Comics
EXCLUSIVE: Interview With ‘Repo’ Co-Creator And ‘The Molting’ Mastermind Terrance Zdunich!
Terrance Zdunich (“THE MOLTING”, “REPO THE GENETIC OPERA”) may be best known to fans for his portrayal of the Grave Robber in the instant cult classic “REPO THE GENETIC OPERA” of which he helped to create. The man can do it all, from singing, to acting, to writing and illustrating his original comic title “THE MOLTING”, Zdunich is a rare talent the likes of which you seldom see these days. Recently we had the extreme privilege sitting down with Terrance about his Indy comic book title as well as “REPO”, cockroaches, little girls with red pigtails and a psychotic streak, and yes, even ‘the other REPO’. The full interview after the jump.
TD: Well first off thanks again for your time, Terrance. Before we go into “THE MOLTING” why don’t you go ahead and give readers a quick introduction of yourself and your contributions to the genre for those who might not be familiar with your work?
TZ: Thanks for having me. I’ve been a fan of the macabre for as long as I can remember, and I was just a kid when I became hooked on horror films. It started when my parents took me to this cheesy wax museum and forbade me from entering the “scary” section: a gallery that featured wax icons of horror. I of course snuck away from my folks and into the monster maze, which had an entire Exorcist wing. It was a replica of Regan MacNeil’s bedroom, replete with furniture animatronics and blowing curtains. When I saw the wax effigy of Regan covered in blood and puke, I was both terrified and mesmerized. It was this experience—combined with the wicked transformation sequence in An American Werewolf in London—that made me want to tell stories, and, more specifically, dark stories. And…that’s what I do.
TD:Of course most probably know you as being the creator of “REPO: THE
GENTIC OPERA” and not as a comic book writer/illustrator yet, but how long have you been into doing your own comics? Is “THE MOLTING” your first foray into the genre?
TZ: Yes, The Molting is my first venture into the world of comics, but I’ve always enjoyed drawing and earned a B.F.A. in illustration from Otis College of Art & Design. I’ve also worked as a professional illustrator, specializing in storyboards for over a decade, and the comic book-type drawings in REPO! are my handiwork. I love drawing and storytelling, so comics seemed a natural medium.
TD: Obviously ‘THE MOLTING’ is a story that is very different than most offerings into the genre in that it sort of forgoes huge action sequences for a more methodical approach to the human condition. Where did you get the inspiration behind the series?
TZ: The idea first appeared when I was a kid. I grew up in a city neighboring Disneyland, home of “The Happiest Place on Earth”. As a teenager, I remember thinking it odd that the world’s “Happiest” kingdom was planted smack-dab in the middle of a slum, a neighborhood that was scary to be in at night. It was this paradox that inspired the story and setting of The Molting.
TD: One of the things that attracted me the most to “THE MOLTING” was that it is a completely independent effort. Can you let readers into what the creative process for such an endeavor as this is? It has to be a lot of work to pull double time as writer and illustrator.
TZ: Yeah, it’s a ton of work. The hardest part is balancing the creative aspect (writing and drawing) with the business aspect (manufacturing and distribution). If I was collaborating with a mainstream publisher on The Molting, I suppose that some of the business load would be lightened, but that load would probably be replaced with time-spent finding and pleasing said publisher. In other words, creating art is always difficult, so I’d rather spend my time producing a finished product, and then seek help releasing the entire book as a graphic novel. This is not unlike how many independent films find distribution. Thankfully, due to the loyal fanbase that REPO! has amassed, I’m able to direct-market the first printing of The Molting to people who are already following my work as an artist. These sales are helping to finance the production costs of each subsequent issue: like with REPO!, it’s the fans that are keeping The Molting alive. So, thank you all for your continued support! If you’re not a fan of REPO!, I invite you to check out The Molting. It’s a very different beast than REPO! (for one, The Molting has no singing!) and its pages are full of the dark, twisted stuff that fans of horror love.
TD: For those who haven’t read an issue of ‘THE MOLTING’ yet, what is the story about?
TZ: The Molting is the portrait of an American family…so, almost by definition, the family is dysfunctional. The Pryzkinds, like the families of cockroaches that infest the walls of their home, have to adapt to survive in what is a hostile world. The title The Molting is in reference to this adaptability. Cockroaches are great at this: when they get too big for their shells, they bust out and form newer, better armor. They molt, as do the human characters in the story. In essence, The Molting is a twisted retelling of the American Dream that features Disneyland, cholos, cavemen, and roaches…lots and lots of roaches.
