Interview With C. William Russette
By LJ DouresseauNov 24, 2004 - 10:24
C. William Russette is the happy interview subject of Mr. Charlie #41. He is the writer of Rorschach Entertainment's LUCIFER FAWKES: BLOODFLOW. Some of you may remember my interview with Ulf Imwiehe, the writer of an earlier Lucifer Fawkes book, Orcus ex Machina. This time Mr. Russette explains his take on the world of Lucifer Fawkes:Would you mind introducing yourself to the readers, any personal or professional information you'd like to share?
CWR: Well, I'm a writer, have been for most of my life but I didn't start taking it seriously until about five years ago, I guess. While I write in a number of genres, super hero and horror and horror are certainly my top two favorites.
What's the premise and story of Lucifer Fawkes: Bloodflow?
CWR: Lucifer Fawkes is the central character of Brian Meredith's Modern Pulp Comics Universe. LF, to my thinking, is a warrior mage, called a Keeper. It's a role that has been filled for centuries in order to give mankind a protector from all things hellborn. While he has a large territory to cover, the focus of much of his time is in Cosmopolis, Washington. It's there that the Demon Alliance, headed up by an actual Devil, that BLOODFLOW takes place. Generally the lycanthropes stick to their own, particularly the werewolves. In this story we see an uneasy allegiance between the survivors of the Werewolf Nation and an offshoot of the Demon Alliance to stamp out this Keeper once and for all...
How is it similar or different from the previous Lucifer Fawkes book?
CWR: Besides the fact that Ulf and I have different storytelling styles I think the main difference is the scope. In Bloodflow we step back and get a view of the bigger picture of the Demon Alliance's machinations and the lupines place in the city as well as just how busy and outnumbered Fawkes really is. He really doesn't have time for much else besides being the Keeper, which is a big part of his problem.
How well did you know the Fawkes character before you started on the book, and did Fawkes creator Brian Meredith have a lot of input in your script?
CWR: When I started this script I think I had only written the Keeper once, in a tale called TROLLING THE GUTTER. (A serial that should appear on MODERNPULP.COM in Nov - Dec 2004). Bloodflow is actually the second part of that tale though it happens years apart from GUTTER.
Brian and I wrestled a bit over the GUTTER script as I tried to understand the workings of the world and LF. Once that was done though, Bloodflow ran without a hitch. On my end anyway, Brian might tell you a different story. I'm still amazed that Brian lets me throw his world into the meat grinder as often as he does. Fawkes really takes a pounding in BF.
How did you come to work with Rorschach?
CWR: After I had written a few scripts for MPC, a friend of Brian's, James Taylor, came to him asking if he knew anyone that might be interested in doctoring the script of a project he was working on. It's a co-creation of both Brian and James titled Pureblood. Brian gave him my name and James contacted me. Once I had beaten James nearly to death with exhaustive background information requests I got to work. It went from a two-issue mini series to the mini, the 30-page follow up and a mini prequel that has already come out in the RORSCHACH ENTERTAINMENT CONVENTION SPECIAL. (Available at RORSCHACHENTERTAINMENT.COM)What was it like working with Ryan Sergeant, who also drew the prior Fawkes book?
CWR: I'd like to say that we burned the midnight oil co-creating but that really wasn't how it happened. I wrote the thing and dropped the bloody mess on Brian's web-desk and he was left to find an artist. I think we went through two before Sarge was even approached. He was already working on the spectacular and disturbing Orcus when Brian dragged him into his second foray with the Keeper. I can definitely say that he is masterful at his craft. There was no late work; he had hardly a question about anything. He just took my mad ramblings and forged something fantastic. I was blown away with his end of things. Just amazing. I couldn't be more proud of my first full-length comic book.
What's your process as a writer like? Do you take copious notes or do you like to leave a lot of stuff in your head for later recollection?
CWR: I am the nightmare for all editors. Brian and James will both attest to the fact that I hammered them for weeks on the background of every character and complete history's of their respective worlds before I could even collate a plot idea. I need background and more background and mad hours of research before I'm comfortable with characters. The Pureblood series was especially difficult because there are so many humanoid/animal hybrids that needed societies and customs to separate them all. When the ideas do detonate in my head I have to whip out the pocket notebook and write it down immediately or its lost.
Are you going to be very active in promoting Bloodflow, and have you found comics media outlets receptive to you?
CWR: I have been active in my promotions of the book on the web at various message boards, interviews and through the other publishers that I work with as well as people I know outside of the writing/comic world. I plan to do a signing at my local comic book retailer (www.amwcollectibles.com), and I've been invited to appear at the storeowner's show at the end of October.
What are you hoping readers get from Bloodflow? Is there a particular message or allegory beneath the surface?
CWR: I'm hoping that readers either smile, cringe, or tell the book that it's nasty. Ideally, they should laugh or hurl. I'm looking for some kind of reaction. If they were moved and enjoyed it on some level then they got their money's worth. There really isn't a message that I'm aware of. I try not to preach. My job, as I view it, is to take your mind off your problems for a bit and take you somewhere else. Usually to a place where my issues become ghouls and devils and ravage the world.
Once everyone has read it they should feel free to send all their hate mail to me at c_william_russette@malacaistudios.com. I'd love to hear any thoughts either way. I also accept cash.
What's waiting for Mr. Russette in the immediate future? What are your publishing plans, in comics and elsewhere?
CWR: Immediately, I'm working at Artifice Comics (artificecomics.com) where my prose serial THE INEVITABLE is a semi-monthly release. Over at Distinctive Fiction Studios (denovostudios.com), I have another monthly prose serial called DRAGON'S BLOOD. Beyond that I'm hammering away at my first book, which I hope to have finished and on some poor editor's desk by Christmas. Nothing like vampires and demons to bring in the Christmas season, y'know.
In case I was too dense to ask something, would you like to promote something or give a shout out to the folks who work with you?
CWR: I would very much like to thank everyone I've worked with and for at Artifice Comics, Modern Pulp, Rorschach and Distinctive Fiction Studios for giving me the opportunity and pleasure of spewing my rants in the form of stories for them and their readers.
Most importantly I want to thank my wife, Cathy. I wouldn't be doing any of this if it weren't for her. She keeps reminding me that to call myself a writer I have to actually write something. A woman of uncommon clarity of thought, she is.
I'd also like to thank you, Leroy for letting me go on like this!Well, thank you, Mr. Russette. But with that thank you, I have to flip it and apologize, as this interview is appearing later than planned. LUCIFER FAWKES: BLOODFLOW has been available in stores since mid-October. Your comic store can order it through Diamond Distributors (order code: AUG042919) or through FM International distributors. Rorschach Entertainment also sells the book through its website, www.rorschachentertainment.com.
In the meantime, talk to me, comic book pros. Hit the clickable name link to holla at me, and visit my movie review website negromancer.com. Praise!
If you're a publisher or creator, contact me by hitting the clickable link. You can also read my movie reviews at www.negromancer.com. Holla!
Last Updated: Feb 5, 2012 - 22:31
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