Here is an interview I did with Joe Aubrey And Eric Peterson who as many fans know are writers for The Boys comic. They have a new work coming called SPACE Bastards.
With the described scientific and technological advancements, how has it become difficult to get packages between planets? It seems that with technology that far along, greedy corporations would have had this on lockdown.
JA: The vast distances and natural hazards of space travel make it difficult. So do economic factors Piracy is a big problem. And, yeah, you’ll get the idea in issue 2. Sometimes better is the enemy of the good.While most don’t think about package delivery as a high risk/high reward profession, what exactly inspired you to portray package delivery as cutthroat as the comics show?
JA: We wanted mayhem and action in every issue. With parcel delivery, we were able to replicate the distinctive fear and exhilaration of the lone person ‘running the ball’ in football or being the guy with the flag in an online multiplayer FPS game. I submit that those moments are more exciting than a free for all or traditional bounty hunting/assassination. The packages being basically anything of any size add to the unpredictability and excitement as well.
EP: I think primarily it derived from a need to portray an occupation that goes to different settings frequently, giving us a chance to explore, mixed with the need for conflict to be tied to that occupation. Instead of making the job itself negative or a foil, we turned the job into something desirable but rife with conflict and competition.How exactly are these Postal Workers able to find the package so easily, or is this just one of those things you just don’t worry about?
EP: Ha, another great timely question. Volume 2, man! We explore that exact thing in the hardcover which is up on Kickstarter right now. At the same time, readers can see the inner-workings of the Intergalactic Postal Service when issue 2 hits the stands next month.
JA: In Issue 1, Manicorn warned Davey to always keep up with his dispatch bracelet. And yes, we explain it a bit more in future issues.
Aside from the seven-part and the one-shots, can we expect to see more stories in this world? It feels like we can see so much from this universe.
EP: The work by Clint Langley, Colin MacNeil, Simon Bisley and others specifically fills out a few more corners of this expansive universe in year one. We’ve produced 15 issues so far, and I hope we get the chance to do many more.
What differed in approach to character design are there between Robertson’s previous work, if any?
EP: I can’t speak for other writers he’s worked with but on our end Darick had the opportunity for contrast. He knew where we were starting in terms of our view of these characters, and worked with us to take them to new heights– this in turn really helped us elevate the characters themselves. Darick giving real meat to these characters visually definitely helped us define them and make them breathe.
JA: In this sci-fi setting, Darick was able to not only create characters, but create new life forms. I think he probably had more freedom here than with a lot of his previous work.
Can we expect to see any more stories in this universe after the end of the seven-part and one-shots?
EP: I sure as heck hope so! The best way to guarantee that happens is to support the Kickstarter running right now. The funds that our directors’ cut hardcovers raise are specifically there to help make year two of Space Bastards a reality.
What was the inspiration behind the new series?
EP: There’s a lot. I think some are pretty visible from the surface and others are a bit more deep in the DNA. Structurally Batman TAS and The Wire really played a big role for me. Jackass, Slapshot. Conan. Always Sunny, Seinfeld, and Curb. One of the side effects of working on this for years and years before issue 1 came out was the amount of media that was a part of our lives during that time or before.
JA: Influences for me were Crank, Snatch, Heavy Metal, Repo Man, Cannonball Run, Hitchhiker’s Guide and many others. Sometimes you are inspired by something you see, and other times you’re inspired by what you feel you’re NOT getting. The big inspiration behind Space Bastards was to create what we felt was lacking in today’s market: A big, violent, action-packed sci-fi comic for mature readers with a simple hook, top tier artwork, and vile (yet relatable) characters.
What have been your biggest challenges and success stories with it?
JA: The biggest challenge, even after getting Darick involved in 2014, was just writing, editing, networking, spending money and otherwise slogging away by ourselves for 6-7 years. We just kept making comics with very little feedback from anyone. Eric and I loved the pages we were getting from the artists, we made each other laugh with the writing and revisions, but we weren’t sure anyone would ever actually read or understand what we were making. The biggest success was forging the relationship with Humanoids. Mark Waid and Rob Levin expressing excitement and interest in the book is an incredible feeling.
EP: It’s still early so I hope there’s some real good success to come. I know for me it’s the surprises. Kevin Smith got a copy of the first hardcover. Adam Jones from Tool. Seth Rogen. Bruce Timm. Ooh, Karen Berger read it which was a real milestone for me.
How would you compare/contrast this to The Boys?
EP: I think there’s something similar in how we enter the universe through relatability. Davey is definitely an everyman who has the opportunity to show real complication under the surface The opposite is also true– Davey and Manny have almost the exact opposite relationship as Hughie and Bill from the onset (and with good reason). I do think as readers check out more issues and dive farther in they’ll see some good contrast in terms of the characters and also what the story does overall.
