A Horror Yearbook quickie interview with: Clifford Meth
COMIC BOOK: SNAKED – IDW Publishing - Available on Comic Racks December 28th, 2007
INTERVIEWER: MIKE FISH
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HORROR YEARBOOK: You have a comic book coming out from IDW Publishing this month called, SNAKED (Read Review Here). After reading it, I felt like I had just watched the first act of a movie. Was this always intended as graphic novel?
CM: It’s set up as a monthly comicbook with cliffhangers but I suspect it may be collected as a graphic novel. You never know.
HYB: The main character, Timmons, appears to be a demon or well, what the title suggests… a snake man. What led to his creation?
CM: Timmons is an honest man working in the political mainstream who finds himself dysfunctioned by the dishonesty of politicians. Everyone around him is a bit of a snake… but he’s the real deal insofar as he must shed his skin from time to time, and he can swallow your whole head if it isn’t ridiculously large. He’d have a hard time with Rush Limbaugh’s head. What led to his creation? I snapped at some idiot one day and they said, ‘You don’t have to bite my head off,’ and I thought, ‘How cool would that be if I actually could?’
HYB: He’s very sinister-looking, and it adds a certain allure to the book, especially those eyes. Did you model him after anyone?
CLIFFORD METH: Yes, my previous mother-in-law. But he’s better looking.
HYB: SNAKED has some entertaining quips on politics, as well as guest stars like Bill Clinton and George W. Did you have any worries or fears that politics would get in the way of your story, or is it pretty much the fuel for it?
CLIFFORD METH: I don’t think I’ve read a political horror story before, other than Nixon’s biography. Frankly, I though the Clintons and George W. were perfect foil characters for my little anti-hero.
HYB: I’m not a huge fan of being beat over the head with politics, but I must say, I enjoy how you’re using it in this book. Did you initially want to mix the aspect of horror/supernatural themes with politics to create your story?
CM: The supernatural aspects are less important than the psychological ones. The real horror here isn’t what Timmons does to these politicians, but rather that he’s brought to it… When I wrote the short stories that this series is based on, the setting was in a corporation, not Washington, D.C. My friend Ted Adams, the ceo of IDW Publishing, cleverly suggested that I change the setting for the comic series, and it worked perfectly.
HYB: There’s a scene that’s pretty gory and will cause every man reading this book to fear prison and a person that’s willing to ‘get on his knees’ so quick. What made you decide to go all out in this scene, being extremely graphic with it rather than using the imagination? And why show it twice? That was torture!
CM: That was actually the artists’ call. The book is drawn by Rufus Dayglo, who has done some fine work on books like Tank Girl and 2000 A.D. I’ve given Rufus free reins to interpret the story as he sees it. We have little chats every day to make sure we’re on the same page but I’ve been fortunate to have a great partner in telling this story… I rather fancy the scene you’re referring to. Ben Templesmith, who created ‘30 Days of Night’ wrote to me and said, ‘I wish I had the balls to do a prison scene like that!’
HYB: What can we expect to see in future issues with Timmons story and the political background?
CM: The story comes to a logical conclusion, or perhaps a slightly skewed conclusion, and that will wrap up the mini-series, but I have big plans for Bill Timmons. I hope to be back with a second round of his adventures and self-discovery.
HYB: Issue 1 is a great start with a refreshing style of storytelling, and I look forward to reading more of SNAKED!
CM: Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Issue #1 just whets the appetite. You’re in for a scary ride.
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