The following is an interview with writer Trevor Mueller regarding his upcoming return to Kickstarter to crowdfund the crime noir graphic novel, Demon City. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Mueller about his shared creative process in bringing the world and characters to life on the page, what draws him to the supernatural side of storytelling, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You will soon be returning to Kickstarter to crowdfund the supernatural crime noir series, Demon City. For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you share with us about the premise of this graphic novel?
Trevor Mueller: Demon City takes place after the Apocalypse has happened. Demons from Hell now live among us. And the first demon detective’s first case is the last homicide that will ever happen. Because someone has murdered Death, and now no one else can die.
It’s a supernatural crime story – think Hellboy meets Lethal Weapon – about the last murder after the end of the world. It’s a 168-page deluxe hardcover graphic novel. Basically, it’s a murder mystery as though it were written by Stephen King after he read way too many Lovecraft stories. I like a good “who-done-it” story, and putting this supernatural urban fantasy world in the mix made it feel fresh and different to me. Plus, it let me play with reader expectations and make some fun and unique characters!
BD: You previously released the supernatural action/adventure graphic novel, Los Ojos, earlier this year. Do you feel that readers of Los Ojos will easily find enjoyment in this new graphic novel series?
TM: For sure! This story is a love letter to buddy cop stories (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys), but with a supernatural twist (Hellboy, Blade, Bright). Whereas Los Ojos is more focused on themes of perspective and interpretations of our world through the eyes of a character justifying his “murder for hire” profession, Demon City has more world building elements to it. And a larger cast of characters that readers are going to love and connect to.
It also challenges some different (but equally mature) themes. Whereas Los Ojos was about good and evil, Demon City is more about dealing with PTSD, loss, and redemption.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with artist Marco Perugini, colorist Shan Bennion, and letterer Micah Meyers to bring this post-apocalyptic murder mystery to life on the page?
TM: Like many of my stories, I always start by asking my artists a simple question: What do you want to draw? Marco is a big fan of crime stories, and his style leans heavy into a noir aesthetic – but with the ability to play with action, drama, and lots of monsters! We leaned hard into the “mature readers” rating for this series and didn’t hold back on anything.
When we were exploring whether to do the story in color or black and white, Marco introduced me to Shan. Marco and Shan have worked together across many projects, and they complement each other so incredibly well! Shan’s approach to color theory for Demon City was so refreshing and unexpected. I think it really helps the story and characters pop and stick out. I’m already working with both of them on several other (unrelated) projects, and they are just a joy to work with!
Then to cap it all off, we have my longtime collaborator on letters: Micah Meyers. Micah really got to let his skills shine with this book, between the monster dialogue, the sound effects, and the variety of balancing exposition pages with hard-boiled action! Micah has been nominated for several awards (including The Ringos three years in a row), and it really shows with the work he turned in for this project.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Sheila and Horace’s story may connect with readers?
TM: Like many of my stories, Demon City has strong themes around found-family. That the ties that bind us, despite our differences, are stronger than the ones that divide us. And that we can come together to overcome any adversity, no matter how other worldly it may seem.
Sheila is a detective who is suffering. She’s been through Hell and back (literally), and it’s alienated her from her peers and colleagues. She’s become reckless, putting herself and other people she works with at risk from her actions. But she gets results, so they can’t bench her. All that said, she can’t get over her past trauma, until she’s partnered up with Horace.
As a demon from Hell, naturally, no one else in the department wants to work with him either. Horace has a mysterious past that he doesn’t like to talk about. Most of his peers are just trying to scrape by, or take advantage of living among humans on Earth – but he’s trying to do something good. This makes him stick out in a bad way among Citizens from Hell, and they often refer to him as a traitor.
These two are this perfect fit, even if they don’t know it yet. Their styles complement each other well – but like any buddy cop story, they bicker like an old married couple. Their banter is a highlight of the series. And through their adventures in trying to solve this mystery, they discover the value of life, the importance of acceptance among your loved ones, and a need for understanding and comradery to achieve impossible feats!
BD: Are there any specific backer rewards that you’re most excited about with the Kickstarter campaign?
TM: Yes! Besides the book itself (which is going to be a 168-page full-color deluxe hardcover), we’re going to have some awesome pinups and art available from some of my favorite creators in the industry! Ben Templesmith is doing one. (He also did my exclusive cover for Los Ojos.) John Bivens is providing his unique take on some of the characters. And a few more that I can’t talk about just yet.
We’re going to have bookmarks, a “Writer’s edition,” and so much more!
BD: Are there any other projects that you want to highlight for readers?
TM: I do have another story coming out on Kickstarter in an anthology – Pots and Panels! This anthology collects stories from a lot of big name creators, and they are all themed around cooking!
Marco, Shan, and myself will be teaming up again for a 6-page story in this anthology called “Black Cherry Pie” – a crime noir story about someone getting murdered by a food allergy!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Demon City and your other work?
TM: The best and easiest way to follow my work is through my newsletter. (Join for free today!) It comes out monthly, and I always share what I’m working on, behind-the-scenes characters designs, art, work in progress, and more. And it helps cut through the algorithms on social media.
That said, if you prefer social media, then @trevoramueller is me on just about every platform (Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bsky, Facebook, TikTok, etc). Find me, follow me, friend me!
Right now, I’m doing a series of fan Q&As on IG and TikTok, answering reader questions in the final weeks of my Webtoon Original series, Re-Possessed. The series is free to read and updates every Tuesday until Halloween week – and then the series is over!
