via The Blog From Another World
Last year, writer Andi Ewington created the original graphic novel 45–made up of 45 "interviews" with or about superpowered individuals, each with a different artist. Now he's starting to take those characters to create a trilogy of new and exciting books for Com.x!
First up: BlueSpear, out August 31, co-written by Ewington and Eddie Deighton, with art by Cosmo White. A mysterious figure watches over Tokyo. Is he a god? A ghost? A freak of nature? Loved by many, vilified by few–he exacts swift justice on those who stand against him.
We had a chance to ask Ewington some questions about BlueSpear, and what's coming up next! Plus, share this interview on Twitter or Facebook and then add a comment to this blog post answering the question, "If you created a superhero, what would his or her powers be?" (make sure to add your Twitter handle or Facebook name) to enter to win an exclusive BlueSpear print signed by Cosmo White (pictured below left)!
TFAW.com: What can you tell us about BlueSpear?
Andi Ewington: To the common man he's a superhero with a mysterious past that has risen to become the guardian of Tokyo. However, it's only when you delve deeper into BlueSpear that you see how he is struggling to find his identity and the brother he has left behind. The more he is adored by the city, the further from his family he finds himself.
TFAW.com: Where did you get the idea for this story and character?
AE: The story came about from the numerous editorial discussions Eddie Deighton and myself had during the production of 45. We realised BlueSpear was a superhero we could develop into a variety of storylines, with powers that could constantly evolve.
In 45 I had sown the essence of a plot that I purposefully left hanging for a later date. We focused on several of these hooks and created this spin-off story. The overall mini-arc actually spans three characters in 45, but it is written in a way that, if you only wanted to follow the plot as far as BlueSpear, you could.
As for where the character actually came from, for me it is a difficult one to pinpoint exactly. The truth of the matter is that I simply wanted to write an interview in 45 where the superhero was being talked about, not to, and it made sense to me that a sibling would make an interesting angle. Japan was chosen because I wanted 45 to appear as a global storyline, so I introduced a number of different countries and continents, one of them being Asia.
TFAW.com: So is BlueSpear a superhero story? A modern-day fable? How would you characterize it?
AE: I think on the surface it's a superhero story, but the heart of the story lies with BlueSpear and the bond he has with his brother. The gulf between them is insurmountable, and yet BlueSpear continues to keep a watchful eye out for "Little Akira."
I'm hoping new readers will discover the numerous layers that have been applied to the story, while fans of 45 will feel that they've been rewarded with some sought-after answers the original interview with James Stanley threw up.
TFAW.com: How does BlueSpear relate to the 45 world?
AE: It gives the reader some back-story to the main character, and we witness the visual transformation of our superhero that is alluded to in the original interview, whilst the main plot sees fan favourites, X and Lotus, return in a very big way!
The story also expands upon XoDOS' intervention, which we saw initially in the SkyLine interview. So, prepare yourselves for plenty of twists and turns.
TFAW.com: For this book, you have a co-writer: Eddie Deighton. How did you two begin working together?
AE: Eddie is also my publisher (and daytime boss), so I'm in the fortunate position of having his ear on a daily basis. Eddie was instrumental in the final polish of 45, and we found we worked very well together in the editing process.
He has a good understanding of plot and pace and is a creator in his own right, so it was inevitable that we worked towards writing something together. Midway through editing the BlueSpear interview in 45, we knew that this was the perfect character to begin that co-writing process with.
TFAW.com: What is your co-writing process like?
AE: Smooth! We have complimentary styles that I dare anyone to distinguish between. We worked out a loose plot that would tick all the 45 plot boxes, and then I'd begin by drafting the first 10 or so pages, hand over to Eddie to edit, and vice versa. Finally, Cosmo [White] had a chance to review the last draft so he could make a few POV improvements or layout changes.
TFAW.com: How did you select Cosmo as the artist?
AE: We first came across Cosmo at the Bristol Comic Expo two years ago. He had approached Eddie for a portfolio review and, well, simply put, his work was phenomenal! At the time we had Calum Alexander Watt attached to BlueSpear but sadly, due to other committments, he had to step away. When that happened, Eddie suggested Cosmo as replacement and the rest is history.
TFAW.com: What does Cosmo bring to the table?
AE: Cosmo has an excellent ability to convey a huge amount of information with minimum fuss. He's got great vision for capturing a moment in a panel, and I just love the angles he chooses. He also colours his own work, and when you see the end result, you're left speechless. He's also very proactive in suggesting alternative panel layouts and content in order to get the most out of a page. The guy is a drawing genius!
TFAW.com: Will the other two books in the trilogy focus on BlueSpear or on other characters?
AE: The way this mini-arc is structured, we aim to tie up the main plot by the third book, but simultaneously focus on a different character and their respective story for each book. For example, in BlueSpear we are introduced to Lotus and in particular, X. For the second book, X will pick up the plot baton from BlueSpear and carry it through into the third book to SkyLine. I like to think of it as the Superhero Butterfly Effect.
TFAW.com: What other characters from 45 are you dying to bring out and write for?
AE: That's a really hard one to answer. I know Eddie is "chomping at the bit" to write a Max-Dex story, and I've had other people suggest that we expand upon Aftershock Girl, Ultrasonic and Major Action. To me, they are all my favourites, and I'm going to be ecstatic if any of them are given their own moment to shine.
We want to thank Andi for chatting with us about BlueSpear–make sure to pre-order your copy now to save 20%!
PRE-ORDER BLUESPEAR AND SAVE 20%
So if you were going to create a superhero, what would his or her powers be? Enter our BlueSpear Contest: share this interview on Twitter or Facebook and then comment about your superhero on this post below (include your Twitter handle or Facebook name) to enter to win a BlueSpear print signed by Cosmo White!
