Tomorrow brings Free Comic Book Day, and with it the launch of a brand new Oni Press book. Not only that, but it’s a new book from two of our favorite creators in the form of writer Chris Roberson and artist Scott Kowalchuk. It’s “The Strangers,” a sexy 60’s superspy book that combines all of the awesome we’ve come to expect from Roberson and Kowalchuk.
To help encourage you to pick it up and to get excited for the rest of the series, I chatted with both Roberson and Kowalchuk about the book and how it came together. Check that out below, along with a preview of its first few pages, and don’t forget to snag the next big Oni book. You don’t want to miss out on the next Sixth Gun, do you?
Writer Chris Roberson
CHRIS: Bits and pieces of THE STRANGERS date back many years in a variety of half-formed notions and rejected proposals that litter my hard drive. The setting came from one, the idea of a trio of individuals with strange powers that are unable to make normal human contact came from another, the name “Strangers” and the backstory of the group came from yet another. It wasn’t until Scott Kowalchuk and I started talking about collaborating, though, at the suggestion of Oni’s James Lucas Jones, that I realized that all of these disparate elements were really part of one bigger story.
The Strangers is all about 60’s superspies, and I have a pretty good idea why Scott Kowalchuk is the perfect partner for something like that. But to you, why did that intrepid artist stand out as the guy for the book?
CHRIS: I think the answer is in the question! I knew Scott’s work from The Intrepids, and from the “Supervillain Showdown” blog that he and my Edison Rex collaborator Dennis Culver used to do, and it was clear that he was a fan of that kind of material, and of 60s entertainment in general. But it was less a question of coming up with the idea and finding an artist to draw it, and more a matter of Scott and I figuring out what our mutual interests were and what would be a fun story to work on together. THE STRANGERS is the result!
One thing that stood out to me was this launching on Oni instead of a Monkeybrain book. Why did you decide to release it through Oni instead of your own publishing house?
CHRIS: The primary reason is that I’ve wanted to work with Oni for years, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. They publish fantastic comics, and I loved the idea of seeing something of mine in that lineup.
CHRIS: Anything that gets more people reading more comics is an absolute good. What I love most about Free Comic Book Day is the way in which it’s become this kind of unofficial national holiday for comics readers every year, with a real festival atmosphere and sense of excitement about what’s going on in the medium. Plus, free comics!
Artist Scott Kowalchuk
How did you and Chris get together for this book, and who’s idea was the whole deal?
SCOTT: At the time the collaboration was suggested I was wrapping up my upcoming OGN for ONI PRESS, DOWN SET FIGHT. My editor, Charlie Chu, wanted to get me on a follow-up project and had noticed in a previous interview (with you, actually, David) that I mentioned wanting to work with Chris Roberson. I’m a HUGE fan of Chris’ writing. Ever since iZombie. Man-oh-man, was it good reading. Well, one thing led to another and Chris and James Lucas Jones (ONI EIC) started talking, and I guess James batted my name around. Chris contacted me and, well, we were off and running.
Launching a book on Free Comic Book Day is a great way to get out to a wider audience. How did you two and Oni decide this was the way to go?
Continued belowSCOTT: I actually had no knowledge of being slotted in on FCBD, I found out about well after the decision had already been made. It was a pretty overwhelming moment. ONI had a great deal of success launching the amazing SIXTH GUN in a similar fashion. I very much hope for some of the same love from comic fans! The STRANGERS is most definitely a comic book readers comic.
SCOTT: A Supernatural SpyFi, set in the swinging ’60s. Lots of far-out paranormal happenings occurring at different times and places throughout the world, and our STRANGERS are the only ones to turn to. It’s really a cocktail of the AVENGERS, DOOM PATROL and the 66 BATMAN. We are sticking to a two-issue format for the time being — where issue #2 will resolve #1. #4 will resolve #3, and so on. It’s a great structure developed by Chris, allowing us to build a great number of threats in relatively short-order.
For you as an artist, what works so well for you about working on this project? What makes it a great fit for you?
SCOTT: Anyone who knows me is well aware of my love of 60s pop-culture and television. Specifically Connery Bond’s and the Adam West Batman. This was a real easy fit for me, as most of my recreational time is spent catching up on 60s television. The era is extremely attractive for me, artistically, because of how pure the vision of form was. Fashion, automobiles, interior design, it was a gorgeous era — which is a blast to recreate in the STRANGERS.
