Plastron: What is/are the handle(s)/username(s) that you go by?
MomoRawrr: That would be Momo. Fun story, I picked that name specifically as I joined the TMNT-Fandom. Momo is the title and main character of a book by Michael Ende, and that character kinda got my unruly curly hair, and also had a turtle as companion. It seemed only logical that I picked Momo as a handle. Even now that I am mostly `retired' from the active TMNT-Fandom, I still use Momo as my main handle. In case anyone was wondering why full handle was MomoRawrr, I was pretty cross with a lot of things back in these days and RAWRR simply was a mood.
P: On which websites did you or do you post your work? Are there any active links new readers could follow to find your work?
M: As I briefly mentioned, I am not active in the TMNT-Fandom anymore, I dropped out around 2017/18. Regarding TMNT-Artwork, my first and main base was DeviantArt. I still have plenty of things on there. I also branched out to InkBunny for the spicier content, as dA was getting more and more restrictive at that front.
M: When I was a child, I sometimes was allowed to watch Saturday morning cartoons, and the 80s Cartoon was one of those. I can't even tell you why I liked that show, I just remember that I did. So this was my first brush with TMNT.
When the life-action movies came out, I loved them a bunch. I also rather liked the 2k7 movie. Then, in 2010, I discovered that there has been an entire series that so far completely flew below my radar! The 2k3 Series. I consumed all of that within a couple of months, and then went looking for more content and stumbled upon an active fandom. Joy!
P: When did you begin participating in the fandom?
M: That was somewhere in the middle of 2010, if I remember that correctly. That is actually the first time I really became active in a fandom.
P: Do you have a personal favorite or ``definitive'' version of TMNT?
M: My personal favorite is the 2k3 series.
P: Do you have any advice for any beginners who want to write fiction/draw?
M: Just do it! Draw what you want to see, write what you want to read! It is never too late to start. Also, don't compare yourself to others. There will always be someone who is a bit better than you at a particular thing. Just draw and write for your own enjoyment, not for the approval of others.
P: How do you stay motivated, or cope with writers'/artists' block?
M: I don't stress much about it. If I have no motivation, that's just how it is. No use to put my creative output on a schedule, it's only for fun after all. So I just chill and do other things until the art-mojo returns. My motivation, if you can call it that, mostly comes from an urge to put a feeling or a thought into the world. I express a lot through art, sometimes it just needs to get out. And sometimes I have nothing to put out there, so I don't force anything.
P: Your work has such a unique and distinctive graphic design feel to it. I love and admire how you took the TMNT characters and render them in a style that is 100% yours, but they're still recognizable as the characters we know and love. I found myself reading ``Stranded'' recently and your layouts/compositions on the page are incredible; it's also a really intriguing story! Your work also has a lot of Leathertello in it, which IMHO is a big plus, heh.
M: :D Thank you for these kind words! I really do love Leathertello, most of what I created with these two in it is pure self-indulgence.
P: Would you mind talking a little about how you approached those aspects of your work? You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but - do you have a comic art background?
M: I am an artist for fun, I never took any classes, never followed any free online tutorials, I just like to draw in my spare time.
Only once I did something art-related for school. Okay. Story-time!
At the end of Senior High, we had to write a final thesis. I was a math/biology major, and I just wanted to do something easy as a thesis, something I knew I could handle. So I choose Art as the subject to do my thesis in. My ulterior motive was to finally draw that original comic that I had floating around in my head for years. Good opportunity to combine school-work with fun, no? I only had to sell it to the supervisor, as an Art-Thesis did not only need the practical artsy part, but also a theoretical one. So I told him I would analyze how different Comic-cultures would show the passing of time through panel-layout, comparing American, European and Asian comics. Back then, there was not a lot of literature out there about comics - there was ``Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art'' by Scott McCloud, and not much more (he did a couple of other Comic-related things, i can only reccomend it, its real good theory and real easy to apply with a little practice!). Which meant, I could basically bullshit my way through the theoretical part if it just sounded convincing enough! And so I did.
