SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

February 15, 2019 by Brigid Alverson

Interview: ‘Red Range: Pirates of the Fireworld’

February 15, 2019 by Brigid Alverson   2 comments

Pirates of Fireworld header

In Joe Lansdale and Sam Glanzman’s graphic novel Red Range, African American vigilante Caleb Range and his young sidekick wreak vengeance on a murderous group of Klansmen and then are transported to another world where more dangers await. On the last page of that book, they stare out at a strange body of water filled with wrecked ships and a lone dinosaur, and the last panel teases the next story: “The Pirates of Fireworld.”

Last Page of Red Range

That was just a tongue-in-cheek ending to a comic that was an homage to pulp and Saturday morning serials, but now small-press publisher Drew Ford is running a Kickstarter campaign to make that book a reality.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Pirates of Fireworld CoverFord, formerly the editor of Dover Comics, now presides over It’s Alive!, which publishes new editions of forgotten but worthy older works, including Glanzman’s World War II stories and Trina Robbins’s adaptation of Sax Rohmer’s Dope. For this book, he has recruited writer Keith Lansdale (Joe Lansdale’s son) and the Argentinian artist Jok (Glanzman passed away in 2017), as well as six cover artists to produce the new comic, basically from scratch.

Red Range, which was set in the American South, started out with a horrific act of violence against a black family and continued with Caleb Range (a.k.a. The Red Mask) and Turon, the son of the murdered family, seeking satisfying but gory revenge on the attackers. It’s not kid stuff. But the sequel, Ford says, will be more in the 13+ range. We asked Lansdale and Jok to tell us more about their work in progress.

Is this going to be a full graphic novel or a serial comic? How long will it be?

Lansdale: It’s a four part series, equalling 80 more pages of the adventures of Red Range.

Pirates of the Fireworld looks like it will be very different from the original Red Range—I get sort of a Conan vibe from it. How is it different from the original—and how will it relate back to it?

Variant Cover by Christopher Schenck
Variant Cover by Christopher Schenck
Lansdale: The original Range comic shifted as it went. It started very much as a vigilante story that shifted into more of a Jules Verne vibe. The story picks up there and keeps pushing right on through this strange new world.

The original Red Range was very violent, starting with the opening scene. Will this sequel have a different tone?

Lansdale: Without wanting to give anything away, I’ll just say that our heroes still run the risk of bad things happening, but there’s nothing more horrific than something like those original opening pages, because as horrible as it is, it’s a real depiction of things that actually happened.

The other thing that struck me in the original was the copious use of the “n-word.” Times have changed. Will the characters’ language change as well?

Lansdale: Times may have changed, but these comics are about the times before it did. Trying to be more “PC” would miss the point entirely. You use comics like the original Range to shine a light on the ugliness, so people never forget. Brushing it under the rug would be disingenuous. The difference at the moment is the people in the next edition aren’t from the same world as the racists that use that word, but if it found those racist people, they’ll be accurately portrayed, hateful language and all.

Variant Cover by N. Steven Harris
Variant Cover by N. Steven Harris
Red Range seemed to change direction pretty abruptly, going from a semi-realistic story of racism and revenge in the American South to a strange fantasy tale set in a weird new world. Why did the creators change the story so abruptly? Was that part of the plan from the beginning?

Lansdale: Well, you’d have to ask Joe why he went that way. My guess is simply because thats where the story took him. We both tend not to outline, and just let the story unfold as we go. My best guess would simply be because that’s the story that unfolded.

Then the last page opens up a whole new world. Why did Joe Lansdale and Sam Glanzman stop there, and how much information do you have to work with about what they intended?

Lansdale: To be honest, I didn’t ask Dad what he would have done, or wanted to know. I wrote what I enjoyed and got his blessing after the fact. But he never really had any plans on taking the story farther, but he was pleased with the idea of me picking up the mantle.

What has been the biggest challenge of this book? What has been the most fun part so far?

Lansdale: I always have concerns when I am adapting or sequeling something of my father’s, as they are big shoes to fill. The moment he gives it his approval, I know I’m golden, but leading up to that is always the stress of wanting to make him proud and being true to his work.

