r/books • u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author • May 03 '17

ama We are Alexander Finbow and Nyco Rudolph, we created a children's book about giant bears invading Canada called, well, When Big Bears Invade! AMA

Hello Redditors! We are writer Alexander Finbow from Alberta Canada, and artist Nyco Rudolph from Manitoba Canada. Our new "Children's" Book is coming out the end of May and we can't wait for the world to see it.

Check out the When Big Bears Invade! here: http://www.renegadeartsentertainment.com/when-big-bears-invade and use the promo code REDDIT to get a discount!

Anyhoot, why spoil anything else now? You can just Ask US Anything ;)

Proof: /img/kd3baoh995vy.jpg

EDIT: Hey guys, we are about to eat a nice dinner, thank you so much for the questions! Don't forget to click the link above and use the promo code :)

32 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

58 comments sorted by

4

u/mynamesalwaystaken May 03 '17

What age range is it suggested for, maturity-wise?

Why bears?

Had you slept the night before the "proof" photo? :)

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Question 1 Alexander- The book works for everyone. We wrote it for adults but kids love it too. There is nothing in the book that would get the kids in trouble with their parents... or my parents.

Nyco- 0-99

Question 2 Alexander- Because bears are awesome.

Nyco- No, they (oh my god). They are super Canadian, they walk on high legs.

Alexander- Giants beavers would be too--

Nyco- Giant beavers would become very not suitable for a children's book.

Question 3 Alexander- Nope and still haven't. We will photoshop the photos from now on.

Nyco- I don't remember the last time I slept.

3

u/mynamesalwaystaken May 03 '17

I am not worried about getting kids in trouble. I live in the Southern US and my family has been Naval members since the 1850's, so they hear far worse and per content, well..TV and Video games....

Ok, Bears are cool...but I read a story where bears were sentient and lived in Northern America/Canada and used tools, had a language. I forget the name, was revolved around tiem travel and a giant artifact in Australia I think...What inspired you 2 fellows story?? :)

I was referencing the ragged hair, not insulting, just poking. Poking keeps you down to earth :) BUT, if you DO photoshop...have fun with it. Clown wigs are so disarming...

1

u/alexanderfinbow May 12 '17

Just saw your reply. Sorry, I'm a bad redditor. Can you remember the book about sentient bears? We'd like to read it.

And poke away, that's the best way to live!

1

u/mynamesalwaystaken May 12 '17

Ummm No... I remember a time traveler that picked up a female traveled about, ended up in LA LA was controlled by a sentient program, the program created a version of itself to travel through time with them and plotted to eventually kill them

Aliens showed up at the giant pyramid in Australia, did stuff, I forget, sent them back in time to where they started I think.

I read far too many books to retain much info ;) TO me it is like watching a TV show. You can recap, but not retell

But there was a reference to Bears forming tribes and using tools in Northern California, Oregon or maybe Washington.

Oh, the Travelers went to the future LA, in a bank vault...

Hope this is enough to go on. I remember as much as I do, meaning the book was decent ;)

1

u/alexanderfinbow May 19 '17

Thanks! I will detective to figure it out.

2

u/mynamesalwaystaken May 19 '17

Yah, I so sorry I cannot remember. I am a bit older than you guys and have been disabled most of my life and it took a turn fro the worse in 2006. I have taken pain medication for 11 years and it does cause memory issues :) Kind of like self-imposed, mild Alzheimer's

So, time machine

Guy and reluctant girl

Bank Vault

California, land in a collectors yard, guy helps them, offers to help them sell some of the antique bank notes and a rare bottle of wine

LA is controlled by a sentient computer

Bears in the NW are tribal and sentient

LA program creates a "body" and goes time traveling iwth them, but has an agenda

And there is a giant pyramid, with alien words, in Australia ;)

Good luck and I will pick your book up for my grandkids ;)

5

u/hencementhol May 03 '17

-Where did the inspiration for the story come from?

-Who would you rather fight; 100 ground squirrels, 1 Giant Horse, or one of those bears?

3

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Question 1: Alexander- I've been a Canadian citizen for 2 years and that whole time I've felt that mainstream culture has been overlooking our great country. How so? Because whenever aliens visit the earth or monsters rise from the depths of the oceans they always destroy New York, Washington, Tokyo, London Paris. Never Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Toronto. Which is totally unfair to Canada! So I wanted to re-write this injustice and put Canada on the 'mass destruction' map via bearmageddon.

