Careful horror connoisseurs may recognize Michael Schwartz’s name. He’s written/co-penned a few different delightfully odd horror/horror-ish films, including R.L. Stine’s Zombie Town, Gnome Alone, and The ABCs of Death. Now, Schwartz is taking it to Kickstarter to help launch his debut comics project, Armored (alongside Clover Press).
Created alongside artist Ismael Hernandez, the five-issue Armored is about an “orphan who stumbles across a mystical suit of armor haunted by the ghost who wore it centuries ago.” (So, basically, think Flight of the Navigator meets The Sixth Sense with a side of Child of Glass.) As playful as it is a slightly horrific, the story explores ideas of belonging and friendship through a delightfully kitschy prism. Plus, there’s the potential for countless sword fights if ghosts somehow aren’t your bag.
The Kickstarter for Armored is officially live, and runs through Thursday, September 14. (The campaign has already exceeded its goal of $1,750 by raising some $4,000 in just one day.) In the lead-up to the campaign, Schwartz was kind enough to answer a few questions, discussing the story’s development, the YA-nostalgia vibes, and the earnest relationship at the book’s core, among other topics.
For more info on Armored and the campaign, head here.
Courtesy of Cover Press.
AIPT: What was it like to make the move from screenwriting to comics? Why did this story work for this specific, most wondrous medium?
Michael Schwartz: The idea I had of an orphaned kid finding a haunted suit of armor was initially intended as a feature film. However, as the story started to grow in my mind, I knew it was too big to tell in a 90-minute film. Comics, especially monthly periodicals, could give me the opportunity to create a world with several major characters, each with their own arcs. The biggest hurdle jumping into writing comics was really understanding the structure. I spent a lot of time re-reading and analyzing the work of my favorite comic book writer, Geoff Johns. I also found an Eisner-award winning editor who is extremely knowledgeable about comics, Chris Stevens. I could not have done this without him. Chris found Armored’s artist, Ismael Hernández, who is an incredible visual storyteller, helping to bring my story to life.
Courtesy of Cover Press.
AIPT: I think there’s a lot of metaphors and analogies attached with “kid wearing a magic/haunted suit of armor.” But what larger idea or theme do you think you’re exploring here?
MS: Thanks for noticing that. Yes, the theme of loss permeates throughout the first arc of the series. I’ve always seen the armor that the protagonist, Andy, finds as being a metaphor for the walls and coping mechanisms we set up to protect ourselves after a traumatic event. Andy has subconsciously built an emotional “armor” to deal with the loss of his parents. When Andy finds the mystical armor, it becomes a physical representation of what Andy will need to shed. Not only will he have to open up to his adoptive parents, but he will also need to become a good warrior, with and without the suit.
Courtesy of Cover Press.
AIPT: I get the sense pretty early on that the Andy-Sir William dynamic is pretty crucial. How does that relationship inform the story, and does it go beyond just a “stand-in” parent for Andy?
MS: You’re right in that the Sir William-Andy relationship is at the heart of Armored. Sir William not only acts as a parental figure, but also a mentor and friend. There are many mysteries in the series, and Sir William gives Andy the courage to uncover the truth. But the relationship isn’t totally one-sided. Through their journey together, Andy shows Sir William the true meaning of friendship that the Knight never knew existed. More than anything, there’s a bit of wish fulfillment with the bond between Andy and Sir William – like how cool would it be to have a ghost as a friend? Think of the possibilities!
Courtesy of Cover Press.
AIPT: I feel like this book does a good job of threading the needle between something for kids and still being very much for adults. Why is that balance important and are there “secrets” to achieving it?
MS: That is a huge compliment for me! Having practically been raised on “kid-friendly” horror movies of the ’80s like Monster Squad, The Gate, and House (1986), I’ve spent my life wanting to tell stories that strike that perfect balance. Stranger Things really did that and I’m happy to hear Armored is being received in the same way. I think the balance of writing a story that could be for kids and adults may be a product of growing up in the ’80s and ’90s. In the morning you could be watching He-Man or Care Bears cartoons and then in the evening you could be watching Robocop or a Freddy movie. The only secret I believe in achieving that balance is making sure the horror elements aren’t exploitive or gratuitous and remember that kids can handle a lot more scares than we give them credit for.
Courtesy of Cover Press.
AIPT: What other tidbits and highlights can you hint at for the remaining four issues?
MS: I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that almost all of the mysteries established in issue 1 are resolved by issue 5. AND at the same time, issue 5 ends on a really big cliffhanger that opens the world of Armored up to many different stories. If you like ghosts, zombies, monsters, and medieval knights, then you’ll love what artist Ismael Hernández and I have in store!
Courtesy of Cover Press.
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