The revival of EC Comics has been one of the most interesting and fun things to happen in comics this past year. Oni Press has done a tremendous job of paying tribute to the notorious publisher while also making it feel fresh and different.
Speaking of which, their revival will take another turn this summer as they debut Blood Type. Following the various anthologies Oni has released under the EC Comics banner this past year, Blood Type is the first-ever continuation of an EC Comics anthology short, “picking up the thread of how one lone vampire lost at sea will soon wash ashore on a tropical isle, where she is not the only creature with a taste for flesh and blood,” according to Oni Publisher Hunter Gorinson.
Ada, the lone vampire in question, made her debut in Epitaphs from the Abyss #3, in a story by Corinna Bechko and Jonathan Case. That story will appear in EC Comics Presents Blood Type #0, a Free Comic Book Day offering that’ll be available this Saturday. Bechko, in fact, has a store signing at Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, California on May 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., signing alongside creators Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia) and Patrick Horvath (Free For All, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees).
For the miniseries, Bechko is working with artist Andrea Sorrentino and colorist Dave Stewart to continue the story of Ada. It will kick off on June 18.
I spoke with Bechko about the new series, its historical significance, her love for the horror genre and more.
Let’s start with (hopefully) an easy one. How were you first introduced to comics, and when did you decide you wanted to make them? And to add to that, what was your first exposure to EC Comics?
I guess my first time really tracking and seriously looking for individual issues of a comic was after a good friend introduced me to Love and Rockets. After that I started reading a lot of other things, like Vertigo titles. I found many of them at St. Mark’s Comics when I lived in NYC, coincidently the first place I found reprints of EC Comics titles. This was back when I was about 20. It took a long time for me to think about making them. That didn’t happen until about 2008, when I made Heathentown with Gabriel Hardman. It was published by Image/Shadowline in 2009. I always loved the unique ways the medium can be used. No matter the story, the interplay of art, words, and negative space between panels can produce magic.
How does it feel to be part of reviving EC Comics, and what elements of the classic EC style were you most keen to preserve or even re-imagine in Blood Type?
I can’t even tell you how excited I am to be part of the new EC Comics! When I was asked to pitch stories for the first slate of issues it was probably the fastest I’ve ever said yes to anything. It’s very important to everyone involved that these fresh tales still capture the feeling of the originals, though. They’ve got to have a lot of twists, plenty of gore, some social commentary, and a nice little sting. I have tried to retain those elements in every story I’ve done with EC Comics (now standing at six, I believe), and I’ve been especially keen to make certain to work them into Blood Type. Without them, they wouldn’t be EC Comics.
Let’s talk about Ada — how would you describe her to someone who didn’t catch her first appearance? What aspects of her personality are you most excited to explore following her initial appearance in Epitaphs from the Abyss?
Unlike a human monster, Ada is a monster who hasn’t been human for a very long time. She’s a loner, but a self-confident one. She believes herself fully capable of getting out of any situation, and that makes her prone to leap before looking. Still, it’s worked for her so far, so why change? She’s perfectly happy with herself.
I think we’ve seen a “softer” take on vampires in recent years in pop culture, thinking about Twilight and Vampire Diaries and the like. What inspired your more ruthless take on vampire mythology?
I certainly enjoy an introspective vampire, but I also like my monsters to be monsters. Alien is one of my favorite movies for just that reason (well, okay, there are many reasons, not the least of which being that the cat is saved). In the end, though, I feel that most vampires would be fairly sanguine about their lifestyle and dietary needs. Not unlike Jones, in fact. Cats enjoy the hunt as much as the feast. To any mice aboard the Nostromo, Jonesy is the monster. It’s all about the POV.
The Caribbean resort setting creates an interesting contrast between paradise and horror. What made you choose this location, and how does it enhance the themes you’re exploring?
I love playing with the dichotomy of dark things happening in sunny places. That might be because I grew up in a touristy coastal community, so I saw first hand the difference between vacationing in paradise and living there year round on a service economy income. I’ve moved to a different coast now but I haven’t left behind my snobbish disdain for beaches that aren’t white sand or my distrust of any place that looks too good to be true.
The press release mentions an “entirely different kind of predator” that Ada will face. Without spoiling too much, can you talk about creating an adversary for someone who’s already a badass monster herself?
That’s always a challenge when you’re dealing with any sort of supernatural power. I’ve certainly run into it when writing superheroes too. I’ve found it’s important to define the limits of power, at least in my own head, so that no one ends up with a “magic stick.” Magic sticks sound nice, but if you can wave them to solve any problem or create any kind of pain, they become boring. There’s no drama in wielding a magic stick. To keep it interesting any character has to have some limiting factors, even if they are self-imposed. Superman, for instance, could rule the world. But he’s a good person and doesn’t kill people. That’s his code, and it’s unshakable. Ada has no problem killing people, and neither does her nemesis. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other psychological factors at play. Everyone has a past, even a monster. And no magic stick can fix how you feel about your past.
You’ve mentioned that horror is where you feel “most at home” as a creator. What is it about the genre that resonates with you, and how does Blood Type reflect your personal horror sensibilities?
Horror feels very freeing to me. There’s all kinds of horror: folk, comedy, psychological, body, supernatural, grounded… Just to name a few. It’s a place you can explore all kinds of stories without being bound to a particular type of character. The only expectation is that the reader should feel something. I do read and watch a lot of it myself, and I think readers of Blood Type will figure out what I like quickly: stories about monsters with mysterious pasts set in unexpected places. It helps if there’s a bit of bloodshed and bonus points if a billionaire gets eaten.
