It’s been tens of millions of years since dinosaurs roamed the earth, but the planet’s new inhabitants have not forgotten the “terrible lizards.” In “The Chicxulub Impact,” a short comic in the upcoming Becoming Anthology, writer Kyle Lawrence explores what might have happened back then…and how dinosaurs became such a huge part of our modern world. We spoke to Kyle about the comic, his inspirations and creative process, and more!
It’s been a while since our last interview, Kyle! How have things been over the last year and a half for you, creatively speaking?
Lots going on. I’ve got several anthology appearances in the pipeline. The most recent was in Unlikely Heroes’ Elsewhere Volume 2. You can find it on Comixology. Been developing scripts for new stories as well. One is about arson, the other is about a giant turtle. Cross your fingers they end up on store shelves.
Your short comic “The Chicxulub Impact” will appear in the Becoming Anthology. It’s kind of massive, but just 8 pages long! How did you fit so much scope into such a short script?
[The script] being dialog-less helped a lot, and I have to thank artists Feli White and Franco Colman for making my fevered descriptions fit the page. The interesting thing about a visual medium like comics is you can squeeze the passage of time into a few panels, like they’re windows into the most poignant parts.
Readers could probably Google this, but it will be fun to see how spell it out: How do you pronounce “Chicxulub”?
I pronounce it “shik-zuh-luhb,” but you’d be better off asking Wikipedia. I hear they’re a smart fella.
The creative team behind the comic—you, Feli White, and Franco Colman—seem to have come together with a strong vision for this project. Can you tell us what the creative process was like?
The script came from me. I sent that over to Feli, who would provide a visual outline, then inks, and Franco would grace the page with his colors from there. At each step I’d overview the process and ask for adjustments where I felt [they were] necessary.
What is your favorite piece of dinosaur-related media?
The Land Before Time. I watched that film religiously as a kid, giving me a lifetime love for Don Bluth films. I also carried around a Yoshi plush for far longer than I should have.
What are you currently reading, listening to, and/or watching? Would you recommend any of it to other comics writers?
Big question. I’m always gorging on some type of media, and if I listed it all we’d run out of page space. I’m watching the Loki series on Disney+, very interesting direction for that character. I’ve gotten into psychology and esotericism through some great YouTube channels. I have ADHD, so I always like to keep my brain entertained.
Are you working on anything new that our readers can keep their eyes on?
I’m working on developing scripts, got a few anthologies coming out and I’ve been pitching to publishers wherever I can.
Where can our readers find you online?
Twitter: @hail_king_rex
Instagram: splenda_papi_
or email me at Kingrex929@gmail.com
BECOMING
The space between origin and destination, as imagined by 37 diverse creators in 16 short comics.
A comics anthology by Oneshi Press, launching October 18th on Kickstarter.
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