Tinkers of the Wasteland

A post-apocalyptic comic full of chickens'n shit!



Now Raul Treviño tells us about his webcomic "Tinkers of the Wasteland":

My webcomic Tinkers of the Wasteland has become a platform for personal healing. Through it, I express thoughts and disagreements with the world around me. The main characters —Milla, Splitter, and Chapi— are reflections of myself. They embody different sides of my personality, emotions, and attitudes — both the ones I like and the ones I struggle with. In a way, Tinkers is my second life, projected into a fantastic world — at least in this first arc of the story.

Publishing it weekly has its own rhythm, and that’s one of the things I enjoy most. As I go through different moments in life —ups, downs, books I read, new experiences— all of it inevitably seeps into the comic. That influence, I believe, enriches the story. I’m certain that if I had rushed and completed it in a few months, it would have turned out very differently. It’s been two years now, and I’m still working on it.

Visually, I’ve always loved the Mad Max-inspired aesthetic since I was a kid, and it felt natural to bring that look into one of my stories. Interestingly, the whole thing started with a random pinup illustration of three characters riding a motorcycle. I looked at them and thought: These guys can tell a story. And that was the spark.

I handle all aspects of the comic myself, from writing to drawing. Still, I often meet up with fellow artists to share ideas, get feedback, and refine some plot points.

Interacting with fans has been one of the most rewarding parts of the process. For the English version, I asked readers to help spot grammar issues or typos in exchange for a credit on the “Thank You” page of both the digital and print editions. That’s been amazing —especially because English isn’t my first language.

As for cosplay —not yet! I haven’t seen anyone dress up as my characters, but I hope it happens someday. That would be such a cool milestone.

Most of the characters were born entirely in my head, except for King Queer, who was clearly inspired by Frank from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I borrowed heavily from that character. I’m not gay, but I’ve always loved powerful, flamboyant gay villains —they really kick ass. Baron Ashura from Mazinger Z (half man, half woman) is another strong influence.

In Latin America, there are plenty of artists I admire. José Ladrönn is not only a respected colleague but also a close friend — he’s given me valuable advice since I started taking comics seriously. Fco. Ruiz Velazco and Humberto Ramos were also very supportive in my early days, and I’m deeply grateful to them.

As for the future of comic book distribution, I don’t believe print will disappear entirely. I see it shifting —maybe 70% digital, 30% print. The decline of printed media feels inevitable, but I don’t think it will vanish. That remaining 30% might evolve into something more special —limited, collector’s editions. It’s an interesting possibility, and I’m curious to see how it plays out.

As for the future of the distribution of comics, I don’t think book are gonna disappear at all. I think it’s going to be divided into two, maybe 70% digital and 30% printed. In my personal opinion the reduction of the print media is imminent, but not to the point of disappearing. By the course of time I believe that 30% it’s going to be special and limited editions. It is interesting to think so, I hope to see the resolution of this.