LCCAF 26: This Is My Passion Project — Discussing ‘The Wonderverse Saga’ With Creator Rachta Lin

Tucked away near the back of the Lake Como Comic Art Festival pavilion is Rachta Lin’s table. The cover artist has returned to Cernobbio, Italy for a second year. Only this time, VIP guests were treated a special free version of her manga book The Wonderverse Saga. She just opened up a crowdfunding campaign for the second edition, which was fully funded in minutes. Comicon.com sat down with Lin to discuss her inspiration for the series as well as her love of Italian culture and arts.

Smithyman: What is your inspiration for The Wonderverse Saga?

Lin: Oh wow. That is really hard, because the inspiration comes from everything I’m interested in.

It’s a dark fantasy/superhero story, where in this world, people with superpowers are actually not the good guys. Instead of using their powers to help people, they use their powers to rise to the top and control the world. The main character is born without powers, so he’s considered a lower class. He has to serve people with powers — the overlords or conglomerate. He has to fight people with much more power than him. So it’s a different take on the superhero genre.

Smithyman: The first volume is out and you are crowdfunding the second now. Why did you choose that approach?

Lin: I want my fans to be able to own this work. The first volume is a pilot edition that I brought to Japan. It’s the work that got me noticed by publishers. So I am working with them on other things, but this is my passion project.

Smithyman: Did you grow up on manga?

Lin: Yes! I just ate it up. The reason I became an artist was because of manga and anime. When I was a child, I was really taken by them — to the point where my goal was to grow up and be an artist. So ever since I was 5 or 6, I was focused on that. I just read on and on. That’s why I’m here today — because of that obsession.

Smithyman: Sure, but wanting to do something and being able to do something are different things. Did you teach yourself to draw or did you take formal classes?

Lin: At the beginning, I taught myself to draw. And every opportunity I got to draw at school. When there was an arts-related elective, I would pick them without fail. I only took a formal class when I was about to enter university. In order to enter an arts university, you need to take an entrance examination. So I took a class to do well on that test.

Smithyman: This is your second year in a row at the Lake Como show. Why did you want to come back so soon?

Lin: I liked it a lot, the first time I was here. It’s a really great convention. It’s a beautiful place. I love Italian history and culture. The history of Europe is here, so I have always wanted to come here. The people are so nice.

Smithyman: What else are you working on right now?

Lin: I have a lot of covers coming! (laughs) Most recently, I’m working on DC’s Absolute series — Absolute Batman and Green Arrow. There’s others from DC that I cannot announce yet. And something I’m working on with the Invincible title, which I really love.

Smithyman: Since your first love in manga and anime, if you could be any character from those genres, what would you be in real life?

Lin: Oh wow, that is so crazy! Maybe I’d be Doraemon. It’s a very old-school title. It’s about a boy who comes across a cat that comes from the future. It’s a futuristic cat robot, and this robot has an interdimensional pocket in front of its body. He can take a tool out of his pocket, and it’s so magical that it can solve all your problems.

Smithyman: I wish I had one of those!

Lin: Yeah, I know, right?

Smithyman: Enjoy your time in Italy, and best of luck with the Kickstarter.