With the release of the upcoming comic Yuletide from Oni Press this October, we are delighted to be joined by producer, writer George Northy and artist Rachele Aragno.
Hi, George and Rachele; it’s so lovely having you both here with us.
Could you please introduce yourselves to our readers?
GN: Hi there, I’m George Northy. I’m an LA-based producer and writer for TV and film…and with Yuletide’s premiere, now comics as well! I’ve worked in a variety of genres throughout my career, from teen comedy (my film G.B.F., TV series FAKING IT & XO KITTY) to supernatural action-adventure (The CW’s CHARMED, along with a lot of bought but never produced genre pilots). I also made my comics debut by writing one of the stories in ONI PRESS & EC COMICS’ SHIVER SUSPENSTORIES #1. Breaking into the comics space was my dream long before I wrote a word in my very first screenplay, so it feels like I’ve really come full circle with the release of YULETIDE.
RA: Hello! I am Rachele Aragno, best known for my work on MEL THE CHOSEN, LEONIDE THE VAMPYRE, I HATE FAIRYLAND and STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC. I broke into the industry in 2019 with my debut graphic novel, MELVINA, originally published in Italy by Bao and brought to the United States by Random House Graphic as MEL THE CHOSEN, which was named among the best books for young readers by the comics committee of the American Library Association. In 2022 the sequel MELVINA AND THE GIFT SERPENT was published in Europe and is still awaiting a US release. Also in 2022, I collaborated with comics legend Mike Mignola to create an original character, LEONIDE THE VAMPYRE, who starred in a pair of issues colored by superstar Dave Stewart—Miracle at the Crow’s Head and A Christmas for Crows—released through Dark Horse Comics. In 2023 I joined Skottie Young at Image Comics for an I HATE FAIRYLAND short story, and this year I went to a galaxy far far away with Dark Horse and Star Wars: The High Republic Series. I am currently working on a new comic for Bao and other stories.
George, can you tell us about the origins of Yuletide?
GN: I first started thinking of Yuletide when I was creating a Christmas Day Quiz for my visiting in-laws. I wanted one of the rounds to be “The Forgotten Monsters of The Yuletide,” which led me to research all sorts of Yuletide creatures, from the belly-slitting Witch Perchta to the child-stalking Yule Cat. I realized these monsters who’ve been ‘buried’ and ‘forgotten’ in exchange for the more cheerful versions of holiday legends could be a great metaphor for the ways we try to bury our own personal demons and put on a happy face throughout the holidays. This inspired a tale of a bunch of kids and teens facing off against this Holiday Horde in the tradition of stories like The Goonies, Hocus Pocus and even Stranger Things.
Rachele, what did you think when you read the script for Yuletide?
RA: I loved the script right away. It was like seeing all the things I love come together in one moment: Christmas, folklore creatures, kids looking for adventure, snow. I thought George had created something unique, unrepeatable, and I felt lucky to be able to work on this project. Creating new worlds is so much fun, and doing it for a job you deeply believe in is magical.
George, what can you tell us about Jake, Abe, and Wyn?
GN: They’re the three kid protagonists of YULETIDE. 13-year-old Jake grew up in a town called Christmas, Pennsylvania and his family even owns a Christmas tree farm. Despite this, he’s our Christmas skeptic. Our mini-Scrooge. He’s got a big chip on his shoulder about the Holidays and we reveal why over the course of our story. Abe is Jake’s best friend and one of the few Jewish kids in town. He argues that Jake takes Christmas for granted. He’s always felt like an outsider in this town called Christmas and longs to experience the cheer (and the presents) for himself. Wyn is the new girl in town (and Jake’s crush) who tells Jake and Abe about the secret, dark history and legends associated with the Yuletide, kicking off our adventure.
Rachele, what was it like creating the world of Yuletide?
RA: It was wonderful! First of all, finding the right main characters really challenged me. George and I interacted to ensure they were a diverse yet cohesive group. And then the creatures really excited me. I love folklore, so I read a lot of books about it. Even in Italy, we’re full of stories, monsters, and creatures, so I was instantly drawn into the magical world of Yuletide. I researched the various magical beings who would appear in the story and studied them in great detail: I wanted them to be relevant to what was said about them, but also a little more personal.
What can you tell us about the bad guys in Yuletide?
GN: In YULETIDE, our kid protagonists face off against the wicked winter witch Perchta, who wields a magical, belly-slashing dagger, a mythical Cat as large as a car, thirteen gremlin-like Yule Lads from Icelandic folklore, a horse-skull wraith from Welsh legend and several other of the demons that once lurked in the midwinter darkness.
RA: We have so many incredible characters, from enormous cats to demons, from a horned witch with a crown to cruel little creatures. The kids may be struggling, but they always have an edge over the others.
How would you describe Yuletide?
GN: Yuletide is an action-adventure story with elements of fantasy and horror mixed in. It’s an Amblin-style fairy tale about a group of kids who unwittingly unleash a horde of long-forgotten holiday monsters on their town and must defeat them (along with their own personal demons) to save not just their town, but the entire Holiday season, as well!
RA: Yuletide is an adventure comic with a horror twist. A story full of twists and thrills, but also full of creatures with ancient histories to discover. A lot of monsters, friendship and love too. The Christmas holidays are the perfect time for this comic: a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, Yuletide, and a shiver down your spine.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
RA: I truly hope you’ll love this comic; George and I have put all our passion into creating it. It would be wonderful to share more adventures in this magical, creepy world!
We would like to say a big thank you to George and Rachele for chatting with us and wish them the best of luck for the release of Yuletide.
