The Writer of The Warriors Comes Out To Play:
An
Interview with David Atchison
By
Michael
C. Riedlinger
Editor-In-Chief
David Atchison is a writer who has
exploded onto the comics scene in the last two
years. His projects are the stuff
of legends. He first worked with
Rosario Dawson on Occult Crimes Taskforce. Then, last year, he penned the occult/kung fu/ hip-hop book Method Man. Now, Dabel Brothers Publishing has chosen him to write The Warriors, based on Walter Hill’s classic 1979 film. The thing is, he doesn’t
have a Wikipedia page, his IMDB listing is practically pay-per-view because his
projects are all still new, and Amazon gets him confused with an
ophthalmologist. When we were
presented the opportunity for some Q&A time with Mr. Atchison, you had
better believe we jumped at it.
Dorkgasm: First and foremost,
who are you as a writer? Many of the folks writing non-superhero comics
seem to be British and White, but you are neither. Does this make a
difference? Do you think it even matters?
Atchison: I think a writer's background helps to
give them a unique perspective. Martin Luther King Jr.
said to truly appreciate a person you have to appreciate every aspect of who
they are. Race/ nationality is
just one of the things that makes me or any writer
unique. Rather than ignore it, I embrace it. I use the unique facets of my identity to bring a different
perspective to story.
Dorkgasm: What is your background? Before The Warriors, you worked on Rosario Dawson’s Occult Crimes Taskforce and Method
Man, but what else have you done? Did you attend college to become a
writer, or is this just something you managed by force of will and sheer
talent?
Atchison: My background? I was a journalist for the Air Force and Air Force Reserve. The military taught me how to "just put things on
paper." A big part of writing is just getting it down. You can always (and should) revise once it's on paper. Some people are scared of writing things down. They want everything to be perfect
before they touch the keyboard. The
military helped me to get past that. I also learned a good deal of writing through practical
application. Before the Occult Crimes Taskforce and the Method Man Graphic Novel, I was an
editor and writer for a Pop-culture/ Sequential Art Anthology called Authentic. Learning
to write can be a lot like learning to walk. You have to stumble before you get the hang of it. Authentic
was where I first attempted to walk.
Along the way I also got a lot of advice
from pros: Dan Jolley, David Mack, Cully Hamner, Brian Stelfreeze and
Georges Jeanty were the pros most influential in
helping me break into entertainment writing.
a. Dan Jolley suggested “the Heroes’ Journey” by
Chris Volger
b. David Mack validated my indie work as being equally as valid as any big
company thing (a lesson I still thank him for)
c. Cully Hamner stressed to me the difference between
what a story IS about and the details of story.
d. Brian Stelfreeze did too much to name here- hours
of critiques, talks, edits and lessons.
e. Georges Jeanty routinely offered advice, pro
experience, contacts and encouragement.
Dorkgasm: So how did you end up writing comics as opposed to say,
reporting for the Washington Post or Newsweek?
Atchison: I actually do write for a couple of
media outlets from time to time, but comics are my passion. I got in by writing anything I could and
showing that work to professionals who were interested in giving feedback to newbies. I
made sure I was always "up to something" at shows. I also invested my own capitol in a
couple of projects. That really
helped me get a better understanding on how projects turn out. I would
liken getting into comics to getting into the Rap Music Game. A mix tape and an indie book have a lot
in common. They both show the
bigger performers and labels (i.e. Paying Companies) what you can do. It gives them a basis to see if they're interested in trying you out on new things. The better the quality of the mix tape,
the more people will listen. The
more people who listen, the bigger the buzz. The same can be said of comics.
I was also cordial and respectful. No one wants to talk to an asshole for an extended period of time. One should never be a kiss ass, but showing creators respect
goes a long way. Making friends in
the comic industry is no different from making friends in any other
professional industry.
Dorkgasm: That brings us to The Warriors. Do you
plan to bring anything new to the story, like Walter Hill did when he adapted
the novel, or are we seeing just a straight translation?
Atchison:
We had to bring something new to translate the material. Comic books and films are similar but
comic books are a different medium. We're trying to take the same approach to adapting the comic
that Walter Hill probably took to adapting the book: we want to take the
strongest elements of our medium and combine them with the strongest elements
of the film. You can emphasize
drama in comic books in a way that you can't in any
other medium.
Dorkgasm: When it comes to adapting a text that’s already been shown in a visual medium, what are the
hardest challenges you face as a writer?
Atchison:
The hardest challenge is creating something that is familiar and new at
the same time. People have an idea
and emotional experience they expect when dealing with material they've consumed in the past. It can be a daunting task to give them what they love and [still]
give them something new. It's like trying to improve a cheeseburger when the people
you're cooking for feel the cheeseburger is perfect as it is.
Dorkgasm: The
Warriors are a mixed bag of characters. Who is your favorite, and why?
Atchison: It's hard to
say. They're all cool at some point or another. Snow is consistently enjoyable because
he just soldiers along. Ajax has a
Wolverine-like, loose cannon quality. Swan and Mercy's relationship was fun to watch play out. Rembrandt is a great little brother
character. Vermin is just a hard-luck
kind of guy who can't seem to catch a break from
anyone, even his own friends. I
could go on... I really do like them
all.
Dorkgasm: Okay, so then who is your least
favorite?
Atchison: Cowboy. I didn't get a sense of who he was
as much as the others.
Dorkgasm: Do you see the gang members in THE
WARRIORS as more like superheroes or caricatures of gang life circa 1979?
Atchison: Neither, I see them as a band of
brothers. I've
always seen them as sort of an independent/ underground military unit trapped
behind enemy lines.
