Broken Frontier

Phillip Hester has illustrated all the mainstream greats  from Swamp Thing to Batman, from Ant-Man to the Hulk. But he is also an established writer having created such iconoclastic mini-series as Deep Sleeper, The Wretch and The Coffin.

Hester is now back with a new creator-owned ongoing series entitled The Anchor. In the latest issue of The Anchor Hester has started exploring the origins of the character with felt like a perfect place for the Frontier to have a chat with Hester and see what makes The Anchor such an itch to scratch in the mind of its creator.

BROKEN FRONTIER: First of all - for readers who are not familiar with The Anchor - how would you describe your new ongoing series?

PHILLIP HESTER: The Anchor is an apparently immortal monk who has devoted his life to the smashing of demons and monsters wherever they may be. Through intense devotion and meditation he found his soul split from his body and sent to Hell to battle the demonic hordes who dwell there. His body remains on earth to fight any nasty creatures who may pop up here. His body suffers all the damage his soul takes in hell, so he resembles a seven foot tall bloody bruise. Also, he doesn't remember any of this, just that his fists ache to crack demon skull. Aside form all that, he's quite gentle and sweet.

He befriends a studious young historian who becomes his companion and runs afoul of a government agent who thinks his powers could be harnessed for military application.


BF: Who came up with the design for The Anchor? Since you are also an artist, was this primarily yours or more of a collaboration between you and artist Brian Churilla?

PH: Definitely a collaboration. I just knew I wanted a hulking monk made of scars and bruises, and Brian ran with the idea. We went through several versions before hitting the one we both loved.

BF: A lot of your creator owned comics have not per se a religious theme but at least a 'soul searching' theme f.i. The Coffin and The Atheist. Do you have a personal fascination with themes like what it means to be human?

PH: I guess that's inescapable conclusion after looking at The Coffin or Deep Sleeper or The Anchor. I'm very distrustful of human certitude, religious or scientific, but I respect and am fascinated by those on both sides who quest for something more. I'm taking pains to try and avoid telling people what I think is right or wrong (outside of, you know, don't hurt anyone), but I think we only understand the tiniest sliver of what it means to exist, physically or spiritually. I'm haunted and buoyed by the feeling that there will always be a deep mystery behind existence.

BF: The Anchor feels very much like a mythical adventure story with a twist. What is the basic feel you're going for with The Anchor and why?

PH: Brian and I wanted to go big and tell really sprawling, hard hitting action stories. At the same time, we're trying to populate that action story with relatable, deep characters. I think that's what sets banal action apart from satisfying action: relatable characters give the peril they face some real weight.

BF: In The Anchor #4 the reader finally gets a glimpse of the titular character's origin. Do you have a definite origin in mind and are you going to stretch it out over the (hopefully) long run of The Anchor?

PH: We're stretching it out, but a huge chunk falls into place in issue #6. Even after that revelation there's still a matter of what he's been doing for the last 400 years or so.

BF: What does the future hold for The Anchor? Can you give us a few glimpses of the future adventures of Clem?

PH: His body is going to hell to team up with his soul to kick the crap out of everything they can get their hands around. We'll meet a scientist devoted to studying the physical aspects of The Anchor's powers and we'll lose a major character. Also, as I said earlier, the lid is blown off of his origin in #6.

BF: Sounds exciting! Thanks for this little chat and best of luck with The Anchor.

The Anchor is published by Boom! Studios and can be purchased at your local LCS or online. Follow the exploits of Phillip Hester at Shocktraumastudios.com and check out Brian Churilla's portfolio at his website.