44. The Making of a Comic: "Hallowed North #2" by Jeremiah Espinoza and J. Schiek
Tackling heavy topics, pep talks, and finding a groove
Howdy Brave Being,
Welcome back, dear readers to The Making of a Comic. It’s been a while, but I’m utterly compelled to share the latest and greatest comics available on the indie crowdfunding shelf. Today, I’m chatting with HALLOWED NORTH creators Jeremiah Espinoza and J. Schiek, who both joined us last fall to talk about their debut issue of HALLOWED NORTH—a dark fantasy comic exploring the horrors of depression and mental illness.
As of this writing, they’re hard at work crowdfunding issue #2 but have taken a short break to talk about their next issue, and I can tell you what, after the end of the last one, I NEED the next issue! Here they are to tell you all about it…
Surrendering to the Flow
Brittany Matter: Tell us about HALLOWED NORTH’s protagonist Ben Ramos, where he’s been and where he’s going in this next issue.
Jeremiah Espinoza: In the last issue, we’re introduced to the two versions of Ben in the series. The vapor, represented as the 13-year-old boy, and the man we see whose mind the story is taking place in. When we last left “Young Ben”, he’s run away from home in an attempt to avoid The Monster’s reach. We’ll find out that’s easier said than done as we learn that The Monster’s influence extends beyond its gaze.
BM: How did you approach making issue #2?
JE: The bulk of issue #2 was written as a part of a graphic novel. I’d gotten about 120 pages into the story (little more than halfway) before I decided to break the book up into individual issues. So mainly, it was a just a matter of editing it down a bit and making it make sense as a standalone issue. Giving it a more concrete beginning and ending within the confines of its pages.
BM: Which narrative techniques have you found are most effective in telling this story?
JE: The entire story is one big metaphor for the struggles of mental illness. And to help with that, we needed to personify depression in The Monster. In my experience, my depression knew my weaknesses, knew how to instill doubt at a fundamental level. The Monster is vile and imposing, but it also needs to be manipulative and cunning.
BM: How did you find your flow with this issue?
JE: Even though it’s 10 pages longer, this issue moves at a much faster pace. The book hits the ground running and, save for those kind of character moments you see in issue #1, maintains that movement throughout. It’s easy to find the flow of a story when plot-wise, it’s such a load-bearing issue.
BM: Is it any easier or harder to bring this deeply personal story to life going into this second issue?
JE: If we’re talking about the writing, it’s a little easier. Issue #1 is very heavy in its sadness, almost to the point of complete despair. That was a pretty painful point in my own history to return to. We’re definitely still dealing with those themes, but this is the first time we see our characters take any sort of stand to fight back, to endure. And it’s empowering to see the tide turn, if only for a moment.
If we’re talking about the Kickstarter campaign, I’m definitely sweating more this time around. With a larger book came a larger crowdfunding goal, one that we’re slowly chipping away at. It would be amazing to be in the kind of position we were for the first issue. But we’re talking a difference of over $4,000. It was always going to be a bigger battle—80% funded leading into the final week isn’t shabby though, and I’m so grateful for all of the support we’ve received so far. I think we can pull it off. And anytime I doubt it, J. gives me a pep talk that holds me over for a few more hours.
Mastering the Art of Fear
BM: Tell us about the cover for issue #2, which puts the monster front and center.
J. Schiek: I have Jeremiah (Espinoza) to thank for that one. When he commissioned it, he asked specifically for something in line with those ubiquitous images of Christ, beckoning the viewer to walk with Him, or whatever directive that entails some measure of spiritual conviction/religious conversion. I loved the idea of subverting that very well known and implicit message into something that is as horrifying as it is comical. I was also trying to create some congruity with the cover of issue #1, which shows Ben sort of dissolving, but ultimately a large, singular figure dominating the composition. I had a LOT of fun with it this time. So much so, that my constant and prolonged fiddling with it produced the television static version that ended up as the C cover variant. We had some back and forth over the halo, which, on the C cover uses my original suggestion of double edged razor blades, but on the A cover is repeated symbol for (I believe) depression.
BM: What’s your process like when visually creating feelings of fear and suspense?
JS: When it comes to horror, I’ve taken a lot of what I’ve learned from Alfred Hitchcock to heart, with the idea that less is more, and what I don’t show is every bit as important, if not more so, than what I do show. In art school, I developed sort of a reputation with professors for doing a lot of chiaroscuro in my work. Back then, it was a bit of a crutch, in that I found I could hide or fudge details by obscuring them in large areas of shadow.
More than anything though, I enjoy that look. Coupling shadows with cinematographic techniques, such as low angles to make characters or monsters look more imposing or dominant, is a huge part of the visual language of fear for me. Colors as well. There were a lot more greens and violets in issue #1, this one is leaning hot and heavy into that dominant/submissive relationship between red and blue, respectively.
BM: How will you maintain the sense of dread that’s so prevalent in the first issue?
JS: Honestly, I’m hoping more to amplify it rather than maintain it. I can speak to some reflective shots with Maggie and Dell in the latter half of the issue where the shots get a lot darker, more claustrophobic. I’m hoping they will give the reader a pleasurable sense of discomfort, if that’s possible. But if the first issue left one feeling a sense of dread, my plans and approach to the visuals of issue 2 are only going to exacerbate those feelings.
BM: How did you find your flow with this issue?
JS: Well, in the midst of finishing issue #1 last year, and the four-page short that we did (Sick Day), I was floundering through a multipart relocation to a new home in another state. After selling our home in Southern California, we bought a place for cash in Idaho, but ended up wintering (and springing) with my parents in Sacramento, which proved a major detriment to my artistic pursuits. I had very little space, mentally or physically, to work. Issue #2, however, I’m settled into my new place and finding my old vibe and productivity waiting for me, which has been heartening. Having my own space again has been like discovering a kink in the garden hose, righting it, and watching the sprinkler charge back to life.
