Freerunners In-Depth with Bill Straus
by Janet Houck
Listen to your body and your soul, and let yourself flow, breaking through the concrete world that surrounds you. That's the spirit of Free Running. Gomanga.com catches up with Bill Straus, writer of Freerunners. Run with us as we get a sneak peak at this upcoming manga about relationships and Free Running in the Big Apple.
Thank you for your time! First off, Freerunners revolves around the sport/art of Parkour, in particular the Free Running movement which focuses more on artistic movement rather than just moving from one place to another in the most efficient manner. When did you first hear about Parkour and Free Running, and what inspired you to write a manga around it?
BS: I actually learned about it through my literary manager. I was inspired initially because it was a J-O-B, truth be told. But then when I looked at what it was and where it was coming from psychologically and culturally, it really felt like a fun world to be exploring. I think the artistry of it and the philosophy behind it is what makes it so much more than X Games type stuff. And I was intrigued at the challenge of turning these crazy Frenchmen into New Yorkers.
Tell us about the cast of characters, who look very slick and urban from the production sketches (especially Yoshi with his headphones). Do you have any favorites, and are all of the main characters traceurs, or runners?
BS: I thought Deezy was pretty cool. Overall, they are more based on types of people that I knew as a kid, and the desire to re-contextualize Free Running into the culture of New York City. I like Liza and Steep's relationship a lot and the way she teases him and says weird crap.
Judging from the production art and sample page, Freerunners looks to be a very kinetic manga, focusing a lot on the characters in motion. Will the manga be divided equally between the characters running and their relationships when standing still?
BS: There is a lot of free running and a lot of conversation. There's probably a bit more talking than free running, but there are a lot of characters and relationships to set up in the first volume. Some of the Free Running sequences are kind of epic though and should satiate the action-heads.
Jennyson Rosero, artist for No Man's Land, is also drawing Freerunners. How did you meet and collaborate? Was his art style an easy match for your script?
BS: I actually haven't really met him yet, but Jason DeAngelis showed me his work and I thought it looked great. I think that he has a good sense of the manga aesthetic, and that he shows a lot of flair for the culture of beautiful Brooklyn. I was hoping that it would have a graffiti character kind of aesthetic mixed with a manga aesthetic, and I think he is able to do that in a lot of instances.
The artwork has a real fluidity; was that a tone that you were aiming to project?
BS: I think it's germane to the script, the subject, etc. Free Running has a fluidity. Not sure I ever thought about that consciously, but maybe I did on an unconscious or even subconscious level.
Would you classify Freerunners as a sports manga (i.e. The Prince of Tennis, Whistle!) or as a more generalized manga about urban life?
BS: I don't think it's really a sports manga. Because we stretch some supernatural type elements, I think it deviates. It's also much more about relationships and the philosophical principles inherent in Free Running.
Can you tell us a little about your method for writing?
BS: I like to plot something out, then write a first draft quickly, leaving myself room to riff and go in directions that I didn't know that I would. I then go over it much more closely the second time through. First draft, I write with my heart; second, I write with my head. I would advise anyone to do it that way, as many people fall into the trap of never finishing stuff, because they're always rewriting themselves before they finish.
Where else can we read your work? Besides writing, what are your hobbies?
BS: I am a screenwriter. Unfortunately, none of my stuff has hit the Silver Screen yet, but I'm holding out hope that something will soon. I am into rap and basketball, but the rap thing isn't as crucial to me as it used to be. I also spent a year and a half backpacking all over Asia and Africa, so I'm into travel too, I guess. I also like dogs and ice cream.
What are some of your favorite manga?
BS: I like No Man's Land and Amazing Agent Luna.
Finally, describe Freerunners in five words or less, and why people should pick it up:
BS: Learn to Fly, yo.
We'd love to hear from you!