Conducted by Dan Royer, Comic Attack interviews Driver for the Dead creator and writer, John Heffernan about his new miniseries with Radical Publishing.

Welcome back kiddies. I have lured John Heffernan into the depths this week to pick his brain about his new book Driver for the Dead. So sit back and relax, as he tells us about who he is, what he does, and what we can expect from him in the future. Trust me, you will like what you read!

John Heffernan: Hey Decapitated Dan. Thanks for the interview. At first I thought it would be a little unsettling being interviewed by a man with no head, but it’s actually kind of pleasant. No snide glances, no eye-rolling, no reproachful looks of admonition and remorse… kind of like when I talk to the little dead girl I keep sealed up in the oil drum down by the—never  mind. Let me start over: My name is John Heffernan and I’m a writer. Mostly I write movie screenplays but recently I’ve started writing comics, Driver For The Dead being my first endeavor, with hopefully more to follow.

Decapitated Dan: How did you find yourself getting into making comics?

John Heffernan: I’ve been a life-long comics fan, and the love I have for the medium has stayed with me from about age 8 all the way to the present. So I’ve always wanted to write a comic, but I’ve always loved movies as well, and when I graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles most of my energy went into writing films. I still wanted to write comics, but the thing is, although comic books are a supremely great art form, the writing of comic books is not so commensurately supreme, and if you’ve got a good thing going with movies, your agents and managers aren’t exactly overjoyed when you tell them that you want to break into the funnybook business. Fortunately, with the recent success of comic book properties being parlayed into film franchises, comics have come to be more respected in Hollywood—at least in the sense that they can make money for movie studios. For me, Driver has always been sui generis a comic book—the story and characters just have that unflinching comic book feel. But they also lend themselves pretty strongly to a film series. So when I pitched my idea for Driver to a movie producer friend here in town, he suggested that we take it to Radical, which has a history for making high-quality comics that can stand on their own as well as make the jump from page to screen. To me, it sounded like a perfect fit. I pitched the idea to publisher Barry Levine and he loved it. Then we got Leonardo Manco on board and we were off to the races.

Decapitated Dan: So what can you tell me about Driver for the Dead?

John Heffernan: It’s a hell of a ride. If you like action comics, if you like horror comics, if you like comics in general, chances are you’re going to like this book. The artwork from Leonardo Manco and Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo is just awesome, some of the best pencils and digital painting I’ve ever seen. And the story ain’t all that bad either. The driver in question is a corpse jockey named Alabaster Graves, a hearse driver who specializes in the undertaking of assignments of a dangerous and often supernatual nature. And if dangerous equals lucrative, well, so much the better. In the first 3-part miniseries, Graves must cover the distance from Shreveport to New Orleans to retrieve the remains of Mose Freeman, a renowned voodoo priest, with Freeman’s sultry and contumely granddaughter riding shotgun. What Graves doesn’t know is that he’s being pursued by a resurrectionist named Fallow – a necromancer who gets his power from stealing body parts… and for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize. Future storylines will see Graves plying his trade across unlit roads everywhere, encountering all kinds of peril both unnatural and otherwise, and learning more about this strange calling that led him to become a driver for the dead.

Decapitated Dan: Who are the main characters?

John Heffernan: Our heroes are Alabaster Graves and his supercharged up-armored hearse named Black Betty. Together they make up the driving force, if you will, of the story. Graves is a hardened veteran of funeral homes, mortuaries, and coroners’ offices across the Deep South, and if you’ve got a dead body that you absoutely need to get from point A to point B without it being “interfered” with somehow, Graves is your man. Graves’ current employer is one Felix Delacroix, owner and proprietor of the Delacroix Funeral Home and Mortuary, a huckster with a heart of gold who’s seen it all and done it all and probably made a buck or two doing it. Between Graves and Felix, they’re going to make sure that the restless dead make it home to their final resting places. The other main characters of the first series are Moses Freeman, a old hoodoo practitioner who’s been healing the sick and snuffing out black magic since the days of the Civil War, and his great-granddaughter Marissa, a college girl who doesn’t believe in all of this superstition and bullshit but is about to get the kind of education that doesn’t come with a diploma. Rounding out the cast is Uriah Fallow, a necromancer who can resurrect and draw power from the recently deceased. Fallow’s been around a long time, supplanting his aging tissue with freshly-dead flesh, and he needs a new heart to keep his evil in motion. And the one currently sitting in Mose Freeman’s chest will do just fine.

Decapitated Dan: I want to take a quick sidebar and ask you this: Mose Freeman looks like Morgan Freeman. Was this the intention?

