It is through the dark and quirky that Joe Harris’ storylines thrive. Having penned plotlines for Marvel, DC and Dark Horse, he’s a usually anticipated guest at Comic Cons the world over. His films such as Darkness Falls and The Tripper have also attracted people who are into otherworldly ideas. For 2017’s Hyderabad Comic Con, he’s geared up to meet growing fanbases and interact with other creators while aggrandising the comic culture in which international audiences are revelling.
Being both a writer for film and for comics, what differs between the two?
Less and less, I find, as I work on different projects and consider new ventures for different media. I find the main difference to be working ‘for hire’ on properties owned by a company, or somebody (anybody) else, and working on original ideas.
Writing for film or comics are both broad notions. One can be hired to rewrite a screenplay, or do work on a script for a movie that’s already in production, which is a very utilitarian and practical thing as opposed to writing a spec screenplay that feels very personal, or is indicative of what you’d like to do, as a writer.
Similarly, being hired to write a comics series starring characters that fans already know is different from creating an original, creator-owned comic from the ground up, getting it seen, pitching it, publishing it, etc. The latter way of doing things is the labor of love I hope will be fruitful, profitable and successful while the former way is the way I hope to earn a living when original endeavours aren’t enough. I enjoy it all, fortunately, and appreciate the opportunities I get, have had, and might one day have.
But just in terms of technique and effort, writing for comics is more immediate. You see a return on your creative investment, typically, much sooner as comics are published fairly quickly after writing and illustration. Movies tend to take much longer as they’re a bigger scale of production, with larger business-related considerations that have to be tended to along the way.
As an artist, I approach most of this the same. When writing comics, I feel I’m co-directed the movie, along with the artist I collaborate with, on paper. Whereas when making films, I tend to edit in my head while writing and producing, telling my story sequentially with the same skillset I utilise in my comics career.
Tapping into the The X-Files universe must have been a tremendous feat. We love that you've moved away from Moulder and Scully but kept the core of ‘The X-Files’ at heart. What was that process like and what was it like working with original The X-Files screenwriter Chris Carter? You've mentioned he was apprehensive at first.
Thank you for the kind words! Writing The X-Files has been an honor and privilege and I remain proud of having contributed to that long mythology and enduring franchise in whatever small way I have.
Getting the job was scary at first, to be honest. The show had been off the air for a number of years and our comics would be the first new X-File offering, in any media, in a while.
And the fans are rabid and knowledgable and they’ll let you know when you’re wrong, so I was just hoping to survive and not piss them off. Fortunately, they’ve been (mostly) very kind to me.
Meeting Chris Carter and getting his blessing to tell our stories also remains a thrill. He was naturally apprehensive as FOX was very much in control of the situation, and I think his nature — as is any creator’s, in this kind of situation — was to be distrustful of the process and dubious of the intentions.
But once we met and he’d read my proposal, then told me his concerns which I listened to intently, I feel enough of a trust way established that he was able to get more fully behind the endeavour.
Are there different turns the comic and film subcultures can potentially take?
I’m hoping for more of an appreciation of creators, by the masses, and the original things they create. Big franchises like Batman, Star Wars and The Avengers are wonderful, but I want to see more new things from diverse creators.
I have plenty of new things I’m working on myself, so some of this is self-serving too!
This isn’t your first Comic Con in India; what is special about India that has you coming back?
You haven’t gotten tired of me yet!
Honestly, I love coming back to India. I am inspired by the shared love of pop culture and the youthful energy I’ve been introduced to at each of the India Comic Cons I’ve attended — from Mumbai to Bengaluru to Delhi and now Hyderabad — and I both love being introduced to more of what is unique to your culture, while accessing and interacting that which is universal to all cultures. The world is smaller than it used to be. I embrace that.
Fans can meet Joe Harris on October 14 between 2:30 pm and 3 pm at Hitex Exhibition Centre, Hitec City. Tickets for Comic Con Hyderabad range from ₹499 to ₹1299.
