What do you get when you mix a medieval history lesson, the hero’s epic, and the work of Hayao Miyazaki? That’d be the brand-new Image Comics miniseries titled Gospel.
Written and drawn by Will Morris (The Silver Darlings), it follows the hero Matilde, who finds herself without an opportunity to prove her mettle and save the day. Until, of course, “the devil comes knocking,” and Matilde and the “storyteller Pitt” begin a quest that “threaten[s] to tear them apart and trigger the toughest question of all: ‘who am I?'” From the Ghibli-esque art to the setting of King Henry VIII’s reign, the story is both a celebration of history while giving us big-time characters to root for in a truly rollicking tale.
Issue #1 of Gospel arrives in stores this week (November 9). Ahead of that, we caught up with Morris via email recently to answer a few questions. That includes his interest in history, developing dynamic characters, and the larger Ghibli influence, among other tidbits.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Gospel?
Will Morris: Gospel tells the story of restless heroes who discover that when opportunity refuses to knock, the devil comes knocking instead.
Matilde yearns for her deeds to be celebrated in stories told by crackling firesides, but the stuff of legends has proven frustratingly scant in 16th Century England. Taking fortune into her own hands, she has started engineering events she hopes will pass into folklore with the help of friend and storyteller, Pitt. What she doesn’t realize is that her actions will trigger catastrophic events that threaten the soul of her community.
Drawing inspiration from the work of Studio Ghibli, Gospel is a thrilling fantasy adventure that explores the truth behind the stories we tell.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: You called this “Ghibli-inspired.” What about that “universe” is so inspiring and influential and significant to you?
WM: I just audibly exhaled! Where to start?! If I had to narrow it down to key influences I’d say the richness of the characterization and the beauty of the art. My two favorite Ghibli characters are Lady Eboshi and Kushana (more so in the Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind manga than the film adaptation). Both are initially pitched as villains but are gradually revealed to be complex characters that act, not out of “evil”, but a conviction that they are doing the right thing for their community in dire circumstances. We don’t have to agree with their actions, but that complexity and nuance feels so much more believable than a typical antagonist. When it comes to the art of Studio Ghibli movies, I marvel at how beautifully observed and realized they are. From the tiny gestures that speak volumes about characters to the lush windswept landscapes that capture memories of summers gone by, I wanted to try and conjure just a hint of that magic in Gospel.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: Similarly, why is the reign of King Henry VIII so compelling to you? Do you think that it has some modern-day relevance?
WM: I do. In many ways, today’s world and technology are advancing quicker than we can adapt to. Similarly, the printing press was a fairly recent and momentous invention in Tudor times. Alongside the blooming of books, pamphlets and literacy, King Henry VIII and his advisors were sweeping away traditions and practices that had been the foundations of daily life for centuries. All that turmoil and anxiety as belief systems come into conflict feels very relevant today.
AIPT: Aside from Hayao Miyazaki, are there any other influences? What sort of books/films/TV/etc. maybe made their way into this book?
WM: One of the best parts of making comics is finding new inspiration in other creators’ work and letting a little of what you admire influence your writing and drawing. There are moments in Gospel where I can recall exactly what I was reading by the way I’ve drawn a face or gesture. Becky Cloonan, Chris Samnee, Alex Toth, Katsuhiro Otomo, Linnea Sterte and Naoki Urasawa are all in the art somewhere. Film and TV scores were also very influential in amplifying the mood when writing a scene. I’ve adopted Howard Shore’s score to The Lord of the Rings and The Seatbelts’ tracks for Cowboy Bebop as unofficial soundtracks to Gospel.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: There’s a thread running through this story about questioning stories and finding your own truth(s). Can you talk a little more about that idea and motif?
WM: Absolutely! Stories have always contained kernels of truth, but whose truth is it and what is their motivation for sharing it? These are questions I wanted to explore with Gospel. Folk tales from Devon and Cornwall, captured in small-press books and on local information boards, were a big inspiration. They are stuffed with fascinating ideas and uncanny events, but it’s often hard to decipher what they would have meant to a community hearing them for the first time. One tale, found near Tavistock in Devon, sparked the idea of a conflict with the devil and I hope the telling in Gospel creates fresh meaning for readers.
AIPT: There’s also some religious undertones here, obviously. How “spiritual” should people be to get into this book, or is this about different aspects of faith and religion?
WM: I don’t think you have to be spiritual at all. Religion and religious practice were the fabric of everyday life in the era and a source of intense conflict as various powers vied for control over the spiritual lives of the population. It makes for a tumultuous setting.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: You’ve worked for both 2000 AD and Vertigo before. Did those places/publications influence this book in any kind of direct manner?
WM: Both projects for 2000 AD and Vertigo were fairly small, but great experiences. I wish I had discovered 2000 AD as I was growing up, I probably could have used a bit of that anarchic energy. I had to catch up much later, grabbing whatever collections I could in second-hand bookshops (especially those featuring Mick McMahon’s art).
AIPT: There’s really something engaging about our hero, Matilde, even early in. Why is she so compelling and a great entrance into this world?
WM: Thank you! I wanted to capture a little of Kushana and Lady Eboshi in Matilde’s character. She’s not a villain by any means, but she is less than virtuous in pursuing her goals. She’s searching for belonging, to inspire hearts and minds (ideally with a flashing blade) at a time when the world she believes in is crumbling around her.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
AIPT: What’s it like to balance the work as both artist and writer?
WM: It’s incredible…and hard, hard work. I get to draw the comic I most want to read. I also have to wrestle with all the doubts during the process. In my experience, even as a writer and artist, making a comic is an incredibly collaborative process. I’m so grateful to the folks at Image Comics, Ver (the cover artist), Sebastian Girner (the editor), Colette Aburime and Aimee Lockwood (the readers) and all of my friends and family who agreed to read drafts. They whipped Gospel into shape and the story would be a shadow of what it is now without every one of them.
AIPT: Why should anyone pick up issue #1 of Gospel?
WM: Gospel is a comic for folks that enjoy action, adventure, devils, giants, assassins and friends that stumble, fall and rise again. It’s a comic for anyone that has ever felt they had something to live up to.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.