All-ages horror and mystery books are difficult to pull off, let alone conquer. But like a knight’s armaments animated by a spirit, writer Michael Schwartz swoops in and breaks the genre-blending mold. That’s what we see in his horror/mystery/fantasy comic series Armored, telling the tale of an orphaned boy and a spirit-propelled suit of armor attempting to ascertain why the son of his foster parents really died. For folks who missed the first volume, it’s now funding now in conjunction with Clover Press via Kickstarter.
I spoke with Michael Schwartz recently about the conceit of Armored, the influences and inspirations behind the series, working with the rest of the creative team, the Kickstarter itself, and what he thinks makes a good horror story.
The art for Armored Volume 1 is so creepy and gorgeous, giving readers something inventive and novel with every panel. The book took me completely by surprise, particularly with Schwartz’s ear for dialogue and knack for knowing just the right moments to speed up and slow down the pacing. This book is well worth your time if you’re a sucker for pitch-perfect characterization, genre-mashups, unnerving-but-mesmerizing pencils, or all of the above.
FreakSugar: Before we get into the miniseries itself, what was the genesis of Armored? What was your “a-ha!” moment, or was it a concept that changed and morphed over time?
Michael Schwartz: The idea of a kid finding a haunted suit of armor came to me quite a few years ago. At first, I wasn’t sure whether to write it as a feature film or TV series. But after my entire comic book collection was stolen, and I began the process of re-collecting what was lost, I realized Armored needed to be a comic book. As a life-long comic fan, I had always wanted to write one, but it wasn’t until that moment that I knew this was the right story for the medium. Over the next few months, I developed the series, wrote the first script, and began working with Eisner Award-winning editor Chris Stevens, who helped me bring the project to life.
FS: For folks who might not be familiar with Armored, what can you tell us about the miniseries?
MS: Armored follows the story of Andy, an orphan adopted two years after his parents mysteriously disappear. He’s taken in by a strange couple who, coincidentally, lost their son, Myles, around the same time. While visiting the site where Myles died, Andy discovers a hidden tomb containing a magical haunted suit of armor. Inhabiting the armor is the ghost of Sir William. Together, Andy and Sir William must team up to uncover the truth behind Myles’s death and defeat the monster responsible for it.
FS: The book has been praised for its twist on horror and mystery. What makes a great horror tale for you, all-ages or otherwise?
MS: I am a fan of all types of horror and its many sub-genres, but my absolute favorite stories are the ones that don’t try to explain everything. Leaving as much as possible up to the reader’s or viewer’s imagination. In my opinion, what we conjure in our mind is far more terrifying than anything that’s shown on the page or screen.
FS: Following up on that, were there particular pieces of pop culture that have informed your work on Armored?
MS: I’m sure a lot of different influences found their way into Armored as I was writing it. There are nods to certain horror films that sharp-eyed readers might catch. Various comics also inspired parts of the book – from Amazing Spider-Man to ROM and even Disney’s Aladdin. So far, several people have pointed out similarities to classic 80s movies like The Goonies, The Monster Squad, and Flight of the Navigator.
Editor’s note: Any mention of Flight of the Navigator gets our ears perkin’.
FS: The art is just stunning and pops from the pages. What can you tell us about working with Ismael Hernandez and the rest of the creative team?
MS: I absolutely love working with Ismael and the rest of the creative team on Armored. Chris Stevens has truly been the connective tissue on the series. He introduced me to Ismael and brought on our amazing letterer, Ferran Delgado. Collaborating with all of them has been incredibly smooth and stress-free. They’re total pros and I’ve learned so much from each of them.
FS: On to the Kickstarter itself, what can you tell us about the campaign?
MS: Now is the perfect time for anyone curious about Armored to jump into the story. The hardcover collects the entire first arc. At the same time, fans of the series will have the chance to make a pledge for issue 6. I’ve been asked many times when the next issue of the series would be released, and I’m excited to say the first part of the next arc is finally on its way into readers’ hands.
FS: Do you have more Armored stories in the hopper you’d like to explore one day?
MS: I have an endless supply of Armored stories I would love to tell. While I originally imagined the main story arc introduced in issue one wrapping up in 15 to 20 issues, the series really has the potential to go in many different directions. One idea I would especially love to do is an Armored Christmas special. I’ve always enjoyed holiday-themed comics. I have over 300 Christmas comics in my collection, so it would be a lot of fun to see what Andy and his ghostly sidekick would get up to during the holidays.
FS: Are there any other projects you’re working on that you’d like to discuss?
MS: I’m pleased to share that we’re in the final stages of wrapping up a new OGN called TILL DEATH, coming soon from Clover Press. Co-written by Rachael Schaefer and illustrated by Gaia Cardinali, Till Death is another ghost story, and we can’t wait to share more about it later this year.
FS: What are you reading right now?
MS: Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of indie books from small press publishers and creators I’ve met at comic cons. I’m also a big fan of Ghost Machine and the books they’ve been putting out, like Redcoat, Geiger, and Rocketfellers. My pull list is pretty big and every time I try to trim it down, I end up adding more books to it.
FS: If you had a final pitch for Armored, what would it be?
MS: Armored is a fun spooky read for anyone who enjoys Stranger Things-type stories. If you like mysteries and piecing together the bigger picture, this is the book for you. I guarantee once you start the first issue, you won’t want to put the series down!
The Kickstarter for Armored Volume 1 has already more than doubled its initial funding goal, with more than two weeks left in the campaign! If you love genre-bending tales of sorcery, swords, and spookiness, this book is definitely worth a look!