Wasteland
(as it was then called) was
Kieran Murphy’s first
published work when it came
out in January 2005. Since
then, he has had more
comics, short stories and
even a graphic novel printed
in the US, Canada and the
UK. Finally, he has achieved
his dream of getting a book
into Previews with the
Frozen Wasteland
graphic novel, more
information on which can be
found at
www.arcanacomics.com.
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1.
First
off give us a quick rundown on what Frozen Wasteland
is about.
Kieran : Frozen Wasteland
is actually 4 separate
stories clumped together in one book. There are 4
main characters and each one of them takes the lead
in a story. It is mainly a study of how people react
when their world is destroyed by the onset of a new
Ice Age. I deliberately chose settings (Dallas, Las
Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami) that almost never see
snow just for the shock value of seeing a familiar
sight covered in a thick white blanket!
2. What brought
about the inspiration to wrote Frozen Wasteland?
Kieran : That’s a tough one! I’m not sure I
can provide a specific answer but I’ve always been
intrigued by dramatic changes wrought by nature upon
our world which have been explored in sci fi films
such as The Day After Tomorrow or the Mad
Max trilogy. I’m not one for the big dramatic
change of the event actually occurring though. I’m
much more interested in what effects it has on
individual ordinary people and so I decided I wanted
to explore that. When Ronin Studios said they’d
provide me with an artist if I came up with a story,
Frozen Wasteland was born!
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"I
don’t expect to make a
living doing this stuff, but I
don’t care because I enjoy
writing comics so much."
|
 |
"I
don’t expect to make a
living doing this stuff, but I
don’t care because I enjoy
writing comics so much."
|
3.
Frozen
Wasteland was originally put out through Comixpress!
But has now moved to Arcana Studios a much bigger
player. How has the transition changed for better or
worse?
Kieran : Well, only one of the four
Frozen Wasteland stories was put out through
Comixpress under the Ronin Studios banner. Arcana
rightly don’t submit any books to Previews until
they are completed finished so Jose and I had to put
together three more stories. That certainly took a
long time, but I feel it has most definitely been a
rewarding experience. Being with a bigger player
also meant we were able to secure a big name artist
for the cover in Carlos Valenzuela that we probably
wouldn’t have been able to get with a smaller comic
company.
4.
Did the
story have to change or evolve in anyway since you
first published it with Comixpress!?
Kieran : Three more stories were added on so
that was a big change! However, we were given a lot
of freedom by Sean O Reilly, head honcho at Arcana
so we could do the story we wanted to do which was
great.
5. You teamed up with
J. Augusto Cano your artist quite some time ago
since Frozen Wasteland was completed. Have you two
teamed up for anything else and kept in touch?
Kieran : Frozen Wasteland was only
fully completed earlier this year so Jose and I have
been in constant touch since we were first put
together about 3 years ago. We’ve also worked on a
number of other projects together, he was inker on
Prey which was also put out by Ronin Studios,
and we did a short story together for British
anthology Futurequake (issue 7). Recently, we’ve
been working on a series Jose created called
Psychics which has a great future in store for
it I think. It’s been wonderful working with Jose,
who is a fantastically gifted artist, and I really
hope our comic collaborations continue for many
years to come!
6. Were you a comic fan
before Frozen Wasteland came about? Do you collect
or read any certain comics?
Kieran : I certainly was. I was a
huge fan of the famous British sci-fi comic 2000ad
and I have literally hundreds of issues stacked up
in my parent’s attic (I keep promising I’ll move
them to my place but…). I still pick up copies
occasionally.
7. Who is you favorite writer
inside and outside of comics?
Kieran : Pat Mills without a shadow
of a doubt. His First World War series Charley’s
War is one of my all time favorite comic
stories. Outside of comics I tend to read a lot of
pretty trashy stuff like Stephen King and Terry
Pratchett, I’m afraid to say!
8. Who would be your dream
artist to work with?
Kieran : Franky Quitely. ‘Nuff said!
9. What is next or what else
do you have coming up in the world of comics?
Kieran : I have two short stories
that will be published in upcoming Futurequake Press
anthologies, one in their flagship anthology, the
other is the cover story for their Something
Wicked horror anthology series. I’m also working
on a sci-fi spoof series called Troy Spaceman
with ex- Dark Horse artist Dario Carrasco. Of
course, I’ll continue the search for a home for
Psychics too.
10. What bit of advice to you
have for others aspiring to make it in the world of
comics?
Kieran : It may seem obvious but have
fun! If you go into this industry with the sole
purpose of becoming a full time professional comic
book writer, you’re probably going to be
disappointed, as there aren’t too many of them! I
don’t expect to make a living doing this stuff, but
I don’t care because I enjoy writing comics so much.
That should be the primary goal of any writer, get
your books out there, and enjoy yourself creating
them, whatever else happens.
Thanks so much for
doing this interview here at The Comic
Avalanche and I know you will be around awhile. I
always love it when I meet someone just breaking in
and see them go from small publisher and begin
working their way up the ladder. Now everyone
remember to buy your copy from the details below and
enjoy another great story from another dynamic team.
Diamond Order Code:
SEP073353 | $9.95
buy now
Series Synopsis :
The series is broken up into four stories, each
centered on one of the four main characters and all
set in locations that it would be hard to imagine
covered in snow. Major Jonathon Carson seeks out his
lost son in the icy tundra of Las Vegas, Ricky Di
Santos finds himself meeting an old flame in the
battlefield of a snow covered Los Angeles, Jed
Giffin catches up with his self-centered sister in a
freezing Dallas and Sinead O Brien takes to the
frozen seas off Miami with a friend from her former
life. Each story looks at the suffering caused in
these very different settings and examines how
people cope in an environment where each day is a
struggle for survival. However, there is also plenty
of action as the marines deal with those who would
attempt to profit from this new world in which
America finds itself.