Variant Cover by Russell Mark Olson
Variant Cover by Russell Mark Olson
Jok, How do you approach making this sequel in terms of following Sam Glanzman’s art. Are you trying to channel his style or moving off in a different direction?

Jok: Fortunately, I had the chance to color the first Red Range book a few years ago. When I color a book I kind of dive into the artist´s style and inking (sometimes even unconsciously). I came to admire Mr. Glanzman´s sense of drama/humour and characterization, his strokes were bold and powerful and his human figure vigorous. It was certainly a very fortunate coincidence having the chance to continue this series years later.

That said, my plan for the new book is being truthful to the atmosphere and characters, but in my very own way (I couldn´t do it using any other style than my very own, anyway). But I truly believe Mr. Glanzman is still a big influence on the new adventures. Also, we´ll keep a very similar color style to the first book, which also happens to work great with my art.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Variant Cover by Ramón Pérez
Variant Cover by Ramón Pérez
Bringing back lost comics from the past is obviously important, but why do you think it’s important to create original works based on them as well? What will Pirates of the Fireworld add to the current comics scene?

Lansdale: Really, it’s just the continuation of the same story that started 20 years ago. Dad started down this rabbit hole of this lost underground world and now I’m steering the ship through until we see where it ends up. So hopefully people are just as excited to see what happens to our heroes in the process.

Jok: For me, the biggest challenge was to keep a balance between making the hollow earth look exuberant (plagued with weird forestation… and dinos!) and keeping it believable to readers. The burning sky is a strong presence. I´ve been struggling to keep landscapes interesting but not too invasive, in order to focus reader´s attention towards characters (and action).

The most fun part is designing (and re-designing) characters. I believe it´s all about these guys, if readers don´t get involved with them, the scale of conflict won´t matter. I need readers to like and care about characters, once that happens, humor and drama tend to work way better. Also, establishing a sound characterization will make readers want to hang out with heroes and villains all the way to the end.

A sample page from 'Pirates of the Fireworld'
A sample page from ‘Pirates of the Fireworld’

Filed under: Interviews, Young Adult

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Brigid Alverson

Brigid Alverson, the editor of the Good Comics for Kids blog, has been reading comics since she was 4. She has an MFA in printmaking and has worked as a book editor and a newspaper reporter; now she is assistant to the mayor of Melrose, Massachusetts. In addition to editing GC4K, she writes about comics and graphic novels at MangaBlog, SLJTeen, Publishers Weekly Comics World, Comic Book Resources, MTV Geek, and Good E-Reader.com. Brigid is married to a physicist and has two daughters in college, which is why she writes so much. She was a judge for the 2012 Eisner Awards.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Azuki Manga | Interview

by Brigid Alverson

March 2023

Kami Garcia on 'Teen Titans: Robin' | Interview

by Brigid Alverson

August 2021

Gender Queer: A Memoir | Creator Interview

by Brigid Alverson

January 2021

Writer Jim Ottaviani on adapting Edward O. Wilson's Naturalist | Interview

by Brigid Alverson

March 2018

Teens, Graphic Novels, and Mental Health: An Interview with Dr. Jennifer Jenks

by Brigid Alverson

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

2023 Caldecott Jump

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Ben Mortara and the Thieves of the Golden Table | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

New Reports Show a Decline in YA Book Sales and I Have Some Thoughts as to Why That Might be Happening

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Newbery Medalist Amina Luqman-Dawson visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

First-Person Graphic Memoirs Bring Events to Life for Students

Top 10 Manga of 2022

Eight Essential Isekai Manga for Beginners | Mondo Manga

12 Graphic Novel Series Updates for Young Readers

Reviews and Coverage of the 2021 Eisner Award Nominations

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Floyd Brown says

    February 17, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    This looks very interesting. are they going to print the original story Red Range as Well?

    • Brigid Alverson says

      February 18, 2019 at 6:01 am

      They already have! Check the first link in the story.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023