First Comics News: How was the “Ninth Circle” founded?
Joe Pruett: Working with friends is always something I enjoy doing. So much more pleasant than working in a corporate environment. Ninth Circle just started when a few friends and I started talking about the possibility of doing something fun together. We all have an enjoyment of working in the horror genre, so the decision was made to focus on that direction and just take turns crafting single-issue stories, to do something for ourselves. I reached out to Image, and they were gracious enough to let us bring our titles under their umbrella.
1st: What is your role in the “Ninth Circle”?
Joe: I’m one of the creative partners, but act in the capacity of Editor-in-Chief, but really just make sure the trains run on time and all the pieces come together for the titles, coordinating the assembly line that is making comics.
1st: Why focus on the horror genre?
Joe: Well, for one thing, all of us — Garth Ennis, Adam Glass, Marquette Bennett, Ram V, and I — have had success working in that genre. Plus, it’s just a fun genre to write! Doesn’t hurt that it is generally an easy genre to sell as well, as it never seems to go out of fashion.
That is the intent. Butch Guice and I discovered that we both had a fondness for the old live-action Disney movies from the 70s and wanted to do a story that would take the idea of young kids finning adventure in the woods, only to do it a horror story. Imagine the Apple Dumpling Gang or the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but being scary.
1st: Does Butch Guice’s art deliver chills and thrills?
Joe: I sincerely think that Butch was doing the best of work of his career on this title. You could tell that each page was a work of love for him. A day when a new page would come through on my email was a day of joy for me. He was not able to finish the story before his untimely passing, but I sincerely want to make sure that this story gets finished so that the world can see his final work. I owe it to him and his fans.
1st: How does “Blood Train” treat vampires differently than usual?
Joe: BLOOD TRAIN is SALEM’S LOT meets SPEED. The action starts immediately, carrying the reader on a high-speed chase, with twists and turns (and deaths) until the very end. If this were a featured film, your adrenaline would be pumping until you exit the movie theater. It’s non-stop excitement and chills.
1st: What is coming next from the “Ninth Circle”?
Joe: Well, since you sent me this interview, we’ve had Garth Ennis’s second title, THE KIDS (with fabulous art by Dalibor Talaji c), and Marguerite Bennett’s first Ninth Circle title, MOMMY BLOG (with beautiful art by Eleonora Carlini), go on sale. Both titles are unnerving and unsettling, to say the least, but that’s what you want in a horror story. Coming up in September is Mike Benson, Adam Glass, and Ken Lashley’s GRAY LADY, a supernatural thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child, where hope, grief, and terror collide. Ram V will also be working on his first Ninth Circle offer this summer, so maybe expect it out before year’s end.
1st: Do you still remember your days of working on “Flaming Carrot” and would you like to work on it again?
Joe: Ha. OF COURSE, I remember my days working on FLAMING CARROT with Bob Burden. That was my start in his business. So grateful to Bob for opening the door for me and allowing me to come in and learn from him before eventually moving on to become a writer, editor, publisher, etc. I always say that Bob gave me my start in comics, and that Gary Reed (Publisher at Caliber Comics) gave me my career. When I started my first publishing company, Desperado Publishing, back in 2004, the first title I published was a new FLAMING CARROT series. Also had Bob do his first new Flaming Carrot story in years in my SHOCK VOL 2 anthology title, which I published at AfterShock. I think it was also only the 2nd time that Flaming Carrot ever appeared in color.
1st: Can you tell us what kind of comic “Black-Eyed Kids” is from AfterShock Comics?
Joe: BEK (Black-Eyed Kids) was my attempt at doing a long-form horror series that would take the reader or twists they did not see coming, while trying to spook them out every issue. Honestly, it was my first attempt at writing horror, and I found out that I loved it! I think it is the best work I have ever done, and I was so disappointed that I never had a chance to finish it. I had an outline for the series that would have probably run between 40-50 issues. At one point, it was being developed as a TV series in Australia, but I have not heard anything about that in quite a while, so it’s probably faded away by now. I would love the opportunity to finish what I started, but the odds are not very high that I will be given the opportunity. I was happily surprised when BEK was listed as one of the Top 10 must-read indie psychological horror comics by CBR (https://www.cbr.com/must-read-indie-psychological-horror-comics/) a few years back. Maybe one day….
1st: You have done editing as well. What does an Editor do on a comic book?
Joe: As I said above in another response, make sure the trains run on time. An editor coordinates all aspects of making a comic; working with the writer on the script, oftentimes hiring the artist, colorist, letterer, cover artists, and writing the solicitation copy, etc. At
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