Modern Internet culture has a dark side when it comes to how far an influencer will go for likes and clicks. AfterShock Comics and writer Zac Thompson go past the dark side of Internet culture into one hell of a tech horror comic series in I BREATHED A BODY #1, coming January 2021.
Says AfterShock about the new series: “It’s The Social Network meets Hellraiser. When the world’s biggest influencer posts something irredeemably horrific online, the world changes in an instant.”
You can check out a selection of preview pages and read the full AfterShock press release below.
What do you think about the merging of online social influence and horror? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media (but not in Hell) using the links below.
I BREATHED A BODY #1 / $4.99 / 32 pages / Color / On Sale 1.20.21
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Andy MacDonald
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover: Andy MacDonald w/ Triona Farrell
Incentive Cover: Trevor Henderson
A science fiction horror series about social media, big tech, and influencer culture.
It’s The Social Network meets Hellraiser. When the world’s biggest influencer posts something irredeemably horrific online, the world changes in an instant. Now it’s up to his social media manager, Anne Stewart, to fan the flames of outrage and create a sensationalist campaign that rewrites the rules of “banned content.” Thus begins a carnival of lust, revulsion, desire, and disgust – all for viral videos.
Written by Zac Thompson (LONELY RECEIVER, UNDONE BY BLOOD, X-Men) and illustrated by Andy MacDonald (Multiple Man, Rogue Planet), I BREATHED A BODY is a horror series about the voyeurism of violence and the Big Tech companies who
engineer patterns of fear in society.
ZAC THOMPSON ON WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT AND WHY HE IS THRILLED FOR IT TO BE RELEASED:
“I Breathed A Body is a supernatural horror book set in Silicon Valley about the voyeurism of violence. Thanks to social media, we’ve become prepared to see death and despair at any moment. Modern social networks are a relentless barrage of provocative content designed to keep us outraged, engaged, and fearful. This book is an indictment of the Big Tech companies who engender and profit from this vitriolic environment.
Modern content culture deals in excess of everything. Violence, sex, depravity. We’ll consume anything that’s fed to us by our influencer idols. I Breathed A Body will lay bare the intimate psychology behind creating depraved content. The story follows social media manager, Anne Stewart who gave up her previous life to work for the most popular influencer in the world, Mylo Caliban. He’s an ultra-famous prankster and general shithead (think the Paul brothers), but Anne doesn’t mind making content with the kid. Until one night where everything changes. Mylo uploads something so vile and shocking that it threatens to change the world forever. This act throws Anne into the impossible position of planning and creating violent content in the pursuit of “viral videos”. And with each upload, things keep escalating.
Before coming to comics, I worked with YouTube influencers for years. I was a video producer creating content and attempting to leverage the labyrinthine algorithms that keep viewers engaged. Since then, the landscape of social media has changed for the worse. Fear takes precedence over all other emotions. We live in shocking times. Outrage drives engagement. Engagement drives profit and the question of the moral cost of this system has never been more important. This age of “content” is inherently appalling. This series will explore the ramifications of our collective moral outrage, its role in society, how/if it can affect change, and what it means to worship content above all else. If nothing is famous for longer than five minutes, does anything matter anymore?”
ZAC THOMPSON ON SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND CREATING THE BOOK:
“You can’t talk about the voyeurism of violence without talking about Clive Barker. I wanted to take everything I love about The Hellbound Heart and push it into the modern era with a distinct “alt-future” lens. So I’m also channeling the work of Alex Garland taking inspiration from his recent show Devs. But also leaning into some of my recent obsessions in the world of weird fiction like Jeff VanderMeer, Yoko Ogawa, and Thomas Ligotti to build a strange, horrific, and surreal world. There’s also plenty of David Cronenberg influence, and a little of Michael Haneke’s Funny Games at play.