BM: What excites or terrifies you about issue #2?
JS: Same answer to both, really. Jeremiah (Espinoza) plays his cards very close to the chest, so as of now, I’ve seen as much of issue #2 as anyone else. I have a few insights into more of the story from conversations and strategy talks with Jeremiah, but on the whole, I’m more or less on the same page as the reader right now. I’m excited to see where the story is going, and where issue #2 will leave us in Ben’s overall journey. I’m excited for the new characters we’re going to meet. But, at the same time, I’m terrified Jeremiah is going to throw me something I can’t draw properly. Mostly kidding, but put another way, I’m feeling very invested in this series and my fear is the same as with any book I get this wrapped up in, that I remain capable of doing it justice.
Hallowed North’s True North
BM: What keeps y’all grounded while creating this dark and affecting story?
JE: Writing Hallowed North is very much an exercise in revisiting those moments of severe depression that I consider myself fortunate to have survived. And it does take its toll if I don’t distance myself a bit occasionally. I balance it out with comfort sitcoms that I’ve seen more times than I can count (My Name is Earl is my current rewatch) and working on some more upbeat writing. I also just started my billionth Skyrim play-through.
JS: Coffee. Lots of it. Coffee, Alan Moore’s Saga of The Swamp Thing, playing with my son and our two new kittens, Friend & Mrs. Cat, and having my own space to live and work, once more.
BM: Who would win in a fight: Vecna from Stranger Things (season 4) or HALLOWED NORTH’S Monster?
JE: Oh The Monster, any day. YOU HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN ITS FINAL FORM!!!
Is that spoilers? That feels like spoilers...
JS: Tough. Call. Vecna is pretty bad ass, although, beneath his meat-swamp thing exterior, he seems a bit pretty. I sense no underlying weakness in HN’s titular monster. If only I could shrink them both down to GI Joe size and let them duke it out in an empty mayonnaise jar…if only…
BM: If HALLOWED NORTH had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
JE: Every one of my projects has a soundtrack that I play while figuring out plot details during my commute or while working out. So Hallowed North does have one. Some of the songs included are “Cool Waves” by Spiritualized, “Hang On Me” by St. Vincent, “Until We Get There” by Lucius, “Death Dream” by Frightened Rabbit, and “Wait for M”e by Rise Against.
JS: Oh boy, I’m probably going to have the worst answer for this one. Going with the Metallica theme set by Stranger Things, I would have to put “The Unforgiven” in there somewhere. For any point where it’s time to stop running and start fighting, I’d go utilitarian and employ Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”. Apart from that, maybe some less played out tracks from Florence & The Machine, and, because I’m a ‘90s kid who never ever grew up, some Cranberries.
BM: Who else is on team HALLOWED NORTH and what are they bringing to this second issue?
JE: Matt Krotzer, the Letterer Supreme himself, has returned to letter issue #2. His work on the first issue and elsewhere is incredible so it was a thrill that he agreed to come back to continue the story.
Leland Bjerg is our editor. I worked with Leland on the first issue and he was instrumental in helping me, a novice comics writer, grasp a better understanding of the format. And he’s bringing his deep understanding of story structure to issue #2.
Heather Vaughan, who did an AMAZING variant cover for issue #1, returned to create another for issue #2 and knocked it out of the park! Heather’s one of my favorite artists working and I’m very thankful to have already had the opportunity to collaborate with her twice.
So if you’re keeping score, issue #1’s entire creative team returned for #2. I loved working with and getting to know each of them throughout the process of the first book and knew that if I wanted to keep that high quality we set with it, the whole team needed to be here.
BM: What has been the response to this series so far?
JE: Very positive! Which was a relief. Nobody wants to create anything bad, but my fear was creating something boring. When I broke the story into separate issues, I knew that meant issue #1 of this dark fantasy/horror story would be largely set in everyday life with a sprinkling of monster for good measure. I was worried that we’d lose the audience before we had opportunity to really deliver on those genre qualifiers as the story expanded. But those heavy, dramatic moments have really resonated with people. And the responses I’ve gotten both on a public platform and in messages have been very heartfelt. I think people appreciate what we’re trying to do with Hallowed North. I think that it’s providing a voice to something that isn’t always easy to talk about. And it means everything to me that people have been able to connect with our comic in that way.
JS: Everything I’ve seen or heard so far has been overwhelmingly positive. The responses that really get me going though have been from those who suffer from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, who have found something to identify with in this series. Making something that entertains people is great, but knowing that something I helped make had a deeper impact in making a socially and emotionally marginalized group feel more seen is about the best feeling I can imagine.
BM: How can readers get issue #1 if they missed the first Kickstarter?
JE: Until July 21st at 11:00am Central, on the Kickstarter for issue #2! It’s also available on GlobalComix for gold members to read in its entirety.
JS: Well, they’ll have to break into the National Archives Museum and steal the Declaration of Independence, as it’s printed on the back. Or—OR! One could choose one of the Kickstarter packages that includes a digital copy, OR buy it directly from GlobalComix, OR if you DM me and ask, like, really nicely, I might could help a soul out. Just don’t tell Jeremiah I said that.
BM: Amazing! I certainly LOVED the first issue, it was so full of emotion, tension, and intrigue, and cannot wait for the next.
Dear readers, Jeremiah and J. have less than a week left to get HALLOWED NORTH #2 funded, so please go back it HERE before it’s too late!
