The volume on the Nun's Valley is what I found most puzzling in terms of history.
RMA: This volume follows the correct structure than were the inquisition courts, moreover, the figure of Gonzalo Bandarra Enes exists, is known as the Portuguese prophet.
At the end of each volume you have a reference to the historical and scientific facts. The information is not merely fictional.
RMS: Yes, all the historical facts were examined in more than one source. The speeches of Gonçalo Bandarra are even passages verbatim of his prophecies and then each interprets in his own way, but all the facts we raised are proven in books such as the "Madeira Elucidário," "the land of longing" and we have several documents which recorded these situations and who are forgotten or little accessible because many of these publications are fascinating, but who picks up those big books? It is a joy to read, especially "the land of longing," by Gaspar Frutuoso, but is in archaic Portuguese.
Another curious fact in these volumes is that some of the strips of comic are now just lines are less elaborate, almost sketches, without details, why?
RMA: If the volume on the Curral the aim was to convey the change of season and was designed by a different artist. We wanted also highlight the role of Gaspar Caldeira that was one of the responsible for the attack, however, there is no concrete evidence of his betrayal, because the reports are only that a French privateer who attacked Funchal, however, the "Elucidário Madeirense" points this Portuguese as a traitor who died in Lisbon where they cut his hands, then strangled and dismembered him at the outset it assumes that among the many crimes he committed, one that would facilitate the entry of pirates in the city. As is an account that is not at all proven, the designs were built squarely at the time, but as simple colors, because the history is vague. After we returned to a more concrete world that is much more elaborate.
You know the history of Madeira wine which I thought was cuter is that you used a scientific concept, the butterfly effect, to explain why this nectar was so important to American liberty.
RMA: It was just not to have to say that the wine was imported into the US. I tried to spend the concept that is related all that we are all part of this process, with an almost philosophical tone. For a younger reader may be funny, but for an adult almost think that there is a chain of events that begin in the Greek gods and inevitably was the wine that united Americans and it was thanks to him that the USA emerged. This idea had more fun than telling a simple chronological story about the importance of wine, it's like my narrator says, the wooden wine conveyed ideas, sparked revolutions and raised nations.
Which of your books is your favorite or have none?
RMA: It's hard to ask the father what is the children he like best (laughs). All books are different, because they were designed by different artists, I had to revise many times some of them, such as the submarine which has several very specific narrative options, the present in black and white, this past in color, say that is the protagonist's point of view is that the old man. As we see the events reach their climax, when there is the attack of the Germans, the protagonist loses his family, the story gets poorer, will lose color and your world becomes black and white, representing the drama, tragedy and horror. The historical facts are an almost yellowed paper, because it's view of the submarine captain, as he left an account, in the 50s, precisely on this attack. The commander of the submarine was even a hero in Germany, because it saved a number of sailors who were trapped in a submarine-school through morse code.
Why you decided to tell this part of the story?
RMA: Basically to show that's not all black and white. The world is not only the good and the bad and the man who bombed the Funchal was considered a hero for his people, was ordered to attack Russian ships, except he could not attack them, because he had an old and outdated submarine and when it was assigned a new flagship model he received new orders to attack French submarines, and military had to obey and all that provoque the attack on the city. He had been on the island he even found charming, but he had his orders. Deep down it is the bad guy, on their side is a hero. Ironically dies of lung diseases caused by toxic gases from the submarine engines. However, at the end of the story the hope is reborn, it shows how forgiveness is important and you cannot hate a whole race for what one person did.
How long took this whole project to its publication?
RMA: There were about 9-10 months. First written the scripts, then contacted the artists, did the art direction, fix, redesigned a scene to obtain a more dramatic consistency and then had more fun some sequences have the camera in front or behind. The drawings were all done in pencil, then went past the ink and then colored. It was a funny process because the documents are in A3.
What has been the feedback from the people now that sometime has passed?
RMA: People have enjoyed immense. Are readers who bought the volumes in the book fair once and then returned to take it to others. It has been very positive, because they never imagiram the history of Madeira with this dimension.
