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With the upcoming release of The Z Word shuffling into stores, we wanted to speak with some of the team behind the book (also known as The Zombies That Ate the World). We conclude this series with our final interviewee, artist Guy Davis. This interview was conducted by Jo Witherington (Marketing & Social Media Director for Humanoids).

How did you get connected with Jerry Frissen on The Z Word?

As I remember, Humanoids had contacted me to do the first Zombie short story with Jerry Frissen for Métal Hurlant. I don't remember if that was Jerry's recommendation or not, but when I read the first script I knew it would be a lot of fun to draw and had a great time working with him on the series! Jerry's dialogue and banter with the main characters was hilarious and really inspired me to make them all as over the top and animated as I could in the art and storytelling. Especially with Freddy, who was a favorite to draw.

As a self-taught artist, what advice would you give to aspiring artists in today's industry?

The best advice I can think of is to just keep drawing as much as possible and try to learn from your mistakes along the way. Push yourself to think
outside the box with your ideas and to spur your imagination into different directions.

What was your favorite part of drawing The Z Word?

I think it's always been the world building and character creation — working up an idea through the drawing process. But the initial sketching of raw
ideas from your head to the drawing page is probably what I find the most fun.

What is it like seeing your concepts on the big screen (Pacific Rim, The Strain, Crimson Peak, etc.)?

It's a bit surreal in a way to see what started out as a drawing end up moving about. But it's always a big thrill too when a concept you worked on makes it to the screen. It's a wonderful collaborative process to be part of and when an idea works on screen, that credit really goes to the makeup and effects artists who bring it to all life!

Do you enjoy collaborating with Guillermo del Toro?

Definitely! I've worked on 10 projects or so with Guillermo and all of them have been an amazing experience and collaboration. When he calls for
a project, I know it will be something fun and it doesn't take me a second to agree to come on board!

How do you feel going from human characters to abstract monsters?

I never found it a problem shifting gears between the type of work or genres at all. I guess to me they're the same feeling, a monster no matter
how abstract still has a personality or character that I want to come across in the design the same as a human character. That goes for any set
piece or prop too, I want it to have a sense of character to the design that fits it into whatever environment or mood is needed.

Any fun stories you can share from working on The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIV?

Wow! That was all crazy fun to work on with Guillermo, we share a lot of the same favorite genre movies so it was a blast thinking up gags with him
and the back and forth of what and where we could put it all into the intro. Like with The Car (from the movie of the same name) that Maggie
ends up driving or Winslow from Phantom of the Paradise as Lisa's music teacher.

What is next for Guy Davis?

Currently still working in concept design on some unannounced projects, along with some personal art projects like The Marquis, whenever I get the chance!

Thanks to Guy Davis for spending time answering some questions. The Z Word will be available September 2, 2015 on our store and wherever Humanoids titles are carried.

With the upcoming release of The Z Word shuffling into stores, we wanted to speak with some of the team behind the book (also known as The Zombies That Ate the World). Today we speak with the brain (pun intended) behind the series, Jerry Frissen. This interview was conducted by Jo Witherington (Marketing & Social Media Director for Humanoids).

How did you come up with the idea of The Z Word?

One day, many years ago, a pretty weird, old man entered the bus I was in. He was wearing a suit, a tie, nice shoes, etc., but he was unbelievably dirty, full of dust and mud, as if he crawled up from a grave. Also for some reason he wasn't wearing any pants! He was standing there like everything was normal. I think I was the only one noticing him. For me it was pretty obvious that he was an actual zombie. But he wasn't attacking anybody. Why would he anyway? Why would a zombie need to eat somebody? He doesn't breathe, why would he need food? It made me think about something I read in a George Romero interview. He said he wanted to make a movie where zombies were the victims. I guess that was the first time I thought about writing something about zombies with a different take. The zombies are there and nobody gives a shit.

Are you a fan of the Zombie genre?

