Welcome to Mignolaversity, Multiversity Comics’ dedicated column for all things Mike Mignola. Since its December, we’re doing a series of retrospective interviews to say goodbye to 2022. In case you’ve missed any of the others, here they are:
• Discussing the Outerverse with Christopher Golden and Bridgit Connell
• Discussing “Our Encounters with Evil” with Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
Today we’re talking to Rachele Aragno, artist and co-creator of “Leonide the Vampyr.” And we’ll be discussing both the issue that came out in October and the issue that came out today, so please make sure you’re up to date before reader any further—I’d hate to spoil something for you. Also, I recommend checking out Dead Central’s recent article showing Aragno’s design work. It actually makes a rather nice companion to this interview.
with Dave Stewart
Rachele Aragno: As for Sandroni, Mike had a clear idea of what he would like to see but, once he described it to me, he left me very free to draw what I felt. He must have been a mummified bishop and therefore with a skeleton in evidence, but also a few pieces of skin attached here and there. I took as a reference some images in which priests or bishops of the late 1800s were seen, which inspired me a lot. After a few experiments he was born as you saw him in the comic and I immediately loved him madly. In my opinion, the contrast that is created between the little vampire and him is beautiful, and drawing him was really exciting.
I love the way both Leonide and Sandroni are represented through contrasting concepts. Leonide is youthful and full of life, but brings about death, and Sandroni, her opposite, is old and dead, and yet he is the one that brings light to the soul. It was this central idea that won me over so quickly when I read ‘Miracle at The Crow’s Head.’
However, the way it evolved in ‘A Christmas for Crows’ took it to a whole other level. The story begins in such a familiar way, making us think these two characters are bound to clash again and again, doomed to an eternal struggle. . . but instead Sandroni offers Leonide a gift and peace.
‘A Christmas for Crows’ takes the initial concept and evolves it in such a beautiful way.
Rachele: Mike wrote the two stories very close to each other and had this fantastic thing in mind that I loved immediately. The fact that these two fighting characters then find a point of contact in which to reflect and stop, I think it’s a beautiful plot twist that opens up new horizons, but also leaves the possibility of appreciating the generosity and magic of Christmas night. Leonide and Sandroni are multifaceted but simple in their complexity and getting to this point was a truly brilliant idea of his.
I know Mignola was inspired to write Leonide based on your original drawing. Have there been other elements in this series that were directly inspired by your drawings? The crow people in the second issue, for example, really do feel like they stepped out of your sketchbook. (And they are so wonderfully designed.)
Rachele: Practically all the characters came straight out of my head, Mike gave me some indications but left me very free to express myself as best I wanted. It was really inspiring and crows are my favorite characters! I love drawing anthropomorphic animals and being able to put them in a comic with all their majesty and gloom I enjoyed a lot. I really like that there is this sort of gothic mysticism that crowds the pages of this second issue. I think it gives a unique, unrepeatable atmosphere. . . as if we could feel the scents and sounds of that Christmas dinner.
Continued belowOne of my interests is figuring out how comics conjure senses beyond the visual, like sound, touch, smell. . . It’s always satisfying to find a sequence that I feel is particularly effective and then learn that the artist was thinking about those things too. I think the issue has such a satisfying sound shape too—it starts quite noisy with that initial attack, but gradually settles to stillness and silence. Perfect for a Christmas ghost story.
Rachele: Exactly! The sense of history leads us towards a peace for everything: for Leonide, for the bishop, and even for the crows. It starts brusquely, but then we huddle around the candles in a huge empty house and expect a gift. I love ghost stories that are told at Christmas, I think it’s the perfect time to do it. The atmosphere is the right one and everything becomes intimate and warm.
The Christmas ghost story is something extra special and I think Mignola does them especially well. “Hellboy: A Christmas Underground” is a classic, and ‘The Christmas Spirit’ with Guy Davis is one of my favourite Christmas stories, and “Hellboy: Krampusnacht” took home an Eisner Award. And clearly you know what you’re doing too, because I think ‘A Christmas for Crows’ is the best one yet. So, in your expert opinion, what are some ghost stories you would recommend to our readers for this Christmas?
Rachele: Yes, Mike has done amazing Christmas ghost stories! My preference is “Hellboy: Krampusnacht.”
I really love this kind of story, they make me feel so happy and cozy to read them. I absolutely must recommend A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843), “The Dead” by James Joyce (1914), “Dark Christmas” by Jeanette Winterson (2013), and something of Lovecraft and Poe.
Happy holidays, one and all. And join us tomorrow for our next retrospective interview.
