Faceless and the Family, a brand-new “five-part epic” from writer-artist Matt Lesniewski, is described as such:
“A group of misfits form a family.”
But, once you get inside the book, it’s so much more still. As press describes, it’s “a chronicle of pain; a tale of discomfort — one of ostracism. A story of struggle; about sorrow.” If that sounds utterly depressing, it’s as much that as it is completely bonkers and otherworldly. It’s a chaotic journey through a maddeningly bizarre world, where people struggle to find balance in a ceaselessly-teetering universe. But, as the press also promises, “it’s what unites them,” and these misfits unite around their outsider status to find home in every sense of the word. Maybe that’s not a lot of helpful plot info, but it’s more than enough to address the weird heart of this deeply gorgeous book.
Lesniewski has put together a Zoop campaign to fund the Faceless, which officially launches today. He was also kind enough to answer a few questions the week prior, including his creative inspirations, tackling family and interpersonal drama, and how he hopes his art is perceived, among other tidbits.
If you’d like to contribute, head here.
AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Faceless and the Family?
Matt Lesniewski: A small group of misfits from unique scenarios form a family over the course of a journey. They connect with one another through their problems and help each other through them. Being on the outside is what connects them. They’re each looking for one thing: Faceless – a new face; Giant Jerry – new memories; Carp – a real sense of love/family; and Highway Hal – his long lost wife, Jan.
AIPT: I hear there’s a “crazy” backstory behind this book – can you tell us a tale or two?
ML: Over a year ago, I pitched this comic to a big comic company and they turned it down. A number of months later, an imprint from the same company became interested, one thing lead to another, and it was a deal. I signed an agreement and spent all of 2022 making this thing. Blood, sweat, and tears. About a month ago, I woke up to an email saying it was no longer happening — the bigger company suddenly realized this was a project that was once turned away. They didn’t want the back door method I got in through revealed — so they just kicked me to the curb. The project I poured everything into was just floating in the ether. I had to do something and not let this whole year go to waste. That’s what brings me to crowdfunding… There’s a lot more to the story, but I’ll keep it at that.
Courtesy of Matt Lesniewski.
AIPT: Why is the idea of alternative families or making your own family such an interesting or essential idea right now?
ML: Not everyone has family. Even less have a good one. I guess in the back of my mind, part of what I was thinking of while making this was creating the ideal family. A real group that’s there to support and accept you no matter what. For me, most stories are fantasies and realities you can escape into. And this world I’m creating might give a reader a way to live vicariously through a family they don’t have. That might be giving myself too much credit, or just a stretch in general, but it’s something that crossed my mind. Not necessarily my intention, but if it’s something that resonates, you’re not wrong. It could also be a thing where you relate to one of the characters, not necessarily the whole family aspect.
AIPT: What’s the balance in terms of filtering in your own experiences or family relationships in a book like this?
ML: I have that to draw from, but this is very much a created world. I’m more so creating this all from my mind. That’s how I try to do things. My personality and personal experiences will influence things regardless, but I don’t want to make my work about me. I’m creating something that hasn’t existed before, not telling people my problems. That’s the idea, at least.
Courtesy of Matt Lesniewski.
AIPT: Do you have a “favorite” character in the book, maybe one that feels closest to you personally or that feels the most vital somehow?
ML: Faceless was the one who came first, and I’m pretty happy with his design alone, so I’d have to say he’s my favorite. But, each family member is a part of me in some way, even if just a little. That might sound like a contradiction to my last answer, but again, I’m trying to create. It’s about making something new. And the story comes before anything. It’s never about, ‘hey, look at me’. That’s probably the last thing I want, but it is a part of creating. I’m using the tools I have, and one of them is my own real life experiences/ideas/thoughts/etc. mixed with whatever I concoct with words and art.
AIPT: What’s it like to be both artist and writer? Is it more challenging at times, or do you relish the larger sense of control?
ML: It’s a big part of why I love comics. One person has the ability to do so much on their own. And there is little to nothing standing in your way. But, it’s a double edged sword. If I’m doing everything, there’s no one there to check me and say “that’s a stupid idea” or “that’s poorly written,” etc. But then again, that’s kind of the cool part. For better or for worse, you’re getting a singular vision from a one creator. That rarely happens, not only in comics but other mediums as well. I’ve always been insecure about the writing aspect of things. I just haven’t been doing it as long, and it’s the part I’m less confident about. I think I’m good at conjuring ideas and stitching together a narrative.
