Interviews

Exclusive: Interview with Tom Waltz

By Avi Weinryb
July 10, 2006 - 22:36

Casey Malone's cover art for COTG

IDW Publishing is gearing up to release an overhauled edition of a fan favourite. This August, a reconstituted version of CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE will be hitting shelves. It now boasts an expanded palette, refined artwork, and the same script that kept readers on their toes when the book was originally released under the Shooting Star Comics banner.

 

The book tells the tale of an elite U.S military squad known as ‘Team Orphan’. Their journey into a barren wasteland is supposed to be a simple anti-terrorist operation, but they get far more than they bargained for when supernatural forces compete for their attention. It soon becomes clear to the soldiers that the only way to defend the future is to accept the past.

 

Originally, I planned on writing a feature article, making use of choice quotes from an interview I would conduct with writer Tom Waltz. After reading his eloquent responses to my questions, I have opted to present them to you in full. Enjoy this conversation with one of the most promising voices in comic today.

 

 

Avi Weinryb: What inspired you to write a military/horror comic?

 

 

Tom Waltz:  Well, a number of things actually inspired the creation of CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE.  Much of the story itself came to me after I saw news reports on TV of a mass grave being unearthed in Iraq a few years back.  I was horrified by the images of men, women and children (even babies) being pulled out of the ground.  The idea that there are so-called humans in this world who are willing to annihilate whole populations of people solely for religious and/or political purposes boggled (and continues to boggle) my mind.

Art from COTG

 

Then, shortly after seeing these news reports, I was listening to the classic Black Sabbath song “Children of the Grave”.  The song describes the world as being run by morally-impotent adults who can’t – or won’t – clean up the awful messes they have created, so it’s falls upon the children of the world to take control and right things, otherwise they are nothing more than “children of the grave.”  The song’s message, like the terrifying images from TV, struck a deep chord with me, and the idea for CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE was born.

 

So, combining the elements from the song and the TV news report, I used my own experiences in the military (I spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including service in Desert Storm, as well as five years as a military policeman in the Army National Guard) to create the military/horror story we are discussing.  That said, I truly believe this kind of story could be told in many different genres – the terrible practice of ethnic cleansing and destroyed childhoods is not limited to the military genre by any means.  For me, however, it was a natural setting for the story based on my own experiences in the Armed Forces.

 

Art from COTG

AW: What lessons or experiences from your military background aided you the most when writing the script?

 

Tom Waltz:   More than anything, I feel my personal experiences in the military helped me to mold realistic characters and (for the most part) realistic military strategies and situations.  I’ve spent enough time around Marines and soldiers in my time to know how they act and talk, and I think that comes through in the final product.  I’ve received many emails from current and former military folks thanking me for depicting the soldiers in COTG in such a realistic and fair fashion.  I like to think that my characters are mirror images of many of the men I’ve served with over the years – human beings who have an intensely dedicated sense of loyalty and service to their country, but who are, at their cores, human beings like the rest of us… people with families, fears, desires, beliefs, hopes… you name it. 

 

AW: The villains in the COTG are radical Muslim terrorists. What made Islamic terrorists the best choice of villains for you?

 

Tom Waltz:  This choice ties in to the original inspiration (for lack of a better term) for the story, which was the TV news report about the mass grave being dug up in Iraq.  This, plus the fact that the desert environment in CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE, I feel, adds to the feelings of isolation that underline the many heavy themes in the story, were really the driving forces behind my decision to use Islamic terrorists for the story.  Sadly, however, the reality of things is that this kind of terror is not isolated to one ethnic and/or religious sect.  The truth is that this form of horror is happening all over the world by all types of different groups for all kinds of twisted reasons.  Blaming Islam and Muslims for all the bad things that are happening on this planet would be both wrong and a complete disservice to the majority of peace-abiding Muslims.  It most certainly was not my intent when writing CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE.

 

AW: Some ghosts in the comic comment on the unending cycle of violence that never brings peace. How did this become a concern for you?

 

Tom Waltz:  My concern is that so many of the wars being waged around the world are, in reality, based upon ancient feuds and/or disagreements that, in all honesty, have no bearing on the modern situation when truly taken into context.  It’s almost as if certain groups fight each other today simply because they always have – never mind the fact that there is nothing to gain from all the warring except death, pain and suffering.  People’s minds are poisoned from very early ages to hate other people only because that’s how their parents lived, and their parent’s parents, and so on.  There seems to be no effort for resolution – no attempt to make a change from the old ways to newer, more peaceful ways.  That’s why I think Black Sabbath’s message in “Children of the Grave” is so apropos.  The adults aren’t doing the things that need to be done to change the unending cycle of vengeance, so it’s up to the kids to do it for themselves.  Otherwise, they will be consumed by the vicious malaise just as their ancestors were.

