The weather may be warmer, but there’s a dreadful chill springing from the pages Brynmore-that IDW Comedy horror close to the author Steve Niles (30 days from night) and artist Damian Worm, who also worked together October faction. io9 got a chance to interview Niles via email, we have too Brynmore Peeks to share!
Below is a plot description for Brynmore: “in Brynmore, Newly divorced and newly balancing, Mark Turner returns to his hometown of Turner Island in hopes of rebuilding his shattered life and rekindling a relationship with his estranged daughter, Sophie. Planning to renovate the town’s crumbling church into a home for himself, Mark’s dreams of a second chance soon begin to unravel as he faces hostility from the locals and finds himself entangled in a dark and sinister legacy of intrigue dating back to when the island was first named after his ancestors. Battled with sinister forces beyond his control, Mark must work to unravel the island’s dark history while keeping himself and Sophie safe from harm – and getting away from the bottle in the process.”
Sheryl Eddy, io9: Mark Turner, a man with a dark past, returns to an island with an even darker past. What makes this combination such a strong starting point? BrynmoreHorror tale?
Steve Niles: I don’t like to get bogged down in the backstory but I hope to add just enough to let the reader know where we are and who we meet. Mark has demons, and he’s trying to start over, which is the perfect setup for horror. A character with a dark past who is already fighting something inside of her, put her now as there might be terrors coming from all sides. For this I relied on personal experience and people I know. It’s hard to start over.
io9: I just read the first issue of io9 Brynmore, so I don’t know exactly what kind of monster Mark will find once he starts unraveling the mystery of what lurks in his new basement. Can you tease the horror that awaits and, perhaps in general to avoid spoilers, explain why you personally love exploring monster stories?
The Niles: The monsters I write about are usually misunderstood. They don’t choose to be monsters, and are usually born or awakened and immediately afraid and hated. You are born and you are just taking your first steps and there is a mob looking to kill you, so you are reacting in the best possible way. The monster here is something scary and has obviously been around for a long time. Therefore, she may have some kind of maturity that will help the situation. Or… make it much worse.
io9: Were there any specific inspirations for Mark’s backstory, and for using a place like Turner Island as a setting?
The Niles: The history of the barrier islands of the east coast of the United States is really remarkable. There are all kinds of strange tales, lost colonies, shipwrecks in rough weather, you name it. Originally, I was thinking of using an actual carrot, but as I was working on my story it sounded like a fun idea to create a fantasy story. And naming it Turner Island, after Mark Turner’s family, gives it almost like the long string of heavy rattles he’s been hauling all his life.
io9: what are some ways Brynmore Different from other horror stories you’ve written in the past? Are there similarities or common themes with your past work that fans can look up to?
The Niles: I think setting a horror story in a secluded place is something I like to do very much. And as the world changes, I have to find new ways to deal with technological developments and how to get around them. For me, it works because the characters are forced to rely on themselves, their own abilities, and not expect someone to rescue them. what makes Brynmore What’s different is that we have a long family history here, not just a quick setup with monsters attacking. It’s a deeper, more complex kind of horror.
io9: I’ve worked with artist Damien Wurm a number of times. What are your feelings and personalities that make you a good team, and has your style of cooperation changed a lot over the years?
The Niles: Damian is one of the coolest artists, so much fun and easy to work with. He has great ideas and great style. I really like working with him. Since we started, he’s gone from relying less on computer graphics and really got into drawing everything first. We have been working together for over 10 years now and it was a pleasure every time to bring him a new idea.
io9: Brynmore It is a series of five episodes. Was this something you decided on ahead of time and tailored the story to suit you? What are the challenges and advantages of telling such a compact tale?
The Niles: This has always been my challenge, having to write an entire horror story within a short framework. I’ve learned to incorporate my stories, relying more on moment and action, rather than bringing in more setting and history. I think it works for me because I’d rather let the reader fill in some details with their own fantasies than spell it all out. If you set it up right, the mind fills with awe.
io9: The horror genre – across movies, TV, books, comics, video games and beyond – has never been more popular than it is now. Why do you think that, and how have you seen horror’s relationship with pop culture evolve? What works of horror have you read, watched, or experienced recently that made you particularly excited about the future of the genre?
The Niles: We all need an escape, and horror can be really exciting and fun to watch when the real world is just too much. I think one of my main themes is “Who is the real monster here, the actual monster or the humans trying to kill him?” And this is definitely something I see in new horror more and more. I really enjoyed some of the new films from A24, such as Hereditary And the witch. I am dying to see evil dead rise.
Click through to see the full three covers (Cover A by series artist Damien Wurm, Cover B by Francesco Francavilla, and Retailer Incentives cover by Martin Simmonds) plus five inside pages from Brynmore. The first issue of the comic first came out in June from IDW Publishing; Call or visit your local comic store www.comicshoplocator.com to learn more.