AiPT! recently had the opportunity to speak to author Chuck Palahniuk about the release of his most recent comic series from Dark Horse, Fight Club 3, a sequel of sorts to the popular novel and film, Fight Club. We were curious to know why he chose these characters in particular to expand upon, and being huge fans of his novels, short stories, essays, and even his non-fiction, we of course had to ask some questions regarding his other works.
AiPT!: What made you want to continue the Fight Club story in comic book format? Is there more room for context and character development?
Chuck Palahniuk: The novel and film each have a strong following. To continue the story in either medium would be anticlimactic. A sequel would need its own storytelling form. Thus, comics.
AiPT!: Was it a difficult adjustment to let the art tell more of the story, rather than just your words?
Palahniuk: No, the art simply frees me from writing description or action. That said, I still need to tell the artist, Cameron Stewart, what to depict so I’m not totally off the hook.
AiPT!: What is it about these characters that makes you want to continue expanding their stories? Are there any of your other characters you would like to revisit?
Palahniuk: Writing is my way to explore and resolve the most-troubling aspects of my life. Typically, once a project is done I’m no longer reactive to the core situation, so there’s no need to revisit it with another project. Another factor is whether the original project made so much profit that a publisher will risk financing a sequel.
I’d love to revisit the character of Rant Casey, but my publisher for that book felt it returned too little profit so they refused to back what would’ve been a trilogy. If I win the Irish Sweepstakes I’ll write those next two books.
AiPT!: A lot of your fans are curious about the status of the Damned trilogy. Would that be a good story to finish in comic format? Any news there?
Palahniuk: My publisher felt the profits on the first two books, Damned and Doomed, were too dismal to justify a third book to complete the series. So I must make other plans. There is nothing unjust about the matter, it’s simply how the business world operates.
Any investment must return a sizable profit. To date poor Madison Spencer has not made enough people enough money. I sigh with resignation.
Image credit: Dark Horse
AiPT!: We’re told that Fight Club 3 will see Tyler Durden and Balthazaar (as he’s now called) teaming up, but in the first issue he’s still very much disgusted with Tyler’s actions. Can you elaborate on Tyler’s motivation to join forces?
Palahniuk: Let’s just say that soon everyone’s life is a stake, not the least of which is Tyler’s about-to-be-born child.
AiPT!: Could you tease any other developments in Fight Club 3?
Palahniuk: Lovable, terminally ill Chloe gets to have sex and sex and sex, all for a very good cause.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login