Comics

Interview: Cavan Scott & Luke Horsman talk post-apocalyptic nightmares in Enemy Earth

28th September 2022

Out right now – the jumping on 2000 AD Prog 2301 features a thrill-powered array of new strips, including Judge Dredd, Chimpsky’s Law, Hershey, Future Shock, and a return to the post-apocalyptic world of Cavan Scott and Luke Horsman’s Enemy Earth, where the fauna and fauna of the world have risen up against the last of humanity.

Cavan Scott and Luke Horsman are returning to the strip they created for 2000 AD Regeened Prog 2256 with a brand-new 10-part storyline that begins right here and right now – immediately after the cliffhanger from the first episode.

You can expect thrills and chills galore here as the remnants of humanity struggle to stay alive as the horrifically mutated plants and animals of this world gone wild keep on coming for them! We sat down and had a quick chat to Cavan and Luke about all things Enemy Earth…

Cavan, Luke, nice to chat to you again, hope you’re both doing well and all that.

In 2000 AD Prog 2301, you’re returning to the world of Enemy Earth, the strip that you introduced back in 2021 in 2000 AD Regened Prog 2256 which we talked about here on the site.

So I guess the first thing to ask you both is what’s happening here in this new series of Enemy Earth?

CAVAN SCOTT: We pick up from the pilot from Prog 2256 which sees Zoe struggling with the answer of whether she is going to rescue the mysterious boy she found in the bunker or cut and run as she’s been doing for the last five years. He wants her help, she doesn’t want anyone new in her life.

Meanwhile, outside the bunker, Earth’s mutated flora and fauna continues to hunger for their blood.

That first episode showed us an eco-nightmare of a world, one where nature has turned on humanity, where the fauna and fauna are all out to get you.

You described it back then as ‘a post-apocalyptic story that starts a number of years after the flora and fauna of earth has mutated, turning on the humans. Suddenly our home is trying to kill us in as many ways as possible.’

One thing that was mentioned in that first strip was when Zoe, our young lead, was telling us about how it happened, the loss of her little brother, and mentioned something about how it all started with spores falling, leading to mutations taking over the planet. Presumably, the spores have something to do with it – is it something you’re going to be exploring, possible alien attack… maybe? Or is it more just a simple in to the story sort of thing?

CS: The spores will definitely be explored… at some point in the future. For now, all Zoe cares about is survival. As the story continues, we also learn more about her past and what happened to her family, events that have shaped her into the girl she is today!

That first episode was great, but obviously a set up for something more, ending as young Zoe discovered the secret bunker in London, along with an even younger kid and a hi-tech defence droid called Nanni.

And this new series picks up immediately after the end of that first Regened episode, with Zoe meeting Julius/Jules and finding out a little more about him – the son of the Prime Minister, who’s been down in the bunker for the last five years, adding a nice bit of intrigue to it all – not least the notion that this has been going on for a long time and that there’s possibly some sort of quest to get the family reunited in the offing.

CS: Oh yes, Jules is desperate to be reunited with his dad. The question is, will Zoe go with him on the road trip?

When we talked last, Cavan, you told us that it had originally been a 3-part pitch for Regened that ended up shelved when the decision was made to run Regened as issues of 2000 AD instead of as its own comic. I guess that’s the classic example of why writers should always keep their old pitches in mind!

CS: Absolutely. Never throw ANYTHING away!

Cavan and Luke, you’re now the fourth strip to make the jump from all-ages Regened to 2000 AD Progs, following Pandora Perfect, Department K, and Full Tilt Boogie.

CS: It’s good company to be in!

LUKE HORSMAN: Happy to be following in their footsteps. It’s a nice way for readers of Regened issues to jump across to the main Prog.

We talked before about the elements of horror in Enemy Earth the first time around and how it’s a good thing to gently push the boundaries of horror and how kids and ‘light-hearted peril’ go together.

