Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, dynamite, entertainment, peter milligan, Piotr Kowalski, Roger Ash, Terminal Hero

"It's Unlike Anything I've Ever Written" – Peter Milligan Talks Terminal Hero

Published Sat, 07 Jun 2014 18:00:39 -0500

The second series from Dynamite's new Creator Unleashed line is being released and we've got the series writer talking to Roger Ash of Westfield Comics. Peter Milligan, creator of the new series Terminal Hero tells us how the story came about and just what to expect from the project. (* Note – Milligan refers to Dynamite as Dynamic because Dynamic Forces is the parent company of Dynamite Entertainment)

ROGER ASH: What was the genesis of Terminal Hero?

PETER MILLIGAN: It started with pretty grim stuff. Someone I knew contracted a brain tumor, as it turns out just as fatal as our hero Rory's tumor is diagnosed to be at the beginning of Terminal Hero. From there I started thinking about cancer, facing mortality, ways of avoiding that and how much of the person you thought you were you'd be willing to lose or have changed, in order to stay alive. That was the beginning but as is the way with these things, the story grew and became about other things too.

RA: What appealed to you about doing this series at Dynamite?

PM: I'd been talking with Nicky Barrucci at Dynamic about doing a project with them for some time. I think creatively the company really seems to be moving in the right direction. When the idea of Terminal Hero started to form Dynamic seemed the perfect fit. This is a dark and twisted book and I wanted the license to explore some very meaty sexual and moral stuff. And Dynamic gave me a completely free hand.

RA: What can readers look forward to in the book?

PM: Though the genesis might be grim – cancer – this is not a grim book. There's a lot of humor, albeit a lot of it dark and laced with bitter poison. It's a brutal, fast, and chilling ride as we follow our hero facing up to his many, many demons. But as well as the sex, and drugs and violence and madness I like to think there's a real heart to the book, too.

RA: Who are the main characters in the story and can you tell us a bit about them?

PM: Our hero is Rory Fletcher. He's a junior doctor in London. He's a good guy. He likes listening to Bob Marley and smoking a little weed. He's told he has a tumor in his brain. Right next to the cerebral seat of any psychokinesis, psychometry, bilocaton and anything else of that nature that we might possess.

Rory's best friend is Raza, and it's Raza who discovers the banned Treatment Q, which leads to a change in Rory's fortunes.

Doctor Quigley was the cracked genius scientist who created the volatile treatment Q, a radical treatment for cancer. Quigley has officially been dead for some years, killed by his pet Alsatian dog, with who he was having an affair.

And coming in from sidelines are Mia and Minesh, who also get their hands on Treatment Q. Neither they not anything the come in contact with will ever be he same again.

RA: You're working with artist Piotr Kowalski on Terminal Hero. What can you say about your collaboration with him?

PM: I've never worked with Piotr before but it's been and continues to be great. Prior is very thorough and really cares about what he's doing. He's very good with character, which is essential in a story like Terminal Hero.

RA: Any closing comments?