GVN Talking Comics: Chuck Austen On Edgeworld Vol. 3 (ComiXology Originals)
Back in October of 2020, we first sat down with creators Chuck Austen and Patrick Olliffe about their new series for ComiXology Originals Edgeworld. An intriguing and creative mix of Sci-Fi and Western highlighting the talented team at their best. Fastforward to the present and ComiXology Original's Edgeworld is getting ready to launch its third and final volume on May 13th. Giving creators Austen and Olliffe the chance to end their story on their own terms.
In preparation for the release of season 3, Issue #11, we sat down once again with creator Chuck Austen to discuss the evolution of Edgeworld and everything that has gone into its final chapter. So, let's welcome back Chuck Austen to GVN Talking Comics .
Revisiting the Origins of 'Edgeworld'
GVN: Thank you once again for taking the time to chat, Chuck.
CHUCK: Thanks for having me again, Martin.
GVN: The last time we spoke was back in 2020 when we discussed 'Edgeworld,' your imaginative mix of Sci-fi and Westerns, along with Patrick Olliffe. During that conversation, you mentioned that you were ready for a long-term commitment from the very beginning. I recall you saying you had written 15 scripts, with 10 of them completed before you even pitched the story.
CHUCK: Ha! I actually found two more. A story called 'Dead Man Walking', but yeah. I had done quite a few. Preparing for the Long Haul
GVN: Was that confidence rooted in your belief in the concept and its potential longevity?
CHUCK: Some confidence, yeah, but really, I was just loving writing the stories, and the more I wrote, the more excited Pat got, which would get me more excited, and encouraged me to write more. I think it was my working situation at the time. My day-job was helping mentor younger creators in creating their scripts, and stories, and it had been a long time since I'd written anything for myself. Edgeworld kind of opened the floodgates, I guess.
GVN: Did you think that, if necessary, you could adapt the scripts into another idea?
CHUCK: Not really. They were always intended as Edgeworld stories, and they're pretty specific, and tied to the characters and concept, though maybe I could have. I was just having fun, and we approached the concept as if it was an old-style television series, Weekly one-and-done stories, or at most two parts. No weekend drops for Netflix. So we could stop and start at any time and no one would feel like they'd been deprived of a satisfying conclusion. But Chip wanted arcs for trades… 5 issues that paid off from beginning to end, so that's why we took the approach we did. We took those original scripts and opened them up with threads and character arcs. The hope was we could get to 15 and end the main storyline. Or we could stop at 5, if need be. Pat and I always thought it was such an unusual concept we'd be lucky to get 5. Then after 5, we were approved for the next 10, and that was it. So those extra scripts could still be used at some point, but for now they'll lie around on my hard drive, or in print at Pat's house. The rights revert back to us, so we can always take it somewhere else. Or I could retire. LOL. My plan is to retire. Multiple Creative Roles
GVN: Your confidence has paid off, as Issue #11 is set to be released on May 13th. However, starting with Issue #12, you are stepping up to take on multiple roles—not just as the writer, but also as the artist and letterer. Was this your intention as you entered the third season?
CHUCK: Oh, God, no. That was a combination of things. The book never paid for itself, so I paid the difference out of pocket. Then I left animation production, intending to retire, and I wasn't making enough money anymore to produce a book. This was just about the time Pat and I sold Defiant. I talked to Amazon and they allowed us to do Defiant so Pat could earn a living while I worked out the finances for Edgeworld, but they weren't thrilled about having to wait–understandably. So Pat and I put Edgeworld on hold for a while, expecting to return to it together again in the future. Somehow the idea of me being the artist came up, and Jeff and I began discussing my drawing Edgeworld to finish out the contract. I did some samples to show I could approximate Pat's style, and he approved me, though he preferred Pat's art to mine LOL, and so here we are. The Challenges of Drawing Once Again
GVN: Did you have any concerns about taking on such a challenge? Although this isn't your first time handling artistic duties for a project.
