Amelia Cole and the Crisis on Infinite Wars: Talking Hidden War #2

Following yesterday's release of Amelia Cole and the Hidden War #2, Adam P. Knave and D.j. Kirkbride joined ComicBook.com for our standing appointment to have a discussion on the issue--but this time they brought along artist Nick Brokenshire, which we assume was mostly in an attempt to make sure there was no way we could fit everyone's names into a headline that was interesting to read. Actually, we were quite happy to hear from Brokenshire, whose style has evolved dramatically even just between issues here, taking on a more lush, "European" look that we're only putting in air quotes because Brokenshire was European already and didn't require outside influences for that. Last time we spoke, Knave and Kirkbride teased that Brokenshire's work would look quite a bit different this series, as the creative team is enjoying the flexibility of doing shorter, 99-cent books on a monthly basis rather than the longer, $1.99 variety they produced when Amelia Cole and the Unknown World was on the (virtual) stands. Which is where our conversation starts this week. Bear in mind, this is a "commentary track"-style interview meant for readers who have already picked up Amelia Cole and the Hidden War #2. If you haven't, you should grab one and read along with us.

ComicBook.com: So, ah, seen any good movies lately? Adam P. Knave: Sort of? Kinda? Maybe? I mean it wasn't the worst thing ever... D.j. Kirkbride: I saw two-thirds or so of a really good movie! APK: Wait we're talking about Man of Steel, right? This won't end in "When I watched that movie your mom is in last night. BOOYAH!" ...right? ComicBook.com: On to Amelia: This is a really different look for the book, both in terms of rending and color. Is it cool to see what Nick has been able to do with the expanded timeline of the releases? DJK: Yeah! Part of the shorter page length was that our Monkeybrain friends seemed to be having good success with the price point, but it was also to give Nick a little more time. He doesn't like to skimp on the detail and puts his all into every page. The more he draws, the better he gets, and it's great to watch. I can't wait to see where he's at for volume 3! ComicBook.com: There's an awful lot of grief and pathos in that first sequence...and some potentially important stuff. is it safe to assume we've got some information in there that could come back and inform the rest of the story?

APK: It informs, at the least, who Amelia is today. Something a few readers actually asked about, after we had written this scene, but obviously before they could see it, was wondering where Amelia started on the road to always pushing to help people. We all thought that would be something crucial to see, for a better, richer, understanding of her. The readers feeling the same just cinches it and hopefully makes people happy. Not that it's a happy scene... DJK: It's fun to give hints of where she came from, and we also didn't want readers to forget Dani. Without resorting to ghost shenanigans (well... unless we decide to someday), she'll always be a part of the book... even though she died way back in Unknown World issue #1. ComicBook.com: I'm going to go out on a ledge and guess, based on solicitation text, that Lemmy is imbued with the spirit of the dog. Am I close? DJK: It's awesome that you're guessing! I don't want us to say one way or the other. As it is right now, I can see where you're coming from, but as a reader, I might also think maybe she just named him after her best puppy friend. Of course, it could be that Amelia's just a huge Motörhead fan. APK: Or perhaps the dog was imbued with the spirit of Lemmy from Motörhead. Wait, now I'm getting confused. That would make the current Lemmy ... Ric Ocasek, right?

Is there any special significance to the design of the land mines? I haven't seen them look like that before, although I'm not exactly a land mine expert. They kind of look like X-Boxes to me. I'm also not a gamer. DJK: We just described them as "magic landmines," and Nick took it from there. Maybe we should ask him... ? APK: Let's go to the source! Nick? NB: The land mine designs were based on some old fashioned landmines that I'd seen. It did occur to me that they look like x boxes and I found that perversely amusing! ComicBook.com: You know, you said just last month that one of the things you have to explain to people all the time is that this is a comic with a female lead who always keeps her clothes on. Was this issue a little wink-and-a-nod to that? APK: Maaaaybe. Could Hospital Gown Woman be the new thing? Actually I think she still wore more than a lot of superhero characters. DJK: I've accidentally shown a lot more skin in hospital gowns, so Amelia should consider herself lucky. APK: Thanks for that mental image, man. By which I mean WAUGH!

ComicBook.com: She jumps right to accusing the Magistrate of sexism. Is that her trying to put him on the defensive or is that something that you want to cultivate for the future? DJK: It's probably due to that pompous air he gives off. Hopefully it's clear that he does treat her differently than he did Hector. Of course, there are other reasons for that, too, as his motivations and actions are evolving as his situation with the Council evolves... crap, am I saying too much? APK: Not at all! But this also isn't the first time we've seen the Mag be a bit condescending to Amelia. She takes it as sexism, and it is, but we've also just seen he doesn't think as highly of anyone who isn't him. ComicBook.com: Because I know he's not above inserting some in-jokes in the background, I'm just going to ask this: Is that green guy in Garza's company inspired by Invincible's Allen the Alien? DJK: Hmm... that's another great question for Nick, though I do want to go on record as saying Allen the Alien is one of my favorites in that awesome comic book. APK: Allen is great! NB: I've only read one issue of invincible so I don't know who Allen the Alien is! I based him purely on the discussions about what creatures might inhabit the Unknown World that we'd had in the past. There's a similar guy in issue #4 of Unknown World. ComicBook.com: It's interesting that the soldiers are out there learning right along with the readers in terms of what the monsters in the desert are all about. Is that part of what makes the war hidden? :) APK: This month the war is hidden in terms of how many fronts it has, for everyone involved. DJK: Lots of secrets in this war... hmmm, would Amelia Cole and the Secret War have been a better title? Wait. APK: I thought we were gonna go with Amelia Cole and the Crisis on Infinite Wars? ComicBook.com: Our ex-Protector is just not having a good go of it these last few months, eh? Are we to read between the lines that perhaps the attack was meant for him? DJK: He has been having a rough time of things. He's a guy who is trying to do the right thing, but just interpreting things incorrectly sometimes and getting in way over his head. He made some HUGE mistakes in Unknown World that probably upset a great many people, both in the public, and some, well, shadier characters. But aren't specifically saying who the attack was meant for, other than possibly just the "others" in the war, in this case The Omega Company. APK: And though he may be having a rough time physically - from a mental/spiritual sense he isn't being thrust as a pawn around a board, and can make his own clear choices to be the man he wants. So really, is that a bad time or not? ComicBook.com: Is that "ut" a battle cry a la Flaming Carrot or just a sound effect as she grabs onto the bus? APK: It's an exclamation of effort. But also I know I'm a huge Flaming Carrot fan. I was lucky enough, one NYCC, to sit next to Bob Burden. Great guy, great creator. The Dead Dog Got Up And Flew Around The Room is still one of the best comics done by man or beast. DJK: How can one not love the Flaming Carrot? APK: I honestly don't know. Did I tell you how Burden pranked me at the con? Yeah, that happened. ComicBook.com: And with that bus, we're back around to the movies...funny how things get in the aether and they just...hit all at once. DJK: Ah! Yeah, haha. This is our second school bus save. Look, saving a school bus is a great way to show your characters as heroic. (Which is kind of odd, considering Hector was the school buss savior in the last volume... hmmm.) APK: School buses are a classic thing. Children in danger, and all that jazz. We got to use it to show Hector wasn't all bad guy and now we have Amelia doing it as well. Though, notice who did it better. Heh.