The Failed Superheroes Club is a company that publishes games, comics, and even toys! Adam Lawson is an essential cog in that machine, and he is currently producing a new tabletop game called Asunder along with his current comic book projects, The Eighth and The Kill Journal.
Adam has a pervasive background in multiple forms of media, having directed and produced many of the Geek and Sundry shows, Escape the Night and even music videos for Snakes on a Plane, Gym Class Heroes, The Academy Is, and more.
Currently, Adam is working with Netflix on an unannounced project that combines horror with interactive storytelling. He touched on that a bit with us when we chatted while ocusing on his comic books, primarily the horror title The Kill Journal. Since this isn't his first rodeo, Adam explained to us the intricacies of creating a horror comic and how it compares to his previous titles' success.
"The Kill Journal has been a success, and it feels like all the work we've put in on The Eighth helps. The Kill Journal is also a horror comic, which is sometimes harder to make happen; it's more niche. And I was so happy with its success and the responses coming in because you're always nervous right before you drop a campaign. But with The Kill Journal, we had more success in day one than week one of The Eighth; it was confirmation that we'd done the right thing."
We also learned a lot about Lawson's favorite character from the comic, Sydney, and what created the vicious angel of destruction that she becomes. Learning about the arc of one of the most interesting and violent characters in the book makes for an informative and thrilling conversation.
"I love Sydney because she starts as a woman without direction. Her daughter's been killed, and she attempted suicide herself, and she doesn't know what to make of who she is anymore. And then St. George says to her, "well, let me make you something violent and Holy, let me make you this destroying angel, let me make you into something else." So she has our biggest arc in the story. As the issues evolve, she ultimately becomes the pack leader, but at the beginning, she was the farthest from it. I love that journey for her."
Listen to our full chat with Adam, and be sure to check out the trailer for The Kill Journal below. Share your thoughts in the comments, as always!
*This interview has been edited for clarity.*
A horror graphic novel about Revenants and the Survivors who hunt them.
Grab your copy of The Kill Journal here.