TD: Oh yea, lots of bugs. There is quite the fixation on cockroaches with the story, why is that? Were they something growing up that always interested you or did you just sort of have the general idea and run from there?
TZ: I’ve always liked bugs, especially cockroaches, because they are such survivalists. Initially, I conceived of the roaches in The Molting to act as creepy background elements in the Pryzkind home, but, after researching the fascinating behaviors of these wall-dwellers, I decided to make them into main characters.
TD: : Do you view the comparison of humans to insects as a metaphor or something much more literal?
TZ: A little from roach column A, and a little from roach column B.
TD: There is a lot more going on in “THE MOLTING” than just bugs and metaphors though. What about “GUILTY SUSIE”?
TZ: Guilty Susie, the protagonist in chapter one of The Molting, becomes the antagonist in the chapters that follow. This is a perfect example of The Molting’s distortion of the American dream: when Susie is introduced, she’s an innocent twelve-year-old girl who the audience is meant to root for, but, through a series of unfortunate events, Susie’s innocence is lost and she becomes a sort of evil queen in the world of The Molting. As an adult, Susie rules over the Pryzkind’s dysfunctional household. The moral of the story: just ‘cause the little girl’s got cute red pigtails and bangs does not mean that she won’t blow your head off if you cross her.
TD: Back onto “REPO” for a moment, we have heard a lot of rumors about a sequel or maybe even a spin-off comic to the film. Can you shine any light or dispel the rumors floating around?
TZ: REPO!’s co-creator, Darren Smith, and I have ideas for additional stories within the world of REPO!, but, at the moment, no studio has come to us with a serious proposition to fund a sequel. REPO!’s director, Darren Lynn Bousman, has expressed interest in directing serial REPO! webisodes, which could be really exciting, potentially groundbreaking, and more affordable than shooting an entire film. The hard reality is that it costs lots of money to make a movie like REPO!, so until our studio sees REPO! as a profitable enterprise, I doubt we’ll see much movement in the sequel department. That said, if REPO!’s cult fanbase continues to grow, anything is possible, and I imagine we’ll see the world of REPO! expand into other mediums as well, like comic books and action figures.
TD: I have to ask since we are on the eve of the release for “REPO-MEN” as we speak now, what is your opinion of the film? (if you can speak about it) Earlier this week Darren stated that seeing the film actually HELPS the opera, do you see that being the case?
TZ: I think Repo Men’s existence, with its plot and marketing campaign similarities, has unintentionally shinned a spotlight on REPO! The Genetic Opera. As you can imagine, I’ve been bombarded with questions about “that other repo movie” since Universal dropped the Repo Men trailer back in December. My response is always the same: if someone brings up Repo Men, tell ‘em to check out REPO! Opera. I posted this blog with my detailed thoughts on the matter, if you want to know more: http://www.terrancezdunich.com/blog/?p=2804
TD: If all goes well with “THE MOLTING” do you think you might continue the series after the initial run ends in some way?
TZ: Perhaps. At the moment, however, it’s all consuming just trying to get to the end of this four hundred and fifty page monster. On a good day, I can draw and ink one page…so you do the math! That said, I think that the world and characters of The Molting are rich enough to support ongoing storylines. If I haven’t blown my brains out by then, ask me this question in a year and a half when this twelve-part story arc is completed. In the meantime, you can check out the first three installments of The Molting at www.TheMoltingComic.com. For those of you who are already following the series, issue four should be available mid-May. Thanks for your continued support.
TD: Do you have any other projects coming up in the near future?
TZ: Yes, I have some exciting things on the horizon. For one: I’m working on a music project with REPO!’s soundtrack producer, Joseph Bishara. The vibe of this project is very much in keeping with the wacky cabaret theatrics of the ten-minute operas that eventually grew into REPO! The Genetic Opera. Joe and I plan to tour the act, so stay tuned. Also: I’m preparing to film an online artist’s tutorial of my process creating The Molting. It will be a sort of Bob Ross-meets-Ted Bundy affair, so you won’t want to miss it. To stay updated on what I’m up to, visit my blog: http://www.TerranceZdunich.com/blog.
Everyone here at Bloody-Disgusting would like to thank Terrance for taking his time to sit down with us and answer our questions. To purchase a copy of “THE MOLTING” please visit Terrance’s Official Website and support the title. “REPO THE GENETIC OPERA” is also available in stores everywhere now.
