell a rather epic Unico story. Can you tell us a bit about your writing process; what does outlining, scripting, and pacing a story of this scale look like? How do you pay homage and nod to the past, what guardrails have you been given by the IP owners, and what sort of room to play around with the lore and characters has been handed over to you?
SS: Well, I’ll start by saying that I’m quite busy these days! I am indeed writing a story for Unico that will span multiple volumes. Without giving away too much, I’ll say that I spent loads of time coming up with a full summary for the entire story, beginning to end. Writing a big story means a lot of moving pieces, maintaining consistency, and making sure every beat hits in the way that it’s supposed to.
As far as homage to Tezuka-sensei’s work while creating something new, I’ve tried to base most every volume of the new Unico around an existing narrative from the original manga. Doing this helps me connect to the original material, so we can honor it in the way it deserves. Then, the larger ways we open up the story feel less obtrusive, and necessary. Tezuka-sensei’s incredible stories were created long ago. Unico in particular was created in the 1970s, as you mentioned. Everyone working on this project, including Tezuka Productions and Scholastic/Graphix, understands that we are bringing this work to a new generation of readers. As long as we homage the core themes that Tezuka-sensei was trying to impart, we are given a lot of space to play.
CBY: I look forward to seeing how it unfolds, and I hope existing fans derive additional joy from seeing how you've drawn from the well of the past that Tezuka-sensei forged. I also mentioned Tomm Moore’s contributions, and I should note this is not your first adaptation of existing material; you’ve also adapted the acclaimed Cartoon Saloon trilogy of Oscar-nominated animated films to graphic novel form. You’ve additionally written a number of titles of your own creation (Buzzing, The Silent End, Bezcamp, etc.). Have you developed a preference between writing in a world with pre-existing conventions and expectations, or starting from scratch and building your own narrative universe? Is it easier having established expectations or total control in the context of both creativity and business considerations?
SS: What a great question…And the answer is somewhat complicated. With the wonderful Cartoon Saloon films, the adaptations were more one-to-one. My job in that case was to reformat those stories for a graphic novel, so that they read in a meaningful and cohesive way, and were true to the source material. With Unico, however, we get to reimagine the story in large and meaningful ways. Though we homage the source material, we are creating something entirely new. In that way, I see the process of creating Unico as closer to how I approach my original work. Everything is based on something, you know? All of my original works take their inspiration from previous works, from stories I love, from writers and artists I admire. Creating stories in that manner is my favorite thing to do, so I’d say I prefer original work. But then again, I learn so much from studying, breaking apart, and putting back together stories that are straight adaptations. In short, then, I prefer original storytelling, but one-to-one adaptations give me a lot of new tools to work with.
CBY: I appreciate the distinctions you've made between the nature of these titles. Now, for those in our audience who haven’t yet seen any Unico material, I have to credit this graphic novel with some brilliant moments of scripted quiet where the visuals are allowed to proceed with an elegant pacing. The characters all play their roles with distinction and utility. After volume one, it appears we’re just getting started. Is there anything you’re allowed to share about the broader story that the general audience might want to know before they dig into the story you’re laying out over the coming years?
SS: Thank you so much. It’s wonderful to hear that some of those intentions were received as intended, and I appreciate it immensely. As far as the broader story, we are indeed just getting started! Though I can’t give away too much, of course, I can say that volume 2, called UNICO: HUNTED, will be coming out in June of 2025. In that story, still hunted by Venus, Unico befriends a sickly girl imprisoned by an evil robotic machine. He makes new friends, and unlocks new clues into recovering his past. A monstrous hunter is sent on his trail, and we begin to realize that the little unicorn might be a lot more important to the fate of the universe than previously thought. There are lots of Easter eggs for Tezuka fans, and magic, menace, and intrigue for everyone, whether they’re familiar with Tezuka or not. This is a big story, filled with growth and difficulty, courage and spirit. I’m so excited for everyone to read what comes next.
CBY: As is customary to conclude here at Comic Book Yeti, we like to offer creators the opportunity to discuss creative work unrelated to their own that has provided inspiration. What other comics, films, music, literature, etc. do you think our readers should check out once they give UNICO their attention?
SS: Ah, wonderful--I like this custom! I’ve been reading the Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren, which is a spooky and slow-paced series from Yen Press. There’s also a new collection of Weird Tales (100 Years of Weird Tales) that just came out, and it’s a blast. Also, read Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (the whole series), and do a rewatch of The Last Unicorn (and Flight of Dragons, if you’re willing, to honor James Earl Jones).
CBY: Samuel, it has been a pleasure to have you stop by the Yeti Cave for a chat. Please let us know what publication, portfolio, and social media links you’d like everyone to give a visit!
SS: Thank you! It’s been wonderful speaking with you. You can stop by my website (samuelsattin.com), or follow me on social media. I’m SamuelSattin on both X/Twitter and Instagram. Pop by and say hello!
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