Nothing is quite what it seems in I Breathed A Body but all the characters will take these strange idiosyncrasies as fact. Readers will constantly learn more about the strange world they’re occupying as the narrative presses forward. I didn’t want to create something that just points a finger at Facebook or Instagram where we’re firmly planted in the grim reality we all occupy. So I’m doing something akin to Lonely Receiver (my other horror book at Aftershock) and building a familiar but different world that mirrors reality in calculated and perverse ways.”
ZAC THOMPSON ON 3 REASONS WHY READERS SHOULD PICKUP THIS BOOK:
“It’s got a lot of fungal horror. Recently, I’ve developed a love for mushrooms and the unique space that occupy within the complex systems of nature. They are these creatures that are neither living nor dead in the conventional sense. Fungal horror has been around for a long time and I wanted to take this strange horror subgenre and propel it firmly into the future. So every issue is layered with as much speculative fungal fiction as I could muster. There hasn’t really been a horror comic like this.
Andy MacDonald’s art on this book is stunning. Those who admired his art on Multiple Man or Rogue Planet will be blown away here. We’ve built an immersive world with little flourishes of magic, like biotech phones with wings. His character work is immaculate, giving each member of the cast a life of their own and brings a real pathos to the whole cast. This is a sad world, filled with broken people who hide behind excess. And finally, Andy’s impeccably detailed line work makes the horror pop off the page and burn into your eyeballs.
Andy and colorist Triona Farrell are an outstanding team. They’re effectively occupying two worlds in this book. The shiny sun-drenched world of San Francisco and the dark and moody underbelly of horror beneath it all. Andy’s linework is confident and detailed to create a rich world that slowly coils around you. While Triona’s colors act as this radiant and brilliant lure. Finally, the letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou work within this complex corporate world to create a unique sense of style while presenting some mysteries of their own. Every page is beckoning you to look just a little closer, to sit in this world and relax. Only to have your throat torn out by the last page.”
ZAC THOMPSON ON HIS FAVORITE PAGE/PANEL AND WHY:
“The final three pages of issue #1 are so vile and awful that I had a lot of second thoughts about even scripting them. But this is a book about pushing boundaries, about walking along the razor’s edge between depravity and entertainment. And though they are awful and gut wrenching… they begin a twisted carnival of lust, revulsion, desire, and disgust that we couldn’t help but lean into as the series moved forward. This book is meant to shock you.”
ZAC THOMPSON ON THE NEWS THAT UNDONE BY BLOOD: OR THE SHADOW OF A WANTED MAN TPB VOL. 1 HAS SOLD OUT AND GONE TO A SECOND PRINTING:
“Seeing such an incredible response to the Undone By Blood trade legitimately warms my heart into a near volcanic state. As a creator there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your work find a passionate and growing audience. Thrilled to hear we’re going to a second print. And so excited to see a whole new host of people discover Sweetheart AZ, Ethel Grady Lane, and good old Solmon Eaton.”
Modern-day comics icon Rick Remender (F.E.A.R. Agent, Uncanny X-Force) teams with artist Lewis LaRosa to craft “The Scumbag” #1, a book about a stumbling, disgusting, uh, well you saw the title. While this seems like the perfect Remender book on the outset, this comic reads as if the writer is parodying himself. With a ridiculously stereotypical main character and an uninspired plot, this comic is saved solely by its gorgeous artwork and potential possibility of the story improving in its later issues.
“Ernie Ray Clementine is a profane, illiterate, drug-addicted biker with a fifth-grade education. He’s the only thing standing between us and total Armageddon because this dummy accidentally received a power-imbuing serum, making him the world’s most powerful super spy. The Fate of New York rests in the hands of the worst person in it!”
