Under The Skin: The Exclusive Inside Story Of Neymar Jr Comics

There is no bigger event in the world of comics than a Comic Con. Soon after Neymar Jr. Comics launched “Inked,” our very own Chris Flannery and Jason M. Burns were at the New York Comic Con with more than a quarter of a million fellow comic book fans. There in Manhattan, Flannery, the president of Neymar Jr. Comics and Fan The Flame Concepts, and Burns, the editor in chief, caught up with ESPN The Magazine reporter Dan Hajducky. What transpired was a great write-up of Neymar Jr. Comics from the “world-wide leader in sports.” The article provides a great look into how the world of Neymar Jr. and comics collided, with the perfect background of a massive comics convention in New York City. Hajducky wrote: At the 2018 edition of the convention, Flannery and Burns jaunt up flights of stairs with stacks of comics under their arms. The covers boast a hazy blue likeness of the Paris Saint-Germain and Brazilian striker. “Isn’t this amazing?” Flannery … says of the fervent mass swarming the main floor below. Nearby, a cosplayer dressed as Negan from “The Walking Dead” texts while resting a shockingly realistic barbed-wire baseball bat replica on his shoulder. Burns, crew-cut with tattoos covering his right forearm, has written for the “Megamind,” “Jericho” and “Kung Fu Panda” franchises and had long harbored a story about a hero whose tattoos come to life. “Given how important (the personalities of tattoos are) to Neymar and the character, that was the start of the snowball,” Flannery says." The full article can be read here. Since its launch in 2018, Neymar Jr. Comics has propelled into popularity much like Junior, the hero of “Inked,” was thrust into a life of fighting evil. The ESPN piece was just the beginning of coverage of Neymar Jr. Comics. Major media outlets around the world flocked to inform readers and viewers of the amazing products we’re working on. When we first announced Neymar Jr. Comics, ESPN, The18, Sports Business Daily, O Globo, L’Equipe, Le Figaro Sport24, the Independent, Sportskeeda, Medio Tiempo, BeGeek and The Sun jumped on the opportunity to showcase our work. Not long after, Univision Deportes, Yahoo Deportes and CNET en Español were doing stories on our groundbreaking digital app, which you can use to access every issue of “Inked.” We here at Neymar Jr. Comics are thankful for all of the coverage but know we must live up to the hype every day as we continue to strive to make the best comics in the world, from “Inked” to “Red Card” and everything in between.

The Neymar Jr. Digital Comics universe combines the passion for comics shared between the world's most recognizable footballer, Neymar Jr, and Fan The Flame, an independent comic and graphic novel studio and technology company. The digital comics make it seamless to dive into the experience whenever and wherever you want. “Like many kids, I had two dreams growing up, to be a professional footballer and a superhero. I’ve been blessed enough to play football at the highest level,” said Neymar Jr. “Now I have the chance to bring new, modern, powerful storytelling through comics and graphic novels to fans around the world.” From initial launch just nine months ago, Neymar Jr. Comics has grown to deliver innovative and accessible storytelling to an audience of nearly 3 million followers. Since the release of the initial “Inked” series, Neymar Jr. Comics has delivered a fully digital comic book experience, allowing for easy reading on the go. The release of the second series — “Red Card” — will also mark the debut of an enhanced user interface that publishes in five languages (Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and English) and delivers mobile-driven, short-form snackable content built around the way that its younger, digital-native audience consumes content. New content will drop multiple times per week and the complete series will be released over a one-month period. View this post on Instagram Downloading the Neymar Jr. Comics app is easy! ???? Follow these steps ☝???? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #neymarjr #neymarjrcomics #app #comics A post shared by Neymar JR Comics (@neymarjrcomics) on May 18, 2019 at 7:45am PDT The new digital platform allows users to choose how they seamlessly swipe through story panels or scroll (with a new webtoon reading experience) on their phone or tablet on the website, or by downloading the app on Apple or Android. For those who don’t want to wait for the digital comic to be released over the course of a month, the entire story can be purchased and downloaded at any time. With a purchase download, the reader will get an ad-free experience, the ability to read offline and additional exclusive content. A digital graphic novel version of all the episodes collected together can still be purchased, allowing fans of the series to access the world of Neymar Jr. Comics in the way that best suits them. “Inked” and “Red Card” are the first of many titles that have been released on the digital app, while additional titles will be released beginning next month for all ages. The world of “Inked” serves as an introduction to Junior, the hero built in Neymar Jr.’s likeness, who receives superpowers through a special tattoo ink. Anything tattooed on Junior becomes a sidekick that can be summoned to aid him as the reluctant vigilante trying to save his sister from a human trafficking cartel. “Red Card” features a sci-fi driven, post-apocalyptic plot that begins after a mission into space leads to alien spores being released into the atmosphere. As a result, the majority of the population transforms into mindless, insect-like creatures. The world falls into disarray and it’s up to Junior to liberate a camp of survivors while calling on some football skills to win unique and sometimes barbaric matches of life and death. A portion of all proceeds from Neymar Jr. Comics titles is donated to Instituto Projecto Neymar Jr., (INJR) the charity founded by Neymar Jr. and his family which aims to expand opportunities for children, adolescents and families living in situations of social vulnerability. 

