Interviewed by Shawn Swanson
Pirat Tales Website
Pirat Tales Blog
Dan Taylor’s Blog
Youtube Trailer
“Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails” will be hitting your local comic shop November 26, 2008. This brand new title from IDW publishing looks to be a really cool read. Pirat Tales is written and created by Dan Taylor (Ninja Bandito, Hero Happy Hour) with illustrations by Orlando Baez (Family Bones), and colored beautifully by Juan Mar (Bloodrayne). After looking at some finished pages we, here at Hero Spy, were completely intrigued by this rat-infested high sea adventure. So with a heap of effort and a bit of good old-fashioned persistence, we were able to nail down the very talented, and incredibly busy Dan Taylor for a quick interview.
With Pirat Tales hitting stores in November, now is a great time to pre-order a copy. Here is a great site to do just that: TFAW.com
#1. Tell us about Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails?
If the readers are familiar with the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Errol Flynn movies, and The Pirates of the Caribbean, than they’ll know what to expect within the pages of Pirat Tales. The main difference is that the characters are all rats, and one young mouse. Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails is a classic treasure hunt. Legend has it that the notorious Blud Brothers stashed a hoard of treasure equaling the ransom of many kings on an uncharted island before their death. The heart of the story is the relationship between the infamous Captain Blacktail of the sailing ship the Vile Vermin and its newest crewmember, the young mouse known as Pip. It is a high seas adventure which has the young mouse traveling to the mysterious Blud Island and seeking the treasure guarded by the Cat O’ Nine Tails.
#2. How did the three of you end up together on this project?
I actually found Orlando online at Digital Webbing – the same way I found artist Chris Fason to collaborate on Hero Happy Hour back in the day. I posted a request for artists who could or would be interested in drawing “swashbuckling rats.” As soon as Orlando started sending me character designs based on my notes I knew I had found the right artist for Pirat Tales. Orlando then brought Juan on board and I was blown away by the colors that he and his studio were providing.
#3. So… fantasy stories involving rodents are getting popular these days. What have you done to help Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails stand out?
Readers are going to point out the similarities with Pirat Tales to Mouse Guard, so I’ll admit right out that David Petersen’s beautiful books did serve as inspiration as I began work on Pirat Tales. But, Pirat Tales is as much a story about swashbuckling pirates as it is about rats and mice—maybe even more so. With the first Pirat Tales I’m really trying to include as much “classic” pirating adventure as I can. It’s about the tavern fights, the ship battles, the mysterious islands, and the ever elusive treasure. Rats as pirates just adds another level of fun.
#4. I really like the look of the characters in Pirat Tales. Were the characters appearance written into the script or was this more of a collaboration?
I provided Orlando with description notes for each of the major characters such as Captain Blacktail, Pip, Peeve, Bartholomew the Blade, and others. A lot of the characters in Pirat Tales are based on appearance of “classic” pirate looks throughout literature and movies. But, Orlando really put his own spin on each character and provided a true gritty and rogue-like appearances to the Pirats, while providing a definite innocence to the young mouse, Pip.
#5. Will we see a big screen version of this story one day?
Fingers crossed. If not the ‘big screen,” than perhaps the small screen of television. Other folks in the comic book and entertainment industries have expressed to methat Pirat Tales seems like a “no-brainer” as an animated feature or television series – and I couldn’t agree with them more. Nothing would make me prouder than to see animated adventures of the crew of the Vile Vermin.
#6. Is Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails an ongoing series or a mini?
At this point Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails is a five-issue miniseries. But, that doesn’t mean it’s the only adventure of Captain Blacktail and theVile Vermin that we have to tell. I’m hoping that this initial series does in fact do well enough to warrant additional miniseries under the Pirat Tales banner. I’ve got a great idea for the next adventure that would share a similar element to IDW’s breakout series 30 Days of Night.
#7. Have you arranged to do any book signings? If so, what are the dates and locations?
Nothing planned yet, though I’d be more than game. Maybe a release party with plenty of tankards of ale and singing of sea shanties would be in order. I wonder if I could book a private party at Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
#8. How did you hook up with IDW?
I actually worked at IDW Publishing for about two and a half years as an Editor handling titles like The Transformers, 24, 30 Days of Night, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, and others. Working with IDW was a great experience which really helped me understand what it takes to cut it as a creator in the comic book industry. While I was there I showed IDW Publishing President Ted Adams my Pirat Tales concept along with Orlando’s character designs and he was impressed enough to graciously give us a shot and publish the title.
#9. Do you have any other projects in the works that you would like to tell us about?
I’ve got one other project with IDW Publishing that was announced at San Diego Comic-Con that is as about as different as you could get from Pirat Tales – though it does also feature some unsavory villains. Pop! Darlings of America is an upcoming five-issue miniseries that explores the darker side of Hollywood – specifically the media circus of a young pop singer, starlet, and heiress as their seemingly out of control lives are actually engineered train wrecks.
#10. This is the part where I ask you to please plug your book for our readers.
Pirat Tales: The Legend of the Cat O’ Nine Tails is a series for fans of swashbuckling tales of adventure – a fresh approach to the time tested elements of classic pirate stories. What could be more fun than rats wielding cutlasses and flintlock pistols as they swing from ship to ship in cannon booming broadside battles?
Here is a preview
[...] It makes it sound like I’m a major “mover and shaker” in the comic book biz. Anyway, you can check out the whole interview here. [...]