Comic Books

Colin Lorimer marries horror and biblical lore in ‘Daisy’

November 4, 2021

Everything you know about angels is wrong.

If you thought they all looked like this loving housemother with a golden harp, it turns out they’re more like the very worst kind of Eldritch Horror. And a new title from Dark Horse Comics is doubling down on that very horrific reality.

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Daisy is the creation of writer-artist Colin Lorimer, who is also responsible for UXB and The Hunt. In the book, Lorimer (alongside colorist Joana Lafuente and letter Jim Campbell) tells the story of the titular character, a giant-sized adolescent whose “troubles with ill health, daily ridicule, and custom-made clothing are only the tip of the iceberg.” Daisy’s story involves the story of a mother and her missing child, a small town that appears to be more than meets the eye, and, um, cannibalistic angels. It’s an unnerving combination of horror, mystery, and mythology, a tale that will have you second guessing much more than mere angels.

Ahead of issue #1 hitting shelves on December 8, we spoke with Lorimer via email, where we talked about working as both writer and artist, the biblical influences, his thoughts on horror and mystery, and much, much more.

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.

AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Daisy?

Colin Lorimer: True Detective meets Carrie funneled through the eyes of William Blake.

Lindsay Taylor is an ex-cop searching for her missing son. An unexpected lead brings her to the town of Brimount where she meets a teenager named Daisy who stands at almost nine feet tall and who is convinced that she is descended from cannibalistic giants spawned from the outcasts of Heaven.

As the story unfolds, Lindsay is drawn into a world that Hieronymus Bosch himself would have a hard time depicting.

Daisy is very loosely based on The Book of Enoch, a book wrenched from the pages of the Bible in the 4th century. It told the tale of two hundred Watcher angels who transgressed against God by taking human wives and how their children due to their parent’s union were cursed to become tortured, insane, bloodthirsty giants known as the Nephilim. God, disappointed sent a flood saving only Noah to begin humanity anew.

But what if one of the immortal Watcher angels lived among us today? And what if that tainted bloodline also survived and held a secret that could shake the meaning of creation to its very core? Perhaps the Book of Enoch had been removed because it held truths within that the church wanted desperately to keep hidden.

It hard to imagine that the fate of the world may very well rest on the shoulders of a gangly, awkward, teenage giant named Daisy.

AIPT: Is it harder or easier, or even more challenging and/or rewarding, to balance the work as both writer and illustrator?

CL: It’s quite balanced. If I find myself struggling when writing a scene, I’ll take hold of the pencil and start doodling until some cool visuals lead me to a forward narrative. I enjoy both equally. I’m also fortunate to have the excellent Joana Lafuente on colors who just adds so much to the books’ visuals. Such a gifted artist with a very unique eye. Jim Campbell handles the letters and similar to Joana, simply elevates the book to another level! Based on the art alone…you’re really in for a treat!

AIPT: What was your interest in playing around with Christian lore and mythology? Is there any controversy or difficulties in appropriating some stories, imagery, etc.?

CL: Let’s be honest…If you’re looking for a good horror book, look no further than the Bible as you’ll have a great time wading through stories of murder, plagues, sacrifice, torture, a multitude of grisly massacres, and one extinction-level planetary disaster…and that’s just the Old Testament.

Growing up in the North of Ireland, religion shaped my formative years. Every Sunday at Bible class those stories had me completely enthralled and became etched forever into my young mind.

My intention is not to mock someone’s faith…I’m genuinely asking questions, some of which, I still struggle with myself.

AIPT: Building on that last question, why the interest in the Nephilim specifically? Is there something about these figures that resonated with you?

CL: The idea of children cursed by God and destined to become mad, monstrous, cannibalistic giants pretty much had me sold. But their story is also an incredibly sad one; children condemned at their very conception for the sins of their parents. That’s harsh! Their card is marked from day one. No remit. No forgiveness. I felt that was worth exploring. How would that affect you if you were fucked from day one with no path to redemption. Also, the guilt that must sit with the parents, that helplessness one would feel from not being able to protect your children. I mean, how can you fix something that is preordained, set-in stone – in effect, written into your very DNA?

