INTERVIEW: Simon Furman and Simon Coleby discuss THE VIGILANT!
14th August 2018
Tomorrow sees the triumphant rebirth of some familiar faces from the 1960s and ’70s with THE VIGILANT!
This US-format one-shot title resurrects those classic heroes from classic Fleetway and IPC comics, including Adam Eterno, Steel Commando, Thunderbolt, and The Leopard.
You might remember the names, you might be too young, but either way, THE VIGILANT promises something spectacular; the birth of the ‘Rebellion-verse’!
You can buy The Vigilant from all good newsagents and comic book stores, as well as from The recent interview with yourself and Len O’Grady about colour art creation for Jaegir was a fascinating glimpse into the importance of the colourist. With O’Grady colouring The Vigilant, how has the collaboration gone this time?
SC: It’s been great, as always! Len always flatters my art, and he’s brought a whole new feel to this project. I don’t want to give anything away at this stage, but it has a very different ‘feel’ to our collaborations on Jaegir, and other projects. I think we’re both very happy with the way this one has turned out.
This has been described as an intro to what’s been called the ‘Rebellion-verse’. Are there plans for more Vigilant following this first issue? And if so,…who are your dream team Vigilant members you’d love to get your hands on?
SF: Everyone’s thinking more Vigilant after the one-shot. There are just so many places to go, characters to involve, great concepts to delve into. Right now, The White Eyes are a cameo, but I’d love to more in that world. And we introduce two whole other teams of heroes in the course of the story, both of whom deserve more of a day in the sun. The problem with the Vigilant one-shot was not what to put in, but what to leave out. Dr. Sin and Death-Man (another new character) are our more overtly mystical characters, but there are others (both who guest-star in the one-shot and don’t) that I’d love to put together for a more supernaturally themed story. Honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. And more classic and much-loved characters might way come into the mix in the future. Which is looking very bright!
SC: There are several characters I’s like to take further, if the opportunity arose. Death Man and Yao are favourites, as is Steel Commando. We’ll have to see how things develop.