The following is an interview with Michael Schwartz (Armored) and Rachael Schaefer (The Next Step) regarding their Kickstarter campaign for the graphic novel, Till Death, in conjunction with Clover Press. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Schwartz and Schaefer about their shared creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, the incredible backer rewards available with this campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on your Kickstarter campaign launch for the the graphic novel, Till Death, in collaboration with Clover Press! What can you share with us about the genesis behind this project and its overall premise?
Rachael Schaefer: The idea for a story about a ghost traveling across the country in search of her husband, while being pursued by grim reapers, started over a decade ago. My grandmother outlived my grandfather by 25 years, but they had pre-bought their cemetery plots. One day, my grandmother got a call from the cemetery asking if she would sell her plot because someone else wanted to be buried there. This got Mike and I wondering what happens when a first wife dies and the husband marries someone else. Who does he get buried with?
Michael Schwartz: Around the same time Rachael’s grandmother got that call, we were on a three-week road trip across the country. Along the way, we stopped in different cities and went on ghost tours. Those two experiences started to blend together and eventually became the inspiration for Till Death.
RS: Of course, we both got busy with other things and built our own careers, but a few years ago, we both found ourselves between projects at the same time and decided to reexamine this idea.
BD: In light of your extensive bodies of work in screenwriting, why do you feel that the sequential art medium served as the perfect narrative vehicle for Till Death?
RS: We knew we wanted to tell this story in a visual medium and we didn’t want to be inhibited by budget. I had been working with Netflix to develop a graphic novel into a television show, and that’s when I really fell in love with the medium. The graphic novelist was telling a perfect story in the exact way it was meant to be told. We wanted to tell our story exactly as we imagined it. A graphic novel seemed like the perfect way to do that.
BD: Likewise, what can you tell us about your shared creative process in working with artist Gaia Cardinali to bring the story and characters to life on the page?
MS: Working with Gaia was probably one of the smoothest experiences we’ve ever had in the arts. She brought the script to life in ways we never could have imagined, and every time she delivered new pages, she absolutely nailed them. On the rare occasion we had notes, they were usually related to the story rather than the artwork. Even though Gaia doesn’t live in the United States, she was able to visually capture this road trip across the country perfectly.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums—no matter the genre. How do you feel that Vivian’s story may connect with and impact readers, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it may inspire?
RS: We touch on many important themes in both Vivian’s and Mack’s journeys. Both are dealing with complicated grief and depression. An important message in the book is that pushing those thoughts and feelings aside does nothing to help the healing. I hope conversations around vulnerable, scary, and overwhelming feelings can be brought to the surface and talked about openly with others.
BD: Michael, you have published several titles with Clover Press. What makes Clover Press such a valuable publishing partner?
MS: Clover publishes some of the nicest books out there. When we brought Till Death to them, we knew they would create a beautiful book while also coming up with Kickstarter exclusives that felt unique and unlike anything else on the shelves. We’re especially excited about the acetate slipcover edition. For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, definitely head over to the Kickstarter and check it out!
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any reward tiers that you are most excited to share?
RS: The one we’re most excited about is the Works tier. Not only does it come with the limited edition slipcover, it also comes with some unique prints. We hired our favourite artists to provide artwork for an art gallery at the back of the book and when we spoke to Clover about highlighting their work in other ways, they suggested creating glow-in-the-dark prints for each. This is just an example of how Clover goes one step beyond to make the rewards unique.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
MS: I’m always happy for people to check out Armored, but right now our focus is really on Till Death. We hope Fanbase Press readers get the chance to check it out. It’s a very personal project for us, and we hope it resonates with comic book fans.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way to learn more about Till Death and to support its Kickstarter campaign?
RS: We recommend following us on Instagram as we share so much about the project there, including any interviews we do.
MS: You can find us at @mikeschwartzwrites and @rachael.schaefer. If anyone has any questions, shoot us a message! We’re always happy to chat.
