Some people might say the first true comic books were the daily horoscopes, the daily helpful guides to life based on your astrological chart and zodiac sign. Other people might say that is not true at all and a terrible transition into a new zodiac-inspired, twelve-issue Vault Comic, “Engineward.” Written by George Mann, illustrated by Joe Eisma, colored by Michael Garland, lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and designed by Tim Daniel, the series explores “god-like Celestials, who embody the surviving zodiac signs.” “When Joss, an Engineward, discovers and reactivates the head of a fossilized Ghoulem, she learns all is not as intended. Her destiny—and the truth about her imperious rulers—lies somewhere far beyond the borders of her shantytown.”
To learn more about this new series we were able to speak to creators, George Mann and Joe Eisma. The team discussed creator owned work, teaming with Vault, sci-fi story telling, the importance of the zodiac and more. You can find our interview with George and Joe below and we would like to thank them for taking the time to answer our questions and discuss the series. Be sure to look for “Engineward” in shops and online this Wednesday, July 15th.
For you George it sounds like this idea has been coming together for a while, what was the initial idea that sparked your interest? How has the story grown or evolved one you teamed up with Joe?
George Mann: Yeah, this is a story that’s been bubbling away in the back of my mind for over ten years, at least in some form. The central idea of a book set on a frontier-like colony world, where society had split between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’—really digging into issues of social inequality—was where it started, but it always seemed to be missing something. An original spin. A way in to the characters. It was only after talking to Adrian about another pitch that he’d liked, and working on a few other books that delved deep into mythology and folklore, that I realized *that* was what was missing here. That’s when the idea for the culture based on the zodiac came from, and the notion that, for these people, Earth has become a distant myth. And that’s when it all started to come together into the story you’re seeing today. That’s often the way with these things, in my experience—the kernel of an idea is sitting there, waiting for another idea to come along and serve as a catalyst, transforming it into the story it’s supposed to be.
Adrian bringing in Joe was a masterstroke, and it served as another catalyst, really, as Joe brought his own very unique approach to how he realized these characters and their world. It’s definitely changed the way I write for them, as I’m constantly thinking about what Joe might do with the pages, but more than that, he’s brought the characters to life. The way they look, and the world they live in, has impacted on their personalities, their dialogue, and their story arcs through the series. It’s very much an act of co-creation, and is all the better for it!
For both of you this is your first creator own comic book in a while. What’s the difference for you as creators working on your own projects? Joe especially it seems like its been a while, why was “Engineward” the book to come back to creator owned work?
GM: I love writing comics. Period. So getting to write for characters from “Doctor Who,” “Star Wars” and the like is and continuous to be a massive honour and a real joy. I wouldn’t give it up for anything! But there’s something incredibly fulfilling about creating something new, shaping a world and the characters that inhabit it, and telling their story in exactly the way you want to tell it. So for me it’s about the freedom that a creator-owned comic brings. But that can also be a bit daunting, too, as there’s nowhere to hide! It’s all on us. There’s no nostalgia or existing love for these characters that will encourage people to pick up the book. Even with my last creator-owned, Newbury & Hobbes, it was based on an existing series of novels I’ve been writing for a decade, so there was a bit of a crutch to lean on. Every time I sit down to work on “Engineward,” though, I get a real thrill.
Continued belowJoe Eisma: Yes, this is my first creator owned book since the launch of “Morning Glories.” For me, since my break-in to comics came through creator owned, I wanted to branch out for a few years into work for hire and work on properties I’d been a longtime fan of. I’d tried a couple of other creator owned pitches here and there, but nothing really panned out. When I first read George’s pitch for “Engineward,” it gave me that same electric feeling as the first time I read the pitch to “Morning Glories.” It’s hard to quantify exactly, but there was something enticing about this world George envisioned that just got my imagination rolling.
The series has been solicited as a 12 issue run. Was this the goal from the beginning? I know it is early as well but will it be a complete story and/or leave room for more down the road?
GM: It’s always been the goal to tell a complete story in 12 issues, one for each month/symbol of the zodiac. So the book will end. Does that mean we can’t tell more stories set on that world or in that universe? Not at all—although I’d have to feel that there’s something more to say. A story that wasn’t treading the same ground. At the moment we’re just very focused on making sure “Engineward” is the very best it can be.
Vault Comics has been doing a great job putting out different and unique stories. How did you guys end up at Vault for the series?
GM: I’d been talking to the guys at Vault for a while about working with them on a comic project. I knew from reading their early titles that they were very much a publisher I wanted to work with—their ethos, the types of story I love, the overall tone and quality of their books attracted to them straight away. Adrian seemed to like my work, so it really came down to hitting on the right idea. As I mentioned above, I ran a few ideas past Adrian and we talked them over. During the course of one of those conversations I started to realise that the idea that eventually became “Engineward” could fit the bill, and the team at Vault were immediately enthusiastic. They’ve been a real pleasure to work with. I knew Joe’s incredible work on “Morning Glories,” of course, but didn’t know him personally, but when it came down to discussing the art approach for the book, Adrian suggested Joe and it was an immediately clear he was *perfect* for it. I feel very lucky that he liked the idea and wanted to come onboard, and now, looking back at the first few issues, it’s clear how much he’s helped shape the project since coming onboard.
JE: Vault had been on my radar for awhile. I’ve known designer Tim Daniel for a long time, and he kept posting about this new comic company he was working with, and I was really blown away by the caliber of their comic lineup. I knew they were a publisher I wanted to do business with.
Any post earth story has its built in lore. How have you approached building the lore behind the series? Does that bleed over into how Joe is visually building the world as well?
