The following is an interview with critically acclaimed writer Helen Mullane (Nicnevin and the Bloody Queen, Superstate) regarding the recent release of the supernatural horror series, Groupies, through ComiXology Originals. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Mullane about her shared creative process with artist Tula Lotay in crafting the world and characters of the series, the in-depth research conducted into the music scene of the ’70s, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the launch of Groupies! In a recent interview, you had noted that old magazines from the ‘70s served as the inspiration for the series. In your research of the music scene from that period, was there anything that most surprised or interested you which became fodder for Groupies’ narrative?
Helen Mullane: Thanks, Barbra! Oh absolutely. First, there were the original Star mags that kicked off the whole journey (You can find the entire archive here if your readers are interested.), which feature interviews with well-known groupies like Queenie and Sable Starr at the time while they’re deep in the scene. Reading the interviews, I was so struck by the girls’ attitudes. They were mercenary and competitive. They were very real and edgy, and very, very young. I went on to read various autobiographies, and I became really interested in how diverse the girls were in terms of their reasoning and their experiences of groupie life. Some revel in it and have no regrets. For others, it’s far more complicated. There was a lot of perceived romance, and a lot of heartbreak. But at the same time, the girls were out for a good time. Parsing these different contradictory truths has been my north star in writing the story.
Then secondly, I have to mention the times in my research when you hear from the boys. A lot of the bands spent loads of time with the girls, knew them really well, fucked them, were looked after by them, yet they speak of them in interviews with absolute disdain. There were some good eggs in that regard, Frank Zappa or Kris Krisstoffersson, for example, but generally when I read old Rolling Stone articles or watched documentaries like Groupies (Catchy title, huh?), it’s shocking to see how far the men’s reality diverges from the girls’.
BD: The series deftly weaves elements of supernatural horror into the sex appeal of Hollywood fame. How would you describe your creative process in crafting the mysterious and chilling journey of these characters?
HM: Thank you! I feel like Tula Lotay has to take most of the credit for how elegantly the horror and the beauty of the book are woven together. She’s such a master of this surreal, dreamlike art that allows you to seamlessly transition from one to the other.
For my part, I’ve planned out these various different threads of story in quite a detailed way – what’s happening to the band in their career, what’s happening interpersonally on the tour, and then, of course, what’s happening in the dark recesses of the demonic heart of darkness. As we skip across these elements, it allows us to keep the narrative a bit obscure and mysterious. We’re not really interested in telling the reader everything that we know. We’re not trying to present a mystery to unravel. We will just touch on different moments, and what we care about is understanding how each girl feels when we meet her.
BD: What makes Comixology Originals the perfect home for this series?
HM: Working with Comixology Originals on Groupies has been a dream! They are fantastic to work with. Very open minded and creatively driven. There’s been no point at which we’ve felt limited or pressured to tone things down. It’s exciting to me making stuff in that sort of atmosphere of freedom and trust.
BD: Are there any additional projects that you would like to highlight for our readers?
HM: I have some great projects bubbling, but nothing I can talk about just at the moment! Watch this space. In the meantime, I’m gearing up for Thought Bubble! One of my very favourite comic conventions, in Leeds in the UK. Tula and I will be there for the whole weekend, and it’s going to be a great time.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Groupies and your other work?
HM: You can find me across Instagram and Twitter (ahem) @Supermegabot and on Bluesky as Helen Mullane. I have a website, helentmullane.com. Thanks so much!