And what kind of God would think that this punishment was in anyway justified?

A special promo image. Courtesy of Colin Lorimer.

AIPT: In reading issue #1, I kept thinking how the whole thing almost looks and feels like A History of Violence with a dash of Twin Peaks. Did you have any specific inspirations/influences in the design and “vibes” of the book?

CL: That’s a cool take! I like it. It’s not quite as surreal or as offbeat as Twin Peaks but it does have a similar eeriness to it, for sure. I drew inspiration from many sources; the writings of John Dee, Aleister Crowley, Thomas Merton, a sway of renaissance painters, and the works of Blake, Bacon, and Dore to name but a few. Dee was actually the main spark for the book as I’ve been reading up on him for years and the idea that he believed he was communicating with angels and creating an angelic language of his own was just fascinating and so with Daisy I finally found a way to incorporate that divine language into a story.

AIPT: I love Daisy’s presence and how she really is larger than life (especially since she is, like, 8 feet tall). Without spoiling too much, how do you see her role in the story, and do you think people will rally around or fear her instead?

CL: Thanks. That’s good to hear. All who have read the first issue have responded really well to her. She’s a complex character, wise beyond her years and it’s obvious that even from that first issue that she is seriously conflicted with regards to her current predicament. Her journey is an arduous one and as we move through the series her strength of character will be tested time and time again. Is she feared? Absolutely. Exactly why and by who is the bigger question.

AIPT: There’s a lot of great horror around, but this story also spices things up with some really great mystery elements. What about horror speaks to you, and do you think this is maybe a supernatural-crime story somehow?

CL: No matter what I write it always ends up taking a dark turn. I adore horror. A supernatural crime story is not something I had intended to write but as I was assembling all the pieces and developing Lindsay, the ex-cop and mother of the missing kid, that became more apparent as it continued to take shape.

A preview image in issue #1. Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.

For me, the mystery element of Daisy would lie within the many age-old questions that we all have around religion much of which is usually left unanswered, spun, or avoided completely if the questioning becomes a little too difficult. And I feel that true horror for most of us comes from that sense of unknowing. Will we be greeted by an endless dark, complete nothingness, fire and brimstone, or perhaps Saint Peter at the Pearly gates.

Well…if you get to the end of Daisy you may find that there is another option.

AIPT: During COVID, I think we’ve all grappled with helplessness and grief, and that’s translated into stories about death and the End Times. Without being a COVID book specifically, do you think Daisy plugs into any of these same sentiments and feelings?

CL: The book was started before the pandemic and completed during it, so the fear, isolation, and general tone that already existed within the book may have certainly been heightened. It will be obvious to anyone that picks up the first issue of Daisy that it deals with some very dark subject matter but there is also a lot of light that is generated by the actions of certain characters. I’m afraid the reader will have to journey with me to find out if I succumbed to the external pressure of the outside world and went ‘full dark’ with the storyline or tied more positive threads together to help keep me sane. Take a look at Goya’s painting ‘Saturn devouring his son’— that may give you a little insight!

AIPT: Again, without spoiling too much, what are some tidbits we can expect from issues #2-5?

CL: As it progresses, the story veers off in many unexpected directions and it really does deliver on the heaven and hell tagline…but not in the way one might have thought. By the end the reader may feel that they have dragged through the ringer, but hey, you never know… they may have been rewarded with some form of enlightenment too!

AIPT: Why should anyone pick up issue #1?

CL: It has all that same horror and dread that’s contained within the Bible but you’ll find it’s a much shorter read …accompanied with a lot more visuals.

I hope you’ll join us!

Colin Lorimer marries horror and biblical lore in 'Daisy'