downthetubes Exclusive Interview: Author and Comic Writer Rik Hoskin
We’re delighted to bring you an exclusive interview with award-winning author Rik Hoskin, New York Times bestselling writer of comics, books, video games and animation, on the eve of a major celebration for Deathlands, a project he has worked on since 2007…
Born in London, England, now living on Britain’s sunny south coast, Rik Hoskin is a multi-award winning writer of comics, novels, animation and video games. He’s written comics for Star Wars, Superman, Doctor Who and Shrek among many others, and provided dialogue – often as lead writer – for a variety of video games including Crimson Desert, Snowbreak: Containment Zone and Game of Khans. He writes books and short stories under his own name, and as James Axler.
Rik, firstly, thanks for talking to us about your latest projects. Can you tell us more about your latest Deathlands saga books?
I’ve been a contributing writer to the Deathlands series since 2007, when I started writing the paperback series under the shared penname of James Axler. These days I’m the main writer, which gives me the freedom to explore longer, multi-book ideas. The books are exclusive audio originals produced with a full cast, music and effects, by Graphic Audio.
The latest saga begins this week with Deathlands 158: Captive Souls, which is the start of The Five Villes Saga. The villes, Deathlands’ terminology for towns, are five closely connected towns in post-apocalyptic America, protected by a unified security force called Magistrates. Unlike other villes, there’s no ruling baron – frequently the source of conflict and cruelty – running them, so this is an exploration of how civilisation begins to rebuild and the pitfalls of an inflexible regime that our heroes initially fall afoul of.
The Magistrates are actually a callback (or call-forward, I guess) to Deathlands’ long-running sister series, Outlanders, which is set 100 years further in the future, and on which I was head writer for about seven years, so I wanted to layer in some connective tissue and plant the seeds for an origin for that future.
The Five Villes Saga will run four volumes from Graphic Audio. The next book is called Chimera Crisis, and should be out towards the end of the year. Although there’s continuing character development, each book works as a stand-alone adventure.
The Deathlands project has been running for 40 years – an impressive run! How did it begin?
The book series launched in 1986 during the boom period for post-apocalyptic fiction. It was created by comics writer Christopher Lowder under his frequent penname Jack Adrian, a name familiar to readers of early 2000AD and Star Lord where he’d written “Dan Dare”, and contributed to other series like “Ro-Busters” and “Invasion”. Lowder tapped into the then-very current fear of nuclear armageddon to develop a pulpy series about a band of rugged survivors set 100 years after the nuclear war between the USA and USSR (Russia, as it is today).
The series was then developed by Lawrence James, another name from comic books, who wrote the first 32 books under the penname James Axler, before handing it over to other writers.
The series is very definitely in the action movie or comic book style, it’s fast-paced and full of violence, mutants and deranged villains with evil master plans, but it’s driven by characters who resonate emotionally with a dedicated audience, which has seen the series reach almost 160 volumes, and launch two spin-off series, one of which, called Outlanders, ran 75 books. The books have a huge following in the audio market, and these days that’s become the only place to find new adventures after the original paperback publisher closed down.
How did you become part of it, and what’s been your favourite part of working in the Deathlands universe?
In 2007 I sent a query letter to the Deathlands publisher – Gold Eagle books – about writing for them. At the time, I was writing Jackie Chan and Disney comics. Gold Eagle’s editor Feroze Mohammed invited me to pitch, loved what he saw, and after my first Deathlands novel he offered me the role of writing for its sister series, Outlanders, as well, where I became head writer for about seven years. I’d just quit my full-time job at the time, so I bounced back and forth between writing Deathlands and Outlanders paperbacks, dreaming up expansive ideas that could work over multiple books with other writers – it was a bit like creating a Secret Wars-style crossover every year, where I’d create the framework and leave it open enough to allow other writers to play to their own strengths, while working out the major story beats.
I was more heavily involved with Outlanders when the books were in paperback, but once Graphic Audio took over as publisher in the audio exclusive format, I was brought in to consult on Deathlands, and later took the role of – what I suppose you’d call – lead writer.
