Review Fix chats with writer Conor McCreery to find out all about his two newest projects, The Last Witch Volume 2 – Blood and Betrayal and Fela: Music is The Weapon.
A fan favorite thanks to his epic, Kill Shakespeare series, McCreery returns to comics after stepping away. If these two new works are anything like his previous work, readers are in for a massive treat.
Review Fix: Where have you been?!
Conor McCreery: Ha. Coming in hot, right off the bat, huh Hickey?
That’s an excellent question. A bit in limbo I suppose. Book 2 of The Last Witch was actually written back in 2021, and was drawn in 2023-2024, but because of the fallout from COVID and some personal elements, we weren’t able to move forward with BOOM! on it until only a few months ago.
It’s odd because I have ANOTHER book that was written and drawn a couple of years ago that also got delayed. You may remember, Neil Gibson and I put out an issue for a series called TRICKSTER a couple of years ago, but the publisher (Twisted Publishing), ended up having a big couple of years – they’re doing the Black Mirror comics now, and that meant we had to pull back in terms of getting that series out, although it is scheduled for 2026 now.
Beyond that, real life got in the way, and so I ended up having to take a step back from new work for awhile, but I’m back now!
Review Fix: How does it feel to be back?
McCreery: Amazing. It really has been the cliche about not knowing how much you miss something until it’s gone. Having books to promote (I have another one, FELA: Music is the Weapon, coming out with Harper Collins this October), has been revitalizing. Sometimes in this industry you can wonder if you’re making any headway, so to get to talk about your work is a real gift.
So, thank YOU for being interested enough to ask!
Review Fix: Tell me all about The Last Witch Volume 2 – Blood and Betrayal!
McCreery: So TLW 2 (oooh! abbreviations!) picks up right after the first book left off. Without spoiling too much, Book 1 is an all-ages adventure, for those who like their faerie tales a bit intense. Think a bit “Irish The Last Airbender” in that our heroine Saoirse, must learn four elemental magics to defeat a merciless coven of witches that want to destroy the world by releasing a monster from Tir na nOg (the Irish faerie lands).
As far as defeating witches, it’s going well. As far as resisting the corrupting influence of the magic, that’s…. going less well.
Book 2 will follow Saorise as she tracks down the Queen of the witches, and ultimately does battle with her to keep the door to Tir na nOg closed. The second book is also a bit of a “Breaking Bad” story, as Saoirse’s closest allies, her brother Brahm, Grandmother (and ‘Green’ witch), Nan, and the half-faerie Hugh, start to worry that the Saoirse they are fighting beside, might end up becoming a member of the coven herself – maybe even…. The Last Witch.
So basically imagine unedited Grimm’s Fairy Tales, or classic ‘scary’ kids movies like The Secret of N.I.M.H. or The Dark Crystal and you have a good idea what is in store for readers of all ages!
Review Fix: What else makes it special?
McCreery: The art. 100$ The art. V Glass is one of the hidden gems of comicdom. I think I have written a very good story, but V’s art is UNDOUBTEDLY the best part about the book. Flip through any issue of The Last Witch, and you’ll be blown away by their incredible instincts. They combine this incredible Disney-like ability tomake instantly recognizable characters while keeping the designs uncluttered, with the most incredible and baroque environments.
I LOVE world building, and looking at V’s art, you feel that every location in the comic is a real place, a place where you could get out and walk around and explore.
Colourist Natalia Nesterenko perfectly compliments V’s work. I can’t imagine the two of them not working together. The whole thing is bright and vibrant one page, and then atmospheric and scary as heck the next.
So, yeah, it’s the art.
Review Fix: What else are you working on?
McCreery: I touched on two of the projects above – Fela: Is a magical realism take on the legendary Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti. If you’re not familiar with Fela, who gave birth to the genre of music known as Afrobeat, he’s kinda like the Bob Marley of Africa if Marley had released 55+ records, married 27 women in one day, was arrested 200 times and started one country. It’s a true sex, drugs and rock and roll story, but with an activist base – Fela was an outspoken critic of Nigeria’s various military governments, and a fierce proponent of closing the wealth gap, and fighting for the rights of the working class. You don;t have to know anything about Nigeria or his music to enjoythis tale.
TRICKSTER is a horror-comedy that focuses on a master of illusion who helps a rag-tag band fight off monsters that break into our world (while hiding the fact that HE is a ‘monster’ himself). It’s oddly a bit of a cross between The Last Witch and Fela – as it focuses on Irish mythology – Rory, our main character is a VERY well known type of Irish creature – as well as has a distinct ‘f robber baron capitalism’ vibe. It’s quite funny at times, but as anyone who knows my co-writer Neil Gibson’s work (Twisted Dark), it can be quite horrific. It’s the book that will add “ironing the baby” to the lexicon.
And finally, my wife Crystal and I cowrote a story for Scholastic that will come out in late 2026 (we think), called STATUS. It’s loosely based on Crystal’s move from a tiny town in Northern Ontario (some 16 hour drive north of Toronto), to the suburbs of “the T-dot”, and how it completely wrecked her confidence, and forced her to start to do battle with her inner negative voice. It’s an all-ages book, and is being drawn by the husband and wife team Shelli Pantone and Braden Lamb.
Review Fix: How does it feel to be affiliated with Harper Collins?
IMcCreery: t’s really cool. I had never worked with a book publisher before, soI find it very interesting to see how they do things different than comic companies like BOOM! or IDW. Obviously they are a bigger company, so they have a lot of resources to help market the book, which is very exciting.
Jibola and I have been blessed to work with an incredible editorial team featuring Abby West and Makayla Tabron who have helped shepherd the book and make it something truly special.
Review Fix: What’s next?
McCreery: Oh man, that’s what I’m trying to find out, I have a bunch of pitches in front of my agent. I’ve been experimenting a bit with some prose, and Jibola and I have five ideas for books we’d want to do next – so we’re in the process of streamlining the ideas and getting them out there to publishers.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
McCreery: Not much, except, if you are interested in The Last Witch, I highly recommend you read Book 1 first, which any local comic shop or book store can order in for you!
(oh, and thanks for chatting with me :Patrick!)
Review Fix: Where can people find out more?
McCreery: Follow me on X a@conormccreery or Instagram @therealconor
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