INTERVIEW: This Halloween season, you’re invited to ‘Exorcism Island’
Image courtesy of Comixology Originals / Provided by Superfan Promotions with permission.
Writer Jordan Thomas and artist Chris Matthews have teamed up for a new comic series called Exorcism Island, with the first issue launching this week. The two have known each other since childhood, and they’ve worked together before, including the creation of the acclaimed series Mugshots.
Exorcism Island, which is being released via Amazon’s Comixology Originals, is a five-issue series that follows the character of the Rev. Gigi Amato, who is given a most unusual assignment. He is sent to a remote Caribbean island where the most demonically possessed cases are housed, and it’s up to Amato and his fellow priests to contain the evil on the island.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Thomas and Matthews to learn more about Exorcism Island. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
When did you have the light-bulb moment and start to create Exorcism Island?
THOMAS: Whilst falling asleep. I often get the vague stirrings of an idea when I’m in that very relaxed moment as you drift off, and for some reason I was thinking about exorcism stories that night as my mind wandered half-awake. And I got this image of an isolated collection of cabins laid out in a crucifix formation, which if you’ve seen the preview is page six of issue one, and that’s the visual the story grew out of.
Were you influenced by other possession movies and stories?
THOMAS: Definitely. I’m a big fan of the William Peter Blatty novels The Exorcist and Legion; as well as the film adaptations; and then in general my, “I feel like watching a movie that isn’t too taxing” films tend to be slightly cheesy horror films like Insidious and The Conjuring. In general, I’m a big horror fan. One of my favourite films in modern years is Ari Aster’s Hereditary, which is a possession story of a type.
Why set the piece on an island in the Caribbean?
THOMAS: It’s mostly not a great time for the priests in the story, so I thought I’d give them a bit of a break and sort them out on a trip to the Caribbean. No, I wanted something isolated, and based on the ’70s setting it felt like the Caribbean would be a possible place where the Vatican could afford to purchase a small, uninhabited island. It also allows for creepy images like the palm trees all iced over.
Do you believe in demonic possession?
THOMAS: No, I don’t, but I definitely think a lot of people out there have been possessed by something.
What’s it like working with Chris Matthews?
THOMAS: The best. Chris and I have been friends since we were 11 or 12 years old, so we have that connection. And then even more importantly, we both have an overwhelming need to make the best work possible, so we push each other to be as good as we can be. Chris is also one of the most talented people working in comics, which doesn’t hurt. Although I’m the writer and he’s the artist, we do build the stories together, whether it’s Chris telling me the kind of thing he’d like to draw or showing me a new style he’s working on that inspires me to create a story that fits it, or me coming to Chris with a story and that getting him thinking about what around that genre he thinks is cool and me feeding that back in. It’s a real collaboration at all stages.
How did you develop the visual style for Exorcism Island?
MATTHEWS: I’ve always really leaned more toward graphic, punchy styles of artwork. Having a limited pallet really helps place the focus on the more abstract shapes of an image. For Exorcism Island in particular I want to see if I could translate the look of some of Saul Bass’ movie posters into a comic book.
Did the Caribbean location allow you to be more creative?
MATTHEWS: I’d say having this sort of desolate space in the middle of the island helped take the focus off of the environment and more onto the characters more than anything — it ended up being an almost blank space for the action to take place.
How many drafts of Father Gigi Amato did you go through before you landed on his final look?
MATTHEWS: Just two actually. I think I made him a bit too nerdy first time around.
Is it difficult to draw contorting possessed humans? Seems like it would be difficult.
MATTHEWS: It can be, but it can also be pretty liberating; when you’re not confined to how a human should move, there’s a lot more freedom to make interesting shapes.
When did you first meet Jordan Thomas?
MATTHEWS: He reckons we met at a football tournament when we were about 9-ish, I think, but I don’t remember that. We got put together in the same class at school when we were about 12. After some dealings with Pokémon cards, we’ve been friends ever since.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Exorcism Island, written by Jordan Thomas and featuring art by Chris Matthews, is now available from Amazon’s Comixology Originals. Click here for more information.
