First Comics News: How and why did Lifeline Comics come into being?
Phil Falco: It all started with a crossover one-shot. My good friend, Kat Calamia, had her ongoing superhero series, Like Father, Like Daughter. And I had my supernatural horror series, HAUNTING.
We started joking around about what a crossover between both series would look like and were surprised to find that we liked the story we were spitballing and the way that the characters interacted with one another.
Writing and creating the crossover ended up being fun and easy, so we made quick plans to collaborate more on a new comic series that we would co-create.
Ten series later, it’s hard to remember what it was like before we began collaborating.
1st: What is the thrill you get from writing?
Phil: the thing I love most is creating characters. I read stories for dynamic characters, so that is the first thing I try to nail down when diving into a script. Nothing excites me more than having strong character beats in a comic!
1st: Who are Hope and Bram?
Phil: Bram, the protagonist of HAUNTING, is a bratty teenage boy who unintentionally raises the dead wherever he goes. He’s the quintessential teen brat who takes no responsibility for the harm he causes, reasoning that he didn’t ask for this power, he can’t control it, so therefore he doesn’t need to waste time feeling bad about it.
Hope is a no-nonsense ghost hunter who is sort of the opposite of Bram. She’s all about responsibility and confrontation. So she makes it her mission to end his reign of terror.
1st: What type of story is the “Haunting”?
Phil: I like to call HAUNTING a character-driven supernatural horror comic. It’s got elements of comedy, action, drama, and horror. But at its core, it’s a character story about our three young leads and the way that they interact with the harsh and unforgiving world around them.
1st: Who are the villains in the “Haunting”?
Phil: One could argue that the protagonist, Bram, is the villain of the whole series haha.
In all seriousness, the villain of our first arc was Deacon, a man who Bram had unintentionally hurt in the past with his ability.
The villain of our second (current) arc begins as Hope — when she makes it her mission to kill Bram because of his ability. But eventually shifts to Hope’s ex-girlfriend, Caitlin, who has been possessed by an evil spirit.
1st: How good is Bram’s control over his abilities?
Phil: About as bad as it can get. Bram has zero control over his abilities. If he walks into a room, he can’t stop the dead from rising any more than he can stop the air from circulating.
1st: What is the relationship between Faith and Hope like?
Phil: Faith and Hope are twin sisters with a strained relationship. Hope was called crazy when they were younger for her uncanny ability to see the dead (even when Bram isn’t around). And while Faith loved her sister, she couldn’t find it in herself to believe her. Eventually, Hope ran away and was presumed dead. There’s a lot of baggage between the two — especially when you add in the fact that Hope is now trying to kill Faith’s best friend.
1st: How would you describe Anna Wieszcyk’s art?
Phil: Anna Wieszcyk was the series artist for issues 1-4. I love her long, wispy style. It adds such an intriguing element to the horror of the book.
Mauricio Mora took over on art from issue 5 onward, and I love how expressive his character work is. It made for a very natural transition between the two arcs of the series.
1st: What is “Assassin Alice & Sleeping Beauty” about?
Phil: Our other Kickstarter, Nightmare in Wonderland, is a mature dark fairytale about former friends, Alice and Sleeping Beauty, who had a falling out when Sleeping Beauty/Bianca learned about her sleeping curse. The two reconnect on the evening before Bianca is meant to fall asleep forever when Alice is hired to protect her. But the former friends are surprised when the curse takes both of them to a nightmare version of Wonderland — their fantasy world from when they were kids.
1st: Why would someone want to read “Mob Princess” and who writes it?
Phil: “Mob Princess” is great for fans of character-driven mobster stories. It’s our book about an unconfident young woman who is still trying to figure out her own sh*t when she suddenly inherits a massive mob empire.
The series is written and created by my writing partner, Kat Calamia. But we both have at least some hand in all of each others’ work (whether that’s as a full collaborator, an editor, a test reader, etc.)
1st: What is coming next from Lifeline Comics?
Phil: We launched quite a few new series in the first half of 2024, so the latter half of the year is all about continuing stories. We currently have HAUNTING #7 and Nightmare in Wonderland #2 live. Next month, we’ll be launching Like Father, Like Daughter #9 and The Witches of Oz #3. And we can tease a new mature fairytale comic launching early next year that we’re excited about. One that takes place at least partially underwater.
1st: Do you believe in the supernatural?
Phil: I like to not rule anything out. I haven’t personally experienced anything supernatural. But there’s nothing I love more than a great ghost story.
1st: What do you have to say to fans of your work?
Phil: Thanks so much for all of your support! We wouldn’t be able to make all of these comics without you, so we’re forever grateful that you allow us to tell their weird, wacky, wonderful stories!
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