Interview with author of the webcomic Lucy the Necromancer, Damjan Mihailov

Lucy is cute and cheerful (most of the time) and breaks the stereotypical image of a necromancer

Originally published on Global Voices

Damjan Mihailov is a Macedonian comic book author whose webcomics Lucy the Necromancer, originally published in English via WebToons, has recently been published in book format, first in English and then in Macedonian.

Global Voices talked with Mihailov about the ups and downs of publishing comics online in North Macedonia, the differences between catering to global and local audiences, and why transitions between media formats have been needed.

By day, Mihailov is a technical game artist; by night, a comic artist. Starting off as an architect by profession, he later discovered that his hobby of drawing was his true passion. Committed to his craft, he decided to pursue it fully. A true geek at heart, Damjan loves everything from comics and illustrations to movies and animation.

Global Voices (GV): You started publishing Lucy the Necromancer in 2021 as a webcomic that seems to parody the clichés of the horror genre, with a particular twist of introducing the character of a small girl as an aspiring sorcerer. What motivated you to start telling these stories?

Damjan Mihailov (DM): When I started working in game development, for some X or Y reason, I stopped drawing. I felt like my creativity was being drained at work. At some point, I realized I was missing something, so I thought to myself, “I need a project that will force me to draw.” At the very least, I wanted to create something each week. That’s why I decided to go with a comic strip, like the ones in newspapers, the same ones I grew up with, where there’s a new one every day.

For a long time, I had an idea for a story where two opposite worlds would clash, something grim and something cute, and I figured now was the perfect time to bring it to life. Zombies can be both grim and fun, offering endless opportunities for wild stories. Lucy, on the other hand, is cute and cheerful (most of the time) and breaks the stereotypical image of a necromancer.

GV: The basic format you use is four panels per page, while Lucy’s adventures can range from one-page gags to more elaborate narratives of several pages. Is it difficult to tell your stories within these constraints?

DM: I never liked long stories, especially ones that are broken up, where you have to wait a week for the next part and end up forgetting what happened the week before. People today prefer content that gets straight to the point, so one-comic stories felt like the right choice. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to the number of panels or the format. But over time, I realized I needed consistency, so I confined myself to a four-panel structure.

Constraints, as it turns out, are a very good thing, they force you to think about how to tell a story like a punchy joke. With too many frames, it’s easy to go overboard, and the joke ends up losing its punchline. After all, nobody likes a long joke.

GV: Besides Lucy, you present a range of characters, from “plants and zombies” to other kids who can be described as non-magical or “muggles” in Harry Potter universe. Do you view their interactions as allegories, or as a way to share some universal messages?

DM: That’s way too deep for Lucy’s world. It’s more like “If it fits, it sits.” :) There’s no hidden message or anything like that. Her universe is a mix of all sorts of magical worlds and reality. The idea is that all these worlds can coexist happily. I just want to bring a little joy into people’s lives. No matter if you’re a fan of Star Wars or Lord of the Rings (LOTR), you can find something funny in it.

GV: Is the horror setting a metaphor for your view on the universe? Or are some of the characters reflections of living people?

DM: Maybe, and yes. Horror might be too strong a word, it’s more like taboo. Sure, there are the living dead and all sorts of scary, horror-themed things, but they’re not portrayed that way. It’s about taking something most people see as taboo and turning it upside down, which makes it funny. I’m honestly tired of subjects people find taboo.

When most people hear the synopsis for Lucy the Necromancer, they make a grim face and say “Why would you create that?” But then they read a few comics and say, “This is actually cute and funny!” and they instantly like it.

GV: What were the influences in comics or other media that motivated you to create Lucy?

DM: I’m a huge fan of webcomics, and there are so many amazing ones out there. I grew up with classics like The Peanuts, Balthazar, and all the iconic Cartoon Network shows, and I think they’ve had the biggest influence on me. From a young age, I had a strong affinity for cartoons and comics. I lived next to the French Culture Center in Skopje, and on rainy days, I’d head there to spend time in the comic section, just “reading” the pictures. I didn’t understand a word, but I would create my own stories based on the images. The shops in my area carried Italian comics translated into Serbian–Croatian, most of which were about cowboys, which never really appealed to me. Instead, I found myself drawn to the daily funnies in the newspaper, and later, the worlds of Marvel and DC. Probably all of them have influenced me in some way, and they still do.

GV: The initial format of Lucy the Necromancer was a webcomic. Why did you choose to also publish in book format, on paper?

DM: Yes, Lucy is a webcomic, but the key word is “comic.” While webcomics are easier to access and read on your computer, phone or tablet, comics were originally a printed format, and they still are. A lot of people prefer them that way. Also, it’s really nice to see it on a shelf next to all the other great ones. ;)

GV: Did foreign audiences express interest in the comics about Lucy, either digital or printed? Would you be interested in producing translations in other languages?

DM: Yes, Lucy receives love from all over the world. Initially I published Lucy as a web comic in English on an international web comic platform called Webtoons. She quickly received followers and fans who were eager for each next comic. The Macedonian translation was the next step because kids here responded really well to the English version. Not many kids understood what was happening in the comic, so I wanted to bring Lucy closer to them. Translating it into different languages is a big milestone I hope to achieve in the future. It will be amazing if it happens. I’d love to see that.

GV: How do you access the comics scene in North Macedonia, and or the Balkans? Do new and young comics and graphic novels authors have a chance to make their stories seen and read?

DM: Oh… this is a tough one. There are two groups of people: those who create comics and those who read them. Most of them connect through friends, Facebook, Instagram, and similar platforms. Macedonia has a very small comics scene without a dedicated space to unite creators and readers or to give them a sense of belonging and support. However, there are passionate individuals working hard to change that.

For example, this year, 2024, marked the second edition of the comic festival Strip Trip, which I hope will turn into a long standing tradition. Before this, there wasn’t much happening locally in the comic scene. There are a few festivals in neighboring countries, and most of our artists find solace there. The saddest part is that the government often supports the same organizations that contribute little to nothing to the community, and, unfortunately, this festival didn’t qualify for funding. Despite that, a few determined individuals made it happen. Through sheer sweat and hard work, they pulled it off. It was a success, and next year promises to be even better. I hope the government recognizes the growing thirst for events like this and decides to support us. Until that time comes, we’ll keep creating, and nobody can take that away from us.

Written by Filip Stojanovski