What can we say? We love being in business with the devil. And we’re not the only ones. This December, bestselling novelist Holly Black joins forces with artist Lee Garbett to bring back Vertigo’s LUCIFER in a new ongoing series that finds the devilish nightclub owner teaming up with his very estranged brother Gabriel to discover who murdered God.
Provocative? Almost certainly. But what would you expect from a series with the original sinner at its core? Speaking of expectations, Black and Garbett shattered a few of ours with their answers to our ten questions. Read on and get to know the people who have made the devil their plaything…
What's the theme of your series?
Lee Garbett: God is dead. Somebody killed him, and Lucifer and Gabriel, brothers who can't bear the sight of each other, intend to find out whodunnit. Together. It’s a supernatural noir thriller road movie.
Holly Black: If Mike Carey’s run of LUCIFER was about growing up and moving away from home and parental authority, then this LUCIFER is about coming back home and being drawn into old conflicts (and repeating old patterns), no matter how much you swore you never would. And, if Mike Carey was interested in puzzling through the paradox of free will, I am interested in looking at the paradox of evil.
Is there one reason why you chose to bring this project to Vertigo?
Holly: Because that's where the Devil lives.
Lee: This project is an established character, so his world already exists, but I signed on to LUCIFER as it's one of the most iconic titles out there. Vertigo has been a major influence on me, and I've been dying to work for them.
What’s your favorite quote from a comic ever?
Holly: It’s from Batman: The Killing Joke, and I repeat it all the time: “Just one bad day.”
Here’s the longer quote: “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.”
Holly Black
What music (or audiobooks or other background sounds) do you listen to while you work?
Holly: I make a playlist for all my projects and after a while, just hearing the music brings me right back into the story.
Lee: Lots of audiobooks and movies, horror/suspense/science-fiction and true crime, mostly.
Music: New Wave/Electronica/Dance-Punk/Hip Hop/Americana/Soul
LCD Soundsystem, Dirty Projectors, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Morrissey, Cate LeBon, The Smiths, Steve Malkmus, Talking Heads, Adrian Younge, Wu Tang Clan, Ninja Tunes, William Onyeabor, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers.
How does inspiration most often strike you?
Lee: Whenever I see amazing artwork or beautiful compositions.
Holly: Often when I’m moving–walking, swimming, even driving. There’s something about forward momentum that unsticks my brain.
What's your favorite shade of black?
Holly: Ink black.
Lee: The answer is “None. None More Black.”
Lee Garbett
What’s your favorite non-comics pastime?
Holly: Novels.
Lee: Family, films, football and...wine…dammit. Ruined my alliteration.
What was the last non-comic book you read? (no judging)
Lee: Re-read Post Office by Charles Bukowski.
Holly: The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr. Also Uprooted by Naomi Novik.
What was the last song you listened to? (totally judging)
Lee: “Lotusflower” by Radiohead.
Holly: “Lucifer,” JAY Z.
It’s on my “The Devil’s Music” playlist.
Final retort that you wished you would have said to that man/woman/other who dumped you:
Holly: You’re drinking poison.
LUCIFER #1 will be available on December 16, 2015 in print and as a digital download.
