This Q&A is a little different than usual, you may have noticed three names in the title. Darryl, Daron and Chris are just 3 of the guys behind upcoming project Horizon’s End. However, this is a project that still needs funding so take a look at the Q&A and then head on over to the Kickstarter and if you like the look of it, why not back it?

How long have you been making comics?

Darryl Banks: I began drawing comics in 1989. My first published comic book was “Cyberpunk” from Innovation.
Daron Kappauff: Horizon’s End marks my first foray into full on comic writing. I wrote a four-issue back up story for Image’s Small Gods some years back, but unfortunately the book was cancelled before my issues saw print. Besides comics, though, I’ve been writing for years and have been publishing short fiction and poetry in various literary magazines.
Chris Delliaconno: If you count published projects, this would be my first. I’ve been developing ideas on my own or with others for at least ten years. We have worked with artists, editors, and other writers. Published material has yet to come out of those experiences, but they provided invaluable experience.

What made you want to make comics?

DB: I grew up as a serious Marvel Comics fan!
DK: I think it’s the limitless potential inherent to comics. If you can imagine it, you can do it in comics and present it in a definitive way for others to see. Sure it’s fun to use your imagination when you’re reading a book or a story, but it’s more exciting to see imagination brought to life.
CD: I love television shows, movies, and video games, but there’s something truly special about comic storytelling. The written word and the illustrations take on the job of director, writer, actor, cinematographer, foley person, and so many other aspects. The comic book lends the creator the opportunity to go as far as the imagination will allow.

What do you enjoy most about making comics?

DB: Creating memorable moments. I’ve enjoyed reading so many great moments in comics that I love adding more of them. I will never forget when Steve Rogers first lifted Thor’s hammer and when Hank Pym revealed that he was the brain pattern for Ultron. The wedding of Reed and Sue Richards and the death of Jean Grey (the first one).
DK: Definitely seeing my ideas and words interpreted by an artist and then brought life. There’s a kind of magic that happens when your words are transformed into images on the page. There’s no other way to describe it.
CD: The collaboration is one of the best parts. It’s so fulfilling working with talented folks like Daron, Darryl, Moose, Troy, or Stephane. The end result of that collaboration is truly special. When you see the words you write coalesce into Darryl or Stephane’s pencils, I’m not going to lie,  it’s a wow moment each time. Then when Moose adds the colour art…sometimes words can escape you. 

What is the hardest part of making comics?

DB: It’s hard to say what the absolute hardest thing is.  Deadlines can be a challenge or waiting to get paid when you really need the money for bills.
DK: Not making comics. Once I get into it and start writing scripts, it’s hard to do focus on anything else. I enjoy writing a lot of different things, but there’s nothing like working on a comic script, not for me anyway.
CD: It’s very difficult to find artists that have the time to commit to your project. Without eye catching art you have a near impossible task getting published.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

DB: Other great artists past and present and desiring to also be an influence on new artists.
DK: It would probably be easier to say what doesn’t inspire me. But keeping it to modern influences, directors/screenwriters Christopher Nolan & Shane Black and novelists Cormac McCarthy and the late Stieg Larsson have inspired me more in recent years than most of my formative years combined. These guys are vastly creative in such different ways that it’s forced me to look at my own work and see what I can do differently, and more importantly, better.
CD: I’m inspired by the things I love. Movies like Star Wars, comics like The Warlord, or a book like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn have all had indelible impact on my life. They’re part of who I am and what I aspire to be creatively. I also enjoy traveling. The weird locales and odd situations I’ve found myself, both in the US and abroad, have opened my door of inspiration.

What was your first comic book?

DB: I don’t remember.  Archie or something like that when I was very young.  Years later my first superhero comics were Marvel Spectacular #6 (reprint of The Mighty Thor #135) and King-Size Amazing Spider-Man #9 which was also a reprint.
DK: I know I had a few comics when I was younger, but I didn’t really get into them until junior high. The first comic I clearly remember buying was Jim Lee & Chris Claremont’s X-Men #1. I’m pretty sure I still have all the various covers for that one boxed up somewhere.
CD: My first comic was Star Wars #18 back in 1978. Interestingly it’s titled “The Empire Strikes” and was written by Archie Goodwin, penciled by Carmine Infantino, with Gene Day inks. What a team of legends for your first comic! I’ll tell you, that team had me terrified Luke was going to die! I was only four, so don’t think I’m easily entertained. I still have that comic, and it looks bad from being read about a million times. As bad as it looks, that’s probably the comic that means the most in my collection.

Is there anyone that you admire in the comic book industry?

DB: Alan Davis because he’s one of my biggest style influences plus he also writes.  George Perez because he’s a legendary superstar yet he’s not egotistical in the least.
DK: Man, there are so many great writers and artist I admire it’s hard not to list them all. If I have to name one, though, it would have to be Mark Waid. Because of his run on Flash, I connected with a character in a way I never had before. Then of course there’s Kingdom Come, which in my mind, changed the scope of what comics could be. And then there’s Daredevil. If you’re reading it, you don’t need me to tell you how amazing it is. If you’re not reading it, well, you really ought to be.
CD: There are so many people I admire in the comic industry, but Mike Grell has been my “favourite” for as long as I can remember. His writing is enthralling and the sequential pages he produces are mesmerising. He’s one of the finest storytellers to ever work in this medium. Grell almost always has a deeper meaning in his work, but he’s never beating you over the head with his point. He’s a legend and the creator I most admire. On top of that, he’s a part of the sketch rewards program on Horizon’s End. Having Grell involved in that small way is thrilling for this Jersey boy.

What’s your favourite comic book right now?

DB: I don’t currently collect any modern titles.  Lately I’ve been re-reading classic Avengers from the 1970’s and 1980’s.
DK: Saga, hands down. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have flipped the sci-fi world on its head by taking the genre back to its roots. This book is telling socially relevant (and irreverent) stories, while delivering amazing science fiction adventures in exotic settings. The book constantly reinforces the idea that the brilliance of comic books are only limited by their creator’s imaginations.
CD: If I had to pick one it would be Hawkeye. Something fantastic occurs when Matt Fraction & David Aja work together. They did fantastic things on Immortal Iron Fist, but are exceeding that level with Hawkeye. Fraction’s stories are densely packed with action and characterization, plus the book is funny. Aja’s art is dynamic with interesting panel layouts and expressive facial features. The book looks and reads better than anything else on the market. If you wanted to round out my top 5, the I would add: Saga, Daredevil, Thor: God of Thunder, and Harbinger. Each is a truly exceptional comic worth reading again and again.