Systematic Chaos vs Chaotic Organisation, we get into it with ‘Gods Among Men’ creators Aaron and Josh Mak
“Gods Among Men,” the explosive comic book debut by The Mak Bros, stormed onto the scene at Melbourne Supanova, fully funded on Kickstarter within an hour and clinching the top spot as the highest trending comic globally for 24 hours.
This powerhouse team—Josh Mak’s gripping narrative, Aaron Mak’s meticulous details, Ben Sullivan’s stunning artwork, and Wilson Go’s vibrant colours—delivers a true-crime tale that’s as gritty as it is compelling.
In an exclusive chat with Happy Mag, the Mak Bros delve into their chaotic yet creative lives, the inspirations behind their work, and the journey that brought their dark and fascinating story to the page.
Happy: What’s a typical day for you right now, and how does it reflect your current state of mind and creativity?
J: A typical week day for me is filled up by my day job as a removalist. After work I attend to any outstanding things in my creative fields that require attention.
My weekends are filled up by band rehearsals and/or gigs. Work on the comics are squeezed in whenever we can and I occasionally take time off work if there is more that needs to be done.
My constant state of mind and creativity can be described by the juxtaposition, “Systematic Chaos”.
A: I’m about the same, except my state of mind and creativity is a bit more “Chaotic Organisation”.
Happy: Where do you call home these days, and how does your surroundings influence your work?
J: I live in the suburbs in Melbourne. It’s quiet and peaceful where I live and it’s a good space to let my mind wander.
A: We live in the same house which makes the creation and production process extremely efficient.
This also means board meetings are often conducted in bathrobes and slippers over the kitchen counter.
Happy: Who are the artists or creators that have had the biggest impact on your work, and how do they shape what you do?
A: As a writer I’m a big fan of what Todd McFarlane achieved with Spawn and as a founding member of Image Comics at the time.
There’s something brazen and inspiring about going up against the big guys with work that challenges the norm.
J: My biggest inspiration are chefs and cooking. It is to me the most honest and universal of art forms.
Happy: What got you hooked on the true-crime genre, and what sparked the idea for ‘GODS AMONG MEN’? Is it based on a true story?
J: Gods Among Men is a true story and it’s a story I’ve felt I’ve needed to tell. For years I’ve searched for a medium to deliver it and comics turned out to be the best way to get the story across.
A: It was definitely a case of “story first, genre second” with this idea, however there is a morbid curiosity within many that can’t fathom the true nature of society, yet still yearn to know about it.
Happy: Can you walk us through your process for bringing the story and characters of ‘GODS AMONG MEN’ to life?
A: Having grown up with Josh, we’ve established a solid working/creative relationship, once characterised as Josh pacing around the room, spouting ideas, whilst I frantically type away to document and format them into a story-ready script.
J: We spent a lot of time regaling our artist with intricate details of the events and even brought him to the actual locations where the story takes place in.
This fully immersive experience helped him to see the images and scenes that I have in my mind.
Happy: How did you pick your team for this project, and what made Ben Sullivan and Wilson Go the perfect collaborators for this comic?
J: Apart from the obvious fact that both of them are incredibly talented at what they do, the main reason we chose them is because they got what we were trying to do.
There are many good artists in the world but few were able to see the vision we had for this project.
Happy: What were the major hurdles you faced while working on ‘GODS AMONG MEN’, and how did you push through them?
J: The process actually went surprisingly smoothly. The only real obstacle for me was having more time to dedicate to it. If I was able to do that, I believe we would have completed it at an even faster pace.
A: Josh didn’t do the lettering or formatting, so of course he’d say it went smoothly [nervous laughter].
Coming from more of a film background, blocking characters in a panel and lettering a comic introduced limitations not involved in film. Being our first comic, we’d discuss with our veteran artist, Ben, ways to fix the issues and learn henceforth.
Happy: True crime can be pretty intense. What draws you to this genre, and how do you make sure it hits the mark in your comic?
J: Some people have things they like or want to do. Bringing this story to life is something I had to do.
There was never any other option for me.
A: When it came to adapting a true-crime story into a narrative medium, we still had to ensure that it ticked the storytelling boxes – a reason to be invested, clearly stating the obstacle and the solution to overcome it.
Happy: What’s the main thing you want readers to walk away with after finishing ‘GODS AMONG MEN’?
J: I hope that the book urges them to ask questions. You don’t have to agree or like what is written but it should make you think. Anything that causes you to think more can only be a good thing.
A: This issue actually foreshadows events that will occur in the future. This is not a tale we are making up as we go, it’s a fully-fleshed out story – we know all the major arcs and we know exactly how it ends.
All we need is you to help us bring this story to you sooner.
Happy: What’s next for you in the comic world? Can we expect issue two soon, or are there other projects in the works?
J: We have another title called ANA. We are currently working on completing issue one for that and then we will return to work on Gods Among Men issue two.
A: Gods Among Men is currently stocked at two prominent comic stores in Australia – All Star Comics in Melbourne and Greenlight Comics in Adelaide.
The immediate goal is to be stocked all over the country, and then beyond.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you happy?
A: Creating something timeless, and the ability to create something evocative, be it dramatic, comedic or horrific…
Also this Taiwanese fried chicken cutlet called Two-Peck, that makes me very happy.
Check out the Mak Bros “Gods Among Men,” here.
