We sat down with Tim Seeley, creator of Hack/Slash and Revival (among others), to ask him a few questions about the horror genre in graphic novels as well as his own work.
How did you get started in the comics industry?
TS: After college, I was working at a children’s book company, and doing some comic work on the side for little publishers. I got a call one day from a con buddy, Josh Blaylock, telling me he’d gotten the rights to do a G.I.Joe comic, and he needed some help with editorial stuff and art. So I packed my stuff and moved to Chicago to work at Devil’s Due, and that led me here somehow.
You’ve worked for both Marvel and DC, as well as Image and Dead Dog Publishing. Do you prefer to work for the big guns or to work with the smaller prints and why?
TS:The bigger companies are much better at paying. I’ve certainly enjoyed working for some of the smaller publishers, but it’s much less stressful to work for Image, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse because I can eat.
One of your first horror titles was for DDP with Halloween: 30 Years of Terror. How did you get involved with that?
TS:Josh had picked up the license, and I was a staff artist at the time. I volunteered to draw Halloween as I was a big fan.
TS: Mostly from watching way too many B horror movies as a kid. I wanted to sort of ‘elevate’ the genre by giving the ‘victims” some personality, and ths Cassie was born.
How fun have you found the idea of taking many of the established cliches of horror titles and turning them on their head with the adventures of Cassie Hack?
TS: It’s a joy for me because I get to utilize those many years of VHS viewing for something constructive. I love the genre, so it was always a pleasure to do ‘research.’
You’ve crossed over Hack/Slash with Chucky, Hatchet and Army of Darkness as well as plenty of original villains. What would be your dream team ups going forward with the title?
TS: I’d still like to do the big three: Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers.
What is the most up to date state of a Hack/Slash TV series / movie adaption?
TS: I have no idea.
Revival appears to add a totally new spin on the undead mythos at a time where media is saturated with zombies and their ilk, especially with the iconic Walking Dead, also from Image. Did you feel that this title was a risk?
TS: Nah, I never really considered it a ‘zombie’ story. TWD and most every zombie story being done are ‘survival stories,” and Revival was never about that at all.
TS: It’s really goddamn hard to write, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and the art by Mike Norton, Mark Englert and Mike Norton is amazing, so you should buy it!
What would be your horror comic suggestions for our readers?
TS: Alan Moore’s SWAMP THING run is probably the best. The 70s Marvel Dracula is pretty great. Junji Ito’s horror manga are pretty incredible.
What would be your dream gig in the industry?
TS: I’d love a crack at some of the DC horror characters…Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Animal Man.
Do you prefer a minimalist approach to art and story, or a more complicated tale with over-arching plot-lines and characterisation?
TS: Both styles have their place, I think.
What do you think about the future of the horror genre in the comic industry?
TS: I think, as long as there are comics, there’ll be horror comics. Horror has been the second most successful genre in this medium, and I think it’ll stay that way.
JD GILLAM
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