Cranium Comics

I recently had the opportunity to chat with writer Ron Bates on his inspiration for Brawn 2. I wanted him to share his thoughts on the comics industry, the new story arc, and any advice he has on writing. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Your writing background is in journalism and advertising, so what’s a nice guy like you doing in the comic world with Brawn?

   The comic book has always been an artists’ medium but, over the past couple of decades, there’s been a lot more meat there for writers. The graphic novels really opened the door with involved storylines that focused less on the characters’ abilities and more on their psychology. What drives them and why? If you’re doing a comic series, you have the chance to reveal a back story to the readers over multiple issues. You can blur the lines between heroes and villains, triumph and tragedy. That’s a writer’s playground.

2. Early feedback from various sources is that people seem to really enjoy the rich/layered approach to your writing. What inspired you to take the story in the direction it’s gone?

   I was drawn to the idea that the lead character in Brawn is not what you’d describe as a good soul. There was nothing heroic about him, he was an ordinary, troubled man who wakes up to find he’s changed in extraordinary ways. On some level, it’s like Kafka’s Metamorphosis. At its core, Brawn is not about being powerful, it’s the opposite, it’s about losing control.

3. You’ve recently published a book of children’s short stories. Do you see any similarities between writing for comic panels and writing children’s stories?

   I knew my immaturity would pay off one of these days. You’re right, there is a connection and it’s the fantasy aspect, the fact that you’re creating a world where anything can happen. Mainstream literature has boundaries in that part of the art is to write realistic characters that behave in recognizable ways. With a comic book or a children’s book, you’re going for the fantastic—remarkable characters and circumstances that activate the imagination. In both cases, you’re not so much telling a story as creating a world and inviting your readers to visit. That’s one reason pictures are such a critical part of both comics and children’s books.

4. In Brawn 2, you’ve given Sam more confidence in his power, yet he retains many of the insecurities/carelessness we remember from the first issue. Was this a strong component you felt could be played up in the second issue?

   He’s definitely made a leap. To be honest, it’s a leap that goes a little beyond my comfort level for a second issue. Hopefully, what the reader will pick up on is that time has passed since me met him in issue one. And one of the driving themes of Brawn is that the alterations didn’t just affect Sam physically, they changed him in other ways. Before, he was powerless. That’s not the case anymore and he knows it. So we definitely want to see Sam to change, but these appear to have happened quickly because they took place in that unseen period between issue one and issue two. But remember, a lot of Sam’s story is told in flashbacks, it’s not always a linear progression. In upcoming issues, the reader will see glimpses of what happened to Sam in that hidden period and I think his transition will seem very organic. That’s the plan, anyway.

5. There’s a lot more action in the second issue and quite a few surprising scenarios, especially the cliffhanger at the end. Do you feel keeping mechanisms that lead into the next story are crucial components of the comic format?

   Not necessarily. I think there are times when it’s very satisfying to see a story completed and then the reader, along with the characters, can just go on with life. But Brawn is a new character and we know very little about him and there are several layers to the story, so it’s clear that there is a lot more to tell. It is a cliffhanger ending but that cliffhanger ending is also one of the mysteries that we’re putting out there. The search for answers pushes Brawn, and the reader should get that same feeling. If you’re asking yourself “What is going to happen next?” then you have a pretty good insight into what Sam is going through.

6. What can we expect to see in future issues? Anything else that you’re working on that you’d like to share?

   I can tell you that Sam’s world is going to expand dramatically and it’s going to bring up a lot of issues from his past. He’s carrying emotional baggage that has made him a loner. Because of what’s happened to him, he won’t be able to isolate himself as he has before. And for the first time he’ll be given a motivation and a purpose instead of just being in survival mode. The love/hate relationship he has with his newly equipped body is going to take some surprising turns, too.

7. How do you think media plays into people’s perception of the comic format? What are your thoughts on it being a viable medium to convey ideas?

   Comics are a form of mythology. Hercules and Mercury and Atlas were super heroes. There are few mediums that do a better job of portraying concepts like duty, temptation, redemption and perseverance. And if you look at works like Maus or Blankets, you’re seeing some amazingly innovative ways to portray complex issues in the comic format. I think the multitude of movies based on comic characters has completely changed the perception of what a comic is. People see it as a unique artform now rather than a juvenile pastime or something you see in the funny papers.

8. What are the more challenging aspects of writing in the comic format? Do you feel it translates well from short stories?

   For the writer, the challenge is to learn to trust the artist. The writer’s natural tendency is to describe the scene or to convey a state of mind. A comic can do that without words. As you know, it’s not my nature to be silent but if I sit back and let the reader see what’s happening rather than “narrating” every action, it’s so much more effective. Short stories are a different medium but they’re similar to comics in that both boil a story down to its essence and try to convey the message without a lot of extraneous information.

9. If there’s anything you could share with aspiring writers out there looking to break into the comics scene, what would you suggest?

   Try to do something different. There are some great, great characters out there with amazing abilities or self-destructive flaws and that’s the point—they’re already out there. The wonderful thing about the comic artform is that there are no boundaries and no rules. There’s a whole universe just waiting for you to add to it. Create something that stands out whether it’s funny or tragic or exciting or weird. The important thing is that it be compelling and original. Don’t try to be the next anybody. Try to be the first you.

10. How important is story arc in setting the stage for what you are doing in a series like Brawn? One off’s are nice, but do you feel that they really take advantage of the serial nature of comics?

    That’s a great point, the strength of a serial format is that you can build the story over time. That gives you the chance to develop the characters naturally and set a rich, multi-layered stage. That’s not to say that you can drag your feet. Every issue has to move the story ahead and offer some reward for the reader’s investment of time. So in a sense, every individual issue is a self-contained story, but each one is a piece that fits in a larger puzzle. If you’re a fan of the TV series LOST—and you should be—then you’re seeing a prime example of how that’s accomplished. Each episode has its own story arc but it’s also leading to a larger arc within the mythology of the series. It’s not easy but when it’s done well, it’s a thing of beauty.