The following is an interview with comics creator Will Tempest regarding the recent release of the graphic novel, Harsh Prospect. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Tempest about his creative process in bringing the sci-fi / horror story to life on the page, what he hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of Harsh Prospect! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the premise of this story?
Will Tempest: Harsh Prospect is a science fiction / horror story set in a struggling colony far from Earth. Tensions between the company that established the colony, New Earth, and the colonists are running high as they struggle to find a solid foothold on the hostile planet. As illness and dwindling supplies are slowly eroding any morale left amongst the colonists, the people begin to question whether they should trust in the company or rebel.
August, a geologist, heads into the tundra to survey for habitable land but instead discovers a strange, red deposit. He takes a sample and returns to his partner Kate who urges him to send the sample for analysis. The sample never makes it to the lab.
As things begin to boil over, the different factions within the colony make moves in a hope to secure a future for themselves and their allies.
BD: How would you describe your creative process in bringing this story and its characters to life on the page, especially in balancing both the writing and illustrative roles?
WT: I tend to work on both at the same time, I usually start with a rough outline of a script consisting mainly of dialogue and then start laying out pages and placing these initial notes into panels. Then, I rework the drawings and refine the writing as I start to cement the final page layouts. During this writing and sketching phase, I tend to work on 4 pages at the same time, so I can see how it flows together.
Originally, I hadn’t planned for the book to be as long as it is. My first idea was for it to be around 80 pages, but the more time I spent working on it, the more areas of the setting I wanted to explore. For the first 3 chapters, I only had a vague idea of the end of the book; it was only after finishing these that I decided I should really make a clear plan of where the story was headed and what steps needed to be taken in the subsequent chapters to get there.
I found that separating the story into chapters helped make the process feel manageable and not overwhelming with the amount of pages that needed drawing. It also allowed me to isolate and focus in on different sections of the story and expand on them, adding details and smaller character moments.
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 August’s story may impact readers, and are there any conversations that you hope that it might inspire?
WT: For me, August’s story is one of feeling lost, working a job you don’t really feel connected to, questioning what in life gives you joy or motivation. I think his story is also about trying to find community and the importance of it in our lives, whether that be on a large scale like a global movement or something smaller like a local hobby community. He’s quite an isolated character. I hope he makes people think about the need of connection and communication with others.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the story into subsequent story arcs, if given the opportunity?
WT: I’ve had a few ideas about where I would take the story if I returned to it. It’s something I’d like to return to at some point but at the moment I’m really enjoying writing shorter stories where I can experiment with different art and writing styles.
BD: Are there any other projects on which you are working that you’re able to share with readers?
WT: I’m currently working on Short Sword #2, which is another volume of short fantasy/horror stories. I’m also working with my brother, Sam, on a couple of tabletop RPG projects. The first is Frogmen, a tactical RPG in the vein of XCOM inspired by cartoons from our childhood like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Biker Mike From Mars. The other is a cosmic horror Mork Borg campaign book inspired by Celtic mythology. We will be releasing a quick play version of Frogmen soon which people will be able to find at tempestRPG.itch.io.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Harsh Prospect?
WT: Harsh Prospect is available to read online on my website (willtempest.com), along with my other comics. I also have hardcover editions available in my webstore.
