Broken Frontier

After dazzling the comics crowd with Dead@17, Black Harvest and most recently, Lost Book of Eve and Sasquatch, Josh Howard embarks on strange territory on Clubbing, the third graphic novel in DC’s Minx line, written by another notable indie creator, Andi Watson.

BROKEN FRONTIER: Clubbing marks your first big mainstream work, after scoring indie hits at Viper Comics and Devil’s Due with, mainly, Dead@17 and Black Harvest. How excited are you about it?

JOSH HOWARD: I don't know; it's weird. For one, it's my first book that's not my own. Plus I worked on the book for over a year. It feels like a chapter of my life that has come and gone, and no one has seen it yet! I'm curious to see what people's reactions to it will be.

BF: Andi Watson, the writer of the series, is also someone who’s won his spurs as an independent creator. Did he seek you out to illustrate this graphic novel, or was it orchestrated by DC?

JH: That was all DC. Originally we were both working on books for them independently of each other. There were some disagreements on the direction of my script, so they killed it. And I think they were looking for a different art style from Andi.

So, I think rather than part ways with us they decided to pair us together.

BF: The graphic novel deals with Charlotte Brook who’s sent to her grandparents’ country club after she’s caught at a nightclub—how does she find life at the countryside to be like?

JH: She’s definitely an outsider, being a rebellious goth teenager. It's pretty dull for her, until she discovers things aren't quite what they seem.

BF: What are the themes explored in this story? The clash of cultures and social standings?

JH: Not so much. I think it's more of a straightforward "fish out of water / finding your place in the world" type of story.

BF: Other than this being a story featuring a teenage girl, what legitimises Clubbing’s inclusion in DC’s Minx line? What will make the story appealing to young adults, and girls specifically, besides its protagonist?

JH: That's probably a question best answered by Andi. But I'm guessing it's the idea of a girl with an independent spirit and unique personality thrown into difficult situations. Of course, there's also the whole romance thing, too.

BF: Next to Clubbing, and May’s Sasquatch anthology, do you have any other special projects planned, or are you keeping busy with Dead@17 and The Lost Book of Eve?

JH: Well, both Eve and Dead@17 will be wrapping up a little later this year. Both will return next year, but I'm going to take a bit of a break and work on some other things. I may be teaming up with an artist and writing a new book, plus there's this superhero thing I've had brewing for a few years that I really want do.

It's going to be pretty topical and political, and as a result probably a little controversial, so I keep hesitating because I'm not sure I'm ready to throw myself to the wolves. But I think I may finally say "to heck with it" and take the plunge next year.

BF: What are some of the storylines you’ll be exploring in those two titles before they go on hiatus?

JH: Before Eve wraps up her first story arc, which will be in issue #4, she will find out who took Adam, where he is, and attempts a rescue, the result of which sets the stage for the next mini series.

In Dead@17, major changes are on the way beginning in issue #4. You'll find out that there's more to Asia's car accident and resurrection than meets the eye. There will be a familiar face (or two) returning to the series. And someone dies. All of this leads to the chaos-filled final 3 issues.

Clubbing goes on sale tomorrow through DC/Minx.