WESTRON - MY INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN MCBEE AND MACIEJ JANKOWSKI

'Westron' is an ongoing comic book series that delves into Slavic mythology, detective fiction, and supernatural horror. Each issue stars a private investigator named Jan Westron, who fights Slavic demons with more success than he has in conquering his own. Want to know more? Then please check out the following Q and A with the two writers of the aforementioned series, Shawn McBee and Maciej Jankowski. Enjoy.





1) Name three words that best describe who you are.   Shawn: I'd say, inquisitive, creative, and nerd.

Maciej: Whereas I'd say, creative, mindful, and hard-working.

2) What inspired you to create, 'Westron'?   Shawn: I once read a fairly popular comic book that was so awful, it made me realise that I could do better because I saw everything wrong with it. Roughly around the same time, Maciej approached me about co-writing a comic with him, so I jumped at the opportunity. He'd already come up with the basic concept, and together, we developed a pile of loose ideas into a cohesive set of stories that make up a larger narrative.

Maciej: I grew up listening to stories from Slavic mythology and always wanted to use it in a story I helped create. So, as it's generally underused in the media nowadays, I decided to connect it with two other genres I'm a fan of, detective fiction and supernatural horror, which I think all work perfectly well together.

3) In your own words, how would you describe your comic book series?   Maciej: 'Westron' is a detective horror series consisting of a collection of mysteries. The first issue begins with a suspenseful story revolving around two girls, one murdered and the other missing, which prompts the police to contact the private investigator, Jan Westron, as time is of the essence. However, the case brings back memories from Jan's youth that still haunt him to this day.

4) What song would you say best represents 'Westron' and why?   Shawn: Even though the real answer is probably some Polish folk song I've never heard of before, I'm going to select another song, 'Mad World', the Gary Jules version. Much like the main character in our series, the song has a sense of melancholy and regret that's driven by a haunting melody.

5) If you could get a celebrity - either living or dead - to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   Shawn: On the one hand, I'd like to select the late, great, Vincent Price because he was a brilliant actor synonymous with horror and intrigue. On the other hand, though, an endorsement from Taylor Swift would definitely sell a lot of copies, ha!

Maciej: I think I'll go with the Polish voice actor, Jarosław Boberek, who would be great at providing several voices to help promote our comic. He's not normally known for working in horror, but I'm sure his dark tone could emphasize the dangers lurking in our dark story.

6) What's the one thing about 'Westron' that might surprise people?   Shawn: I think some people will be surprised that this is our first comic book. But aside from that, the comic is full of surprises.

Maciej: Issue one is illustrated in two different art styles, which may surprise some, considering it's not that common in comics.

'Westron' is an ongoing comic book series written by Shawn McBee and Maciej Jankowski, with illustrations provided by Nicolás Nieto and Matías De Vincenzo. For further information, please feel free to check out the official Website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

*** Please Note: Some of these replies have been edited for the sake of clarity