Fresh from organising his second comic con at the Verdala secondary school for boys, Dean Fenech tells Johnathan Cilia about his Apocalypse Rocked series and the challenges and satisfactions of self-publishing.

You came to Malta from Australia when you were nine years of age. What did moving here feel like?

I was already used to Malta, as I had already spent a number of holidays here. I also was used to hearing the language through my family, so getting used to living here was-n’t really an issue. The biggest adjustment was getting used to a new school and making new friends, but after about a year I settled in fine.

Did comics enter your life soon after moving here?

I had always liked comics, in a way, but not in the same way most people. My first exposure to characters derived from comic books involved the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons; the Christopher Reeves Superman movies; the Batman 1960s TV seriesl and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons and movies. Basically, all the characters and stories I liked as a child, all derived from comics. I used to read some comics as a child – Tintin, Casper the Friendly Ghost and some superhero ones spring to mind – but I wouldn’t call myself a fan of the medium, back then. I really got into comics through Japanese anime and manga during my secondary school years, and was reintroduced to Western comics thanks to Wicked Comics, the organisers of the Malta Comic Con.

Did your love of rock and metal come about at the same time as your interest in comics?

My love of music came a bit after I started getting into anime and manga. This was the very early 2000s, when rock and rap were starting to become huge and it was all about nu metal; Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit and Disturbed. But later on I got into classic rock and I’ve never really looked back.

How did you decide to bring these two interests together to create a rock-influenced comic?

In the late 1980s and early 1990s I watched a lot of cartoons and movies where the characters played music. There was Denver the Last Dinosaur, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Back to the Future... So I guess the idea was always there. I also had the idea of rock star superheroes going around in my head for a while and that’s what my Apocalypse Rocked series ended up being. It was a very organic creation process. I just ended up putting everything I like in the series. It is very ‘me’.

How have readers reacted to Apocalypse Rocked?

The general reaction has been quite good and has become better as time has passes. When I first began, I was just getting back into comics, so I was learning as I was going on but now I’ve gotten comic art down to a science and people really seem to like it.

Local people still don’t get comics and see it as a niche market, only read by specific types of people. Having said that, reactions are usually positive and in-volve surprise that the Maltese publish good and professionally-packaged comics. When I am at events, they usually think I’m selling other people’s work. The foreigners get it right away. Rock music and comics are a bigger deal in other countries than they are here. People tend to get very enthusiastic about it and even buy the comics as a souvenir from Malta, especially since my new series is very focused on Maltese history. I still send my new books to foreigners who had been here on holiday during an event or another.

Do not knock something off just because it is made in Malta

You have recently become known for your ‘mini comic cons’, having held one very recently at the Colour Festival. How did these start, and what are you hoping to achieve with these mini comic cons?

I’m usually invited to the mini comic cons and other events I take part in, generally by councils and by Wicked Comics to their events. However, I also organise a comic con at The SMC Boys Secondary school, in Cospicua, which is where I teach. The past two editions showcased my students’ comic work and gave them a chance to continue developing their love for comics. My goal is for the Maltese in general and publishers specifically to accept comics as a legitimate storytelling medium, and not just something you used to read as a child. The best way to change antiquated mentalities is by convincing the kids.

You also run a comic club at the same school. What can you tell us about it?

I started it about six years ago. I basically teach students the process of creating comics, from coming up with stories, to character design, script writing, page layouts, pencil and inking and, finally, publishing. Some students have been members of the club since their first year of secondary school.

It’s a great way for them to express themselves in a creative way and the books we create sell out immediately. All the profits go towards buying more comics for our school library.

Do you believe comic books can play a role in the education system?

I am very much in favour of using comics in education and I use them in my social studies classes. To give you an example, during the ‘values’ class I ask students to compare the conflicting values of Batman and the Joker and how what they believe in makes them a good person… or not. These techniques are a great way of getting reluctant students to read. Comics are also used as university textbooks.

For instance, I own Karl Marx’s Capital in comic form. My car is from Japan and the manual is a manga. This can also be used in Malta. A fellow teacher mentioned that my new comic series Times are a-changing might be a good way to teach Maltese history to students; even though it’s a comedy, it is still heavily researched.

What do you consider your proudest moments?

Teaching is a hard job, but certain moments make all the bad ones worth it. The comic club has given me many of them – from publishing our first, student-made anthology comic book and selling all 100 copies in just three days, to filming a 20-minute, student-made documentary about comics (you can find it on YouTube under the title Verdala Comic Club Documentary) to hosting our first Verdala comic con last year. On a personal level, seven years ago I was told by local publishers that there will never be a local comic scene, so I decided to self-publish my work. Finally showing my book during the third Malta comic con was a milestone in my life. I’ve had other proud moments, from getting my fist commission to having my artwork shown on TV and even sometimes getting recognised as “that guy who does cartoons”.

Do you have a favourite comic book character? And Marvel or DC?

I’m a DC guy, but I do enjoy Marvel as well. My favourite character, for sure, is Batman.

Last words for aspiring artists?

The comic scene in Malta is growing, so artist and writers should not be afraid of going out there and releasing their work. I would also love to more support between artists on the local scene. We are too small for competition, and the only way to make this scene larger is to work together.

Finally, I’d like to tell the adults out there are comics are not only for children. And they’re not only about superheroes, either. There are comics about every single genre imaginable, some with very simple plotlines to some very intense topics that deal with adult subjects. And most importantly, do not knock something off just because it is made in Malta.