THE PEACEKEEPERS is a new comic hitting Kickstarter October 19th, and you can read the first 11 pages right here on Monkeys Fighting Robots.
The book is by writer Rylend Grant, artist Davi Leon Dias, colorist Iwan Joko Triyono, and letterer HdE. It’s the same team that created ABERRANT for Action Lab: Danger Zone, a series which won the Ringo Award for Best Villain in 2019 (and was nominated for two additional awards — Best Writer and Best Single Issue).
About THE PEACEKEEPERS: All hell breaks loose in quaint a northern Michigan community when a team of in-over-their-heads bank robbers kills a beloved Sheriff’s Deputy. In a small town with BIG secrets, local detective Richard Holton races to peel back the layers of a depraved down home conspiracy before the bungling Federal Agents assigned to the case send everyone involved to ground.
THE PEACEKEEPERS is a dark, quirky crime drama in the vein of Fargo or No Country for Old Men. It’s a love letter to case-a-season police dramas like True Detective and The Wire, to Elmore Leonard novels, and to comic masterpieces like Criminal and 100 Bullets.
The campaign is funding a 64-page, perfect-bound comic which will collect the first two chapters of the story.
Grant is a screenwriter by trade, having worked on projects for JJ Abrams, Ridley Scott, Justin Lin, John Woo, Luc Besson, and F. Gary Gray, so he brings a very cinematic quality to the projects he pens. His most recent work, BANJAX for Action Lab: Danger Zone, is currently up for four Ringo Awards (including Best Series).
Monkeys Fighting Robots spoke with writer Ryan O’Sullivan about his new series A DARK INTERLUDE, the first issue of which drops November 18th from Vault Comics.
O’Sullivan works on the series with artist Andrea Mutti, colorist Vladimir Popov, and letterer AndWorld Design. The masterful Tim Daniel is the book’s designer.
A DARK INTERLUDE is the “not-quite-a-sequel” to 2018’s FEARSCAPE (and O’Sullivan speaks more to what that means below). It continues the story of unreliable narrator Henry Henry and the Fearscape, a magical realm where mankind’s greatest fears take corporeal form.
We’ve read the first issue, and all we can say is that if you liked FEARSCAPE, or you enjoy entertaining dark fantasy stories with smart, witty metacommentary (à la Sandman), you will love A DARK INTERLUDE. The series has a unique narrative voice and a fearlessness to take risks. It’s one of those comics that reinvigorates your love for the medium.
Check out the first 8 pages of A DARK INTERLUDE #1 right here:
A DARK INTERLUDE #1 Preview
1 of 8
And read on for our interview with Ryan O’Sullivan:
Monkeys Fighting Robots: Ryan, thanks for taking the time to talk with me (though I’m sure Henry Henry won’t approve of you speaking with press).
Ryan O’Sullivan: I don’t think Henry Henry really cares what I do. He took over the Vault Comics Twitter last week and couldn’t even remember my name. (Though he also blocked me. So maybe he wasn’t being entirely honest.)
MFR: A DARK INTERLUDE is being called the “not-quite-a-sequel” to FEARSCAPE — what exactly does that mean?
O’Sullivan: It means that it’s not quite a sequel. Explaining it any better than that might give the game away too much. (Especially given that one of the chief conceits of the book is that it is a “sequel” mocking the culture of never-ending sequels/reboots/shared universes we’re currently blighted with.) It’s set in the same Dark Fantasy (think Sandman) world as FEARSCAPE, with the same cast of characters, and takes place 18 months after it, so I could see why some people might think it’s a sequel. I respect their opinion, even if it’s not one I personally hold.
I will say this – you don’t need to have read FEARSCAPE to enjoy A DARK INTERLUDE. (It will add to the experience, though! Just like each Fast and the Furious film adds another layer to the deep mythos of the film series.)
MFR: And where will readers find themselves when they pick up the first issue? How have things changed for your characters since the end of FEARSCAPE?
O’Sullivan: A DARK INTERLUDE begins with our narrator, Henry Henry, locked up in a mental health hospital in the real world. Comics’ most unreliable narrator is trying to reform himself, but the supernatural creatures from the Fearscape have other ideas.
As for the rest of the cast? Issue #1 will reveal all!
MFR: One of the signatures of FEARSCAPE was the way you called out tropes (like grid layouts or exposition dumps) while executing those exact tropes yourselves. Where did the idea to do that come from, and how are you keeping it fresh, funny, and interesting for DARK INTERLUDE?
O’Sullivan: Keeping something fresh just requires you don’t end up flanderising yourself/consuming yourself. If the entire story was just Henry Henry complaining about tropes then people would get bored, and the work would read as indulgent/vain/etc. At some point you have to pivot away from deconstruction and actually start constructing something.
A DARK INTERLUDE is a character-driven story. You may not notice it at first, because of the formalism in the storytelling, or the acridity in the narration, or other deliberately antagonizing/distracting narrative elements, but the thing you’re coming back for issue after issue is the characters. If a story has characters in it that don’t feel like people – full of flaws, contradictions, and death drive, then you won’t care about it. You might find it entertaining, and think the writer is smart for having people jump out of panels or whatever, but unless you populate your story with characters that have an inner consciousness the reader won’t really care about it. (A good story needs to excite both hearts and minds.)
And I think that’s why readers enjoy A DARK INTERLUDE – they care about Henry Henry. Not in the sense that they like him, or that they empathize with him, or that they treat him as some sort of vicarious stand in for their baser instincts, but because he feels like a real human being. And in comics, that sort of thing is rare. Most characters in comics just have the personality of Xander from Buffy. (Quip quip quip…stand around being sad saying their feelings out loud…quip quip quip…stand around being sad saying their feelings out loud….)
