Author Talk with Detroit Manga Writer Mario Long

Writer, Mario B. Long is from Detroit Michigan. An early interest in anime and Japanese culture led him to study Japanese language and film at Eastern Michigan University. After graduating, he moved to Japan where he has lived for the past 20 years. In 2020, he founded SAKURA PHOENIX, a game, manga and animation studio based in Tokyo, Japan. He is the writer of GOLDEN AGE of PIRATES, PANTHEON SAGA, and CASSHAN: REBOOTED.

God Tier, this high-octane tale from writer Mario B. Long and Tokyo-based artist Kuroi delivers an explosive mix of mythology, gang warfare, and supernatural destruction—all set in a world where gods rule with brutal force, two siblings must navigate the chaos or be consumed by it.

Mario B. Long on his inspiration:

"I drew inspiration from cult classics like Clash of the Titans, Escape from New York, The Matrix, and Interstellar. The story took shape while I was quarantining in Tokyo during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Like Pablo in God Tier, I was overwhelmed by the chaos unfolding across the world and longed to be reunited with my family. I wanted to reimagine Gods and Monsters through fresh perspectives while weaving in modern social issues. This project would not have been possible without the incredible work of manga artists Kuroi, Pablo Rey, and the Sakura Phoenix studio team, who dedicated years to bringing this vision to life. Their talent and commitment mean everything to me. It's an honor to help launch this new era of storytelling with Nakama Press, pushing the boundaries of manga to reach a new generation of readers."

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