Writing & Plot
Rick Remender has grown into one of the most prolific comic writers in the industry currently for his surprisingly intelligent plots and ability to create awful characters sympathetic. When “The Scumbag” #1 was first announced, there was a sort of running joke about this being yet another Remender comic about a POS human being turning reluctant hero. Unfortunately, this first issue reads like an amateurish parody of Remender’s style. The introduction of Ernie Clementine is so full of uninspired cliches, vapid humor, and charmless characterization that it’s difficult to believe that it was Remender who wrote this. Now, great low-brow comics use their crass humor and subject matter in conjunction with earnest storytelling and heartfelt characterization in order to make them rise above their surface-level absurdities. Great examples of this include Remender’s own F.E.A.R. Agent and Eric Powell’s award-winning The Goon. As it appears in this first issue, “Scumbag” has no intention of becoming anything more than what it is. This would be fine if there was anything more than some over-the-top nastiness and some occasionally funny situational irony carrying the plot forward. The climactic moment where Clementine becomes the one person who can save New York is so buried under the protagonist’s own need to be a stereotype that it buries any exciting or humorous potential the moment might have offered. Outside of a couple of fleeting moments of introspective narration, there’s nothing to this comic’s script that offers any motivation to pick up a 2nd issue.
Art Direction
To say that Lewis LaRosa is the saving grace of “The Scumbag” #1 is to put it mildly. The grungy details and sordid, believable dirty denizens of New York’s back-alleys and bars are brought to life in all their slimy glory thanks to LaRosa’s talents. Outstanding variety in character design is combined with stellar animation and environmental work, but drawn with a textured realism that gives each panel a depth seldom seen in comics. The visual of Ernest Clementine openly crapping himself on a crowded New York sidewalk while onlookers gawk and scream is permanently branded in my brain, and for better or worse it’s thanks to the artist. LaRosa gets to flex his talents for drawing fights and action as well, for while the grandiose sci-fi plot just kinda sits in terms of the writing, it’s given brilliant momentum and design from a visual perspective. Enemies visibly vibrate with power and have their facial features drastically shifted by an oncoming fist with incredible detail. The colors of Moreno Dinisio work greasy wonders in conjunction with the pencils, as every individual, article of clothing, street sign, and wads of booze and heroin stained cash are bathed in painted grim realism. It’s reminiscent of the work of Lee Bremejo, albeit with heavier inks and thicker lines. Visually this is some seriously outstanding work, and since this series is going to have a different all-star artist on every issue (like Andrew Robinson and the aforementioned Eric Powell to name a couple), this may be a reason for some to pick up this comic. Maybe. The lettering from Rus Wooten is just as fitting to the book as the art. The wavering font stumbles around in the same fashion as our protagonist, perfectly capturing the inebriated stupor he speaks in. It straightens up when the dialogue comes from one of the story’s interdimensional secret agents, and offers subtlety in its font changes for tone and volume. From the visual end, this is a great looking book.
“The Scumbag” #1 is a great looking comic that also happens to be the most disappointing Remender chapter I’ve ever read. Instead of capitalizing on his usual emotionally effective handling of stereotypically broken men, this comic offers nothing but crude humor and absurd irony but with nothing to latch onto about any of it. Lewis LaRosa and Moreno Dinisio’s visual work here is absolutely outstanding, full of smoky, grimy life that is far better than this script deserves. This could be one of those cases where the story actually picks up and goes somewhere in later issues. If you think that may be the case, and you love LaRosa’s art (as well you should), then go ahead and grab this comic when it hits shelves on 10/21.
Image Comics’ Gideon Falls is a far-reaching, era-spanning, multiverse-hopping story with a huge cast of characters. In the space of 25 issues, writer Jeff Lemire, artist Andrea Sorrentino, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer Steve Wands have created a universe that’s sprawling and enormous. To take all of these interlocking characters and plotlines, which feel like they couldn’t be further apart, and bring this story to a conclusion in two issues seems impossible. Image Comics’ Gideon Falls #26shows that impossible is just what this creative team does.
