Imagine this scenario, if you will indulge me a moment of your time. It's a Wednesday night, and you've finished work. You've got a plan to kick back, grab some dinner and watch whatever's on the television (or Instagram reels, let's be honest). Then you check your Instagram messages, and surprise, there's an announcement from Cynation Comics about their new series Gods Among Men!

I recently sat down with the writers and creators of the series, Aaron & Josh Mak, to talk about the first issue and what we can expect from the series in general.

Note: Thanks to Cynation Comics for providing us with a press copy of the comic for this article. Now let's jump into the interview!

So, you’re back with a new series – Gods Among Men. Tell us about this series, as it feels like a bit of a departure from your previous comic series, ANA?

Aaron: Gods Among Men is our debut series that was first released back in April 2024, which is now back with a new instalment. To us, ANA was the fun, fantastical departure from a darker, true-crime narco-noir.

As opposed to following a fictional super-powered team, we bring things right down to ground level by following the descent of Jason Lee. A father, brother, an idealist, an opportunist; in trying to save his failing business, we're taken along for a ride from the world of the legitimate into the underbelly of society.

The characters' arcs seem to be set up for what some readers would describe as a typical “pride before the fall” arc, ala Scarface. How would you respond to that claim?

Josh: There is certainly a fall in the story, but it’s not preceded by pride. The story objectively looks at morality and choices we make, and explores the nuances in all these things, making the stereotypical view of the world as good and evil, black or white, seem blasé and simplistic. There will be falls and many of them seemingly endless, but that’s not what this story is about. At its core, this story is about passion and endurance.

What inspired the title of the series “Gods Among Men” as this is a historical concept going back to Egyptian Pharaohs, Alexander the Great and even the Mesopotamian tales of Gilgamesh

Josh: The title is derived from the ancient concept of Apotheosis, the profound transformation of a mortal into a deity or a divine being, originating from Greek for "to make a god". In the past, our ancestors deified things they didn’t understand.

In our tale, we explore how understanding something that the masses don’t is like being divine. This isn’t a single character in our story but rather how various people at different times and circumstance can be Gods among Men.

Now the comic has a central location, being a “Rize Burger”. Was this a shoutout to a special place of your youth or somewhere that holds special memories for you?

Josh: Rize Burger was an actual shop that operated in Melbourne between 2009-2010. The food items are based off the actual menu.

Aaron: It was certainly a special place of my youth, which held many unique memories. It’s quite fascinating to see a place that once existed in reality now reborn with new life in these pages.

Following on from that, is there anywhere you could go to taste the legendary Prawn Rize Burger or the burger that inspired it?

Aaron: To shed some light on the lore, no recipe still remains of the legendary Prawn Rize Burger (although archival images may or may not be discoverable online). I can say this, though - the prawn patty with the Rize Burger signature sweet-chilli mayo sauce is devilishly delicious.

Josh: While there have been similar burgers out there. I’ve not come across one that was exactly like the prawn burger. Who knows? Maybe someday Rize Burger will return.

What did you guys enjoy most about writing this issue and the series as a whole?

Aaron: The thing I enjoyed most about working on this series lies in its ‘true story’ nature. Josh would take Ben Sullivan (pencils & ink) and myself on excursions to the locations in the book, regaling us with the tales that would later fill the pages. This gave us as individuals and the creative process a stronger connection to the story and its characters; it gave a unique depth and sense of place to the way we would tell this tale.

For those readers who are interested in reading this first issue, what’s your one-sentence pitch for them?

Aaron: A true-crime narco-noir; a plunge into the underbelly of our society with all of the realness and none of the risk - we invite you to peer through the looking glass.

Is there a possibility of a crossover between Gods Among Men & ANA?

Josh: Gods Among Men is a dark and grounded story based on actual events, while ANA is a fantasy story that’s inspired by a real life band. I can’t see how the stories could find any common ground without compromising the integrity of the other… on the other hand, what’s that saying? Never say never?

What else would you like people to know about this series and about Cynation Comics in general?

Aaron: Gods Among Men is the foundation that we built Cynation Comics on. From inception to creation, it was the most unapologetic, honest, l’art pour l’artiste approach we could possibly take. Yet people connected with the journey of Jason Lee - and I believe you will too.

Cynation Comics is constantly growing, putting our hearts and souls into storytelling - from our two flagship comic titles to even a recent feature film. We create boutique comic books with a Bohemian lust for storytelling, and our stories - are yours.

A big thanks to Aaron and Josh for their time today. You can check out Cynation Comics' online store here, and make sure to check the Kickstarter for this series and chucking them a few bucks if you like what they're doing.