“Desert story” is the longest creation process I’ve ever subjected myself to. Intensive work over the script started more than 3 years ago, but first sketches originate from times at least twice further in the past. It wasn’t exactly the same story then, but it begun with a meeting in a shadow of a stone statue, and ended (ok, I’ll complete it sometime in the future).

Why so long? Was it because of lack of time, inspiration, money? Why should I search for excuses? All is well that ends well. For all this time not only was I learning comics craft (the first page had more versions than the author has fingers), but also I was gradually maturing to an idea of multiligual distribution via Internet.

The script begun to emerge on notebook pages during my two months long journey to China. Even though the idea for it had formed in my head repeatedly before, I did not try to avoid inspiration coming from surrounding reality. Thus e.g. one of characters was inspired by a sculpture of medieval poet Du Fu, another by a face of Tibetan peasant, who was our guide during a few days long horseback trip trought mountains.

Surely you will also notice numerous other references and inspirations, which I do not deny. I’ll try to write more about them in the future, but it would be impolite not to mention at least three names: Rosinski, Moebius and Miyazaki. If any of them didn’t exist, I would probably try to take his place. What is left for me is searching for my own way, and huge giants’ feet keep pursuing.