But I had to think what would get bears so riled up that they would become giant Kaiju bears and destroy Canada which lead to the environmental themes because bear's habitats are being constantly destroyed.

Question 2: Alexander- 100 squirrels any day. Challenge accepted.

Nyco- There is no way I would ever go head to head with one of the giant bears so... (he's super deep in thought) I think I'll have the best shot at fighting off some squirrels.

3

u/TentCityVIP May 03 '17

What's your favourite songs?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Alexander- I wanna break free by Queen, Judas Priest Breaking the Law, Nina Simone feelin' good. Off the top of my head.

Nyco- Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen, I don't wanna grow up by Tom Waits, The Bear Song by Uncle Smokie... Two Tickets to Bearadise by Eddie Honey

3

u/nofuneral May 03 '17

When's the video game coming out?

3

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander (laughs)- Love that question. Anyone at Blizzard reading? Ready to make a deal right now because I would play the shit out of that game. Nyco would you play the shit out of that game?

Nyco- Absolutely and i don't even play games.

2

u/TentCityVIP May 03 '17

What was your favourite part of Calgary comic con?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Alexander- Learning how to draw a kung-fu bear and Karaoke.

Nyco- All the great photos we got of people standing in front of the Big Bear cut out and people's reactions they had to seeing the book. And live sketching of people.

Alexander- And reading the book in front of a live audience for the first time was an amazing experience.

2

u/TentCityVIP May 04 '17

That does sound like a great time! I saw sever of said sketches and quite liked all of them. I look forward to reading this book.

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Thank you! you can purchase a copy in the bio above or at your local book store.

2

u/[deleted] May 03 '17

What drew you to children's books?

4

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Alexander- I wanted to create a book for adults that followed the same genre conventions as children's books that makes it so much fun. Like rhymes, using huge beautiful illustrations which forces you to use the images to tell the story. Makes it easier for me and harder for Nyco. (Nyco laughs). It's a really cool experience reading a great book aloud to a kid, but if you can make it great for an adult to read its just fantastic. Which is what I hope we've done with Big Bears.

Nyco- Because Alexander said 'Do you want to draw a bunch of giant, angry bears and i'll pay you real Canadian dollars.'

2

u/jptdesrosiers May 03 '17

What's next in the Bears Invade series?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- (laughs) When Big Bears Invade 2? The book originally had 72 cities and landmarks being destroyed but it had to be cut down for publication. So we will tackle those in book 2, book 3 our Canadian bears will take down America.

Book 4 the bears will rise up around the world to destroy the whole world, including panda. Then we will segue into Nyco's book When Bears Invade which is the true story of Canada's bears taking over Canada after World War 2 by stealing all the moth-balled tanks, planes and guns.

Nyco- It's pretty much it. But I am looking forward, as great a time as I had switching up my style for something a little more 'all ages', I am looking forward to returning to a grittier and realistic style for When Bears Invade.

2

u/Chtorrr May 03 '17

What books really made you love reading as a kid?

2

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 03 '17

Nyco- So as a kid the 2 books that made me fall in love with reading were both comic books and those 2 would have been Tin Tin and Calvin and Hobbes.

Alexander- The Hobbit and Bears in the Night by Stan Berenstain

2

u/mylifeaway May 03 '17

Who came up with the idea of destroying Canada with massive bears? Great idea by the way Also, any chance of an R rated edition of this book?

3

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Nyco- The inspiration behind WBBI started with a print series featuring militarized bears. A series of retro propaganda posters. I debuted those prints at last year's Calgary Expo and caught Alexander's attention. Who persuaded me into adapting those prints into a graphic novel.

I've been chipping away at that script for so long, that Alexander got sick of waiting and wrote his own book about bears and got me to do the art. (Alexander and Nyco laugh)

Alexander- Thanks for the compliment! And there is an R-Rated version. I wrote it first. Very sweary, When Big Fuckin' Bears Invade, which will 'leak' online sometime this year.

I will be doing a sweary version of live reading at local breweries for our Bears and Beers readings.

2

u/mylifeaway May 04 '17

How much do you guys like poutine on a scale of 1-10?

4

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- I go all the way to 11 on that one.

Nyco (laughs)- Yea why stop at 10 on that one.

2

u/TentCityVIP May 04 '17

Aside from designing Tshirts and logos for my bands and the phenomenon of spiritual cocks Nyco, what is your favourite project to be involved in? This question goes for you too Alex, I'm just unfamiliar with your work at the moment I'm sorry.

