INTERVIEW: Cinematographer Christopher Rejano And The Colors Of NIGHT’S END

April 26, 2022

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The pandemic years were a psychological crucible for most of us. Night’s End is a horror film by director Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin) that relates isolation and anxiety through colors and cinematography from Christopher Rejano (Knives and Skin).

Ken played by Geno Walker of Chicago Fire suffered through alcoholism before succumbing to a nervous breakdown. Ken’s since relocated to an old building in an unknown city. Ken’s so isolated, he’s the only tenant in his building. Any quality time with friends or loved ones involve his ex Kelsey (Kate Arrington) and old friend Terry (Felonious Monk) via video calls. Ken’s isolation includes a disturbing diet of tomato soup, coffee, and Pepto-Bismol. He also has no desire to change any of this viewing his lackluster YouTube career as his salvation. However, Ken’s strange normal starts to change with the rise of a spirit that seeks to torment him.

PopAxiom spoke with Chris about photography, colors, and getting the right look for Night’s End.

Trajectory

Christopher was around 13 when he gained an interest in photography. “My dad bought my first camera, and I taught myself how to use it. I had a friend who also got a camera around the same time, so we learned together. He pursued photography in college. I concentrated a photography, design, and fiction writing.”

“A teacher suggested I write screenplays. So I went to Chicago to study film. Screenwriting was my interest initially.” But once Chris got into film production classes, things changed. “I gravitated toward photography and became a cinematographer on many projects. I liked to be able to let the camera tell the story rather than a screenplay.”

Chris focused on cinematography and then worked as an intern at an equipment rental house. “I did a movie with László Kovács, which was my exposure to Hollywood productions. I also worked as a gaffer for many years while shooting things as a DP on the side.”

“Now I’ve stepped away from gaffing,” he says. “It’s been a traditional arc. But, it’s also been a fruitful journey along the way. I’ve learned so much.”

About Night’s End

Chris and Night’s End director Jennifer Reeder are longtime collaborators. “I worked with Jennifer Reeder on two features before this; Signature Moves and Knives and Skin. We’ve done seven, eight, maybe ten short films and been working together since about 2012.”

“Jennifer came to me in the summer of 2020, in the middle of the pandemic,” he says about the evolution of Night’s End. “In December of that year, we shot some tests, and by summer of 2021, we shot the film. Even though vaccines were available by then, we kept the crew small.”

Jennifer had a relationship with Shudder, who backed the production, “Everything fell into place, and we shot into July of 2021.”

Chris received the script for Night’s End but didn’t read it because soon after, “we did a table read. The writer Brett Neveu and Jennifer set up a read in Chicago with many actors, some from the Chicago Fire and PD. So that was my initial exposure to the film.”

“It’s a challenge, he says about the vast majority of the film taking place indoors. “The team scouted a couple of places. I was able to get in and look at the house a couple of weeks before shooting. So, there was a good lead time. Production design had things to do too. We filmed everything in the same location. In the story, everything’s communicated via webcam. So, behind them, it could be any number of things that we used to differentiate the characters.”

Chris reveals that behind the scenes, “We shot on primarily Arri Alexa Mini with Hawk Anamorphic C-Series lenses. We used my RED Komodo as the b-camera slash webcam look.”

Contrast

Night’s End has a very distinct look. “Jennifer has a unique style and vision for things. We did Knives and Skin and shot on some vintage anamorphic lenses. We introduced a lot more color into her films. We continued that in Night’s End. It’s something thematic in her film career. Color is so important to her, and I love color and contrast.”

“For this film,” he adds to the talk about the opposition of colors. “I mixed a magenta with a light green or amber. Again, something that creates more of a contrast; it’s a fun way to create that contrast for me.”

One of Jennifer’s first notes “was that she wanted the film to be dark. That was a challenge because we have an African-American lead, and if you play it too dark, you could lose his skin tone. So, we played with color to separate him.”

Represent

Night’s End‘s inception in script form came together during the pandemic, and that influence saturates the story. “It’s about a man who’s agoraphobic. He’s trapped in his house because he won’t leave. So he communicates with loved ones through a webcam. But he discovers that a spirit might inhabit his house.”

“We wanted to create a sense of isolation for Ken,” the film’s tormented protagonist. “So a lot of the framing is locked off, anamorphic frame. It’s static, or if it’s moving, it’s slight. We see him going mad alone in this space.”

Those feelings are common for people living through the pandemic. “It’s not an accident. As the film was being written, we were all in lock-down. I think it’s rooted in the idea that we can’t see our friends or families. It wasn’t uncommon to feel that isolation. At the premiere, many people said to me, ‘this is my pandemic experience.’ This never-ending day; same rooms, same coffee, same everything. So many people could relate.”

“It was a lot of repetition for many people, and I think we represented that very well,” he declares.

