With the launch of his new comic, New America #1, this week from Comixology Originals, we got a chance to sit down and chat with writer and producer Curt Pires. His works include Youth, Lost Falls, Memoria and WYRD.
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Thanks for having me. I’m Curt Pires a writer / producer / creative who makes and loves comics and I’m excited to be talking to be here today.
Can you tell us about the origins of New America?
I had the kernel of this idea late 2016 following the presidential election. Worked on it for a couple years and had an early version of the book almost picked up in 2018 for publication. That fell apart, and so we sort of went back to square one. It was one idea I kept coming back to and wanting to work on so I kept hammering away at it. Eventually refining and bringing on Luca for the version you see today.
What can you tell us about Wyatt Walker?
Wyatt is a soldier. He’s also the brother of Corey Walker, the sitting president of New America. When we meet Wyatt he’s just returned to New America for the first time in years. He’s been presumed missing even considered dead by some, so this sets up the big central mystery of the book regarding where he’s been and why he’s back.
What made Luca Casalanguida the right artist for New America?
I mean, just look at the pages. He’s brilliant. And his Bond stuff and work on Lost Soldiers made me realize he could do the action as well as the character / political stuff.
How did Mark Dale and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou join the team?
I’ve worked with them on other projects and they’re both immensely talented and easy to work with, so it was a no brainer.
How would you describe New America?
I’d describe it as sort of The West Wing meets DMZ meets Sicario. It’s a near future political thriller about a secessionist state and the sometimes violent trials and tribulations of the people living and leading there.
The single issues of New America are all going to be oversized. Why did you make that choice?
There was just too much story for the smaller sized issues. Also the oversized issues give it more of a prestige feel, and allow for more cinematic style pacing.
How long have you been working on New America?
Two years since we started production in earnest. 4 or 5 years since I first had the idea. It takes a longtime for comics to come to life sometimes.
How important is word of mouth for any indie project?
So important! I don’t have the marketing budget of a DC or MARVEL although most of my books rival or surpass there’s in terms of quality–so we need people to shout about the books when they like em’! If you don’t like em’, please just shut up and keep it to yourself. (that’s a joke, maybe.)
New America is releasing from Comixology via their Comixology Originals series. Your previous releases, Youth, Lost Falls and Memoria, were released via Comixology. Can you tell us more about your working relationship with Comixology?
I have a great relationship with Comixology. I love what Chip Mosher and David Steinberger built over there. And I love what Bryce Gold is building now that the torch has been passed to him.
Youth is available in paperback from Dark Horse Books; as a writer, is it important to you that your works are available in physical format?
So important. I love the accessibility of the Comixology Originals program and how anyone with Prime or Comixology / Kindle Unlimited can read for free, but it’s really important to me that Local Comic Shops and Bookstores be able to sell my work. I’m a Wednesday Warrior and go to my shop every week, so everything I do eventually needs to reach the comic shop.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Check out New America or any of the other amazing books we’ve done with Comixology Originals. And sign up for our newsletter to keep up with all our releases: https://tecc.substack.com/
A big thank you to Curt for chatting with us; we wish him and the rest of the team, the best of luck with their New America series.
Comixology Originals titles are available at no additional cost for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comixology Unlimited.
