First Comics News: What is it about writing the Scoop series that you most enjoy?
Richard Ashley Hamilton: Probably the interplay between our main character, Sophie Cooper, and her TV news mentor, Hal Ritz. Soph is very much this young, idealistic crusader with an almost compulsive need to clear her family’s name, while Hal is sort of a sardonic, self-aggrandizing reporter who claims to have broken every big story over the past forty years. A lot of fun comes out of their conflict, usually in the form of rat-a-tat dialogue. I know writers can sound overly precious when they say they “hear” their characters’ voices, but that’s exactly how it feels with these two. It’s like they’re having a conversation, and I’m just trying to keep up and transcribe everything they say. But I also love adding sci-fi spectacle to my hometown of Miami. And sneaking in as many Hall & Oates references as possible.
1st: How do you get inspired to write?
Richard: I would say it’s a combination of two things. One, when I was nineteen, I was fortunate enough to have an internship at CNN in Miami. My very first day on the job also happened to be the day the internationally renowned fashion designer, Gianni Versace, was murdered outside of his home in South Beach. I never want to make light of such a tragedy and the ensuing manhunt. But that summer did give me an incredible experience in journalism and understanding the dynamics that play out in front of a news camera, not to mention behind it. So, just the memory of that time in my life is usually enough to keep me going, even when I get stuck. And the second thing is my sons, Max and Ben. One is a teenager, and the other will be in a few months. When I look at what their whole generation has to deal with in terms of constant exposure to news and fake news and social media, I feel like I need to do something, even if it is just writing a comic about another teen who is struggling with the same things. These kids give me such hope for our world, and I want to reflect that hope on them.
1st: Can you give us some details about your protagonist, Sophie?
Richard: I guess Soph is based a bit on me when I was young. We both grew up in Miami. We are both Cuban-American, believe it or not. But unlike me, Soph has been dealt this terrible trauma — her dad’s been accused of a major crime, which has upended any sense of normalcy their family once had. There hasn’t been any trial yet, but in the court of public opinion a.k.a. the news, everyone thinks Soph’s dad is guilty of sin. The only person who is sure he’s innocent is Soph. And since she believes the news has vilified her dad, Soph decides to use that same news to clear his name and, hopefully, get her old, normal life back. She does this by landing an internship at the worst station in Miami, WMIA 7, and then launching her investigation into her dad’s case. But along the way, Soph meets Hal and, together, they uncover this vast supernatural conspiracy that’s been happening all along in South Florida… and that’s somehow tied to her dad’s case. So even as all of this paranormal stuff starts happening all around her, Soph remains laser-focused on the truth, for better or for worse, and we do some interesting things in exploring that focus, some might say obsession, in the next volumes.
1st: Do any supporting characters stand out to you?
Richard: Aside from Hal, I love writing to Soph’s family, who are all trying to cope with this “new normal” of being under the TV news microscope 24/7. Her little brother, Kit, always makes me smile because he’s based on my little brother and is like the Q to Soph’s James Bond, building her cool little field reporter gadgets or explaining the science behind our science fiction. Soph also finds herself in the middle of a cute love triangle between Milo, who is the president and sole member of their high school’s AV club, and Usnavy, who is another intern, in the Miami-Dade Police Department’s crime lab. These boys each bring out different sides in Sophie and play much bigger roles in the next books. The longer SCOOP goes on, the more of an ensemble it becomes, and, again, I’m lucky to hail from a cultural melting pot like Miami, which allows us to have what I consider an authentically diverse supporting cast. Soph’s ally in law enforcement, Sheriff Firewalker, is a member of the Miccosukee tribe. One of her producers at WMIA 7 embarks upon a transition in their gender identity throughout our series. Soph even picks up a “bodyguard” who teaches her self-defense as a way to thank Soph for exonerating him in his husband’s death. Plus, because this is a supernatural story, we also have aliens, time travelers, alligator men, mad scientists, sentient mangrove trees, and those sorts of things.
1st: What type of person will enjoy the Scoop series?
Richard: Well, since we’re published by Maverick — which is an AWESOME imprint, by the way — SCOOP is technically a YA book for 13-18-year-olds. But I spent close to a decade writing at DreamWorks Animation, so please believe me when I tell you that SCOOP is designed to be enjoyed by anyone at any point in their life. I hope that doesn’t come across as “all-ages,” which is a generic term that sometimes gets applied to stories that are, in my opinion, defanged or patronizing for younger readers. I hated those kinds of books as a kid, and I hated them as a parent when I had to read them to my kids. With SCOOP, my hope and I intend that you will find something to love about our characters and story whether you are a kid or teen or adult, or anywhere in-between. And I don’t know if this helps, but we often describe SCOOP as “Veronica Mars meets The X-Files.” So, if you liked either of those shows, I feel pretty confident you’ll like SCOOP, too.
1st: What can we look forward to in “Scoop” Vol. 2?
Richard: Each volume of SCOOP continues our overarching plot of how the paranormal conspiracy connects to the case against Soph’s dad, while also introducing a new supernatural concept and telling a self-contained “true-crime” story that is based on actual news headlines. With volume 2, which is due in September, we put Soph and WMIA 7 in the middle of a twisty murder mystery that is very loosely based on the infamous OJ Simpson trial. Regardless of how anyone feels about the outcome of that moment in American history, it spawned what we now call the twenty-four-hour news cycle, and OJ did move to my neighborhood in Miami after he was acquitted. So, yeah, I have a lot to say about that whole thing and its lasting effect on journalism, but all couched in a weird whodunit that brings Soph closer to a hidden truth about herself and all of the sci-fi strangeness at the heart of South Florida. Our version of OJ sees the headway Soph’s making in clearing her dad’s name and asks her to help him find his late wife’s “real killer.” All while Soph is preparing for a belated Quinceñera she doesn’t even want. We also explore Soph’s feelings for Milo and Usnavy, throw a wrench in her working relationship with Hal, and set up some cool revelations for our next volumes. There are, naturally, more Hall & Oates allusions, as well.
1st: What do you have planned next in your career?
Richard: I’m happy to say that Maverick and I are doing more SCOOP with our ongoing team of artist Pablo Andrés, colorist Simon Robins, letterer Dave Lamphear, and editors Christina Harrington and Mike Marts. I feel so blessed to be working with these creative professionals and am so blown away by their contributions to every panel on every page. Maverick and I are also collaborating on another YA series called TECTIV, which is this strange hybrid of a noir detective story, set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. The main character is Bingo Finder, a teenage girl and the only literate person in her supposedly utopian village. But when her best friend suddenly goes missing, Bingo takes a page from her beloved, ancient, pulpy detective novels and becomes the first “tectiv” in centuries to find out what happened. Of course, along the way, Bingo uncovers a greater conspiracy that ties back to the original cataclysm that nearly wiped out humanity in the first place. My good friend, Marco Matrone, is handling all of the art on TECTIV, and I really can’t wait for readers to see the dangerous, beautiful world he’s designing. Our first volume comes out in December. Separate from that, I am working on a third title to be published in the Papercutz line for younger readers. I’m sure we’ll be able to share more about this one next year. I love working with the larger Mad Cave organization. These guys are the best in the business, as far as I’m concerned, and I wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone searching for a dedicated, ethical publisher.
About Author
