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HELLO SMA21 AWARD WINNER, C.M. Kevin!

SMA Editorial Dept. SMA Editorial Dept. 09/12/2024 8 min read


PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: C.M. Kevin
Your social media profiles: X: @CMKevinManga
Country: United Kingdom
Age: 31
Favorite manga: Slam Dunk
Favorite movie: Probably… The Grand Budapest Hotel?
Favorite quote: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Viktor Frankl

Entry title: “NO! NO! NO! YES!”
Round: SMA21: “The Biggest Surprise”
Award: Honorable Mention

“Find someone to be your editor, and don’t jump into inking before you have them read your storyboard.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
*Pats myself on the back* I am very proud of myself. Although, after reading the other authors’ works, I felt extremely lucky to be chosen.

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
I was reading Macaroni Switch by KAWADA Daichi and the theme was so… casual? I thought I’d just make something silly like that. I entered with no expectation of winning, and there’s no deep thought or meaning in my work.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
My working file was deleted accidentally near the deadline. Fortunately, I was sharing my progress with friends, and I had some screenshots. I put them together and was able to reconstruct about 70% of it. Then, I realized my story was confusing to a lot of people – two of my friends jumped in and basically became my editors. We completely replanned a few pages, so at least the story would be understandable. Basically, it was meant to be ‘just for fun’, but it turned into many hours of grinding.

The story was about a girl going through an emotional roller coaster, but the theme was not far off from my real life.


READ C.M. Kevin’s SMA21 ENTRY HERE!


About Your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? What do you wish you knew as a beginner? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start drawing manga?
I started making manga in early 2023. I entered a U.K. competition, Manga Jiman, because I was going through a breakup and needed a distraction *sob*. In many ways, I’m still a beginner so the word ‘advice’ may be too strong… I’ll quote a Yogi: “Do not do what you like – do what the world needs.” This advice is for me as well.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I use an iPad and Procreate (I do not recommend using these tools, I just happen to have them).

What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
It may sound weird, but my earliest memory was one of Tezuka Osamu’s works. I forget which one I picked up first. For some reason, the local library had a very rich collection of Tezuka’s work – I probably read 90% of all his works. It’s not a big library, so that was quite strange.


Which manga changed your life?
‘Change my life’ is a big statement… Maybe Honey and Clover by Chica Umino? I re-read that manga many times.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
Shinpachi from Gintama. That guy is so easy to cosplay.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
I want to create a detective story. I used to read books by authors like Keigo Higashino and Kōtarō Isaka, but as it turns out, I’m not as clever as them, so… The next one is likely to be a gag manga. I like violent humor, like Daily Lives of High School Boys by Yasunobu Yamauchi. As for the challenges… I think no matter the country you are in, there are always difficulties. It’s not like Japanese people have it easier, either. 


About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
I like walking. London in summer is a beautiful place. I like walking in a park or through the forest.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I am a motion designer, and I work for a marketing firm.

Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
If AI were to take my job, all my energy would be devoted to making manga. I can see my drawing skills are not there yet. Hopefully, in 5 years, I will draw faster and be more ‘precise’. My short-term goal is to enter as many competitions as possible, to see if I have it in me. My long-term goal is to create a movie-length story. 

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
‘Hey Kevin, your anatomy drawings are awful. Put in some work to improve them.’

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Don’t be silly! Find someone to be your editor, and don’t jump into inking before you have them read your storyboard.

Thank you, C.M. Kevin! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!

The deadline to join SMA22 is February 2nd. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan! 


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