TEXARCANUM - MY INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTOPHER MONFETTE

'TexArcanum' is an upcoming 104-page graphic novel from Dark Horse Comics that collects a four-issue comic book series of the same name, written by Christopher Monfette and illustrated by Miguel Martos. The story chronicles the adventures of Avery Belle, a cowboy arcanist who becomes entangled in a centuries-old land feud between two warring families. What now follows is my Q and A with the writer of the aforementioned story, Christopher Monfette. Please enjoy.





1) Name three words that best describe who you are.   Excluding all the negative curse words I'm sure some people may use, I'd like to think that collaborative, hopeful, and darkly funny might all apply. Working in film and TV - as well as with editors and artists in comic books - is a deeply collaborative process. Nothing great is made in a vacuum, and I've come to love the communal nature of genre storytelling. As for how dark, chaotic, and comically absurd this world can be? I think that facing down our monsters is always a rebellious act of hope.

2) What inspired you to create, 'TexArcanum'?   I've long been a fan of the supernatural-noir PI subgenre, whether it be Clive Barker's stories starring Harry D'Amour or a film like 'Angel Heart'. I even recall an old-school series of adventure games called 'Gabriel Knight' that inspired parts of 'TexArcanum'.

I love wry, self-assured characters and prosaic, film-noir dialogue, but I never felt like I could contribute to the genre in a meaningful way until taking a series of long, cross-country drives throughout my thirties. Travelling along these rich, dense patches of colliding midland mythologies - pockets of culture that hadn't really been properly explored - made me realise that some of the stories I love are mostly rooted in urban settings, such as London, New York, and Chicago. So why not a more rural setting with more rural characters? Think John Constantine by way of Raylan Givens, or the intersection of Elmore Leonard and Stephen King.

3) In your own words, how would you describe your story?   'TexArcanum' is the story of Avery Belle, a cowboy arcanist who's lived a rather long life. Too long, he might argue, as he's spent many, many years trying to pay back a very old debt. Or rather, to pay off a devil's bargain by helping the people of the American heartland with their supernatural problems. It's a distinctly American story that explores the cultural tapestry of this country.

4) What song would you say best represents 'TexArcanum' and why?   I'm not sure there's a particular song, but I can say that two albums were on constant rotation during those long drives: 'The Weatherman' by Gregory Alan Isakov and 'Strange Trails' by Lord Huron. These dark, lonely, wistful, dust-bowl ballads evoke a sense of mystery and beauty across the dense forests and empty plains of America.

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?   Throughout much of my early career, Clive Barker was a dear friend and a mentor of mine. Not only did I adapt two of his stories, but together we also created the 'Hellraiser' comic book series for Boom! Studios. Clive taught me such an incredible amount, and I'm ever so grateful that he trusted me with his work when he had no earthly reason to. So, a positive word from Clive will always move me.

6) What's the one thing about 'TexArcanum' that might surprise people?   I hope that most people are surprised by the tone of my story, especially the collision of different mythologies, epitomized in a scene where indigenous magic summons an Irish banshee. The voice of the story might also surprise some people, considering Avery is pulp-noir poetic yet incredibly sarcastic.

'TexArcanum' is a 104-page graphic novel written by Christopher Monfette and illustrated by Miguel Martos, soon to be published by Dark Horse Comics. For further information, please feel free to check out the official website. Or if you prefer, you can click here to pre-order a copy via Amazon.