Greg, firstly congratulations on a brilliant first issue of Dark Axis… so can you tell us what has made you decide to enter into the wonderful world of comics with a series of your own? Have you always been a comic book fan?
Thank you, we’re very happy with how the books turned out! I have always been a comics fan. From very early on I was reading and fascinated with the intensity of horror comics, superhero comics and then pretty much everything I could get my hands on. I spent the first part of my life studying to be an artist so the visual is my first language really. I used to draw comics, character designs and all kinds of illustrations for years and have a really strong relationship with painting and art history. Comics and telling stories with pictures has just always been in my blood.
Who introduced you to comics? What have been your faves over the year? Do you have a large collection? Have you read many other Australian comics in the past?
Probably my mate Dan Austin. He introduced a group of us to comics and various fantasy authors and all sorts of cool stuff when we’re teenagers. I have a pretty large collection from some years back and now just collect various titles, really following writers or an artist I like and occasionally, seeking out new books that are doing something different. I used to collect X-Men, Fantastic Four, Thor and I’m very interested in Golden and Silver Age Marvel comics and artists. I’ve read a few Aussie comics over the past few years, however it does feel like there’s a comic creators renaissance happening right now in Australia with a really energetic and passionate bunch of talented individuals producing great work. Exciting times ahead I think.
So tell us a little bit about Dark Axis, what can readers expect?
It’s a classic World War 2 action adventure tale that becomes a balls out monster story. Very much good VS evil but investigating the unknown side of the secret weapons programs that were really running all through WW2. There’s several twists and turns in the plotting which keep it really fun as a piece of storytelling and should surprise the crap out of most readers. Plus the characters are awesome too.
Can you tell us a little about the process of putting together Dark Axis?
I had the idea for the project about 4 years ago and starting working with a screenwriter (Chris Wheeler – who sadly passed away 2 years back) and we developed it as a screenplay and produced some amazing-art work and storyboards. We spent some time on the film version and that was taking forever so we took the material and just decided to create the publishing company Diezel Punk to put the book together to tell the story. We were thinking of creating a publishing company anyway and this was the perfect way to kick it off. We collaborated with Ape Entertainment in the States who were great as partners in the project and we’ve had some terrific artists along the way contribute to the project. It’s been a blast really as you actually get your story told. Sometimes making movies can feel like your jumping hoops the whole time just to get your story on the screen – making a comic book is about a year turnaround whereas movies do sometimes take several years to develop the script, find the team, find the right cast, work out the production method and then begin the financing. So the company and this book are really borne out of the urge to get some of these cool stories into the world while we’re still creatively hot on the ideas.
What was it like working with your artist, Xavier Irvine?
Awesome. I saw his work some years back and just exclaimed, “he’s a genius”. I knew then I wanted to do a comic with him and so it was wild to get the opportunity to work together. Nice dude too. Plus he has great metal band called, F*#@ I’m Dead!” which is a must for an artist drawing this kinda material.
Seeing that you are most known for your directional work on Rogue and Wolf Creek do you have any plans of turning Dark Axis into a film?
As mentioned it started its life as a screenplay, so perhaps. I think the movie would be amazing and it’s something I’d definitely love to see as an audience member! It’s up to the readers really, if people love the story we’ll get some fans behind the book and hopefully get that chance.
Do you hope to create more comics in the future?
Absolutely. We’ve got a 5 more stories in the Dark Axis story universe planned – so it’s pretty expansive and takes the lead character on a pretty wild ride. Plus we plan to do 2 new titles each year for the next 4 years. We’re very ambitious, but as always with anything we do it’s about creating something that’s really special. Which unfortunately does take lots of time. There’s an amazing Sci-Fi book we’re working on, some Action /Adventure titles and a few Horror titles (of course).
So the big question we ask all comic book fans… are you a DC fan or a Marvel fan?
To be honest, I do find I’ve always collected more Marvel books over the years. However Batman and Superman are hard to beat so I do have a number of the great series of each. David Mazzuccelli did an amazing Batman run and I’m fond of John Brynes’ Superman years. Right now I find myself looking at more Image, Dark Horse and IDW material. Lots of Independent stuff coming out now also. Plus the amazing Gestalt Publishing from Western Australia – beautiful work coming out of there right now.
If you could direct a film based on any comic/series/or hero which one would you want to do?
I have a few, just off the top of my head and late at night – I’d do BLACK PANTHER (with Will Smith), Marvel’s ALPHA FLIGHT and remake the shitty PHANTOM movie and make a kick ass picture out of the “Ghost who walks”. Plus I’d probably re-boot the FANTASTIC FOUR movie series, as it sucks terribly and the comic is one of the greatest comics ever created (IMHO). An origin movie of THE SILVER SURFER could be fun too…but this is all after I do Dark Axis – the movie – of course!
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about Dark Axis?
Nothing other than I hope they enjoy the book, appreciate the wonderful art and story and support Australian comic creators by buying our work! There’s great things afoot downunder so take a moment to check out this exciting and extremely vibrant creative world!