Writer Joel Meadows and artist Andy Bennett reinvent Holmes.
We talk to Joel Meadows, Editor-in-chief of Tripwire, about his first comic, Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders: The Gene Genie Volume One, which is available to back now on Zoop!
THE COMIC CRUSH: So, Joel, you must be excited! Is this your first graphic novel?
JOEL: Yes it is. We debuted the three shorts to test the waters in the print magazines and reception was so positive that we thought now was the time to debut a full-length story, which will appear in two parts. And yes I am excited although I am also a little bit nervous too as it is the first full-length comic project with my name on it. Probably actually terrified if I am honest.
Why Sherlock Holmes?
I have loved the character on the big screen and the small screen since I was a kid and around 2000 I came up with this concept which takes Holmes and places him in a context with real historical characters like Oswald Mosley. It also has a heavy steampunk element which I hope fits in well with the story.
Why do you think people still love Holmes?
Doyle created such a wonderfully rich and inventive character that he still connects with readers even many years after his debut. Also, Holmes is such an iconic and versatile figure that he fits a variety of different settings and locations.
Holmes is a character whose fan-fictions far outweigh the works written about him by his actual creator. Is that a daunting prospect for you?
Yes, it is rather daunting to step into Doyle’s shoes. But the story isn’t so much a detective tale as it is a broad sci-fi adventure so that takes some of the pressure off. Also, my co-creator here Andy Bennett is an artist with such range and versatility that he is able to bring the world I originally laid out with such style and pizazz that I know it will go down well with readers.
So, tell us, what is Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders about?
Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders is an epic two-part alternate world sci-fi adventure featuring The World’s Greatest Detective as people have never seen him before. When Watson leaves Holmes to help Crick unravel the DNA helix and finds himself in the employ of England’s most evil man, Holmes is forced to team up with an unlikely group to defeat this monstrous figure and restore England to its status quo.
What were the inspirations for the story?
The Empire Builders was influenced by work from the likes of Michael Moorcock and Bryan Talbot. I have also thought about elements of it from a cinematic approach and so, in a way, cinema has influenced this.
Any particular films we should look at?
Well, films like Young Sherlock Holmes by Barry Levinson and The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes by Billy Wilder. Also, the comic is influenced by DC’s Vertigo imprint, titles like The Invisibles, and also Moore and Campbell’s From Hell too. I tried to create the kind of story that if I wasn’t writing it, I would like to read.
How did you meet Andy Bennett, the artist on the book?
I can’t remember exactly but the original artist fell through and someone suggested that he would be a good choice for the series. He has more than exceeded my expectations.
What about his style appealed to you?
Even though Andy is an American artist, he does have British sensibilities so this is part of what made him perfect. He is also very good at dealing with my sometimes annoying very specific visual requests in the script.
What's been the most pleasing thing about the experience so far?
Seeing Andy Bennett get me pages from my scripts has been really amazing. Also seeing the covers and pin-ups for the hardcover from the likes of Walter Simonson and Mark Chiarello sometimes feels a little unreal. The whole process has been fairly incredible so far.
Was it a difficult script to write? Did you break it down into issues or was it done as one book, straight through?
I write DC style but the full-length story includes the three shorts weaved into it so I have been writing the script as a single document. It has been a little challenging but thanks to the feedback from editor Jeff Mariotte, who I have brought on board as another pair of eyes, the script continues to evolve even now.
Were there many changes between the original idea and the final script? Anything you were sorry to lose?
It has been twenty years in the making so it has evolved a little. I have introduced a few new characters since it was first created but mostly it has remained fairly close to what I envisioned when we first started this.
You've done many successful crowdfunding campaigns before. Which platform are you using this time around and why?
We are using Zoop because it is a purely comics platform and we doubled our target last time on there. Also because it is a smaller platform than somewhere like Kickstarter, we are able to get more personal attention from the people who run it.
What do you have on offer for backers?
Our Backers can get limited tipped in signed plate editions by Mark Chiarello and Walter Simonson of the hardcovers as well as add-on prints by them and also add-ons by Liam Sharp/ Bill Sienkiewicz, Shawn Martinbrough and now Barry Kitson as well. Once we hit our target which we are $90 away from after eight days or so there will be stretch goals and new add-ons like commissioned headshots and a few other things too. People can also grab original art from the series, although I know 5 of the 10 pages have already been snapped up!
Which of the rewards are you most excited for people to know about?
The signed limited plate editions and the limited prints by people like Simonson and Chiarello are particularly cool.
The covers on the book look great! Can you give us a rundown of the artists involved?
We have two different covers: one by Walt Simonson and one by Mark Chiarello. Both bring such class and gravitas to our project that I feel very lucky that both said that they would do it.
What about Tripwire? Do you have more magazines on the horizon?
Tripwire is now a print quarterly, as well as a website, so the next magazine is out at the end of August or the beginning of September followed by another issue at the end of November or the beginning of December. We’re really ramping up our publishing and looking at getting it into Smiths soon too.
Sounds like exciting times for you, Joel! Do you think you'll co-create another comic after this?
I need to finish the script for both parts of the Empire Builders first! We shall have to see what happens after that. But I am only thinking about getting Holmes completed at the moment.
Best of luck to you, Joel! Thanks for talking to us.
Thank you!
You can back Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders: The Gene Genie Volume One on Zoop now!