Steve Niles
© SteveNiles.com
Drawing Blood with Steve Niles
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
IDW published Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith’s vampire miniseries, 30 Days of Night, in 2002. Launched with little fanfare, the book turned into a sleeper hit with sequels, spin-offs, and word of a film adaptation following shortly thereafter. Both the miniseries and film show the residents of Barrow, Alaska, as they defend themselves against a siege of vampires during the month-long darkness that overtakes the town. Eben and Stella Olemaun – husband and wife, and sheriff and deputy – lead the band of survivors as they hide among the cellars and dark corners of the town. After the vampires cut off all outside communications, the few residents left alive can only wait for the darkness to pass. After five years in development, 30 Days of Night finally hits theaters this Friday, October 19th. Produced by Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Productions and directed by David Slade (Hard Candy), the film brings Niles and Templesmith’s story to the screen with fangs bared and an R-rating. I had a chance to talk to Steve about his experience making 30 Days of Night, along with the state of both horror comics and film.
Kurt Amacker: 30 Days of Night has been in development for a few years now, since the comic came out in 2002. David Slade’s first film, Hard Candy, came out in 2005. How did he get the director’s chair? Were you familiar with his film and was he familiar with your comic?
Steve Niles: I just did a bunch of press with David in New York, and I got to hear him answer a lot of these questions. From what he told me, he actually bought the comic when it first came out – when nobody bought it, on the first issue, when we only sold 4,000 copies. He actually picked it up from the newsstand and after Hard Candy came out, he started getting offered all these different gigs. The way he tells it, at least, is that he was going down a list [of films he could direct] and, all of a sudden, they said 30 Days of Night. He said he would chew his arm off to make that movie. He was such a fan of the comic and Ben’s art. Basically, we lucked out. Ghost House offered it to a great director who happened to be a fan of the book. It really worked out for us.
KA: I thought Hard Candy was amazing, and I was really happy when I heard that he was directing 30 Days of Night. That’s a twisted f—king movie.
SN: Yeah, and it also deals with a really touchy subject without crossing that creepy line. It never came across as exploitation at all, which is one of the many things that I admired about it. Having two characters and a very limited set and making it feel so claustrophobic and scary – that was huge for me.
KA: I think that Hard Candy kind of shows how you can make a good “torture porn” film – unlike, say, Saw or Captivity – when you have a good director at the helm.
SN: Well, I guess, but I don’t think there’s a director in the world that could make Captivity good. If it’s just about dragging women off and torturing them and killing them, I don’t think there’s a director out there who could make it interesting, because it’s f—king not scary. I actually think there’s some really talented directors making the “torture porn” movies. I can’t wait until they get sick of it, or get a better script, or start trying to do something else. There’s shock and there’s horror, and I’d always rather go with horror.
KA: Yeah, anytime, and I think it’s a lot harder to do that, too.
SN: Well certainly, but that’s no excuse. You can’t do something just because it’s easy. But, yeah, Slade is just a smart motherf—ker and he fought for this – to keep it accurate, to get us the R-rating, to get the vampires we wanted, and to get the story we wanted. I honestly can’t say enough about him. He’s mine and Ben’s hero.
KA: Did you guys run into much resistance from the studio to make the film more palatable – to make the vampires different or get a lower rating?
SN: Anytime you’re dealing with a lot of cooks in the kitchen, you’re going to hear suggestions you don’t want to hear. That happened here, but that’s where we had Sam Raimi and David Slade. Between the two of those guys, they kept it accurate. Raimi knows that when you put out Spider-Man, it had better be Spider-Man or people aren’t going to watch it. The more accurate, the better, and I think that’s been proven time and again. Without even pointing out the ones that failed miserably, just look at the successes like 300, Sin City, and Spider-Man – all these were successful because they’ve been the most accurate.
KA: I think Ben Templesmith’s art really sets 30 Days of Night apart from a lot of other comics that have been adapted to film. It borders on abstract sometimes, and it lends the book an otherworldly feel. I like it, but I know there are people out there that dislike his art and say it kept them from enjoying the book.
SN: You’ve got to stop reading message boards and sh-t, man. There’s nothing but negative people out there.
KA: Well, it’s a very limited view of comic art. It’s also something that you think might be kind of difficult to translate into live action. How do you think Ben’s art carries over to the film?
SN: The concept that he and I came up with for the vampires – as just eating machines and killers – that’s pretty radical. But as far as the look goes, I just read a thing that said Ben Templesmith’s vision of Barrow, Alaska is very different from the actual Barrow. But, that’s the Barrow that Slade was inspired by and wanted to do. It’s just a very, very cool thing. This is the thing that I’ve always given Ben total props for – he did something that had almost never happened in horror comics before. Usually, you pick up a horror comic and they’re drawn and colored exactly like a superhero comic. But, Ben’s art is dark and it’s murky and it gets abstract. It’s hard to look at sometime, and I think that’s part of the beauty of it. People who don’t like his work should just buy other books. But, people who do like his work are going to be pleasantly surprised at how well Ben’s work has been represented well.