With the launch of Neymar Jr. Comics, one of the world’s most visible and popular football players was able to combine his lifelong passion for comics with an exciting new digital storytelling platform.At Neymar Jr. Comics, we have the luxury of working with one of the brightest football stars in the world, but also one who truly loves comic books and superheroes. Starting with the landmark series “Inked: Art Animates Life,” Neymar Jr. Comics has been a dream come true for everyone involved.“Like many kids, I had two dreams growing up, to be a professional footballer and a superhero,” Neymar Jr. said. “I’ve been blessed enough to play football at the highest level. Now I have the chance to bring new, modern, powerful storytelling through comics and graphic novels to fans around the world.”The first series from Neymar Jr. Comics, “Inked,” features a hero in Neymar Jr.’s likeness, Junior, who uses magical tattoo ink to bring his body art to life. A reluctant vigilante, Junior uses his newfound powers for good against a mysterious cartel with supernatural ties.“As a kid who grew up reading comics, I hope that these stories and characters can inspire and entertain people around the world,” Neymar Jr. said.The series was created by Jason M. Burns, a New York Times bestselling author and comic and graphic novel creator. Burns built a world around a gritty, fictionalized Brazil full of unique characters and mystical powers. The complex, engaging storylines are published digitally in multiple languages to allow accessibility for readers around the world.“One reason I wanted to create a digital comic is that I use my phone to connect with fans on social media,” Neymar Jr. said. “With this new app, fans can use their phones to interact with my comic series and its universe of characters and inspiring stories.”Because Neymar Jr. is an altruistic-minded superstar, a portion of all proceeds from revenues at Neymar Jr. Comics will benefit his charitable foundation Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr. INJR strives to expand opportunities for children, adolescents and their families living in situations of social vulnerability through education, culture, sports and health.Beyond “Inked,” Neymar Jr. Comics has a range of products lined up, including a science-fiction concept in “Red Card.” Plus, the studio will be releasing in the coming season new stories that are family oriented to ensure all of Neymar Jr.’s fans will have stories that appeal to them and are age-appropriate.“We’re thrilled to partner with him and his engaging brand to bring these compelling stories to a global audience as part of a long-term franchise across multiple platforms,” said Chris Flannery, president of Neymar Jr. Comics.

“Inked” takes place in a universe not unlike our own, but with added mystery and magic – and a diverse array of characters who come in and out of Junior’s life, adding to the franchise and creating lore as the story unfolds. While we have created a vast, cinematic universe with “Inked,” reimagining Neymar Jr. as a comic book superhero wasn’t simple. If you haven’t checked out the series, “Inked” features the protagonist Junior, built in Neymar Jr.’s likeness, who receives superpowers through a special tattoo ink. Anything tattooed on Junior becomes an entity he can summon to aid him as a reluctant vigilante trying to save his kidnapped sister. The artists, writers and producers from Fan The Flame Comics, the creators of Neymar Jr Comics and “Inked,” were asked what it took to create a superhero alter ego for one of the biggest stars in the world. You can check out the resulting mini-documentary below. Featured in the video are: writer and editor in chief Jason Burns, a New York Times best-selling author, and illustrators Dustin Evans, Steve Gendron and Fero Peniche. And of course, we got Neymar Jr.’s input as well. For more on the behind-the-scenes story of how Neymar Jr. Comics started this series, check out this story here.