Tales from the Crypt has been influential in keeping EC Comics alive in the public conscience, even after going off the air thirty years ago. That classic horror show pulled from multiple stables within the iconic comic publisher, but it also didn’t adapt everything. Even the ones the producers did pick weren’t always faithfully retold on screen.
So while it might seem like Tales from the Crypt covered plenty of EC Comics’ works, a lot still remains unadapted.
These ten great stories would have made fine additions to the series.
“Bats in My Belfry!” (Tales from the Crypt)
When an actor named Harry began to lose his hearing, a friend put him in contact with a special “doctor”. After receiving the gift of super-hearing—a taxidermist implanted a bat’s auditory system inside of Harry—the protagonist learned about his wife’s affair. On top of that, she and her paramour were planning to kill Harry. Of course, they didn’t realize Harry had transformed into a humanoid vampire bat.
Something Tales from the Crypt didn’t do enough of, on account of whatever reason (budget and time restraints seem most likely), was stories about monsters. But Crypt once had the best contacts in the business, so you can bet that were-bat would have been in good hands.
“The Beast of the Full Moon!” (The Vault of Horror)
Tom and his girlfriend, June, were fearful of the werewolf who’d been on a recent murder spree in their area. Tom already suspected his brother Andrew, who may have been infected after a trip to Corocoa. And when Tom had an encounter with the werewolf, he stabbed the creature’s right paw before it could flee. Later, Tom’s suspicions were all but confirmed when he saw Andrew’s bandaged right hand.
So, Tom laid a trap for the monster—a pit—, and he waited nearby with a gun full of silver bullets. One thing led to another, and Tom ended up in the pit with the werewolf. Luckily, someone above shot and killed the beast. That’s when Tom saw Andrew above ground and June in the pit, the latter dead from her gunshot wound.
While Tales from the Crypt did have lycan episodes, like “Werewolf Concerto” and “The Secret”, there was still room for one more. With the comic having such a small cast, though, it may have been too easy to figure out the culprit. But surely someone on staff could have punched up the original story for television.
“Pipe Down!” (The Haunt of Fear)
Lila hated her older husband, Andrew. After beginning an affair with a handyman named Howard, Lila plotted Andrew’s death. She and Howard got away with Andrew’s murder, but now they couldn’t marry for a year; otherwise, it would look suspicious. In the meantime, Lila purchased a pet monkey that was born on the same day that Andrew died.
When Howard found what looked like evidence of Lila having another lover—he spotted a lit cigar and two half-empty glasses—Howard flew into a rage and murdered his girlfriend. That’s when the cops arrived, saying a phone operator reported the disturbance. However, all she heard on the other end of the phone was an animal’s shriek. Once Howard was arrested, Lila’s monkey went back into the house, picked up a book, and smoked a pipe. Just like Andrew used to do.
This story would have fit in with the wackier episodes of Tales from the Crypt. There are quite a few of those—especially later on as the series moved away from the more macabre material. “Pipe Down!” also spices up the typical adultery-and-murder plots that were so common in EC’s output.
“Swamped” (The Haunt of Fear)
Deep in the Okefenokee Swamp, a cannibalistic hermit fed on those who traveled near his shack built over the water. He fed on visiting hunters and then disposed of their remains beneath his home. Anyone who revolted or came after him only ended up in the quicksand. Finally, though, the hermit suffered the same fate as his victims; he, too, slipped into the muddy graveyard below his crumbling shack. Yet now waiting for him were the hungry souls desperate to get back at their killer.
It’s unclear who the writer was behind “Swamped”, but their work here is intense. The insight and colorful descriptions are unexpected for that mere tale of the cannibal who got his just desserts. That kind of writing, along with Reed Crandall‘s artwork, makes this one of the most engaging stories from EC’s horror run.
“The October Game” (Shock SuspenStories)
Mitch, a deeply resentful and growingly mad father and husband, hosted his young daughter’s Halloween party. Kids and other parents soon all piled into the basement. The night of fun then ended with one last parlor game: Mitch passed around the body parts of a witch (an arm, her heart, and so on). One of the young guests assumed these were really things like chicken innards.
Mitch’s wife, Louise, looked for her daughter among the crowd, wondering if Marion was scared. That’s when Louise realized the girl wasn’t there—or alive. She begged everyone not to turn on the lights in the basement, out of fear of them seeing what Mitch had done to her poor daughter. Unfortunately for Louise, her plea was in vain.
