The following is an interview with writer Melissa F. Olson (Project: Cryptid, Dead Spots) regarding the recent release of the action-adventure comic book series, Archaic, through AHOY Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Olson about her shared creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, what makes the series “single parent wish fulfillment,” and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of Archaic! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the series’ premise?
Melissa F. Olson: Tess Halliday is a single mom in Chicago who’s on the run from her ex-husband’s creditors. Just as she hits rock bottom, Tess finds out she’s inherited a trust from the father she never knew…but the trust is an island, the island is sentient, and she (the island uses she/her pronouns) is populated by the immortal gods and legends of extinct cultures.
In some ways, the book is single parent wish fulfillment. But it’s also a “be careful what you wish for” cautionary tale.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with artist Sally Cantirino, colorist Gab Contreras, and editor Sarah Litt to bring the story and characters to life on the page?
MFO: If this process had a title, it would be “Melissa Gets Spoiled.” I’ve been so lucky to work with people who are both patient with my inexperience in comics and intrigued by what I bring to the project as an urban fantasy writer.
BD: The story deftly weaves the mystery of a magical island ecosystem with an intriguing murder mystery. Are there readers that you feel this story will best connect with, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it will inspire?
MFO: I sometimes feel like comics are written for one of two audiences: either they’re for very small children or rated V for as Violent as Possible. But I’ve always been a huge fan of the Spielberg school of action-adventure for found families – stories that are still exciting for adults, but appropriate for older kids, too. I love the universality of Jurassic Park or The Mummy: As out-there as those setups are, everyone can find a character or storyline they really connect with and gush about. That’s what I hope to do with Archaic.
BD: What makes AHOY Comics the perfect home for this series?
MFO: In my mind, AHOY is kind of the Ted Lasso of comics: The people who work there are curious and open, rather than committed to doing things the same way they’ve always been done. I know it sounds like I’m trapped in a hostage situation, but I honestly feel so lucky that my first job in comics was at AHOY.
BD: As with all of AHOY Comics’ releases, there are sure to be lots of incredible “extras” included with the issue. Can you give us a preview of what readers can anticipate with the first issue?
MFO: There are two pieces of original short fiction, cover images for other AHOY titles, and a letter from my editor Sarah Litt (which I haven’t been able to read through properly because I still haven’t learned how to take a compliment). I will also add that readers might want to keep this first issue close at hand for a reread. I wrote the Archaic scripts pretty much back-to-back, so I was able to sneak a few story Easter eggs into most of the issues.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
MFO: If you enjoy a blend of real world and magic, Nightshades is a novella trilogy from Tor.com that’s paced like a procedural television show…if the FBI was tasked with finding very unique criminals who aren’t a fan of the term, “vampires.”
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Archaic and your other work?
MFO: I have a website, MelissaFOlson.com. I’ve also been hanging out on BlueSky (@mfolson) now that my dogs pretty much run my Instagram account.
