There comes the time where, as a contributor for Multiversity, some times my fan side comes out. I try to be objective most of the time and cover everything fairly, but as our motto states we’re fans of the medium first and foremost. As such, I want to preface this interview by saying that I am a fan of Curt Pires.
Ever since “Theremin” #4, I have avidly consumed anything Pires has written. Pires’ next project is “The Tomorrows”, a science fiction dystopia series published by Dark Horse comics in which a group called The Tomorrows fight against a corrupt corporate government. Each issue of “The Tomorrows” is illustrated by a different artist, with the first issue drawn by Pire’s “POP!” collaborator, Jason Copland.
I talked with Curt about what we can expect from “The Tomorrows” #1 when it drops this Wednesday, July 8.
The world of “The Tomorrows” is one where art is banned, the public is voiceless and the government is run like a corporation. Would it be fair to say that this book is something of a continuation of the themes you and Jason Copland explored in “POP”?
Curt Pires: Definitely. There’s a definite carry over of themes from POP to The Tomorrows. It’s just a fundamentally larger and more ambitious and ultimately deeper exploration of these ideas. We’re treading in the same water, but we’re diving deeper than ever.
“The Tomorrows” is a comic where each issue is drawn by a different artist. What is that like to organise as a writer? Do you tailor your writing for each artist?
CP: It’s a lot of fun. I really just thought about who I wanted to work with, what artists work I loved, and went from there. Each issue serves as a new chapter in the story, moving the narrative forward, but also as a showcase, a love letter to the individual artist’s styles.
With a different visual artist on each issue, is there a connective tissue in the creation of each issue besides yourself? For instance, does each artist work with a different colourist or does the book have the one colourist?
CP: The whole story is anchored by the colours of our brilliant colourist Adam Metcalfe. Alongside designer Dylan Todd and letterer Colin Bell they form a sort of framework, a stability, which we operate within.
The Tomorrows as a group seem to be focused on fighting back at a corrupt government. Would you say that The Tomorrows reflect an anger against the corrupt systems that exist today?
CP: Yeah. That’s a fair assessment. I mean a lot of the problems/people we see THE TOMORROWS facing off with/rebelling against are just accelerated/exaggerated takes on the very real counterparts that exist in present day. So in that regard, it’s sort of a frustration, and anger against corrupt systems transposed into the future.
“The Tomorrows” has been described as a dystopia with comparisons to Orwell being thrown around. With films like Mad Max: Fury Road being one of the most talked about films of the year and dystopias being so prevalent in fiction these days, what do you think fascinates us so much about this idea of a dystopian future?
CP: I think it’s likely some sort of collective death wish that exists on the mass conscious level. A freudian death drive applied to a cataclysmic scale. The darkness, the bleakness it can be intoxicating—I think a lot of people get turned on by the idea of dystopia. A place where everything is shit—everything is dirty. It’s like an incubator for the filth that lives in all of us.
The world of creator own comics has seen, I think, something of a resurgence in counter culture, zine-inspired books like your own as of late. Why do you think that is? Do you think there’s more demand for books like these, that buck the trend, nowadays?
CP: Honestly, I think that people got tired of boring vanilla content. People want stories that mean something, people that are trying to say something. I think the trend is bullshit. Trends are bullshit. I wish more people would just confidently make what they want to make instead of seeking some weird sort of mass approval.
Continued belowWith books like “The Tomorrows” and “POP”, we’ve seen you examine elements you see as problems in our society. Is there anything you think of as inherently good in the world? Is there a brighter future out there for us?
CP: Hah, there’s lots that I think is good in the world. I mean if we pull our heads out of our asses and try and evaluate things, the sheer fact that any of us are alive is fucking amazing. I’m genuinely grateful to exist, which may seem weird to say, but if you change even the slightest, smallest thing in a very complex sequence of events you wind up with a universe without me in it. I’m grateful to be able to walk through the park, and feel the wind blow, and the sunshine, and the vague melancholic feeling it can sometimes stir up in me. I’m grateful for the different tastes and smells that genuinely blow me away on a daily basis. I’m grateful for a lot of things. There’s a lot of fucking bullshit in the world, but it’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“The Tomorrows” #1 is created by Curt Pires, Jason Copland, Adam Metcalfe, Colin Bell and Dylan Todd and will be released this Wednesday, July 8. Be sure to check out this preview for this issue and to pick it up if you’re interested!