As an aside: I’ve never understood why writers in a visual medium are so scared of leaving things unsaid. Of allowing things to be implied. This is why I adore Inio Asano. He doesn’t spell things out. I love “Iceberg” writers such as Carver and Hemingway. Comics needs more of them. (If you’re reading this and you know any – @ryanosullivan is my twitter handle. Hit me up. Seriously.)
MFR: I also love the way you call out the “other side” of comics, specifically reviewers and readers who love to overanalyze things. (I’ve never felt so personally attacked by a comic, and I love it.) How much of that commentary comes from your own experiences, and how much comes from you getting into the head of Henry Henry and saying what you think he would say?
O’Sullivan: We play with autofiction in A DARK INTERLUDE because we’re looking to blur the barriers from what is real and what is not. This helps makes the reader uncertain about what to believe, which forces them to think. As much as A DARK INTERLUDE takes shots at writers, artists, readers, and all other parts of comics, it also takes shots at itself. And it leaves the reader to formulate their own idea of what the comic is about.
Don’t get me wrong, Death of the Author is utter dreck. There is a specific answer to the riddle of A DARK INTERLUDE. I’m just not prepared to say what that is. (Because doing so would defeat the purpose of writing it!)
MFR: Henry Henry is one of the most unique, unlikable, and unreliable narrators I’ve come across in comics — what are the advantages and drawbacks to writing a narrator who lets you say whatever you want at the cost of the readers’ trust?
O’Sullivan: The reader’s trust shouldn’t be lost by the presence of an unreliable narrator. If anything the opposite should happen. The reader should realize that the author respects them enough to know they’ll figure out this Henry Henry guy is lying, thus allowing the reader and author to conspire together against the unreliable narrator. What makes A DARK INTERLUDE dramatic, is that Henry Henry is trying to upset this bond between author and reader, so that he can have ownership of the story instead of me. Unfortunately, sometimes he is successful.
Of course, the above is the exact sort of thing an unreliable author would say to gaslight a reader. So, once again, I leave it to the readers to draw their own conclusions.
I will say one other thing, actually. Perhaps of more interest for other writers than readers. The very real risk of writing a character like Henry Henry is that, because he is so distasteful, a reader must find him entertaining to enjoy the book. (The humor counterbalances how distasteful he is.) If he is not to a reader’s particular sense of humor, they will loathe the story. (As it will just be a story about a distasteful man they do not find amusing.) This is a completely valid read. There are people who cannot enjoy Lolita simply because the protagonist being a pedophile is too abhorrent for them. Henry Henry is not quite that horrible, but the principle remains the same.
MFR: How is it working with Andrea Mutti, Vladimir Popov, and AndWorld Design again? How has your partnership and the way you all work together evolved from FEARSCAPE to now?
O’Sullivan: Andrea sends me slightly less angry emails in Italian. So overall a net positive. Honestly, they’re all a joy to work with. I can’t imagine doing this book without Andrea, Vlad, Deron, Ariela, or any of the folks at Vault Comics.
MFR: And while much of the story’s metacommentary is conveyed through dialogue or Henry’s narration, a lot of it is more subtly hidden in the colors and lettering. How much of this is established in the scripting/planning stage, and how much of it is Popov and AndWorld bringing their own flair and expertise?
O’Sullivan: Metacommentary is all decided at the script-level. Although sometimes compromises have to be made at the inking/coloring/lettering stages due to time constraints. Honestly, the expertise of my collaborators isn’t so much in innovation as it is in execution. They’ve all been doing this longer than I have, and being able to count on that experience to deliver the incredible work they do – that is what gives me the freedom to push myself when writing. I know they can deliver anything I ask for – that allows me to be ambitious. They’re also incredibly tolerant. I’m a demanding writer. They put up with it because they care for the work. And I love them for it.
MFR: There’s been a lot of talk this year about the business of comics and how comics should be distributed. Why was it the right move for you to put out these stories in single issue format as opposed to a series of graphic novels?
O’Sullivan: A DARK INTERLUDE was created from the ground-up as a single-issue series. You can’t release something like that as a graphic novel. Graphic novels have an entirely different “rhythm” to them.
MFR: FEARSCAPE and A DARK INTERLUDE are very much celebrations of comics. As mentioned, you don’t hesitate to comment on the industry’s flaws and tropes, but it’s still clear that you and the team love what you do. What draws you to comics as opposed to other mediums?
O’Sullivan: Comics feels like one of the last fringe mediums. The concept-to-publication timeline is tiny compared to novels or films. This allows comic creators to evolve at a faster rate than their contemporaries. (It also allows you to avoid accidentally stepping into trends. You won’t, for example, end up halfway through a novel as eight other identical novels appear on the shelves due to everyone pulling from the same influences/contemporary concerns.) This is another reason I enjoy releasing stories in single issues – it helps get the story out there into the readers’ hands ASAP.
The comics medium also feels unexplored. It’s been dominated by juvenile stories for decades. (Not a slur. They are what they are. I enjoy them for it. I would not work in comics if I didn’t.) But because of this, the “language of comics” hasn’t really been explored to the same extent as the novel or the poem. That makes it an obviously exciting area to play in. I just wish more writers were doing exciting work that pushed the medium. Plenty try, but with (direct market) comics being such a (small c) conservative, nostalgic, industry; most “inventive” comics are just rehashes of what Gerber/Moore/Morrison/Milligan/etc were doing 30-40 years ago.
