
Fans of the 'robot on the run' can rejoice with IDW's return of 'Fugitoid'! The book (hitting shelves on September 5th (earlier than announced) is drawn by Paul McCaffrey and written by newcomer Paul Allor who spent a little time with Matman discussing this project.
Matman: I'm old enough to remember getting 'Fugitoid' brand new off the shelf. For those who don't know, tell us about Fugitoid.
Paul: Fugitoid is the single most important character in the history of Western literature. Well, except for Screech. Screech, and then Fugitoid. More seriously, Fugitoid is an early character from Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, pre-dating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by a bit. In the original story, he was a scientist named Professor Honeycutt, whose consciousness becomes trapped in the body of a robot, and who is pursued by intergalactic factions in an action-filled sci-fi romp.
Matman: So how much different will the IDW version be than the original Mirage?
Paul: Seventeen percent different? Maybe eighteen and a half. I think the IDW team has done a really awesome job of staying true to the characters, while also reworking parts of their back story to create a cohesive whole, and fit in with the unique story they're telling. And I think this issue fits in with that approach. I also want to note that the issue has outstanding art from artists Paul McCaffrey and John Paul Bove. Those guys abso-freaking-lutely ROCKED it.
Matman: So tell us a bit about your anthology book 'Clockwork Vol.1'. Looking over the artist roster I must say quite impressive.
Paul: 'Clockwork' is a collection of short comics, all written by me and drawn by different artists, including JM Ken Niimura, Nikki Cook, Brett Weldele, Ben Dewey, Jesse Hamm -- lots of really awesome people. The stories range from sci-fi to westerns to slice-of-life, all over the map, by design. Put them together, and I like to think of it as a celebration of comics storytelling. I'm incredibly proud of the book, and I love it when new people discover it.
Matman: So dig deep passed the suppressed memories and tell us a little bit about the real Paul Allor.
Paul: We're getting to the tough questions now. I'm a comics writer currently living in North-Central Indiana. I've had some self-published work, but Fugitoid is my first big work-for-hire gig, and I'm thrilled by the opportunity. I'm a big fan of genre work that combines dynamic, action-packed storytelling with a heartfelt, character-driven narrative. That's what I aimed for with this issue, and I truly hope that readers enjoy and appreciate it.
'Fugitoid Micro Series' #8 will be a full color 32-page comic from our friends at IDW...home of the best smelling comics in the business.