Meet Greg Griffith, Writer

Greg Griffith is a poet, writer, and visionary from London. He has recorded music under the persona of Mr Griméz The Anti Hero. In 2004, he started to develop a comic for his character Mr Griméz. In his words, "It went through a development hell process, and now in 2012 the comic book has risen from the ashes." Check out sample pages of the comic, illustrated by Caroline Harrington, on Facebook.

1. Who is Mr. Griméz, and what's his world like?

Mr Griméz (Grim-éz) is a warrior from the Sulari clan. The purpose of the Sulari clan is to eliminate the parasite race known as the Hyperons. In the first issue of this comic, we see the reality of Mr Griméz become distorted due to a situation. Can he overcome the challenge, or will he be consumed by negativity which could take him off his warrior path? With all the chaos and confusion in London, how does a warrior maintain his sanity due this situation?

2. What inspired you to use a retro style for your comic?

It's no secret that I am a fan of the 1990s, but I do appreciate comics, movies, cartoons from the 1980s, 1970s, and even 1960s. I do prefer hand drawn comics & cartoons--it feels more organic.

My retro-style comic sucks you into the dimension of a gloomy London hit by a recession. The artwork shows you that London is a damaged place due to manipulation of Hyperons. Even though the comic may seem dark and miserable, it's animated with a sense of humor and philosophy.

Retro comics are a part of history and should not be forgotten or censored. Since digital comics are flooding the marketplace, I think it's good to bring back the nostalgia of the art form in the digital age.

3. What's your process for collaborating with Caroline Harrington?

Firstly I build up the concepts in my mind. Then I go through a filtering process with the ideas. I write the script, and then I do some filtering with certain scenes and the dialog. While this is happening, Caroline is illustrating my vision of the characters in the comic.

When I sent the complete script to Caroline, she did a draft version of comic to make sure I was happy with the ideas presented. Then--ka-blam!--Mr Griméz Anti Hero London Terrorist Part 1 was born.

4. Why is the comic format the best way to tell your character's story?

I feel that the comic format will inspire people to do more reading. This could be a starting point for some people to eventually read books to help build their knowledge. Some people may find reading books a hard time, but reading a comic is much easier. The artwork engages them with the story and sparks their imagination. I do believe imagination is important, so it would be great if adults start using it more.

I did try to write a book version of Mr Griméz, but I felt it didn't have the same impact as the comic. The comic creates the right atmosphere for the reader. Sit back, read it, and enjoy the adventure.

5. What would your advice be to someone who wants to write a comic but hasn't tried writing comics before?

Ask yourself the question: what stories would you like to see in a comic book format? Never take the safe option and create what everyone else is doing. For example, if the most popular genre right now is a zombie invasion, then try writing about something completely different. Mix and match concepts together to form one concept. Your comic book idea might take a long time to manifest but be patient with it. Use your imagination and think of the unbelievable and don't be afraid to take a risk. Embrace your creativity and don't allow yourself to be a lifeless robot thinker.

Thanks, Greg!