INTERVIEW: Thoughts of Mnemovore
Interview conducted by Jonathan Ellis

Described as Invasion of the Body Snatchers for the ADD generation, Mnemovore is a paranoiac supernatural thriller about memories, monsters, and the real terror behind forgotten thoughts. Mnemovore is a 6-issue mini-series written by Ray Fawkes and screenwriter Hans Rodionoff and featuring art by Mike Huddleston.

Mnemovore features Kaley Markowic, an Olympic hopeful whose career is brought to a crashing halt. Badly injured, Kaley can barely remember her boyfriend, her family - her entire life. Now, a horrifying creature appears on the scene, violating her loved ones and damaging their minds. Kaley is lost in a world where nothing has precedent and must fight to protect those who are closest to her, even if she can't recall them.

We recently spoke with the writers Ray & Hans about the book, the genre of horror and working together to create the series.

First of all, Mnemovore began as an original graphic novel, when did it make the move to Vertigo?

Hans: When we first met, Ray and I were talking about adapting his original Mnemovore graphic novel into a movie. There were some new elements that I wanted to implement, but I didn't want to destroy the integrity of Ray's first story arc. We started bouncing ideas back and forth to try and incorporate my new ideas with Ray's existing mythology. A few months into our discussions, we started to conceive a new storyline. This new storyline was something that we saw as being bigger and broader than the original. I think we both knew that this new storyline was meant to be a Vertigo book very early on. I pitched it to Karen Berger and she grasped the concept immediately. From that point, she really guided us through the process and made the story much stronger. As far as concrete timelines go, I'd be hard pressed to say when the book actually made the move to Vertigo. It was a process that started probably a year ago.

"Mnemovore", does that translate as mind or memory eater/devourer?

Ray: It would translate as "Memory Eater".

How did the team up between yourself and Hans begin?

Ray: Hans and I met at San Diego Comic-Con. He happened across me when I was selling some of my indy work, and we struck up a conversation based on the original Mnemovore, then, over time, talking about horror stories in general. I gave him nightmares, apparently, and there a close and comfortable relationship began.

Hans: That's how all my best relationships begin, actually.

Now this began as a graphic novel that you were going to draw yourself Ray, but Hans, you also grew up wanting to draw. Was there a specific vision you both had artistically or did you leave the designs up to Mike Huddleston?

Ray: Once I saw what Mike was capable of, I did my best to feed him imagery in a strictly literary vein, eager to see it unfold from his pen in undiluted form. As he presented us with designs, I felt first that we'd made the right choice, then, rapidly, that it must have been serendipity. I absolutely love his work.

Hans: I think it was helpful that Ray and I think visually in the beginning. We were able to articulate our stylistic preferences to Mike from an artist's perspective. This allowed us to get a shorthand going really early on. But once Mike really started to gain steam, Ray and I both jumped out of the way to avoid being hit by the Huddleston Locomotive. The man is truly a dynamo.

Once you learned Mike was the artist did you try to add details that would play to his strengths? Swirly smoke filled hallways or textured tattooed tentacles?

Hans: There were two things that we knew were essential to this book. One was a liberal use of black in the frame, with lots of deep shadows. The other thing was that we knew we needed someone who had an unhealthy affection for tentacles. Mike is strong in both departments, so the story concept already played to his strengths before we'd even begun scripting. Once Mike started turning in pages, he really took ownership of the creature and the characters. His renderings definitely changed and influenced the way that we approached the scripts. I think that we did start to adapt some elements of the story to incorporate and accentuate what Mike was doing visually.

Hans, while you've worked on a few comic to screen adaptations, including Man-Thing, Werewolf By Night, a rewrite on a forthcoming Spawn and even a Brother Voodoo pilot, aside from the recent Man-Thing mini-series from Marvel, you're still relatively new to comics correct? How do you find the comparison of writing for the two mediums?

Hans: Yes, I am still relatively new to writing comics. Mnemovore will be my third foray into comic book writing. The Lovecraft graphic novel was my first experience, and that's how I met Karen Berger. That book was adapted from a screenplay that I had already written, and I learned how to break it down into panels from Keith Giffen. The Man-Thing three issue movie prequel was my first solo effort. I'm happy with the way it came out, but I had a good mentor. The main difference between writing for the screen and writing for comics is one of budgetary and logistical constraints. In comics, you don't have any. With film, you're always worried about how something is going to look if the budget is too low and the production designer has to skimp on creature design. With comics, you are really only limited by your imagination and your ability to communicate effectively with your artist.

Horror as a genre really benefits from film in that you're able to expand beyond the visual alone. There are certain conventions that work well in film like a shadow in your peripheral eye view or a sudden loud noise which just don't translate as well to a sequential format. With this in mind how did it push you in crafting the story so that on paper you can still simulate that necessary effect of fear?

Ray: We may not have the sound and motion options that are available in film, but there is a whole world of pacing tricks and atmospheric dialog and inkwork techniques available to work the tension with. We don't simulate, we stimulate! You can trust us to deliver - we're professionals.

Hans: Plus, film has its limits as well. You are limited by your budget, the actors, and a dozen other things that can dilute the story. True, in comics you don't have sound and music to build tension, but you have abilities and opportunities that are unique to that form. The pacing is different, and the scares in a comic book are usually more sustained, but it is possible to create a feeling of dread in a sequential story.

What inspired Mnemovore? Was this the type of idea sparked by the idea of the monster or the victim?

