DF Interview: Dan Panosian brings you back to explore the dark corners of his Wonderland in ‘Alice Never After’

By Byron Brewer

Alice finally got her wish. Wonderland has become her new home, but with her abuser's avatar with the uncanny grin turning the mad residents of a moonstruck world against her, she's clawing for a little rationality amongst the chaos.

As Alice's sister Edith and her childhood friend Earl fight for a way to bring her back, Alice has to contend with whether or not her torment is due to her father, herself, or maybe a curious combination of both.

Writer/artist Dan Panosian (Unkindness of Ravens, Black Tape) and artist Giorgio Spalletta (007: For King & Country) explore the morbid side of escapism in this twisted tale that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. All I needed to see was Dan’s name, and I was on board! Here’s what the author told me when we discussed Alice Never After.

Byron Brewer: Dan, what can you tell readers about this latest version of Alice in Wonderland? Just by its name, Alice Never After, things are expected by the reader to be a tad topsy-turvy. But it was that aspect of the original original that made same a classic. What is going on in this sequel limited series? Can you give us a kind of overview other than “read the book” please?

Dan Panosian: In Alice Ever After, Alice first visited Wonderland as a child. Now an adult, it’s her only escape from her cold, strange reality. But in order to return, Alice needs something stronger than mushrooms, and is forced to resort to crime to feed her growing addiction… When this fateful decision takes her a step too far down a terrible path, Alice finds herself committed to the dreaded asylum. Sadly, the head mistress and the doctor attempt what is basically a lobotomy on poor Alice and she’s left in Wonderland. Permanently!

Or is she…? That’s where we begin this arc. Can Alice come back to reality? Does she even want to?

Byron: Before we discuss this absolutely madcap (as if this tale needed MORE madness, LOL) iteration of the Alice saga, explain how artist Giorgio Spalletta and yourself are sharing labor on this epic mag. I assume BOTH of you are doing some of the art?

Dan Panosian: In the first series, I tackled the Wonderland pages and Giorgio handled the pages that took place in London. Now the roles are reversed!

I discovered Giorgio on InstaGram and introduced him to BOOM! Studios. Of course when they saw his work, they knew he was perfect for the job!

Byron: Wonderland is such an awesome stage to work with, in any variation, IMHO. Tell readers about the canvas we are about to enter and at least an aspect or two (without spoilers, natch!) that may surprise Alice connoisseurs in the way you have “twisted” same.

Dan Panosian: It’s going to be both familiar to readers but still full of surprises.  We’re introducing a bunch of new characters that we hope will excite the readers!  I know I’m excited! It’s such a fun series to work on. It really doesn’t feel like work at all!

Byron: Give readers your take on Alice herself. Who is she in Alice Never After?

Dan Panosian: Like all of us, we think we know ourselves pretty well. We tell ourselves, “Oh, if that particular thing happened to me, I’d do this or I would do that…” But sometimes that particular thing DOES happen and… you discover you don’t know yourself as well as you thought you did. In this series, Alice is discovering who she really is and what is truly important to her and why. 

Byron: What characters readers may be familiar with appear in the limited series? And, if so, how may they be different?

Dan Panosian: The core characters are all there. The Queen of Hearts was the Head Mistress from the asylum and the Cheshire Cat turns out to be a twisted version of Alice’s father. It gets a little weird. Alright, it gets VERY weird!

Byron: Any new characters from the ol’ Panosian Imaginarium making their debut in this tale?

Dan Panosian: There are! There’s a few and they’re as wonderful and annoying as a lot of the characters in Wonderland! Wonderland sounds like paradise in theory – but Alice might not think so by the time the series is over!

Byron: Speaking – as we once were (this is kinda getting like Wonderland, haha!) – about the subject, talk about the art of Giorgio Spalletta. It will be interesting for readers, I think, from the perspective of a writer (yourself) who is also an artist!

Dan Panosian: He’s terrific and he loves this series as much as I do. His version of Wonderland is a visual treat! He’s very creative and with an environment like this, he has free reign to let his imagination run wild! Our colorist, Francesco Segala. is also a master! Such a talented painter! We’re very lucky to have them both on board!

Byron: Dan, what other projects in which you are involved can you tell readers about?

Dan Panosian: Black Tape from AWA just wrapped up and the TPB will be available over the Summer. It’s a story about Satanism and Rock ‘N Roll in the early 70’s…

John Tiffany, a European graphic novel I drew a few years ago, has finally been translated and both volumes are being combined by Mad Cave. We also added some pages too! I’m very excited.

Canary, a horror Western tale written by Scott Snyder and drawn by me, is wrapping up next month and then it will be released by Dark Horse Comics. I can’t wait till it sees print!

And lastly, I’m not sure I can talk about it yet, I’m writing a very special brand new series for Dynamite coming up very soon. We already have four issues wrapped up! I’m itching to get started on the covers!

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Dan Panosian for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Alice Never After #1 (of 5) from BOOM! Studios is slated to be on sale July 26^th!

For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces.

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