With the move to the Prog and an extended storyline, was there a temptation to shift things up and increase the levels of horror involved in a tale that’s obviously got the potential to be full of it should you both choose to go that way?

CS: Well, my aim was to always push what we could do for an all-age Regened strip. Being in the main Prog now means we can go darker still, but my view of 2000 AD is that it was originally created as an all-age comic that pushed boundaries and this should be no different. We’re just going back to the comic’s roots (and, in our case, those roots can kill you!)

Having seen the first couple of episodes now, there’s a bit of an increase in violence and horror there in episode 2, with the Prog not having the same restrictions on showing a little blood and nasty death that the Regened Progs have. But it still has a feel of a storyline that could easily be something for older readers if not all-ages.

What are both of your thoughts on the ideas of making work for slightly older readers, especially in 2000 AD – seems to me that all of the Regened strips that have made the transition have kept some elements of their all-ages nature – was this a deliberate thing on the part of both of you here in Enemy Earth.

CS: Here’s the thing… all-ages stories are for older readers too. The clue is in the title! And kids love to read up. It’s our job as all-age writers to push and challenge them, just like 2000 AD did back when I started reading it in the ’80s. The Prog was a gateway to science fiction, horror and fantasy for an entire generation of kids. I’d love it to be that again. Do it well and older readers won’t mind, and I guarantee kids will love it.

Absolutely! Having kids and older readers enjoying the same things is just what the Prog was all about, should be all about, and is all about!

***A couple of fabulous Enemy Earth design pieces from Luke Horsman***

Luke, one thing that’s immediately obvious with the new series is the change in art style from you Luke – the Regened episode was super bold and bright in its colouring, whereas this first episode has more of a subdued look to it with your colours.

Obviously, this is a deliberate choice on your part given that you’re doing your own colours this time round. But what was your thinking behind the change – anything to do with moving from Regened to 2000 AD Progs or simply that you wanted to make the change?

LH: I wouldn’t say anything was directly deliberate in artistic change from the pilot episode. I tend to use a mix of muted backgrounds and colourful details. My line work – along with the narrative – will influence how I progressively colour it as I work though a page, fairly organically.

I rarely set out with a finished colour scheme in mind. The story as a whole dictates the mood of the colours – so from scene to scene it will change how I approach the tone. That said, I think if I’d have kept the brighter tones, the weight of some of the scenes would be lost. But at the end of the day, I am a cartoonist and I can’t resist a splash of saturated colour sometimes!

Would you care to give us a run down on your process here for Enemy Earth?

LH: Of course, nothing out of the ordinary to the process – some nice gestural loose sketches and layouts, inks and on to colours.

***Luke Horsman’s process work – page 2 of episode 1 of Enemy Earth***

Finally, as always, and at the risk of risking the wrath of Tharg, feel free to tell us all about whatever else you have coming up this year – whether it’s for Tharg or not?

LH: Currently working on more Enemy Earth, plus a few small indie titles.

CS: Phase two of Star Wars: The High Republic launches next month at NYCC which my new run of the Marvel comic of the same name launching a week or so later. I then have my annual all-age Star Wars Halloween comic coming at the end of October from Dark Horse – this year’s is titled Tales from the Rancor’s Pit – and a new original horror comic, this one definitely aimed a little bit older, coming from IDW in December. Dead Seas is a ghost story on a haunted prison ship and features incredible art from our co-creator Nick Brokenshire!

***More of Luke Horsman’s art process from page 3 of episode 1 of Enemy Earth***

Thanks to Cavan and Luke for taking the time to talk to us here – having seen the first two episodes, I can tell you that Enemy Earth is looking like a great series, hitting that sweet spot between Regened and 2000 AD, the sort of old school strip for all that 2000 AD has always been proud to feature.

The series began in 2000 AD Prog 2301, out right now everywhere Thrill Power is sold, including the 2000 AD web shop – just look for PJ Holden’s Chimpsky cover…