DF Interview: Gerry Duggan derails all suspicion as Sam & Oona become moving targets in Analog’s newest arc
By Byron Brewer
It's the beginning of a new story in Analog from writer Gerry Duggan and artist David O’Sullivan, and death is on the rails when Sam and Oona travel to Washington to meet a spy.
IF they can survive a train filled with assassins, that is!
DF was anxious to discuss the new Analog arc coming with issue #6 of the Image comic, so we sat down with scribe Gerry Duggan.
Dynamic Forces: Gerry, before we begin discussion of Analog’s coming new arc which begins with July’s issue #6, let’s backtrack a little and take a look at the series as a whole for the uninitiated (you know who you are). Tell us, if you will, about the genesis of this comic book.
Gerry Duggan: I was looking to tell a neo-noir about secrets. I sent David his first script in 2015, and after the 2016 election I put the pedal down to make sure I was keeping David swimming in pages. I don’t think it’s a big leap anymore for readers to imagine a world where important secrets are not shared electronically. David and I love noir, and this is our loving gift that we’re proud is not a karaoke ballad. This is new and exciting. It’s always a thrill to collaborate on creator-owned books.
DF: Can you describe to readers a little about the world you and artist David O’Sullivan are building in this series?
Gerry Duggan: We’re telling a near-future noir that will make you want to unplug from the internet. Everyone’s dirty laundry has been aired and the only thing left to do is put your head down and keep moving forward. Companies and governments pivot back to paper and armed couriers. That’s where our Ledger Pushers come in.
DF: Introduce your protagonists, if you will.
Gerry Duggan: Jack McGinnis is a Ledger Man with a checkered past. These days he’s “pushing paper” from one place to another for money. That was not always the case. He struck a blow that helped bring about the mass doxxing that made the world. He did it for the greater good, but I think he’s good and haunted by the deed. Oona is probably the most competent and deadly operator in the story. Jack’s secret weapon.
DF: Moving into July’s issue #6, I absolutely love anything, anything that harkens back to those great train ride detective mystery/murder stories of the 1940s and ‘50s, as this seems to. Can you tell us without spoilers where Sam and Oona are headed on the train herein? And what dangers might lurk as they ride the rails?
Gerry Duggan: Well, they may not make it to their final destination…we’ll see how the pieces come together in the second arc. I’m a big fan of noir films too. Even though we’re writing about the near future, older works like that definitely inform the process. In the end, the most dangerous place these characters can head is to places that still embrace technology despite the risks. Places like San Francisco.
DF: Are there any new characters we should know? Without giving too much away, can you share who some of them might be?
Gerry Duggan: Hmm. Perhaps. We’ll see two characters returns that perhaps readers thought were just guest starring.
DF: Would you recommend issue #6 as a great jump-on point for new readers of Analog? I know we’ve gone over the series a bit, but is there any knowledge essential from the past five issues readers need to know going into this arc, “Moving Targets”?
Gerry Duggan: Our first trade is priced to move at $9.99 so I recommend buying that, but issue 6 picks up roughly a month after the end of the first trade. “Moving Targets” puts our characters on the road and keeps them in danger.
DF: Tell us a little bit about your collaboration with David. What does his art bring to this series?
Gerry Duggan: David’s wonderful. He’s drawing this new world that really fascinates me. We have a great back and forth. I tell my story to him, he tells that story to readers, and it’s always different and better when he’s done. He and Mike Spicer are such a great team. Joe’s letters are fantastic too — including his sound effects.
DF: Gerry, what other projects can you tell readers about in which you are involved, inside or outside comic books?
Gerry Duggan: I’ve got six different comics in various stages of production at several companies, and I’m writing an animated film. The next few years are going to be busy. Thank you, and all the readers, for the support. You all are why I can live my dream.
Dynamic Forces would like to thank Gerry Duggan for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Analog #6 from Image Comics hits stores on July 3rd!
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