Interview with Caterina Bonomelli (Sottopelle - BD Editions)

On the occasion of Lucca Comics and Games 2022, Edizioni BD selects some young talents on TacoToon, a webcomics platform. After Emanuele Caponera with Salomè - Liberaci dal Bene, it is the turn of Caterina Bonomelli, author of Sottopelle, a horror story that combines magic with today's reality, with a taste for the macabre and mystery.

The young artist begins her online project on October 26, 2021, publishing the first chapter of her first comic. After a year, Edizioni BD produces its first printed volume, on which there is already so much to say.

Sottopelle: from web to paper

For those who don't know, TacoToon is one of the first Italian platforms for webcomics. It is Caterina Bonomelli herself who explains how it works, very similar to other international sites such as Webtoon.

Each story has a certain number of episodes on a monthly basis. It's very serial as a concept, I find it cool. I can't wait, but there you know that every month the episode of the story that interests you comes out. Then there is the season ticket and the coins are the tacos. | ); }
Caterina Bonomelli The reality of TacoToon is very different from that of publishing, and going from an online version to a paper version, physical and tangible, is an incredible emotion for Caterina, who still finds it hard to believe in just happened.

I didn't even think they would choose me, but they did. What have I tried? I cried, it was traumatic. I saw the copy for the first time at the fair and I cried. I'm very happy and I didn't expect it to be a series, they gave me a lot of confidence. I have never had expectations of myself, it makes me strange to see that others have so many now.

An extremely personal fantasy

What is immediately striking about Caterina Bonomelli's story is a skilful union between the fantasy world and the contemporary one, with one definitely personal and original style. Let's find out are her inspirations for this interesting combination.

I read a lot of fantasy, in adolescence I happened upon the Twilight saga. From there I ended up in any urban fantasy with vampires. I read so many that I've lost count by now. Then I have a fixation for angels that comes to me from Fallen. This is basically our pop culture. I don't know if it shows in comics, but I'm also obsessed with glamor, I always try to put fashion where I can. If you dress an ogre like a modern day man, that's 10 points more to me. I like that there is a nice contrast between the classic magical creatures and the ogre with a mobile phone in his hand. Sottopelle is an Italy of our times, I inevitably added cell phones and subscriptions to the platforms.



Personal taste. I fill myself with horror in all forms, I read a lot of different things, even from the kind of comics I did. In the past I have approached Italian works such as Dylan Dog and Diabolik, but I also read many manga: Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen. My first ever was Vampire Knight.

The characters of Caterina Bonomelli

We asked Caterina about the relationship she has with the protagonist of Sottopelle and with the other personalities of the story. Morana, a bewitching young woman, is a bit of the personification of who we are today, immersed in technology and social media, often craving that elusive but satisfying notoriety. Temperamentally, the protagonist is very strong, pungent, direct. Whether it is a sort of alter ego of the author or not?

My goal was to make her a Chiara Ferragni version of a witch. She has never mirrored me, she is completely opposite, even in musical tastes. I wrote her bio to build a totally alien character. The choices she makes I wouldn't even make under torture. Instinctively, however, she developed a sarcasm similar to mine and that of my friends. For the rest she is distant. I think there is a bit of an author in each character, but then they come to life.

Sottopelle has a very broad sphere of personality. Each of them immersed in their own way in the fantasy world born from the pen of Caterina Bonomelli. The work done on the various characters that revolve around Morana is not exactly a walk in the park.

How Morgana answers another one does not answer. I have put in so many characters, each one is very different. I characterize them with the physical aspect, but also the dialogues must be different and coherent. It's awful but also fun. I am fond of Orione, the co-star, while she would slap her. She does some important things, but she's also a poor bitch.



Orione At this point, it is interesting to know what the creative process of Sottopelle is, a product born from the cooperation of a valid team, but at the same time a creature of its own.

I listen to music, draw, and construct dialogues. I like to be in my house to draw. Every day you do it and you don't even notice it. But I hate coloring. At school I was the one who always used the vomit green color. Then it must be said that drawing on Instagram is another thing than comics. I am an extremely chaotic creature, but things have to balance well. I had no limits on the plot, I was happy. For someone like me who has never done anything, that's a lot. Without my team, my project would not be what it is. I have a nice team, even if I am more for loneliness. After all, it's a bit like this comic was my son, I can always choose what I want to do.

The first volume, consisting of 8 chapters, is only the beginning of a long series. Caterina Bonomelli is ready, with enthusiasm, for the next releases with Edizioni BD. In the meantime, you can follow her story on her TacoToon profile.

Buy the first volume of Sottopelle on Amazon