To say what’s the best part of working in this universe really requires two separate answers. Creatively, these are just really fun worlds, with action around every corner, supernatural powers, gun fights, quick escapes and explosions. It’s a brutal world but the pleasure comes in adding a human layer to that, to make it feel real.
From a technical standpoint, the best part has been the freedom I’ve been given by Graphic Audio (and Gold Eagle before them). They’re very talented people who are incredibly supportive, and always drive me to do my best work. I get to explore the dark recesses of the human soul, but also inject lots of humour and action – the best of all worlds.
You’ve launched a book giveaway to celebrate writing 40 “James Axler” stories, across various media. Tell us a bit about that…
40 years of Deathlands, 40 books written by me as James Axler – marking me as the most prolific writer to ever use the name – which results in 40 signed and personalised books being given away!
I wanted to reward loyal fans, because without them there’d be no series, and I wouldn’t get to have this much fun and still call it work.
While the giveaway is intended for fans of the series – there’s an entry question asking people to name their favourite character – I’ll send a signed book to anyone who enters, just answer that question with something that’ll make me laugh!
Across your career, you’ve written for various media, including graphic novels. Do you have a favourite?
My automatic reaction is comics, because that’s really my first love and where all my writing spun out from. So writing Star Wars and Superman both meant a lot to me. But I love writing Deathlands, and short stories, and dialoguing video games like Crimson Desert.
I just enjoy the craft and the challenge of writing, keeping things fresh, making characters compelling and figuring out new twists and new motivations. If it’s Disney Princess or Doctor Who or the post-apocalypse, it doesn’t really matter to me, I just lose myself in that world for a while and try to find something new and engaging to say about it.
Aside from working on your 41st Deathlands story, what else do you have in the works?
I’ve just taken a couple of months out to work on my own book series called HERCULES VERSUS, which I’ll begin self-publishing in September. I have not self-published in a very long time, so it’s been quite eye-opening to find out how much organising is involved with cover artists, designers and so on, but I have a super team on board.
I’ll be launching three books in quick succession, with covers by comic artists Sachin Nagar and Kewber Baal, and more titles planned.
Other than that, I have just completed some video game scripting for an unannounced project, and some short stories for an upcoming horror anthology.
Casting a look around my local Waterstones recently, I was surprised to see that fantasy novels seem to be expanding rapidly into the space where manga once held sway. Are you finding an uptick in interest in mythological tales, too?
I don’t really have my ear to the ground on this. I imagine with The Odyssey there’s been a renewed interest in mythology, but probably more from a literary mindset. My own “Hercules Versus” series is anything but literary, it’s more like a comic book in prose form, more Conan the Barbarian than Homer!
I’ve noticed that Fantasy has been expanding for the last 15 years, at least. It absorbed a lot of space that used to be dedicated to science fiction, and I wonder if part of its appeal is the same appeal as comics – that whole idea of a continuing saga with familiar characters readers can keep coming back to for further adventures.
Is that a reflection on a desire for more escapism from audiences, do you think?
We all desire escapism, don’t we? The real world can be dreadfully depressing, and increasingly politicised with the way algorithms keep people in their little bubbles sometimes. Books are such a great escape, because they demand the reader engage rather than consume, they work with the reader to paint pictures in the mind. I love that, it’s a magic trick.
You’ve also written a number of licensed works, do you have a favourite universe among Doctor Who, Star Warsand others you’ve written for?
Well, I was a Marvel Comics and Star Wars kid, so those would still be my favourites. But I always immerse myself in whatever license I’m writing for, be it Deathlands, Doctor Who, Crimson Desert or Warhammer. I always want it to feel faithful and add to that world in an interesting way.
In a changing world for creative writers, what one piece of advice do you offer those looking out to make a living from it, as you have?
I always say finish what you start. Get feedback if you can, as it’s surprising how people can differently interpret the story or words you thought were clear. And enjoy what you write, because that’s really why we do these things.
Rik, thanks very much for talking to us, and the best of fortune with your work!
• Check out Rik’s amazing Deathlands giveaway here: axlergiveaway.com
• Check out Rik Hoskin’s novels and graphic novels on AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
•Rik Hoskin’s Graphic Audio Project Credits
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who MagazineandOverkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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