The following is an interview with Humberto Avila regarding the recent release of the comic book series, The Reckoning, through Dach Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Avila about the shared creative process in working with artist Nate Walkington to bring the story and characters to life on the page, what he hopes that readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of The Reckoning! What can you tell us about the premise of this urban horror story?
Humberto Avila: Thank you! The Reckoning follows Hector Alvarez, a newly promoted detective in the border city of El Paso, Texas, on the scene of a grisly murder. Marisol Trevino is a high school senior who is trying to win the affection of her crush. By the end of the day and at opposite sides of El Paso, both Hector and Marisol experience horror and tragedy from occult forces. Hector and Marisol now have to navigate a reality where magic exists, monsters and Gods seek authority over human life. As if the boring, average life of school, the 9 – 5 working day, and taxes weren’t enough!
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with artist Nate Walkington to bring this story and its characters to life on the page?
HA: Working with Nate is amazing! He and I live quite far from each other. He’s in Florida and I am in Texas. We’ve never met, but we have talked over the phone and we communicate over email and messenger. Despite the distance, Nate totally understands the series aesthetic of blending modern life and abstract horror, gore and the unnatural.
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 Hector’s story may impact and connect with readers?
HA: Hector’s story is that of the “everyman” but taken a step further. He grew up poor, he’s not particularly good looking or muscular. He isn’t dumb, but not a genius and he is just making enough money as an adult to pay the bills. Like everyone else in life, Hector is doing the best he can with the cards dealt to him. Unfortunately, it always seems that when your just “making” your way in the day to day, life has a way of pulling the rug out from underneath you. This is something that I believe most people can connect with. How Hector reacts and addresses these situations worsens and alleviates his life. It forces Hector and readers to consider the fact that actions today create positive and negative outcomes that could be manifested anytime. Then, when it is all done, can you find peace with the outcome?
BD: What makes Dach Comics the perfect home for this series?
HA: Dach Comics (or Dash Comics as I pronounce it) is the imprint of my own making with the intent to create and publish stories that come from perspectives that are very much ignored or dismissed. For The Reckoning I channel the dual perspective of the anxieties and frustrations as a person previously able bodied to acquiring an severe physical disability later in life. I aim to explore what disability entails beyond the visible cues and how people navigate the barriers of the mind and body.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
HA: Currently, I have Dumb Reminders that is written by myself and with fantastic illustrations/lettering and amazing art by Evie Mann. Dumb Reminders is a 24-page comic and is the story of Steven González, a 39-year-old disabled man who after ten years post injury reflects on his life. What was his life before the accident like? How did he end up disabled and what happened after? The trauma of acquiring a severe disability puts individuals in arduous stretches of physical healing, rehabilitation, and stresses that often blindsides survivors and loved ones. It’s in retrospect that the totality of one’s life comes into focus.
Focus brought on by relics of the past or representations in the present. Simply put, the memories and truths of our lives are often represented by objects, sights, sounds, and smells that trigger recollections that are important or…dumb.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about The Reckoning and Dach Comics?
HA: Dach Comics can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and dachcomics.com! I am an avid comic book collector and horror genre fan who loves talking about the art and history of comic creation/supernatural. Also, I love pet photos, send them my way!
