Review Fix Exclusive: Niall O’Rourke Talks ‘The Crying Boy’ And More

Review Fix chats with comic book writer Niall O’Rourke, who discusses his new comic, “The Crying Boy,” which is currently on Kickstarter.

About The Crying Boy:

If you’re a fan of classic Horror films like The Exorcist or The Conjuring then prepare yourself for… The Crying Boy! This modern-gothic, supernatural horror story set in Queens, NY, follows Nadia, a young widow and her son Samir as they move out of  Brooklyn following the brutal murder of her husband. Relocating to an apartment in Forest Hills, Queens, they find an old painting of a sad, young boy presumably left by the previous tenants. Samir is drawn to the painting but it is far from a depiction of innocence— it is the vessel of an ancient evil… a demon. All who fall under the painting’s spell suffer torment as the demon tries to enter the physical realm by possessing Samir. Will Nadia be able to overcome her fear and depression and save Samir? Find out in The Crying Boy!

About: Niall O’Rourke:

Niall O’Rourke is originally from the Northside of Dublin and has been based in Queens, NY for the past 22 years. With a lifelong dream of breaking into the comic book industry, he has now embarked on the creator-owned path with this Kickstarter campaign. Along with Rob Moran, a Scotland-based professional illustrator who has worked for Marvel/2000ad/Dark Horse/Image Comics, they are realizing this nightmare of a supernatural horror story, The Crying Boy.

Find out more Here

Review Fix: How did you know a career in comics was for you?

Niall O’Rourke: A career in comics was something I wanted as far back as high school. Growing up in DUBLIN and reading comics, I would dream of working in the MARVEL bullpen in New York City. As a teen, I even jumped on a plane to visit MARVEL UK with a cheap cardboard portfolio full of horrendous samples hoping to get a gig. Instead I nearly got mugged in LONDON and headed back literally to the drawing board. It wasn’t going to be easy and, after multiple rejection letters, I decided I’d make it happen myself by creating my own characters and writing my own stories .

Review Fix: Who inspires you creatively?

O’Rourke: 2000 AD, the UK based sci-fi comic, was a huge inspiration growing up. Characters such as Judge Dredd, particularly John Wagner’s dystopian, anti-establishment version, hit me deeply as a teen. 200 AD launched so many game changers’ careers, and I rate Alan Moore, Grant Morrison and artists Brian Bolland, Steve Dillon, Simon Bisley, Jock among my favorites to this day.

Review Fix: What inspired this comic?

O’Rourke: Creepy art! More specifically the creepy painting that sits in the corner of my dining room. My wife found of a discarded painting of a little  girl that I refuse to hang up because it is the stuff of nightmares. This story is also inspired by certain events that took place in our apartment in Queens, namely, there was a massive fire that no one bothered to mention when we signed the lease. I’ve used our apartment as the apartment in the story to make the world of the comic as realistic as possible.

Review Fix: How is it different or special?

O’Rourke: What makes this story different from the others is 1) the collaboration with brilliant Scottish artist Rob Moran, plain and simple. He’s producing the best artwork of his career and taking this story to the next level. His images are incredibly atmospheric and cinematic; and 2) the grounded naturalism of the storytelling. 

Review Fix: How is your Kickstarter different?

O’Rourke: The response to the Kickstarter campaign was phenomenal! Funded in 7 Days. The sense of goodwill and encouragement from friends and family is what made the campaign a success and I can’t wait to get started.

Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?

O’Rourke: Horror fans, comic art fans, and anyone else who loves a serious, dark, and creepy movie with both suspense and jump scares—we have all that and more.

Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?

O’Rourke: I want THE CRYING BOY to launch a series of similarly twisted tales. The painting has been around for centuries and bore witness to many atrocities—it houses a demon with many stories to tell.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

O’Rourke: Here’s a creepy coincidence to ponder: I received a pledge from a really nice lady I’ve known for years who happens to be a psychic. Seconds after her donation, I received a text from her saying that she changed her contribution to a higher amount so that she could receive the reward that gets her drawn into the issue as a background character. Miraculously, she named and described the role of this character that appears at the end of issue 1. I swear I’ve told no one about this. The script exists solely on my computer. The book is haunted.

Review Fix: What’s next?

O’Rourke: We’ve had interest from a possible publisher based on our 6 page preview, and we hope the exposure will lead to more issues of THE CRYING BOY. I also have a Frankenstein-based story gestating and hopefully, I’ll have a draft ready for next year.

Review Fix: Where can people find out more?

O’Rourke: People can follow me on Twitter @NYCDUB13 or Instagram @nycdub to keep up to date on the progress and release of the first issue.