INTERVIEW: Horror fans rejoice! ‘Where the Monsters Lie’ arrives soon from Dark Horse
Image courtesy of Dark Horse / Provided with permission.
Comic writer Kyle Starks is ready to launch his new horror miniseries, courtesy of Dark Horse. Where the Monsters Lie will be a four-issue series, with the debut comic hitting stores Feb. 1. For fans of the horror genre, this one promises to be bloody good.
The protagonist of Where the Monsters Lie is Connor Hayes, who has lived an unbelievable life of survival against a horde of baddies in the world. He barely escaped a slasher attempt at his summer camp while growing up, and a serial killer almost nabbed him in an orphanage. Now, as an adult and special agent, he wants some revenge on these terrifying monstrosities, and luckily for him, he knows “where the monsters lie.”
Helping to bring Starks’ vision to life is artist Piotr Kowalski, colorist Vladimir Popov and letterer Josh Reed. The first issue will also offer a variant cover by James Stokoe, according to press notes.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Starks about his monstrous creation. The comic writer is known for his work on the Rick and Morty series, plus Sex Castle and Rock Candy Mountain. Other credits include Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton and Old Head. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Where did the idea for Where Monsters Lie come from?
It really came from two persisting questions that I couldn’t shake while watching my favorite horror films: What if all of these monsters were in the same place, same story, and what do they all do when they’re not killing teenagers and the like? Where do they go?
To answer these questions, for myself, I needed a story for them to exist in that would be compelling and enjoyable. The outcome was, of course, Where Monsters Lie.
How would you describe your protagonist Connor Hayes?
Connor is tough. He’s smart, he’s capable. When he was a kid, on two different occasions he crossed paths with different slasher monsters. So he knows they’re real. He knows they’re out there. Connor has spent his life forming his mind and body into a weapon that could fight these monsters.
He’s the Final Girl trope if the survivor came back looking for revenge and could not hold their own. But at what cost, right? How far can you go before you’re no different than the monsters you hunt.
Was having this be a limited series with only four issues restrictive in any way?
Absolutely not. I love a miniseries. I think stories are at their best when they have beginnings, middles and ends. And being a miniseries it means no character is so precious they will definitely survive the tale! That being said, I would love to do another arc — I think this is a story and a universe that, like all good horror movies, is desperate for a sequel.
Are you a big fan of slasher movies?
Oh absolutely. I think slashers might be my favorite type of horror. I, personally, love a good character, and slashers deliver that in spades. I suspect a lot of that is driven from being steeped in superhero comics for so much of my life. Give me a character! Give me a schtick! Have them fight everyone!
How gory would you say your comic book is?
This is such a great question. So I wrote a little gore. It is a horror book, after all. But Piotr Kowalski does such a killer job on this book. He added a lot of gore. I wouldn’t say an unnerving or disgusting amount. I would say a fun amount. I mean, Piotr really goes for it. It’s incredible, honestly. I want to list all of my favorite bits, but I don’t want to give anything away. There’s a bit in the first four pages involving a knitting needle that just blew me away. Right out the gate Piotr showed us he was the guy for this job, and, again, he just did an incredible job. I feel very blessed that our esteemed editor, Daniel Chabon, and Dark Horse brought us together on this project.
Where do you think our fascination with serial killers comes from? Do you think it’s healthy?
I think someone smarter than me would have a really thoughtful, intelligent answer to this, but I do think it’s two parts. I think, firstly, humans are rubberneckers — we can’t not look at a car wreck or a tragedy. Those types of murders are, for lack of a better phrase, very dramatic and unique, and I think anything like that will always draw our attention.
Secondly, I think as a species we are fixated on our mortality and what might affect that we can’t control, which ties in the first part in that when life is violently taken, it’s upsetting but also undeniable to our attention. I think there’s an aspect of our mortality fixation that also completely makes these serial killer tales as lessons on how not to be killed in this way. Little self-defense lessons. So, in that way, sort of healthy?
That lesson, by the way, in how not to die this way for Where Monsters Lie is do not go into Wilmhurst Gated Community. I guess, not unless you’re a human weapon, special agent looking for justice and revenge.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Issue #1 of Where the Monsters Lie, by Kyle Starks and published by Dark Horse, will be released Feb. 1. Click here for more information.
