Facing the unknown can be something that spurs a whole host of emotions. Will we thrive? Will do we well by our people? Will we fulfill our goals or will we outlive our usefulness? Those are questions with which the cast of the new comic book series Archaic must contend. Premiering today from AHOY Comics from the minds of writer Melissa F. Olson and artist Sally Cantirino, Archaic follows Tess, a down-on-her-luck single mom attempting to keep herself and her kids afloat while also dealing with the consequences of her ex-husband’s shady dealings.
However, Tess’ luck has changed—maybe—when she inherits a sentient island that houses forgotten gods and legends. Have the fortunes of Tess’ family turned? Or is she in store for more headaches and heartache?
I spoke with Melissa Olson recently about the idea behind Archaic, what we find on the comic’s island, how being a parent informs her work, and how we sometimes need reminded that the world needs us.
The first issue of Archaic is filled with urgency and hope, both for Tess and her family’s new adventure, but also her family unit and its safety. I found myself reading with a hitch in my stomach fearing for Tess and her kids’ well-being, but also furiously flying through the pages to make sure they’ll be okay. Regardless of whether you’re wondering about the uncertainty of the future or contending with old gods, we can all empathize with that sense of adventure and plunging into the unknown.
ARCHAIC #1 Cover A
FreakSugar: For folks considering picking up the book, what is the conceit of Archaic?
Melissa F. Olson: A single mom inherits a sentient island that serves as the game preserve for the gods and legends of dead cultures.
FS: What can you tell us about Tess and where she finds herself at the beginning of the book?
MFO: Tess Halliday is a single mom in Chicago. At the beginning of the book, she’s living out of crappy motels with her nine-year-old twins and teenage stepson, Teo, as they try to stay ahead of some Chicago loan sharks who are looking for her ex-husband.
ARCHAIC #1 Cover B
FS: Tess’ interactions with her kids feel very true to life. What do you take as inspiration for those relationships?
MFO: Thank you! A lot of Archaic came from my mom worries about taking care of my own kids, especially during the pandemic. I’m not an ex-Navy badass, but I can definitely relate to Tess’ desire to be present and engaged with her kids even when her adult world is falling apart.
(And I think most parents can relate to the exasperation of trying to get children packed and out of a motel room in a hurry.)
FS: Sally Cantirino’s art feels so lived-in and perfect for this book. What has that collaboration process been like?
MFO: It’s been a huge relief, honestly. When I write a novel, I open my laptop and kind of lock myself into my imaginary world for five months before I show anyone what I’m doing. It’s been really fun and refreshing to have Sally and Sarah and Gab lending their ideas, experience, and enthusiasm to the project in real time. It makes the comic feel so alive.
ARCHAIC #1 Cover C
FS: Without giving anything away, you throw in some disturbing body horror in the inaugural issue. What do you think is the appeal of body horror? Why are we repulsed and fascinated by it?
MFO: I didn’t specifically set out to write body horror, but all the island’s residents come from some mostly-forgotten corner of mythology, religion, and/or folklore. The island’s steward, Mr. Faria, is a Gryllus, which were these little characters that appeared in Renaissance art as part of the grotesque style. The point of grotesque art was to be disturbing and exciting and strange, so I have a great time writing Mr. Faria as a huge stickler for rules. His second face, Gut, is a different story. I love writing Mr. Faria, but I would much rather hang out with Gut.
FS: The book addresses what happens to Old Gods when the world no longer has use for them. Even if we’re not gods, I think some of us can relate to that feeling. Why was exploring this idea appealing to you?
MFO: Not to go too dark here, but during the pandemic my writing career really stalled out, and I got divorced. For the first time, my kids were living somewhere else part of the time, and I didn’t have anything to write. It felt like I had used up my purpose and the world were sort of done with me. I started playing with the idea of a much cooler version of me turning that feeling into a big adventure. There’s a lot of single mom wish fulfillment in Archaic, but there’s also a message that the world always needs us more than we think.
FS: Following up on that, our past always catches up with us, and it seems like that’s something you’re leaning into. What can we learn from Tess, the island, and her journey?
MFO: Okay, because you asked nicely, I’m going to give you the cheat code to the whole comic.
A few years ago, I found a painted chunk of glass in the shape of a rock floating around the house. I never did find out where it came from–maybe one of my kids picked it up somewhere, or it might have been left by my house’s former owners. But for months this glass rock would turn up in unexpected places: the bottom of my purse, a bathroom drawer, my makeup bag.
I would have found that amusing in itself, but it was especially great because of the words painted on the rock: “Grow where you’re planted.”
Like Tess, we don’t always control where we’re planted. But we get to decide if we’ll allow ourselves to grow there.
FS: What are you reading right now?
MFO: This is going to sound like a shameless AHOY plug, but the book open on my iPad right this second is the second issue of Matt Bors’ Toxic Avenger comic. I love a zany, madcap romp through toxic waste.
FS: Do you have any other projects coming down the pike you’d like to discuss?
MFO: I actually have a novella releasing at the end of this month! Bloodsport is the latest (and possibly last) novel in my Old World urban fantasy series. It’s not a good starting point for new readers, but it’s always fun for me to play in my own sandbox. (Click here for a handy-dandy reading order for the series!)
FS: If you had one final pitch for Archaic, what would it be?
MFO: I really wanted to write a book that brought a sense of excitement and wonder to both older kids and grownups. This is the book for all of us who’ve said, “What if Jurassic Park had more ancient Mesopotamian cryptids?”
Archaic #1 is on sale now from AHOY Comics.
From the official issue description:
The first comic from acclaimed novelist Melissa F. Olson, author of the Old World series! Meet Tess Halliday, a broke single mom desperate to protect her kids from vicious criminals trying to collect on her ex-husband’s debts. Following a mysterious message, Tess flees to the mysterious island of Demonde-a place of demons, legendary creatures, and a family secret that just might cost Tess her life. Artist Sally Cantrino (I Walk With Monsters) deftly brings this mystical world to life.