Talking ‘Sanction’ With Ray Fawkes And Antonio Fuso

Detectives Dimitrovich and Smirnoff may be partners, but that doesn’t mean they see their jobs the same way. In writer Ray Fawkes and artist Antonio Fuso‘s new series, Sanction, Smirnoff is all about closing cases. Dimitrovich prefers to solve them, but with his superiors seemingly against such efforts, Dimitrovich is finding police work increasingly hard. With colors by Emilio Lecce and letters by Dave Sharpe, find out why Fawkes and Fuso decided to set their series in 80’s Leningrad and more in the following interview:

Rachel Bellwoar: “Sanction” means to give permission, yet most people in Sanction seem to be against Detective Dimitrovich conducting a proper investigation. What does the title mean to you?

Ray Fawkes: That’s a very astute question! Several characters in this story are seeking official or unofficial sanction for their activities, as you’ll see when the story unfolds. The question, “Am I allowed to do this?” is an ever-present pressure for all of them.

Antonio Fuso: The translation of the term “sanction” in Italian is “sanzione” which means  punishment for improper behavior. And that’s what I’ve been thinking about while working on this comic book: the consequences that come from what people do, what they should do, and what they absolutely should not do. The two main characters in this story will learn it on their own skin

Bellwoar: What made you decide to set this series in the ’80s and did you have any trouble researching or find source photos of Russia at that time?

Fawkes: The Soviet Union in the ’80s provided the perfect setting for this story in more ways than one. First, I don’t think there are many crime stories set there in Western comics, so I thought it’d be something different. Second, I wanted to write a story about corruption, and most Soviet government systems were notoriously corrupt – especially in the late ’80s, near the end of the regime. And third, I liked the additional challenge investigating a crime inside a dictatorship would present to our main characters, since one of the obstacles to gaining information is often the system itself.

Researching this job was actually easier than some – there’s a lot of photos available to dig up!

Fuso: Yeah, and a lot of movies too!

Bellwoar: The first issue opens on New Year’s Day. How did you land on the image of papers floating around everywhere after the New Year’s Eve festivities?

Fawkes: On a windy Winter’s morning, just after a big party, we had the perfect chance to open with an image that I think is symbolically significant for this story – especially once you know where it’s going.

Fuso: There is often something fluttering in the air in my pages: pieces of paper, leaves or just dust. When placed in the right place these elements help add depth and movement to the image…it’s one of my favorite tricks!

Bellwoar: There’s a lot of talk about temperature in the first issue but what’s really cold is how unmoved the law officers are by the woman they’ve just found dead on the street. Is that a difficult mindset to immerse yourself in?

Fawkes: Yes. I mean – it’s not uncommon for someone like a homicide detective to be desensitised to violence, but I did want to underscore it in this book. It’s a core feature of Detective Smirnoff, one of our two protagonists, and it has a lot to do with the way he survives in his world.

Fuso: It’s cold outside but Dimitrovich and Smirnoff are anything but the stereotypical image of the cold-hearted Russian with zero emotions! They are both very passionate!

Bellwoar: From his very first scene Detective Dimitrovich establishes himself as a person who doesn’t let injustices slide. How did you approach his introduction?

Fawkes: Exactly as you say: I wanted to show that he doesn’t like to let things slide, and he even takes it personally when someone asks him to. It’s as much a defining feature for him as a lack of empathy is for Detective Smirnoff. And yet- he’s aware to a certain extent that he has to live in this world – notice that at the end of the scene, he mentions that he’ll be back to buy coffee from the same vendor again.

Fuso: Yes, the more they try to push him out of the way the more determined Dimitrovich is in his search for the truth!

Bellwoar: We also learn a lot about how locals feel about the police from Detective Dimitrovich’s introduction. Was it always the plan to set so many scenes in the first issue inside of bars?

Fawkes: It just worked out that way. I knew that one bar would be essential to the investigation. Sometimes scenes and settings just make themselves into the best choice, if that makes sense. Where would our two Detectives spend a lot of time interacting with civilians? Bars and coffee shops.

Fuso: It’s damn cold outside so things happen indoors with something warm to drink. It reminds me of a December many years ago in Vienna…but that’s another story!

Bellwoar: Detective Dimitrovich might not be able to trust his coworkers, but he does talk to his wife all the time. In what ways did you set out to make their scenes together feel different from the rest?

Fawkes: On this, I have to tip my hat to Antonio Fuso and Emilio Lecce, our amazing art team. While I wanted the relationship with his wife to be a source of warmth for Boris, they did a fantastic job of highlighting that feeling with the feeling of home they illustrated.

Fuso: All thanks to Emilio’s magical palette. We wanted the domestic sequences with Dimitrovich and his wife to be warm. But not the kind of warmth you can feel in a coffee shop with a hot cup of coffee but that kind of caressing comfort you can only feel at home with the person you love.

Bellwoar: When coming up with the look and feel for this series, were you inspired by any other procedural stories?

Fawkes: I’ll leave this one to Antonio to answer!

Fuso: And here I am. Yes, before I started drawing I looked for some visual references not necessarily “Russian”. What I was most interested in was not scrupulous philological adherence but more the possibility of conveying a Central European, 80s mood with a sprinkling of bureaucratic gray. So yes, I watched several films and series but then put it all together with my own sensibility!

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Ray and Antonio!

Sanction #1 is available now from Mad Cave Studios.