I learned a lot about comic-paneling, learning by doing, learning by reading other comics. Being from central europe, I was always heavily influenced by European Comics (mostly French and Italian), but also the way of the Eastern Comic-Culture was more and more seeping into how I wanted to tell my own stories. It is very fascinating how back in the 90s, most american comics were very focused on fast-paced action, action after action after action, while european comics were alternating between fast paced and slow paced parts, sometimes even showing things that happen at the same time, and eastern comics did this whole other thing of being real creative in pacing and panel layout! I think in the last two decades, the way comics are drawn in the different regions of the world mixed a lot, and I really like how time is shown in comics nowadays.
Now I kinda forgot where I was going with all of this. Long story short: I just wanted to tell stories, just for myself, not even planing on sharing them with anyone, I just wanted to have the means to put my feelings and emotions and thoughts into drawings/comics. 100% just learning by doing.
P: What character or characters do you enjoy drawing/writing the most?
M: As you already noticed, I really like the Donatello-Leatherhead dynamic. I do like to draw the big crocogator. He got it all, the tragic backstory, the smart brains, the big body!
P: What character or characters do you identify with the most? Does that influence how you write/draw them?
M: Because I used to work in a STEM field (that's science, technology, engineering and mathamatics - adjetant stuff), I relate a lot to Donatello with all his smarts and inventions and honestly just `do stuff `cuz you can' attitude.
I guess every artist or writer puts a little bit of themselves into the characters they write or draw, even if said characters come from an already existing franchise.
P: Are there any of YOUR works you?d like to shine a spotlight on? Maybe some that you?d welcome more comments on?
M: I would like to direct everyone to my comics: https://momorawrr.wordpress.com/comics . Because I think even after these couple of years since I made them, they are still rather neat. No need for comments or likes (Artist for Fun, remember? Not hunting that approval, I draw mainly for myself, because I need to get stuff out of my system). I just want other people to look at them and go ``oh'' and feel something!
P: If you were in full creative control, what?s your idea of the ULTIMATE, perfect TMNT movie (and/or TV series)?
M: Oh no no no don't give me full creative control, that could get very dark very quickly. There is a reason I did like SAINW so much.
P: Okay, let's have a little fun. What do you find most sexy about the turtles?
M: Nothing, really. I lack the ability to find anything sexy in that sense (very much aroace). But what draws me most to them is that mix of adventure and mystery, the diverse characterization, the latent whump, the sheer possibility you got with that whole universe! It's less about the appearance, more about the core of it all.
But ok. Visual things that I enjoy: Squishy tails. Leatherheads clawed hands. The possibility of collarbones peeking out of that shell. SCARS!
P: Which turtle do you think would be the best leader, if not Leo?
M: If they had to leader-up, they all could do it, in their own way.
P: Favorite Ships?
M: Leatherhead & Donatello!
P: Favorite Kinks or Themes in fics/art?
M: Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Survival-Settings
P: Wrapping up; What would you like to say to the fandom in general?
I’m initially reaching out to those whose work I was familiar with as a reader/viewer before I started participating/posting my own. In the near future, I’ll interview some contemporaries, too!
The opinions stated by the interviewees are solely their own, and YOU WILL RESPECT THEM, even if you do not share the same opinions/preferences, etc. If you harass the interviewee, expect to be reported. Please note that many if not all of the people I choose to interview are, like me, pro-ship and pro-tcest. If you don’t like that, please do not read it.
Momo's answers are so insightful, she gives what is asked and tidbit more ^^. I adore her advice about draw what u want to see and write what u want to read- this is the advice i hear over and over from pros. I also try to live by it ..like i enjoy drawing easy fluff but i kno i myself am bored by it looking at it so i try to draw hc stuff too.
Momo's answers are so insightful, she gives what is asked and tidbit more ^^. I adore her advice abo
