By Brian Hofacker 

Comic and pop culture fans attending the Big Apple Con this November were lucky enough to meet the stars of Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice, as well as the series creator and director, Rob Longo. As part of 2121 Productions, Rob has written and directed various shorts and music videos and is currently further developing the Vixen brand and working on his feature film Slaughterhouse. Dynamic Forces’ Brian Hofacker caught up with Rob who was kind enough to answer a few questions about his work and introduce us to the adventures of the Vixens of Virtue and Vixens of Vice. 

BH: For anyone unfamiliar with 2121 Productions, can you tell us what the company has produced and where to find their work? 

RL: Sure, most of our work thus far has centered around seed entries for various contests, several digital shorts, a few internet shows, and of course Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice. Once our website 2121productions.com is redone most of our work will be all available there. 

BH: How did you become involved with 2121 Productions? 

RL: I reconnected with Dave Kempski, a college friend who I had lost touch with over the years, at a photo shoot near an old haunt of ours. The photo shoot went so well we decided to form a production company to give our ideas life. We were on RT 21 and the address was 21 and thus 2121 Productions was born about two years ago.  

BH: Can you give us a short rundown of your work and what you are currently working on?  

RL: Right now I am very focused on Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice. I also have slated to shoot a trailer for my feature horror movie, Slaughterhouse. 

BH: What would you say these films are most comparable to in mainstream pop culture? How about for comic book fans? 

RL: Great question. Well, with Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice it’s got those elements of camp found in the Adam West Batman TV show and a strong, girl power vibe like PowerPuff Girls with a little Brady Bunch thrown in for good measure. Comic book fans will enjoy it because it’s the super hero team and super villain team dynamic with a lot of family issues in the mix. 

BH: And I’m sure comic fans want to know about your Vixens of Virtue and Vixens of Vice series. Fill us in on the story of this series? 

RL: Six smart sexy super sisters are brought together by a mixed marriage - their father was a hero, their mother a villain. Three of them are heroes, the Sweets, Vixens of Virtue: they are on the search for their parents who mysteriously disappeared a year ago. The other three sisters were born without powers and plot revenge on their do-gooding counterparts whom they resent. They are the Martins, Vixens of Vice: they vie for control of Surge City as their personal lives complicate, loyalties shift and secrets are revealed. Empowering to women, irresistible to men, the Vixens are as dangerous as they are beautiful in this live-action mixture of Action and Camp. 

BH: Who exactly are the Vixens of Virtue? 

RL: Sweet Burden aka Beatrice Sweet (played by the very talented Natalie Laspina) will bring you to your knees. She tries to keep everyone in her family together despite their self-destructive tendencies.  

Sweet Frost aka Bianca Sweet (played by the gifted Caitlin Ross-Poteet) can be soft as new-falling snow when caring for those she loves, or tough as a glacier when confronted by evil. 

Sweet Burn aka Brandie Sweet (played by the triple threat Tara Lee) can fry you to a crisp. She's a party girl who always finds herself in trouble despite her best intentions, but always manages to rise to the occasion.  

Sweet Tart aka Brittney Sweet (played by the wonderful Stephanie Houghton) fights crime decked out in her candy motif costume which includes various candy based weapons. Don’t snicker just because she doesn’t have any powers like her cousins. This hero has a sweet tooth for justice! 

BH: And the Vixens of Vice? 

RL: Bitter Evil aka Sabrina Martin (played by the skilled Catherine Edwards) is a wicked inventor with an army of killer robots at her command. The brains behind the bunch, she is sure she could rule the world if it wasn't for the meddling of sisters both bitter and sweet.  

Bitter Pill aka Silvia Martin (played by the creative Jessica Howell) can cook a chemical concoction to aid any evil scheme. She's also nuttier than a squirrel's cheeks.  

Bitter Pain aka Serra Martin (played by the amazing Yue Xu) is a deadly martial artist. But is she under the control of Shr-Lin a power-hungry Lin Gwai master?  

Bitter Metal (played by the engaging Holly Moore) is the evil android creation of Bitter Evil. Press start for evil and destruction. 

Bitter Enchantress aka Emily Martin (played by newcomer Michele Prezioso) is a witch who has other priorities other then the family feud between her cousins. 

