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The End League, the interview

posted by Matt Knicl at 6:59 pm.

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The End League of an Extraordinary Gentleman

There are inherent problems with super heroes. The implications of preternatural beings and their cosmic abilities playing out in our world is problematic, but from a realistic look at these characters, questions arise about their plausibility and how a hero’s existence would alter our own. Rick Remender’s The End League is a comic that asks such questions by allergorically parodizing pre-existing hero archetypes and super imposing them on a dystopian landscape. So far this series is new, but shows lots of promise with its characters and their world.

Dark Horse was kind enough to allow me to speak to Mr. Remender about this series.

Matt Knicl: Did Astonishman come before the disaster in the writing process, or was he the device created later to destroy the world?

Rick Remender: He was one of the seven main characters in the original draft. I basically went through all my favorite characters and mixed and matched to make them into who they are.

Matt: What is your favorite character?

Rick: I honestly don’t have one yet. I’m splitting up time equally among them all and getting to know them as I go. I’ve enjoyed writing the sequences with Codename: Black but we haven’t much of him yet beyond a few pages in issue #2. I think it’ll take a good few issues before I’m able to latch on to one character as my favorite.

Matt: My favorite character is Scarecrow Sinister - how did you come up with him?

Rick: I like the idea of possession. It’s as creepy as a thing can be. As a long time fan of Twin Peaks I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of an evil force of nature that inhabits folks and uses them for wrong doing. Scarecrow Sinister plays a big roll in the next couple of issues.

Matt: How does the world of End League work, like the relationship between magic and other elements?

Rick: Its full up of every kind of craziness; aliens from other dimensions, magic demons and even a few cities under the sea. I’m throwing in the kitchen sink. Once we’re done setting the tone in issues 1-4 things really take a big turn for high-adventure as the remaining heroes make their way through this broken down world and all the nightmare people who dominate it.

Matt: Why did you choose to use Norse mythology as an element for your world?

Rick: My Mom read all kinds of mythology to me as a kid so I’ve always be preoccupied by it. It’s a fertile and well known play ground. In the world The End League inhabits Valhalla and Mount Olympus are real places in other dimensions. The God from these dimensions aren’t really God’s but complicated beings with various abilities and motivations.

Matt: What can we expect to see in comic issues?

Rick: Dark Gods attacking Earth, an army of synthesized drones, the populations of the ocean rise, and the end of the world.

Matt: How did you come to work with Dark Horse?

Rick: I’ve always been a big fan of the company and was first hired to pencil Bruce Campbell’s Man with the Screaming Brain back three years ago. Since then I’ve managed to trick them into all sorts of my silly ideas.

Matt: Is End League intended to be a miniseries or an ongoing, monthly title?

Rick: Ongoing and bi-monthly for now due to the current artist speed. However, we have plans to go monthly soon.

Images courtesy Dark Horse

Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.