Dark Horse Comics’ new title, William of Newbury, is Eisner Award-winning Michael Avon Oeming’s latest masterpiece. In this brand-new anthropomorphic supernatural series, our adorable raccoon is a neurotic monk, fearful of the earthly world but confident and unwavering in the face of evil. The comic is loosely based on real events in 12th Century England during what was known as “The Anarchy” and so given this connection to our country’s history, it just makes sense that we love the series here at Broken Frontier!
We thank Michael for his time in chatting to us about the book:
BROKEN FRONTIER: William of Newbury #1 hit the shelves of comic book stores just last week. Are you happy with the reaction from readers so far?
MICHAEL AVON OEMING: It’s been great, I’m truly humbled by the reaction. I definitely made the right choice in approaching this as an anthropomorphic series, there’s a lot of love for raccoons out there!
BF: In a previous interview with Rachel Bellwoar at Comicon, you shared that you are a huge fan of history and that as a child, you were fascinated with medieval history in England. Growing up across the pond, what drew you to English history? And how did you access it?
OEMING: I think my interest began very early when watching reruns of an old mystery show called In Search Of hosted by Lenard Nemoy. It was full of spooky and fringy “what if” mysteries, Bigfoot, UFOs, psychic phenomena and such. They covered Stonehenge which caught my imagination as a child and of course they covered the folklore about it being created by Merlin from King Arthur’s court. So before I even understood what England was, or what history or folklore was, I was already fascinated by it. I also remember watching a UK based show called Time Team where archeologists had three days to dig up a site in various places in the UK, digging up coins, artifacts and even bones, some reaching back to Medieval, Iron Age and even the Neolithic age of Stonehenge. That’s where I began to understand and appreciate English history and it sort of bloomed from there.
BF: With your love for our history, can we expect to see you at a comic convention in the U.K. anytime soon?
OEMING: It’s been far too long, so yes, I’m hoping we can return soon. One of the best trips Taki (my wife and partner, Taki Soma) made was doing a convention in London and then driving around small towns in the south of England. Of course we finally got to visit Stonehenge, Avesbury and a few other places. Health issues have kept us from traveling the page ten years, but we are hoping to change that. I mean obviously a signing in Woolpit or Newburgh is due!
BF: I am a primary school teacher and I believe that comic books have a place in the classroom! Have any schools reached out to you to use William of Newbury to teach history or any of your other titles such as your work on Thor to teach Norse mythology? Is this something you’d be interested in?
OEMING: I would love that! It’s a bit early yet, but I’m hoping it will happen. It’s always a joy when you hear your books are being read in libraries and schools. While Taki didn’t work on Takio with Brian Bendis and I, she was an inspiration for one of the main characters. One day, she met a kid at someone’s party who was reading Takio in school, and when she met the “real” Taki it blew her mind! I’ve had a few other friends mention Takio being read in class or their library, so I hope William is next.
BF: I have recently become a parent and I can see that you proudly describe yourself as a Father on your ‘X’ bio. Does being a parent influence your creative choices in any way? And can you tell us more about your family’s relationship with comics?
OEMING: While I’m the only comic book person in my family, I love the idea that I am leaving some of my thoughts and energy behind for my son in the form of these books, art and story. One day far from now, he’ll have plenty of my material to look through to make continuing connections with and that feels good. He’s proud that I’m a comic creator and that feels pretty cool.
BF: William of Newbury is a truly beautiful book where you showcase your talents as a writer, artist and letterer. It reads as a masterclass in comic book making! As such, what advice would you give to new creators who are hoping to get started in the industry?
OEMING: Always focus on the work. Just do the work, don’t get distracted by the industry or ladder climbing. Start with short stories. They are easier to complete and give editors and publishers a quick way of understanding your talents. Whenever you begin a story, really try to understand what it’s about and make sure every scene somehow reflects that theme and moves the story forward. What does your character want? They may want many things but ultimately, they can only want ONE major thing. Don’t be afraid to take things out of your story or rewrite it, but also know it has to be done at some time.
BF: I hope you have plans to continue William of Newbury beyond the next three issues coming our way from Dark Horse Comics! Where is it best place for readers to follow you online for updates?
OEMING: I absolutely want to do more stories! I’d love to do 3 volumes at the very least. The best place to find me is on my newsletter: https://t.co/ndRNGuMUMS and I’m on most social media platforms as @Oeming.
For more on William of Newbury check out the Dark Horse Comics site
Interview by Ellie Egleton