Ray: This was an idea inspired by the victim(s), i.e. the human race. At the root, this story is about forgetting. Forgetting who we are, forgetting one another, and forgetting our better instincts - and there isn't anyone I can think of who doesn't do at least one of those on a horrifyingly regular basis. In the context of the book, it's an attempt to blame some of our own awful reality on an outside influence, as reassuring or chilling as that attempt might be.

Hans: But I also think that once the creature had shape, it led to the selection of the protagonist. You take one look at this horrific entity and you think, "Who in the world would be brave enough to take this thing on?" and that's when Kaley stands up and says, "I'll do it." So, I guess the chicken made the egg that made the chicken. The monster and the victim created each other, in both a conceptual and a literal sense.

The main character has been described as 'self-abrasive' and 'psychotic'... so... based on an ex of yours?

Ray: Ha! Well, the character is psychotic in a simple literal sense; her contact with reality is defective. To which I say: whose isn't? Man, that's the very best thing about so many of us. Listen, I'm a man half-possessed by the ghost of a Victorian gambler. Maybe it's based on an ex of his.

Hans: If I could date Kaley, I would. Quirks and all, she's quite a catch. I wish I could count her among my exes.

The main character is also an Olympic hopeful, Hans you worked your way through the costly business of film making by being a lifeguard and seem to be a sporty type so I'm guessing if not swimming then maybe skiing?

Hans: Yeah, Ray gives me grief all the time about my jock side. The funny part is, I'm still a lifeguard. I don't do it full time any more, but I put in at least ten days a summer. And all the while I'm pondering gruesome horrors and things that go bump in the night. Next time you're at the beach, think on that. Personally, I'm an avid surfer, skier, skater and snowboarder. Kaley has similar hobbies.

With the set-up of the character and antagonists you seem to be going for a story that's part psychological horror and part action?

Ray: And part inspirational Jack T. Chick-style parable. Warnings against role-playing games, heavy metal music, and hot goth sex abound, encoded throughout. After you read the comic, put it on your record player and spin it backwards to see if you can spot them!

Hans: Or pretend it's manga and read it backwards! Same effect! That's actually not a bad idea. I think this story might work in a completely different way if read backwards. This one is not so much action as it is atmospheric neo-gothic horror. There's no karate.

Memento meets Mnemovore.

Hans: That's it exactly. I actually used to pitch this story as Memento meets the Ring. Of course, that confused a lot of people and it is a little misleading. It's more like Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Tell us about the creature in this story?

Hans: It's something that is both very old and brand new at the same time, as ambiguous as that sounds. It's an entity born from Lovecraftian influences and Asian aesthetics. Hideo Phillips Lovecraft-san. Kidding aside, it's hard to talk about the creature too much without undermining the suspense of the book. The creature is something that the reader will be discovering with Kaley, so it should be somewhat enigmatic. I will say this... you've never seen anything like it. Or if you have, you certainly won't remember seeing anything like it.

Is there a specific tie between Kaley and the creature that draws them together in the story?

Ray: The answer is yes.

Hans: And that, ladies and gents, is why we call him Ray "Loquacious" Fawkes. Kaley has a strong link with both the creature and another character named Mike Neville. The bond between them is the thematic spine of the whole story.

Are you both big Hunter S. Thompson and Philip K. Dick fans?

Ray: I'm a serious fan of Hunter S. Thompson, and have made it a project to read everything he's published, including those books of his personal letters. Philip K Dick is hit and miss for me - when he hits, I feel it like a ripple across the folds of my brain and end up wandering about in a daze for a long while. When he doesn't, I shrug my shoulders and get back to my breakfast cereal. On my end, more of the inspiration for this story (and some of the writing techniques involved) came from the works of William S. Burroughs.

Hans: I'm a fan of any author that uses his middle initial. So yes on Hunter S. Thompson, Philip K. Dick and William S. Burroughs. Don't forget Joe R. Lansdale. I think Mnemovore also taps into the sense of paranoia that Ira Levin creates so well.

Hans, when you came onto this project, could you see a trailer in your mind for the story?

Hans: Absolutely. I had my cast, my director and my sequel all figured out. I'm already on to the sixth installment of the franchise, which may be going direct to video.

Hans, I know you want to do more in the comics field and Ray, we always want to see more from you, so what are your plans for what's coming up?

Ray: Well, I've got a lot of work ready to fly out of the starting gate - most of it is waiting on publishers. More immediately, I'm completing a 32-page book that will be self-published this summer, entitled PINK. It's another horror piece: three short stories about a crippling sex drug that should make for light sunny-season reading.

Hans: Sounds great! I'll read it in the lifeguard tower! For my part, there will hopefully be more comic work, a couple of ideas that I'm working on for film and television projects and nasty little piece of business that I'm outlining as a novel. I think there'll be more Fawkes & Rodionoff collaborations in the future too.

Mnemovore debuts in stores April the 13th from Vertigo, be sure to pick this series up and it always helps to pre-order. Just takes these order codes to your local retailer and say "Baby! I Want My Mnemovore!"

Issue 1 Order Code: FEB05 0357
Issue 2 Order Code: MAR05 0487
Issue 3 Order Code: APR05 0411

For more be sure to visit Ray's homepage at Piper Snow.com.

Jonathan Ellis is Co-Editor in Chief of PopImage


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.
E-Mail Us - Send us an e-mail commenting on this article.
DC Comics.com

Industrial Archive - Read past Industrial articles