KEVIN HANNA - THE WORKS BEHIND ARCANA'S CLOCKWORK GIRL

[MattBrady]

by Egg Embry

At Wizard World Chicago 2006 Arcana Studio's owner, Sean O'Reilly, had some preview art he was eager to display - the 3D graphics for Clockwork Girl. At first, it looked as if it was something for a video game until he would explain that the mad scientist-looking guy is one of the stars of Arcana's upcoming title Clockwork Girl.

To further demonstrate the publisher’s confidence in the property, Arcana Studio Presents 2007 [Arcana's Free Comic Book Day offering] featured a preview of Clockwork Girl. Which hit the stands the same month as Diamond is accepting orders for Clockwork Girl #0 (MAY073189) - the 25-cent preview comic.

We spoke with Clockwork Girl creator Kevin Hanna.

Newsarama: Kevin, let's start on Clockwork Girl’s story before getting into who you are and what role you play in this project. First up, give us the pitch on what Clockwork Girl is about?

Kevin Hanna: Here’s the official spiel:

“A nameless robot girl has recently been given the gift of life from her creator. While exploring the wonders of an ordinary world she meets an amazing monster boy and they share a friendship that must overcome their warring families.”

It’s one part Shakespeare, another part John Hughes ‘80s teen movies with a little Disney and Miyazaki for flavoring.

Back when I was a kid, children’s stories had this weight and a bizarre sincerity to them. Not that they were perfect, but movies like Star Wars, Labyrinth, The Goonies and The Last Unicorn didn’t talk down to kids and dealt with some pretty mature themes. With Clockwork Girl, we’re trying to tell a story for children that will resonate with all of us.

NRAMA: Who are the main characters and what can you tell us about their motivations?

KH: The Tinker is the world’s greatest machine scientist and inventor, and is the creator of the fantastic Clockwork Girl. He blames the natural sciences for holding back the machine age with a zealous fervor and believes the Clockwork girl is his key to Dendrus’s undoing.

The Clockwork Girl is history’s first feeling machine. She is pure, innocent, curious, but not stupid. She looks at strangers like a kid in a candy store and wants to know everything about this new world around her.

T-Bolt is the Clockwork girl’s older “brother” and the Tinker’s first automaton. He’s not as primitive as he might appear, nor as harmless.

Dendrus is the Tinkers former friend, chief rival and the creator of Huxley, the monster boy. He cares for his son a great deal but is overly protective and shelters his son as much as he can.

Huxley, the wild monster boy, is just like every other pre-adolescent boy, only more so. Is he a caged animal, or a rowdy kid? He’s reckless and emotional, impulsive, but with a good heart. He wants to be free of his father’s restrictions regardless if the world is ready for him.

Maddox is Huxley’s best friend and the only sane one in the entire story. He likes apples and coffee.

NRAMA: From what well did these ideas spring up? And when do most of them hit you?

KH: I’ve had elements of this story bouncing around in my head for over ten years. The Tinker I’ve had with me as sort of a mascot since high school. A few years ago I did a mini-zine called “Clockwork Girls hate Electronic Boys” which explored the world of robot children, and, once, I had an idea for a video game about rival mad scientists that I developed into a pitch, but it wasn’t ‘til Sean encouraged me to actually do something with the Tinker that all the ideas began to merge and fall together into one cohesive fairytale. I wrote a three-page synopsis that really was more of a parody of a story than anything with gravity, which Sean [O’Reilly] then fleshed out into a full script. We have then been passing the script back and forth adding and taking away ideas to get it to where it is today.

And my kids! My kids are a constant source of inspiration. They usually hit me in the head when I’m sleeping. Both the ideas and the kids.

NRAMA: What sorts of themes are you playing with in the story?

KH: Family is a big one. The relationship between fathers and sons, and fathers and daughters is something that we all identify with. It is something that I explore here, not just for the sake of the story, but for my own sake as well. As a father I often struggle with knowing when I should be working to support my family and when I should just be there for them. I think all parents do.

NRAMA: Set up the story that is in the Free Comic Book Day Arcana Studio Presents 2007 for us…what was that about?

KH: The free comic book day story was the intro to the full story, and sets the stage for the Tinker's passions and creations.

