History

Don Chase can best be described as a true love letter to the neo-noir cinema of the 1980s, specifically the subgenre known as sunshine noir. From childhood, I was captivated by the unique blend of gritty, brooding themes of classic noir, set against the vibrant, tropical backdrops and neon-lit glamour of sun-drenched cities. This contrast amplifies both the dark and dazzling aspects of the genre, creating a world where beauty and corruption coexist in equal measure.

My fascination began with the video game GTA Vice City, which, when it was released, left a lasting impact on me. The game introduced me to 80s music and, more importantly, to the atmosphere of sunshine noir. As a child, I couldn’t fully grasp the deeper themes, but I was drawn to the colorful, atmospheric world they had created—a world unlike anything I had seen before. Over the years, as I delved deeper into films and television, I realized this world was inspired by iconic works like Scarface, Manhunter, To Live and Die in L.A., Chinatown, and the TV series Miami Vice. Having explored nearly every movie in the genre, I couldn’t shake the allure, so I set out to write my own homage—Don Chase.

About Don Chase

Don Chase takes place in Paradise City, a once-sleepy coastal town with crystal-clear lagoons and year-round sunshine, now in the midst of a rapid transformation. What was once a quiet resort is quickly becoming the city to be—gentrified and overtaken by wealth and development. Amidst this bustling transformation lives Don Chase, a 28-year-old wannabe reporter struggling to make ends meet.

Don's dreams are slowly fading as he lives in a rundown caravan next to his late uncle’s garage, trying—and failing—to make something of himself. With little talent and no connections, he survives as a second-rate paparazzo, scraping by on the edge of bankruptcy. Things get worse when he’s threatened with eviction as the industrial area he calls home is rapidly redeveloped into luxury high-rises for the wealthy. But just when he thinks things can’t get worse, Don stumbles upon the biggest scoop of his life. While covering the arrival of the world-famous metal band Sordid, Don finds himself in the midst of a cold-blooded murder—a scoop far darker and more dangerous than anything he could’ve imagined. Meanwhile, his ex-girlfriend is back in town after a decade abroad, complicating his already chaotic life.

Art and Visual Style

Visually, Don Chase is a study in contrasting atmospheres, with a strict pastel palette used during the daytime scenes and bright, neon-infused lighting defining the night. The architecture in the comic is heavily inspired by the Memphis Milano postmodernism of the 1980s, with its bold geometric shapes and vibrant colors, creating a world that’s as stylistically striking as it is dangerous. The overall aesthetic draws the reader into the surreal blend of paradise and peril that defines Paradise City—a place where beauty hides the most deadly secrets.