MFR: And finally, the word “interlude” suggests more to come… Is there anything you want to tease about what you and the team are planning?
O’Sullivan: I would be hesitant trusting the title of a book with an unreliable narrator. But, by that same token, I would distrust interview answers from the author of said book. The only way to know for sure, is to buy A DARK INTERLUDE issue #1 on November 18th and see or yourselves. (Future Googlers – hello! Did you notice the butterflies on the cover?)
Thanks again to Ryan O’Sullivan for chatting with us. A DARK INTERLUDE #1 is out November 18th — call your LCS today and tell them you want it!
Boom! Studios would like to welcome you to Arrakis, also known as Dune, the political centre of the universe and home to the Spice. With a new movie on the horizon, and trailers currently wowing audiences across the globe, there’s no better time for comics to return to the sprawling landscape created by Frank Herbert in 1965. A world of wonder, intrigue, and danger awaits anyone who visits the barren landscape.
Dune House Atreides is a prequel to the original novel and was written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson, who have adapted it for this comic release. Expanding on the world created by Frank Herbert, House Atreides builds on the family history of the main characters while introducing a new, mostly reprehensible, cast. The worlds and the people are brought to life by artists Dev Pramanik and Alex Guimaraes.
At this point Dune House Atreides, the novel, is 21 years old. Since it was released Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson have worked on numerous prequels, sequels, and whatever the word is for books set at the same time as the original. Their engagement with the Dune universe is all encompassing, basing so much of their novels on the notes made by Frank Herbert before he passed away. In short, the writers know this world inside and out, and the depth of their knowledge is woven into the script of this comic.
Dune House Atreides #1 Credit: Boom! Studios
A Quick Anecdote.
At a recent, well organised and socially distanced screening of Akira, I sat in awe as the trailer for the new Dune movie was played out in front of us. Behind me a young lad turned to his friend and said “the book is really difficult to get into”. I had an urge to turn around and disagree with him: the novel is a gorgeous, poetic narrative full of the most amazing imagery and character. Then I remembered that not everyone felt like that, not everyone enjoyed the hyper-political, religious dystopia that Frank Herbert had painstakingly created. So I did the right thing, I kept my opinions to myself and watched 4K Japanese madness.
The point is that Dune, like many such stories, has an ardent following of fans who are as engrossed in the novels as the writers are but also, the mysteries of Arrakis remain just that to a large number of people who try to engage with the novels. You cannot deny that Herbert’s original is a masterpiece of science-fiction but it’s not for everyone and the following series of books become less appealing if you can’t engage with the first.
This adaptation of Dune House Atreides is no different. I feel as though I should write two reviews, one for fans of the series and one for those coming to this fresh, possibly in anticipation of the new movie. Each will have a different experience with this comic.
Dune House Atreides #1 Credit: Boom! Studios
The Story and The Art
Set 35 years before the events of the Dune, House Atreides unravels the histories of the older generation from the original. It contains references from the past and the future, highlighting the vast universe that Herbert and Anderson have helped create over the last 21 years through their 13 novels. House Atreides was their first collaboration but this adaptation of it shows two writers comfortable within their world. The characters are vivid and enter the story fully formed, their histories seeping through their speech.
Much of the visual world building comes from the art, with Pramanik and Guimaraes interpreting the unbelievable vistas to produce awe inspiring, alien worlds for the complex characters to inhabit. The changing color palettes signify the different planets and their environments, not just physical but also political. Arrakis is a wasteland, harsh and dangerous, but it is also the most important planet in the universe. There is a contrast between the uncomfortable reds and oranges burning across the page and the allure of the gold representing the wealth within the planet. Danger, risk, reward: this concept is plain within the artwork.
The more complex political intrigues are represented through the interactions between the characters. On occasions this appears clumsy upon the page, with the characters over acting their parts. The scene where the Planetologist Kynes meets with the Emperor is a litany of over exaggerated facial expressions that could be read as character building but is too comical to be taken seriously.
Dune House Atreides #1 Credit: Boom! Studios
The Old and The New
The artwork for Dune House Atreides will be the biggest divider between fans and non-fans. Coming at the comic with no prior knowledge will allow the reader to discover the world through Pramanik and Guimaraes’ eyes, undisturbed by years of expectation from reading the novels. If, like me, you are a big fan of all things Dune, the artwork will be more problematic. The style adopted here reminds me of Claudio Sanchez’s The Amory Wars; which is a classic comic book style. This works for telling the story and the panel design leads you through some difficult to follow conversations.
Of course a large part of the design is the placement of the speech balloons by the talented Ed Dukeshire. The flow of the narrative is almost 100% dictated by the flow of the speech. Dukeshire has a great skill for staging conversations and emphasising as little as possible while making the greatest impact. He even manages to give the inner monologues a unique look and feel so that the reader immediately associates the dislocated speech with a particular character. The inner monologues, which are synonymous with Dune, are underused in this comic but Dukeshire proves within a few instances that they could be a major feature of the comic.
The main problem is not with what is in the comic but what could have been. Dune is an exceptional world, with exceptional stories, and it is a shame that the direction the comic has taken is classic in style. A quick look at the work Bill Sienkiewicz did on the original movie adaption (see below) shows you what the world of Dune could look like. At a time when the comic industry is branching out in different directions and the ‘superhero’ format of comics is not seen as the only way to do things, it is a shame that more experimentation didn’t go into this comic. Sienkiewicz created vast spaces of empty space that pulled the reader in before bombarding them with intense characters and relationships. That sense of awe, of being lost in a world barely imaginable, is missing from House Atreides. From a fan point of view, I wanted more visually than this comic offers.