Wrapping Up

Chris draws influence from all sorts of creative places. “Cinematography-wise, I love Robby Müller and Harris Savides. I love bold 80s photographers like Andres Serrano. I love 90s American independent films like Gus Van Zant and Spike Lee. I love the revival of horror films recently and how they’ve stepped up.”

Night’s End is available on Shudder. So, what’s coming next from Chris? “I’m slated to shoot a feature called Homesick with director Jim Mendiola this summer. It’s a supernatural thriller. Also, a film called Nowhere with Rachel Leigh Cook and director Natasha Levy-Gunn.

Is Night’s End on your watch list?

Thanks to Christopher Rejano and Projection PR
for making this interview possible.

Find more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!

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Review: DOCTOR WHO FLUX Has a Couple of Great Episodes to Lift a Mediocre Season

Kieran Freemantle

April 25, 2022

Review: DOCTOR WHO FLUX Has a Couple of Great Episodes to Lift a Mediocre Season

Doctor Who: Flux is the latest season of the BBC’s popular sci-fi series. Due to the pandemic, the series had to reduce its number of episodes to six and used this to tell one continuous story.

The universe is in danger. A giant cloud called The Flux travels around the galaxy and destroys any planets in its path. Unfortunately, one of these planets is Earth, and the Doctor must figure out who created the Flux and why they want to destroy the universe. She works with old and new allies and faces old and new enemies across time and space.

Since Chris Chibnall has become the showrunner of Doctor Who, the show has had a massive drop in quality. The show no longer felt fun like it used to, nor had the emotion and character development that fans loved about the Davies and Moffatt eras. Instead, Chibnall made the show boring because of his bland characters, overly expository dialogue, and overreliance on heavy-handed political commentary. Chibnall also annoyed fans because he seemed to misunderstand the series he’s working on. So, the only way to go was up.

Flux did see a lot of improvements, and Chibnall seemed to have listened to some of the criticisms. There was much less expository dialogue or just having characters standing and talking, and the political commentary was toned down. As a result, the show felt fun again. The first episode of the season was a confusing mess. Still, it had energy and urgency because the Doctor and Yaz had to escape from a seemingly impossible situation and had a fun, campy tone. Chibnall knew how to excite audiences with a cliffhanger at the end of each episode.

The fourth episode, “The Village of the Angels,” was easily the best episode of the Chibnall era, let alone in the season. It was the best Weeping Angels episode since the Series 5 two-parter “Time of the Angels”/”Flesh and Stone.” “The Village of the Angels” was a classic rural English countryside horror with a Doctor Who twist. In the episode, The Weeping Angels attack a village in 1967. It was a simple concept that made for a great horror episode. It showed Chibnall at his best because he had the ordinary collide with the extraordinary, like his hit crime show Broadchurch. And like Broadchurch, “The Village of the Angels” was set in Dorset.

The other great episode of the series is “War of the Sontarans.” In this episode, The Doctor discovered the Sontarans had traveled back in time to rewrite Earth’s history, causing the British to be at war with aliens during the Crimean War. It was a fun episode that showed an alternative history story. It’s hard to go wrong with 19th-century soldiers fighting laser-wielding aliens. Mary Seacole was a major character in the episode, and the episode managed to educate people on who she was while also being a satisfying sci-fi story. It didn’t feel like an episode like “Rosa,” where the Doctor and companions took a backseat to a history lesson.

Even though Flux had two excellent episodes, it didn’t work as a complete package. There were duff episodes and plotlines that went nowhere. The character’s role known as The Great Serpent (Craig Parkinson) was an example of this. The Great Serpent was a figure who could get into positions of power throughout the centuries, had psychic abilities, and killed off anyone who discovered his secret. But The Great Serpent’s motivations were vague.

All the new villains’ motivations were vague. Swarm (Sam Spruell) and Azure (Rochenda Sandall) were meant to be big bad guys of the series. There were ancient beings who could manipulate time and dissolve people with a touch and wanted to be able to control all of time. Yet they came across as nothing more than Saturday Morning Cartoon villains who were evil for the sake of being evil, or to put it another way; they were one-off Doctor Who monsters who got a much more important role than they deserved. They were underwhelming villains who got an equally underwhelming end in the final episode of the series.

As the series progressed, Chibnall became more interested in the Doctor’s mysterious past. There were questions about who The Division was and why The Doctor was a member, and her connections to characters like Swarm and Karvanista (Craige Els). The first issue was Chibnall was doubling down on the controversial Timeless Child reveal of Series 12, which retconned the Doctor’s origins story. Even if audience members accept The Timeless Child storyline, Flux left many questions unanswered. Unfortunately, it seems like Chibnall was leaving them open just so he could address them in Whittaker’s final specials.

Doctor Who: Flux was an improvement over Chibnall’s previous seasons, and “Village of the Angels” will be seen as a classic episode, and the series had more of a sense of fun. However, the series did succumb to some terrible writing from Chibnall, especially during the final two episodes.

