Coheed & Cambria's Claudio Sanchez, Chondra Echert Talk Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV Series

Progressive metal band Coheed and Cambria released Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Part One: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness in 2005. The concept album told the latest chapter in a long sci-fi saga imagined by the band's frontman, Claudio Sanchez.

For years, Sanchez has been adapted that saga, The Amory Wars, into comic book form. The adaption has now reached the events of Good Apollo, and the first issue of The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV hit comic book stores in April.

ComicBook.com interview Sanchez and his wife and co-writer ChondraEchcert about finally bringing Good Apollo to comics, the major shakeups it heralds for The Amory Wars, and what its like revisiting this material over a decade after its release.

You can see see an exclusive preview of The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV #2, releasing in May, in the gallery below.

Where do we find our protagonists as the new series picks up, and what can you say about the journey they'll be experiencing in this chapter of the saga?

CLAUDIO SANCHEZ & CHONDRA ECHERT: Our protagonists are just where we left them in the last chapter—aboard the Grail Arbor after a near victory at House Atlantic, plotting their next move to help Claudio ease into his metamorphosis as the Crowing to end Wilhelm Ryan's reign of terror once and for all.

What can tell us but Ryder, the Writer, and his role in The Amory Wars?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: Ryder has always been present, in that his rules have always applied within the fiction of The Amory Wars. As the creative force behind the story, this installation gives us a snapshot into his own life and the things that are affecting him and in turn, guiding the fiction. We watch as Ryder's intense fixation with his work moves into unhealthy territory, driving him to the brink of his own sanity. The Writer is inspired by creators who are at risk of becoming hostages of their own minds. Think Jack Nicholson in The Shining with a dash of Vonnegut thrown in.

How does the introduction of the Writer, effect the tone, style, and flow of The Amory Wars?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: Oh, we take a left turn, that's for sure. Ha! It certainly brings a meta element to the story and opens a dimension that has been driving things quietly behind the scenes.

The story of Good Apollo seems to be about free will vs. predestination. Was that a theme you were interested in digging deep into or is it more about creating tension in the story?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: Absolutely. Over the couple of years this story has taken to plot out, the idea of free will has continuously been a major theme that we discuss to death. There are obviously major parallels in our own world—concepts of religion and god's predetermined divine plan versus the idea of making your own path via choice. What makes someone a savior or a monster? If there is indeed a rough outline to this universe, can the course of one's decisions change that sequence of events? We explored this a lot also in our last series, Translucid.

It's a big year for Good Apollo Part 1. This series was announced alongside Coheed & Cambria's upcoming Good Apollo-centric tour. What's it been like revisiting and immersing yourself in this material 12-years after its debut?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: It's been a lot of fun and definitely a trip back in time. From a story perspective, I'm grateful to be able to explore some avenues that we couldn't in the original piece. When the record came out along with the comic 12 years ago, most of our attention was directed at the music. But knowing what we know now about creating, it's easier to look back at the comic material and fix some of those holes. As far as the album goes, it was a lot of fun going back into those sessions and rediscovering how involved the creation of that album really was. Then, sitting in for the vinyl mastering, for me, it solidified how ambitious it was for a bunch of derelicts with a major label budget.

The Amory War has been with you for a long time. What's the experience of seeing it visualized by Rags Morales been like? How does it compare to how you've envisioned it in your own mind?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: Every artist who works on this story adds something unique to the mythology, in our minds. While I have a concept of how I envision things to look, it's really amazing to see how someone else might interpret that design and bring their own imprint to the worlds. We are very excited to be working with Rags [Morales] on this book. He is a master of expression and has brought so much emotion to these characters.

Without giving too much away, can you offer any hint about which part of Good Apollo you're most excited for yourself and for your readers to see in comic book form?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: Ultimately—and this stretches beyond just the Fear Through the Eyes of Madness story and into No World for Tomorrow—it's the Willing Well and how its introduction impacts the future of The Amory Wars.

Any last teases, hints, or messages for fans?

SANCHEZ & ECHERT: This series is truly written with the fans in our hearts and minds. It's a testament to how a group of people who care about something can fuel its longevity, making stories timeless and without expiration.

The Amory Wars: Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV #2 (of 12)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writers: Claudio Sanchez & Chondra Echert
Artist: Rags Morales
Cover Artists:
Main: Rags Morales
Fan Variant: Jeremy Sorrell
Format: 32 pages, full color
Price: $3.99
On sale: 5/3/17
Synopsis: Ambellina and Chase are convinced that Claudio is The Crowing, but how can one simply accept that his fate is to destroy all things?