Dune Title Page by Bill Sienkiewicz for Marvel Comics in 1985
Conclusion
Dune House Atreides is a magnificent introduction to the web like narrative of the Dune saga and a great first issue for a new series. It has everything that a new reader would want from a new sprawling science-fiction comic: action, adventure, intrigue, a host of references that have no grounding in the story but are waiting to be revealed or discovered at a later time. This will also be an interesting re-read after seeing the movie, as you can revisit the characters and relate them to their future actions.
It’s main drawback comes from a personal point of view, but is one that I believe will be felt by a number of Dune fans: it is too safe. The artwork doesn’t push the boundaries far enough or challenge the reader in the way the novels do. The complex character relationships feed off the environment and unfortunately that intensity is missing from these pages. The technical skills of the artist and colorist are not in doubt but, for me, a more experimental approach to the visuals would have suited this world better, and Dukeshire’s lettering would still have worked as a guide through the narrative.
I enjoyed this comic and most people who read it will also enjoy it. Unfortunately my expectations were higher, I wanted to be in awe of this and be challenged on every page. That did not happen for me but maybe it will for you.
Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel is this week’s release from Image Comics’ Shadowline imprint. Anomaly Productions‘ writer David Hine, co-writer and artist Brian Haberline, colorist Geirrod Van Dyke, and letterer Francis Takenaga close out this Cosmic Steampunk series.
Background
Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel comes off the last six issues where two human races attempt to colonize a planet. The titular Sonata of the Ran tries to live in peace with the native Lumani, only to encounter Pau of the militant Tayan. But the “gods” all races worship seem to have other plans.
Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel Story
Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel continues to combine elements of steampunk (progress and colonization) with cosmic horror. In this case, how people’s ideas of civilization cause them to be seen as a “Master Race.” The Tayans who value power above all else are at war with each other for ownership of the planet. Even then, Pau’s father isn’t content with this, wishing to enslave the other races with the “god’s” weaponry. The “Old Gods” themselves still have power over everyone in the long run despite their weakening states from some “falling illness.” Specifics would be spoilers. If anything, this series main theme is the futility of domination or peace as there is always something stronger in its way. Something that would evoke feelings of rage into hopelessness. David Hine and Brian Haberline seem to like the themes of H.P. Lovecraft as their other series, Marked suggests.
Although the way they tell this story can be jarring with how incoherent some of the issues are. Especially if returning readers find the death of an important character where the context comes issues later. The shifting points-of-view between characters can also get a little jarring. If this can be a point-of-view each chapter rather than focusing mostly on Sonata’s, it would be easier to follow. Even then, the ending feels lackluster, given how abrupt it is. That’s not even mentioning what looks like a sequel hook at the end. But the chances of a sequel for some form of closure seem just as futile.
Art
Haberline’s artwork presents a lot of intricate detail where Perdita’s setting steals the readers’ attention. This intricate alien world feels both mesmerizing and desolate with floating rocks above piles of bones. Many of the characters resemble 3D models against a rough and fading background. This allows the reader to focus on what the characters do and where to follow instead of getting distracted, which can happen very easily, given how intricate the designs are, like straw huts and trees.
Geirrod Van Dyke, as the colorist, does his parts to give more life to these pictures. The characters, in contrast to the mostly muted background colors, provide just enough differences to follow. Even then, the backgrounds are practically the same colors. Without defining the character models, some like the flying creatures would blend in with a matching yellow sky. Otherwise, most objects would blend in too easily unless something convenient like an energy blast occurs.
Francis Takenaga’s lettering is, for the most part, very uniform in Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel. Everything remains in a panel or in the same space as panels to view the changes in perspectives. This helps in the cinematic viewing of events. What really stands out are color-coded thought balloons that people can communicate with. At one point, a new character Kah-Lee’s purple thought captions, serve as foreshadowing to a plot-twisting development. Yet, in one instance, there is an odd occurrence that Pau’s usually green thoughts are red, which are normally Sonata’s. Which really only adds to the problem of shifting POVs.
Take Or Leave Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel
If you like the idea of where Steampunk’s age of technological revolution in societal collisions with Cosmic Horror, this might be where to start. Sonata Volume 2: The Citadel is far from perfect, but a glimpse can inspire people to look beyond the surface of things. Especially since these ideas can lead people to the brand of Anomaly Productions. Although for this trade, that can be difficult for how jarring the coloring and shifting points-of-view are.
Saturday Night Live alum and Parks and Rec star Amy Poehler unleashed hilarity last TV season in the form of Duncanville, an animated comedy about a teenage boy named Duncan, his vivid imagination, and a host of weird, quirky characters. The show’s fast-paced laughs come together thanks to editor Nina Helene Hirten.
Duncan is a 15-year-old kid who’s excited about closing in on adulthood because he thinks it means freedom. However, Duncan’s reality is anything but a glamorous life as he deals with an over-protective mom, an over-eager dad, and a self-centered sister. Duncan’s not an athlete, a top tier student, or a social butterfly either, to make things a little more unexciting. His only real talent is a wild imagination, which gives rise to one wild show.
PopAxiom spoke with Nina about doing a little bit of everything, animation dreams, and becoming the editor for Duncanville.
Animation
Most every job on a movie set originated from the theatre. But the editor is unique. How did Nina decide that putting together cinematic puzzles was her calling? “I fell into it. I initially wanted to be an animator. I was always doing animations.”
