The Hidden S in Phone Booth

Some people sound like what they do. For instance, if your name is Steve Orlando you have to be a comic book creator. And so it is with Mr. Orlando, who has worked with a number of well respected comic companies such as Image, AC Comics and Ronin Studios and has recently distinguished himself as a resourceful and imaginative independent creator.

His latest project, Octobriana: Samizdat Edition (Poseur Ink) has made quite an impact in the comic world as a work with a fevered eroticism worthy of the Russian roots of the comic superheroine who was created by Petr Sadecky, a Czech artist in the 60's. Octobrianna has gained a wide cult following as a result of some of these works which made their way to Western Europe and the US (Billy Idol famously has a tatoo of her on his arm).

Mr. Orlando's version (with artwork by Chaz Truog, whose work on Grant Morrison's Animal Man was particularly memorable) is set in roughly the same time period as the original character was created and features a plot concerning a "thought plague" which is wreaking havoc in 1968 Russia. This plague is the responsibility of one individual and it is probably not too much of a spoiler to mention only one woman is up for the task of stopping her.

Mr. Orlando was nice enough to check in with Mark Rhodes (AKA The Hidden S) about his work, the reasons for Octobrianna's appeal and his take on this classic character.

Omnicomic: What was your first exposure to this character?

Steve Orlando: My first exposure to the character came when I was researching my undergraduate thesis. I wanted a topic that combined my interests in comic books, pop culture and Russian history.

After living in Russia in the spring of 2007, I didn't find a lot of comic book culture on the surface. However, some research led me to Petr Sadecky's book Octobriana and the Russian Underground, which chronicled the character's creation and the work of a group of social zealots called the PPP (People's Progressive Pornography).

While Sadecky's book was completely false, I discovered that the proliferation of the character across different medias showed that Sadecky's stated goal had happened despite his ruse. The character, the idea of Octobriana, had become bigger than his book. She was a public domain creation, the ultimate socialist character, available for anyone to use in their own interpretation and to their own end.

I was instantly fascinated at her potential as a way to explore the Russian culture she'd experienced.


Omnicomic: Do you think Octobriana has universal appeal as a character or is she more appealing to a specific type of comic/graphic novel follower?

SO: Depending on the interpretation, I think Octobriana does in many ways have a universal appeal.

Unlike Superman or Spider-man, who can only be explored in certain circumstances (outside of elseworlds stories), Octobriana can truly be used by a creator as a vehicle and tailored to his or her desired expression. For me, she is a culture goddess that I use to talk about sexuality and Russian culture.

For others she is a sign of personal rebellion, or a sci-fi action hero, or a marketing tool. While it may not seem so, due to her pinup roots, I think that the appeal of Octobriana is limited only to the inventiveness of the creator, and the literary desire of the audience.


Omnicomic: How difficult (or fun) was it to pattern the artwork after the original Soviet style?

SO: Speaking of the art (which was produced by Chaz Truog), I did not truly strive to replicate a certain Soviet style. However, we did set out to create an interpretation that depicted characteristics from the original concept.

Octobriana is more of a voluptuous fertility goddess, and less the broken-spine, emaciated figures that seem to permeate the media. As well, it was fun to note the small details that create a Russian setting, visiting different areas of Moscow and inserting little touches in backgrounds and clothing that realize the time period. Seeing Chaz bring the Russian touches to life, from icons hiding in backgrounds to iron clad Soviet trains, was quite fun.


Omnicomic: Do you consider this work more of an homage or an update?

SO: I would consider the work an update, if I had to choose between the two.

As much as it has become a feared word since Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, my Octobriana is in many ways a re-imagining. Thus it could be called an update, I suppose. But due to the dynamic nature of the character, any interpretation, any new story produced with the character, is a re-imagining...and that's the way it's supposed to be.

I took the imagery and the tropes from the initial work, and updated it to my own experience in Russia and studies of Russian culture. Octobriana is a character that begs creators to use the basics and create something vivid by combining them with their own style.


Omnicomic: There was apparently a film in the works in the 70's. Do you think this is the kind of character who might work in a film? Who do you see portraying her?

SO: Due to her versatility, I think Octobriana could without question work in film. Though my interpretation would perhaps be a bit strange for film, content-wise, the initial sci-fi interpretation could work very well as a film.

Octobriana is ideal as an action character, and in almost every interpretation, action is paramount. As a secret agent, she could almost fit into the mold of Angelina Jolie in Salt. Though I don't find Jolie to be a good casting choice, the storyline could have easily been molded onto the Octobriana tropes.

Casting-wise, and bringing up the more voluptuous image of the character, I could see someone like Peta Wilson playing her. Although, to nail the Russian accent, I would also bring up Olga Kurylenko, given blond hair. Both of these women could work, but it would all come down to their portrayal.

Octobriana's sexuality has to be pure, and in many ways innocent, which would be hard to nail. In my story at least, she is the goddess of passion, and she brings sexuality, but it isn't tarnished, it's joyful.