This April Nathan Edmondson and debut artist Alison Sampson’s, Genesis, pairs sweeping visuals with poignant writing to bring readers a one-shot that cannot be missed. Genisis can only be described as a trippy journey of creation and destruction with one man finding out he has the ability to manifest anything by just thinking about it. But, with great power… comes unstoppable terror.
The intriguing story is boosted by the stunning visuals of Sampson who has a background in architecture. That unusual background has resulted in a comic that looks unlike anything else, playing with perspective and taking advantage of the ability to create anything.
We got a chance to ask Alison and Nathan about the one-shot which arrives in stores from Image Comics on April 16 and can be pre-ordered using Diamond Code: FEB140504.
Graphic Policy: Where did the idea of Genesis come from?
Nathan Edmondson: I don’t really recall, to be honest. It was an idea I toyed with for some months or more before I ever attempted writing it. At some point I think the idea at least fermented a bit when discussing the free will with a friend; I don’t remember specifically but I started to think of this story in terms of what free will allows people to make, or destroy.
GP: Alison, you have a background in architecture, how did you get into creating comics and come on to this project?
Alison Sampson: I’d read 2000AD a kid, then looked at nothing at all until reading Watchmen in my late thirties (about a year in advance of the film coming out). After a couple of years of blogging comics and learning more, I was drawing other people’s children for art practice and drew Edie, Rob Davis’ little girl. Rob suggested, on the basis of that, that I tried drawing a comic. I applied to be part of Tom Humberstone’s Solipsistic Pop 4, got accepted, drew a comic (my first) and it was published. I’d made a portfolio for friends (and Marvel) to look at at Thought Bubble, it had gone down surprisingly well. I was going to take sabattical from my job and write and draw a design-perfect mini-comic for myself. A page of mine appeared on Robot 6, Nathan saw it and asked me to draw this project. It seemed like a challenge. I said yes.
GP: When it comes to the art it’s very creative playing a lot with perspective and the page layout. How did the comic’s theme of creation and destruction influence and inspire you when it came to it?
AS: I don’t know if it did. I stuck as closely as possible to the script and drew spreads that worked for me. The aim was to make artwork that told the story and which was as enjoyable for the reader as possible. One thing I didn’t want to do was make the work overtly conceptual. We take our color inspiration for the whole book from japanese landscape painting, and that helped make the story what it is- a landscape.
GP: In the release you mentioned there was a “steep learning curve” Alison. What did you learn through the project?
AS: There probably isn’t room for me to answer that here. Drawing panels. Laying out pages. Scanning my work properly. Delivering Image Comics calibre artwork. Learning to work in isolation (I’m used to a highly social work environment), through… everything… to learning how to market our comic, paper stock, copyright law and the email addresses of many, many comic shops. There is a lot of learning, I’m still learning- but am lucky to have some great teachers. Howard Chaykin, Dave Stewart, Matt Southworth and Phil Winslade have all had a hand here, and there are many more. Then there is Image themselves (who have been lovely), and of course, Nathan, Jason and Jon.
GP: Nathan, I associate you as writing more action thriller/spy comics. What inspired you to create this comic?
NE: I know that I’m more well known for my espionage and military work, but I’m equally as interested in sci-fi, some fantasy. With books like OLYMPUS and THE DREAM MERCHANT I’ve had the opportunity to explore that genre a bit more; GENESIS was another opportunity to explore a big and fantastic idea.
GP: The comic literally gives you both as creators the ability to create anything. Did you actually find that troublesome at all, where your imagination got away from you too much?
NE: The trick for me was not overthinking it. Because you can go on second guessing visuals forever. So I kept the script simple and loose and let the art run off from there, which made it fun.
AS: There wasn’t space on the page for that, although the pages are stuffed full of easter eggs and personal references, for example, there is a tiny monument for Moebius and Brandon Graham’s whale. If anything, I look back and think, wow, what an opportunity. Did I do enough?
GP: The comic obviously shares a name with the Book of Genesis. Both deal with the idea of creation, corruption, and salvation. Was that on purpose, with this being a new parable to teach its lessons?
NE: Yes and no. I think the title means what it means to the reader; there are biblical ideas and themes but ultimately it’s a fantasy story and “Genesis” was an appropriate and evocative title. I certainly wouldn’t call this a parable. Our goal was to tell a story, not teach anyone anything.
GP: What to you are the lessons or themes that are present in this?
NE: I’d prefer to leave that to the reader to divine from the pages. I might have some ideas but if the reader folds the book closed and says “I get it, they’re telling me to do or think X” then it’s probably not a very good book. Any themes or morals or anything like that are within the art, not the other way around. Themes are perhaps easier to identify but if I go around saying “here’s the theme” then a reader will approach the book thinking about that theme and little else, which will reduce the read to a Cliff Notes experience.
AS: We are handing this over to the reader. It isn’t our call how our book is read, but it probably is readable in more than one way.
GP: It seems that the Bible is a bit in vogue right now when it comes to entertainment. There’s this series, the movie and comic Noah, the movies Exodus and Son of God, and the beginning of religious comics getting some movement in exposure. What is it about all of this coming around at the same time?
NE: In the case of GENESIS there was no intentional parallel except in as much as both may share some basic truth or truths. I suppose I could wax philosophical about the renewed interest in scripture in the US (and Europe), perhaps avant-garde stories and cheap thrills have left audiences hungry for some history, tradition and deep questions. I can’t say for sure. It seemed that Greek Mythology was the vogue a few years ago; it seems to me audiences and storytellers are trying hard to find depth and meaning, but then again, aren’t they always?
AS: Creation is never out of fashion.
GP: What can we expect from both of you next?
NE: More PUNISHER, more BLACK WIDOW, some film and TV stuff, and certainly some more creator owned work. Stay tuned.
AS: More creator owned work- I have some exciting projects lined up, as well as a story in IDW’s In The Dark, in shops a week after this book. Genesis is my first comic, hopefully not my last.
