DF Interview: Zac Thompson takes us on a journey of friends through horror – while they sleep – in ‘Cemetery Kids Don’t Die’

By Byron Brewer

The 21st century is disgusting, but it's been made somewhat tolerable by the latest and greatest media innovation to finally unseat the iPhone. Enter the Dreamwave: the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep.

Now the obsession of millions around the globe, it's also the one point of solace for four friends whose lives have been marred by trauma and dysfunction. Together, this group of ultra-online "Cemetery Kids" spend their nights roaming the open world of the most immersive and brutal horror game ever created: Nightmare Cemetery. Together they seek to dethrone an enigmatic humanoid monster known only as the King of Sleep.

Which was fun—until one of them doesn't wake up . . . and finds their consciousness locked inside a horror game that is anything but imaginary. Now, the three remaining Cemetery Kids must navigate the game’s forbidden landscape to rescue their friend . . . and pray that the secret lurking at its center doesn't follow them home.

From Oni Press comes Cemetery Kids Don’t Die by writer Zac Thompson and artist Daniel Irizarri. I recently discussed the limited series with the scribe.

Byron Brewer: Zac, I would not be surprised to see the elements of this book actually appear in a Christmas catalogue sooner rather than later. That is where we seem headed. I might have overshot my wad here, but can you tell readers the inspiration for Cemetary Kids Don’t Die, and was this something that brewed awhile on the Zac Bac Burner?

Zac Thompson: The inspiration for the book was really born out of years playing World of Warcraft with my little brother. It was a huge bonding experience for the two of us. We connected in that online space better than we did in the real world and it was basically the foundation of our friendship going into adulthood. It was a strange experience because at the time there wasn’t really anything like World of Warcraft. It was this highly immersive second life where we could be different people.

Later in life, I’ve become really fascinated by the ways technology forces us to separate pieces of ourselves into distinct identities. There’s the you on Twitter, the you on Instagram and that’s different from the you that you are with your family or friends. That plurality is really fascinating to me. So I started to explore what it would be like to create a highly immersive video game that you played in your sleep. After all, you’re a different you in your dreams. I’m a massive fan of David Cronenberg’s Existenz and think it was profoundly ahead of its time in talking about second lives and the manufactured worlds of video games. That naturally led to creating a new riff on a WoW experience but through a more Nightmare on Elm Street lens. It’s a whole host of different influences that come together to create something born out of my tastes and personal experience.

Byron: Introduce us please to the four friends who are your protagonists among the millions of obsessed “Cemetary Kids”. Can you give any details of their lives here except they know each other from their slumber games?

Zac Thompson: Sure, so the series really centers on Birdie Cutter. Birdie’s whip smart and borderline hyperactive. She’s driven by this intense curiosity about everything in the world and basically taught herself to read while playing video games. She’s the one driving the narrative through her intense obsession with Nightmare Cemetery. Which only gets worse as the series progresses. She wants nothing more than to connect with her older brother.

Her older brother Pik is depressed and relatively distant from his friends. Due to a family accident, he’s currently struggling with being a co-parent to Birdie. He’s been forced to grow up too fast and gaming with his friends is the only escape from his drudgery of a life. He’s got a job, responsibilities, and tons of things he doesn’t want to deal with. He just wants to be a teen. Life has other plans.

Rounding out the cast we have the sunny and kind Enid. She’s a greenthumb who’s more interested in thrifted clothes and sustainability than the horrors of Nightmare Cemetery. She’s along for the ride but isn’t really addicted to the game like the others. Then we have Wilson. He's creative at heart but lacks the conviction to bring any of his ideas into reality. He calls himself a realist and loves to criticize things. He’s in love with horror and wants to master the game. He’s secretly more scared than everyone else in his friend group… though he’d never admit it.

Byron: What is Nightmare Cemetery?

Zac Thompson: Nightmare Cemetery is a survival-horror game with a focus on combat and exploration. The game is set in an open world; players can freely explore the secluded mountain town of Monarch Valley. The town and surrounding area is dilapidated and in a state of urban decay. The uncanny labyrinth of Americana comprises four main areas which are explored in each issue of the series.

In the first issue, we explore the Salt Mounds – a washed-out river lined with briny monsters. Then in issue #2, we have the Piped District – rusted-out factories and long-forgotten machine men. Following that, there’s Downtown Monarch Valley – a small mountain town populated entirely by uncanny puppet creatures. And finally, we have Swallowtail Court – a massive apartment building in the center of the city that doesn’t reach toward the sky but plunges deep into the ground instead.

Byron: Can you tell us about the King of Sleep as he/it exists in the online game Nightmare Cemetery? What are his “game” abilities if and when players make it to his discovery level?

Zac Thompson: The King of Sleep is the enigmatic final boss of the game. So he’s the figure that looms over everything that happens in the series. I don’t want to go into spoiler territory but in many ways the King is a manifestation of all the things we freely give over to online communities. It’s our data and anxieties made manifest, made flesh. It knows exactly what you’re afraid of and thus knows exactly how to test you. 

Byron: Are there other Cemetery Kids besides our four friends who are important to the four-issue miniseries?

Zac Thompson: As the series progresses we learn that the term “Cemetery Kids” is also being used to define a certain group of people within the game. We’ll meet a few other players who fit that title and learn a lot more about why people call them “Cemetery Kids”.

Byron: I know this is a horror/supernatural tale, but the fact that it is rooted in a brand new part of the real world that can – and sometimes has – become real dark real fast is truly chilling. I don’t often ask this, but is there any message here for gamers/gamers’ parents that you hope they will pick up on?

Zac Thompson: I like to let the work speak for itself. But overall, I want people to think about how the technology we use ends up using us.

Byron: Talk about the awesome art of Daniel Irizarri.

Zac Thompson: Daniel’s a phenomenal artist and has done wonders bringing the dual worlds of Cemetery Kids Don’t Die to life. His storytelling on the page is exciting, stunning, and action-packed. The strong action-horror elements of the game world are emphasized by heavy black gutters and these really wonderful digital details. While the "real world" is more clean and balanced with stark white gutters and more rigid paneling. It gives the book a distinct visual flavor!

But beyond that, Daniel's character work is just out of this world. There's big, bombastic action balanced with strong emotional acting and it all looks effortless. I can’t say enough good things about his work. He’s the perfect partner to bring the story to life. The little details in his worldbuilding are going to blow minds and really allow readers to pour over every panel. It’s not easy to make two distinct worlds co-exist inside the same book but Daniel pulls it off with style to spare. He’s easily one of the most exciting artists working today and I reckon his work on CKDD is going to stop folks dead come February.

Byron: Zac, you are one of the most prolific writers I know. What other projects are forthcoming from you?

Zac Thompson: 2024 is gonna be a big year! After CKDD, I’ve got new creator-owned books launching in April, June and September. Each of these original series is with different collaborators and straddling different genres. Cemetery Kids Don’t Die is just the first course of a buffet.

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Zac Thompson for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Cemetery Kids Don’t Die #1 from Oni Press is slated to be on sale Feb. 7, 2024!

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