The following is an interview with Neil Gibson and Silvano Beltramo regarding the Black Mirror graphic novel adaptation of “USS Callister” in collaboration with Twisted Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Gibson and Beltramo about their shared creative process in bringing the satirical horror series to life on the page, the new projects that they have on the horizon, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the success of your recent Kickstarter campaign for the Black Mirror graphic novel adaptation of “USS Callister” in collaboration with Twisted Comics! How would you describe your shared creative process in bringing the satirical horror series to life on the page?
Neil Gibson: I thought it was a lot of fun! Silvano brought a lot of ideas, and I think his paneling and shifting style is really top notch.
Silvano Beltramo: It was a long process, as it’s the longest story I’ve drawn so far (over 100 pages), but it was also a lot of fun for me. Neil’s script was very detailed, but it also gave me plenty of creative freedom.
BD: Adapting an existing story and characters to a new medium can be a daunting process. What did you find to be most exciting or challenging about giving voice to the episode, “USS Callister,” through the sequential art medium?
NG: For me it was deciding what to change. The Walking Dead famously veered quite differently from the comic book, but that was a long-form story. With Black Mirror being an anthology, and frankly having very good stories, I wanted to keep as close to the source material as possible. I found that the natural pacing was different. I tend to average 5 panels a page but the writing cadence made this comic average about 7 or 8 panels.
SB: From my perspective, the challenge was to stay true to the spirit of the episode, but also to adapt it to a different medium that has its own specific codes.
For example, I kept the design of the spaceship and the crew’s uniforms faithful, but I reinvented other scenic elements to better fit the storytelling (like the offices or Robert Daly’s apartment).
The same goes for the character design; their typology is similar to that of the actors, but I had to differentiate and modify them to make them fit the story on paper.
BD: What has made Twisted Comics the ideal publishing partner for this collaboration?
NG: I think because my style has often been compared to Black Mirror, The Twilight Zone, and Tales of the Unexpected, but more than that I am a massive fan of the show and want to honour it!
SB: I think Twisted Comics’ care and respect for the source material shines through in this graphic novel, and the final product is very much in line with Neil’s original work.
BD: At Fanbase Press, we always like to learn more about creators and what drives and inspires them. Are there any horror creators or media that greatly influenced your creative process?
NG My creative process, I would say no. I am fans of many other creators but I don’t consciously find myself being influenced. I know one writer who will read all the similar work of a story he is thinking of writing and then tries to steal the best bits, but I prefer Stephen Kinght’s approach of doing the opposite – not consuming anything – so I am not influenced.
SB: I’ve always been an avid comic book reader, from superheroes to Disney comics to French comics. My inspirations are many, but speaking from an artistic perspective, I could name the great masters like Jack Kirby (whom I paid homage to in the opening of Black Mirror), Neal Adams, John Buscema, and among the more recent ones, I’d say Stuart Immonen and Pepe Larraz.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
NG: San Junipero! The next Black Mirror comic is coming in January/February. It is going to be great! What a classic episode. Also, we are about to launch Traveller Vol. 2 which is exciting. Traveller Vol. 1 is the most popular title of ours at Twisted. The team loves it. You can have a look here.
SB: Among the things I’ve worked on is the miniseries Paradise Towers I created for Cutaway Comics, connected to the world of Doctor Who.
Right now, I’m working on the sequel in the form of a graphic novel.
I really like British science fiction and have a cult following for the 1960s series, The Prisoner. It would be amazing to do something connected to that world… I’ll throw the idea out to Neil. Maybe we can work something out?
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Twisted Comics and the Black Mirror graphic novel series?
NG: Join our newsletter – you automatically get a chance to be drawn into the series!
SB: On my Instagram page, there’s some work-in-progress and behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Black Mirror – USS Callister.
