“ZooHunters” is a book that deserves more attention, which is why it takes center stage in the second half of Aspen’s Small Press Spotlight. As a concept, it was under development for close to six years before being released, and the effort and dedication to it is immediately apparent to any reader. This series is also Peter Steigerwald’s debut at writing a full-length series, which makes the work even more impressive.
The idea for “ZooHunters” first came to Steigerwald in late 2008/early 2009. Aspen announced the book at SDCC ’09, but it was still in a formative stage. Then he put the book on hold for two a half years while he did work for other companies. During that time, he was still making sketches and refining the script, plot, and characters when he had a spare moment. A four-page preview appeared in Aspen’s 2013 FCBD offering, followed by a ten-page prologue in the 2014 edition. Serious work on the book finally began last July, followed by the first issue in November.
The premise for “ZooHunters” is exactly what it says on the tin: hunters hired to bring back specimens for zoos. Sound plain? Well, these are zoo hunters…IN SPACE! Sound better? Based on this, you might think it would be an exciting, fast-paced adventure (I did.) This is where Steigerwald throws you a curve ball: “ZooHunters” is actually a very intimate story about a boy coming of age with his loving-but-distant father. The young Ty has spent most of his life living with his mom while his father, Abros, was out earning money for them. When she dies, Ty finds himself learning the family trade with a man he doesn’t know very well at all.
Through Ty’s eyes, you’re introduced to the whole universe in a deep, thoughtful way. Instead of just focusing on exotic animals, the narrative places heavy emphasis on the cultural meaning these animals have to the local populations. This interplay is something Steigerwald has been fascinated by since he was young. He has always been an animal lover, and even practiced drawing them as a child. His mother would take him to the zoo regularly, and it was on one of these trips he was struck by the contradiction inherent to them – using a cage to educate people about wildlife. These thoughts, as well as wondering how much animals understand about the world at large, have found their way into the story of “ZooHunters”.
For all the world building Stiegerwald does in his first couple issues, he manages to do it without once having a character sound like a talking encyclopedia. Even when a page is filled with exposition, it’s all delivered through the filter of characterization. Hearing Abros talk about how to talk and act around a race they’re about to meet says as much about the race as it does Abros. Although word balloons sometimes crowd a panel, you can easily tell Stiegerwald is holding himself back. He clearly knows more about these characters and worlds than he tells you, and that provides the story with a depth and grandeur that will stick in your mind long after you put it down.
As mentioned above, this is Stiegerwald’s first time writing a full-length series. As such, he’s still working on his creative process. For the first issue, he wrote out a full script before he started the art duties, but found himself changing it several times as he made his way through the pencils. From that experience, he learned a lot about how much he could fit into one panel or sequence. On the second issue, he skipped the full script and saved himself several re-writes. He plans to work with a tight outline based around key scenes to maintain the fluidity of creation as the series moves forward.
That fluidity is a trait common to books written and drawn by one person (see also: “Rachel Rising”, “MIND MGMT”, “Planetoid”), and it’s on full display here. Some panels and pages are full of word balloons and text to move the story along, but they’re intercut with beat panels that make all the difference. Sometimes they help to build the tension in a scene by showing the awkwardly long silences that pass between Abros and Ty. Other times, like this one, they hammer home the emotion of the scene.
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In any comic, art has a few basic duties. It needs to be decipherable. Characters need to be distinguishable. The panels need to be arranged in a coherent (if not regular) order. In a comic like “ZooHunters”, where travel is a key plot element, art also has to convey the new setting. Stiegerwald accomplishes this on three fronts: variable color palettes, detailed exterior shots, and local dress. The first is a common trick. The second is used to great effect through the inclusion of various alien fauna. The last one is used with impressive skill. Aside from just being alien, some of the characters have clothing that’s clearly been carefully considered for comfort, function, and style.
“ZooHunters” is currently midway through its first volume. If your local comic shop doesn’t have a copy on hand, they should still be able to order it for you through Diamond. If for some reason that won’t work for you, the Aspen Website offers both physical and digital copies. It’s also available through Comixology, including a free preview. Whichever works best for you, make the effort to check it out. “ZooHunters” deserves your attention.
