Broken Frontier

7 Horrific Questions With... will be a fixed feature this Halloween week where we ask creators the same questions concerning horror topics. It will give you insight into the creators handling of horrific content and what some of their favorite horror tales are.

Kicking off our Frontier Frights Feature is famed artist Charlie Adlard. Being the artist of cult and commercial hit, and the soon to be an AMC TV series, The Walking Dead, Charlie is no stranger to horror comics. His realistic artwork is expertly suited for horror, bringing to life the invasion of the extremes characters are pushed into when dealing with circumstances that spin out of control.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What is it that constitutes true horror for you?

CHARLIE ADLARD: DEFINITELY horror of the mind... nothing is as horrific as what the mind can conjore up when it's not all displayed in front of you in a movie, TV series, books etc...

That or The X Factor, the British reality TV show.

BF: How does the current market treat horror comics according to you?

CA: That's a silly question to ask me - Robert [Kirkman] and I have the best selling horror title on the market... so, it's treating me quite well...   :-)

Seriously though, in the US/UK market, just like all other genres, it struggles against the dominance of the superhero market - I almost said that we're a sub-genre against it - It really should be the other way round... as it is in all other media.

BF: What are the specific challenges you are facing when drawing a horror tale as opposed to drawing, for instance, a superhero story?

CA: There are many more challenges in me drawing a superhero book as opposed to what I do at the moment... I have more affinity in drawing horror because most of it is grounded much more in reality. Stylistically it suits the way I've always drawn.

BF: What is your favorite creature that strikes terror into the hearts of the innocent and why?

CA: I think it must be the Devil - especially when he's off screen or channeled through someone else - the truly terrifying experiences that are Rosemary's Baby, The Exorcist, Poltergeist, or The Omen are among the movies that have really struck a chord with me. Funny really, especially since I'm an atheist... it shouldn't really get to me - but it does. Perhaps it's because the church just creeps me out...

BF: What is your favourite terrorific story, be it comics, movies or books?

CA: Another movie, I'm afraid... probably my favorite horror movie of all time is John Carpenter's The Thing. A masterclass in slow burning tension with unbelievable effects... plus the bleakest ending - especially in the year of E.T!

And Moore and Campbell's From Hell has to rate as my favourite "horror" comic. I say "horror" because it's infinitely more than that. It's a comic that truly affected me on so many levels...
Possibly my favourite comic - full stop.

BF: What is either your latest published horror project  or the one upcoming on your schedule?

CA: My latest horror project is the book I've been doing for the past six years or so - The Walking Dead. And it'll continue to be that until the grave... BWAHAHAHA!.... [might as well get into the spirit of the article].
Will there be any other horror projects in the pipeline? I doubt it... for the pure and simple reason that I like to try different things - it keeps me fresh - and I don't want to be pigeonholed into any one genre.
My next project will be Sci-Fi...

BF: When faced with a giant octopus, his tentacles woozing your way, his one giant eye focusing on your frail human body, what do you do?
a) I reach for my can of Mace
b) I quickly try to reach for my mobile to call my zombie army: zombies vs giant squids!
c) I'll tell you what I'll do! (insert your personal option)

CA: Easy - go for the source of its power - kill Ray Harryhausen!

The Walking Dead is published by Image Comics and check out Charlie Adlard at charlieadlard.com. Come back the day after tomorrow for 7 Horrific Questions With Fiona Staples!