Canadian writer and creator Dino Caruso has offered up a new type of hero. A Canadian costumed crime fighter with a secret past yet to be revealed. Solving cases and jumping off of rooftops like James Bond, Gryfalcon appears in the pages of Sky Watcher, a quarterly anthology from Red Leaf Comics. Dino recently spent some time with CBI’s publisher John Michael Helmer to discuss his new character and where the Canadian hero is headed…
JMH: Who is Gryfalcon?
Gryfalcon is a Canadian costumed crime fighter (love that alliteration!) who takes it upon himself to handle a bomb threat at a hockey arena. It’s his first case as Gryfalcon, but not his first time taking on the bad guys. Confused? Good!
JMH: Has he appeared any where else besides Red Leaf Comics?
DINO:Nope. This story (POWER PLAY) is his first adventure anywhere.
JMH: Describe the process for creating a new character…
DINO: Interesting question. I’m a big fan of crime stories, and I really wanted to come up with a character who was a human being (no superpowers) who lived in the real world (no flying cars). I tried to approach this story as realistically as I could and figure out a logical sequence of events which would inspire someone to do what Gryfalcon winds up doing in this story.
JMH: What type of supporting characters does he have?
DINO: He’s got some co-workers who come along for the ride, as well as a pretty flipped-out antagonist.
JMH: A Canadian hero. That’s a tough act to follow considering Captain Canuck and The Leaf. Talk about the dynamic writing a Canadian-specific superhero.
DINO: I don’t think his nationality really plays into it yet. Maybe it will in future stories. The fun part about having the story set in Canada is the small details…for example, there’s a reference to the RCMP instead of the FBI. Maybe in the future, I’ll ramp up the patriotism. But really…why not set stories in Canada? Not every crisis happens in big American cities.
JMH: Talk about the creative team involved.
DINO: They’re awesome! Francisco Paronzini handles the art chores in parts 1, 2, 3 and 4. Alejandro Aragon is illustrating a special bonus tale that gives some important background information. The letters are handled by my frequent collaborator Ed Brisson. Sami Kivela has created a great alternate cover for issue 1…and you never know…there may be some surprise creators dropping in as well.
JMH: What other projects have you worked on with Francisco Paronzini?
DINO: This is our only collaboration thus far, but I’d LOVE to work with him again. He’s amazing!
JMH: How did you guys meet?
DINO: On a message board. It was either Digital Webbing or Pencil Jack. Both of those sites are great places to find collaborators.
JMH: Will we see him in future adventures?
DINO: I hope so. I’ve got a bunch of ideas for future stories.
JMH: Dino, CBI appreciates your time. All the best!
DINO: Thanks very much. My pleasure.
Click here to purchase a digital copy of Gryfalcon’s first adventure for ONLY .99 cents:
Digital copy-
http://redleafcomics.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=69
Click here to purchase a print copy of Gryfalcon’s first adventure for $2.99:
Print copy-
http://redleafcomics.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=62
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About the interviewer –
John Michael Helmer is the Publisher and CEO of Red Leaf Media, LLC. Red Leaf Media operates: www.ComicBookInterviews.com & www.RedLeafComics.com.
John’s creator-owned properties include: The Leaf, Canada’s Greatest Hero, Sky Watcher, G.I.s versus Zombies, The Armor Guardians, The Huskie, Dune, Master Spy!, and many others.
John can be reached at: jhelmer@comicbookinterviews.com and redleafcomics@gmail.com
