Interview: ‘Farscape’ and ‘Scorpius’ writers David Alan Mack and Keith R.A. DeCandido
BOOM! Studios announced today Farscape: Scorpius, an ongoing series starting in April. Written by series creator Rockne S. O’Bannon and David Alan Mack (the Star Trek novelist, not the artist on Kabuki, just to get it out of the way early) it finds everyone’s favorite black leather clad villain deposed from his throne on Hyneria and making a bold new discovery that could put him back on top of the Uncharted Territories.
We took some time to chat with Dave (with Keith R. A. DeCandido, the scripter for the Farscape ongoing series, throwing in little bot mots because as readers of ComicMix know, he just shows up everywhere) and asked him about the new series, and what it’s like to write a story from the antagonist’s point of view.
ComicMix: There are precious few comics that have been
focused on the bad guy in the story… but is Scorpius a bad guy?
David Alan Mack: He
certainly doesn’t see himself that way. From his point of view, he’s probably
the only rational actor in a universe populated by fools and madmen. Of course,
Scorpius is not going to judge his own actions using our brand of moral
compass. He is, in many respects, an amoral individual.
In my opinion, Scorpius is willing to espouse a sense of
duty and offer his loyalty to whomever appears to be on his side, and in the
moment when he makes such a declaration, it’s possible he even means it. But if
he needs to betray his allies to accomplish what he thinks is the most
desirable outcome for himself, he won’t hesitate to put knives in their backs
and twist the blades.
Keith R.A. DeCandido:
Oh, he’s definitely a bad guy—at least by the standards of the people
reading the comic book (and who watched the show). When we first met him at the
end of the first season, he tortured Crais for no good reason, just to be
absolutely sure about something. Scorpius admitted up front that the accusation
Crichton had made simply had to be false, but Scorpius was still willing to
torture a Peacekeeper captain just to be 100% sure.
ComicMix: And yet
he does it in such a mannered and genteel style. Very precise. Play out a little bit of the Scorpius series for us. Where are we starting from?
DAM: We catch up
to Scorpius while he’s in self-imposed exile. He’s been kicked off Hyneria by
the triumphantly returned monarch Dominar Rygel XVI. Left with nowhere to go,
Scorpius is on what one might consider a contemplative retreat.
Then, as Bogart said in Casablanca,
“destiny takes a hand.” Scorpius finds himself in the right place at
the right time, and he makes the most of a new opportunity.
ComicMix: So this
is a decent place for new readers to jump in and get up to speed?
DAM: Absolutely.
The first four-issue arc of Scorpius is
designed to introduce the character to new readers by interspersing flashbacks
from his past, while detailing the new political situation brewing in the Farscape universe, especially in the
Uncharted Territories.