2008 | Dog Eaters

[Interview] The Characters of Dog Eaters, with Creator/Writer Malcolm Wong

Posted on 07.16.08 under Interviews

Yesterday, we explored the world of Dog Eaters . But today, we’re talking to creator Malcolm Wong about some of the burning questions we’ve had about the characters.

BlackDogClan : What can you tell us about Bevan White Eagle, and the place he comes from?

Malcolm Wong : Bevan is from the Pacific Northwest. His tribe is more technologically advanced than the desert people. He is passing through the desert on a mission to South America for his tribe when he is ambushed by Roaches. The Black Dog Clan saves his life.

BlackDogClan : What’s up with Bevan’s quest?

Malcolm Wong : Like the Black Dog Clan, one of the coming of age milestones is the “vision quest.” Psychotropic plants are ingested and the vision that each boy has informs the goal and purpose of his life. But this is something that is not expressed to any and everyone. In contrast, Tommy has learned to “see” vectors, trajectories, and deflection angles – which makes him a marvelous marksman.

BlackDogClan : Who’s better in a fight — Tommy or Stevie?

Malcolm Wong : That’s a tough question. Tommy is a better shot, but Stevie has a more level head. If you were to compare them one-on-one, in a quick fight, probably Tommy. But Stevie thinks ahead, strategically.

BlackDogClan : What’s Chunga’s story? How long has she been with the clan?

Malcolm Wong : She was born into the clan.

BlackDogClan : Who’s really running the clan … Lamont or Rebecca?

Malcolm Wong : Lamont is the chief, but Rebecca is also very necessary for the survival of the clan. Rebecca has the long-term vision and is the spiritual leader and healer. Lamont is the muscle. He has kept the clan alive against larger and stronger forces when other clans have been defeated and scattered. Some of these defeated clansmen have been absorbed into the Black Dog Clan.

BlackDogClan : Is Bronco a Roach, or just really friendly with them?

Malcolm Wong : Bronco’s father established Three Palms and while Bronco was born there, he is of Roach stock. While there are some genetic differences between Black Dog and Roaches, they are still able to interbreed.

BlackDogClan : There’s a picture of a girl named Rose up in the gallery… who is she?

Malcolm Wong : I’d love to tell you, but, you know… you’ll just have to wait until the Black Dog Clan reaches Three Palms in issue #2 to find out!

Thanks to Malcolm for answering these questions!

[Interview] The World of Dog Eaters, with Creator/Writer Malcolm Wong

Posted on 07.15.08 under Interviews

Dog Eaters is set in a setting unlike most of the comic books you’ll read — rather than starting out in the streets of a city, it opens in the desert amidst a ruined civilization. And while a lot of comic books focus on the present, Dog Eaters is set in a future that was ravaged by the petroleum age, where technology has taken a backseat to survival.

Today’s interview is with Dog Eaters creator Malcolm Wong, and focuses on how he came to create the world of the Black Dog Clan.

BlackDogClan: What inspired Dog Eaters ?

Malcolm Wong: DOG EATERS was first written as a spec screenplay. Because a spec is not an assignment, I could write whatever interested me, whatever I wanted to imagine. This is a movie that I want to see! The next best thing is to have it be a graphic novel. I’m really excited about this.

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An Interview with Script Adapter Sean J. Jordan

Posted on 07.14.08 under Interviews

Excited about DOG EATERS? So are we! So every day this week, we’re going to bring you interviews with members of the creative team!

Up first: Sean J. Jordan , the writer/editor who adapted the story for comics.

Black Dog Clan : How did you get started in comics?

Sean J. Jordan : In 2001, I took a class in college on comic books as literature at the University of Illinois, under an instructor named Dan Yezbick. Dan worked really hard to make the class comprehensive, and he covered everything you could ever want to know about the medium — the roots, the history, the underground comix movement, the indy books, and so forth. We actually only read two superhero books — The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen . We used Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud as our textbook, and we read tons of articles from The Comics Journal . We also read through the works of creators like Carl Barks and Will Eisner, both of whom were absolute geniuses.
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