The following is an interview with Hugo- and Eisner-nominated writer Corinna Bechko regarding the upcoming release of the comic book series, The Space Between, with BOOM! Studios. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Bechko about the shared creative process of bringing the multigenerational story and characters to life with artist Danny Luckert, what she hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent announcement for The Space Between! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the premise of this multigenerational story?
Corinna Bechko: Thanks so much! I’m really excited to be telling this story. Generation ships are the embodiment of hope for a better future. But how do you get everyone on board to agree on what that future should look like, especially several generations in, when they’re all busy with their own romances and revolutions? Any perfect plan falls apart as soon as you add humans.
BD: You are no stranger to writing for science fiction, having worked on series like The Expanse, yet this story truly pushes the genre forward, as you deftly traverse time to capture the lived experiences of characters across generations. How would you describe your creative process in bringing this expansive story and its characters to life alongside artist Danny Luckert?
CB: I do really love writing sci-fi. In my opinion the best sci-fi starts from a simple idea and expands to explore what that idea would mean in the real world, where people must actually live with it. Context and consequences: those are what make a story interesting.
With The Space Between I wanted to explore how the people (and animals) aboard a generation ship would evolve over time. These people have been told to put aside their wants and needs in service of a better tomorrow for their children. That sounds good in theory, but in practice, it can get ugly. So, I started there, and then when Danny entered the picture, things really started cooking. He has such great instincts for telling the story of how the culture has changed using color and style. As years pass we see the manner of dress morph right down to jewelry, hairstyles, and the texture of the uniforms from generation to generation. Seeing how he handled this during the character design phase cemented who these people were in my mind. It’s a story that builds over time as events become first historical and then legendary while the ship moves through the centuries.
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 The Space Between may impact readers, and are there any conversations that you hope that it might inspire?
CB: I love this initiative! Lots of animals use tools, but as far as we know, only humans tell each other stories. It’s such a, well, human thing to do. And that’s a lot of what The Space Between is about, too. Of course, as an author if folks talk about the book at all, I’m happy. That said, I hope it inspires some conversations about how to interpret the past. Is the truth about historical figures important? Is it okay to be inspired by flawed people? Can a sound future be built on shaky foundations without tearing down the entire structure? If we only preserve what we care about, how can we get more people to care? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions. But I do know that we need to have these conversations if we want a kinder, more equitable future ourselves.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the story into subsequent story arcs, if given the opportunity?
CB: I’d love to do that! I have many ideas about what could happen on the new planet. The current story is very focused on life aboard the ship, but there are many things set up in this arc that could pay off far in the future.
BD: Are there any other projects on which you are working that you’re able to share with readers?
CB: I’m writing a work-for-hire project right now that’s very exciting. It’s something I’m honestly a bit star-struck about, but it’s early days so I can’t say more right now. Hopefully, you’ll have me back to talk about that when it’s announced.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about The Space Between?
CB: I talk about it a lot on my various social media feeds, so I’d invite everyone to drop by if you’d like to see updates. My name is the same everywhere: CorinnaBechko. I also talk a lot there about animals both extinct and extant since I have a background in zoology and a day job as a fossil preparator. It’s no coincidence that The Space Between features not just humans but other creatures of all sorts. I have to give Danny one more shout-out here because he has really gone above and beyond with the non-human characters. The first issue has lots of cats, the second lots of dogs, and it just gets to be more of a menagerie from there. Seeing his art in my inbox has been an unparalleled joy for this former zookeeper.
