The following is an interview with Eisner Award-winning writer Michael W. Conrad (Nightwing, Batgirls) and acclaimed artist Noah Bailey (Diabolical, Double Walker, Tremor Dose) regarding the upcoming release of their horror graphic novel, The 99 Legs, through Comixology Originals. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Conrad and Bailey about their shared creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, what readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of The 99 Legs! What can you share with us about the genesis behind this story and how would you describe its premise?
Michael W. Conrad: The 99 Legs is a bit of a meditation on the toll of creating stories for an audience that seems to have stopped caring about you. The story centers on a writer who is past his prime as a commodity to his publisher and has turned to booze to alleviate some of the psychic pain this has caused him. The day he turns in his much-delayed manuscript for his new novel, bodies start showing up, murdered in the same fashion as the victims in his story.
I wanted to tell a story that captured the unhinged nature of Giallo novels and films, while also exploring some of the obstacles met by people like Noah and I as freelance artists. What we do is a creative trust fall every time, so anxiety runs high and I wanted to incorporate some of the insecurity and depression that can be part of the process. While these concepts aren’t necessarily fun in and of themselves, it’s incredible what the addition of a knife-wielding killer can do to make such topics feel a little less oppressive, even silly by way of comparison. Apparently, when faced with the potential of having your throat slit, the rigors of the art life seem less oppressive.
BD: Much like the Italian Giallo pulp novel covers of the ‘20s and films of the ‘60s, this story deftly weaves the murder mystery, psychological thriller, and horror genres. How would you describe your shared creative process in bringing this story and characters to life on the page, and why do you feel that it stands out in your incredible catalog of work?
MC: This book feels pretty gonzo, which was important to me, as some of my favorite Giallo media features some pretty far-flung ideas that add a spice that feels great when consumed and is best enjoyed without trying to pretend it is something it’s not. The 99 Legs continues in the tradition of our other books in that it has an unreliable narrator and allows some room for the reader to develop their own opinions about what is true and what is smoke and mirrors.
With Noah, I don’t think I’ve ever asked for him to redraw anything. I know that Noah will make the choices that best serve the story, and I am always prepared to pivot to meet the art. I rarely write in this way, which is less of a critique of the great artists I’ve worked with than it is the highest compliment I can give Noah.
Noah Bailey: First off, thank you so much for calling our work incredible! Hahaha. I do a lot of work to find the right mediums and techniques for each project that I do. Lots of testing and planning and designing. This project was a really fun challenge for me, and I realized very quickly after reading the script that it called for a whole lotta black. I’m not the most experienced ink user, although I have somewhat successfully faked it in the past. This is the first project where I decided to do away with mixed media for the most part and really get down and dirty with ink and all of its wonders. I think it stands apart from our other work, hopefully, in that it shows how far we’ve come as a creative team and how much we have to offer on the page. I don’t think there’s anything more frightening than being branded a one-trick-pony in any artistic medium, and I hope that this is a further example of us really stretching ourselves and being willing to explore far and beyond what you might expect of us.
BD: Noah, your artistic style naturally exudes deep ambience, tone, and mood. When tackling a project like The 99 Legs, is there anything that guides or propels your approach to the artwork?
NB: It’s really all in the characters and the settings and mood of the story. I can always see the approach very clearly when reading the script. Everything is determined by the energy of the script. It’s always been a really important thing for me to make sure that these characters and the environments feel like real people and places. Each character has their own mannerisms and quirks and each environment is designed based on my own observations and amateur understanding of human nature. I had a lot of fun considering certain sequences as film locations and imagining how they could be lit for optimal mood. I always find that there are a million ways to draw any given panel—my job is to find the most interesting way—and I really had fun experimenting with foreground and background elements and playing with perspective and focus. It was the most fun I’ve had on a project.
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 The 99 Legs’ story may connect with and impact readers?
MC: I can’t really speak to the impact that this book will have on readers other than to hope that they find something in there that works for them. A cautionary tale? A much-needed escape from reality? More than anything I would like for readers to engage with the work on their own terms, knowing that we’ve made no effort to manipulate them. We’ve done our part in creating a road, the reader is the final destination, and in many ways they will be the component that will define the piece.
NB: I hope that people have fun with the book! I hope that our care and excitement for the project shines through and that they, in turn, feel it, too. As with all of our work together, if you just want a quick, fun li’l read, that is provided. But if you wanna dig in and overthink it and analyze it, there’s a lot there for you, as well.
BD: What makes Comixology Originals the perfect publishing partner for this story?
MC: Comixology allowed us to create this book on our own terms. Other publishers might balk at the idea of doing a Giallo-influenced comic in 2026 when most of the readers are unlikely to be familiar with the genre. We’re really lucky to have (once again) created a book in a vacuum, pushing forward to make a thing purely because WE thought it would be cool. It turns out we were right, now seeing it in its entirety we have done just that. We made the book we wanted to see in the world.
NB: I agree completely. Comixology has offered us the opportunity to let our freak flag fly and also has been very supportive and kind to us throughout the process. There was never any talk of editorial insight; they trusted us to do our thing and I hope we did it well. But, I appreciate them, Pamela especially for championing us and helping us see this book through.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
MC: Of course, Tremor Dose and Double Walker, both by Noah and I, are where I’d direct readers of The 99 Legs. We are peculiar people, and those who are into such peculiarities are welcome to ride with us. Tonally and thematically, all three books are distinct from one another, but I suspect that if you like one of these, you’ll like its sister books.
NB: I agree. I think those two books are distant relatives to The 99 Legs and if you read them in order, it might be a fun glimpse into our creative journey!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about The 99 Legs and your other work?
MC: You can find me on the usual social media sites. I’ve been a bit wary about sharing too much on there these days, but I do pop on there from time to time. There, you can see what licensed work I’ve been doing, as well as the various creator-owned projects I have coming up and running currently.
NB: I am on Instagram @(boyishdeathtribe) and I share updates of the stuff I’m working on quite a bit now. Currently serializing a graphic novel called Hatred in a regional newspaper called Cary Grant Died Here, and, hopefully, more exciting projects on the way soon! Thank you so much for having us!