But can I create a “great” story? Or a magnificently written one? I have my doubts. Maybe one day I’ll get lucky. I’ve been drawing all my life though, so I use that as a shield. Or something that props up the halfway decent story I’ve cobbled together. I don’t know— I’m just never that confident about it. But maybe that’s a good thing. Better to second guess and question it all instead of thinking everything you do is hot shit and no one gets it if they tell you it’s bad. At the end of the day, it’s all opinions though. I’m just trying to create stuff that’s authentically me, and not necessary trying to make the ‘best’ comic ever. Because that doesn’t exist. It’s all about taste and people’s cup of tea. I’m not that for everyone and that’s totally cool. I’d rather try to have fun, be myself and hopefully that resonates with the right people.
Courtesy of Matt Lesniewski.
AIPT: You’ve worked on some great stuff, including Crimson Flower and The Freak. Do you feel any similarities with those books, even spiritual connections?
ML: I’ve already been hearing from people that there are similarities thematically in my works, but it’s not news to me. I was thinking that might be a downside in some way, but if anything, I think it just shows that I know who I am and what I’m trying to say. There’s a consistency there. The books are also not that far apart (in terms of when they were created), so it makes sense that I might be having similar things floating through my head. And, I don’t think that’s something that should slow creators down. It’s easy to over think it all and analyze your own stuff, but if you have something to say, then say it. Just create and be honest.
Don’t let that slow you down. Because it almost did with me and this book might not have happened if I let it do just that. I’m not saying you shouldn’t reflect on what it is you’re putting out there, but if there is a theme across books that seems familiar, don’t let it stop you. It happens all the time in music, movies, etc. Sometimes creators find their lane, they know what they have to say, and they’re good at reframing it, repackaging it, or telling you something once they’ve learned more. Just because it happens, doesn’t make it right, I’m just saying it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
AIPT: Press described this book as an “even weirder, yet heartfelt spin on The Wizard of Oz.” What about that movie speaks to you, and how does that present in the story proper?
ML: That just hit me after the fact. I’m not the best at describing my ideas or ‘selling’ them to people. But one day it just came to me, you could look at this essentially as just that— an even weirder Wizard of Oz, but all it’s own. A group of odd, yet lovable characters, each looking for something along the course of a journey. Speaking of movies, this story actually initially sparked from the 2015 movie, The Invitation. Basically a movie where a group of old friends meet at a house and discuss their problems, but eventually things go left. That’s essentially what it is, and when I finished the movie, the kernel for faceless hit me — a groups of misfits form a family.
Courtesy of Matt Lesniewski.
The idea originally was very simple and looking back, closer to what the film is. The whole comic was going to just be people coming and going to the house in the middle of nowhere, but over the course of four to five issues, they form this bond like no other. I decided that wasn’t enough, and the story grew from there. The point is, I know not nearly as many people have seen the Invitation, so it helped to use a more well known story to compare Faceless too. More people should see The Invitation, by the way.
AIPT: You’ve got such a vivid and singular art style. How do you describe your approach to others, and what does that “style” do for a story like this?
ML: I try not to follow trends in art, and just follow my own muse. Do what I think is fun, and be my own artist. Because of that, to a lot of people what I create (art-wise) is weird. And to some, weirdly cool. That being said, a weird art style perfectly fits the story about odd, misfit characters. When I look at my art, I don’t see the weirdness, I just see me. So it’s not something I’m going for. I think we’d see more originality in art of more artists didn’t follow what they think people will like or didn’t do what they think ‘works’. But that’s wishful thinking.
ML: Is the use of black and white because you can’t/didn’t want to color, or is there some larger reason for it?
AIPT: With the publisher originally being a part of this, it was intended to be fully colored. Now with crowdfunding, it just made more sense to go black and white business-wise. And it keeps it all me. It makes sense all around. And if it’s a success, a publisher can still pick it up later and sell it fully colored, so I’m not closed off to the idea. Plus, this is a good example of why I put the amount of effort into my work that I do. Not only because I care a lot about it, but I want it to stand on it’s own.
Courtesy of Matt Lesniewski.
I’m not reliant on a colorist and not expecting a second pass at the art to pick up where I was being lazy or didn’t have time. If I work with a colorist, they need to add to what I’ve already done, or complement it in some way. So for scenarios like this, it’s not a problem at all that a colorist isn’t attached.
AIPT: Why should anyone support and read Faceless?
ML: It would be crazy for me to say that anyone should support this. But, I’d love it if they did. Because no one needs a comic book to survive- I get that. If you can’t afford it right now, that’s totally fine. But you can help me in other ways. Your comic shop can get retailer bundles (5 copies at half the price, all signed), so you can let them know about it. And you can spread the word. Just let people know about this.
That’s half the battle. This is the longest I’ve spent drawing a comic. I’ve put everything into. Maybe you’ve been on the fence about supporting one of my comics in the past— I could use your help now. If you can help me bring this to life, I’d greatly appreciate it.
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