However, animation as Nina was growing up evolved. “Animation moved away from 2D into the 3D look. I looked into it, and 3D was much more technical and mathematical.”
“In high school,” Nina says, “I went to a forward-thinking, media-friendly school where a lot of the book reports I did were animations. Some of the assignments included making documentaries. That’s where I started editing.”
For Nina, she “learned a lot about timing and pacing and how to chop up footage to tell a story.”
“I still wanted to be an animator and a director,” Nina recalls, “but when I got to film school, I realized I loved editing. You’re the puzzle master of this giant Tetris board, and it’s really fun. I enjoy finishing things too.”
“When I was younger,” Nina says, 17 editing credits (plus 24 credits in other roles) into her career, “I would rush through things because I think that’s what you do when you’re young. But now, I look back on things and think ‘I wish I’d done …’ but I think that’s part of the creative curse.”
Nina continues, “Artists, musicians, editors, we get to the point where we say ‘Okay, this is done.’ Then we put it out to the world and always think, ‘Oh, man, I could’ve done this or that!'”
“Maybe that’s the perfectionist in me talking,” Nina laughs.
Switching
Nina lived in San Francisco, then moved to Toronto to attend Ryerson University’s film school. “I decided to move to Vancouver,” Nina recalls after finishing school, “which is known as ‘Hollywood North.'”
“I was active in the post-production community,” Nina says, “and to make ends meet, I opened up my production studio. I took out a loan, bought a camera, and became a one-woman machine for about five or six years. I mostly did promotional stuff, corporate videos, travel, music videos, that sort of stuff. Lots of music videos.”
Nina looked for work editing for film and television. “I would cut short films and a lot of indie stuff.”
“My focus has always been editing,” Nina says, then shares a tip learned from experience, “but I managed to do a lot of other stuff. I think anyone who wants to work in film should do some level of production.”
Nina landed a job at Bardel Entertainment in their animation department as a coordinator. “I was brought in as a coordinator, but the idea was to move me over to editorial when a position was available.”
“I never did get switched over,” Nina recalls. “But the connections I made there gave me connections in Los Angeles, so I made a similar deal at The Third Floor where I would come on as a coordinator/production manager and moved over to editorial as soon as there was a position open.” This time, the move happened.
About Duncanville
How did Nina join the Duncanville team? “I was ramping down on Curious George, and I enjoyed working with that team. It was super-fun. I was looking for hiatus work because I was coming back for the next movie. I looked for something to tie me over for a few months, and I saw a listing for a union editor. I tossed my resume into the mix to see what that was about.”
Talent is great, but “In this industry, it’s all about meeting people and making connections. So, even if the production timing doesn’t work out, or maybe I’m not a good fit for the show, they’ve met me, and they have my resume. And, who knows, there might be something in the future.”
In Duncanville‘s case, Nina’s resume caught the eye of producers who brought her in for an interview. “That’s where I learned the show was from Amy Poehler and The Scully’s, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is major television. I have no TV experience. I’m not getting this.’ So, I chatted everyone up and talked about what I’ve done in the past and what I’m capable of doing. Whatever I did, I got a second interview and got the job!”
Nina’s first TV editing gig came with an unexpected “learning curve.” She says, “I’d never done a sitcom before, and they wanted a specific, fast pace for this. Curious George is aimed at young kids, so it’s very flowy and smooth. Every character finishes their sentences. That franchise is so well-established that they know exactly what they want to see.”
“Coming right off of Curious George to this fast-paced show was an adjustment,” Nina says, “It took me a couple of episodes to find the right rhythm.”
However, with one season complete, she says, “now we’re so much faster to get things done. In season two, I’m working with the same directors for the most part, and they know the drill. It’s a well-oiled machine.”
Making Duncanville
Amy Poehler’s behind dozens of projects and doesn’t work on Duncanville on a day-to-day basis. “She watches all of our output and gives notes which are usually mixed in with The Scully’s notes and the network’s notes. She has a big creative role in how the show goes and how it’s written.”
“The directors put together a rough version,” Nina says of the production process for Duncanville, “and once they go through a few rounds of notes and approvals, they make a cleaner version, and that’s when it comes to me.”
Nina works her magic from there. “I get it as tight as possible. If a shot’s not working, I’ll fix it. I’ll send notes suggesting a different shot or a change to make something funnier.”
From there, Nina says, “It goes back to the directors and artists who do another pass. Then we screen it for the writers who usually tear it apart. That’s when we do re-writes. It’s a lot of back and forth collaboration.”
Nina’s smile beams through the phone. “It’s a fun show to work on and a fun show to watch. We’re working on season two right now!”
Favorite Parts
Like any other professional art form, Editing requires the creators to “know your audience first and foremost. You have to know what is going to entice them to keep watching.”
“You have to understand what is the goal of the show,” Nina says. “In the case of Curious George, for example, you have to know this is for young kids, and so you hold on shots longer and make sure they’re clear.”
Nina contrasts that with Duncanville, which is “so fast-paced, you have to find the balance between the clarity of the image and the clarity of the jokes or line-read. Would that character say it that, and is it funny if they say it that way?”
To a certain degree, Nina says, “it’s the audience that’s going to inform the pacing.”
Nina shares some of her processes when landing a new gig. “Some of the first questions I ask on a new project: Who is this going to? What’s the style? And I’ll even ask for references too. If there’s another show, they want to emulate or have a similar feel. If I haven’t seen those things, I’ll do some research.”
“It’s one of my favorite parts of the job,” Nina joyfully proclaims, “because every show is different, it’s never boring. You never know what the next project is going to be or what it’s going to be like.”
