Q: Black Mist seems to be a very dark series. What is
the setting exactly?
JP: The story itself stretches from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia until it
finally settles in the mystical setting of New Orleans which lately seems to have become a
very popular setting for comics. I wanted to focus the story where the atmosphere of the
city would play just as important part of the story as the characters, and what better
place for a supernatural atmosphere than New Orleans?
Q: What is the meaning behind the name? What is Black Mist?
JP: I first came across references to a mist while researching biblical subject
matters while in college. I found that during creation it’s noted that a mist covered
the earth. Now what I did was take that reference and expanded upon it. This mist became
permeated within everything, the soil, the trees, the flowers, even in human beings. It
was part of creation itself, so it seemed logical that it should have been part of the
building blocks that formed life itself. I like to think of the mist as the dark side of
the human soul, the side that is in constant, eternal combat with our good nature for
control of our self. Put simply, it’s a part of our soul...the dark side.
Q: How does the current Black Mist come to
be?
JP: While researching for another story a few years ago dealing with Hindu
mythology, I came across various articles relating to a mysterious death cult that
terrorized British-controlled India during the 19th century. They were called the
"Thugs" or "Thugees". What this cult would do was befriend travelers
and accompany them on their travels throughout India. After a certain time and after they
had gained their companions’ trust, they would strangle them and steal their
valuables. They considered each victim a sacrifice to their dark goddess, Kali. This went
on for centuries before the British finally detected them and slowly wiped out the cult.
But not before they had claimed approximately two million victims… a rough estimate
which more than likely is a low account of the actual number. So, obviously, as you can
tell, this fascinated me and I began to think of a storyline where I could use all of this
information I had learned and thus, the beginning of what would later turn into the Black
Mist: Blood of Kali storyline.
It is modern day and the Thuggee cult has managed to stay in
existence by keeping a low profile, a secret organization that has spread out across the
world, always moving from city to city before they are discovered. Now they have reached
New Orleans, a city already renowned for its Voodoo heritage, so they figure their
mystical worshipping might blend in a bit better here. And while they try to attempt a
resurrection of their dark goddess within the body of a recently murdered woman, they
accidentally tap into an evil even more sinister...the Black Mist.
Q: The current incarnation of this being is
female. Who is she?
JP: I don’t really want to give away too much about her identity right now.
But, I can tell you this, she’s currently a regular supporting character in a
prevalent Caliber series. The reason I can’t say her name right now is because it
will give away the ending to a current storyline that hasn’t wrapped up quite yet. I
think some people will be surprised when they discover her identity.
Q: This is new ground for you...a very
dark, somewhat violent series?
JP: Well, truth be told, I’m probably better known for my more uplifting
storylines while writing The Apparition and Book of Angels for Caliber in the past, but my
first regular series was a psychological horror story set in the somber setting of World
War I trench warfare. A lot of my writing deals with the duality of the human spirit, the
yin yang so to speak. With the Apparition I was focusing more on the positive nature of
mankind, showing how adversity could be overcome. Now with Black Mist, you have the
opposite. What happens when you give in to that dark side? How does it affect a person?
How does this change play on the mind and conscience of an otherwise moral person? I want
to explore these themes now, the different aspects of morality.
Q: Black Mist seems to be a very dark series. What is
the setting exactly?