KA: I think people have this idea that everything has to be directly representational. I don’t think you should venture past the post of recognition, and Ben never does. But, horror comics don’t have to just be someone copying Jack Kirby, but with vampires.
SN: And honestly, I think the jump from 30 Days of Night the comic to the film is an easier jump than most superhero comics to film. Basically, it takes place in the real world – aside from the vampires! I think people are going to be very happy with the way it came out.
KA: The comic is relatively short compared to a feature-length film. It’s three issues, and it jumps ahead in the timeline a few times to get from the beginning of the month to the end of the month. It’s not a sequential or episodic presentation, but it’s much more fragmentary.
SN: Oh God, yeah, I definitely didn’t want to do that. In the original comic, the entire vampire attack is not skipped over, but we pick it up in the second issue and they’ve torn the place apart. I had three issues and I had to cover 30 days. The film does a good job of breaking it down a little bit, plus you have things you can follow, like beard growth, to offset it.
KA: To an extent, I think – rightly or wrongly – people expect movies to be a bit more linear. I hope the film’s able to expand upon the stories and characters while still remaining faithful to the source.
SN: I’ve had a lot of experiences with Hollywood that haven’t been this pleasant. I keep saying it – this has been the anti-Hollywood experience. They’ve taken such good care of Ben’s and my baby. I couldn’t be happier.
KA: Initially you wrote the screenplay, and then there were rewrites by Stuart Bettie and then Brian Nelson. What were the circumstances surrounding the rewrites, and how much of your original draft made it in?
SN: A lot of my stuff made it in there. I was writing the screenplay before I had even finished the comic. My script went off in different directions and gave you a sense of different things – I populated the town. When Stu Bettie came in, he gave it this great sense of action that we really didn’t have before. He set up the tension really well. Brian Nelson came in and took mine and Stu’s drafts and took it right back to the graphic novel, and took the best of what we both had done and expanded on it. Brian Nelson is the screenwriter I want to be.
KA: After turning in the screenplay, how involved were you and Ben in the filmmaking process? Did you guys just have to sit back and watch, or did you all have more of a working relationship with Slade and Ghost House?
SN: We had constant contact with David and Raimi. They have kept us completely in the loop, and it’s been unbelievable.
KA: Beyond just being a bloody good vampire movie, what are some of the larger themes you think the film – and for that matter, the comic – explores? It’s a bit trite, in my mind, to distinguish between movies-as-entertainment and film-as-art, but do you feel that 30 Days of Night resonates beyond just blood and scares?
SN: I think any horror movie worth its salt has more than just blood and guts. I would say it’s broken down into three basic parts. First, there’s the high concept of vampires attacking Barrow during a month of night. Second, there’s the relationship between Eben and Stella, who have to defend this small town. Third, there’s the vampire mythology. The mythology is an important element. The fact that they are aware of themselves as a myth and something people don’t believe in protects them and gives them strength. All three of those things are very well-represented in the movie.
KA: We’ve seen vampires as everything from aristocrats to businessmen to action heroes. We’ve seen them as metaphors for everything from ethnic strife to AIDS to class conflict. Can you expound further on what you think 30 Days of Night brings to the vampire subgenre that’s new?
SN: It’s really simple. I’m sure we could dissect it, but vampires are the one thing people have made practically human by deconstructing them over and over again. All we did was make them scary. I don’t think vampires in this universe would really give a sh-t about seducing anyone. That look at people like beer cans -- they want to pop their heads off, drain them, have their food, and get rid of them. There not even interested in making more vampires, because that’s just making more competition. People can say what they want, but I don’t think vampires have been scary for a very long time. All of the vampires from the last 40 or 50 years just talk their victims to death instead of just attacking them and draining their blood!
KA: Obviously, there are a lot more 30 Days of Night comics and novels that have continued and expanded upon the original story. Has there been any talk of a sequel based on any of those works, like Dark Days?
SN: There’s talk, but nothing beyond that.
KA: Is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers of Mania.com?
SN: I just can’t say enough how happy I am with the way it turned out and how much I appreciate Raimi, Slade, and Templesmith – everyone who’s worked together all these years to make this really good movie. If somehow my brain could just be erased and I wasn’t even a part of this, this is a movie I’d be really excited about. Hopefully, you’ll love it.
The Spinner Rack
By Kurt Amacker
Kurt: Ben had to get on a plane before he could finish the listings, no doubt to discuss his return to United States soil with a joint task force made up of members of the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the PTA, the WWE, and Ben’s mother, who is very, very ashamed of her son. God only knows what he did this time.
DARK HORSE COMICS
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Long Way Home TP $15.95
This is the first five issues of the current series. That means I don’t have to buy it for my wife.
Chunchu Genocide Fiend Vol 2 TP $10.95
Conan #45 (MR) $2.99
This series will wrap with #50 and then reboot shortly thereafter.
