The following is an interview with creators Thomas Armstrong and John Biggs on the recent release of the comic book one-shot, The Closing Hour. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Armstrong and Biggs about their shared creative process in bringing the story to crime story to life on the page, how they hope that the story may connect with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of The Closing Hour at MCM Comic-Con! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the premise of this story?
Thomas Armstrong and John Biggs: The Closing Hour follows Fred Turner, a gentle giant of a man trying to live a quiet life running a deli in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the late sixties. His peaceful existence is shaken on a windy Autumn night when a strange man arrives claiming Fred is an old acquaintance who he believed was long dead.
BD: Given that you have been collaborating for a number of years, how would you describe your shared creative process in bringing this crime story and its characters to life on the page? Do you feel that there is a creative “shorthand” that you’ve developed with each new project?
TA/JB: The beauty of collaboration is in how ideas can blossom into something beyond what one mind might envisage alone, so as a writer and an artist we’re very involved in each each others respective parts of the process from story concept to script, to the art and book design.
As you say, the more you work with a collaborator, the more of a creative shorthand you develop. With this book we leaned into that more than ever. It was actually the first time we have worked in what is known as ‘Marvel Style’ rather than ‘Full Script’. So, instead of the script being a more technical document broken into detailed page and panel descriptions, it’s a much looser form which reads like a prose short story with dialogue, setting, and character woven through. This gives John the freedom when telling the story through his art to break down the story beats in the way he feels works best.
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 story may connect with readers, and are there any conversations that you hope that it might inspire?
TA/JB: The hope is that it connects on a few levels. At the outset you want to create a story that is engaging and entertaining, which grabs the reader and makes them want to turn the page and find out what happens next. After that, I strive to populate the story with authentic characters who have humanity and depth. And finally, most importantly to me as a writer, it is in what the story is ‘about’ rather than just what happens that the real connection lies. For me this is where, no matter how grounded or fantastical, a story has to be personal and raw on some level.
This book is about cycles of violence, as well as the echoes and repercussions of violent acts for perpetrators and victims. At it’s core, the question the story asks is, ‘Can good people do bad things?’ so if readers put the book down and reflect on that, or find any illumination when shining that question into the dark corners of their own worlds, then the story has done it’s job.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the story into subsequent story arcs, if given the opportunity?
TA/JB: The Closing Hour, while a stand-alone story, is actually part of an anthology of crime stories set in the North-East of England that we’re working on. The tales are all self-contained and span many years, but when seen from above, the events and characters of the various stories have connections and consequences that thread through the whole collection.
In terms of The Closing Hour, I won’t spoil anything, but we do have plans to revisit certain characters again at different stages in their lives.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
TA/JB: As mentioned above, The Closing Hour is part of a crime anthology and it’s the second story we have done in that world, so if readers enjoyed their time in Lucille’s Deli, then they should check out our comic, Holly Rollers, which is a heist story about lives colliding in a bowling alley on the nineties North-East coast.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about The Closing Hour and your other work?
TA/JB: We think comics should be for everyone, so all of our projects are available on our website to read online and pay what you want. If you can’t afford to pay for a comic, we’d prefer you read it for free. If you like what you see and you can afford it, we’d encourage people to order a physical copy or make a small donation to read online so we can keep making comics.
Just for god’s sake whatever you do, please don’t read it squinting at a tiny phone screen and miss out on all the details of our Newcastle Noir.
All our comics and more info about us can be found at www.armstrongbiggs.com.
