Salomey Doku on her graphic novel Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time

Are you ready for a brand new graphic novel series? Because we know we are. Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time is the first book of a fun series by Salomey Doku, centering around a magical university for dreamers. To celebrate the release of the book, we are excited to have Salomey here to chat about her work:

Once Upon A Time seems to be a very fun university, and reminds us of the show, and The School for Good and Evil. Can you please tell us the inspiration behind it?

Thank you! So, ‘Once Upon a Time’ is my university for dreamers. It’s a place where you imagine your impossible, and go after it. Admittedly, it’s not as fantastical as Soman’s school, but I still can’t help but secretly hope it will become as wildly popular, for one very simple reason – absolutely anyone can be a part of it, no magical abilities required! As much as I adore magical schools, I wanted to create a space that felt more accessible and nurturing, while still retaining that romantasy edge. It was born out of my own need to believe in my dreams when no one else did. I left a stable job to pursue something I was passionate about, and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions of my life. I hope you’re ready to follow the journeys of all my Once Upon a Time ‘dreamers’!

We can’t help but wonder – is this a fairytale retelling then?

It started as one, but took on a life of its own! Now it’s more ‘loosely inspired by’ than a direct retelling – which I love! The characters and their stories now have space to develop on their own terms, without the restrictions a retelling brings.

Let’s talk about your art style a little. What is your creative process? Do you draft the story in words first or everything is in pictures?

Honestly, creating a graphic novel feels like directing a movie. I usually watch the scenes play out in my head – like watching a show – and then transpose my imagination into words. Scripting isn’t about how creatively you can write. It’s about the characters thoughts, words, emotions, and ultimately their actions. When I’m in the middle of scripting, I turn into a bit of a dream-walker / actor! When I start drawing, my script becomes more of a guideline. It’s like going from 2D to 3D, with the characters suddenly springing to life as they take to the ‘stage’.

The colors in Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time are exquisite. At what stage do you start coloring them? The last step? Or do you need the colors to help you visualize?

Thanks, again! The colours are the final step of this creating process for me, like finally switching on a complex machine. It’s usually very intuitive, repetitive, and definitely the easiest, most fun stage.

Your previous work can be found on Webtoon. Would you say your art style has changed?

Absolutely! I’ve become much more comfortable in my style, and better at drawing people and anatomy. My Webtoon is loose and quick, so sometimes faces, hands, and feet are super pointy, quite disproportionate, and I leave lots unfinished.

Should readers who love this graphic novel read your material on Webtoon? Or would it confuse people?

Yes, they definitely can! It’s set a little further in the future, after Brielle has left OUAT. The books focus on key moments in the characters’ lives, but the Webtoon is a softer, slice-of-life read for calmer spaces in-between (and detailed back-stories!) Although it’s on hiatus right now as I work on Book 2, I want to add much more content in the future.

Finally, please tell us – Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time is supposed to be the first book in a series. What should we expect in the next book? And does it stress you out that readers can finish a graphic novel in a fraction of the time it takes for you to work on it?

The first book is definitely just introductory, to get everyone settled and comfortable before the real trouble begins. (Fairytales run smoothly, since when?) Expect tears, confusion, and things to turn upside down before that fairytale ending (or beginning…) And it’s WILD to me that something that takes over a year to intensively craft, (never mind all the years of work before that!), can be consumed in an hour! But it’s SO lovely that people choose to support graphic novelists, falling in love with our work and patiently awaiting instalments. It’s actually very motivating!!