Fynn has always been lazy: his favorite activities are skipping class, smoking, and lounging around. When his girlfriend breaks up with him, telling him to try doing something else for a change, he has no idea where to even start.

One night, on a walk around the neighborhood, he comes across Niko stargazing on a hill. Niko wants nothing to do with this chain-smoking, loud-mouthed guy getting in the way of his astronomy — but Fynn is intrigued.

What's up with this nerdy boy who loves to watch the stars, and why is Fynn so captivated by him?

Sophie was born in 1991 and lives in Bavaria, Germany. She has always had a love for narrative media and consumed as much as she could. In the indie comic scene, she has already published numerous works and organized several anthologies. Due to her large number of projects, she has gained valuable experience in the print sector.

Anna was born in 1995 in Germany. She started drawing regularly at the age of 11 with a focus on visual storytelling. From 2009 she won awards twice from Manga Talente and once from Manga Magie, two popular manga contests in Germany.

Title: Star Collector
Author: Sophie Schönhammer
Artist: Anna Backhausen
Trim size: 5"W x 7.5"H
Cover: Softcover
Interior: B&W (some color)
Print volumes: 2
Digital volumes: 2

What´s the first manga you ever read?

Anna: I started reading manga at the age of eleven. The first manga I read has to be the first volume of Detective Conan. I was a fan of the anime, which was airing on TV at the time in Germany and so I was really excited when my father gifted the manga to me.

 Sophie: I read my first manga around 11 or 12 years old. One was Goth by Otsuichi and Kendi Oiwa, and I also read the German girls magazine Daisuki which featured manga like Fruits Basket and Skip Beat.

Did you come up with the idea for Star Collector together?

Anna: [answer]

Sophie: [answer]

Which series and creators are your artistic inspirations?

Anna: [answer]

Sophie: [answer]

Tell us a bit about your creative processes. Did you study, or are you self taught?

When you make the step from amateur to professional artist and suddenly a lot of people will see your work, this job can be kind of scary. Self-doubt as to whether people will like your stuff, or if anyone even cares, can occur. No matter how big or the small the audience may be, you should always draw a story that you would like to read yourself. Don't try to plan a hit like: "what genre/theme could be the next big hype?" Draw the subjects you know, and for which you truly care about, to keep it fun. Drawing manga is a very hard and draining job and the one thing that will keep you motivated the most is the thing you decided to deliver! Another saying that always motivates me is, that when you notice flaws in your art (and artists will know this), it's a sign that you're getting (and seeing) better!