Neymar Jr.’s tattoos are core to his identity. Just as his amazing ball skills and desire to win define the Brazilian star on the pitch, his tattoos help define his outlook on life and history. It’s no wonder, then, that “Inked: Art Imitates Life” was inspired as much by Neymar Jr.’s tattoos as by the passion of Fan The Flame creative director Jason M Burns for comics and body ink. In the end, these passions collided in the universe of “Inked.”  In the series, the hero Junior (created in Neymar Jr.’s likeness) receives mystical tattoo ink allowing his tattoos to come to life as crime-fighting guardians. The team at Fan the Flame Concepts used Neymar Jr.’s actual tattoos for the characters in the story – like Baysan, the lion inked onto the footballer’s left hand. Neymar Jr.’s tattoos, many of which were drawn by Brazilian artists Thieres Paim and Adão Rosa, have a deep connection to “Inked,” from the storyline to the art itself. Here is a look at some of Neymar’s most iconic tattoos, including a few of which have made it into the world of “Inked” — and some that may still appear in the series. Chest The words "Gigante Por Natureza", meaning "Giant By Natue" definitely defines who Neymar is: an immense football talent and personality. In addition, his affinity for animals is plain to see with an eagle on his pectorals, complete with a football pitch.            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Thieres Paim (@thierespaimtattoo) on Mar 28, 2019 at 7:24pm PDT Arms Family is also very important to Neymar and his comic portrayal. He has both his sister and his mother tattooed on his arm, plus a tattoo of his son.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Thieres Paim (@thierespaimtattoo) on Dec 4, 2018 at 6:47am PST Hand Perhaps the most iconic of Neymar Jr’s tattoos – at least, in the “Inked” universe – is the lion tattooed on his hand. It comes to life as the big cat Baysan in the series, Junior’s sidekick and guardian.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by 3n310ta ???????? ???? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Feb 27, 2019 at 6:45am PST             View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Thieres Paim (@thierespaimtattoo) on Oct 27, 2017 at 12:38pm PDT Forearm Joining Baysan, Neymar Jr.’s tattoo of a tiger that appears on his back left forearm is transformed into the feline companion Roberta in “Inked.”           View this post on Instagram                   2017???????? A post shared by 3n310ta ???????? ???? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Dec 31, 2017 at 5:31pm PST Neck The tattoos people most often see on Neymar are those on his neck. His tattoo on his left side “Tudo Passa” means “Everything Passes,” the good and the bad. The tattoo directly on the back of his neck is probably his most recognizable one, with two wings around a cross entitled “Blessed.” He also has the Roman numeral “IV” behind his ear symbolizing the number of people in his family.            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by 3n310ta ???????? ???? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Sep 10, 2018 at 12:57pm PDT             View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by 3n310ta ???????? ???? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Oct 15, 2018 at 1:09pm PDT Back Neymar Jr’s love of comics is on full display with his dual back tattoos, featuring two legendary superheroes: Batman and Spiderman.            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Thieres Paim (@thierespaimtattoo) on Oct 23, 2018 at 11:49am PDT Legs Neymar has many tattoos on his legs, most notably a Champions League trophy. Neymar won the Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona.            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by 3n310ta ???????? ???? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Oct 6, 2018 at 11:49am PDT

How the team at Fan The Flame Comics partnered with one of football’s biggest stars to transform his love of comics into an entire comic universe at Neymar Jr Comics.   Neymar Jr’s tattoos sit on the surface, symbols of the inner thoughts of one of the biggest football stars in the world. For the outside world, the tattoos are the only insight into the mind of someone who has reached the top of his game. Within the universe of Neymar Jr Comics and its first digital series, “Inked,” they are so much more. Neymar Jr. is one of the top footballers in the world, a Brazilian whose name can be whispered alongside modern-day legends such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and heroes of decades past like Romário, Ronaldo and Pelé. Covered from head to toe in tattoos, Neymar Jr.’s body art has captured the imagination of fans around the world. From a lion on his hand to his sister on his shoulder, the prolific forward quite literally wears his heart on his sleeve for all to witness. But his tattoos have taken a new meaning, a new significance. His tattoos are giving him superpowers in our landmark comic book series “Inked.” Two of the most common dreams of youngsters around the world are to become a famous athlete or a superhero. Neymar Jr. was no different. In addition to the Romários, Rivaldos and Ronaldos that Neymar Jr. grew up idolizing was a hero of another kind: Batman. With Neymar