Q&A: Dirk Blackman, Shannon Eric Denton, and Kewber Baal Create a Vibrant Post-Apocalypse in New PANICK Entertainment Comic Book Series SAVAGER

A blood-soaked post-apocalyptic Western set nearly 100 years after Earth is taken over by cosmic parasites, Savager #1 is now lurking on shelves from PANICK Entertainment, and ahead of the second issue's release in November, we caught up with co-writers Dirk Blackman and Shannon Eric Denton as well as artist Kewber Baal to discuss their new comic book series, including looking at the post-apocalypse through a vibrant lens, creating a unique bond between the last human standing and the parasite within him, working with colorist Schimerys Baal and letterer Sal Cipriano to bring this story to life, the mutated horrors awaiting readers in future issues of Savager, and the amazing covers by Tehani Farr, Christopher Lair, and Shane Pierce, respectively.

You can read our full Q&A with Dirk, Shannon, and Kewber below, and you can also check out our cover art gallery (featuring killer artwork by Tehani Farr, Christopher Lair, and Shane Pierce, respectively) as well as a preview from the first issue. To learn more, be sure to visit PANICK Entertainment's official website!

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, and congratulations on Savager! When did you initially come up with the idea for this comic book series?

Dirk Blackman: A bit over ten years ago.  We had the initial idea: the apocalypse came, and humanity lost. Our monsters were different, our hero was different. We revamped it about a year later to essentially what we have now. Over the course of the years, we dipped in and out of the project as we took other jobs, etc. We considered writing a feature film version but then decided about two years ago that it would have its best life as a graphic novel. We took it to the guys at PANICK and here we are.

Shannon Eric Denton: When I started Monster Forge with the goal of just really making my brand all about the stuff I love, this project was at the front of the list. Then PANICK comes along and it’s like all that time loving this project was purposely meant to wait for the right partners to make it happen. With Team PANICK, Kewber, Schimerys, Sal, and our genius cover artists we’ve found those partners! It went from an idea to a reality!

The banter between Riley Phillips and the extraterrestrial parasite he is fused with reminds me of the relationship between Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom, and it really gives the story a fun and poignant element from within. How important was it for you to highlight that internal dialogue and utilize it as a way to further flesh out the character of Riley?

Dirk Blackman: It's hugely important. First, from a story mechanics angle, we wanted to set this far enough in the future that there were no people or animals left except for Riley. We needed a practical reason why that could be. From the superhero angle, it allowed us to do terrible things to Riley because the creature could heal him. And then from the character angle, it gave Riley another being to communicate with, even if it was a monster inside him. And it's fun to have him talking to himself like a basket case, even though there really is someone else there. As for future series—if we get to write one—it will turn out that Riley isn't just using the creature to help get his revenge, the creature is also using him for its own nefarious ends.

Shannon Eric Denton: We’d always had this plan for them to communicate and I’ll be honest when Tom Hardy added that back-and-forth to the Eddie/Venom dynamic, it was a bit like, “Well, I knew this would work but…” The temptation was there to scrap it, but years of experience has led me to understand that as long as your “voice” is in there, it’ll be your thing. It’s like never doing another werewolf project because someone has already done one. We’ve just worked extra hard to make sure Riley and his Dweller have their own unique voice.

Kewber, I’m in awe of your artwork for this series, and I love how it combines with the vibrant color palette from Schimerys Baal to infuse this post-apocalyptic landscape with a kinetic energy. What was your creative approach to illustrating the post-apocalyptic world of Savager?

Kewber Baal: Thank you so much! First of all, I already have some experience in comics with dystopian and post-apocalyptic universes, creatures, zombies, horror, gore, and so on. This already gave me a creative boost, which I believe makes it easier for me to blend it all and develop this world. And second, Shannon and Dirk already had a whole idea developed, bringing me hundreds of references, concepts, and a very different approach, which I thought was sensational. Instead of a destroyed, gray, or desert world, we have a colorful, beautiful, illuminated world. That's where Schimerys came in, who works a lot with bright, vibrant colors, and who I already knew she would be perfect for this mission. A beauty in the world that makes us want to appreciate it, but at the same time wants to kill us. This is Savager!

I love how Savager takes place nearly 100 years after humankind was infected by parasitic monsters. The overgrown landscapes remind me of a mutant-infested version of Life After People. Was that post-apocalyptic setting a fun creative sandbox for all of you to play in while working on this series?

Dirk Blackman: Hell yeah! First, you've got your monsters, and that's just a blank slate of coolness, and Kewber is killing it. Plus, we asked ourselves a simple world-building question: if thousands of wormholes opened around the globe, letting in these creatures, what did that do to the earthly physics where they opened? We decided that meant anything goes. So, in one place everything turned to glass; in another, a lake is burning; in another, gravity is 1/10th the norm, and so on. Once you tell physics to fuck off, the world becomes MUCH more interesting.