Wrapping Up
Nina spreads the love to fellow editors who hold a special place in her heart. “Paul Hirsch, who did Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Carrie, and Star Wars. He’s a big one for me. Walter Murch is a classic. Thelma Schoonmaker is another. So many great editors out there. There’s something to be learned from every one of them.”
What remake would you love to edit? “I’m going to have to marinate on that one.”
Duncanville season one is available on Hulu, and season two is in the works. So, what else does Nina have rendering for the future? “I’m editing a low-budget live-action feature called The Second Age Of Aquarius. That’s on my weekends. I have a living room full of props for a music video that’s been postponed because of the pandemic. I’ve always got two or three projects happening at once.
Is Duncanville on your watch list?
Thanks to Nina Helene Hirten for making this interview possible.
The Last Ronin #1 by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Esau & Isaac Escorza, Luis Antonio Delgado and Shawn Lee is a must-read for both new and old TMNT fans; moody, noirish narrative, several mysteries and gritty and striking art.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Story: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and Tom Waltz Script: Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman Layouts: Kevin Eastman Pencils/Inks: Esau & Issac Escorza Colors: Antonio Delgado Letters: Shawn Lee
In a future NYC far different than the one we know today, a lone surviving Turtle goes on a seemingly hopeless mission to obtain justice for his fallen family and friends.
There is no getting around the hype this book has. It’s been on the radar for months, and with its hardcore flex of a 69 variant cover release, IDW is certainly putting a lot behind this. So is the book all hype? No, the book certainly delivers. I will avoid spoilers because the various reveals are important, but the narrative is strong and although the hook is, of course, WHO the remaining Turtle is (you do get an answer at the end of the issue), there are still several other plots unfolding and a decent amount of world-building as well. There is a bit of exposition here and there, but it’s a small fault and the narrative’s even pace keeps everything going toward a solid ending that certainly has me wanting to keep reading.
This is also a very good looking book. It’s gritty, all thick, heavy lines, very much full of ‘weight’ on the page. It’s also very detailed; think Dark Knight Returns and Frank Miller’s Ronin (both obvious influences here). The color palette is heavy on the deep blacks and muted primaries, creating pages that pop without having to be dayglow colored. There is also solid lettering throughout, with a great font and strong use of subtle “sound effects”.
So, yes, believe the hype and buy this book when it’s out on October 28th. As a lapsed TMNT fan I loved it and it piqued my interest enough to dive back into the franchise as well.
Check out our 5-Page Preview of The Last Ronin right here!
Washington, DC, is a major tourist destination, but if you’re a comic book fan, where are the city’s hidden gems when it comes to geekdom? Below are the Top Five Geeky Spots in Washington, DC, and each one offers a virtual experience for those who can not make it to DC in the current times.
Fantom Comics
The DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) is littered with amazing comic book shops, but Fantom has stolen my heart. The shop boasts a great collection of single issues and an amazing library of collected editions and original graphic novels. If you are planning your trip, make sure to check out their Facebook page, as they often host some amazing panels and creator forums. (These events are still going on in the virtual space. So make sure to check them out even if you are at a distance.)
If you have wet your whistle for comics at Fantom and are looking for more to do within walking distance, you should check out the Mansion on O Street. This event space, escape room, pop culture museum, and hotel is one of DC’s most unique stops. The mansion was founded by HH Leonards Spero to house an amazing collection of pop culture memorabilia and provide lodging for artists looking for a place to be inspired. Everything in the house is for sale. The house also has several secret doors and passageways that patrons can look for while on a tour of the incredible home.
This shop is located in the Eastern Market neighborhood of DC. If you are into board games, puzzles, Legos, and a great atmosphere, this store should be on your list of places to check out in DC. The shop hosts a plethora of events and even partners with other local businesses for various game night events.
Address: 645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Catacombs of Washington, DC
Did you know that Washington, DC has a replica of Rome’s catacombs, complete with fake graves and one real skeleton from the second century? The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land was built at the end of the 19th century to provide pilgrims who could not afford the opportunity to travel to Rome to experience a facsimile of the Holy Land. Tour groups (currently not allowed due to the covid-19 pandemic, but the website does offer virtual tours of the facility) are allowed to tour the facility, including the underground replica of Rome’s catacombs.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum should be considered the holiest of holies for Nerds in the United States of America. The museum houses a tour-able Skylab replica and a vast cornucopia of air and space travel relics. However, the collection’s prized item is the actual model of the USS Enterprise from the original Star Trek series. This prized object also features a great exhibit on Nichelle Nichols’ works with NASA to recruit people of color to the space program. (The Museum is currently under renovation, so some pieces are not of view at the moment but can be seen on their website.)
Mise en Scene, Acting, and Space in Comics Book Cover.
Recently I have started to question what I understand of the term ‘Comics Studies.’ By this, I don’t mean that I am looking for a definition of what a Comic is or what makes a product, drawing, text, specifically a ‘Comic’ over something like an illustrated book. That is a separate conversation that begins with Scott McCloud and ends with warring factions fighting it out like the Cat People of Red Dwarf and their belief system based on what color hats should be worn in the Temple of Food. Instead, I refer to what is meant by the term ‘Comics Studies,’ with a capital c and capital s. What exactly are we studying, and where does the study sit within the world of Academia?
Image representing Academia (Stock photo)
The easy answer is ‘Literary Studies.’ Easy, yes, but also problematic because the term is woefully inadequate to cover all aspects of the Comic (with a capital c).
