Bill Morrison has had an eclectic career. I mean the man co-founded Bongo comic with Matt Groening, served as an illustrator for Disney, and even designed the iconic poster for 1986′s House. So it’s rather cool for me to announce that in 2015 Morrison will be launching a creator owned comic at Dark Horse. This book is a complete labour of love that combines Morrison’s passion for horror, with his passion for history.
This unique mix promises something completely unique called “Dead Vengeance.” As described by Dark Horse: It’s 1940 and a phony body on exhibit in a carnival sideshow suddenly springs to life and shambles away. Not so phony after all, he is John Doe, radio commentator and archenemy of Detroit’s notorious Purple Gang. But why did he disappear in 1930, and why did the mayor, the mob, and the cops all want him dead?
Bloody-Disgusting caught up with Bill to talk about his exciting return to horror and squeezed some intriguing details out of him about this amazing new project. So check out Bill talking about the allure of the forties, pulp crime fighters, and why horror is in his veins.
Bill Morrison Gets “Dead Vengeance” with Dark Horse!
By Zac Thompson
Bill Morrison has had an eclectic career. I mean the man co-founded Bongo comic with Matt Groening, served as an illustrator for Disney, and even designed the iconic poster for 1986′s House. So it’s rather cool for me to announce that in 2015 Morrison will be launching a creator owned comic at Dark Horse. This book is a complete labour of love that combines Morrison’s passion for horror, with his passion for history.
This unique mix promises something completely unique called “Dead Vengeance.” As described by Dark Horse: It’s 1940 and a phony body on exhibit in a carnival sideshow suddenly springs to life and shambles away. Not so phony after all, he is John Doe, radio commentator and archenemy of Detroit’s notorious Purple Gang. But why did he disappear in 1930, and why did the mayor, the mob, and the cops all want him dead?
Bloody-Disgusting caught up with Bill to talk about his exciting return to horror and squeezed some intriguing details out of him about this amazing new project. So check out Bill talking about the allure of the forties, pulp crime fighters, and why horror is in his veins.
Bloody-Disgusting: The 1940’s were a vulnerable time, but also a world before modern science and technology, what interests you most about the timeframe and why set your story in it?
Bill Morrison: I think I was born too late because I’ve always been fascinated by the 40’s. I wear 40’s clothes, I own a 1948 Buick, and my favorite Batman is the 1940’s version. I love the way everything looked back then, the fashion, cars, architecture, signage, etc. And I also love the movies, the music, the slang – - basically everything in the popular culture from that time turns me on. Originally I had planned to draw Dead Vengeance myself, and like most artists I wanted to have fun drawing the sort of things that are eye candy to me, so that was one reason.
But I think the main reason I chose this time period for this particular story is because I initially wanted to create a new twist on the pulp adventure characters of the ’30’s and ’40’s like the Shadow and the Spider. As I developed the story, the character sort of wandered away from the idea of being a masked adventurer, but the time period stuck.
Check out the full interview at Bloody Disgusting.
Dead Vengeance #1 is Written by Bill Morrison with Art by Stephane Roux and hits comic shops on 01/21/2015.
