Alex de Campi has been hailed as a pioneer of digital comics for her acclaimed collaboration on the Valentine series with Christine Larson. After going through various iterations, the fantasy comic settled at Mark Waid's Thrillbent, a platform that is considered to owe much to Valentine's innovations.

With volume two of Valentine debuting on Thrillbent this week, we spoke to de Campi about the series and her views on the changing face of digital comics.

De Campi/Larsen



What was behind your choice of the Napoleonic setting for Valentine?

"Because history is AWESOME. And Napoleon's retreat from Russia is one of the greatest military disasters of all time. And it's incredibly visual - the white snow, the red blood, the blue of frozen bodies...

"But, before my fellow history nerds get all excited, Valentine is an epic story that goes to all sorts of surprising places, so don't expect to stay in 1812 for more than a few chapters."

What appealed to you about the Arthurian and heraldic elements? What do you think it is that makes them so enduringly popular?

"Much as the fad these days seems to be grim, dark stories, there is an enduring appeal to people working against the grimness with morals, goals, and a sense of right (and kindness). That's why we like knights. (Also, they have horses and cool weapons.)

"I grew up reading fantasy, and reading or watching anything with knights in it. Loved it all. (Even Black Shield of Falworth, certainly the only instance of a knight with a Brooklyn accent.) "

De Campi/Larsen



How many volumes of Valentine are you planning? Do you have an end in mind for the series?

"Christine and I finished ten chapters of Valentine before we had to put it on hiatus in early 2012 due to my financial hardship. Volume 1 on Thrillbent is chapters 1-5. So we're still catching up on the old chapters. We have three new chapters done, and working on more. Overall, Valentine will be about 22 chapters. I've written up through chapter 16."

How does it feel to be thought of as a digital comics pioneer?

"It's... weird. People make a big deal out of Valentine as the first long-form digital narrative (eg not a short experiment) to throw away the concept of the page. And we've inspired seemingly everybody. And when we were on comiXology we were downloaded something like half a million times. We were doing multi-lingual day and date releases and also proved the enduring appeal and marketability of comics in Spanish, in the US.

"But... I had to stop the book because I couldn't afford to continue. And I was doing it all in my head, visualising it, because at the time I created Valentine I couldn't afford a smartphone or a tablet. All the tricks of Valentine that dazzled people when it came out, I could never proof them or beta them because I couldn't afford the basic tech that everyone else was taking for granted. Crazy, eh? Nobody helped us. Nobody hired us. Christine and I are still as broke as s**t. Kids: the lesson is, don't be a pioneer. You'll die broke in a ditch. Sit down and wait for other people to innovate, then just copy what they do."

De Campi/Larsen



How has the digital comics world changed since you first launched Valentine?

"It hasn't, really. We're all still in the shallow end, congratulating each other for getting our feet wet. There's been no significant innovation since us. The DC and Marvel stuff is still based on half-page increments so it can go to print. The Madefire stuff I have seen (not a lot, maybe it's gotten better) is just embarrassing motion comics.

"It pisses me off because there is so much more to be done. And I want to do it. But it would take an investor, or a very daring multi-media entertainment company. And big entertainment companies are many things, but daring is not one of them."

It sounds like you had quite a bumpy ride before bringing Valentine to Thrillbent. Have you ever regretted the time and effort you put into it?

"Never regret anything. It gives you wrinkles."

De Campi/Larsen



Were you and Christine Larson both on board about the potential of digital from the start, or did one of you need convincing?

"Valentine was conceived as a serialised digital story from the get-go. So, we didn't need any convincing. It was everyone else we had to convince. They all shut up once they saw our download figures, though."

You have mentioned feeling that your print edition of Valentine was not worthwhile. Do you still feel that way?

"The print edition wasn't worthwhile because - and I hadn't realised it at the time - 98% of graphic novels die a death in the direct market, unless they're a collection of popular, previously-serialised-in-floppies material. I felt like I had to do it, for legitimacy, because at that time (and to some extent, still) reviewers wouldn't review digital comics. Hell, getting them to even go on comiXology and download the book - that was technologically too difficult for so many!

"So we got some reviews, and Steven Belledin's gorgeous cover got into the big end of year fantasy/SF illustration review magazine (I forget the name but it's really important if you're an artist)."

The first 23 chapters of Valentine volume one are free to read on Thrillbent for the rest of the week. Volume two can be read here.

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