A new kind of novel
Artists make graphic novel history with ‘The Lost Ones’
Writer Steve Niles has a well-deserved reputation for some of the darkest comics and graphic novels around, including the Alaska-set vampire saga “30 Days of Night” and Rob Zombie collaboration “The Nail.” Now the 43-year-old L.A. resident is stepping outside his comfort zone with “The Lost Ones,” a graphic novel where — gasp — there’s hardly any bloodshed.
“I didn’t realize how much I relied on my bag of tricks,” he admits. “One of my tricks is to really build up a character and then kill [him or her], so you feel the loss. For this, I had to give them all this background but not kill them.”
“The Lost Ones” isn’t just a departure for Niles. It’s a bona fide experiment, employing four artists to illustrate his zippy sci-fi tale of a planet-hopping quartet of friends and their perilous run-ins with cowboy-obsessed aliens, corrupt police officers and bewildering alternate realities. The diverse range of artists, which includes graffit legend Dr. Revolt, DIY-duo Morning Breath, surrealist illustrator Kime Buzzelli and outsider comic icon Gary Panter, bestow each chapter with markedly different vibes. “As a comic writer, you don’t get offered many experimental projects,” says Niles.
“The Lost Ones” is the first graphic novel from Zune Arts, a branch of Microsoft’s multimedia Zune brand. It’s the latest in a slew of big projects for Niles, who has been able to write full-time since “30 Days of Night” became a hit horror film last year. It was not an easy victory, though, and it taught Niles a lot about the movie industry.
“I wound up selling five or six other properties at the same time, but only [‘30 Days’] got made,” he explains, “so I’m less inclined to sell stuff off.” Instead, he has been personally shepherding his work through the adaptation process, beginning with the “Frankenstein”-inspired “Waking the Dead.” And given Hollywood’s love of sequels, it’s no surprise that there’s talk of a second “30 Days” movie, which should keep Niles writing happily ever after.
‘The Lost Ones’
signing with Steve Niles and Gary Panter
Tomorrow, 4 p.m.
Bodega
6 Clearway St.
Free, 617-421-1550
www.bdgastore.com