Our Creator Interview series returns with an interview fit for the frightful season. Steve Urena has been creating comics balancing humor with horror. I recently got to meet him at a Nashville Comic Arts Festival and was really pleased to get to talk with him about his work. I'm super excited to share this interview, and I'm sure you'll find it a sweet treat.
GlobalComix: Tell us a little bit about your work, yourself, and how you got into making comics!
Steve Urena: Hi! I’m Steve Urena, and I am an indie comic creator based out of CT. I’ve been writing comics since 2020 and I am best known for my horror comedies. I’ve loved comics since I was a kid and always had these insane stories in my head. Luckily through comics, I’m able to share them with the world.
GlobalComix: What drew you to creating horror titles in particular?
Steve: Horror is the most accepting genre and it’s also the most fun. Anything can happen in horror and the crazier the idea the better. The community is so welcoming and I think there needs to be more horror comedies in comics.
GlobalComix: One of the titles that really caught my attention was Slow Pokes, how did you come up with that idea, fast-moving killer sloths?
Steve: If you look at sloths, they look scary. They have claws, they have a blank stare, and they always look like they just hid a body. I’m a huge fan of killer animal movies and those SYFY movies like Sharknado so I was like what are they gonna make next? Sloths that become fast and kill people? I took a comic class and thought that’s the perfect story to write. It shocks. It surprises and it’s fun.
GlobalComix: Do you have a title that you’ve enjoyed the most so far?
Steve: I love them all in different ways. Each comic is a different part of me so it’s hard to pick just one. I think every title I put out is a way to challenge myself and I’ve enjoyed the journey. Slow Pokes was my first comic so I’ll always be proud of that. Zombie Date Night was a challenge to myself to see if I can go outside of the Slow Pokes realm and create something new. X-Maschina was made to see how I can work with a partner ( the very talented Misty Graves), Slow Pokes 2 was my first sequel and Foul Mouth was a way to break out of horror for a more superhero style approach. I’ve loved each one and I hope I can continue. Some have said comics can break your heart but my comic journey has made my heart full.
GlobalComix: What October specials do you have going on this month to celebrate Horror?
Steve: I’ve been doing a lot of comic cons and horror cons recently and they are so much fun. To see people dressed like Terrifier and Jason Voorhees come by to tell me they like my work is a dream come true. I’ve also been watching anthology horror movies recently to get into the spooky spirit.
GlobalComix: What advice would you give to folks who are looking to get into horror comics or other types of scary stories?
Steve: You can do it too! Horror is a great way to jump in. Find what scares you and put your own unique spin on it. Also the great RL Stine says to write with a beginning, a middle and a twist which is how I try to write my stuff.
GlobalComix: Of all the projects you’ve worked on so far, did you have one that was extra challenging or didn’t go as planned? Why and what have you done to overcome that?
Steve: I try to create with an open mind. Nothing goes exactly as you plan. You gotta roll with it. All of them have been challenging in different ways but you adapt and move forward the best you can. I’ve run kickstarters for all my comics and the last one ( Foul Mouth) was tough, but I made it through. I went out of my comfort zone by doing something not all the way horror and it took some time to find an audience. Luckily it made its funding, but it’s been more successful for me selling them at cons talking about the concept face to face. I think the smile I have on my face when telling them about a demon possessed superhero who gets her powers from cursing makes people want to check it out.
GlobalComix: I’ve seen your social media very active, and you travel to conventions all over. How did you get started with conventions?
Steve: I got invited to do New York Comic Con last year by my good friend and very talented artist Vertebrae 33 and I got the bug. I was nervous at first since I’m so new but, i sold well and learned a lot . I decided I was gonna give it a try and apply to as many as I can do. You don’t know how comfortable you are until you’re uncomfortable so I did whatever I could to try new things and go out of my comfort zone. I’ve been all over to places I never thought I’d be. NY, NJ, PA, CT, MA, TN, MO, VA are just some of the stops on this tour I’m on. I hope to ramp things up even further in 2025. I’ve gotten rejected but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I’ve luckily gotten more yes’s than No’s which im very grateful for.
GlobalComix: Do you have a favorite convention that you like going to?
Steve: All of them have been great and I’m still seeing what works for me. Loved Nashville Comic Arts Festival, SLICE in St Louis, Brooklyn Independent Comic Showcase, Indie Comics Creator Con, Plastic City Comic Con, CT Horrorcon, NEPA Horrorfest and NJ Sideshow market just to name a few.
GlobalComix: When we met up at the Nashville Comic Arts Festival earlier this year, we briefly talked about indie-only comic fairs and conventions. Do you feel that you fare better at those types of cons, or do you do better at larger more varied conventions?
Steve: Every con is different. I’ve been lucky to do well in both settings. I love talking to people so I’ve been able to get new readers in both situations. I love the 1 on 1 aspect of the smaller cons as I have more time to discuss comics and introduce myself to people willing to take a look.
GlobalComix: Going back to horror comics, are there any upcoming titles or campaigns we can look forward to from you and your team?
Steve: Zombie Date Night two is coming very soon and I’m putting the finishing touches on two more scripts. One is a follow up to one of my other titles and the second is something completely new.
GlobalComix: You’ve done an amazing job building a brand and awareness around that brand. What advice would you have for creators who want to develop their own networks and communities around their work?
Steve: Be yourself. Be honest. Be open and most of all have fun. The more fun you’re having, the more people will want to join your party.
Many thanks Steve for taking time between all of your traveling and creation to sit down with me and answer these questions!
If you would like to keep up with Steve Urena and all his comics, here's a list of links for all of his social media profiles:
OSBKU 2 months ago
such a fun guy.. im a horror writer and was thinking about horror comedy... lets see