Ann Nocenti
True Blood has had lots of success with it’s comic books. The ongoing True Blood series Volume 2 comic is currently being co-writing with Michael McMillian (Rev Steve Newlin on True Blood) by Ann Nocenti . True Blood Comic’s Ann Kirla has interviewed Ann about her experience and below is that interview:
TBC: You have a very impressive resume from comic books to film making and teaching. Does your comic book writing influence you in the other areas of your life?
AN: Absolutely. In comics, (and in film) you try to express yourself in pictures, and keep the pacing lively. After writing so many comics, that sensibility has steered the way I write journalism. And writing journalism effects comics writing: no matter how wild the ideas and storyline, I always want things grounded in a sense of reality. I studied fine art, was a painter, etcher, photography, and fell into comics by happy accident. I didn’t grow up reading them. But perhaps because I was an artist, I took to them instantly, was charmed by them and wanted to write them.
TBC: How did you get involved with the True Blood comic book series?
AN: Denton Tipton (current editor of the True Blood comic book at IDW) and a previous editor had been reaching out to me for a while, and I was already a True Blood fan, so it was an easy fit.
TBC: Did HBO/True Blood/IDW give you story ideas to work with and how creative were you allowed to be? What’s it like co-writing with Michael McMilian (Rev Steve Newlin in True Blood)?
AN: Michael McMillian created the first 4 issue storyline, and I stepped up to help with story mechanics and dialog, and then we’ll switch places and I’ll generate a trilogy that he’ll react to. It’s a great team, with Michael being the most intimate with the material, he’s kind of the touchstone for what stories to tell, what would be fun for the fans. Plus, since he’s on the set and is privy to secrets I’m not, he can put in teasers.
TBC: How do you feel the comic book storyline fits in with the series? Is there any overlap from the show storylines into the comic book?
AN: The idea is to not tread on the toes of the series, but to create stories that weave in and around the series turf, filling in gaps, giving juicy tidbits, keeping it all alive.
TBC: Who is your favorite character to write for and why?
AN: I adore Eric, but it’s really Michael that’s nailed his sassy deadpan wit. Michael’s the lead writer on the first batch of stories, and then I take a turn with a trilogy of Alcide and werewolf stories. Alcide is still a bit of a mystery man, so that will be fun. I adore Lafayette (who doesn’t?) but I also look forward to writing some of the support cast, like Andy Bellefleur: he just walks into a scene and he’s funny.
source: truebloodcomics.com