Jr. Comics, a collaborative effort with Fan the Flame Comics, Neymar Jr. has joined the ranks of the masked crusaders, caped wonders who are superheroes because of a priceless inheritance or a privilege bequeathed upon them — be that from an accident or a lab experiment gone wrong. In our comic series “Inked,” Neymar Jr. — or rather his alter ego, “Junior” — gains superpowers, not through the bite of a radioactive spider or having been born into immense wealth, but by the very ink with which he is tattooed, albeit a special ink, after landing in the hospital trying to protect his sister. “Inked” is just the beginning for us here at Neymar Jr. Comics, a digital platform created just for the football star. It’s also a bit of a dream come true for a man who thrills fans with his creativity and skill on the pitch while hanging out with some of the world’s biggest celebrities off the pitch. “I had two dreams growing up, like many kids, to be a professional footballer and a superhero,” Neymar Jr. said. “I've always been in love with comics, always liked them and getting involved with it, having my name, my face, my tattoos, the story ... I'm absolutely thrilled.” Comic Book Guy When Neymar Jr. signed his contract to become the richest transfer in the history of the sport in 2017, he was wearing a Batman T-shirt. A couple Halloweens ago, he dressed up as the Joker, comics are a part of who Neymar Jr. is, just as much as the tattoos on his body. Neymar Jr even has a Batman and Spiderman tattoo on his back.   Joker  A post shared by EneJota   neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Oct 31, 2017 at 5:24pm PDT //   Neymar Jr.’s love of comics brought him to Chris Flannery, now the president of Neymar Jr. Comics, and the team at Fan The Flame Concepts, along with Jason Burns, a New York Times best-selling author and the editor in chief for Neymar Jr. Comics. Flannery and Burns developed the concept for “Inked,” in which Junior, a character created in Neymar Jr.’s likeness, is tattooed with mystical ink that brings the tattoos to life. “As far as the core concept — the idea of a mystical ink that brings tattoos to life — that had been percolating in my head for years, but it wasn’t until the partnership with Neymar Jr. that it all came together from a storytelling standpoint,” Burns said. “Because of his own interest in body art, one that continues to grow as he adds new pieces, it was a seamless and natural fit for a character in Neymar Jr.’s likeness to be married to the concept itself.” Neymar Jr., for one, loved the idea, and the series took off. But it wasn’t just a matter of throwing Neymar Jr. into a comic book series and making him into a superhero. Neymar Jr. Comics wants to be about more than just a famous athlete selling his image rights. It’s about gritty, modern storytelling, relating to his audiences and their interests in the world of comics or tattoos and building a global community — all the while attempting to bring attention to Neymar Jr.’s charitable work with the Neymar Jr. Institute (INJR). “As a kid who grew up with Batman as a hero, I hope that these stories and characters can inspire and entertain people around the world,” Neymar Jr. said. “The studio will be creating original content and stories that in some cases are influenced by my life and character and in other cases stories that I’ve helped develop.” Inked Jason Burns, the story creator for “Inked,” knows the importance of tattoos, both in world culture and in his own life, with countless tattoos covering his body. Indeed, he makes it clear in the first episode of the comic — which, like all episodes of “Inked,” is free for readers. “Inked” takes place in a gritty, fictionalized Brazil where cartels fight for power and tattoos come to life to do the bidding of their masters. Junior, Neymar Jr.’s alter ego, is pressed into action through tragic circumstances and becomes a reluctant hero for the powerless. Junior’s first tattoo he learns to bring to life is Baysan, a lion tattooed on his left hand.   Mais uma no craque @neymarjr  Muito obrigado pela confiança meu brother!!! E obrigado a todos que estão acompanhando essa viagem e amanhã partindo para @nauticatattooroma  #neymar #nj #paris #psg #france #grupoamazon #viperink #nauticatattoosantos #nauticatattoosp #nauticatattooroma A post shared by Thieres Paim (@thierespaimtattoo) on Oct 27, 2017 at 12:38pm PDT // The tattoo is a fairly recent one, with Brazilian tattoo artist Thieres Paim creating the skin art in October of 2017. We decided to make him the centerpiece of our early issues. The lion inspired his Diesel fragrance “Spirit of the Brave,” which launched in May of 2019. Thieres and Adão Rosa have combined to do most of Neymar Jr.’s tattoos, Adão himself responsible for more than two dozen. Adão, of Nautica Tattoos, has such a following that one father of a hopeful Brazilian athlete seeking stardom sought out the tattoo artist believing him to have mystical powers capable of taking the youngster to the next level — not unlike the Junior character in the comic. Tattoos are a huge part of Neymar Jr.’s life. He’s got tattoos honoring his son, his father, his sister and his god, plus one that says “Life is a joke” to remind him not to take life too seriously and to enjoy every moment. Recently, Thieres inked a tattoo that says “Gigante por Natureza” (Gigantic by Nature), with an eagle flying over a football pitch.   