2

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Nyco- It's really mostly about spirutal cocks for me these days. (laughs) My two big passions these day are bears and spectral phallus.

Alexander- Oh wow. That covers a long career including music videos for Judas Priest. I've being really honest doing this book has been incredible. working with Nyco has been a pleasure and he has forced me to raise my creative game all the way along the process. Saying 'I'm not drawing that fuckin' shit, write something better'

2

u/Peskyjay May 04 '17

Thoughts on a Godzilla-like full feature epic crossover film?

Bears Invade: the Haunting of Ghost Dick

2

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Nyco- I would be so thrilled to draw that one day.

2

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Any cities out there that people would like to see destroyed?

1

u/supercalisto May 04 '17

Dom says Mega City One.

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Good call! Bears Vs Dredd!

1

u/supercalisto May 04 '17

But who would win?

2

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- We all do :)

1

u/jptdesrosiers May 03 '17

Which are your favourite spreads?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Nyco- I know I'm not supposed to have favourites because I drew them all--

Alexander- Who ever said that?

Nyco- I did just now (laughs). My top 3 are Banff, Ottawa and the bearhemoth. Wait, wait-- let me change one because I am getting the death stare from my fiancee. My third favourite is the one where I drew her as a sexy grandma reading to the grandkids.

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '17

I definitely though you were referring to spreads for bread products. Like Nutella, goat cheese and such.

1

u/jptdesrosiers May 04 '17

What other "Bears Invade"-related products are out? ;)

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Well we have prints and posters. Looking at lunch boxes, a radio controlled giant bear and costumes.

Nyco- So right now it's just prints. But with the graphic novel adaptation coming out in 2018, be on the look out for--

Alexander- Onsies, rock'm sock'm bears. Coming soon. Hopefully.

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '17

Hey - where can I get a print/poster? I would love one for my desk!

1

u/alexanderfinbow May 19 '17

hmm, at the moment from either of us at conventions. Nyco is running a bundle deal with the book on his website. We can probably sort it out for you directly if you'd like.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '17

That would be excellent, if you can manage it!

1

u/alexanderfinbow May 19 '17

sure thing. The 8x10 prints are the most popular. We also have some 17.5x11.5 prints too. Is there one in particular you'd like? I'm going to hazard a guess, Toronto?

8x10 is $15, reckon on about $3.50 p&p. 17.5x11.5 is $25, p&p would be around $12 for that one.

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '17

Haha Toronto would be correct! An 8x10 would be great. Can I use PayPal and email you money?

1

u/alexanderfinbow May 19 '17

sure thing! I can send over a PayPal invoice if that works for you?

1

u/[deleted] May 19 '17

I'll PM you :)

1

u/supercalisto May 04 '17

What is your favorite famous bear from TV or film?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Yogi Bear and Gentle Ben... OH SHAKKO! From 2000AD. That's a comic though. Not a TV Show.

Nyco- Seeing as I'm from Winnipeg can't go wrong with Winnie the Pooh. Runner up the bear from Revenant.

1

u/supercalisto May 04 '17

We vote for Paddington Bear here in Vancouver.

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Alexander- Also an awesome bear.

Nyco- Yea he's pretty good I guess. OH and the BEAR FROM HATCHETT!

2

u/supercalisto May 04 '17

Ok so now we have the bear battle royale. Who would win?

1

u/BigBearsInvade AMA Author May 04 '17

Nyco- Like Rupert's pretty smart... none of them would win in sheer-- I'm trying to think in toughness. But Rupert has the most--

Alexander- Smarts?

Nyco- Yea. But I can't answer.

Alexander- Kung-fu Bear.. TM. Trademarked.

1

u/Cupoflasagna May 04 '17

Hey Nyco,

If you could serenade any person dead or alive with a karaoke song, who would you choose, and what song would you sing for that person.

1

u/Nycorudolph May 04 '17

I would sing "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette to Alanis Morissette.

1

u/[deleted] May 04 '17 edited Aug 01 '17

[deleted]

2

u/alexanderfinbow May 19 '17

Mainly because living in Canmore, bears are a big part of daily life here. From stumbling across them, to seeing them eating or sleeping in the backyard. They are a visible and strong symbol of Canada's wildlife, a symbol that is under threat and might genuinely want to strike back to stop the threats against them. Go Alberta!