Writing
Lemire highlights the enormity of this story. We check back in with each major character and see where they are in the multiverse. It seems crazy that all of them could reunite. They’re literally worlds apart. But Lemire focuses each character in on finding a way out of the crumbling multiverse. And as the multiverse falls apart, Lemire begins to suggest that the lines between each version of Gideon Falls might be more blurry than we thought. It should feel rushed, but Lemire finds a natural way to begin his concluding act. Lemire leans on Sorrentino to help bridge the gap between each multiverse and does volumes worth of storytelling in the span of two pages. With Norton Sinclair closing in at every turn, Lemire raises the stakes and gets our hearts racing for the final issue.
Art
Much of the blurriness of Gideon Falls #26 is due to Sorrentino’s art. Sorrentino doesn’t use traditional panels on this issue when he can help it. Panels are in the shape of cogs or look like they’ve splattered onto the page. With characters portrayed on different sides of a cube, we begin to question what the characters are experiencing and seeing. Sorrentino makes us feel almost as though they can see out, off the page. And as one character is separated from the rest, we see them fall into an area of the page that looks ripped away. Sorrentino makes the multiverse walls come tumbling down by breaking through the walls between the reader and the material. It feels as though the characters are coming off the page. Sorrentino shows their world is crumbling by having it crumble into ours.
Coloring
Stewart gives us a visceral sense of how close each character is to danger. As Fred wanders through steampunk worlds, with his new friend along for the ride, the pages look nearly colorless. But as Clara and her dad ride across horizons in a Western version of Gideon Falls, everything feels bright and warm. Sinclair’s influence drains the life out of the page, and Clara and her dad seem far from his reach. As the day wears on, Stewart turns the western sky from a yellow to dark orange. The page both warns of coming danger, with the red tone seeping in, and acts as a last splash of color before Sinclair closes in. In the closing pages, Stewart strips each panel of almost all colors except for the red color of blood.
Lettering
Wands’ lettering shows the disintegration of the multiverse. In Gideon Falls #26‘s final moments, as characters talk from panels placed on each side of a cube, Wands keeps their word balloons inside each of the cube’s faces at first. But as the page continues and lines blur, their dialogue begins to jump outside each panel. This shows us the move from the characters being separate to being able to communicate. At first, they aren’t speaking on the same plane of existence. Their speech is only heard by those at their level; it’s restricted by their panel. But as their dialogue jumps out, the rest of the page is used as a shared space, a giant panel shared by all of them. They’re speaking to one another now. And as they notice that someone is missing, and that character’s cube goes tumbling off into the abyss, Wands’ places their lettering on the page with no tails. Their words become as alone and orphaned as this separated character.
Gideon Falls #26 gears up for a big finale. Even with a giant-sized final issue, tying together a sprawling narrative like this seems impossible. But this creative team, with Gideon Falls #26, looks to be on track. They begin to bring all of the threads together so that everyone is accounted for in their final issue. Well, almost everyone. Pick up Gideon Falls #26, out from Image Comics October 21st, at a comic shop near you!
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1, available from Marvel Comics on October 21st, re-introduces and reinvents the titular character for a new generation. Written by Taboo and B. Earl, this new take casts off the Jack Russell character in favor of a Native American teen named Jake, who uses his lycanthropic talents for vigilante justice on the reservation.
Cover Art
Mike McKone and Jason Keith’s cover is exceptionally well-drawn, inked, and colored. What’s most notable is the composition. Long-time Marvel fans will notice the cover looks oddly familiar, and that’s because of both the cover and the story inside echo another, much more recognizable Marvel character. Can you guess which one? If not, head on down to the writing section.
Writing
If you’re a Werewolf By Night fan since the character’s origins in 1972, be forewarned. There is no connection between the original Werewolf By Night and this issue in any way except the title. I’m a fan of the original character, but I appreciate not trying to reproduce what’s come before and accepting a fresh, creative vision.
Does this bold, new take hold up? Yes and no.
