Hey! Welcome to the first of hopefully many interviews I’ll be conducting with awesome comic book creators.
We’ll be starting off with the insanely talented comic book writer/artist Brian Churilla. Brian’s work includes We Kill Monsters (Red 5), The Engineer (Archaia) The Anchor (BOOM!) and The Avengers & The Infinity Gauntlet (Marvel).
His latest work is The Secret History of D.B. Cooper coming in March from Oni Press. This book will no doubt blow some minds. If you don’t agree with me I’ll find where you live and cut off the heads of everything in the house.
On to the interview!
FRJR: How long have you been making comics?
BC: Professionally? I’ll take a guess and say seven years give or take.
FRJR: In the intro for “The Engineer”, Kurt Busiek said, “Brian Churilla gives good monster.” Were you given free rein on monster designs for your work on “We Kill Monsters” and “The Anchor”?
BC: WKM was all Leone and Wakcom. They had very specific ideas in mind, whereas with The Anchor, Phil more or less let me do what I wanted.
FRJR: Moving on to your current comic work. What was the inspiration for “The Secret History of D.B. Cooper“?
BC: Drugs.
FRJR: Ha! Thanks for your honesty. You recently had another child. Our baby dudes were totally born just a month and some change apart! Has it been difficult getting work done?
BC: Incredibly difficult. I have a three-year-old opponent – er, daughter as well. I watch kiddos during the day, work at night and seldom sleep.
FRJR: How far ahead are you on D.B. Cooper?
BC: Starting issue 5 in a couple weeks.
FRJR: How did the J.H. Williams variant cover for #1 come about?
BC: I’m very friendly with him and his wife. When my editor, James Lucas Jones brought up the idea of doing a variant cover, I immediately thought of Jim.
FRJR: How long would the book go on for if it was up to you?
BC: Not long. Just long enough to get the story finished. I don’t like how every story is open-ended these days. Creators need to know when to kill their babies.
FRJR: One thing I really enjoyed when The Anchor was being published was seeing your recommended listening at the back of each issue. What have you been listening to lately?
BC: A lot of electronic Psychill ambient music. As far as artists go: Russian Circles, Zombi, Grails, Deathspell Omega, Goblin, Converge, Trap Them, All Pigs Must Die, Red Fang, Ennio Morricone or anything Mike Patton…
FRJR: Do you listen to music while working on comics?
BC: Usually electronic ambient music or podcasts. Particularly The Mike O’Meara show.
FRJR: Name one comic you’re really enjoying right now and why people should check it out.
BC: Extinct (reviewed here!). Because it’s awesome.
FRJR: That’s the best answer anyone can give! Thanks for your time, is there anything you want to add?
BC: The Secret History of D. B. Cooper is a high-concept, frenzied explosion of drugs, violence and mayhem. It’s coming out March 14th and is available for preorder now. Diamond code JAN12 1215.
You heard the man! Make sure to order “The Secret History of D.B. Cooper” from your LCS and support awesome creator owned comics.
