The following is an interview with Dillon Gilbertson regarding his upcoming return to Kickstarter for the fourth issue of the supernatural fantasy comic book series, My Neighbor Necromancer. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with the Gilbertson about where readers will find themselves with this latest installment in the series, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You will be returning to Kickstarter this Fall with the fourth issue of My Neighbor Necromancer. Where will readers find themselves in this latest installment of the 5-issue series?
Dillon Gilbertson: Issue 4 starts right where Issue 3 left off. Jessie and Cirino have arrived at the Body Farm which is this cold, literally lifeless place where the Body Farmer once defeated Death itself. And after Death’s body was buried in the soil there, it dissolved into the ground, into the Earth itself. Death doesn’t need to be physically present to affect our lives anymore because it’s everywhere. Since the Farm is the epicenter, that effect is strongest within its gates where nothing can survive except for the Body Farmer and anyone who has a special token that keeps them alive, which we saw last issue.
And this is where everything we’ve read so far reaches a boiling point. Our main characters all have their own journey happening side by side. Jessie so far has been extremely cool with the concept of death, aside from the ultimate consequence which is loss. But she isn’t wholly unfamiliar with the idea and here we get to learn a little about why. On top of that we have Cirino who is struggling to protect the world and the ones he loves, Rackus who is obsessed with obtaining the Hand of Death, and even the Body Farmer who we learned last issue lost his son and now suffers this unending life. All of these things come to a head in this new issue so it’s all very exciting.
BD: Looking back at the success of your previous Kickstarter campaigns, what has been your experience in sharing this series with new and returning readers, and what are you excited for them to experience as the story continues?
DG: Yeah, we have been extremely fortunate that so many of our previous backers love the book enough to come back every year. It’s a tight rope to walk, this story meant for younger (+10 year) readers with heavy themes like death and loss, but the moment people received the first issue, it was apparent we were hitting that balance the way we intended.
The two things I love about sharing this with new readers are the “woah, hold on” look we get from people at comic conventions, the people who catch Jason’s cover art at they walk past and are compelled to take a closer look, and the playful “how dare you” emails or DMs I get when people finish Issue 1 with that cliffhanger. I love the “how dare you” because it tells me they were invested in the story and because it’s usually followed with forgiveness after they finish issue 2.
It’s hard to pick a single thing I’m most excited for people to experience. Right now, it’s the emotions we tried to pack into Issue 4. This one has a lot of rocket fuel to propel us into the finale. But overall, I’m always excited about the locations. We’ve built so much history into the world that we don’t have space to cover every issue, so each new place we visit is an opportunity to show how that history has affected the world rather than telling it.
BD: You have collaborated with an incredible team to bring My Neighbor Necromancer to life on the page. What can you tell us about the creative team involved with this project, and why do you feel that your collaboration has yielded such a positive experience?
DG: Jason is one of the most skilled artists in comics right now but is always trying to get better. When we first started, I asked him what things he doesn’t like to draw and he gave me one thing. So, I try to avoid putting that thing in my scripts but everything else is fair game to him. Any time I’ve written a scene or a panel Jason finds challenging, I apologize and say I’m happy to try rewriting it. But his response is always, “No, this is a good thing,” then he turns in the most incredible page I’ve ever seen. He likes to try new things and expand his already mind-boggling skillset.
Luca is the first person I ever worked with in comics over ten years ago, and I’m still not sure how I found the best colorist on the first shot. He knows more about color theory than I know about anything. Every page he turns in legitimately amazes me. I always have this idea how things are going to look when Jason sends him inks, and one of two things always happens: Luca makes bold choices I’d never thought about and it blows my mind, or he colors it the way I had imagined but with more depth and detail and it still blows my mind. It’s truly remarkable the work he does and I’m so happy he is working with us.
And Michele is the alchemist that makes it all sing. The rest of us sometimes don’t see the forest for the trees, but she always has her eye on the shape of the story. So, while the rest of the team is unsure on a specific panel or story choice, Michele comes in to tell us why we should keep it or where to put it. When she started working at IDW, we were over-the-moon excited for her, but had to ask if she would need to step away from My Neighbor Necromancer and she was like “absolutely not.” Michele loves this book as much as the rest of us do, and I think that shows. She might be the hardest working editor in comics but she always makes time to ensure the book is the best it can be.
We all believe in this book and love the story we are trying to tell. So, when there is a disagreement, we know it’s in service of the story. Nobody feels attacked or that anyone is trying to be difficult. When you work with a group of people like that, it’s difficult not to get a positive result.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular reward tiers that you would like to highlight for our readers?
DG: This year we wanted to try something really cool for early supporters. So, anyone who backs for a physical reward in the first 24 hours will get a free temporary tattoo bundle. They’ll get 3 sigil tattoos: the skull-paw, the Gavin, and the Cannoli. The tattoos will also be available as paid add-ons for anyone who misses the 24-hour mark (or if the early backers want more), but we are always trying to find ways to thank the people who support us during that crucial period of the campaign.
And for anyone new to the graveyard, we have physical and digital copies of Issues 1-3 available so they can catch up before diving into Issue 4.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to learn more and support the My Neighbor Necromancer Kickstarter campaign?
DG: The best and easiest way to support the series is to visit NecroComic.com which will bring you straight to the preview page or the live the campaign itself (depending when you read this). Follow the campaign on Kickstarter so you get alerted when we launch and don’t miss that first 24-hour window. We also have digital previews of past issues there for curious new-comers. You can also follow the team on Bluesky and Instagram.
Dillon Gilbertson: @DillGilbertson
Jason Piperberg: @JasonPiperberg
Luca Romano: @Malkamok
Michele Abounader: @cerealpancake (bsky) and @ilikepancakes (Insta)