A post shared by Adao Rosa Tattoo Artist  C/S (@adaorosatattoo) on Mar 27, 2018 at 6:59am PDT // Art director Dustin Evans and the rest of our team at Fan the Flame have studied Neymar Jr.’s body more than opposing coaches and players to find the perfect translation onto the pages of Neymar Jr. Comics. That said, even with the extensive number of tattoos on Neymar Jr.’s body, we aren’t necessarily going to limit ourselves to tattoos Neymar Jr. currently has. “As Junior gets deeper and deeper into the thick of things, … he’ll realize that he doesn’t need weapons because his body actually is the weapon,” Burns said. “Think it. Tattoo it. Use it. That’s kind of the mantra he’ll fall back on because when the odds seem stacked against him, all he has to do to even those odds is imagine what tool he’d like to pull from his toolbox … his toolbox being his skin.”   Fanning The Flame While the tattoos represent the basis for the story — and a link to Neymar Jr. himself — what we hope keeps you interested in “Inked” is the story. Neymar Jr. has had no hesitation accepting the studio’s comics expertise, giving him the freedom to create a world that will appeal to a widespread audience, not just fans of Neymar Jr.’s goal-scoring exploits. The story in "Inked" is not your typical athlete crossover like Shaq Fu. The world of “Inked” is not for the faint of heart; people get hurt. The studio will also be releasing in the coming season new stories for all ages, ones that are family oriented to ensure that all of Neymar Jr.’s fans will have stories that appeal to them and are appropriate. Our innovative digital platform makes it easy for everyone to access and digest. And it’s accessible to fans around the world, no matter where they live or what backgrounds they come from, translated into half a dozen languages. Plus, all of our comic content is free for fans – although if you want the ability to download the content for an ad-free experience, as well as to collect physical graphic novels with the content, we offer those for sale as well.   Football Hero In An Expanding Universe Neymar Jr. is a football player first and foremost. He’s won league titles, Champions League trophies, international cups, Puskás Awards and Player of the Year awards. At 27, he’s got 60 international goals, and Neymar Jr. is on pace to shatter Pelé’s all-time record for Brazil. Neymar Jr. is nowhere near finished on the pitch. Off the pitch, we’re just getting started. Whether it will be as a superhero fighting crime in Brazil or any of the other iterations yet to come from us, Neymar Jr. is already a real hero to many through his charitable contributions and regular tithing. But we hope to bring the footballer to a new audience of digital comic fans all while providing additional fan service to his already devoted followers. “I think with any fictional work, the originality or the interest and relevance of the story is what draws people in,” Flannery said. “I think given his great popularity and following, people will be intrigued. This is beyond the normal arc of the hero type stories. “However, we’ve worked really hard to develop something that is authentically linked to his life, that is important to him and will reveal and give insight into that side of his life that maybe people don’t know too much about.” Keep an eye out for future series in different universes with new casts of characters – all built around the life and persona of our star, Neymar Jr.

In the latest series from Neymar Jr. Comics, “Red Card,” our hero Junior enters a post-apocalyptic world that begins after a mission into space goes horribly wrong, with alien spores released into the atmosphere. After the majority of humans transform into zombie-like creatures, it’s up to Junior to liberate a camp of survivors, calling on his football skills to win barbaric matches for survival. For a further look into the world of “Red Card,” we sat down for an interview with writer Jason M. Burns. Question: First off, we’d like to ask you about any inspirations you might’ve had from the world of post-apocalyptic horror, whether those are from film, TV, novels, etc.? 
Jason M. Burns: I’ve been a fan of the horror genre since I was a kid. Even in grade school, my walls were plastered with posters of Freddy Krueger, The Crypt Keeper and covers from my favorite magazine at the time, Fangoria. (That’s right, I’m old and grew up on PRINT magazines!)  As a sub-genre, the post-apocalyptic world always appealed to me. I saw the television adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand” way back in 1994 and was hooked from there. So, I think there’s definitely some apocalyptic influences ingrained in me that have squirmed their way out of the ruins of humanity when writing this one. Q: With regards to inspiration, how do you think our current universal anxieties play into “Red Card?” Was that something you tried to tap into? Burns: I don’t think so, at least not surface level, but, I’m a pretty anxious person in general, so my own grappling with the world is probably explored on some Freudian sub-floor of my conscious self. Q: We’ve talked about inspiration, but how do you think “Red Card” differentiates itself from what we’ve come to expect from the genre? 