Tales from the Crypt usually refrained from child-endangered stories, and it much rather focused on adult characters. But the show also lacked Halloween entries, apart from Season Six’s “Only Skin Deep“. Perhaps the need for Halloween, as a validation of any eerie goings-on, was unnecessary.
This Ray Bradbury adaptation (originally a short found in Weird Tales) is well deserving of a read. It’s a glowing example of suspense storytelling. The comic also never shows a lick of violence, yet it feels incredibly violent.
“Strictly from Hunger” (The Vault of Horror)
A posse of men stood before a cave, awaiting something horrible inside. One of the men, Doc, explained the uncanny and dangerous creature; he’d seen it before. Doc told everyone about how his patient, Pete, was diagnosed with a malignant, cancerous lump on his arm. There was nothing Doc could do to help him. Pete then sought assistance from an old witch in the mountain. Using magic, she made sure Pete would never die, although his cancer remained intact and unhealed.
Over time, the cancer cells in Pete’s body consumed all his healthy cells. To keep living, Pete turned into a giant blob that ate others’ healthy cells. Back in the present story, the posse fought the emerging creature until it retreated into the cave. The characters all finally blocked the entrance to prevent Pete from ever escaping again.
Obviously, Tales from the Crypt didn’t have the budget to support a story like this one, but imagine if it did. A body horror episode of this degree could have been fantastic, not to mention outright disgusting.
“Marriage Vow” (The Haunt of Fear)
Martin and Eva’s marriage was no longer a happy one. Eva, who’d become controlling and slovenly a few years after their wedding, refused to let Martin out of her sight. “Till death do us part,” she would always say. Eventually, Martin killed Eva; he loosened the wrought iron bars on the balcony where Eva liked to spend time, and she fell to her death. However, Eva didn’t stay dead, as she came back as a zombie intent on honoring the “till death” part of their vows.
EC did more than its fair share of stories like “Marriage Vow”, as did Tales from the Crypt. Spousal murder was pretty common. This comic, though, delivers a strong implication as the zombified wife tells her husband to “come to bed”. That line makes a reader’s imagination run wild.
“Dog Food” (Crime SuspenStories)
A prisoner named Tom swore revenge on the warden, Lester, after a fellow prisoner was tortured and killed under his command. However, to get past Lester’s voracious guard dogs, so that he could enter his house and kill him, Tom started saving meat from his meals. The other prisoners also contributed to his collection.
Tom set off on his journey to Lester’s dog-guarded house, but he ran out of meat before reaching his destination. So, Tom did the next best thing and fed parts of his own body to the dogs.
Once again, Reed Crandall elevated a gruesome, vengeful story with his realistic style. It’s so lurid. At any rate, it was just too graphic for Tales from the Crypt to adapt—and that’s really saying something here.
“Master Race” (Impact)
Carl Reissman was on a subway, remembering his “bloody war years” in Germany. Even after a decade had passed, he remained paranoid. And as he spotted a certain other passenger coming his way, a man in all black, Carl became afraid and started running. His mind flashed back to the events of the Holocaust during this “chase”.
Finally, before Carl fell on the tracks and in the path of an oncoming train, he revealed he wasn’t a prisoner in a concentration camp; he commanded one. The stranger in black said to those onlookers, asking what happened; he didn’t even know the victim. This Carl had simply run from him on the platform.
While Tales from the Crypt did occasionally go beyond what was available in their more horror-centric source material—the war-themed Two-Fisted Tales, for instance—it didn’t ever go near Impact. This short-lived series is considered toned down for EC. Even still, that didn’t make “Master Race” any less shocking. It’s a potent entry that wouldn’t have fit in with the Tales from the Crypt show we now know, but nonetheless, it’s a thought-provoking piece of storytelling.
“Forty Whacks!” (Crime SuspenStories)
A twenty-two-year-old woman named Fanny was frustrated by her parents; they flipped out when she put on makeup. However, when the daughter discovered a mysterious hatchet in her attic, she became possessed by a strange power and did the unthinkable. One after the other, Fanny used that hatchet to kill her parents.
The detective assigned to Fanny’s case was interrupted by his wife and son. The former had an out-there theory: the hatchet belonged to the infamous Lizzie Borden, and it was now capable of causing children to kill their own parents. The detective didn’t buy his wife’s idea, but that was until his entranced son picked up the murder weapon and took a swing at his pop.
Here, EC dipped into historical crime for a ghoulish story that sounds like something out of Friday the 13th: The Series. Maybe it’s a bit in bad taste, but that has never stopped Tales from the Crypt—which is why we love it.
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