THE FATE OF THE GALAXY DEPENDS ON THESE THREE PETS!
Gardack, Tony, and Bubs may just be pets for Earth humans, but the fate of the galaxy depends on them in a new graphic novel series where pets take center-stage as the heroes to save their homes and their humans, gaining superhuman bodies in the process.
Grand Design Communications is representing worldwide publishing rights for the title. Three 180-page volumes are planned. The first volume is complete and volumes 2 & 3 are fully scripted. More information and sample pages are available here on our CATastrophic Encounters title page.
CATastrophic Encounters was conceived by Owen Marriott as a graphic novel incorporating elements from his many interests, literary and beyond. We asked Owen to tell us more about this graphic novel series:
GDC: How did you come up with the idea for CATastrophic Encounters?
Owen: Some of the original concepts came to me years ago, when I was in elementary school and fantasizing about superpowered cats instead of paying attention in class. Everything only settled into place after I finished school and started working with my father. We were on a walk one afternoon and joking about writing a story of our cats with superpowers. But the more we talked, the more the jokes started to seem like opportunities. By the end of that walk, CATastrophic Encounters was born.
GDC: What are you hoping to accomplish?
Owen: CATastrophic Encounters is a funny, lighthearted story for middle grade readers, but it also explores the idea that first impressions can be misleading—and that friendship can come from the most unlikely places. We want to make people laugh, and maybe wonder what their own pets get up to when they leave the house.
GDC: What are your interests and influences as a writer?
Owen: I have always loved science fiction, especially involving space travel and alien life. I like to write characters who see the world through different eyes than the average person, be they the eyes of someone with a unique mind, or a cat who only thinks about how to get his next treat.
My writing has been influenced by everything I have ever read, but a few books I keep going back to include Andy Weir’s The Martian, which I have read upwards of 25 times (not an exaggeration, I promise), and Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy, which I have also read through several times.
GDC: What do you think of comics and other mediums?
Owen: I have always been a fan of comics and graphic novels. When I was younger, I read and was enthralled by IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog comics. And like most of my classmates, I read Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid when in elementary school. Lately I have been reading a lot of manga, especially One Punch Man and One Piece, and manga stylings have definitely inspired scenes within CATastrophic Encounters.
Rights for CATastrophic Encounters are represented by Grand Design Communications.