Review Fix chats with writer Thom Burgess, who discusses his upcoming comic book/novella, “The Eyrie.” Detailing the creation process and is goals, Burgess lets us know why it’s a special tale.
About ‘The Eyrie:
After accepting a last minute job request from an old client, American photographer, Rebecca finds herself alone in one of the remote parts of Britain’s South Coast. Amidst the mist swept fields and superstitious townsfolk, Rebecca will soon find out that there are worst threats than simply not finishing her job on time….
Following the release of Thom Burgess’s acclaimed debut horror comic ‘Malevolents – Click Click’ which garnered attention from the likes of Dread Central, Rue Morgue Magazine and Bleeding Cool to name a few, The Eyrie is a whole new tale of terror set in the ancient county of Sussex. Including a foreword from renowned English actor, writer and comedian Reece Shearsmith, known for his work with the League of Gentlemen, Psychoville and Inside No.9.
Also including the talents of illustrator Barney Bodoano who’s dark and emotive drawings have set the tone for a truly sinister tale of hauntings and folklore.
Review Fix: How’d you get involved in comics?
Thom Burgess: I’ve long had an interest in comics and graphic dating back to my teens and earlier.
Primarily though much more on the ‘one shots’ rather than the ‘supers’ so I loved titles like the as The Crow and Maus.To me it’s always been such an interesting medium to convey a story, being able to tell a story in such a variety of visual ways. I’d always wanted to use that method to tell a ghost story which I thought would be hugely fun to do.
I’d been working on a large scale supernatural graphic novel project called Ghoster which had been on and off the backburner for years. Several years ago I decided to take a tentative step towards a full graphic novel with launching ‘Malevolents-Click Click’ a one shot supernatural horror comic based on the haunting of Berkeley Square, London.
I loved working on ‘Click Click’ and I was blown away by the incredibly positive feedback. On the back of that experience I was keen to do another and that’s how The Eyrie really came about.
Review Fix: Why Horror?
Burgess: Why not horror? As a genre horror constantly reinvents itself, and the whole concept of delving into ‘what scares us’ within visual media fascinates me. It’s been great to see the art of ‘suspense’ becoming popular again within the genre and hopefully moving away from the ‘body horror’ scene which is really something I’m not a fan of. Anyone can throw in buckets of blood, it takes skill to build some suspence and hit your audience with something really unnerving.
That whole frisson of seeing something which really unsettles you is unlike anything else, simultaneously leaving you both wanting more and at the same time wanting it to be over! It’s the ghost train effect. I’d always wanted to try and emulate that effect in comic form and it’s been a great amount of fun attempting to do so.
Review Fix: How is this comic different from your previous work?
Burgess: Although it’s still a ghost story at heart, The Eyrie is something pretty different from my debut ‘Malevolents – Click Click’ which was a shorter read with an emphasis on the scares as a first comic. This time round the story takes centre stage with a deep anchor in southern English folklore. Because of this, it’s a much slower burn which hopefully will result in a rewarding finale.
Review Fix: What else makes it special?
Burgess: One thing I’ve found with a lot of horror comics is they simply don’t take into account the medium. So the scares are poorly timed, and suspense isn’t built effectively between spreads meaning reveals are often shown before you turn onto a new page. Like Malevolents, I’ve attempted to create a story that fits the medium, so the reveals are paced and Barney’s fantastic haunting imagery emerges out of the darkness of the black panelled pages.
Also I’ve opted to move away from the standard comic print, with a perfect bound spined ‘graphic novella’ which hopefully gives it more of a unique feel as a read. On top of which I was honouredto receive a foreword from the hugely talented actor/writer/comedian Reece Shearsmith who was extremely kind about the book. Illustrator Barney Bodoano’s gothic fine line work also really helped to set the tone and you can almost feel those cold sea mists rolling off some of the panelling.
Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?
Burgess: Ideally as ghost story with a difference, something which even if it doesn’t outright scare the reader, will at least hopefully stick in their memory and leave them feeling unsettled or with a vague sense of unease. To me those types of stories are by far the most effective.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Burgess: I’ve my third horror comic due out for Halloween which is again another supernatural horror story-based around local folklore. This time the story is based in the deep depths of the Kentish countryside so that’s been enjoyable.
On top of which, I’m working extensively with my writing partner, filmmaker Toby Meakins on developing Ghoster. It’s a huge world concept and we’re both very much looking forward to getting the ball rolling officially on that.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Burgess: If anyone would like to potentially check out The Eyrie they’re welcome to do so at www.theeyrie.bigcartel.com or www.facebook.com/theeyrieofficial
Malevolents is https://www.facebook.com/malevolentscomic
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