Shr-Lin (played by the deadly, yes, that’s real Kung-Fu, Migina Tsai) has designs for Surge City and she will stop at nothing to accomplish her goals including destroying the Vixens of Virtue and the Vixens of Vice. 

BH: Where can we check out their adventures? 

RL: It’s all on our web site vixensofvirtuevixensofvice.com

BH: How did the world of Vixens of Virtue and Vixens of Vice come about? 

RL: Back in the day I played a Dungeons & Dragons superhero equivalent RPG since I have always been an avid comic book reader. Sweet Burden was a main character that I often ran as a player. Fast forward to two years ago and I was in the car after one of our first video shoots discussing ideas for internet shows when I landed on the idea of a live action superhero show. I knew the timing was great and I already had the characters created. 

BH: Do you have a favorite episode? 

RL: Hmm favorite episode… that is tough. I really love episode one “Sunny Side Up” because it was great to see these characters of mine come to life. I also really love episode four “Truck Stop” since you learn more about the villains and their dialogue cracks me up. Finally, I love episode 10 “Battle Royale” because it was the last episode for Season One and we were all together after working on this for a year and a half.

BH: With a quick glance at Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice it’s easy to get the first impression that the series is designed for a male audience, but the series definitely keeps the super hero action and the story in the forefront. Was it difficult to make and market a product with a mostly female cast without going down the “cheesecake” route? 

RL: Going into Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice we thought it was great timing for the series. Superhero franchises are doing great in the box office, comic books are doing well, and there is certainly a lot of positive girl power shows out. I didn’t want to do the cheesecake route because why alienate a whole segment of the possible audience, namely females. My girlfriend always kept me in check as she designed the costumes. Women are amazing they are smart, sexy, fun, and inspirational so why not have the series celebrate women completely and positively in all their glory. 

BH: And as for the Vixens themselves; are all the characters of your design or do the actresses have a part in creating the character they play? 

RL: The characters are all of my design but as a director you have to give an actress room to take and make the character their own. 

BH: It seems that nothing was spared in making the Vixens look like they just jumped out of a comic book! The costumes are really incredible? Who designs/makes them? 

RL: Wow, thanks! I really wanted something iconic looking for all the Vixens. We got really good very early in stretching our dollars. Michele Prezioso designed them and left no stone unturned in finding pre-existing pieces that went well together. Annmarie Festa was kind enough to make all the capes herself. 

BH: Are the girls enjoying the super hero spotlight? 

RL: Yes, I think very much. On the set of episode four “Truck Stop” they got mobbed by a crowd asking for autographs. The experience was surreal and a lot of fun. The girls keep in close touch with the fans using their Vixen MySpace profile.The reception and support has been astonishing. We are very thankful for the support we have received so far. 

BH: And something I know firsthand, fans can meet the girls and pick up the DVDs at comic cons, right? How are they being accepted? Any fun experiences there? 

RL: Yes, we did our first comic book convention, The Big Apple Con, this past November in NYC, and it was fantastic to meet our fans. I think we were floored anytime anyone asked us for an autograph and that we got to meet in person some of our MySpace fans. 

BH: The Vixens series ends on a bit of cliffhanger; is next season in production? 

RL: Season Two is in pre-production right now. We should start shooting in April. But we have some things in the works that might change that all for the better for our fans. Stay Tuned! 

BH: Can you give a hint of what’s in store for the Bitters and the Sweets? 

RL: I don’t like when people don’t give some hints to what is coming. You will see a love interest develop in the series that will bring further conflict between the Bitters and Sweets. The WMD Science Soldiers aren’t very happy with their Neutranium being stolen, so look for them to make a return. Bitter Pain may find herself in trouble with not only Shr-Lin but also her sisters. I hope I haven’t given away too much! 

BH: Any advice you want to give to aspiring film makers? 

RL: Yes! Just do it. Don’t get caught up in the debate of film school or not. If you need a structured learning environment then go to film school, if you can self teach yourself then don’t bother. Most important is always tell good stories as the rest will follow. When you don’t have a skill, find someone who not only does but also believes in your project. I am absolutely blessed with a fantastic cast and crew that believe in Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice. 

BH: And what’s next in the career of Rob Longo? 

RL: All Vixens of Virtue Vixens of Vice; just growing the franchise into something that really makes its mark in the comic book mythos. I have been a fan for so long it’s time for me to share my stories and creations. I hope you all enjoy! 

BH: Thanks, Rob!      

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