High Moon a Winning Mix of Westerns, Werewolves
Horror Tale Goes From Lauded Web Serial to Buzz-Worthy Graphic Novel
Oct 28, 2009
Recently released in a collected graphic novel format, High Moon originally debuted as a serialized online comic in October 2007. It was part of the DC Comics foray into web publishing, an e-imprint called Zuda, where readers vote for their favorite serials.
"We live in an era of serialized fiction," said Gallaher, 34. "The success of shows like Lost and The Wire has shown me that readers crave complex and compelling storytelling. Like television, I have to make sure readers are tuning in every week."
Gallaher supplies the scripts, and Steve Ellis brings them to life with his designs. Scott O. Brown serves as production artist and letterer for the ongoing series. Together, they earned the industry's 2009 Harvey Award for Best Web Comic. And as a fan-favorite at Zuda, High Moon also earned publication as a graphic novel.
"With a graphic novel, the expectation is different. The entire story is there for you in one piece," Gallaher said. "With our (weekly schedule for the web comic) the story is different. Yes, I do expect the reader to keep up - and hope that they'll continue to be engaged. And, one of the ways I like to do that is by ending every week's 'episode' with a cliffhanger that leaves the reader wanting more."
The Good, the Bad, and the Hairy
The High Moon graphic novel, containing the first three complete storylines presented at Zuda, is now available in bookstores. Suggested retail price is $14.99 (192 pages, paperback).
High Moon is the story of the MacGregor brothers, three former Pinkerton detectives, each suffering under a curse of one kind or other, who seek out and destroy infernal menaces in the wild, weird West. The stories are violent, supernatural, and gritty with historical realism and a steampunk edge, whether the protagonists are exploring an old silver mine or battling bat-winged demons by the town's lynching tree.
It seems a far stretch for a writer who was born in Hawaii and lived mostly in New England. But Gallaher said his inspirations were just as widespread.
"My biggest inspiration is old time radio," he said. "In fact, many of the old programs greatly inform how I write High Moon. Staccato dialogue. Archetypal characters. Dramatic cliffhangers. The stuff from High Moon finds its origins there. In fact, John Meston, who wrote the old episodes of Gunsmoke, and Jack Johnstone, who wrote the old episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar are my greatest influences."
Early scripts were also heavily influenced by the music of Tom Waits, Gallaher said. The rest of the depth and texture comes from his love for folk tales, history, mythology, and literature.
Once Upon a Time in the Weird West
"When I start a new chapter of High Moon, I'll always try to ground it around a particular time in history," Gallaher said. "The first chapter took place during the Texas drought of 1890, right before the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. The second chapter took place right after the migration of black settlers."
Those are just two examples. The "narrative tapestry," as Gallaher calls it, also includes nods to the Civil War, to the San Saba Silver Mines, Abe Lincoln, Joseph Bell, Nicola Tesla, Jim Bowie and more.
"I use that history to help ground the story," Gallaher said. "After that, I dirty everything up with our local mythologies and our own cosmology. There's certainly a lot to take in, and I demand a lot from our readers - but everything fits together in the end. And, all the clues are there hidden in the dialogue and in the art."
The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is in an Artist's Eye
The storytelling is a partnership with the artist, Gallaher said. Although the writer constructs the pages in word form, the artist brings those ideas to life. It's an exciting collaborative process, as he describes it.
"(Artist Steve Ellis) lives a few blocks from my house, and I have the opportunity to see him almost every day. And while my scripts are richly-detailed, and Steve renders my words with amazing accuracy, sometimes in the heat of collaboration things morph and change," Gallaher said.
"The story beats themselves don't change, but the way we make it from Point A to Point B to Point C often does. I also have the same relationship with Scott O. Brown, our production artist and letterer. It's a fun team to be a part of."
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