DF Interview: Chip Zdarsky launches a sci-fi adventure that defies expectation – and time itself in ‘Time Waits’

By Byron Brewer

Meet Blue, a time-traveling soldier of fortune who abandons his war and finds asylum in a small rural town nestled in his timeline’s distant past—our present. After Blue falls in love with the local sheriff, Grace, the couple builds a life of happiness and domestic tranquility. But just as Blue and Grace debate expanding their family through adoption, Blue’s former corporate lords from the future locate the deserter and send soldiers to ruthlessly reclaim their property and the secret he’s been hiding.

From DSTLRY Media comes Time Waits from co-writers Chip Zdarsky & David Brothers along with artist Marcus To. I saw Chip’s name, I am down for the book. Here’s what scribe Zdarsky told me.

Byron Brewer: Chip, introduce readers to Blue, protagonist in your new sci-fi adventure, Time Waits. Who is he when we first encounter him and what are the challenges he has faced and will face in this new miniseries?

Chip Zdarsky: Blue is a man out of time, trying to find peace. He used to carry a gun but now he carries gardening shears. But his past—our future—won’t just let him live his new life.

Byron: What can you tell us about Grace and her time with Blue? How does their lives together come into conflict with Blue’s fate when he is found by his “old bosses”?

Chip Zdarsky: Grace is Blue’s partner in life. She’s the town sheriff and is now the one who carries the gun that Blue laid down. She sees him struggling and needs him to move forward with her in life, but his “old bosses” throw a wrench into all of that.

Byron: Just who are these old bosses, these overlords? Describe if you can the time-curled history they have with Blue and what is it they desire of him “now”?

Chip Zdarsky: I don’t want to give too much away, but the people Blue used to work for are none too happy with how his final mission went down.

Byron: Can you give us any clues or hints of what is down the road for Blue and Grace? And what was it about his time-traveling mission from the future to our present that kept him from completing said mission?

Chip Zdarsky: All I’ll say is that the best-laid plans of future-based time travellers don’t always work out the way they want them to. This story is about breaking free of the past, of violence, but how the past is always there, hounding you.

Byron: Talk about your collaboration on Time Waits with co-writer David Brothers and with artist Marcus To.

Chip Zdarsky: David is a singular talent with a really crisp, clear voice. We’ve worked together for years on our podcast Mangasplaining and it became really evident that we shared a lot of story sensibilities, so it’s been a joy developing this story with him.

And Marcus is, in my estimation, one of the best comic artists out there who deserves to be everyone’s favorite. I’ve wanted to do something with him for years, and this felt perfect. He’s so damned good at gesture and expression, he really brings the characters to life.

Byron: Chip, what if anything can you tell readers of coming projects in which you are involved… including, I hear, three more miniseries for DSTLRY?

Chip Zdarsky: Hm, I’m not sure what I can say! The next mini coming is incredibly fun, a little bit of sci-fi, a lot of romance!

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Chip Zdarsky for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Time Waits #1 from DSTLRY Media is slated to be on sale September 11!

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