Art from COTG

 

AW: What is it like working with Casey Maloney? How collaborative is the process?

 

Tom Waltz:  In a word, working with Casey Maloney has been joyous.  Casey is a fantastically talented artist who has huge things ahead of him in this industry.  I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside him during this early portion of his career.  He and I seem to have a strange kind of kinship and creative understanding – we both seem to know what the other is thinking and are able to naturally modify our parts of the projects in ways that work not only best for each other, but for the overall story as well.  I send Casey script in a format I know he will understand and appreciate, and he sends me back knockout artwork that makes me smile from ear to ear every single time.  We are almost always in agreement about the flow of the story and artwork, and when changes are needed, it’s always in mutual agreement that they are for the betterment of the project. 

 

AW: Some of the events in the comic seem reminiscent of the current war in Iraq. If I may ask, what is your opinion on the war? Is it justified? How does it influence your script?

 

Art from COTG

Tom Waltz:  I have a number of opinions about the war in Iraq that may seem to contradict each other, and in that sense, I don’t think I’m very different than most Americans.  First of all, I am fully supportive of an aggressive war on terror, and if that means we have to go out and take these organizations head on, then so be it.  And, by saying that, I’m not limiting my thought process to Islamic terror groups like al Qaeda, etc.  No, I also consider street gangs in the United States to be terrorists, and have no qualms with a more proactive approach to eliminating their awful influence by local police authorities and/or federal law enforcement units.  Any group that utilizes fear as a weapon and who impose their penchant for destruction on innocents needs to be taken out, in my opinion.  The world will be a better place for it.

 

That said, I do feel the war in Iraq – specifically the post-war phase – could have, and should have, been better planned.  I believe much of the quagmire we find ourselves in now could have been avoided if the Powell Doctrine from Desert Storm had been better adhered to in the current Persian Gulf conflict.  Building a massive force before any bullets fly is the best way to not only virtually ensure victory during the war phase, but allows for the personnel needed to squash any post-war insurgencies and help maintain the peace, as it is, with much more limited casualties on both sides.

 

As far as affecting my script, I think I show in the story the same feelings that I have in real life, which is, from the grunt on the ground’s perspective, the politics don’t really matter anymore once the bullets start flying.  No, at that point all that matters is protecting your buddies and yourself.  That is all you can really control, and that is all that truly means anything at the end of the day.  That’s how my characters ultimately approach their mission in CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE.  Whether they agree with what they are doing or not, they have a job to do and they are going to do it to the best of their abilities, all the while doing everything they possibly can to keep themselves and their friends alive. 

 

 

AW: Page 34 features a very graphic image of a man’s head being blown apart. How do you feel about some publishers shying away from such imagery in favour of more sanitized content?

 

Tom Waltz:  Actually, I took a very deliberate approach to the violence depicted in CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE.  On the one hand, as in the example you mention in your question, I asked Casey Maloney to be sure to show the true effects of the damages inflicted by firearms and other weapons.  This was not to glorify the violence, nor to sensationalize it, but was intended to be a graphic display of just how awful and destructive warfare can be.  Going back to your question, I have no problems with sanitizing violence if it serves the story (i.e., it eliminates gratuitous violent images that do nothing to add support to the overall message), but I also feel it is important not to shy away from more explicit examples of destruction if it is necessary (and only if it is necessary) to make a crucial point.  What Casey drew on page 34, we hope, flies in the face of the seemingly popular depictions of violence in many comics and TV programs these days, wherein folks are shot and they fall down dead, with only little, bloodied holes in their bodies as proof of what just occurred.  By showing what we show, I hope we are able to convey a true sense of how ugly a gun shot wound can be, and, as a result, reinforce the concept that it is exactly this kind of horrific damage to others that should be avoided whenever possible.

 

The flipside to this is our depiction of rape in COTG.  I specifically instructed Casey to give more of an implication of the rape taking place in the stories, rather than a full graphic display of the terrifying deed.  The rape scenes were an important plot point for one of the main characters, but I felt that “knowing” versus “showing” was the best approach when it came to the rape scene artwork.  And, as with everything else in the story, Casey pulled it off wonderfully.

 

 

AW: The lack of colour works to the book’s benefit. Was this choice yours, or that of the artist? Why black and white?