Taboo and B. Earl have put together a solid story, but it’s really not a werewolf story. If you hadn’t guessed from the not-so-subtle hints dropped in the Cover Art section, this is almost beat-for-beat an MCU Hulk story. Jake, the werewolf and male lead, has the ability to change into a werewolf at night, partly motivated by emotions such as anger. His female friend (not girlfriend… yet) manages to keep him calm and focused on the task at hand through auditory cues such as music. Again, this is almost an exact replica of the Hulk/Bruce Banner relationship with Black Widow in the Avengers films.
Is that bad? No, but it doesn’t read as horror or necessarily unique in the character dynamics. I like the Hulk-Black Widow relationship in the films, so this works on that level.
For the plot, Jake and his not-girlfriend, Molly, patrol the reservation at night, attacking trespassers. Jake soon suspects the higher-ups at this day job in a research lab are up to no good, so he and Molly decide to take matters into their own paws. It’s standard fare to have two headstrong teens, especially one with superpowers, go after the bad guys on their home turf, but what strikes as odd is the police’s complete lack of engagement. Normally a reservation would be under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) police. Still, Jake and Molly make no attempt to inform the BIA of relatively harmless trespassers or about fishy shenanigans at Jake’s company.
Further, Jake and Molly seem unsettlingly cavalier about using violence, to possible lethal effect when Jake attacks the convoy, without much cause. And that’s the part that generally doesn’t work. There’s no dramatic tension. No turmoil over Jake’s curse. No struggle to accept who he is and how to control the beast within. It’s as if Jake woke up to the fact he’s a werewolf one day and said, “well, let’s go beat up some bad guys.” It’s all very antiseptic and completely devoid of dramatic punch.
It’s a good story structure and pacing but emotionally flat.
Pencils/Inks
Okay, let’s get to the most important artistic piece first- how does the werewolf look? He looks great. Ignoring my own warning about not comparing to the original, this werewolf is a massive improvement.
Scot Eaton and Scott Hanna went for the “beast that walks on two legs” approach that’s more The Howling (1981) than Lon Cheney Jr’s The Wolfman (1941), and Jake’s feral form is powerful and menacing. The long, tribal braid is a nice touch to give the werewolf a little flair and distinction.
Better still, Eaton and Hanna hit you with high-momentum action art. When the werewolf moves, you can feel the predator on the attack. When the werewolf is chasing some cars (it’s not as cliché as it sounds), the chase is exciting and energetic. When the werewolf attacks trespassers in the opening sequence, the slashes are swift and brutal. Eaton and Hanna not only created an intimidating monster but a dynamic action fighter. Nice work by Eaton and Hanna.
Coloring
Miroslav Mrva nails moonlight coloring and glow. Most of the major scenes take place in the moonlit desert, and the shading of the characters, the sky, and the surroundings feel completely authentic to that eerie glow that only comes from moonshine. I hope the editors keep Mrva on for the rest of the series.
Lettering
VC’s Joe Sabino’s lettering was adequate for the story, but the word balloons looked overstuffed in spots. Perhaps it was the font choice, but it would have been easier to read if the text was broken up into manageable chunks. On the plus side, the lettering placement is excellent, and the word(y) balloons didn’t affect pacing in any noticeable way.
Conclusion
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1 reads more like a Hulk story than a horror comic, it’s a standard action plot with exceptional artwork. I would recommend this to anyone with an insatiable hunger for werewolf entertainment.
Rai #8 continues writer Dan Abnett’s saga of the cyborg ronin. Artist Juan Jose Ryp brings the cast into uneasy territories that colorist Andrew Dalhouse masks to further the illusion of safety. All while, letterer Dave Sharpe displays the desperation in the way characters speak.
Recap
Rai #8 continues the cyborg brothers Rai and Raijin’s journey to destroy their AI creator Father’s backups, the Offspring. Rai’s single-mindedness in this quest, however, puts his social situations at tense times. Meanwhile, Rai’s ward, Spylocke, has made contact with Father’s current host Bloodshot.
