Chad Lambert: An Interview With the Writer of Ape Entertainment’s Upcoming “Kill The Revisionist!”
Written by: Ron Bricker
Along with our special advance review of Ape Entertainment's Kill The Revisionist! OGN, CC2K Comics Editor Joey Esposito had the chance to sit and talk with the writer of the book, Chad Lambert. Chad delves inside the creation of The Revisionist character, the appeal of the vigilante, his upcoming projects, and much more!
CC2K: Firstly, I'd of course just like to thank you for taking time out of your busy weekend to sit and chat with us at CC2K. I'd like to add that Kill The Revisionist! was a a hell of a read. Did your approach to writing this character in an OGN format differ from previous work?
Chad Lambert: Well, I tried to write something simple. I wanted to take a break from all the hard stuff I'd been working on and write an old school, costumed vigilante story. By the time I got done with it, it was the exact opposite.
CC2K: What do you think it is about the vigilante archetype in superhero comics that makes them so enduring and worth commenting on?
Chad Lambert: Vigilantes are pure comic book magic. It's where they really work best. For me, Kill the Revisionist! was a chance to write a superhero comic the way I wanted to write a superhero comic. I love fast-paced books, so I tried to make something that would require a nap after reading.
CC2K: I'd say you definitely succeeded on that front, the book warrants a one-sitting read and doesn't let go until it's over. Did you try to play upon the preconceived expectations of the reader in regards to the character types they expect to see?
CL: Absolutely. I hope people walk into this book with an expectation of a ball-to-the-wall superhero action thriller, and finish it feeling silly for thinking it was a superhero comic.
CC2K: How did the concept of an OGN featuring this character come about? Was it something you had that you were pitching to publishers or did Ape approach you first?
CL: The Revisionist has been a recurring character in the pages of Digital Webbing Presents since 2003. Though they were short stories, all of them were pointing to an inevitalbe, end-all, be-all story. That story eventually became Kill the Revisionist. I had been working with Ape for several years on my Point Pleasant project (a historical exploration of the mothman) so they were a natural fit for this book.
CC2K: You say end-all, be-all. Does that mean there's no hope of future tales with these characters?
CL: There's hope, but not in the way you'd expect. The ending doesn't really elude to it, but there is a definite direction this thing goes in my mind. It may not look anything like it does now, but there is definitely an idea. A lot of people thought I painted myself into a corner with this graphic novel, but all I did was set up the next story I would want to tell about Jon and Sara.
CC2K: Any chance of an on-going series?
CL: That's what's cool about indy comics–the unexpected. You couldn't do what I did in Kill the Revisionist to Superman or Daredevil. I established a set of tried and true superhero rules, and then broke every one of them: all by the ninth page.
CC2K: When is the book due to come out?
CL: We're hoping to have it in stores in the first couple of weeks of June.
CC2K: Have you been able to attend any conventions to promote it? Tis' the season after all.
CL: I've been on the road quite a bit. Fortunately it will be out in time for convention season, so we can actually start selling it instead of just talking about it. It's a really cool looking book, and I can't wait for the fans to see it!
CC2K: Well I know that I loved it and can't wait for it to hit. I know you have some more Point Pleasant coming up, anything else you are working on that you can talk about?
CL: I'm writing BloodRayne: Prime Cuts for Digital Webbing Press. It's a spin-off from the main series, and it tells stories that are set firmly within the continuty of the game. Two issues have come out so far and the reception seems pretty good so far. I'm on board for at least five issues, so we'll see how it goes. It's good to write some mainstream, "bad girl" stuff. The Rayne character is smart and sarcastic, so writing dialogue for her has been a dream so far.
CC2K: Well, that's all I've got for you, but thank you again so much for taking the time to talk to me.
CL: Hey, thanks for the opportunity! Glad you liked the book. I'm always surprised anyone likes what I'm doing.