Over at Hurog, we did an interview with the awesome David Lawrence who is the writer for the Mercy Thompson, and Alpha and Omega comic series. We’ve been given permission to share some of the interview questions at The Book Pushers, and to show some of the awesome images from the comics. 😀
We want to give a big, warm welcome to David Lawrence, the writer of the Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson comic adaptations. As Managing Editor for Dabel Brothers Publishing, David was the writer and editor of the original graphic novel Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson: Homecoming. He is now writing the upcoming Dynamite comic adaptations of Cry Wolf and Moon Called.
DL: Thanks for the warm welcome. Where are the snacks? I was told there would be snacks and an open bar.
When the changeover occurred from Dabel to Dynamite, did it affect your position with the graphic novels?
DL: At Dabel Brothers on Homecoming I was writing and editing the series. Everything was my responsibility. Directing traffic, nagging artists, finding a replacement artists when I lost one, getting the book off to the printer, all of those tasks and many more. It’s simpler for me now. Dynamite has their own editors so here I’m just doing the scripting. I have a very nice man named Joe Rybandt who’s in charge now. And who I can blame if anything goes wrong. But as you know, since you work with us, I still work pretty closely with Patty and with Amelia, since we’ve already built relationships from our experience together on Homecoming.
Now that you’ve been working on the Mercy books for a while, do you have a favorite character that you enjoy writing about the most?
DL: Depends on the day. I like Mercy a lot. I had a lot of fun writing for Stefan, though I’m not sure I’m really into his head yet. I enjoyed coming up with an origin story, of a sort, for Medea the cat. But I’ve really got a soft spot for Zee. Maybe it’s because we’re both Pittsburgh Steeler fans. Maybe because he’s the curmudgeon I’m slowly growing into. I love the scene in Homecoming where he pops out of nowhere and knocks the werewolf who’s already beaten Stefan and Mercy out cold with a beer mug. Priceless.
How difficult was it to pick up Cry Wolf and Moon Called after the extended hiatus?
DL: A long break is never ideal, but better at the beginning of a project than in the middle of it. With Cry Wolf I already had a script and a half in hand, since I’d started work on it before the doors shut at Dabel. I hadn’t started on Moon Called yet but in a sense I’d been working on it for quite a while. When I was first contacted by Dabel it was to adapt Moon Called and I sat down to start planning it. Then the project became helping Patty with an original story, which became Homecoming. I think I had an easier time getting Moon Called up and running again. I’d spent a lot of time with Mercy and company already and they were like old friends. I was just getting to know Anna and Charles when we were interrupted.
If Patty wrote a spin off series in the future with characters from the Mercy series, is there a particular character you would want to work with in a comic adaptation?
DL: I already mentioned I really like Zee. In fact, I have a tiny germ of a story in mind for him. Considering his particular skills I think it’s really likely that when he first came over from Europe he may have spent some time in my hometown of Pittsburgh. After all, we used to produce more steel than anyplace in the world. And there is a legend of an mighty man of steel, Joe Magarac, who came over to work in our mills. Could there be a connection between Joe and our favorite Mettalzauber? I also think I could have some fun with Uncle Mike. I’ve spent many long hours mixing drinks and running bars and restaurants. They are weird enough when populated by humans. Imagine what happens at Mike’s on a busy Saturday when things get a little out of control.
If you could work with another Urban Fantasy author, who would they be?
DL: Well, I have worked with Jim Butcher, since I oversaw the adaptation of his first Dresden Files novel, Storm Front, while at Dabel. I didn’t have the same kind or personal relationship with Jim that I do with Patty though. With Jim I worked primarily through intermediaries where Patty and I actually collaborate. I liked Harry Dresden a lot and if we hadn’t already had an absolutely wonderful writer, Mark Powers, doing the scripting I might have tried to snatch it for myself. In fact, at one point when we thought Mark was going to go exclusive with another company I was penciled in to replace him on the second novel. But we were lucky enough to keep him.
To see the full interview, and to see more amazing images from the comics, go here: David Lawrence Interview
