Opening a whole new line of children’s science fiction books, Starry Eyed Press has recently released the Micro Server Power Squad – an illustrated middle grade adventure about a pair of siblings and a lab chimp who go on a quest through the virtual space of a server in search of their missing father.
We had a chance to sit down with the book’s creators to get the scoop on how it all came about. JR is the book’s author (Jason Russell) and AS is Anja Schön, its illustrator.
Jason, let’s start with you – how did the idea for the Power Squad come to be?
JR: The origins of the idea came about in somewhat unusual means – in studying black holes of all things. There’s this paradox that’s haunted physicists since the 1970s in that whatever gets sucked into a blackhole can no longer interact with the universe but information can never be destroyed. So what happens to the information of whatever happened to get sucked inside?
Hawking proposed this theory of quantum hairs – basically information filaments, a sort of record of all the information of anything it swallowed. These allow the information to then reemerge as radiation that does indeed interact with the universe.
So in an abstract sort of way it was like if everything is information and that information can be converted into radiation (energy), how cool would it be to have a technology to turn people into energy and back again. So naturally, next thought – kids’ book! (laughter)
So how did you take it from black hole physics to kid-friendly adventure?
JR: Japanese tokusatsu was the bridge there. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s the style of Asian action show that was translated here as things like the Power Rangers or VR Troopers. It just seemed like the natural fit to build such technology around while keeping it fun. Once I started combining hard science with light action, the rest just started to flow. All that remained was an art style that complimented the vision.
Do you think Anja captured the look as you intended?
JR: Absolutely. As she shared her sketches, it went from a world of my imagining to a living, breathing place – the color, the detail. I knew she’d nailed it when I found I didn’t want to leave Cherry Grove.
Anja, from where did you pull inspiration in developing the look for the Squad?
AS: I worked closely with Jason to develop the look of our characters. We discussed the overall feel we wanted, and I drew inspiration from some of my kid’s favorite superheroes.
What was the most challenging aspect of doing the art for this piece?
AS: One of the main challenges with analog art is that it’s time-consuming to hand-draw each illustration, and there’s little room for error. You need to stay steady and focused because there’s no “undo” button if you make a mistake.
Tell us a bit about your creative process when it comes to illustrating.
AS: After reading the part of the book I need to illustrate, I let my imagination run wild and jot down a few thumbnail sketches. Once I’ve settled on a couple of ideas, I move on to a pencil sketch. Depending on the subject, I do some research—like anatomy, architecture, or landscapes. Once all the details are in place, I refine and finalize my pencil sketch. Then comes the inking stage. For the Micro Server Power Squad, I opted for liners over my usual dip pen to give it a fun, comic/anime vibe for young kids. After that, my favorite part: coloring with bright Copic markers. They’re so fun to use! The final touch is adding highlights with a thin dip pen and white ink. Then it’s time to scan the illustrations and clean them up digitally if needed. And voila, it’s done!
How does it differ from authoring a book?
AS: I’d say my approach is quite similar since I work in a structured way when tackling projects with a clear goal. I organize my ideas, write out a plot line, and then work on each scene, refining it until I’m happy. That said, I also love to write and draw just for fun, letting my imagination flow freely.
Jason, did the thought ever occur to you to try illustrating the piece yourself?
JR: Not even for an instant. Nobody wants to see stick figures and pen smears. I wrote it with Anja’s art chops in mind.
Anja, if it were to be turned into a movie or series, what format do you think would best capture the look and feel of the book?
AS: That’s a tough one because I love all kinds of media! I imagined our Micro Server Power Squad as a 2D adventure, maybe something like “Tron Uprising,” but I think a CG series or even a live-action adaptation would be amazing too!
Jason, same question.
I want to say it would lend itself to live action thanks to the tokusatsu inspirations but it’s one of those properties that could really be worked into anything. A full length CG animated film, a live action series, an animated series. Netflix, if you’re reading this, it’s very adaptable. I wonder if anyone there has the number for DreamWorks.
The Micro Server Power Squad is available now on Amazon:
Starry Eyed Press 