Burns: Well, a lot of post-apocalyptic films and books start with civilization crumbling and show you how no one really knows how to deal with any of it. I always love that stuff, but then the genre, in my opinion, always starts to feel a bit of the same when they move onto the post part of the post-apocalypse.  With “Red Card,” we jump right in after everything is already in shambles and we meet our characters in the midst of their new-world survival. Aside from a few flashbacks, we don’t actually see the poop hit the fan, only what’s left of the fan after, and for our characters, it’s not a pretty sight.  Not only do they have to deal with Shuttle Dusters — these monstrous insect-like creatures who were once their friends and loved ones — but also the poopiest (see the previously-mentioned fan) parts of humanity. So, in a lot of ways, this becomes less about a story of survival and more of a character journey about who we want to be as people when our backs are up against the wall. Q: What Neymar Jr. qualities best served as inspiration for the actions and decisions of Junior within the “Red Card” universe?  
Burns: Dropping a character based on Neymar Jr.’s likeness into a world that involves an epic game of do-or-literally-die soccer, ... it’s a gift. It helps to suspend disbelief. Yes, we’re in a crazy fictionalized world, but the protagonist who is great at soccer and can do amazing things on the pitch gives it a layer of truth when the reader sees that person as Neymar Jr. Q: What was the most exciting part about beginning this series? What are you most proud of and excited for others to encounter? Burns: Getting to work on any ongoing series is exciting because the narrative isn’t limited in size or scope. As I was planning out the first story arc, I realized I didn’t need to cram everything into a set page count, and instead, could have an ending that was really just part of the beginning. That, to me, is really exciting because the characters you’re creating can grow as time goes on, much like a television series. Q: Things have taken a darker turn in “Red Card” — there are some pretty epic panels with children turning into dusters and attacking their parents and all the other joys of the apocalypse. Could you talk about the creative direction you took in establishing this desolate land and crafting the appropriate tone for it all? Burns: I think we wanted to go with two things. A realistic look, which again, would help to suspend disbelief in our over-the-top world, and the second was to create a monster that was forever evolving. The Shuttle Dusters, which are introduced in the first “Red Card” series, go through a couple of mutations throughout the course of the story arc, and what we liked about that was that it always forces the survivors of this world to stay on their toes.  There’s only so much they can do to prepare for the enemy because the next time that they see the enemy, the Shuttle Dusters could be completely different and far more deadly. That makes the future almost as terrifying as the past that they all survived through. Q: Everyone has their own zombie survival plan, right? What’s yours? Burns: If I were to tell you, and you were to become a zombie — and in reality zombies retained some kind of level of intelligence and POSSIBLY, had really great memories — then you would not only know my plan, but, know how to counter it. So, with all due post-apocalyptic respect, I can’t take that risk!

Neymar Jr. is just like the rest of us — the world’s most famous footballer loves a good zombie-inspired scare. Some of the best movies, TV shows and video games are centered around this apocalyptic scenario, and Neymar Jr. is a huge fan of the genre. The world of Neymar Jr. Comics explores this setting in “Red Card,” a sci-fi driven, post-apocalyptic story that begins after a mission into space leads to alien spores being released into the Earth’s atmosphere. After the majority of the world transforms into mindless, insect-like creatures, it’s up to Junior to liberate a camp of survivors, relying on his football skills to keep them alive.  If that sounds like your kind of story, you’re thinking like Neymar Jr. Here are 10 zombie-focused adventures that the footballer loves.   Neymar Jr. Top 10 Favorite Zombie Apocalypse Movies And Shows #10. Resident Evil The “Resident Evil 2” video game remake was one of the best of 2019, but the franchise has also included movies, animated films, comic books and novels. #9. Les Revenants (They Came Back) The 2004 film led to a TV show that’s been a huge hit over the course of two seasons.   #8. Shaun of the Dead This horror-comedy movie pays homage to classic zombie films while also making fun of them in side-splitting fashion.   #7. 28 Days Later Maybe the most terrifying zombie movie ever. The undead are really fast and fueled by a rage-inducing virus!   #6. iZombie Infected with the zombie virus, Liv Moore uses her new abilities to help solve crimes. #5. Zombieland Another classic of the horror-comedy genre, the film includes an all-star cast and the best set of rules ever conceived for surviving in a zombie-infested world.    #4. Z Nation Z Nation lasted for five seasons on the SyFy channel, giving you the perfect show to binge watch. #3. Dead Set “Big Brother” meets zombie outbreak in this five-episode British TV show that’s turned into a cult classic.   #2. Dawn of the Dead The 1978 film by George A. Romero is perhaps the greatest zombie film ever made. It’s a classic that received a remake in 2004.   #1. The Walking Dead Now entering its 10th season, “The Walking Dead” is the biggest and best zombie-inspired TV show ever created. How’s that for a top 10? Go ahead and checkout any you’ve missed, and make sure to read “Red Card,” a post-apocalyptic story from Neymar Jr. Comics that was influenced by many of the movies and TV shows on Neymar Jr.’s list above! 

