Prospects is an unusual idea but it works all the same through combining many different elements and genres together to create a spliced narrative filled with many unique twists and turns. AP2HYC are proud to talk with Maxwell Majernik, the creator of this very comic book experience, and discover how this idea came to fruition, why Zombies and Cyborgs are fighting one another and just how proud Maxwell is of his work.
AP2HYC: What inspired you to create Prospects?
Majernik: It’s a bit of a weird story in terms of how the story began. I have a friend who was getting back into art. I wanted to put together a story that he would be interested in and would be more likely to want to work on. I started to build a world I knew he would be interested in. He’s a fan of horror, sci-fi, and violence, so the world of Prospects began to slowly come to be. End of the day, he passed on my initial pitch but it was an idea I really enjoyed and started to flesh out.
AP2HYC: Reading Prospects for the first time and following the life of Colin certainly gave me a false sense of security as to where the narrative was going. Is this the response you wanted from all your readers: a sense of confusion and intrigue as they delved deeper into the world of Prospects?
Majernik: I definitely did! I wanted the beginning to feel as close to real life as possible. There is a feeling of comfort that comes with monotony. I thought it would be interesting to not bring attention to the zombies and cyborgs and not have them be in the forefront. The less focus on them makes them feel more normal in this world, which is how the characters feel with them always being in their backyard and I wanted to capture the same feeling for the readers.
AP2HYC: I have to say I didn’t expect to see Cyborgs fighting Zombies, so that was both surprising and awesome! Could you tell us what made you come up with this imagery?
Majernik: There is a reason in the story that will be revealed later, but I also just love zombies and cyborgs! They are a great outlet for creativity and the way Jean draws different kinds of both makes them a blast to be in the story.
AP2HYC: Expanding further on that question, could you tell us some background into how you created the world of Prospects and how the world’s structure works?
Majernik: It is a bit of a tough question, because much more of the world is going to be revealed in later issues. What I can say is that Prospects focuses on a normal town, full of normal people who have normal problems, which happens to have a mad scientist problem. Peeling away the scientists and their armies, the story is about the stress of decisions and expectations.
AP2HYC: With the narrative blending together the norm with supernatural and horror elements, would you say that Prospects has a unique style of storytelling in terms of how the world is revealed and how it comes together?
Majernik: I would like to think so! I was heavily influenced by Shaun of the Dead. The SotD, the main character’s life is falling apart…and there just so happens to be a zombie outbreak at the same time. I loved how incredibly grounded the characters and relationships felt, and the feeling was something I wanted to created in my own story.
AP2HYC: I couldn’t help but notice that the drawing style feels cartoony. Was this always your original intention or did it simply develop that way?
Majernik: Yes! And I couldn’t have found a more perfect artist! Jean Franco is literally everything I could have asked for to bring together Prospects. Bringing it back to the first question of comfort, I feel that cartoony style creates a feeling of nostalgia and warmth from watching them as a kid. To slice that feeling with the detailed gore of the battles, creates an interesting dynamic and pushes against the comfort you expect when you see the bold lines and stylized cartoon style.
AP2HYC: Would you say, like Colin’s character, the drawing style can also give the reader a false sense of security as to what kind of story they are getting themselves into?
Majernik: 100%!
AP2HYC: Did you think that Prospects would be as popular as it is and are you proud of this achievement?
Majernik: I am incredibly proud of what Prospects has become. It started as a funny one liner, which was later cut, and became a successful comic kickstarter. This is my first project as a writer and it was very nerve wracking showing my work to so many people. Seeing this much positive response and people willing to invest in my dream, has been extremely humbling.
AP2HYC: And finally, where do you intend to take the story of Prospects and have you got any other ideas/or stories that you wish to develop in the future?
Majernik: I have Prospects outlined to be 9 issues. There is a definite beginning, middle, and end to Colin and Andrew’s story. It is going to be a wild ride and I hope I get to bring the whole story to the public.
There are other ideas I am working on. Some serious and some not so serious in being made. I hope to be able to present my newest pitch to an artist by the end of summer, but we will see.
If you haven’t read Prospects yet, go do it now! It’s a great read and will leave you both confused and intrigued all at once. For further information check out our review of Prospects #1. We at AP2HYC would like to thank Maxwell for his time, and all the hard work he has put into making his dream a reality. We wish him the best of luck for the future of this project and everything else to come.