Yes and no. Some zombie films are part of my favorites movies: Romero's original trilogy of course but also, Return of the Living Dead, Dead and Buried and some others. But I'm not a big fan of all the people who thought that they just needed to follow the rules established by Romero or O'Bannon. I never understood why a genre canot be changed or messed with. The "brrraaaiiinn" thing was a joke in Return of the Living Dead and now it seems you can't have anything without it.

How would you survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

Once a month, I go shopping at Costco, I'm pretty sure it's the best training. If I can survive Costco and bring back 48 rolls of toilet paper, 12 steaks and 200 eggs, I'll survive anything.

Is there more to tell in The Z Word universe?

Time will tell, I guess. I don't really think about it these days. The Metabaron kept me busy for three years and I'm working on something of the same length. So if there is more, it may take a while.

Are you looking forward to The Z Word as a feature film?

Yes! Very. Especially since I saw Turbo Kid which is the first movie by the future directors of The Z Word, RKSS. These guys are absolutely amazing and I loved Turbo Kid.

You are currently working on The Metabaron (set for 2016!), how different is it to go from a comedic genre (Lucha Libre/Zombies) to something with a dramatically more serious tone like The Metabaron?

I was getting tired of comedy so working on something like The Metabaron was a great opportunity to do something very different. Working on The Metabaron was unbelievably hard and challenging but knowing that I didn't have to find a joke on every page was a nice feel. I always thought that the line between comedy and drama is very thin. For example, I consider Freddy, one of the main character of The Z Word, to be a monster, a real one. He's a complete sociopath and has absolutely no morals or consideration for anyone other than a few people. I made him say some funny lines –at least I hope they are– but if you remove them he's terrifying. With The Metabaron, I went further in exploring sociopathic behavior without even adding a funny line.

What is your favorite Zombie movie and/or TV show?

A couple years ago I saw a pretty bizarre french TV series called The Returned. I loved it and I hope they will make a second season. It was a very bizarre take on the idea of the living dead. Very cool and exciting. I think it's on Netflix now.

Thanks to Jerry Frissen for spending time answering some questions. The Z Word will be available September 2, 2015 on our store and wherever Humanoids titles are carried.

Next week sees the release of The Z Word, which collects the entire The Zombies That Ate the World saga. Available for purchase wherever Humanoids titles are carried.

Check out pictures below.

With the upcoming release of The Z Word shuffling into stores, we wanted to speak with some of the team behind the book (also known as The Zombies That Ate the World). Today we speak with Jorge Miguel, one of the series' artists. This interview was conducted by Jo Witherington (Marketing & Social Media for Humanoids).

How did you get your start in comics?

I used to draw historical illustrations for books and magazines. I also worked on many storyboards in the TV advertising industry. One day I decided to combine the two activities and I published a historical comic book about a 26th century Portuguese poet. Eventually a French writer friend of mine proposed that I send a project to Humanoids, and here I am today.

What was working with Jerry Frissen on The Z Word like?

Jerry is very pleasant to work with. He gave me a lot of leeway that allowed me to add a little of my own flavor to the final volume. I really appreciate his sense of humor. It looks and sounds disgusting but keeps us asking for more.

Do you enjoy the Zombie genre?

I learned to love it. When I began working on this project, I told Jerry that I knew very little of the Zombie genre and I asked him for a list of movies that I could view to familiarize myself with the world of Zombies. It's a world that I would like to visit as a tourist but I wouldn't want to live there.

How would you describe your artistic process?

I start by visualizing the whole story in my head. Then I doodle thumbnails that only I can decipher. Next, I fill the pages with roughs that look pretty much like a classic storyboard, keeping space for the text. No real details at that point. I don't like to get too elaborate with my pencils as I improvise a lot when I ink. In a script like The Z Word, you can add a lot of weird and disgusting stuff and it still looks good in the context of the story.

What was your favorite part of working on The Z Word?

It's fiction, so we can create a lot of interesting ideas. That's what I like to do. Jerry's script is very extreme, so I try to keep that that in mind when I draw the story.

If you could draw any Humanoids story, what would it be?

