The following is an interview with Shannon Eric Denton (Kingdom Riders) and John Cboins (The Walking Dead: The Last Mile) regarding the upcoming launch of their Kickstarter campaign for the graphic novel, Return of the Monsters, in association with Monster Forge. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Denton and Cboins about their shared creative process of breathing new “life” into everyone’s favorite monsters, the backer rewards available to supporters of the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming launch of your Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you share with us about the premise of the story?
Shannon Eric Denton: We’re heading back to the Victorian age with a meeting of all the classic monsters. Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Mr. Hyde, The Invisible Man, The Opera Ghost, The Werewolf, The Gillman Beast, The Pharaoh, and more collide in a tale that takes us from the Arctic Circle to the Scottish Highlands. John and I are huge classic monster fans, so this story is a crossover of all the characters from the original novels in a fun way that works with the timelines of those books. The Return of the Monsters is here!
John Cboins: When Shannon first told me about this story, what truly ignited my imagination was the idea of a potential thread of continuity between the classic monsters. Frankenstein, Dracula, Mr. Hyde, the Invisible Man, and the Phantom of the Opera—all of their stories take place within roughly the same era. With a touch of Shannon’s creative brilliance, it’s entirely conceivable that, for one brief moment, the planets aligned, bringing these legendary figures together in an epic crossover that feels like it could have happened.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative approach to compiling and breathing new “life” into the world’s greatest monsters?
SED: Pure joy. I loved working with John on our Graveslinger comic (with Jeff Mariotte), because his art is so powerfully unique. The challenge was to put our own spin on these classics without getting too far away from what makes so many love them in the first place. I think we’ve done that.
JC: I love working with Shannon. It’s no exaggeration to say he might be the perfect collaborator. Neither of us are the type of creators who work in isolation. I do my best work with a trusted partner who offers feedback and helps elevate my ideas, and Shannon is just as open to input on the writing side. At the end of the day, we each have our own roles, but the process feels like a true team effort, which I believe makes the final product that much stronger. And when you read our book, I think you’ll agree.
BD: Shannon, you are no stranger to crowdfunding, having successfully completed multiple campaigns including the Halloween one-shot, gHosts. Why do you feel that crowdfunding is such a valuable resource for comics creators and publishers alike?
SED: It removes the “I need to get this approved” middleman and puts you directly in the driver’s seat. I think all of us in the creative field have often believed in a project only to run up against issues trying to find someone with the purse strings who also believes in that project. John and I are fans first, and as fans, we know there are others who love this stuff as much as we do and this project is for them. We’re doing a retailer tier, though, because John and I are both big fans of comic shops and what they do for a community.
JC: Well, I’m new to crowdfunding—this is my first campaign. A lot has changed since my last published comic, so I’ve done plenty of research and spoken with many artists who have run multiple Kickstarters. What I’ve learned, in a nutshell, is that crowdfunding—Kickstarter in particular—is becoming the modern-day comic shop. Nothing can truly replace a great neighborhood comic store, but this platform offers a unique advantage: the direct connection with fans is unmatched. I hope it continues to grow.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any specific backer rewards that you would like to note for our readers?
SED: Aside from all the awesome John Cboins art, I’m thrilled to be partnering with our talented pals at Nakatomi for our prints, as they do all the official Bernie Wrightson prints and were great cheerleaders for our Monster Forge Bernie Wrightson Tribute Art Book. Additionally, VFX superstar and friend John Wrightson is joining us to make a vinyl mask of our Frankenstein. Trick or Treat can’t get here soon enough!
JC: Oh man, it’s all good! Like Shannon mentioned, I’m a huge fan of the prints Nakatomi produces. Honestly, they’re the best quality reproductions I’ve ever seen—the colors are spot on, and I can’t say enough about them. I’m also really excited about a couple of special rewards. For the first time ever, I’m offering original art in the form of custom character headshot illustrations, painted with a coffee wash and limited to just 10. Additionally, I’m offering 3D prints of the reference bust sculpts I personally use in my work. These provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into my process and make for a unique addition to your desk or bookshelf.
BD: What makes Monster Forge the perfect home for this graphic novel?
SED: Obviously, I’m biased but we are leaning heavily into our fandom aside from our years of experience. We are making the entertainment we like for all the people who share the same affinities. It’s something we’ve loved our whole lives and can’t wait to keep doing for the rest of it.
JC: It’s simple, Monster Forge is Shannon, and no one is a bigger classic monster fan than he is! If it’s going to be done right, it’s going to be Shannon and Monster Forge.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like highlight for our readers?
SED: Absolutely. Aside from Return of the Monsters, other Monster Forge projects like Savager at Panick Entertainment, Kingdom Riders at IDW, Monster Born at Dark Horse, Kraken at Titan, gHosts at GlobalComix (along with other Monster Forge titles), and stay tuned to our socials for some more upcoming announcements soon!
JC: Not yet. Right now, I’m focused on Return of the Monsters and hoping people love it. If they do, that will definitely shape what comes next. Shannon and I have some exciting plans for post-ROTM, so stay tuned!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Return of the Monsters?
SED: Follow our social media and you can always look for more info at www.MonsterForgeProductions.com. Thanks, everyone!
JC: You can also visit our Kickstarter preview page and sign up to be notified when we go live!