Shannon Eric Denton: My years as an art director in games and animation always informs my comic book–making (and vice versa). I really love world-building and I’m also a huge fan of this apocalypse genre, so it was important to put our visual stamp on this world.  Thanks to Kewber and Schimerys for being good sports with our initial notes but once it clicked, we were off and running.  This is a version of Earth NO ONE has ever been to before!

Kewber Baal: What I liked most about this universe is that, unlike what we're used with dystopian, destroyed worlds, a dead planet, this one isn't like that. Earth is still alive. And it seems more beautiful than a world with humans. And I like to point out the fact that we all know about this, but we seem to avoid thinking about it. The planet doesn't need us. Here, humanity is gone, but the planet remains alive. It moves forward, indifferent to our existence. This is deep, even nihilistic, and it's what makes me try to explore the possibilities. What would a new planet be like without us? What would the vegetation be like? What would the buildings, the stadiums, the great monuments look like? This is very weird and cool at the same time. And I really would like to have more Savager stories to work on it!

From the first draft to the final version, approximately how long did it take to write and illustrate these first four issues of Savager?

Dirk Blackman: We started storyboarding book 1 in late July 2024. As of this writing, we're done with book 4, and Kewber is beginning book 3, while our amazing colorist Schimerys Baal and letterer Sal Cipriano have finished book 2.

Shannon Eric Denton: Dirk and I are incorporating a lot of our filmmaking background into this and really storyboarding everything out along with the script. It’s not for sharing with Kewber or directing him as much as it’s us figuring out if each scene is as epic and filmic as we can make it. Once we’re happy with that, we share the script with the team and we’re off to the races.

Do you each have a favorite moment in particular that you’re excited for readers to experience within the pages of Savager?

Dirk Blackman: Well, the climactic battle for one, especially since we haven't written it yet. But seriously, there are some flashbacks that show the human side of Riley coming up, a battle inside a glass mall, a "sandworm" moment... There's a lot of cool things coming.

Shannon Eric Denton: I think in issue 1 when Riley is just walking through the remnants of what was a city, and we have bioluminescent flora just casually interspersed with the ruins. To me that’s when I got to see our world realized and knew folks would feel like we’d taken them someplace new.

Kewber Baal: There's a scene on a carousel that all I can say is, it's beautiful! And the entire issue #3 is a punch in the brain. But you know what I like to show, what I want readers to experience? Riley Phillips himself. I like to understand how he works. What he's capable of. He is different of any other character I have ever seen. But you'll have to read the book to find out.

Were you each inspired or influenced by any movies, books, TV series, comics, or video games while creating the post-apocalyptic world of Savager?

Dirk Blackman: Not to be flip, but all of the above. We didn't set out to do "something like x," but we are so steeped in all of this that it's like one giant stew. But hats off to Lovecraft, Carpenter, Planet of the Apes, Alien, Mad Max, The Mist, and so many more.

Shannon Eric Denton: Exactly. Despite years working in comics/games/animation/toys, we are HUGE fans! It’s been great to be able to step into a bit of nostalgia while making something new and unique out of it.

Savager will initially be a four-issue series, but do you have plans to continue the story beyond the fourth issue if given the opportunity?

Dirk Blackman: 1000%. We've got two more storylines ready to go. We just need people to love this first series.

Shannon Eric Denton: Exactly. Tell your friends to pick this up because we have a whole world to show you! Savager is hopefully something we get to work on for years and years!

The first issue of Savager ends with a shocking revelation and intriguing cliffhanger. What can you tease about what awaits readers in upcoming issues of Savager?

Shannon Eric Denton: I’m excited for folks to see how much action we pack into each issue while also allowing you to absorb the extensive world-building without slowing things down to explain it. There’s some epic monster fighting while also sincere and heartfelt questions about what existence is versus just surviving.

I definitely see the potential for Savager to be adapted as a movie, TV series, or video game. Do you have any plans or hopes for Savager to cross over into other mediums in the future?

Dirk Blackman: I think our best shot will be an adult animated series. We have an expansive, bloody, violent world, a kick-ass hero, and new visuals and dangers around each bend. That would support a video game world also, but we think the series is the best next step.

Shannon Eric Denton: Having jumped back and forth (and sometimes all at once) between film, games and comics. I always have multiple versions of a project in my head.  I think, like finding the perfect partners in PANICK, I’m most excited about finding a partner who loves Savager as much as I do whatever medium it is. People should totally check out our playable DnD card though. That card made me so happy!

Ultimately, what do you hope readers take away from Savager?

Dirk Blackman: Hopefully it's not too heavy-handed, but we wanted to touch on the feeling that in our world, in this time, we need to be better to each other, better to the planet, because it could all just go away. And if it does... there won't be anyone to mourn us. The planet will go on without us. But most importantly, we just want everyone to have a fun, gory time. We want the readers to say, "That was effing cool! What's next?!"

