Frozen Beach Studios, which most notably published THE POUND, has a new book coming out, this October, written by Scott Thompson (Kids In The Hall, Hannibal). HUSK: A CRACK IN IT is a sequel to the 2010 book HUSK: THE HOLLOW PLANET. Thompson took the time to answer a few of our questions about his upcoming book and writing in general.
COMIC VINE: What was the original book about?
SCOTT THOMPSON: It was the story of a businessman called Danny Husk, an ordinary man going through extraordinary times. The story takes place five years after Danny and his wife Joan have lost their youngest child Anthony at a county fair. Now their marriage is in a shambles and their surviving daughter Belisa, after years of indulgence in an attempt to make up for her loss, is a holy terror. Danny who works for an Internet company at the height of the tech boom is then fired from his job and later finds out his wife is having an affair with Steve, one of his best friends. His life falls apart and it all ends up at an underground cliff in a newly discovered cave where he confronts his cuckolding friend.
Danny falls in to the hole and winds up a slave at the center of the earth where his glorious moustache that he has had since he was twelve is shaved off and like Samson he is completely stripped of all that he knew before and because of that is allowed to become the man he was meant to be. The world is called Mu and the country he is captured in is called Kargol. It wouldn’t be so bad if only that psycopathic Prince Aptep didn’t want to turn Danny into his boy toy. So he becomes swept up in an escape with a motley group consisting of a gay troll, a gorgeous elf, a midget giant, a telepathic mammoth and a young male slave with a mysterious past. His daughter Belisa somehow ends up in the world as well and numerous adventures ensue. At the end of the book the mystery of where his son went has been solved but the Prince is dead at Danny’s own hands, a war is brewing between the kingdoms of the trolls, the giants and the humans and Joan is still on earth with a lot of questions to answer. Time for Volume Two.
CV: What's going on in this story?
ST: This story picks up with his wife Joan Husk the night that Danny left her to go confront her lover Steve. There are many missing people and she doesn’t have the answers. Her story is followed back to her hometown where things occur that will eventually bring her to Mu as well. Meanwhile Danny, Belisa and his group are fleeing the armies of the Kingdom of Kargol led by Queen Nooreen the mother of Prince Aptep whom Danny has slain with a magic sword. They flee to Dill but along the way they run into a treacherous centaur who changes everything. In the land of the Giants more adventures happen including a romance for Danny with a giantess and the start of a War but I don’t want to ruin it for you.
CV: In general, how was the transition between writing for television and writing for comics?
ST: I don’t find it that different. I have always loved writing dialogue that springs from character and this medium is perfect for me. The big difference is trying to match the expressions and body language to the dialogue which is where Kyle Morton comes in. Brilliantly I might add.
CV: Being that HUSK is a comedic book, how did you adapt your comedic writing style for comics compared to when you wrote sketches for Kids in the Hall?
ST: I just wrote a screenplay and then the gifted Stephan Nilson my publisher and collaborator adapted it into a comic book. It’s as if he took my screenplay and directed it. I am still adept at writing in the style of a comic book but hopefully by the end of this education I will be able to do that.
CV: As far as the comedy aspect goes, how do you approach a comedic scene?
ST: It’s all about character and story for me. With this book because it’s not a sketch but an ongoing narrative that I feel is being told to me I just write and write almost automatically and as the story is revealed to me I continue to rewrite and rewrite until it feels perfect. The hardest part is trying to get physical comedy across. This is very difficult in a two dimensional medium.
CV: What do you find funny in comics and comic writing?
ST: Frankly I don’t find a lot of comics or graphic novels very funny. I do love the Alan Moore series Tom Strong though.
CV:Has it been tough juggling writing this book as well as working on television on the show Hannibal?
ST: Not really. Hannibal gives me lots of spare time to do other things. Writing the HUSK series is a real holiday for me. It’s where I can exercise my imagination without boundaries.
CV: Did you grow up reading comics, and if so, what were some of your fondest memories with it?
ST: I did. I read a lot of superhero comics and funny ones as well. Some of my faves would be The Silver Surfer, Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman, The Sub Mariner and The Fantastic Four. For funny I loved Metal Men, Little Lotta, Archie, Hot Stuff, Richie Rich and various others. I have very fond memories of whiling away many afternoons down by my special place by the river or under my favourite bridge with my comic friends.
CV: Why is this a book you think people should check out?
ST: Because it’s eventually going to be a very popular series with a hit movie and possibly even a ride so you want to get in at the beginning.
Thanks to the legendary Scott Thompson for taking the time to answer some of our questions about HUSK, and make sure to check out HUSK: A CRACK IN IT when it comes out this October from Frozen Beach Studios and make sure to check out the HUSK Roller coaster in 2015.