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Zombies and Monkeys and Monsters, Oh My! Superstars, Scoop, Friday, August 25, 2006 Continuing our coverage of the new line of young readers illustrated prose books from Actionopolis, we here at Scoop took the time to catch up with JJ Hart, author of Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree.
Hart, who is making is industry debut with Actionopolis, had this to say about his upcoming title.
Scoop: Tell us about your book...
JJ Hart (JJ): It's made of paper, mostly, with some ink in it. There are pages, and a spine, and both a front and back cover.
What the hell do you mean, tell us about your book? It's a book. What you want to know about is the story, and that's summed up by the title - Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree! There are zombie monkeys, and they're monsters, and there are scouts who are not monsters, but humans, and they're up against the zombie monkeys. If you need to know more than that then you're hopeless.
But okay, one of the scouts has a problem with flatulence. Zombie monkeys and fart jokes. If you need to know more than that, you're probably deceased.
But also, it has terrific illustrations by Will Meugniot, too.
Scoop: Who is this book for? Who is the intended audience? Who will want to read this?
JJ: Who wouldn't? I thought we already covered that. I suppose there's a certain type of lit-snob who might not be attracted to a book containing both zombie monkeys and fart jokes, but they should know that it's also written in a meta-fictional style and it's really about writing about zombie monkeys and farts, deconstructively.
Or not. Okay, maybe we'll lose the lit-snobs and some of you chick-lit fanatics and some of those folks who only want to read about leather-clad vampire hunter chicks who have sex with werewolves and the like. But kids from seven or so and up, and their brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, grandparents, etc., will enjoy this book, because of the above-named elements and the fact that it's quite possibly the most brilliant single bit of prose ever written in the English language. And it's kind of funny.
Scoop: What inspired your work on this book?
JJ: The original concept came from Shannon Denton and Patrick Coyle - the title and a simple one-paragraph description. That was the act of genius that's behind the creation of any great work. My part was taking that brilliant concept and fleshing it out, inventing characters and giving them life (and gas).
Scoop: What was the process like working with Will Meugniot?
JJ: Will is a master with ink and paper. He took my brief character descriptions and developed visual images that then informed the rest of the writing, so that as I was punching out words on the keyboard I could see the characters in my head. It's rare that an artist "gets" what a writer is trying to do so thoroughly, and aids the process more with each sketch, but it worked here.
Scoop: Tell us one cool and/or annoying thing about Will.
JJ: It's not confirmed by three sources, but two of my Hollywood contacts tell me that he's the source of the heartbreak that drove Katie Holmes into Tom Cruise's arms (or Tom into Katie's, this part isn't 100% clear). Or maybe it was Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock. Either way, that could be cool or annoying, depending on your point of view, but it certainly speaks to Will's power in Tinseltown.
Scoop: Is this a one-shot book or do you have bigger plans for either the Zombie Monkeys or the scouts?
JJ: Will and I have been thinking that Skeeter McGill, the Patrol Leader of the Basilisk Patrol of Wild West Scouts, should really run for president of the United States. After all, he has demonstrated leadership ability. None of the other likely candidates have shown any indication that they could defeat zombie monkeys. And the current job-holder has set the bar pretty low, so the fact that Skeeter is just a kid shouldn't be a problem.
Scoop: You've been successful in comics. Why write prose for the Young Adults audience? What's the attraction?
JJ: Young adults read. Not only that, but once they start reading they rarely stop. Anything that encourages their love for the printed word is worth doing, because as a writer, I intend to keep writing for a lot of years, which means I need to have an audience that won't die off soon.
Also, kids are smart. Some comics for kids treat them that way, and others don't. But when I write prose for them I make sure they know that I understand that, and I think they appreciate it.
Scoop: How did you come to work with Actionopolis?
JJ: Shannon Denton and I go back at least 27 years, to when he was playing guitar in a Paris metro station and I recognized him as a fellow American and bought him a glass of cheap red wine and a pack of Gauloises.
Since then, we've wanted to work together (on something legal, not that other thing, about which the less said the better). Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree became that opportunity.
Scoop: What do Actionopolis books offer you creatively?
JJ: Freedom. They provided the impetus and then got the hell out of the way. You can't ask for more than that. And at the same time, they brought Will into the picture, made sure the words were spelled right, that the glue would stick and hold the pages together, and all that other stuff that publishers do. They're amazing at their jobs.
Scoop: Why would comic readers be interested in your book? Why would comics retailers want to stock your book?
JJ: Comic readers, I believe, are people who appreciate the way words and pictures together can tell a particular story in a more fulfilling way than either just words or just pictures. That's what Zombie Monkey is - a story told through words and pictures, each enhancing the other in a way that makes the experience greater than either one alone. So although there aren't word balloons and panel borders, it's still illustrated fiction - profusely, beautifully illustrated.
Comic readers aren't the only people who will enjoy it, by any means. But they will - comic fans of every age will be drawn to it, so any retailer who skips it will do so at his or her own financial peril. Some people kick themselves for not buying IBM stock early on, and today's comic retailers will kick themselves equally hard if they don't carry Zombie Monkey and all Actionopolis titles.
Scoop: In a fair fight, who would win Harry Potter (or popular kids lit character of your choice) or the Zombie Monkeys? Why?
JJ: Look, Harry Potter, the Baudelaire orphans, Junie B. Jones and Captain Underpants together couldn't take on a passel o' zombie monkeys and expect to walk away from it. Those buggers are fierce!
But Skeeter, Gas, Hari, and the rest of the Basilisk Patrol... they can get the job done. So you do the math.
Scoop: Please pontificate on any other points we didn't ask you about.
I think you covered it. Besides, I've got a sow about to give birth in the back pasture, so you're on your own.
2:10 AM
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