I think it’s a good idea for everyone to be in a constant state of suspicion when it comes to our elected officials and anyone who wields a lot of power and influence in this country. Is it a reflection of your personal view of politics, the media and big corporations? The dystopian world you depict is very sinister and cynical. I have these drawings I did early on, logo designs and character sketches, from 2003. One day I found myself thinking about it - this was shortly after 9/11, perhaps six months after, and I know it came out of that to one degree or another. I'm not sure where DMZ came from, the idea, and I mean that seriously. DMZ in a lot of ways is a refined version of “Channel Zero” - not literally as the two stories are very different, but in the sense that it’s a serious look at politics in America presented in comic book form. I've always had an interest in politics, and always found some kind of outlet for it, going all the way back to “Channel Zero” (note: Brian’s very first miniseries) and art school. In France you are mainly known for your DMZ series, which takes place in Manhattan in the near future, and depicts a civil war between the USA and the Free States.

Here, in America, that is an attractive thought considering how stunted much of our industry is, and the perception of comics being largely for children (or adults who act like children).

There is the assumption that in France comic books are much better accepted by the general reading public, that they are looked up with the same level of respect given to any published book. I don't have much of a sense of it, other than reading about Angoulême and the occasional imported book and see from my royalty statements that DMZ does better there than anywhere else in Europe. Not sure that would be a bad thing!Ī traditional question for our non-French interviewees: what is your experience of the French comics industry, past or present? Have you been over here for book signings? Have you read or heard of any of our stuff? I'm dangerously close to becoming a hermit. I like my job for a number of reasons, but the biggest is that it allows me to stay close to home. So every single day I am either at my desk or doing something silly with my kid. I have a young daughter who I watch, and I always take on too much work.

I work at home, in an office made out of walls of bookshelves that cuts the bedroom in half. I tend to falter at questions like this, because my life feels very ordinary and mundane. Hi Brian, could you please tell us a bit more about you?

Channel Zero by Brian Wood