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Review: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT is the Best Bromance Movie since HOT FUZZ

Kieran Freemantle

April 25, 2022

Review: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT is the Best Bromance Movie since HOT FUZZ

Nicolas Cage is an actor who has a lot of goodwill from the public. His public persona and acting career are satirized in the action-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.

Nick Cage (Cage) has hit a rough patch. He’s unable to get roles, he’s in debt, and his relationship with his daughter (Lily Sheen) and ex-wife (Sharon Horgan) is rocky. After one blow too many, Nick agrees to attend a birthday party for a wealthy fan, Javi (Pedro Pascal), a Spanish Olive Tycoon. Unfortunately, as Nick gets close to Javi, he gets approached by the CIA, who tells the actor Javi is actually an arms dealer. They believe he has kidnapped the President of Catalonia’s daughter.

Nicolas Cage has had a varied career. He has won an Oscar, starred in hit action movies, worked with acclaimed directors, and appeared in a lot of straight-to-DVD crap. He has been the figure of memes because of his wild facial expressions, the one-liners he spouted, and some of the trash he has appeared in. Clips from The Wicker Man remake are often used for gifs and memes. He had been ridiculed for years because of his prolificity. However, in recent years, Cage has gone from a figure of mockery to being seen as cool again. He has had a career renaissance like Keanu Reeves has experienced.

Cage has always come across as someone who puts effort into his performances or at least tries to have fun in his roles. He doesn’t seem like he half-arsed it like other big-name actors who performed in straight-to-DVD/VOD films. This ensured Cage had a lot of goodwill from audiences.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was a self-aware film. It played on many aspects of Cage’s acting style. He got to do his intense voice for the over-blown dialogue, shouty Cage appeared, and Cage got to have some serious moments when his character reached a low. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent referred to Cage movies: there were clips of films like Con Air, and The Rock was shown, some dialogue scenes were shot like an action film, and one scene appeared like it was lifted from a Michael Bay film.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent does touch on some aspects of Cage’s career and personal issues. In real life Cage was famously in debt, which led him to star in so many VOD films. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent plays on this because Cage says to his therapist that he is not satisfied with being prolific and agreed to attend the birthday party because he was desperate for the money.

Acting narcissism and insecurities were also a part of Nick’s character in the film. Nick Cage was occasionally visited by an alternative version of himself called Nicky. Nicky acted as a devil on Nick’s shoulder and was the voice of doubt at the same time. Nicky was telling Nick that the actor is a goddamn movie star and should be going for those roles. The relationship between them even had some overt homoeroticism which added to the ideas of narcissism and self-doubt.

The heart of the film was the relationship between Nick and Javi. Their friendship grows during the film. Nick goes from being a man in Spain out of obligation to finding a kindred spirit with the Spaniard because they were both cinema snobs and potential creative partners. Cage and Pascal had great chemistry together as they talked about their project, took LSD, and experienced the glory of Paddington 2. They made a great comedic duo and had the best bromance since Hot Fuzz.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent became an action film in the third act. As an action film, it was perfectly decent. A lot of the fun of the film turning into actionfest was so it could parody and pay homage to the tropes of the genre, which was great fun for an action junkie. There was great enjoyment hearing Cage spout one-liners and over-written dialogue. Watching the film made me want to see Cage in an action flick directed by Chad Stahelski or David Leitch.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent did boast a solid supporting cast. It featured the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, and Neil Patrick Harris. Harris’ casting was particularly fitting because he played a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold and Kumar films. As a Brit, I appreciated Horgan’s casting as Cage’s fictional ex-wife. She acted like a rational, normal person in an extraordinary situation.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was a film made for Cage’s devoted fan base, and it delivered. It was hilarious, a self-aware film with a tremendous double act at its core.

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Review: X-Men 5e In KNIGHTS OF X #1

Justin Munday

From longtime X-writer Tini Howard (Excalibur, Catwoman) and artist Bob Quinn (Way Of X, Captain America) comes a tale of Krakoa’s mutants becoming stuck in a D&D campaign in Knights Of X #1. With Erick Arciniega on colors and letters from Ariana Maher, this issue offers a dense yet fresh opening for both up-to-date X-Fans and new readers alike. With an inventive script and on-brand brilliant visuals, this is the perfect comic for readers who like their mutant tales with a bit of RPG in them.

“THE QUEST BEGINS HERE, WHERE MUTANTS ARE HATED AND FEARED ONCE AGAIN! The gates to Otherworld are closed — and Captain Britain is trapped on the wrong side! Usurpers Merlyn and his right-hand man, King Arthur, are now in control of Lunatic Citadel. Furies the size of Sentinels raze villages to the ground in their hunt for the “witchbreed.” Cutoff from Krakoa, Betsy Braddock is Otherworld’s only hero — and to save her people, Betsy must recruit a round table of her own. The Knights of X gather to restore the rightful order and rescue desperate mutants — but their quest is about to get so much bigger than that. This is the era of destiny…and the fate of Otherworld lies at the center of mutantkind’s future.”