CHUCK: I did, yeah. I haven't drawn a comic in over twenty years, and the expectations in the industry have only gotten higher. And Pat is so great. Such a hard act to follow. I didn't think I could live up to him, and I think of it as half his. It took me a week per page to do the tests for Jeff, and at first I told him I couldn't do it. It wasn't possible. Then I got the idea to use CG as an assist, and I was able to produce the pages fast enough to make it work.
The Premise of Edgeworld
GVN: For fans who may not be familiar with the story, could you explain the premise of Edgeworld? Also, can a new reader start from Issue #11?
CHUCK: New readers can start with #1. Amazon/Comixology keeps them available in their digital store, and Dark Horse has them in print as two trades available through comic shops. 11 is part 3 of a cliffhanger, so I'd recommend going back and starting at the beginning, if you're interested. It's worth it. I'm very proud of what Pat and I produced. Star Wars/Star Trek thrown in a blender with old westerns and Twilight Zone.
The basic concept is–as a friend described after reading them–'the Sheriff of Mos Eisley'. Rush is a small spaceport on a planet named Pala–called Edgeworld by the invading humans–at the edge of the galaxy is orbited by a riftgate that opens into other galaxies, normally out of reach. Rush becomes the gateway to trade, and wealth in those other galaxies, and Rush is the reststop–the bathroom break on the trip to and from those other galaxies. Dozens of alien species travel through that gate every day, and Killian, the human 'Magistrate', is judge, jury and executioner of this little frontier town, keeping the peace with Cheela, his local adopted daughter who hates him (don't call it Edgeworld, the name is Pala!).
Cheela is a genius detective who helps Killian even though she's not legally old enough for the work, because Killian needs her inventive thinking and local knowledge. In a way she's better at his job than he is. Killian's newest partner is Halley, another local female who is tough and resourceful in her own right, but learning the job, the 'hew-mann' language, and personal hygiene as she goes. Then there's Shay, the somewhat emotionless mayor of Rush, and the proprietor of the Moonlight, a local bar, and brothel, who is Killian's best friend, and sometime lover. Together they deal with weird alien crimes, strange diseases, murderous parasites, and hostile humans who feel they're better than everyone else, especially the locals. Possible Regrets Now that the End is Near
GVN: Edgeworld has received widespread acclaim from both critics and fans, with your third and final season fast approaching. The hard work that you and Patrick put in is coming to fruition. As you are near the end of the story, will you have any regrets that it is over, or will you feel satisfied that you were able to tell the tale you envisioned?
CHUCK: The response has been really rewarding, and I've enjoyed every minute of creating this series. I'm so glad it's connected with people. I feel satisfied that it will come to a pre-planned conclusion, but yeah… I'll have some regrets about not being able to do more. I do love those other stories, and the idea of continuing beyond this first major arc. But I'm older, and tired, and at my age it's kind of crazy to be drawing comics again, so retirement sounds a little better at the moment. LOL. I tease my son that he'll have to finish out the series in the far distant future, after I'm gone. Other Projects Upcoming
GVN: Thanks again, Chuck. Before I let you go, I want to give you the opportunity to tell our fans one last time about the third season of Edgeworld and any other projects you might have coming up.
CHUCK: The third season wraps up some threads from the very first issue and beyond. I think most readers thought of them as backstory, but there's an underlying mystery that I hope will surprise and delight people when we get to 15.
In the meantime, if you like 'Edgeworld,' Pat and I also created 'The Tormented' for Amazon/Comixology, a horror series about a fake ghost hunting TV show that gets a little more real than anyone expected when it turns out the host of the show, Ryan, can actually see, and communicate with the dead, otherworldly beings, and violent creatures from other realms. He's the son of an intensely powerful warlock and has many of his father's powers–which he'll need if he's going to survive and protect his crew.
Beyond that, we're also finishing the third issue of 'Defiant,' a terrifically fun series we created for DSTLRY that takes spacefaring, and galactic exploration to the next level. Bizarre, alien cultures, and worlds, galactic mysteries, strange, advanced beings whose goals span millenia… We had so much fun with that one.
Thanks so much for the time, Martin!
ComiXology Original's Edgeworld , Issue#11, Volume 3 by Chuck Austen and Patrick Olliffe is available on May 13th.
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