Infinite God Mode

Interview: Dave Castelnuovo, Creator of Pocket God

Ever wish you could hover your cursor over your boss's head and hit the SMITE button? Alas, such a tool does not yet exist. Game wizard Dave Castelnuovo has created the next best thing: Pocket God. It's an iPhone app that puts you in the almighty driver's seat and allows you to exact hilarious, stress-relieving revenge over a population of poor pygmies.

The game's gotten so big, creator studio Bolt Creative is now branching out into the infinite void of merchandising. We caught up with Dave to find out what divine deals he's making to appease his audience. First up: a line of digital and paper comics featuring his favorite victims.  

GCD: What did those poor pygmies ever do to you?

DC: (Laughs) I have nothing against pygmies at all. If you think about it, these little guys are the luckiest people in the universe because they are immortal. And they keep coming back for more.

GCD: What will fans of the game love in the new digital comic?

Dave Castelnuovo: Our fans will love the torture, death, rebirth, rinse and repeat of their favorite little pygmies on the Isle of Oog. But while there is lots of mayhem there is also a strong character arc as well. The main character in the story, Ooga, has the personality that I imagine many of our pygmies have. A little bit of a smart ass, doesn’t really believe in things he can’t see just because he’s told he should. He starts out as a prankster who subjects his fellow pygmies to gruesome deaths but then toward the end of the first issue learns not to take their immortality for granted. I think Ooga’s evolution is similar to my own.

GCD: Has there ever been a game that makes gruesome death so...adorable?

DC: Sometimes I question my own warped sense of humor. Is it ok to enjoy someone like Sarah Silverman even though her humor is very edgy and inappropriate? Or is it better to lead a sanitized life where you don’t enjoy anything that could possibly offend anyone? I personally vote for edgy but I think about it a lot and I want Ooga to think about it in the comic. But don’t forget, there will be plenty of impaling, electrocution, maiming, burning, facial acid corrosion, being buried alive, and being crushed to death along the way.

GCD: What will be different about the comic, as opposed to the game?

DC: Since Pocket God is episodic, the game has always been malleable. It evolves over time. I look at the comic as a natural extension of the game because it deepens the world and the backstory of the characters on the island. It’s not really a difference, but in the comic, each of the pygmies has its own physical characteristics and personality. Ooga is the classic looking pygmy, Booga is a smelly brute, Noobie is the cute dumb one, Doobie is a rasta pygmy, Klik is the smart one, and Klak is a clutz (and has the scars to prove it). Over time, I see the comic influencing the game more and more.

GCD: What has the response been to Pocket God merchandise?

DC: It’s been great. Comic Con was the first place that we were actually selling the comic books and the response has been amazing. During the two hours per day that we spent signing autographs, there was a non-stop flurry of fans that were interested in the books and other merchandise. We had some Pocket God plushy prototypes on display and almost everyone asked if they could buy them. Fortunately our fans don’t have to wait too long. Our first batch of plushies will be for sale at Wizard World Chicago, 100 of which are Wizard World Chicago exclusives.

GCD: In this day and age, why release a paper comic as well?

DC: I have to admit, it’s pretty awesome to read comics on my iPad and I do think it’s the future. But I have been collecting comics for a very long time and I can’t miss the opportunity to have a printed comic with our characters on it. And while the iPad is very convenient, there is nothing like holding a printed comic in your hands. Especially a nice thick graphic novel. Our first arc will be collected into a trade paperback. When [publisher] Ape contacted me, they were really excited about the digital possibilities of a Pocket God comic. I just kept saying “We have to do print! We have to find a way to get kids into comic shops! I’ll take a hit financially if it means we have really strong support for our print books." Who knows, maybe printed comics will end up being like LPs are now, but I don’t want to make it happen any faster than it needs to.

GCD: Do you have a god complex?

DC: I guess it depends on who you talk to. I would say no. My wife and Allan might say yes though. I am definitely Type A but I enjoy time on my own. I like nothing more to just work in my home without interacting with anyone, or chill out and watch some anime or True Blood.

Savior pennies (it only takes 99) and pick up Pocket God today.

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