Writing & Plot

In many ways, Knights Of X #1 is a prime example of the kind of unbound creativity that can be found in comics. Tini Howard’s script combines the political and ethical ethos of the rest of the Krakoa era X-books but then combines them with the genre trappings of a fantasy RPG. Much like her run on Excalibur (this book’s predecessor), Knights is a thoughtful Marvel-flavored take on Arthurian legend. This time around though, the story takes the form of a party-based quest rather than a tournament of champions. It’s an X-Men title for readers who want a bit of a change in scenery and scope, with a concept and plot that is the perfect blend of tongue-in-cheek comic storytelling and genuine stakes. Howard perfectly blends the thematic weight of the X-Men saga with these mythical concepts and characters. We’ve returned to a setting where mutants are an abomination to be feared (branded as “witchbreed”), separating the plot both literally and thematically from the tenuous prosperity of the Krakoa era. I can’t help but sense a lot of similarity with Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert’s Marvel 1602. Some of the ideas present in that series rear their head here, but obviously in completely different settings.

I’m pleased to report that you can jump right into this comic without reading Excalibur first. Howard does a great job of filling the reader in on the where’s, who’s, and why’s of Otherworld and the many details of events past. This makes for a very wordy comic with a lot of expository dialogue. What’s almost funny about this element though is just how well it works. Normally exposition in a comic is something to be sneered at, but in Knights it just feels right. This whole comic reads almost as if Howard herself is DM-ing an X-Men D&D game and reminding us veterans and newcomers what the score is. This all being said, you should definitely at least be caught up on some more mainline X-Men titles. Not knowing what Krakoa is or how mutants keep dying and being resurrected would really throw someone for a loop. In any case, Howard’s sense of pacing and storytelling personality make this comic a dense but thoroughly entertaining read.

Art Direction

Aside from their insane plot threads, the current era of X-books is best known for their consistently stunning visual style. Thanks to artist Bob Quinn, Knights Of X #1 is here to deliver more of just that. Just like the other X-books, Quinn’s work here is clean, crisp, and beautifully composed. His penciling is highly detailed, with characters and environments all matching the distinct design language of the current era of X-Men comics while still allowing Quinn’s own style to come through. He easily navigates the winding path between the more “conventional” (if there is such a thing) X-Men styling and the magic & fantasy elements on display in this comic. His conversation sequences and explosive actions scenes are equally complex and thoughtfully directed, with no detail getting lost in the shuffle. Note too that there is a LOT going on in this book at any given time, so the fact that Quinn juggles every element so gracefully is a true testament to his skill as a visual storyteller.

Erick Arciniega’s colors craft a dark, mysterious, and moody tone that really completes this particular magic-infused X-comic’s atmosphere. While our team of mutants and certain magical settings are their necessary bright selves, because of the medieval/fantasy dark age we get here, the shadowy tones are a great choice and really nail the feel of this comic. Lastly, Ariana Maher’s lettering is right on par with the solid readability of the rest of this era’s X-books. She uses the current house font to great effect with fluid, natural changes to tone of voice and highly effective SFX lettering. Overall, Knights is every bit as great looking a comic as you would expect from an X-comic from the Krakoa era.

Verdict

Knights Of X #1 is a dense yet but highly entertaining start to this book of mutants and magic. Tini Howard’s script has a lot going on, but her careful use of exposition and the personality that shows through her writing helps keep this comic stay engaging. The visuals from Bob Quinn and Erick Arciniega are every bit as gorgeous as you’d expect, with excellent composition and design that is right on par with the other great X-books of the era. If you loved Excalibur, be sure to grab this issue when it hits shelves on April 27th!

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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 — Don’t Ask Questions And Enjoy. THWIP!

Matthew Sardo

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 - Zeb Wells Understands the THWIP!

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 hits your local comic book store from Marvel Comics this week, relaunching the series for Spidey’s 60th Anniversary. The book is written by Zeb Wells, with art by John Romita Jr., inks by Scott Hanna, colors by Marcio Menyz, and letters by Joe Caramagna. As a long-time reader of the series who had taken a break, I was excited about this relaunch and looked forward to a fresh start with the series.

About THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1:
WHAT DID SPIDER-MAN DO?! Peter’s on the outs with the FF. He’s on the outs with the Avengers. He’s on the outs with Aunt May! No one wants to see Spider-Man – except for Doctor Octopus. Ock’s on Spider-Man’s tail, and the Master Planner has something truly terrible planned for when he gets his tentacles on Spidey. All that, and what does Tombstone have planned? Just in time for Spider-Man’s 60th Anniversary, a new volume of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN begins, and 2022 is going to be the biggest year for Spider-Man EVER! Don’t believe us? We brought John Romita Jr. back JUST FOR THIS!