Art from COTG

 

Tom Waltz:  Well, originally, the choice was more financial than anything else.  During the initial run at Shooting Star Comics, we went with straight black and white in order to save money on printing costs.  Then, when we made the move to IDW Publishing for the trade paperback collection, Casey and I decided to fully grayscale the book to give it a bit more life and pop, without taking away from the darker elements that, as you mention, benefit the story and its themes.  Of course, this is easy for me to say since it was Casey who had to do all the actual long hours of Photoshop work to make this happen.  [Laughs]

 

AW: Guilt plays an integral role in your comic. What do you feel guilty about? Is guilt a motivator or debilitator? 

 

Tom Waltz:  I’m feeling pretty guilty about that extra piece of pizza I ate for dinner last night.  [Laughs]  I think guilt can work both ways, depending on how it’s dealt with.  If you let it consume you, constantly dwelling on it without stepping past it into brighter territories, then, yeah, it’s definitely a debilitator.  If, however, you tackle the guilt head on by identifying the cause and taking a proactive approach to lessening or, even better, eliminating its effects on your life and your happiness, then, if not a motivator, it certainly can become a catalyst for positive change.  Obviously, though, this is often easier said than done, and that’s one of the themes we tackle in CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE.

 

 

AW: Brian K. Vaughan provides one of the quotes of praise on the book’s back cover. How did you get him involved?

 

Tom Waltz:  I threatened Brian that I would tell the entire world what the “K” in BKV really stands for if he didn’t say some nice things about COTG.  [Laughs]  Seriously though, before he made the big move up to Smog Land recently… er, L.A., that is… Brian lived in San Diego just like me.  It so happened we shopped at the same comic book store, Comickaze, and were introduced to each other by one of the store’s clerks.  Brian is a genuinely nice guy – very approachable, very down-to-earth – and our casual friendship, though mostly conducted via email, has been something I’ve really dug during my short comics career so far.  Not only is he a cool dude, but he’s always willing to answer any of the rookie questions I throw his way about comics creating and the wacky business that surrounds it.  The blurb on the back of the trade is actually pulled from an email that Brian sent to me after he’d read the early Shooting Star Comics run of COTG.  Brian isn’t doing blurbs these days (understandably, he gets bombarded with requests that he just can’t keep up with), but I asked him if he’d mind if I quoted from his email for the back cover of the IDW trade, and he told me to go for it.  Little things like that from an established and respected pro like BKV go a long way in helping move copies of an independent book, and I truly, truly appreciate his willingness to let us use his quote, as well as all the other kind-hearted help he’s given to Casey Maloney and me during COTG’s run.  Plus, BKV continues to be an inspiration to me as far as my career direction is concerned, because I’d like to be able to do the kind of diverse work he does wherein he is able to write for the Big Boys while still devoting time to his creator-owned books, as well.

 

Oh, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this chance to thank other creators such as Beau Smith, Brian Bendis, Geoff Johns, Steve Niles, Warren Ellis, Joe Quesada, Chuck Dixon and many others who have allowed me to promote CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE on their forums.  Their generosity, unselfishness and openness has led to more sales of COTG, I’ve no doubt, and it does my heart good to know that these folks are willing to set ego aside to make room for the promotional efforts of upcoming and/or independent creators on their personal message boards.  Mark Millar is another guy who belongs on this list, and I only mention him separately because he recently personally acknowledged an ULTIMATE CAPTAIN AMERICA pitch I mentioned in another interview, which I thought was pretty damn cool of him to do, especially since it seemed like he liked the pitch.  At least, I think he did. [Laughs]    

 

AW: Are there any future stories planned for Team Orphan? If so, could you describe them?

 

Tom Waltz:  There are most certainly plans for more Team Orphan stories in the future, but at this point, details are very limited.  I do have a story idea I’m hashing out at this time, and when it’s ready to begin, Casey and I will actively pursue a (hopefully) permanent publishing home for the characters and their stories.  I hope to have something to announce before 2007.

 

Thanks so much for all the great questions and for allowing me to talk about CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE on Comic Book Bin.  It’s been great fun!

 

AW: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. 

The book is in Previews now.

(distribution code JUNE063212) and will be available in stores in August(B&W

* 120 pages * $14.99 * ISBN: 1-933239-93-X).

 The book is also currently available from online booksellers.

 

Feed my ego by sending me your comments and criticisms. Also, contact me if you have books you want reviewed, have a scoop, or just want to talk comics.

 

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12