You could extend it to take in the best of Film Studies mixed with the best of literary studies, but this still leaves gaps in our understanding and examinations. Film Studies can give us terms to use, names to apply to aspects of a comic but can it explain how an image is composed within a panel and across a page, taking into account the sweeping page layouts?
Literature can give us the mechanisms for breaking down narrative structure and the meanings behind the semiotics used on the page, but can it explain the intricacies of publication, printing, and the large history of continuity that holds precedent, especially in North America where a Collectors mentality has a huge influence on the industry?
If you look at the writing across the Monkeys Fighting Robots website, you will find several different approaches to looking at Comics. Narrative and character development play a big role in the reviews of monthly floppies, which lends itself to Literary Studies. However, draughtsmanship and illustrative styles are also important, which is a craft-based skill. The composition, not only of images but the page and even the entire comic layout, lends itself to a greater tradition of Fine Art and Graphic Design. But the construction of the images and the flow of the narrative storytelling is very much associated with Film Studies, especially in how we, as critics, discuss the processes used.
I’ve yet to mention the historical and sociological aspects of Comics, taking into account the production and distribution of the format, which plays a massive part in understanding the medium.
And what of Theatre? The staging and audience manipulation of a comic have more in common with theatrical studies than it does with Film or the Novel.
Cover to Comics Studies: A Guidebook
A number of great books, such as Mise en Scene, Acting, And Space in Comics by Geraint D’Arcy and Comics Studies: A Guidebook edited by Charles Hatfield and Bart Beaty, are changing the way we think about Comics. They are also making an impact on the academic study of Comics, bringing together isolated scholars who have been working in different fields but with Comics as a feature of their studies. As the discipline grows, that is to say, that more academic voices become heard, the very notion of Comics Studies changes. Maybe it’s time to stop trying to fit Comic Studies into an established discipline’s pigeon hole and create a new area of study and discourse, merging theories from elsewhere and producing new, Comic specific terminology and ideals.
Whatever your view on Comics is, whether you read for pure entertainment, are interested in the history of the narrative, become absorbed in the Visual Art, or, like me, are fascinated by the very function of comics in Society, one thing is true for us all: it is an exciting time to be a part of the Comics World.
What do you think about ‘Comics Studies’ as an idea and a subject? Or do you think we shouldn’t study comics at all and leave it as simply pure entertainment? Let us know in the comments below.
Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood is a Netflix series about passions driving people to make drastic decisions that will change the lives of everyone around them. Director Hannu Salonen and Cinematographer Felix Cramer made a layered six-episode story that mixes period pieces, horror, and westerns.
The overarching theme of Oktoberfest: Beer And Blood is Curt Prank’s (Mišel Matičevićdesire) to build a giant tent at this year’s festival in Munich. However, the idea is unheard of and impossible because all the other vendor stalls stand in the way. Curt’s extreme idea requires extreme measures to accomplish. Caught up in Curt’s plan is his daughter, Clara (Mercedes Müller), who begins relationships that will threaten her father’s ambitions. Oktoberfest brews a mix of Murder, mayhem, and love with the slightest hint of humor into a compelling Netflix narrative.
PopAxiom hopped on Zoom for a chat with Hannu and Felix about becoming filmmakers and making Oktoberfest: Beer and Blood.
Becoming Filmmakers
What roads did Hannu and Felix take to get into the film and television industry?
Felix: “I was not really into filmmaking when I was young. I started making movies because of my father. He was a teacher and made a documentary about the guy who made charcoal. He did a one-shot movie. He placed a camera at one angle, and then he shot the whole documentary over several days like that. I told him, ‘That doesn’t work at all.’ I made my first documentary with my father, and I suddenly knew exactly what I had to do. Afterward, I went to film school …”
Hannu: “I come from Finland. I was always into magical things. I grew up near the graveyards of a group of Vikings. It was a few hundred meters away in some woods with a lake. My life as a child was a magic one. Around 12 or 13, I understood that movies could convey this feeling — the magic. That’s when I decided I needed to be a director and make movies. I went to a film academy in Germany at around 19 or 20.”
Influences
Combining their work in their respective role, Hannu and Felix have 76 credits. Who influences their work?
Felix: It’s hard to say just one. I love movies from Stanley Kubrick and Roger Deakins … so many great artists.”
Hannu: “I was born in 1972, so Kubrick, Scorcese, and the like were at the top of their game. I saw movies from Andrei Tarkovsky that influenced me when I was around 13. If this guy can create these kinds of worlds, then that’s amazing.”
Felix: “For me, it’s also music. I wanted to study music before I came into the film business. I love classical music. So hearing and feeling the music and the different rhythms help me. But there are so many influences, photographers, painters, and more.”
Hannu: “I also started with music. A lot of classical, but a lot of heavy music. Darker, northern heavy sound. But my youth was more the 80s. Michael Mann, Miami Vice, Oliver Stone’s Platoon. I was an exchange student for a year in the United States, and my host father was a Vietnam vet.”
About Oktoberfest: Beer And Blood
Hannu and Felix worked together once before. How did the director and cinematographer reunite in Oktoberfest?
Hannu: “I was editing my Nordic series, Arctic Circle in Finland. I got a call from one of the producers, and he pitched me Oktoberfest. At first, I got images of drunk people. But then he said something about favelas, these poor little huts and this guy with this big dream. I got excited. Then I read the outlines, and it was great. It has everything that I want to do, all the predicaments, conflicts, and these characters of Shakespeare and nature.”
Hannu: “That’s when I came to Felix. He’s so great. He knows how to plan things so well. But he also reacts to things and does things instead of thinking of them or trying to show off his ego.”
