Rudy Gobert Talks His Anime and NBA Influenced Graphic Novel BASH! (Exclusive)

Lessons Learned

ComicBook.com: Going through the whole process of creating BASH!, were there any lessons you took away on crafting an original tale for the comics medium that you've applied to your professional life?

Rudy Gobert: This was an amazing creative process. We spent a lot of hours with the creative team exchanging ideas or just simply getting to know each other. For example, our main illustrator is from the Philippines. Basketball is pretty big over there. I've learned a lot from these guys. As NBA players, we're sometimes a little shielded from the outside World. This entire process has given me the opportunity to appreciate the passion for our sport from a few more cultural perspectives.

Anime/Manga Influences

What are some of the anime/manga influences that resonated with you when it came time to build the story?

I have always been a big fan of anime: the Shonen particularly, from One Piece to Naruto. All these amazing characters are often underestimated to begin with. They have a strong will and powerful dreams. They never quit although they fail quite a few times before succeeding, and ultimately helping people around them. Those values stuck with me, in my own personal journey. As a skinny kid coming from a small town in France, it's safe to say that I've been overlooked many times. I wasn't very good but I got better and better. That is also why I want kids to stick to their dreams. Resilience is definitely what makes these anime characters so special.

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Teammates in the World of BASH!

Do you have any teammates past and/or present that you could envision being a supporting character in the world of BASH!?

I don't want to spoil too much, but of course, many characters are loosely inspired by people around me or even basketball legends that I grew up idolizing. We've left a few hints here and there that are pretty easy to recognize. As the story progresses, readers will more so discover an intergalactic version of our sport that makes it pretty innovative and entertaining.

Future Stories

Book One ends with the tease of even more stories to come. How far ahead do you have the story mapped out, and when can fans expect the follow-up?

I really want these characters to expand, grow and learn more about themselves. This will surely take a few more episodes. We're hoping for a Book II as early as next year. I'm very excited about all of the crazy adventures that are still to come. All the ingredients are there: dedication, struggle, friendship, and of course lots of action [laughs].

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