NRAMA: Ok, you have a Clockwork Girl $.25 issue coming out. What follows that?

KH: The 25 cent issue I’m really looking forward to; it will be a full preview, a fully fleshed out “behind the scenes”, and “art of” book and have a full pin-up gallery by some of my favorite artists. With it being only a quarter it’s going to go fast, so as it is everyone should call their local comic shop and have their copy put aside.

The Clockwork Girl is a four-issue miniseries featuring a full story with a beginning, middle and end. It’s a compelling world that I would love to revisit, but the plan right now is just the initial story in those four issues.

And we’re in pre-production on an animated short that’s within the Clockwork Girl Story. More on this later.

Each issue will have an alternate 3D cover by me and the principle will be the ever-awesome artist Grant Bond.

[From co-creator/co-writer/publisher Sean O’Reilly]: Issue #1 is already completed for its September release and issue #2 is well under way... As well with our new domestic printing schedule we've really been given a lot more breathing room to send books to Diamond.

NRAMA: Do you have any other plans to promote Clockwork Girl? Con appearances? Store signings?

KH: We’re going to hit San Diego this year like a Mac truck. Or maybe like a Vespa. Whatever. We’re going to be there and it will be awesome.

I just did an in-store signing at Golden Apple Comics here in LA for Free Comic Book Day with Mike Mignola. Mike told me that Clockwork Girl was “really great.” which made my day. The fans were awesome. I had a great time at Golden Apple so I'll most like end up there again soon.

NRAMA: As a new creator with a new property, how do you feel about the book - do you have high hopes or modest expectations?

KH: I’m thrilled that it’s getting as many eyes on this as it has, but I’m not really trying to do anything other than tell a story that is worth telling. If things like movies, toys, video games, etc happen then I’m thrilled, but my main goal is just to tell a good story that my kids (and everyone else, too) will enjoy.

NRAMA: You're the co-creator, co-writer and also the variant cover artist. You're wearing a lot of hats, yet sharing your wardrobe with other people at the same time. How does that work out?

KH: Fine? Being an Art Director by trade I like to have my hand in everything and every step of the way. Sean and Grant have been awesome enough to put up with me so far.

NRAMA: Beyond yourself, whom else are you working with on this project?

KH: Sean O’Reilly is the co-writer and co-creator. He’s written Kade and Ezra plus he’s been publishing comics for several years. Grant Bond is the artist. Both have been amazing to work with and everyone has brought a piece of themselves to this project. Everyone is really pushing to do something significant. I think this is Grant’s greatest work ever and every page we get from him is better than the previous.

NRAMA: Has artist Grant Bond done any other published work?

KH: He has done Revere, which is awesome, but not quite as awesome as Clockwork Girl. http://www.grantbond.com/

[From Sean O’Reilly]: Grant did an incredible job with Revere which is on sale in the same month [July 2007] so be sure to check it out by the good people at Archaia Studios Press!

NRAMA: When we first spoke what most surprised me was your day job. In your position as an Art Director what do you do?

KH: I’m work at Disney Interactive Studios as Art Director on their video games. I’ve worked on Narnia, Meet the Robinsons, Chicken Little, Disney Princess and dozens of others. I’ve worked a lot of places, but by far Disney has been the most fulfilling.

NRAMA: You're jumping from Disney to Arcana Studio to do this project. Surely working for Disney opens a lot of doors in terms of comic companies that are willing to work with you. With that in mind, why choose Arcana Studio?

KH: I met Sean a few years ago at a comic convention and I was impressed with where he was taking Arcana. He has realistic expectations and goals, which isn’t common in the comic industry.

New comic companies either have unrealistic aspirations of launching into movies and theme parks within the first year and just using comics as a launching point, or keeping their head down and selling to as small a niche audience as possible. Sean knows that as a business he needs to have a presence in multiple mediums, but he knows that everything else is worthless without the foundation of consistently good comics.

Professionally, Sean has come through every time, so I know I can count on him.

NRAMA: Let's do the hypothetical. If Disney, or any company, were to make Clockwork Girl: The Movie, who would voice each of the characters in your mind's eye?