What do you get when you combine the creative team behind Inked and Red Card with a desire to bring entertaining — and educational — content to a younger audience? Social Monsters from Neymar Jr. Comics. Shifting gears from more adult series, the latest addition to the Neymar Jr. Comics universe stars Saber, based on Neymar Jr., as he travels the world with a childlike curiosity. Along the way, Saber will encounter monsters based on historical artifacts, who teach him and the reader about everything from ancient Egypt to 19th-century New England.  Helping young people learn is nothing new for Neymar Jr., whose Neymar Jr. Project Institute provides support to thousands of children in Brazil. To dig further into Social Monsters and its origin series, we caught up with lead writer Jason M. Burns. Question: Social Monsters is the first series from Neymar Jr. Comics to target young children. What was the idea behind bringing a series to a younger audience? Jason M. Burns: I’m a sucker for history, and as a parent, it’s not easy to get kids excited about the subject as a whole, unless, of course, we’re talking about dinosaurs. I think it’s so important to know where we’ve come from in order to know where we’re going, so I really wanted to come up with a story that I knew, first and foremost, my kids would enjoy and that I could, more or less, use as a fun tool to trick them into learning things along the way. So, throw giant monsters into the mix that are made from items of historical significance, and I think you have a recipe for an enjoyable/knowledgeable read. Q: How do you go about creating a kid’s series for a global audience? Burns: Well, I think at the core, any story that resonates worldwide has to first and foremost be fun and engaging, regardless of where someone is reading it or in what language they’re reading it. As a content creator and writer, I never try to appeal to as many people as possible, but instead try to appeal to 8-year-old me who was in love with comics books >purposefully mumbles< years ago. If I can make him excited first, then I think that’s the best way to approach it because when a writer isn’t in love with what he’s writing, it shows. And I genuinely love writing these episodes. Q: Social Monsters has an educational aspect to it. What are the types of things kids will be learning through the series? Burns: The series is loaded with fun facts about all aspects of history. For example, in the first season alone, they’ll learn about everything from the Venus de Milo to 19th-century whaling off the coast of New England. But what we strive to do with the series is simply serve as a fun springboard for the readers. If we can get them interested enough to go online and learn more about history, or better yet visit the museums where these items of historical significance are featured, I think we’re doing our part, … which is to say, entertaining that leads to educating. Q: What should parents know about the series that will help draw their children into the world of Social Monsters? Burns: That they’ll have fun as well! That’s what we are hoping for when parents sit down to introduce the series to their kids. They’ll share it with them on their phone, feel a sense of nostalgic fun in reading the comic book and then hit Google from the same phone to learn more about whatever cool/interesting item from the past we’re highlighting. Q: What kind of media that you grew up with helped inspire Social Monsters? Burns: Well, I grew up consuming a (probably?) unhealthy amount of monster movies, both the classic variety and the modern day B-movie kind where they’d mix a lemur with a crocodile and give you LEMURDILE! So, I’d say seeing beasts emerge from the murky depths of the ocean over and over and over again probably had a hand in Social Monster’s inception. Q: Neymar Jr. is a global superstar and Social Monsters will take readers all over the globe. How will fans of Neymar Jr. see their favorite footballer portrayed in the series? Burns: What I love about our character Saber, who is based on Neymar Jr., is that he is genuinely enamored by history. When he talks about it, or when he faces monsters based on items from the past, he is giddy about it. I think that energy — which is portrayed wonderfully by all of the artists as well, including Sergio Rios and Dustin Evans — will feed into the readers. I think they will find themselves being just as excited to go on the missions with Saber because of how much he loves his duties as wielder of Neural Realization Energy. Q: What was your favorite character to create so far for the series?  Burns: The monsters are always fun, because they change issue-to-issue and offer up monstrous puns (yes, I did it!), but Saber I think is my favorite character because he sees the world through this lens of child-like excitement that I think, as adults, we lose somewhere along the way. He’s Peter Pan in a lot of ways, and that’s always a fun character to explore, especially over the course of an extended period of time.

