If you’re hankering for something to scratch that Samurai Champloo itch, you should take a look at Stéphane Métayer’s Tephlon Funk! – a Hip Hop story told through an manga-influenced comic with French artists David Tako and Nicolas Safe. The Kickstarter campaign has 5 days left on it and they’re just over the 50% mark to self-publish the first 130 page volume.
The main protagonist is 14 year old Inez Jozlyn. She was born and raised out in Queensbridge, a rough housing project in the New York City borough of Queens. The title “Tephlon Funk!” means in order to overcome obstacles in life, you need to be strong and stand out among the crowd.
You should check out their site for their demo sample of the manga and some excellent concept art. One of the reasons to be excited about this project is that they’re in talks with Gonzo Animation (Afro Samurai) and JM Animation (Avatar: The Last Airbender) to produce a pilot for an animated series.
I wanted the story to take place in New York City. Specifically Queensbridge since this was heavily inspired by “Illmatic.” I’ve never seen an NYC based cartoon that really captured the true essence of living in this big city.
I thought “Why not have the lead character be someone down to earth that’s believable and people care about?” which is what influenced me to put together “Tephlon Funk!“
