JASON ARMSTRONG ON FERRO CITY

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Creator, writer and artist Jason Armstrong has worked on numerous titles for DC, Marvel, Milestone, Malibu and Dark Horse such as 2099: World of Tomorrow, The Ray, Legion of Super-Heroes, Spider-Man, Avengers, Superboy and Robin.

Like any other creators, he’s into the creator-owned world with Doc Thunder for Dark Horse. “My first creator-owned project was an Jack Kirby-inspired atomic adventurer called Doc Thunder,” Armstrong told Newsarama. “He would generally arrive, discover giant aliens or something and proceed to blow them up with his portable nuclear devices he wore on his belt or his wrists. Dark Horse was great to work with. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to finish the 16-page story I've had in the drawer for a while, and find a publisher to repackage the whole thing.”

In August, he’s venturing into the world of creator-owned comics again with the release of Ferro City from Image Comics.

“Ferro City is a bunch of angry doodles that started to develop on the edge of my drawing table as I was working on other projects,” he said. “It's been really exciting to see some of these ideas come to life!

“I see Ferro City as the Maltese Falcon meets the future. I’m a big fan of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner and film noir as a genre.

“It's a detective story, with robots! They chase a dingus around town and there's lots of violence, lots of punching, some gun shooting. I'm having a lot of fun with the Raymond Chandler-style dialogue, but I've had to pull back on the 'lingo, because so many people didn't understand a word the characters were saying.

“I pitched Ferro City as a four-issue story arc, but I was as surprised as anyone when [Executive Director] Eric Stephenson at Image suggested an ongoing series. Thanks, Eric!”

Ferro City centers on Cy Smithe, a Humphrey Bogart-type detective who’s been framed for the murder of his cop partner. And the only solid proof he has to clear himself is a tiny gadget that could grant ten million sentient robots their freedom: the Medusa Key. Too bad the Ferro City mob wants it too.

“He's a little slow about the technology, but he gets the gist,” Armstrong added. “He generally checks in with Kate Weston to ask tech related questions. There's a story I have in the works right now called "Robo-sexual"; Smithe checks in with Kate -- of course it hadn't occurred to him people might have sex with machines! Yow!

“Weston's daughter Kate shows up in issue #2; she starts off as a tag along character to be saved, but I hope to develop her into a full partner for Smithe in the coming months. She's really clever with computers, robotics, and not much else.

“The two Robopol police officers (Hardie and 42G) round out the list of main characters -- Hardie is a bigoted police detective resentful of the Robotic detectives he is forced to work with. I'm trying to establish a really difficult working relationship with Hardie and his Robotic partner, 42G. Consequently, everyone I show this stuff to loves the robot designs, and is disappointed he isn't "on camera" all the time.”

Armstrong is the creative team on Ferro City. “It's all me - yikes! A couple of the people I work with look over my shoulder every now and then with Photoshop suggestions, or dialogue questions. It's great working on your own stuff; to do whatever you like, but I enjoy the feedback from my co-workers as well. (My secret identity day job is working for a large animation studio in Toronto)”

Ferro City #1, 32 pages, black and white with a $2.50 price tag, is scheduled to be in stores on August 10.

[Travel Exiter]

This looks really interesting, that is a really nice style there

[Drew Geraci]

Jason---

I've already pre-ordered my copies of Ferro City! You rock, and I think with this book you're finally going to get your due.

Excellent use of graytones!

yer pal,
Drew


www.drewgeraci.com

[Kurt Avery]

This looks just great. I love "Blade Runner" and film noir as well. I also love "Hellboy", which this thing is obviously influenced by. It just looks like a big, explodey film noir, sci-fi, bad guy-smashing roller coaster ride of a good time. I'll definitely be checking it out.

I remember seeing Jason Armstrong's work for a short while back on "Legion..." and thought it was amazing, and that the artist himself was vastly underrated. I've been wondering what else he was up to.

Congratulations, Jason. This looks like a winner!


KAB

[Rorshoq]

Sounds cool. It appears more like "Caves of Steel" or the other robot novel with Isaac Asimov, the greatest sci fi guru of all.

[kickstand]

I'll be on the lookout for this, looks fantastic!

[Leviathan]

cool

[lex luthor]

I don't know if any of you other guys saw it but on those preview pages I saw dialogue. Lots and lots of dialogue. Yay, comics I can actually READ (yes I'm talking to you Ellis re: Ultimate Nightmare).

[Leviathan]

Originally posted by lex luthor
I don't know if any of you other guys saw it but on those preview pages I saw dialogue. Lots and lots of dialogue. Yay, comics I can actually READ (yes I'm talking to you Ellis re: Ultimate Nightmare).

pacing is everything in comics, and too much dialogue can be just as bad as not enough

[Neuromancer]

I really hope this is along the lines of Mister X, Terminal City, and Electropolis, but either way, I am SO sold on this already, looks like it's going to be great!!

[lex luthor]

Originally posted by Leviathan
pacing is everything in comics, and too much dialogue can be just as bad as not enough

Your absolutely right.