Annotations 

Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass: Issue #5

By | November 14th, 2012
Posted in Annotations | % Comments

Welcome back to Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass, where you get a behind the scenes look at the work done by writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley. They’ll take you inside the big moments & mysteries of every issue. This month, we get a peek into Hoax Hunters’ past and try to figure out how Michael & Steve could slip a “never-nude” into their comic book. (“There’s literally dozens of us!)

Remember that we’ll be spoiling these issues, so read the book before getting the inside look. This was quite a unique month for the book! Let’s dive in:

First of all, Emilio Laiso pulls guest honors on art this month. How does the process of finding a fill-in artist happen on your book? What things do you think about, story-wise when it comes to having a different artist on board. I noticed that this issue was mostly flashback and any members of the modern Hoax Hunters only popped up at the end. Was this a conscious choice when going with Laiso?

Michael Moreci: Man, I wish we were that organized. Emilio is an artist who kind of fell in our lap, in a way. Steve and I were familiar with him from his work on Hack/Slash, and the issue we wrote (#19) he was hired to illustrate. We love his style and, while he’s not all that similar to Axel, we do see them as complimentary pieces. We’re going to have fill-ins from time to time; if a monthly book is our ambition, then that’s the reality of maintaining the schedule. We wish Axel could do every month, but he has Elephantmen to work on and keep his plate very full.

Rather than a hurdle, we see this as an opportunity to bring in cool artists and experiment with the book (issue #9 is going to be so very, very awesome–it’s an unusual issue with a fantastic guest artist). We’re truly committed to pushing boundaries with Hoax Hunters in every way possible. Emilio happened to be strong at cool monsters, so we played up that aspect of the book. Will do the same with other artists as well, which is great because it keeps Steve and I from getting lazy with our storytelling.

Certain scenes had a fantastic watercolor style to them. What sort of stylistic vision for this issue did Laiso bring that set this issue apart?

Steve Seeley: Emilio is an amazing artist and it was an honor to work with him again. We knew he and Rosario would do the story justice. It was ultimately their decision to do the dream/past sequences in the watercolor-esque style. We loved it when we saw it.

Where did the idea come from to focus the story on these orphan characters? It was fun to see an urban legend at work away from the Hoax Hunters themselves. How do you find a balance between building the world outside the main characters’ spheres and the Hoax Hunters?

SS: From the get go, Mike and I wanted to showcase the expansiveness of the Hoax HunterS universe. To do so, we knew we wanted to have standalone issues that focused on peripheral characters as well giving fans a glimpse of the Hoax Hunters of the past. Since issue #5 fell between two arcs, it was a great chance to do just that.

Also, for me, the Jersey Devil is my favorite cryptid. I wanted a way to introduce him to readers that was slightly different that the regular mythology. Having him as sort of a background character to Lauren’s backstory seemed like a fun and atypical way to do so.

“Randy Marsh”? Who’s the South Park fan?

SS: Ha! Both of us actually.

South Park has ranked right alongside Arrested Development as my favorite show for as long as I can remember. And yes, if we have the chance to sneak a character named Tobias Funke in a story, you can bet we will.

Even though we didn’t see much of the modern Hoax Hunters, Jack’s father Alan played a major role. We see him at work for Hoax Hunters magazine. Was there a TV show yet? How well-known or followed were the Hoax Hunters? How far do they go back?

Continued below

SS: No, there wasn’t a TV show yet…at least not a reality show. The Hoax Hunters organization has been around for a long time and has taken on all sorts of popular media formats through the ages. Newspaper, radio show, magazine, you name it. The current media outlet is, of course, the reality show which is due to the current popularity of that particular media. The organization has changed over the years to stick with the times. As for how far they go back? That’ll have to remain to be seen.

WWe’ve seen characters recruited into the ranks of the Hoax Hunters after they’ve been involved in paranormal activity. What happens to the ones that aren’t suited to work for the HH? What happens to the ones that don’t cooperate?

MM: This is a huge part of the next arc (Haunchyville, issue #6, out January 16!). We’re going to see the side of the Hoax Hunters organization that isn’t as, let’s say, forgiving as our team is. Battle lines will start to be formed.

The last two pages of the issue strike an especially nice note. Jack and Lauren discuss the disappearance of Alan. This parallels nicely to the final page where Lauren walks into a corridor of the HH facilities that holds the Jersey Devil she shares a bond with. How hard it is to find this nice of a button to end a story on?

MM: Very hard! But that’s something Steve and I are always conscious of–the heart of this story is the Hoax Hunters family, these people and creatures bound to one another under unusual circumstances, all of whom harbor very challenging secrets. We always strive for those more intimate moments. The ending to five also parallels the ending to issue #4, with Jack holding his hand up to the dimensional monster–the similarities between these ending is no coincidence. In addition to mining these relationships, we’re also establishing the notion of barriers that, sometimes, are impenetrable. And it’s not only between humans and creatures. How well do we truly know one other? That’s a potent thematic question. But, also, on a plot level–how well does Jack know his father? After all, they’ve been apart for two decades. A lot can happen…

Can we expect to see more of Lauren and the Jersey Devil down the road?

SS: Absolutely. Lauren is a part of the backbone to the current Hoax Hunters. She will continue to be an essential part of their behind the scenes infrastructure. And the Jersey Devil will definitely return. Again, he’s my favorite cryptid, so it’s a given he’ll play an important part in future issues.

Again, we see a monstrous creature showing humanistic tendencies and being misunderstood. Is there hope for the cryptids to integrate into society? Do any members of the Hoax Hunters feel conflicted enough about what they’re doing to stand up and try to change things?

MM: Hmm…that’s a good one. I think the short answer is yes. There’s a hazy storyline (involving Durand) that Steve and I have in mind for further down the road, but right now the team has bigger fish to fry. But, eventually, a gauntlet will be thrown down between the unrest the Hoax Hunters feel with the organization, and the unrest cryptids feel about being unacknowledged inhabitants of their world.

So there you have it! Lots of great tidbits on where the Hoax Hunters have been, and a little bit about where they’re going. Thanks for reading! While “Hoax Hunters” takes a break next month, make sure you get caught up on the series and check out our past editions!

Previous Issues: #0-#1, #2, #3, #4


//TAGS | Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass

Vince Ostrowski

Dr. Steve Brule once called him "A typical hunk who thinks he knows everything about comics." Twitter: @VJ_Ostrowski

EMAIL | ARTICLES


  • Annotations
    Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass: Issue #13

    By | Jan 8, 2014 | Annotations

    Welcome back to Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass, where you get a behind the scenes look at the latest issue of “Hoax Hunters” with writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley. They’re taking you inside the big moments & mysteries of every issue.Here it is – the finale of “Hoax Hunters'” first season. In the true spirit […]

    MORE »
    Annotations
    Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass: Issue #12

    By | Nov 29, 2013 | Annotations

    Welcome back to Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass, where you get a behind the scenes look at the latest issue of “Hoax Hunters” with writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley. They’re taking you inside the big moments & mysteries of every issue.This month the “Hoax Hunters” took a pretty physical beating across the board, supernatural secrets […]

    MORE »
    Annotations
    Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass: Issue #11

    By | Oct 9, 2013 | Annotations

    Welcome back to Hoax Hunters Backstage Pass, where you get a behind the scenes look at the work done by writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley. They’re taking you inside the big moments & mysteries of every issue.This month we have a previously unlikely romantic pairing, some meddling demon birds that can take down airplanes, […]

    MORE »

    -->