KH: This is one of my favorite games, but I don’t want to answer this in case anything does happen with this as a film. Oh man, fine… twist my arm, here goes. So off the top of my head:

…

The Tinker: Tom Baker, Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellen

Dendrus: John Astin, Chris Lloyd or John Mahoney

The Clockwork Girl: Daveigh Chase, Emily Osment or Elle Fanning

Huxley: Brendon Small, Mitchel Musso or Eli Marienthal (although he most likely is too old now).

I write music so I can tell you the sound track would include, but not be limited to: The Notwist, Devatchka, The Decemberists, Belle and Sebastion, and The Postal Service. Even though the story takes place during a fictitious Victorian era, I hear an electronic indy pop sound whenever I think about the scenes coming alive. It works well with the mad scientist vibe. Oh, and we have to include the classic song “Weird Science” by Oingo Bongo.

NRAMA: Beyond Clockwork Girl, what other projects consume your free time? And what occupies your days?

KH: A lot of work, a lot of travel, and hanging out with my amazing wife and rocking kids. When I have free time I go to concerts, check out galleries like Nucleolus or Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight. In fact, everyone should check out the iam8bit show at Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight here in LA, it’s fantastic, and one of the Clockwork Girl’s pin-up artists, Vincent Perea, is featured.

NRAMA: What sort of dream projects would you like to work on?

KH: I’m the luckiest guy in the world in that so many of my dream projects have already come true. I just want to keep moving forward working with amazing people. I guess blue-sky dream projects would be something along the lines of collaborating with Mignola, Miyazaki, Doug Tenapel, Brad Bird, and whole bunches more. I also want to do an MMO [Massively Multiplayer Online game] based on the Gummi Bears and a Rock Opera based on Tron.

[Grievous]

first post again, cool article

[Xysmurf]

Go-Go-Gadget Daughter!

[Egg]

Originally Posted by Grievous

first post again, cool article

Grievous,

Thank you! Kevin Hanna was very cool to work with on this. He shared a lot about the project with me and I think it's going to be gold!

[ssava]

I met Kevin years ago and he's one of the COOLEST cats out there.

This book looks awesome (though I'd LOVE to see it all 3D...he he)

Good luck to everyone on it and looking forward to seeing you guys at the San Diego Comic Con!

Congrats!

[Boxful]

Really nice work here. I will certainly keep my eye out for this.

Good luck guys!

[Blackbeard]

Congrats, Kevin and Grant!

Grant Bond is the best artist you've never heard of. Do yourselves a favor and pick up the Revere graphic novel in July. You won't regret it!

[Ye Olde Iowa]

This sounds very awesome. I definitely like the direction they are going with this and I will be sure to pick this one up when the preview issue comes out and when the first issue drops in September!

[mikey_danger]

Absolutely GORGEOUS! The designs, the acting, the environment, the colors. Top notch work all around!

[Jed Saxon]

The FCBD issue was nice. I'm looking forward to it.

[Jess]

I really dig the art on this one. I think I’m going to have to check it out. Great article!

[demonpack]

The art and color is so clean, I bet each page oozes talent. Thanks for posting this since I can't make it to SDCC every year.

[J O R Z A C]

Everything looks great, I'll defanitly pick this up.

[KHanna]

Thanks everybody!


I really like the way this interview turned out, except that I feel I undersold Grant Bond (the artist). Grant's work is amazing and Mr "Blackbeard" is right, "Grant Bond is the best artist you've never heard of.".

Do yourself a favor and check out his work in Clockwork Girl and his other awesome projects at http://www.grantbond.com/

ssava> Maybe it's make it into 3d at some point. Thanks for the kind words Scott!

I'll post just a few of the pin-ups fromt he zero issue below, enjoy!

Kevin Hanna


breathtaking pinup by Barnaby ward (http://somefield.com/)


Pin up pencils by Jose Lopez! desoluz.blogspot.com

Grant Bond's first even Clockwork Girl image

[KHanna]

And thanks Egg for taking the time out to be a gracious interviewer, the article turned out great.

-Kevin Hanna

[onetimeasianlov]

I have to say, while the comic was okay and a steal at 25 cents, it was the backstory, 'Electric Boys Hate Clockwork Girls' that was the ultimate story!


That little orangey story is fantastic and has much more going in it for me than the main story. Everyone should get this book for those 2 pages alone.