For some readers their first introductions to Ed Brisson might have been his crime series “Murder Book.” Ed Brisson now returns to the world of noir and crime with the team of Adam Gorham (“Dead Drop,” “Zero”), Michael Garland (“The Dying and the Dead,” “The Manhattan Projects”), and Tom Muller (“Zero,” “Drifter,” “Wolf,” every book you think has an amazing design he probably designed). “The Violent” is the story of Mason, “an ex-con and former drug addict who’s trying hard to give up his old life”. In addition, Mason has a wife dealing with her own demons and both working to raise their daughter. “The Violent” is a gritty look at the stories of this family and the struggles of the two parents as they work to keep their life, family, sobriety and selves from falling apart. Brisson, Gorham, Garland and Muller offer up a tense and gripping first issue in “The Violent” #1.
We were able to get some time to speak with Ed (writer) and Adam (artist) about the first issue, the series going forward and some quick process talk. A big thanks to Ed and Adam for taking the time to discuss the book. “The Violent” will be in your shops and available online on December 9th from Image Comics.
First off, thanks for taking the time to talk about the series. Second, how great is that cover?
Ed Brisson: I know! Adam, Michael and Adam really killed it. Beyond happy with how it all came together.
For readers who read the solicitation of The Violent and are still on the fence, what can you tell them about “The Violent?”
EB: Stop thinking and start buying!
If you’re not sure what you’re getting into, maybe pop over to http://www.murderbookcomic.com/ and give some of those stories a quick read. If you like “Murder Book,” you’ll like “The Violent.”
If you’re a fan of good character driven stories with a lot of heart and some truly gut-wrenching moments, then you want to pick this up. Try out the first two issues, if you’re not hooked, then fine. You’ve got no soul, but that’s your problem, not mine. Not everyone has a soul, that’s ok. It’s not for me to judge. BUT! I don’t think you will drop it. I think that you’ll see what we’re doing and dig it. Plus, you get an extra short prose story in each that will not be in the trade. That’s some value added shit right there.
Ed, How does it feel to be back working on a noir crime themed comic? Adam, How does it feel that Ed is working on a noir crime themed comic again?
EB: It feels great. I’ve still been tinkering away on new “Murder Book” material, building scripts with an eye on putting together a second collection at some point. But, “The Violent” is the book that I’ve been wanting to do for a long, long time. As much as I love “Murder Book,” I really wanted to sink my teeth into longer, more complex stories. These are the kinds of stories I love to read and am desperate to create.
Adam Gorham: It’s undoubtedly exciting for me to be working with Ed on anything, let alone in a genre he’s clearly at home in. In our early talks about “The Violent” as a book, part of the fun was discussing and recommending crime novels and movies we know and liked. When you’re working alongside someone on a project they care very much about, it draws you in. That’s what it does for me personally.
Having read the first issue it’s easy to see that this series is going to be driven by great character work. I think readers will easily find themselves invested in the motives, failings and lives of the people you guys have introduce, Mason especially. How was the creation process for both the voices and looks of the characters to get those reactions from readers?
EB: This is one of those questions that I’m never sure how to answer. Usually, I’ll create characters with very broad stroke outlines. I’ll start with the basics…Mason’s an ex-con with a penchant for breaking into houses to feed his heroin addiction. Becky’s an ex-heroin addict trying to go straight. They’ve got a kid. Then I’ll build on those. Answer some WHYs and WHAT IFs and HOWs and constantly refine the characters until they feel fully formed. That process, for me, is really just a whole lot of playing with all those elements and thinking it over and over and over and over until I’m satisfied.
There is a good balance of story-telling through Ed’s dialog but also visually from Adam as well. How is the relationship on the book with you two when it comes to the creation of an actual issue?
EB: We start with a basic outline of what the story is and where the story’s going and then I’ll talk that out with Adam some. Then, I run off and write the script in solitude and show it to Adam when I’m done. If he’s got feedback, I’ll generally go back and revise based on that and just keep repeating the process until we’re both happy. It’s been pretty casual up until this point though — I think that the two of us are on the same wavelength, which definitely helps things.
Then, vice versa when Adam’s drawing it. He’ll shoot over thumbnails and pencils and we’ll go over them. But, again, it’s been a pretty smooth journey so far.
AG: Knowing that lies at the heart of the story helps guide me visually. I know that’s a highfalutin sounding thing to say, but it’s true. Early on it was important for me to know where these characters were coming from and where they were going to. At the center of this particular tale is a human drama that’s not simply isolated to addiction. There’s an anger in these characters towards a system that allows people to fall through the cracks. Understanding that aids me in playing this out in my mind and, ultimately, in my art. Ed’s dialog also helps me in my “acting”. Unlike my previous work, the meat of the story happens on an emotional level. I’m doing my best to capture that with each character.
A lot of what sells and makes a great crime/noir toned comic is the art. I think of books like “Criminal” with Sean Phillips or even “Murder Book” with the likes of Michael Walsh/Johnny Christmas. How do you approach a book like “The Violent” knowing how integral the art is to developing the tone of the comic?
EB: I don’t think I approach it any different than any other book. Typing, when developing a creator-owned book…the artist/co-creator and I are developing it together and building something that’s going to satisfy us creatively first and foremost. So going in, we know what we want and what we want to do, be it crime or sci-fi, so I don’t know that we do anything different, to be honest.
I don’t think this is spoiler territory but there are some gut wrenching and difficult moments in this first issue alone. Is there an easy line when it comes to what you can put a character through or have them do and still be believable to readers?
EB: There’s nothing in The Violent that couldn’t, or hasn’t happened. Some of the experiences are things that I’ve lived through myself — after my parents split, money was REALLY tight in our house. I’ve been there, barely scraping buy with a parent who was too proud to ask for any sort of social assistance.
As long as we’re cognizant of WHO these people are and WHAT their lives are like, and we stay true to that, then I don’t think that there’s any danger of pushing this outside the realm of believability.
Their lives are going to get very, very messy though.
While the central focus of the story appears to be this family unit there are obviously elements of crime and drugs present. Is there any research that goes on for your end on how those elements affect people and families or is that secondary to just good story telling?
EB: In general, I tend to read a lot on crime, poverty and drug policies in the US and Canada. So, yeah, there is a fair amount of research that does go into this. It’s not necessarily something that I’m reading JUST for The Violent, but more stuff that I’m always reading, but it’s still there.
When I finished the first issue I had a strong feeling you guys were going to make me cry at some point in this series. Are you going to make me cry?
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EB: I’m going to make you cry so hard, Kyle. SO. GOD. DAMNED. HARD. You’re going to be crying so hard that I’ve bought stocks in Kleenex and will use the earnings from skyrocketing sales to put my kid through college.
When readers finish the first issue of “The Violent,” what do you want them to take away from it?
EB: I’m just hoping that people will walk away, satisfied. That they’ll want to come back and follow this family through to the end.
AG: Ditto.