GM: Mythology and folklore is one of my permanent obsessions. I’ve recently written a couple of “Star Wars” books delving into the mythology of that universe, as well as a supernatural mystery series, “Wychwood,” in which I was crafting fictional myths and legends and exploring their impact on the present day storylines. So it seemed natural to me to really dig into the mythology of these people on their colony world, Hellen. I started by asking what they would remember of Earth after thousands of years had passed. If we look back now at the mythology of the Ancient Greeks or Ancient Egyptians, we tend to be talking about gods and epic wars, or incredible feats and supernatural wonders. So I wanted to treat Earth in the same way. There’s also a met story at work in the comic, examining how stories change over time, how, in the telling, they become something different and new. That’s really where the narration element comes in.
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In terms of Joe’s art—he takes these ideas and really runs with them. The trick to creating a fictional mythology like this is showing how it impacts on people’s lives, making it feel real in the context of the story. Joe’s art nails that every time.
JE: I will say that George has been a fantastic resource for world building, giving me lots of reference, but also a lot of creative freedom to add my spin to this universe. When I first read the pitch, I knew just how I wanted things to look. We’re putting our own spin on some familiar concepts.
Do you anticipate every interviewer will ask you two your sign?
GM: Heh! I think you’re the first, but it should be a trend. I’m Cancer.
JE: I would hope they would! I’m a Gemini.
To follow up that lame questions, will our understanding of the zodiac and signs play into the world as maybe an entry point for readers?
GM: I think so, yes. The whole society of Hellen is based on the character’s understanding of the zodiac, in that it’s entwined with their understanding of Earth. They no longer know that the signs were specific constellations that could be seen from Earth, but they do know that they’re somehow ‘celestial’ in nature (thus the Celestials), and that permeates every aspect of their lives. As readers we know more than the characters about the truth of their history, so hopefully that’ll help anyone picking up the comic to be able to use that as an entry point to help them understand the context of this colony world.
JE: Great question! Science fiction is one of my favorite genres, and one that I’ve always wanted to draw. I’ve dabbled in that area a few times, but never from the ground up like with “Engineward.” It’s freeing to draw something different than what people have seen from me, and it absolutely leads to experimentation in my art. For certain projects, I lean more into the humor and cartoonish nature of my style, and in others, the more straightforward or darker side. The story we’re telling here lets me strike a balance between those, while also allowing me to get creative with creature and costume designs and with alien landscapes.
Readers find their way into this through the journey of Joss? Who is this character and what can readers expect from their story?
GM: Joss is our main protagonist, although she leans heavily on her friends Ichabod, Thrycia and Kreek. She’s the titular ‘engine ward’, a salvager and re-purposer of technology found in the wreckage of a starship scattered across the wastes around the shantytown she lives in. This is the wreck of a previous attempt to colonise the world, and now Joss makes use fo this scavenged tech to build new machines that help improve the lives of the people around her. When Ichabod—who’s the head of one of the scavenger crews who search for this stuff—brings back the head of an ancient AI, Joss reactivates it and discovers that everything on the world is not as it was intended to be. So she sets out to put that right. At its heart, Joss’s story is a quest—a story of becoming—as she blazes a trail of change.
A lot of comics have tackled the subject of gods, what their character/morals might be and how they may interact with their world and lessers. Who are the people that make up the Zodiac? What can readers expect from their role in the story, character and for Joe, visually design?
GM: I don’t want to give too much away, really, but the Celestials are the ruling elite of the colony. There’s twelve of them, one for each sign of the zodiac, and each has modified their physical form to represent the zodiacal character they claim to personify. They have a much higher level of technology than the folk of the shantytown, and they’re worshiped by those people too. But like all good tales of mythology and gods, there is trouble in the heavens…
JE: Apart from George’s descriptions for the Celestials, I spent a lot of time studying the Zodiac–designs associated with them and color schemes. Also, I’m a big JRPG nut, so the design work of Square-Enix’s “Final Fantasy” series was a big influence. It’s intimidating to design characters like these, when there have been so many god-like characters with awesome designs in comics, but I still had fun creating their looks.
Continued belowAlong with you two the series is colored by Michael Garland, lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and designed by Tim Daniel. What has the process been like as a team? What do those three bring to the series only they could?
GM: The process has been an absolute joy, and every single member of the team has brought something incredible to the book. It wouldn’t be what it is without them. Michael’s colours blow me away every time I see a page come in, and Hass’s letters go completely beyond what I was expecting. The way his words interact with the art—it’s a true art form in and of itself. Tim’s design work has brought the whole thing together beautifully. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again—I feel incredibly lucky to be working with such an ‘A Team’.
JE: This is by far one of the most creative and collaborative teams I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve been wanting to work with Michael for a long time–at one point he was in the running to take over colors on “Morning Glories.” It took many years, but finally our paths have aligned and I couldn’t be happier with his work. His color palettes that he uses are exactly what I had in mind when I first started envisioning this book. Hassan’s letters have been fantastic and I’ve never worked with a letterer before who finds ways to incorporate their work into the art the way he does. And as I said before, Tim and I go way back, but this is the first time we’ve worked together so closely. He came up with the overall scheme of the covers, and once I’ve painted in the portraits, I just sketch in a Zodiac-inspired background for him to use as a springboard for his amazing design work.
What do you hope readers take away from their time with “Engineward” when they get their hands on the first issue?
GM: I hope they’re drawn into Joss’s story and the mysteries we’ve been building around her world. I hope they have fun, enjoy the action, laugh at the jokes, find emotion in the way the characters interact and develop, and take time to really revel in the glorious art. Most of all, I hope they enjoy reading the book even half as much as we enjoying making it!
JE: I hope they get a sense of escapism and anticipation about the mysteries of this world George and I have created. We’ve got some fun stuff in store and I think the enthusiasm this whole team has for this story will be evident as this series progresses.
