Review Fix Exclusive: Bryan JL Glass Talks ‘FURIOUS’

Review Fix chats with “Furious” writer Bryan JL Glass who discusses the inspiration and goals for his cool new Dark Horse comic book series. A veteran of Marvel, DC and Image Comics as well, Glass also discusses his other series “Mice Templar” and his working relationship with artist Victor Santos.

Review Fix: How did the inspiration for this comic come about?

Bryan JL Glass: The very first conceptual spark for the story that became FURIOUS was Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli’s 1986 comic arc Daredevil: Born Again. I was fascinated by their storytelling approach of dismantling a character you thought you knew, revealing an angry desperation beneath the surface, and how instead of breaking the character he was ultimately reduced to his primal core (this was over 25 years ago, so no spoiler complaints). I wanted to apply that same approach to another, the least likely character anybody would ever expect to have this dark underbelly.

Review Fix: The industry continues to grow everyday thanks to untraditional characters that stretch and mold what the comic medium represents. How do you think your series attracts new readers?

Glass: We haven’t set out with the mission statement of attracting new readers. We have a fairly unique story to tell, and if in the telling we can sustain an existing comic reading audience, then they will be the ones that use FURIOUS as an entry point for readers unfamiliar, or with pre-judged biases against what they think comics are.

We’re not looking to appeal to everyone, but remain confident our superheroine will find her audience.

Review Fix: What do you think is the comic’s most redeeming quality?

Glass: I think it resonates with the human condition. Many of us feel inside the same as Furious does: bitter, angry, resentful…and yet driven by guilt within, even though enraged by accusers without. How she deals with her rage is the journey worth following. It may be through an expression of super-powers, but everything she experiences has its counterpart in something that should connect with the audience.

Review Fix: What did you learn from the creation of this comic and how will it affect your career moving forward?

Glass: I believe every new project is another chance to refine my craft, and discover a new voice and/or approach to storytelling. FURIOUS has given me a chance to explore a more intimate story. The landscape is extremely internal, as opposed to the sprawling fantasy epic that is Mice Templar. I’ve also had a longstanding fear of producing first issues. They are the necessary first impression, and they terrify me. I’m always looking ahead at the larger picture, the endgame of my tales, and I absolutely love the journey of getting there. But that first toe dipped in the water is always icy cold to my heart. At the time of this interview, a lot of reviewers out there think we did a terrific job of setting up our heroine and our world, while a few didn’t find our issue #1 to their liking. All I can say is this has been one of those rare experiences where I felt every issue scripted was superior to the issues that preceded it. It got so crazy by issue #4 that I wanted to go back to issue #1 and redo a bunch of things, only that wasn’t possible any longer. There comes a time when you just have to let go and your baby walk on her own…see if she falls on her butt or takes those first tentative steps toward independence. Thus far, I’m really pleased. Even more so because I know what’s coming.

Review Fix: What was it like working with Victor Santos again?

Glass: We’re still hip deep together in Mice Templar, and Victor still has ten issues to go. We’re swapping out alternating issues of Templar with FURIOUS, as Victor brings in the last pages of issue #5. As soon as this miniseries is wrapped, Victor wants to go into a bit of seclusion and complete Mice Templar Legend in one long marathon session.

But working with Victor is always a pleasure. He has such a unique approach to his narrative style. With FURIOUS he’s added colorist to his plate, and I’m just in awe of what he’s accomplishing at every stage of the process.

Again, I understand his style won’t be to everyone’s preference. When I last approached FURIOUS for development, I was consumed with getting an artistic partner known for uber-realism. I felt my “real world” tale needed that approach. I agreed to pursue Victor after a hefty dose of soul searching, and now I can’t imagine anybody else telling her story!

Review Fix: How was the process different from the other work you guys have done together?

Glass: From the very beginning of the design phase, I gave Victor Carte Blanche to make this project his own. He intentionally wanted to pursue a unique style that would make the book stand apart from every other superhero book on the shelves. I’m also trusting Dark Horse Comics editor Jim Gibbons to be the more experienced set of eyes. On Mice Templar I serve as art director and traffic manager, in addition to writing, so it’s a relief to surrender so much of that management to his expertise.

Review Fix: How do you want the series to ultimately be remembered?

Glass: When all is said and done, I want this to be a story that resonated with its audience. I want them to have seen a lot of themselves in Furious’ journey, and perhaps even taking some inspiration or simply plain hope from how this train wreck takes back control of her life little by little, step-by-step, piece-by-piece. And it’s going to get much uglier long before it gets any better.

Review Fix: Without giving anything away, what should fans expect from the series moving forward?

Glass: In addition to telling the personal story of the superheroine called Furious, we’ll also be exploring the rise and fall of her true identity. Hers is an amalgam of stories we’ve all heard on the news for as long as we’ve each been alive. It’s a lesson that’s never learned, and we watch the cycle repeat again and again.

In addition, we’re building a world slowly but surely. The universe of FURIOUS may look like its ripped from our social media and reality TV, but the appearance of the world’s first superhero will be followed by more…and it won’t be pretty.