Dorkgasm: Is that a view you’ve
always held, or does that come from your time in the Air Force?
Atchison: I've always
held that view. As a kid, they seemed like some kind of "kid army”. They held positions like "War Chief" (Cleon and
then Swan), they had an intel
guy (Fox) and they had a cavalier/ drummer boy/ mascot (Rembrandt).
Dorkgasm: With the comic, you stuck with Walter
Hill’s comic book opening from The Director’s Cut. Are you using that
version of the film exclusively for this project, or are you pooling from all
the versions available?
Atchison: We're pooling
from all versions available. The
Director's Cut offers the most information but the standard version is the most
identifiable with fans. I also did
some independent research and pulled in little notes from the Director's
commentary as well.
Dorkgasm: Why do you feel Hill went with the
comic book angle? Is it purely a nod to the novel (wherein a character
carries around a comic about Anabasis), or is Hill saying something more?
Atchison: I think the comic book angle added to
the pseudo sci-fi feel that Walter Hill was going for. The movie had a
post apocalyptic influence and the comic book stuff played into that.
Dorkgasm: The late 70’s, when the film came out,
was a time of crazy political and economic upheaval, what with the gas shortage
and the start of problems in Iran. It’s why we
started to see a ton of dystopian stuff, zombie films, and the apocalypse at
every turn, both in comics and the movies. Do you think that the current
social climate has anything to do with the recent resurgence in popularity of The Warriors? Does it help or harm
you as a writer to tell a story like this in a time of uncertainty?
Atchison:
That's a really good question. We're definitely in a time of uncertainty, but I don't think
the apocalyptic future that is a logical conclusion to our problems is the same
as the one they foresaw the 70s. The
Warriors resurgence probably has to do with the Millenials
fascination with the 80s. Warriors came out in ‘79, but it
remained popular through the early 80s and the 80s are hot right now. The Millenials
didn't live through it.
Dorkgasm: What happened to Ajax after the police nabbed him? Did The Orphans ever seek revenge?
There’s all sorts of unanswered questions left over after the film, so do
you plan on expanding on The Warriors
universe either in the confines of this adaptation, or afterwards, with a new
series?
Atchison:
Dabel Bros. will be expanding on The Warriors Universe with a series. I'm not at liberty to say what else
they've got coming up but there is some COOL stuff on the way and if I was a
betting man, I'd bet some of your questions will be answered in bloody,
kick-ass comic detail. It's definitely a good time to be a Warriors fan.
Dorkgasm: That’s
actually really awesome news! Are you sure you can’t
tell us anything? Maybe give us something to salivate
over? Will you be working any of the forthcoming new material into
this series?
Atchison:
Hmmm. Well, it wouldn't surprise me if there
was a book or two that answered some of the unanswered questions of the movie. It also wouldn't
surprise me if you got to see some of the other gangs in action. As for my involvement... I do love The Warriors, so we'll see.
Dorkgasm: Do you think The Warriors did anything to the public perception of gang life for
our generation?
Atchison: The
Warriors did as much for the public perception of gangs as Mad Max helped the public perception of
highway patrolmen. It's a great film, but I think it's a better example of camaraderie
and loyalty than it is of gang life.
Dorkgasm: That’s a
really good observation. Do you think this sense of loyalty and
camaraderie is something culled from the gangs though, or is that something
inherent in the stories because of its origins as a military tale?
Atchison:
A little of both.
Gangs and military units have a
lot in common. A military is
essentially a gang that's hooked up with a
governmental body. It's sort of a sovereign gang with standards and rules. Look at a military force like the
Spartans. Some guys in Sparta [up]
and decide they're going to protect it. Over years that
protection force becomes more formal and develop standards and regulations. They evolve. U.S. Forces started out as militias. I'm sure the
British viewed them that way. No
one outside of their circles viewed them as a real military until the nation
was established.
Dorkgasm: For a while now there have been rumors
that Tony Scott will remake The Warriors for Paramount. How do you feel
about this in particular, and about the trend of remaking every
late-70s/early-80s property Hollywood can get its hands on?
Atchison:
Retrotainment is hit or miss for me. I think it has a lot to do with the creative team's
sentiment. The audience can tell
when someone is trying to make a quick buck off a known property. They can also tell when someone really
loves the source material and thought about what the original film was trying
to say. If Scott captures the real
story, the loyalty, the camaraderie, the sense of inner-city revolution and the
kick ass fighting, a remake could be cool.
Dorkgasm: So then, if you could guarantee it was done right, what from your childhood do you think would
be cool to see remade and upgraded?
Atchison:
Without a doubt- D.A.R.Y.L.
(Data Analyzing Robot Youth Lifeform). It was a film
starring Barrett Oliver (from Neverending
Story) about a kid who had a robot brain. I love that film.
Dorkgasm:
I have to agree, that would kick all form of ass. It was one of the few computer movies I
remember that didn’t fall back on “kewl
grafix” like War
Games or Tron. So, what’s
next for you after The Warriors?
Are you sticking with comics, or is there another medium in which you’re looking to ply your trade?
Atchison: I've got a
another book coming out this summer that's going to be announced soon. There's a new Occult
Crimes Taskforce Miniseries on the way and I'm working on a television show
called True Believer for Sci-Fi
Channel.
So
that’s it folks.
With any luck, maybe we’ll see a sneak trailer of D.A.R.Y.L. at a comic con one of these summers, but The Warriors is something you can go
check out now! We’ve
got a review of it here.
For those fans looking to follow David and his career from here on out, here’s a cheat sheet:
http://www.thewritedna.com
http://thewritedna.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/popculturalist
http://twitter.com/popculturalist