Interview with 499 Writer/ Artist Narwhal

1/13/2021

I.C.U. had the chance to talk with Narwhal about his newest project - 499 - Now funding on Indiegogo

Your new project 499 is now live on Indiegogo. What is 499?
499 is a suburban thriller 'revenge checklist' story that takes place in an alternate history where the US fought a ground war with Russia. Post war America is extremely conservative and is experiencing massive conflict between generations. Three American war heroes run a small Texas town, and someone is trying to kill them for something they did in the past.

These characters live in an alternate history from our own. We we dive deeply into that history or is it more just to establish the world for our main characters?
We don't dive very deeply into the history of the war. But the timeline and generations are solidly worked out. However, the modern post war culture is a big part of the story.

You have teamed up with Richard C. Meyer aka Ya Boi Zack on this project. How did that come together?
Richard liked my art way back in the day but we delayed any possible collaborations at first because my books aren't mainstream superhero stuff, which he was focusing on at the time. Iron Sights was his only foray into the more indie style stories and art at that time, but after he read Earthbound he was excited to work with me and we began exchanging emails trying to work it out.

The concept for 499 is Richards, the alternate history, the meaning of the number, that's all him. I added the plot, basically, the revenge-checklist story, and filled out the characters. Richard was great to work with as a collaborator.
His creative input really helped steer the project as well. I originally wanted to make it a post apocalyptic fantasy. He said, 'No, it's just a post war extra conservative Texas town'. His input really grounded it. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I think it's the best thing I've written.

You are known for your unique art style, does that style also influence how you approach a story?
I do like when the story informs the art style in some way. I'm always trying to improve so each new project I like trying new things. But I default to a cinematic 'animation-y' style influenced by European comics. I say there's how one page of art can make you feel, that's one thing. And there's how a whole book of art can make you feel. It's a different issue to approach, and people often say my art grows on them. That's good. That adds to the interactivity of the book between the reader and the page.

That said, I'm always just trying to draw better in general, but it's around the things I focus on and prioritize like energy, flow, perspective, space, trying to create a consistent alternate world visually. If I'm successful, the book can conjure a reference in world, and the reader will picture it in the style of the world and the art, so not only the art on the page is representing the consistent world, but even the readers thoughts are in that style. I started with this goal early because I want to incept animation producers to turn my comics into animated movies.

As part of the campaign you are also doing a second book called P.O.D. What is that one about?
POD is based on an awesome concept from Richard, very hilarious and high concept. It's like a 20 page twilight zone short. Imagine if the Nazis had made first contact and made a deal with like minded aliens. Part of the deal is, if they lose the war, to blow up the planet. When the aliens return to finish the deal years later, Earth has to band together to pretend like the Nazi's won in order to save the planet.

Both Earthbound and Foreign Agent were over 100 pages and now you're doing two books for this campaign. What do you credit for your ability to create such big projects?
My style is pretty fast paced, and I'm always working. Lots of stuff in the background, and I always get started early so I have a good head start.

499 is listed as Book One. So what does the future for 499 look like?
499 part 2 will come out next year. I can't wait for that one. it has a HUGE action set piece that will be pretty memorable for the comics medium in general, I hope!