Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: A Voice in the Dark, image, Larime Taylor

Larime Taylor Is A Voice In The Dark

Published Thu, 03 Oct 2013 17:00:08 -0500

Alasdair Stuart writes;

As sting lines go you don't get much better than that. I was contacted a little while back about A Voice in the Dark, a new horror series debuting in November and focusing on a radio host trying to deal with her own demons whilst simultaneously exploring those of her callers. I was contacted about it because I host Pseudopod, a weekly horror fiction podcast and was really pleased to get the call. Stories about radio shows hit me where I live and always have. Midnight Caller and Northern Exposure were massive influences on me as a kid and Pontypool is in my top five favorite movies. I was fascinated to see what Larime had done with the idea and was blown away by what I read. The review will be along in a bit, but in the meantime I talked to Larime about the book.

Tell us a little about Voice in the Dark.

A Voice in the Dark is the story of Zoey Aaorons, a young college student and budding serial killer. It's an origin story, really, of how she got on the path of serial murder and what drove her there in the first place. It's also a coming-of-age story. Zoey has to learn to deal with what she is with no real support or outside help. She wants a normal life, but has to come to terms with the urges and compulsions she's always felt. Is she a monster? Can she channel it? That's basically what the book is about.

What's the long term plan for the book? Is it an ongoing or a mini?

It's a monthly ongoing series. I plan to have an issue out every month, no breaks, and really get back to the roots of comics. Trades will come out a month or three after an arc ends, but there won't be time off inbetween. I'll be jumping straight into the next arc.

There's some really subtle visual work in there, especially dealing with multiple personalities. How did you come to that idea?

It's not exactly multiple personalities – it's more a manifestation of her darker side, a way to visually illustrate the struggle she has internally. Comics being a visual medium, I have to show and not tell, so you get things like her conversations with her dark side in the mirror. It's more visually interesting to see that play out than to just have bickering caption boxes.

What inspired the book?

Originally it was supposed to be a parody of the slasher horror genre and play with all the tropes and conventions, but it grew into something more serious and independent along the way. Turning the tropes on their heads made for some interesting and unexpected dynamics, so I'm running with that.

What's next for it?

Just keeping it on a monthly schedule. I'm well ahead of my deadlines, and I work pretty fast, too. It shouldn't be a problem.

There's an implication that we're going to shift protagonists as people start phoning in to the show. Is that something you'll be exploring?

I don't know if I'd say they become the protagonists, but the radio show does let me play with other ideas and perspectives. It'll be a good outlet for a number of ideas.

A Voice in the Dark is available in November from Image and I can't recommend it highly enough. if you're a horror fan, you need this book.

Larime Taylor Is A Voice In The Dark