If you are as stoked for this comic as I am then you know why I had to set up an interview with Brockton. I’ll be honest and confess that this is my first interview. I was a tad nervous, but Brockton was super cool. What broke the ice for me was seeing this dog. You know those dogs that are paralyzed or just missing some legs, so the owner straps on some wheels instead and now this dog is totally rad. Well right when I sat down with Brockton one of these dogs spirited past us. Brockton, that dog, and myself shared a laughable but sentimental moment in those tiny seconds. One that made me realize this interview is going to be good. (The first issue is out today!) Samantha Roehrig: Describe the Basis of Ehmm Theory and how you came up with the idea?
Brockton McKinney: Ehmm Theory is the story of Gabriel Ehmm and his talking cat, Mr. Whispers, revolved around universe jumping and wild adventures they go on in search of his biological dad. The first four issues encompass this trial that Saint Peter has put them up to. After this the series really gets its start.
SR: What can readers expect to see Gabe and Mr. Whispers experience through their journey?
BM: We threw in everything we love about pop culture, childhood…the great thing about Ehmm Theory is that there is no limits to where we can go. Gabe and Mr. Whispers are the audience because they are experiencing these things for first time with the readers too. We have cybernetic crabs coming, assassin monkeys, a robot-bear octopus(#4), some issues even have other Gabes and Whispers.
SR: Some points of the book reflected the Christian idea of heaven, any relation naming your main character Gabriel? He is some sort of messenger?
BR: No not really. Ha, I think it was all subconscious when coming up with that name. There are a lot of puzzle pieces people could be putting together and I want people to wonder “is that going to play a part in the comic?”
SR: With all the religion in this comic there is also a lot of it which revolves around science as well. The title being Cat, Quantum and Contrition. How come you mix the two?
BM: It will be a big part of the plot coming up and I just love science. I am a huge science freak, so I wanted to put it into the book. The heaven thing is just well…I wanted him to be on a quest and I didn’t want him to be a wizard. So the Saint Peter thing definitely comes into play.
SR: That is exactly what I was going to ask about Saint Peter because he doesn’t really seem like Saint Peter or that he has more going on with him.
BM: He is a weird dude. He is a shady Saint Peter. Wearing his Miami Vice suit. I wanted to make Saint Peter a more modern version and Larkin Ford (the artist for Ehmm Theory) chose the suit and the pony tail. We actually rewrote Saint Peter’s part because he looked so shady. He has such a huge part in this comic and has his own thing going on.
SR: This is one of my favorite scenes in the comic with the all white walls and Saint Peter transforming to fit Gabe’s idea of what a Saint should look like.
BM: Well, thank you. Yeah, it was actually called “The White Room Sequence.” I love it and it is one of my favorite panels in Issue #1 as well.
SR: Ok, so we will find more about contrition and who has committed the sins?
BM: Absolutely, his dad is the key to the whole thing and that is why we are telling people to stick around until issue 3. I think this is where people will get hooked and realized where the book is going.
SR: How did you guys met up with Action Lab and what is like living in the Danger Zone?
BM: We are friends with a guy named Jeremy Whitley who writes Princeless. He knew we were working on Ehmm Theory and he suggested that we pitch the book to Action Lab for their new mature reader’s line, Danger Zone.
SR: What is Ehmm Theory to you?
BM: For me it is my first published comic book. Ehmm Theory is the thing I am most proud of. All the heart and soul I wanted to put into something came out in this comic even before we got it published.
SR: And my last question but the most important, I would imagine Mr. Whispers is going to have a pretty hefty fan base. Where did the idea of having a talking cat sidekick some from?
BM: He was derived from the idea of doing the voices for my own animals at home. I have this chiweenier, and she is my puppy. I do her voice and people laugh, so that whole thing inspired the talking cat. Larkin was 6 years old when I met him and he has a younger brother. He was just a crazy kid and said the weirdest stuff like “I’m going to pee-pee on your skin.” HaHa Well I was talking to Larkin after issue 2 of how I came up with Mr. Whispers and Larkin told me that he imagined his little brother when drawing him. I look at the book a whole different way now.
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Brockton was super cool and I appreciate him doing this interview with me. For me, I not only like the comedic parts but there were some points in the comic where I was questioning things. When a comic can do both that is true magic. Plus having the talking cat isn’t bad and it just reminds me of a kid too. They are so innocent but say the most inappropriate stuff because they don’t know any better. You guys should check out this comic for realz and also Lost Story Studios which is Brockton’s company.