ASM #1 reminds me of the first time I picked up a Spider-Man comic book. I had no clue what was going on, but I loved the presence of Peter Parker and the wit of Spidey. Part of the fun of randomly jumping into a series is going back to read older issues so you can fill in the gaps in the story. Wells put enough in ASM #1 to intrigue me to want to go back and read more. On top of that, the last few pages make me want to read the next issue. ASM #1 is an excellent setup for a new season of adventures; all the plot threads are dangled, the conflict is building, and there are a few side mysteries to keep you guessing.

Romita’s art isn’t for everyone, but it is a style that grows on me the more I read. By the third time I read ASM #1, my brain had adjusted to Romita’s style, and I could feel the movement of the action. Romita does well with menacing characters, and Tombstone is an intimating beast. The way Romita draws Tombstone elevates the conflict and excites you for the first time Spidey and Lonnie face off.

I did notice some interesting ink work in Spider-Man’s costume from Hanna. It takes most of the blue out of the suit; a few panels reminded me of early 90s Erik Larsen, where the suit was black and red. My favorite panel of the issue is a combination of Romita, Hanna, and Menyz complimenting each other. The panel is a third of a page, and Spider-Man is dropping down onto a moving car filled with henchmen and the White Rabbit. The symmetry of the panel is perfect, and the motion of the colors works very well. The absence of an onomatopoeia adds to the stealth of the scene.

Menyz’s color work is all over the spectrum as ASM #1 covers so much ground. There are several pages where Menyz uses the colors to frame your focus on the story and direct your eye to the next panel (check out the two panels below). The opening page of purple and gray works very well to convey the moment’s desperation. This soft tone of colors is carried throughout the book and works well to complement Tombstone’s soft speech. The combination adds an underlined tension to the story.

There is a ton of action and explosions in ASM #1, and Caramagna handles the onomatopoeia workload solidly. The action words are bold and in your face. There are a couple of pages of great “Z” formation of word balloons, which help your eyes coast over the page and absorb the moment. There is one page, though, where Caramagna uses two different fonts for the “THWIP.” It took me out of the moment as I was trying to figure out if Spider-Man was doing something different with his webbing (overanalyze comics much?). But my favorite panel of Caramagna’s work is a half-page explosion, where the “BA-DOOM” covers the whole panel but still lets the art breathe.

Overall, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 is a fun book with a solid creative team that may encourage new readers to dive into the back issues.

Check out a five-page preview of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 below:

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Review: Weary Optimism in LAND OF THE LIVING GODS #3

Hank Essman

Though they may be set in the future, post-apocalypse stories are often fixated on the past. When everything’s crumbling, we might as well focus on what we’ve done and where we’ve been. Though most post-apocalypses don’t have the literal spirits of the dead quietly watch on as humanity’s collective work turns to dust. In Land of the Living Gods from Aftershock, Isaac Mogajane and Santtos have created a world where humanity has chosen to cope with its coming extinction through worship, pleading to their ancestors for strength. Too bad that none of those ancestors seem terribly impressed.

WRITING

Mogajane continues the story of Naledi, an albino teenager in a post-apocalyptic South Africa who has found herself captured and sold by scavenger Kaelo. Because, as it turns out, witches will pay good money for albinos. But Kaelo quickly starts second-guessing her sale of the young girl. Meanwhile, Naledi is placed in the same prison cell as a young boy who was sacrificed and brought back to life by local King Shandu. And a conversation with that boy may just turn what we know about the series upside-down.

While the series has focused pretty squarely on Naledi up to this point, Mogajane sets some time aside in this issue for Kaelo. Initially introduced as fairly cynical and jaded, her conversations with lover Kheti show a side that hasn’t fully resigned itself to using people to get by. Her slow turn towards helping Naledi reaches its climax, however, in a moment of violence that’s less cathartic and more… concerning. Kaelo might not be choosing the best outlets for her anger. But, hey. Whatever gets Naledi out of captivity, right?

And speaking of Naledi, she continues to show her bright, youthful optimism, laughing at the idea of Kaelo selling her to organ traffickers after seeing the King’s minor miracle. She stops laughing when it actually happens. And moving forward, Naledi’s trust in the living gods is about to hit a major roadblock. So the poor girl’s outlook is being put through the wringer. Naledi’s always needed to mature a bit, but Mogajane hasn’t completely shown his hand as to what that will look like. It definitely won’t come in the form of Kaelo’s guarded cynicism, but Naledi is going to need to get past her self-doubt if she wants to find hope in the world outside of praying an outside force will fix it for her. I’m very interested in seeing what Naledi’s outlook will be by the end of the series.