In the latest series from Neymar Jr. Comics, “Red Card,” our hero Junior enters a post-apocalyptic world that begins after a mission into space goes horribly wrong, with alien spores released into the atmosphere. After the majority of humans transform into zombie-like creatures, it’s up to Junior to liberate a camp of survivors, calling on his football skills to win barbaric matches for survival. For a further look into the world of “Red Card,” we sat down for an interview with art director and colorist Dustin Evans. Question: What was your motivation/inspiration to become a colorist? What else have you worked on in your career? Dustin Evans: Well, I didn't set out to become a colorist, initially. It sort of found me. When I started doing my own drawings, growing up, I felt like they were incomplete until I added some sort of color. I started with colored pencils, pastels, paints, etc. When I was in high school I got my hands on a demo version of Photoshop, and I was immediately blown away by what was capable just by clicking around and applying some basic FX. From there I started devouring every tutorial I could find online to figure out how to color my own line art. It was very soon after that I realized just how much colors add to comics and illustrations/art in general. I find inspiration for the color I bring to the table from everything around me, especially pop culture. In the past I have been fortunate enough to work with Disney on Pirates of the Caribbean, Dreamworks, IDW, Warner Brothers, and I was even on the Conan O'Brien show for a few milliseconds to feature my artwork at a special SDCC show. Q: Beyond just coloring the page, what’s the job of the colorist? How do you help bring the world of Red Card to life? Evans: Really a colorist can make or break a book. It's their job to not only add color, but you set the whole tone and mood for the book. For instance, with “Red Card,” we worked hard to figure out how to complement the line art and set the right amount of moodiness that is worthy of an apocalyptic story. We actually had several test runs on getting the colors and look just right, and I think we settled on the best answer to the artistic equation which was texturing along with a hand airbrushed sort of look — really hitting the highlights and accentuating the dark areas make the characters pop and come to life. Q: You’ve worked on various Neymar Jr. Comics titles, and each series contains its own distinct look. How do you give comics a visual feel that complements both the art and the story? Evans: Great question! You're right, it's important to give each book and title their own distinct look. Imagine if My Little Pony was colored like an issue of Spawn, haha! So, Inked and Red Card are similar in that they are both pretty serious, BUT they needed to be completely different in tone and mood. With Inked we have a lot of vibrant colors that pop with the tattoos springing to life. We also used a more traditional comic book shading technique utilizing gradients and selections to give Inked a look that is more than cell shading but also not airbrushed looking. In Red Card we wanted a more muted palette, because the sky is scarred and cloudy the majority of the time. Things are dingy and grungy. Let's face it, not many people are washing their car in the apocalypse, so you have to think about all of these things when coloring a book and bringing it to life. You're Bob Ross-ing the world from blank canvas to whatever the story calls for. Q: With the new title Red Card, what did you hope to accomplish with the colors that would make it stand out from Inked: Art Animates Life? Evans: We wanted Red Card to have a completely different and more realistic look. Inked is more traditional in terms of line art and colors, but with Red Card we wanted to capture a certain moodiness and darkness that is fitting for a horror or apocalyptic story. It was my goal for someone to see any single page from Red Card and immediately, just from the colors, know what type of book this is and what sort of story you are about to dive into as a reader. Q: The world that these characters inhabit is not a pleasant place. What did you enjoy about crafting this ominous and murky setting? Evans: Textures! As a colorist it's easy to sort of get used to just shading your work with gradients and you're done, but Red Card forced us to think outside the book in terms of texture. Not only did I apply textures and FX to the roads, rusted metal, grass, etc., but if you look at the page as a whole, there is an overlay or filter that sort of covers the whole page. I think of comics as film on paper, so if you think about a movie like Saving Private Ryan, the whole movie has a certain grittiness and filter applied to it. That's what I hoped to achieve with Red Card, and that was the most rewarding and fun part of coloring this title. On really great projects you will learn something new, because you are forced out of your comfort zone and made to try new things. As an artist, you're always growing, and growing is the most fun. Q: You also serve as Art Director at Neymar Jr. Comics. What do you think are the biggest creative strengths of the company based on the work you’re producing, not only now, but for books that are upcoming as well? Evans: Yes! We have so much in the pipeline that we are excited to share with readers. I think we have assembled a creative team that delivers on so many fronts that it has created the perfect production storm. First and foremost, everyone is a hard worker, and they all deliver on deadlines and in six different languages. Secondly, we really are a team, so if help is needed somewhere with edits, coloring, lettering, etc., we can tag someone in to come to the rescue. Last, but definitely not least, our team is just so immensely talented. They can tell a dynamic story, visually, and capture the heart of Neymar and the heart of the story. Q: If you were in Junior’s shoes and forced to compete in an apocalyptic soccer game, how would you fare? Would you be a survivor or meat for the Shuttle Dusters? Evans: Well, in my mind, I would be amazing. Taking down Shuttle Dusters left and right in an 80s style action montage...but in reality, I would probably pull a hamstring first thing and be an amuse-bouche for the Dusters.