Felix: “Thank you for the flowers.”
Hannu: “You’re welcome.”
What was Felix’s reaction to the initial pitch for Oktoberfest?
Felix: “When Hannu asked me to do this, I was extremely surprised. I thought it was about Oktoberfest, but it’s more like a historical piece. It takes place in the early 20th century, and we tried to stay as accurate as possible, but on the other side, the feeling of the story is absolutely modern. It borrows elements from westerns and horror. When I read it, I thought it was so completely different from other period pieces. I started talking with Hannu, and we had all these creative ideas, and I fell in love with the project. I couldn’t say no.”
Making Oktoberfest: Beer And Blood
Oktoberfest is equal parts gritty series with a western vibe and period drama. But there’s a thread of humor tying it all together. Or am I crazy?
Hannu: “Funny what you’re talking about because it’s not necessarily being understood in Germany. I saw a chance at mixing different genres and tonality. A little bit of irony. German audiences, particularly journalists, don’t see that and take it totally seriously.”
Hannu and Felix share a vision of finding rhythms within stories. How did the rhythm for Oktoberfest come about?
Felix: “It starts from the script. In the case of Oktoberfest, we story-boarded a lot of the scenes. So, we knew exactly what we wanted to do in every scene with very concrete shot designs.
Hannu: “In Oktoberfest, we have these quickly edited scenes, and on the other side, we have very long takes. We tried to find the right rhythm for each scene. I think it’s great if you have a chance to achieve that.”
Felix: “From my perspective, Hannu is a great director because he dares to do these one-shots. There are not that many directors willing to do that.”
Hannu: “Editing was so important. Our editor, Ronny Mattas, brought everything together, and he’s also extremely into music. He’s great at rhythm.”
Felix: “It was great shooting. Every day we had a lot of fun. The crew was so passionate. It’s this modern story on this Oktoberfest island where everything is reflected, the social life and artists. It’s an interesting time between late-romantic art and expressionists. And a time where people used gas lamps and candles to electric lamps.”
Hannu: “We were a little over-budget, and one of the producers said, ‘C’mon, man, it’s just a soap!’ There are soap opera elements, just like there were in Shakespeare, but Felix and I wanted this look to it that we fought for to go beyond a soap.”
The slight budget issue caused another issue — a lack of time.
Hannu: “They promised us 70 or 80 shooting days, but in the end, we had 66. We survived.”
What did Oktoberfest creators Christian Limmer, Ronny Schalk, and Alexis Wittgenstein first discuss for the show’s look and feel?
Felix: “The creators had many period pieces in mind like Peaky Blinders, The Nick, and Godless. We watched all these kinds of movies to figure out if we could use them as a guideline. But we realized Oktoberfest was so different that we turned more to the art and the period; its music and colors. The creators also wanted it to look modern. They did not want to use filters to blow everything out. We wanted things like the slow camera movement you’ll see in a horror movie or the high angle, low angle of Westerns.”
Hannu: “I got to read outlines from the creators and writers which had a lot of the tonality.”
How did planning help tighten the production?
Hannu: “We were shooting in three countries, and getting this all to work, it had to be well planned. In Prague, we were bringing 300 to 400 extras on buses.”
Felix: “There’s a great toothache scene. The same character is also conducting his band. It was written pretty simple in the script. We put it on the storyboard, and it looked completely different. This idea was transferred to the script.”
Hannu: “The actors were happy that we were sticking to the script. We could improvise, but we didn’t have to because the scripts were so great.
Wrapping Up
Oktoberfest delivers dozens of attractive, vivid characters. But who are the other characters that Hannu and Felix think about?
Felix: “Hannu says it a lot, the camera is its own character.”
Hannu: “The setting is its own character. Also, the sound design and the music are commenting on certain things and conveying a different perspective. All these means of storytelling do not hide. They say, ‘I’m here and taking part in the event.’ They’re not passive, but taking part in the storytelling. Especially in the mix of genres we had.”
Felix: “I love these kinds of things, and they already have to be in the screenplay a little bit.”
What’s a dream project for Hannu and Felix?
Hannu: “For me, it’s really about strong characters in visual fictional worlds.”
Felix: “I would love to do a Zorro movie right now. I would love to do a horror movie or science fiction. I’d love to fly into the future.”
Oktoberfest: Beer And Blood is out on Netflix. So, what’s next for the director and cinematographer?
Felix: “COVID changed a lot. Hannu and I were on a project together, and it was just postponed. I’m working on a history movie in Poland.”
Hannu: “Forget 2020, the silver lining now is about taking the time to develop several projects. One of them is science fiction, by the way, Felix. We can dig a bit deeper than when we’re busy shooting all the time. So, it’s been good in that sense. But I can’t talk much about those projects. We’re in talks. So, something will be coming.”
Is Oktoberfest: Beer And Blood on your watch list?
Thanks to Hannu Salonen and Felix Cramer and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50.LR hits your local comic book shop on October 21, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive preview for our readers.
The book is written by Nick Spencer & Matthew Rosenberg, with brillant artwork by Federico Vicentini, Marcio Menyz drops the colors, and you will read Joe Caramagna’s letter work. Sara Pichelli and Rachelle Rosenberg brought the cover to life.
About AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50.LR: “LAST REMAINS” is so huge it cannot be contained within the pages of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Kindred’s assault is so epic, it’s going to sweep the other Spider-Heroes of the Marvel Universe up in its wake. All this and the bombshell dropped at the end of ASM #49 rolls toward one of Marvel fandom’s favorite characters.