ART

Santtos’ art in this series is both very expressive and stripped down. It’s impressive that the world feels so well realized, when after an establishing shot or two, the backgrounds tend to fall away to focus purely on the characters. This helps bring out the emotions of the scenes, but also adds to the bleak feeling of the world. Each backdrop the characters find themselves in has one or two primary colors associated with it, so you can tell where they are based on the color dominating the panel. But Santtos is all too willing to leave blank space on the page, often choosing to leave corners or margins pure, stark white. It accents his color choices and emphasizes the white gutters between panels, leading to a more contemplative, quiet feeling in the comic. Like the spaces between moments have stretched out to the corners of the page.

Dave Sharp’s lettering helps highlight the non-English words of the multicultural setting in scarlet, often given a translation in the bottom corner. He also has fun with hand-drawn sound-effects, drawing them with thick, visible brushstrokes.

VERDICT

Land of the Living Gods #3 focuses on fleshing out one of its main characters while setting up the direction for the remainder of the series. With its willingness to change direction and upend what’s come before, it’s hard to predict exactly where the series will go from here. But what’s here is strong enough that it’s earned trust in whatever that may be. It’s out today at most retailers, so make sure to check it out.

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Self-Published Spotlight: AIRPLANE MECHANICS by Thompson & Manley

Manuel Gomez

April 25, 2022

Airplane Mechanics cover. Art by Jeff Manley

Welcome to Self-Published Spotlight, a regular interview column where I will be highlighting self-published comics and the creators and small print publishers who make them.

Individually, Jonathan Thomspon (Night of The Comet, A Game of Doubles) and Jeff Manley (Riley: A Teenage Bigfoot) are two of the most prolific, hardworking creators in indie comics. These two powerhouses are now coming together on Airplane Mechanics, a new self-published (via Kickstarter) graphic novel about two brothers attempting to finish rebuilding an old airplane. Jonathan and Jeff took a little time to chat with us at MFR about the book, its process and getting higher (in more ways than one!). So check out the interview below and make sure you head to its Kickstarter page and help get this book out on the runway!

Monkeys Fighting Robots: How did Airplane Mechanics originate and how did you two link up for it?
Jeff Manley: For me, it was because Jonathan was persistent in getting a collaboration… and I had a moment last fall of being a little run down on drawing Bigfeet. I wanted to draw something with humans, but not have to create anything. So, Jonathan just happened to message me around the same time and I agreed to do it.

Jonathan Thompson: I had this idea for about ten years now. I liked Jeff’s work on Bigfoot and wanted to do something with him. I harassed him for months until he became available, I pitched him this project, and we were flying.

JM: Very punny!

MFR: Ha! That’s perfect! So what was the process like for each of you?
JT: After giving the pitch to Jeff and him accepting I went back and wrote the whole book. Then I give Jeff six-page bunches of revised pages as we go along.

JM: I preferred getting the story in chunks. Mostly because I am horrible at reading things and my attention span is barely six pages long.I would do detailed thumbnails for those six pages and Jonathan would approve them. Then I would pencil the pages on my custom preprinted templates. Which I would snap a photo of and the. Ink it in Clip Studio. It only took a few pages before we gave up on the approving thumbnails stage. I think I had to earn his trust that I could layout pleasing pages.

JT: He did earn my trust pretty quickly. I mean, I asked Jeff to do this book because I wanted Jeff’s DNA to be a part of it. He really does a fantastic job.

JM: It doesn’t feel like it is just a Jonathan Thompson book to me. My blood, Sweat and humor are in there. There were a few times I sent Jonathan a quick thumbnail before I started a page because I thought my idea was too weird. Then he would just reply “Go For It!” And I would draw an entire page that was a homage to a Family Circus comic.

MFR: That’s fantastic! So since you mentioned Family Circus, were there any specific comics that influenced Airplane Mechanics?

JM: Mostly just Family Circus. With all the drama the title could have been “Family Circus”!

MFR: Jeff is this the first time you have drawn from someone else’s script?
JM: No. I collaborated on a couple of webcomics about a decade ago. One of them came in second in the last Comic Buyers Guide’s fan polls for “Best Webcomic” That comic was called Punching The Clock. Collaboration wasn’t my favorite process… so, I avoided it for a decade. Until I was weak to Jonathan’s undeniable charm.

MFR: What was each of your favorite parts of making Airplane Mechanics? Or what’s your favorite part of the book?
JT: I love being the first reader as I’m getting the pages from Jeff. I’m really excited to have the physical book in my hands. As for my favorite part of the story, oh that’s how it ends.

JM: My favorite part is how Brian always thinks weed will solve any problem. I super relate to that. I also like to print my own minicomics after I get each page done. So I can see how they look in spreads. I was often surprised with how well things flowed together without me trying. It was probably the weed helping me.

MFR: Oh wow. That’s something I haven’t heard many people do.
JM: I am a unique person!