Shannon Eric Denton: Yeah, it ended up being something we weren’t aiming for but despite all of Savager’s blood, gore and eviscerations it’s really about appreciating what/who we have and how fragile it all is. Go smell the roses… and read some comics!

What has it been like to work with the team at PANICK Entertainment as you prepare to unleash Savager into comic book shops?

Dirk Blackman: Couldn't have been better. From the artists they found us, to the editors with great insights, to the artistic respect... we couldn't have asked for more. Although... we did ask for two extra pages once. They gave them to us.

Shannon Eric Denton: I will forever cherish those two extra pages! And I had the advantage of having worked with these guys way back at another comics company and being pals.  It’s made the comics-making-process a ton of fun! Highly recommend if you can find a way to make your work your play.

Kewber Baal: They're all great! We work well, communicate well, and have a lot of respect for each other! This is crucial to our work, as a good result depends on everyone's collaboration and trust. I trust what Shannon and Dirk have in mind, and they trust what I'm going to do. I trust the editors' opinions, and when I pitch an idea that I think will be good for the story, they accept it without any problem. This gives me a lot of freedom and a sense of ease, as we can always be open to doing what's best for the books.

What advice would you give to comic book writers and artists who are just getting started?

Dirk Blackman: I'd say the same advice we give other young creatives—directors, screenwriters, etc.—go make something. You need to knock on all the doors you can find, but absolutely do not wait for an answer. Find a way to tell your story. Comic book, sock puppets, line drawings, whatever. Put it out in the world.  If the story is good, people will pay attention. It may be a slow road, but that's the game.

Shannon Eric Denton: Share your joy. Let fellow creatives know what you love. Keep it genuine but don’t keep it to yourself. Life is short.

Kewber Baal: My advice is, keep trying, keep studying, always try to have a critical eye on your own work, because as artist, I only evolve when I can see my own mistakes and then fix them. Always do the best you can with your work at that moment; never be lazy. It could be a test page, it could be an unknown series; it doesn't matter; always do your best. You never know when a big editor, or writer, will see your work. And if they see a weak piece, you'll be missing your big chance.

With the first issue of Savager now available, do you each have any other projects coming up that you can tease for our readers?

Dirk Blackman: I have an upcoming book about screenwriting called “What the F*** Was I Thinking,” a How-Not-To for Screenwriters and a children's book about Santa Claus that features pirates and parachuting elves.

Shannon Eric Denton: Out the same day as Savager is Kraken with Titan Comics! Spectors, also with Titan, is coming soon and a few unannounced projects with Heavy Metal, Mad Cave, Storm King and more so keep following MonsterForgeProduction.com for updates on my stuff. And get ready to pick up Savager 2–4 from PANICK Entertainment!

Kewber Baal: Actually Dynamite Comics is releasing the series Vampirella Armageddon, that I worked on the first issues, and I am starting the first series of Thundarr: the Barbarian, the ’80s classic, also by Dynamite Comics!

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Fifty years post invasion–Earth is a dead world–all organic life consumed by tentacle-clad cosmic parasites. Inhabiting barely recognisable husks of Earth’s former lifeforms, these remnants fight for dominance in a horrific post-apocalypse. Riley Phillips is the Savager–once a human warrior, now an infected shell–at war with the parasite within him, hopelessly wandering the lifeless planet, violently seeking revenge for the death of his world. When Savager discovers the last living humans, he must battle his personal monster and face the harrows of his past if he’s to save the future from the deadly creatures on their trail–protecting the last of a “presumed extinct” humanity from a new and permanent extinction!

The post-apocalyptic nightmare SAVAGER is a lovecraftian revenge tale from the world building minds of screenwriter Dirk Blackman (UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS, OUTLANDER) and Shannon Eric Denton (Monster Forge Productions, Kingdom Riders) alongside the devastatingly detailed work of artist extraordinaire Kewber Baal (Elvira, KISS, James Bond, Vampirella).

CREDITS
Writers: Dirk Blackman & Shannon Eric Denton
Artist: Kewber Baal
Colorist: Schimerys Baal
Letterer: Sal Cipriano

Cover A by Tehani Farr

Cover B by Christopher Lair

ZOOP-Exclusive Variant by Shane Pierce

SAVAGER #2 Cover by Shane Pierce

SAVAGER #1 Preview

(W) Dirk Blackman, Shannon Eric Denton (A) Kewber Baal (CA) Tehani Farr

Panick Entertainment Presents: Savager. Nearly 100 years after Earth fell to cosmic parasites, seemingly only the SAVAGER — Riley Phillips, a former secret service agent fused with a deadly alien - remains. Alone and driven by vengeance, he roams the wasteland, guided only by the voice inside him. But when he discovers a living human, everything changes. Can a monster that was once a man become humanity’s last hope in this bloody post-apocalyptic Western? Interior art: Kewber Baal. Cover A: Tehani Farr.