Rai #8: Safety vs. Comfort
Abnett, in just the opening pages of Rai #8, displays the outline of the arc’s tensions. Despite being on a quest to destroy a tyrannical AI, Rai is not a very social person. Rai and Raijin’s guest traveler Alice from the last issue does not seem to have changed her opinions regarding them. But even then, she doesn’t judge or berate either of them. The reader then views Fusion, the leader of the positronic android community of New Ur. Despite how welcoming and social he seems to the three, he constantly dodges questions about who he is until it suits him. Near the end, it becomes extremely apparent that Fusion is toying with them. And yet another character from the last issue, Tekus, willingly takes Fusion’s side because Rai refused to help their old community. That’s despite the fact Tekus’ new home is only for Positronics, unlike his old one, where both humans and positronics lived in harmony. Because when there’s a threat that can turn humans inside out, the safer option might be a regressively ugly one. With the issue’s release at a time of real factionalism taking place, it’s all the more blood-curdling.
The B-Plot of Rai #8 stands in contrast to safety from a threat. Spylocke, despite every one of her instincts telling her to cut and run, remains to help Bloodshot. The datastream is a dangerous place for her as Father could destroy her form and mind with his security. Yet Bloodshot’s remaining consciousness remains a safe place for them. But even then, it’s only temporary until both Ray Garrison (Bloodshot) and Lula (Spylocke) can escape. It’s actually rather hopeful as they put one another’s fate in each other’s hands.
Art
Juan Jose Ryp’s rough but naturalistic artwork makes the above situations all the more tenuous. The trees, fire, and soil of the wilderness look uneven but feel serene. All of that changes with Fusion’s introduction; his relaxed posture and high position give way to a more even change of scenery. However, after a decent first impression, the orderly even architecture and guards make New Ur feel more like a trap. What’s worse, the bright coloring from Andrew Dalhouse helps mask the illusion of safety.
Compare this to the B-plot of Rai #8, every place in the background looks chaotic and abstract. Yet the space between objects is rather neutral. Unlike when pixels suggest something dangerous like the sharks sniffing Spylocke’s trail or how the background pixelates to show her fright, standing in a pixelated rib cage doesn’t feel safe in this case. Until this becomes apparent as a form of camouflage from predators, Lula’s relief is a mutual feeling between her and the reader.
Dynamic Lettering
Dave Sharpe’s lettering in Rai #8 does quite a lot to set the mood of settings. Most of the dialogue conveys the situations between characters, and it’s the subtle changes that make a big difference. When Fusion speaks with more archaic letterers, it’s a display of how sophisticated he speaks and how high and mighty he implies. It’s something he shares with his followers as well. Then there are Spylocke’s captions that display her inner thoughts completely detached from her actions and spoken dialogue. They convey both an inner turmoil and enhancing her amazement at things like Ray’s personality doing everything to speak to her. Which is a lot considering most of what Bloodshot says is short but with a lot of effort to convey how dire his situation is.
Venturing Into Forbidden Territory With Rai #8
Rai #8 doesn’t just continue the journey of the title character; it acts as a buffer of dire situations. Characters that readers grow to love see what they struggle with as they try to fit in with the world. But sometimes, the world can lure them into a false sense of security. However, even the most dangerous places aren’t devoid of hope. This is just the turning point to a major development in the saga, best to stay tuned for more developments.
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.
Abnett, in just the opening pages of Rai #8, displays the outline of the arc’s tensions. Despite being on a quest to destroy a tyrannical AI, Rai is not a very social person. Rai and Raijin’s guest traveler Alice from the 
Juan Jose Ryp’s rough but naturalistic artwork makes the above situations all the more tenuous. The trees, fire, and soil of the wilderness look uneven but feel serene. All of that changes with Fusion’s introduction; his relaxed posture and high position give way to a more even change of scenery. However, after a decent first impression, the orderly even architecture and guards make New Ur feel more like a trap. What’s worse, the bright coloring from Andrew Dalhouse helps mask the illusion of safety.