MFR: Jonathan, as a writer you have done just about every genre in comics. Was this always some kind of plan, or did the stories just develop into genres?
JT: Nope, just having fun exploring the kinds of stories I want to tell. I think everything has a distinct “Thompson-style” but the different genres allow me to develop my themes in different ways.

MFR: What made you want to make this digest size in dimensions?
JT: I’ve gotten all of Jeff’s books in that size and thought it would be an interesting way to. I like switching up formats and creating unique-looking books. I’m excited for the size.

MFR: Any stretch goal rewards you want to hint about or want to share?
JT: If we get into stretch goal territory then I might try and convince Jeff to do a short story as a bonus.

JM: I hadn’t thought of that…. Maybe we could do a minicomic where I write it and Jonathan draws it?

JT: I’m always down to create chicken scratch on the page!

MFR: Any final thoughts before we take off?
JM: I am just very excited to see the reaction to the finished product.

JT: Same. I’m really excited to see it done and read it myself.

The Kickstarter campaign for Airplane Mechanics ends on May 20th, 2022.

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Review: The Hunt Is Afoot Once More In COUNT CROWLEY: AMATEUR MIDNIGHT MONSTER HUNTER #1

Justin Munday

Writer and actor David Dastmalchian and artist Lukas Ketner return to the realm of B-horror mayhem and grease paint makeup with Count Crowley: Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter #1. Featuring colors by Lauren Affe and letters from Frank Cvetkovic, this opening chapter to this sequel-series is a fast-paced and fun start to the continuing adventures of Jerri Bartman – recovering alcoholic and horror-host extraordinaire! With a sharp script and ever-outstanding art, this comic is a welcome release for fans of the surprise hit original series.

“It’s been a hell of a week for Jerri Bartman. She lost her job, crashed her car, took the only gig available hosting the midnight monster show, and . . . oh yeah–dismembered a zombie. No big deal. Now, to protect the people she loves, she’s going to have to take a crash course in monster hunting. And quickly–a vengeful vampire just booked a first-class flight into town.”

Writing & Plot

Fans of the original series will be treated to a nice reversal of fortunes for our protagonist in Count Crowley: Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter #1. In the first issue of the first volume, writer David Dastmalchian handed us a Jerri Bartman that was down on her luck in every conceivable way – then he threw a werewolf at her. Here, that luck is trending upward. We get to see our reluctant/amateur monster hunter kicking the sauce and going cold turkey, showing up for her job, and even being (relatively) personable. One of the biggest surprises and endearing qualities of the first series was just how complex and dynamic a character Jerri turned out to be. The results of those elements are on full display here, with Jerri feeling like a mix of Ellen Ripley and Jessica Jones but still being unique. Now of course while this is all great, the real draw is the whole “monster hunting” bit. It’s here where Dastmalchian really opens up with his love of creature-feature horror. This issue makes it clear that there’s going to be a much heavier focus on the lore of this world and its beasties this time around. We get introduced to how the different monsters work together and, most importantly, where vampires fit into all of this. I gotta say, making a group of slimy one-percenters blood suckers is a huge win in my book.

I do have a minor word of warning about this issue. Due to this being a direct continuation of a very recent series, it isn’t newcomer friendly. If you jump into Amateur without first reading Reluctant, you’re going to be missing a lot of context. This issue takes place in the same week as the prior series, so things happen pretty fast here. In other words, this could have easily been an issue #5 instead of a new #1. This being said, Dastmalchian’s snappy, fun, and naturalistic dialogue as well as his penchant for great character writing and goofy monster antics make this comic more than worth jumping into.

Art Direction

Just like with the first series, artist Lukas Ketner is on hand to deliver an absolutely stellar visual experience for Count Crowley: Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter #1. His well-animated and detailed character drawings are a constant draw for this book. His style in this comic lands somewhere between a Hanna-Barbera cartoon and a haunted house story. Each of his characters obviously share a similar look, but Ketner gives them each a life and personality all their own. The way he composes his scenes really puts this comic’s influences on display. There are tons of horror film-esque build-ups and turn of the page reveals that seal the book’s similarities to classic B-horror films. These elements, and Ketner’s careful composition while orchestrating the comic’s visual pace, make his work here just as outstanding as it was in the prior series.

Perfectly completing the tone and visual atmosphere of Count Crowley is the coloring of Lauren Affe. Also returning from the prior series, Affe’s murky, chalky coloring nails the smoky retro VHS horror aesthetic this comic strives for. Every color appears muted while still being rich and full. The lettering from Frank Cvetkovic is functionally perfect. Every one of his font changes and SFX letters pop at just the right moments while performing their job and blending into the reading experience. Overall, this comic is an absolute visual triumph.

Verdict

Count Crowley: Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter #1 is a successful return to this little love-letter to creature features and late night horror. David Dastmalchian’s script, while simplistic and exposition laden, is so fun, snappy, and filled with compelling character writing that it remains a treat for readers of the original series. The visuals from Lucas Ketner and Lauren Affe are brilliantly well-detailed, animated, and tonally spot-on and deliver the perfect reading experience for this monster-hunting mystery. Be sure to put this series on your pull list, and grab the collection of the original series from your local comic shop!

