Review Fix chats with comic book writer Connor McCreery, who discusses the new Adventure Time/The Regular Show Comic Book series and why it’s a must-read for hardcore and new fans alike.
Review Fix: How did this project come to be?
Connor McCreery: I’ve known Shannon Watters at BOOM! for awhile and we had been talking for awhile about a project we could work together. One day she emailed me and asked what I thought about Cartoon Network, did I like their shows? The answer, of course, was YE-AAH! And so I got the opportunity to pitch on Adventure Time and Regular Show, and I’m so grateful that they thought might idea was strong enough to do!
Review Fix: The sense of humor between these two properties is a bit different. How did you make it work?
McCreery: I’m working on this book with Whitney Leopard and Alex Galer and they are fantastic editors, they’ve really helped me make sure I’m nailing the different types of humour. At first the Regular Show stuff came easiest, it’s a bit of an “edgier” aesthetic, but with Alex and Whit’s help we figured out the tone pretty quickly. Overall, the book skews a bit safer with the humour as the comic can be more easily picked up by all ages, so some of the name-calling and the like is toned down.
But I love it! I started my career pitching an animated show which got picked up, but never made, so this is a return to my roots.
Review Fix: Why will hardcore fans dig this comic?
McCreery: I think hardcore fans will like this book for a couple of reasons 1) there are a lot of Easter Eggs in the issues, if you love either AT or RS, you will definitely find references to ome of your favourite episodes, but I think the OTHER reason they’ll love it is sort of paradoxical, in that there is so much that is BRAND NEW for all these characters. It’s, at times, literally, a totally new world for EVERYONE. Plus I think the villain is way-cool….
Review Fix: Why should someone who’s never experienced either check it out?
McCreery: I think it’s a great way for someone who has always WANTED to get into one or both of these shows, to get a sense of why they are so popular. I know I’m not JQ or Pendleton by any stretch, but I think our team, including the amazing Mattia Di Meo (Pencils and inks), and Joana Lafuente (colours), have done a great job of putting together a fun, fast-paced adventure that will be easy for anyone to follow and enjoy. You may not get all the nuances, but the core of what makes all these characters SO FUN is there (I hope.)
Review Fix: You’ve done so many cool things in comics. Where does this project stand for you in terms of goals?
McCreery: This was something I never knew I wanted to do. I mentioned that I had started my career doing things pitched more for younger audiences, and then Kill Shakespeare happened (my creator owned series with Anthony Del Col at IDW), and Assassin’s Creed, and all these other “older” books, and I think I forgot how much I loved the silly, anything is possible, feel of all ages books.
So much so that I’m hoping my NEXT project out will be an all-ages book I’m doing with Megan Kearney for Papercutz called Catacombers.
Review Fix: Was there any pressure on this project considering how beloved these properties are?
McCreery: For sure. But you can’t think about it when you’re plotting or writing, beyond making sure you have a sense of what you feel the fans will enjoy. If you get caught up TOO much in fan-service it won’t help your story. You have to trust in your skills as a writer will build a tale that the fans will gravitate too. And hey, at the end of the day, SOMEONE is ALWAYS going to wish you’d done something different – and that’s ok. That’s a fan’s right.
Review Fix: What’s next?
McCreery: Well I mentioned Catacombers. We’re about 60 pages into that one. I’m also finishing off the 5th book of Kill Shakespeare. It’s a flashback that focuses on one of the most popular characters in the series, Juliet Capulet and sort of fills in a big part of the gap on how she went from the character people know (tragic lover), to the one you meet in the first four books (a confident leader of a rebellion.). I’m really proud of it. Corin Howell (Transformers, Ghostbusters) stepped in on the book, and she rocked the house.
And then there are a couple of other things that I can’t talk about yet.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
McCreery: Go grab Adventure Time-Regular Show #1 and let me know what you think on Twitter @KillShakespeare, @ConorMcCreery or on my or the Kill Shakespeare FB page. I LOVE hearing from fans!
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