Although the adventures of Agent Jean have come to an end, the distant origins of the likeable comic book characters of Alexandre Couture, aka Alex A., continue to be explored in the series. The Universe is a Ninja. Meeting with the creator of this flat planet.
The Universe is a Ninja will conclude with the sixth volume, scheduled for spring 2024. But before tackling the penultimate volume, which has just arrived in bookstores, let’s go back to the beginning.
Ataria is the center of the universe created by Alex A. The planet was designed by three creator gods: Celius, Luceta and Delenor. Their opposites arrived later: Colbert, Meldora and Déléria. A conflict between the two trios resulted in the destruction of the Big A, source of the power of creation. Residents of the planet have also been victims of this war, including the Celestial Ninja race. Among the few survivors, Iyo, a little blue ninja who speaks very little. Nearly 600 years after the battle, he is determined to rebuild The Big A. To do this, he and his friends travel through Ataria in search of the artifacts that have been built from the pieces of The Big A.
” In The Universe is a Ninja, the magic no longer exists. There is no more fantasy, everything is drab. Even the gods have lost their power, underlines the cartoonist. I imagined how a god with a big head of object could remake his life, for example Luceta who directs his company. »
Each volume features a god. The inhabitants of Ataria perpetuate the belief that the first three creators meant good and the other three inspired only evil, but the more the story progresses, the more this notion becomes nuanced.
I find it interesting to break codes, like the duality of good and bad. I like when it’s grey; when a character can turn around and you wonder if he’s bad or not really. It’s also fun for the reader.
Alex A.
” Agent John ends with the villain winning, which doesn’t happen often. I’ve noticed that young readers are so unused to seeing this that they ask me who’s good and who’s bad. I answer them that both can be both and that provokes interesting reflections, ”he adds.
-
IMAGE PROVIDED BY PRESSES AVENTURE
Excerpt from White Book
-
IMAGE PROVIDED BY PRESSES AVENTURE
Excerpt from White Book
-
IMAGE PROVIDED BY PRESSES AVENTURE
Excerpt from White Book
1/3
In the new volume, The white paper, Colbert captures the entire gang, but Iyo manages to escape. However, he finds himself in the hostile crater at the Diodes. In addition to the many dangers that the place conceals, he must face other people, also in search of the artefacts.
“It’s my most action-packed, assures Alex A. The one before ended with Colbert removing the characters in his airship. The action resumes immediately at this point. It moves a lot, throughout. Then, there is a nice punchy ending, as I like them, to prepare for the last volume. »
Before creation
Alex A. has been drawing since he was a child. He created his first comics before the age of 10 and the character of Agent Jean was born at this time. The idea of The Universe is a Ninja came to him when he was in his early twenties. “I had fun creating random characters, then, among them, there was a blue ninja. His design was that of a classic human ninja, like Sub-Zero in mortal kombat. Over time, I made it a smaller and cuter character,” says the cartoonist.
I wanted to create an epic and absurd series, a bit of a tribute to the video games of my childhood too. The Nintendo 64 is major in my development. Agent Jean exists because of GoldenEyeBesides. The Universe is a Ninja is a mix between Banjo-Kazooie And Zelda.
Alex A.
Since his characters have lived in his head for years, Alex A. has always imagined them living together in the same universe. “I’m a fan of superheroes and their universes are interconnected. Before doing Agent JohnI had built a timeline of my future series that shows how they were connected. The Universe is a Ninja was at the end. Thinking about it, I realized that it was more interesting to make it the mythology of the creation of the universe, he explains. The gods existed before Agent John, and I had already foreseen that Luceta is partly responsible for the creation of the Agency. Everything interconnected naturally. »
Exploration of Ataria will continue
In 2024, after the release of the last volume of The Universe is a NinjaAlex A. will launch his next series, Ataria. “It is not a direct sequel, even if there are elements of continuity, announces the author. Rather than having a character that evolves in a universe, each volume will explore a different character in a different world. The first will feature a character called Alex who looks a lot like me. That’s all I can say for now. »
The animated series Mini-Jeans and Mini-Bubble is offered on Tou.tv’s Extra and will be broadcast on ICI Télé from April 16.
The Universe is a Ninjavolume 5 – The white paper
Alex A.
Adventure Presses
105 pages