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Angels & Airwaves and Z2 Comics Announce New Graphic Novel, LIFEFORM: VIVIAN

Justin Munday

April 21, 2022

Tom DeLonge joins writer Helen Mullane and artist Amilcar Pinna for the epic sci-fi romance behind the 2021 album, Lifeforms

LOS ANGELES, CA—Z2 Comics has announced a collaboration with acclaimed space rock pioneers Angels & Airwaves and creative studio Tension Division to present the psychedelic story inspired by AVA’s 2021 album, Lifeforms, to a new graphic novel—Lifeform: Vivian. Co-written by Helen Mullane (Superstate, Nicnevin and the Bloody Queen) and drawn by Amilcar Pinna (Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes, Eternal Blue: A Spiritbox Graphic Novel) with lettering courtesy Ed Dukeshire, the graphic novel will unspool the tale behind the mysterious woman seen on the cover of the band’s sixth studio LP as she wanders from the New Mexico desert into the life of a low-level government employee, Victor. The pair ignites a tentative romance as their world erupts in chaos, with secret agents following Vivian’s every move, as events erupt around the amnesiac woman that defy explanation.

“The story behind Lifeforms is so big and colorful that it begged to be explored further,” explains Angels & Airwaves founder Tom DeLonge. “Collaborating with Z2, Tension Division, Helen, and Amilcar, I’m delighted to see Vivian and Victor shift media into this gorgeous comic.”

“I’m so excited to be a part of this graphic novel project,” writer Helen Mullane adds. “Writing with Angels & Airwaves, creating within the mythology they’ve established and with such a ridiculous talent as Amilcar on top of all of that is just a dream. I cannot wait to share what we’re creating the world!”

“I’m so excited to draw some Angels & Airwaves sci-fi!” artist Amilcar Pinna adds. “Choreographing the dimension-warping action here has been a blast.”

Founded in 2005 by Tom DeLonge, Angels & Airwaves has spanned six studio albums, a documentary, a live-action film, graphic novel, and animated short. The band is currently composed of vocalist and guitarist DeLonge, guitarist and keyboard player David Kennedy, bassist Matt Rubano, and percussionist Ilan Rubin.

Z2 and Angels & Airwaves present Lifeform: Vivian in both softcover and hardcover formats, as well as oversized hardcover deluxe, and an oversized hardcover deluxe edition hand-signed by Tom DeLonge. Amilcar Pinna provides cover art with designs by Tension Division. Deluxe editions include an exclusive embroidered patch, dog tag, access badge, dossier with documents and photos, Lifeforms Mystery Box by Breakout Games, and gallery-ready prints courtesy Tension Division, Morgan Beem, and Amilcar Pinna, as well as a new vinyl release of Lifeforms. Pre-order yours today.
Download Lifeform; Vivian Cover and Print Art Here

For More Information Contact
Ariella Tigertail
atigertail@z2comics.com

About Angels & Airwaves:
In 2005, when Tom DeLonge’s then-band blink 182 went on a hiatus, he formed a high concept art project dubbed Angels & Airwaves. With their first release, 2006’s We Don’t Need To Whisper, Angels & Airwaves went gold and burst onto the scene as an arena rock powerhouse that wouldn’t be limited. It’s a trans-media world that can and has existed in music, in film, in books, as well as in any visual platform: DeLonge co-directed the award-winning 2014 animated short Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker, which won Best Animation at the Thess International Short Film Festival, and the band produced the 2011 movie LOVE, which won Best Musical Score at Toronto After Dark. More than 15 years after its founding, Angels & Airwaves – now consisting of DeLonge (lead vocals, guitar/synths), Ilan Rubin (Nine Inch Nails) (drums/guitar/backing vocals/synths), David Kennedy (Box Car Racer, Hazen Street) (guitar), and Matt Rubano (Taking Back Sunday) (bass) – is preparing for the release of their first full length record since 2014’s The Dream Walker. Their sixth studio album LIFEFORMS will arrive September 24 of this year with the band hitting the road for a worldwide tour shortly thereafter.

LIFEFORMS is as adventurous as it is thoughtful, both in its sonics and subject matter. It’s a stepping-stone for Angels & Airwaves to have far deeper and wider conversations about that which we yet do not know. When DeLonge was a child, he was fascinated by conspiracy theories but, as he got older, he discovered more and more of the topics he was drawn to contained enormous amounts of truth. “Even though we like to think we do, in my experience, we don’t know everything,” he says. Tom says LIFEFORMS was the most difficult album he’s ever made, but he is now confident in the exploration it took to create it. After the release of the album will come his directorial debut in the form of a sci-fi adventure feature film titled Monsters of California.

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