The next Freddy, Karl, and Maggie adventures, of course. A Basil & Victoria story would be another good choice. I find the Victorian-era atmosphere very inspiring.

How would you survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

I'd probably go to Belgium. It's seems like they deal with the problem very well.

What advice would you give aspiring artists today?

Read the classics from the masters! I've learned a lot reading many titles from Alex Raymond, José Salinas, Jesus Blasco, Stan Drake and more. They are essential artists especially for young artists.

Thanks to Jorge Miguel for spending time answering some questions. The Z Word will be available September 2, 2015 on our store and wherever Humanoids titles are carried.

Anibal 5
Story by Alexandro Jodorowsky, Art by Georges Bess

Sex-obsessed cyborg secret agent, Anibal Five, works for EDO (The European Defense Organisation). When entrusted with protecting the Earth from cosmic terrorists bent on the destruction of humanity, Anibal 5 assembles a team of EDO's twin accountants, Martin and Martain, and Sir Typer Pinker and his muse, Enanita, to confront the dictator Kung Lao Te. But when Te unleashes his nymphet clones things turn inevitably erotic!

As you'd expect from a visionary like Jodorowsky, this book is an explosive cocktail of over-the-top humor, interstellar orgies and spectacular space battles, as the muscled man-machine gives Barbarella a run for her money!

Quick facts about Anibal 5:

• Ground-breaking writer (The Incal, The Metabarons) and cult director (El Topo, Santa Sangre) Alexandro Jodorowsky defies definition once more.
• By the same creative team of the bestselling The White Lama and Son of the Gun.
• This is a reworking of Jodorowsky's very first Mexican comic series in 1966, originally drawn by Manuel Moro.
• Collects the complete series in one volume and includes a
bonus art section.

Available below is the desktop wallpaper of Anibal 5. Click the picture to choose your resolution

Anibal 5 arrives in stores September 30, 2015 with an MSRP of $24.95/£17.99

Freddy Merckx has a grudge against zombies and isn't afraid to show it! Below is a step through the process of a page from Jorge Miguel.

Pencils

InksFinal

The Z Word arrives in stores September 2, 2015 with an MSRP of $39.95/£24.99

Meet the gang from the upcoming action-packed adventure-comedy for fans of zombies and insanely violent Belgians with bad dress sense.

Freddy

The Zombies

Karl

Eddie & Dave

Maggie

The Z Word arrives in stores September 2, 2015 with an MSRP of $39.95/£24.99

The Z Word

Story by Jerry Frissen, Art by Guy Davis and Jorge Miguel

Los Angeles, 2060s. In a world where humans have to coexist alongside the living dead, a new work opportunity arises: zombie pest control.

Karl, his sister Maggie, and their Belgian friend Freddy Merckx, embrace this "career choice" in the hope of making some easy money. Not to mention enjoying the perks of the job, whether it's bashing zombies or...er...sleeping with them. Unfortunately for our trio, the job isn't that simple: not only are the dead still walking, but they stink, have a terrible sense of humor and some very ambitious plans for world domination.

Quick facts about The Z Word:

• Jerry Frissen is the Eisner-nominated creator of the LUCHA LIBRE universe (Unfabulous Five, The Tikitis), internationally published to great acclaim in the pages of both Image and Humanoids' books. His alien-invasion series World War X, with artist Peter Snejbjerg, is currently being released by Titan Comics.
• Guy Davis is an American comics creator and artist of Sandman Mystery Theatre (Vertigo), B.P.R.D. and The Marquis (Dark Horse) and is a concept artist on many of Guillermo de Toro's films, including Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak.
• Jorge Miguel is a Portuguese comics artist who has also worked in animation and publicity, and for whom this is his first published comics work in the English language.
• Perfect for fans of The Walking Dead, anything zombie-related, and horror comedies.
• Omnibus edition collects all 6 volumes of the series previously published as The Zombies That Ate The World, as well as an all-new afterword.

Available below is the desktop wallpaper of The Z Word. Click the picture to choose your resolution

The Z Word arrives in stores September 2015 with an MSRP of $39.95/£24.99