Interview with Mike Moreci of Fifth World Studios
The Mini Comics Included Kickstarter project is one I backed almost instantly. Designed to bring new mini-comics to all of us who love the toys that once included comics, the Mini Comics Included Kickstarter project needs to succeed so I can get my comics!
One of the creators, Mike Moreci , was kind enough to answer a few questions.
1. Mini-Comics were always a fun part of the toys of our childhood. Do you have any guesses as to why companies stopped packing comics with action figures?
I think there’s a few reasons. Mainly, the process has been reverse engineered. Back in the day, it was all about the toys. That was the heart of whatever intellectual property a company was look to exploit. But now, it’s the other way around—toys are the bi-product of existing properties. Go to any mainstream toy store, and you’ll find Star Wars, Ben 10, Avengers, Ninja Turtles, things like that. These are properties that don’t need comics included with them—the franchises they represent are so saturated in our culture that it’s unnecessary to explain or enhance them. In fact, it would probably be a losing effort—why include a story (in the form of a comic) when you can drive parents to go buy a DVD/book/app/whatever instead?
In the 80s, though, mini comics were there to give context to the toys. You bought a toy, and you’d get the origin of the character right then and there. The comics also kinda worked like catalogs—characters would use weapons that hadn’t been seen before, even new characters would crop up, teasing what was to come. That’s how the comics supported the existence of the toys and created a unified universe.
That’s hard to say because, again, all these toys represent properties that have been done to death. Because I’m such a big fan of MOTU, I’d love to dive into that sandbox. And if I did, I’d like to make a series of wholesome, fun He-Man stories, mirroring the cartoons. Stories with solid lessons for kids. That would be really cool, I think.
Oh, and there’s those amazing OMFG toys (I’m looking at two of them on my desk right now). The plot…geez, these toys are so weird. Okay, let’s try this. So the OMFG line of toys were a popular line in the ‘80s, like Garbage Pail Kids. Their popularity diminished and they were forgotten for years and years. But then, in step with the nostalgic wave, someone digs up the OMFG toys and primes them for a comeback. But they toys—who, of course, are real and exist in the world—are old and all messed up.
Overweight, addicts, religious cultists, bitter jerks. So getting them out of exile isn’t easy. But getting them out isn’t the main problem. The person manufacturing this nostalgia craze is actually supervillain, bent on killing of all these former stars. And since the OMFG are the only ones not totally buying the stardom and hoopla, they’re the only ones who see this plot—and only they can stop it!
Does that make any sense at all?
Absolutely, Mike! And I hope the backers of OMFG Series 3 join your project and lobby you to create that mini comic!
3. If this project succeeds, and I hope it does, will you run another mini-comics project on Kickstarter?
There’s a good chance, yeah. We had ideas that didn’t make the six title cut, so there’s plenty more for us to explore. But first it has to get funded—so don’t hesitate, support Mini Comics Included today!
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