The following is an interview with Tom Peyer regarding the release of the trade paperback of Dragonfly & Dragonflyman through AHOY Comics, as well as the official launch of Dragonflyman Day. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Peyer about the inspiration behind the the series, the cause for celebration on June 16th, the impact that Dragonfly & Dragonflyman may have with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of the collected trade paperback of Dragonfly & Dragonflyman! For those who may be new to the series, what can you share with us about its premise?
Tom Peyer: Thanks! It’s about two parallel earths that have two different versions of the same masked crimefighter: Dragonflyman, a corny, old-fashioned, upstanding hero from the days when comics were just for kids; and The Dragonfly, a latter-day ultraviolent vigilante out for vengeance against a corrupt system. They were first introduced in The Wrong Earth, which saw them accidentally stranded on each other’s worlds.
Dragonfly & Dragonflyman shows what their lives were like before the earth-switch, with a special focus on the dissimilar ways they treated their kid sidekicks. It reprints the miniseries drawn by Peter Krause, and the Free Comic Book Day issue that Russ Braun drew.
BD: To mark this special occasion, AHOY Comics has announced that June 16th will be known as Dragonflyman Day. What can readers anticipate from this momentous day?
TP: It’s like the old cliché about college: You get out of Dragonflyman Day what you put into it. Want to post a picture? Write a story? Make a costume? Paint your house green and purple? All creative activities are officially sanctioned. Be sure to check our social media feeds (see below) for ways to observe the day together. And of course, the most spiritually rewarding way to observe the day is to buy the darned book.
BD: For readers that like to wait for trades to dive into the story as a whole, what can they anticipate from the collected edition in terms of any special features or added material?
TP: We feature each issue’s cover, all by Wrong Earth co-creator and super-artist Jamal Igle; some process art by Jamal and Peter, showing the steps they take in designing the work; and a nifty introduction by Batman ’66 writer Jeff Parker.
BD: At Fanbase Press this year, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Dragonfly & Dragonflyman’s story will connect with and impact readers, and why do you feel that this story was important for you to bring to life?
TP: There’s a lot of humor and some fun action, but beneath all that is a story about the responsibilities adults have toward children. Even if you don’t have kids, I’m guessing you were one, so it’s a situation everyone can recognize a bit of themselves in.
BD: Are there any other upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
TP: I’m working with artist Alan Robinson (Planet of the Nerds) on Penultiman, an upcoming series about the ridiculous life of a glamorous superhero with a sad secret. We introduced him last year in our Steel Cage anthology; that story is newly available on ComiXology as Penultiman #0 for the rock-bottom price of zero dollars and zero cents!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Dragonfly & Dragonflyman, Hashtag: Danger and to celebrate Dragonflyman Day?
TP: Our Twitter feed is @AhoyComicMags; on Facebook we’re Comics AHOY; on Instagram it’s @ahoy_comics; and our website is comicsahoy.com. Every Friday, we post a free illustrated prose story on the site, so please enjoy it––and Happy Dragonflyman Day!