Gear School GN $7.95
Hanami International Love Story Vol 2 TP $9.95
Rex Mundi DH Ed #8 $2.99
Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures Vol 9 TP $6.95
Star Wars Tales O/T Jedi Omnibus Vol 1 TP $24.95
I have no idea where this fits in with the grand continuity, but I know that a few of the stories were among the earliest Dark Horse Star Wars comics published. I remember the cover art from when I was a kid and it was still possible to buy all of the expanded universe stuff without breaking the bank.
Umbrella Academy Apocalypse Suite #2 (Of 6) $2.99
DC COMICS
52 The Companion TP $19.99
This volume includes a selection of stories featuring the cast of 52, but not in any circumstances related to that series. It’s just a collection of different reprints with those characters. This strikes me as wholly unnecessary.
52 The Covers HC $19.99
Aquaman Sword Of Atlantis #57 $2.99
Army @ Love #8 (MR) $2.99
Army @ Love Vol 1 The Hot Zone Club TP (MR) $9.99
Batman Strikes #38 $2.25
Birds Of Prey #111 $2.99
Brave And The Bold #7 $2.99
Cartoon Network Action Pack #18 $2.25
Catwoman #72 $2.99
Checkmate #19 $2.99
Countdown 28 $2.99
Ben’s gone this week, so he’ll owe us double the Countdown jokes next week.
Death Of The New Gods #1 (Of 8) $3.50
This is by Jim Starlin. I may actually have to buy this.
Death Of The New Gods Var Ed #1 (Of 8) $3.50
I may actually not buy this, unless it’s the one on the shelf.
Dmz #24 (MR) $2.99
Ex Machina #31 (MR) $2.99
I haven’t read this in a while, but I’ve got the last few issues waiting on my coffee table. I still love you, Brian K. Vaughan.
Fables #66 (MR) $2.99
Green Arrow Black Canary Wedding Special #1 2nd Ptg $3.99
Highwaymen #5 (Of 5) $2.99
I Hate You More Than Anyone Vol 2 $9.99
This has the greatest title ever. But, it’s Manga.
Jsa All Star Archives Vol 1 HC $59.99
Justice League Of America #14 $2.99
Mad Classics #19 $4.99
Mad Magazine #483 $3.99
Metamorpho Year One #2 (Of 6) $2.99
Programme #4 (Of 12) $2.99
Shadowpact #18 $2.99
Shazam Monster Society Of Evil Deluxe HC $29.99
I heard this was really good. It’s by Jeff Smith, of Bone fame.
Showcase Presents Tp Worlds Finest Vol 01 $16.99
The world’s finest TP!? Is it quilted and everything!? Ben, I’m going to kill you if you miss another week.
Superman Confidential #7 $2.99
Superman The Bottle City Of Kandor TP $14.99
This reprints several Silver Age stories of Superman shrinking to save Kandor. Avoid alliteration always.
IMAGE COMICS
Capes Vol 1 TP Punching The Clock $17.99
Darkness Levels TP $14.99
Elephantmen #11 $2.99
Killing Girl #3 (Of 5) (MR) $2.99
Lazarus #1 (Of 3) $3.50
Ride Halloween Special One Shot $3.50
Suburban Glamour #1 (Of 4) $3.50
Sword #1 $2.99
Witchblade #110 $2.99
Now, with more cleavage!
Witchblade Takeru Manga #9 $3.99
MARVEL COMICS
Avengers Classic #5 $2.99
Captain America #31 CWI $2.99
Still by Ed Brubaker!
Captain America Chosen #3 (Of 6) $3.99
Still by David Morrell!
Captain America Chosen 2nd Ptg #1 (Of 6) $3.99
Dark Tower Gunslinger Born Prem HC $24.99
Still only kind-of by Stephen King!
Marvel Adventures Avengers #17 $2.99
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #29 $2.99
Marvel Adventures Two-In-One #4 $4.99
Marvel Comics Presents #2 $3.99
Marvel Illustrated Treasure Island #5 (Of 6) $2.99
Marvel Masterworks Avengers Vol 7 HC Var Ed 84 $54.99
Marvel Masterworks Avengers Vol 7 New Ed HC $54.99
Marvel Zombies 2 #1 (Of 5) $2.99
Wow, thank God there’s more Marvel Zombies! Is this idea getting a little tired?
Mighty Avengers #5 CWI $2.99
New Excalibur #24 $2.99
Penance Relentless #2 (Of 5) $2.99
Powers #26 (MR) $3.95
Spider-Girl Vol 9 Secret Lives Digest TP $7.99
Spider-Man Family #5 $4.99
Terror Inc #3 (Of 5) (MR) $3.99
I’m totally getting this.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #47 $2.99
Ultimate X-Men #87 $2.99
Ultimate X-Men Zombie Var #87 $2.99
See my above comments about Marvel’s unhealthy zombie fixation.
Wolverine Origins #18 $2.99
X-Men Emperor Vulcan #2 (Of 5) $2.99
By Chris Yost, spinning out of Ed Brubaker’s X-Men: Deadly Genesis miniseries and his run on Uncanny X-Men that followed.
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