John Heffernan: Yes and no. The description that I gave Leo in the script was:  “Getting out of the back of the cab is an old black man in an old brown suit. This is MOSE FREEMAN. Inspiration is Morgan Freeman by way of Nelson Mandela. He could be sixty, he could be a hundred. It’s impossible to say.” So, certainly I wanted Mose to look like Morgan Freeman, but maybe not exactly like Morgan Freeman, as he does in the book. My mistake was underestimating just how incredibly good an artist Leonardo Manco is. If I had known he could do such a dead-on portrait, I might have given the character a different name. That being said, this discussion touches on something interesting that’s going on in comics these days, and that’s the “casting” of well-known actors as characters in comics. Tommy Lee Jones as Norman Osborn in Mike Deodato’s Avengers books, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Bryan Hitch’s Ultimates, Simon Pegg as Wee Hughie in Darick Roberston’s The Boys. On the one hand, I can see some possible legal trouble there, sort of like the recent flap over digitally inserting the likeness of dead celebrities into vacuum cleaner commercials. On the other hand, it’s almost certainly what got Sam Jackson the Nick Fury gig in Iron Man 2 and the upcoming Avengers movie. Whether comic purists like it or not is I guess a matter of personal taste, but I’ll tell you what, if Driver gets made into a movie I’ll take Morgan as Mose any day.

Decapitated Dan: Where did the ideas for this story come from?

John Heffernan: I was sitting in a Denny’s around five in the morning, unable to sleep, and I came across this article in a local paper about a hearse driver who was carjacked at gunpoint. Authorities later found the hearse but they never found the “freight”. Apparently this happens a lot and it got me to thinking that for whatever reason, perhaps corpses are more valuable than we give them credit for. Why? Lots of potential reasons. Satanists? Necrophilia? The gold in the corpse’s teeth? Anyway, it struck me that if you had something this valuable to transport, you’d need someone you could count on to transport it, and that’s how the character was born. Beyond the mechanics of the shipment of human remains , I’ve also always been fascinated with the folklore of death and the supernatural, as well as with local history and culture and americana, and New Orleans has all of that stuff in spades. It’s one of my favorite cities and places to visit so it just made perfect sense to set the first part of the story there, as well as to make it a kind of base of operations for Alabaster Graves.

To read the rest and see preview images, click on the image below.

Conducted by Dan Royer, Comic Attack interviews Driver for the Dead creator and writer, John Heffernan about his new miniseries with Radical Publishing.

Welcome back kiddies. I have lured John Heffernan into the depths this week to pick his brain about his new book Driver for the Dead. So sit back and relax, as he tells us about who he is, what he does, and what we can expect from him in the future. Trust me, you will like what you read!

John Heffernan: Hey Decapitated Dan. Thanks for the interview. At first I thought it would be a little unsettling being interviewed by a man with no head, but it’s actually kind of pleasant. No snide glances, no eye-rolling, no reproachful looks of admonition and remorse… kind of like when I talk to the little dead girl I keep sealed up in the oil drum down by the—never  mind. Let me start over: My name is John Heffernan and I’m a writer. Mostly I write movie screenplays but recently I’ve started writing comics, Driver For The Dead being my first endeavor, with hopefully more to follow.

Decapitated Dan: How did you find yourself getting into making comics?

John Heffernan: I’ve been a life-long comics fan, and the love I have for the medium has stayed with me from about age 8 all the way to the present. So I’ve always wanted to write a comic, but I’ve always loved movies as well, and when I graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles most of my energy went into writing films. I still wanted to write comics, but the thing is, although comic books are a supremely great art form, the writing of comic books is not so commensurately supreme, and if you’ve got a good thing going with movies, your agents and managers aren’t exactly overjoyed when you tell them that you want to break into the funnybook business. Fortunately, with the recent success of comic book properties being parlayed into film franchises, comics have come to be more respected in Hollywood—at least in the sense that they can make money for movie studios. For me, Driver has always been sui generis a comic book—the story and characters just have that unflinching comic book feel. But they also lend themselves pretty strongly to a film series. So when I pitched my idea for Driver to a movie producer friend here in town, he suggested that we take it to Radical, which has a history for making high-quality comics that can stand on their own as well as make the jump from page to screen. To me, it sounded like a perfect fit. I pitched the idea to publisher Barry Levine and he loved it. Then we got Leonardo Manco on board and we were off to the races.

Decapitated Dan: So what can you tell me about Driver for the Dead?

John Heffernan: It’s a hell of a ride. If you like action comics, if you like horror comics, if you like comics in general, chances are you’re going to like this book. The artwork from Leonardo Manco and Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo is just awesome, some of the best pencils and digital painting I’ve ever seen. And the story ain’t all that bad either. The driver in question is a corpse jockey named Alabaster Graves, a hearse driver who specializes in the undertaking of assignments of a dangerous and often supernatual nature. And if dangerous equals lucrative, well, so much the better. In the first 3-part miniseries, Graves must cover the distance from Shreveport to New Orleans to retrieve the remains of Mose Freeman, a renowned voodoo priest, with Freeman’s sultry and contumely granddaughter riding shotgun. What Graves doesn’t know is that he’s being pursued by a resurrectionist named Fallow – a necromancer who gets his power from stealing body parts… and for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize. Future storylines will see Graves plying his trade across unlit roads everywhere, encountering all kinds of peril both unnatural and otherwise, and learning more about this strange calling that led him to become a driver for the dead.

Decapitated Dan: Who are the main characters?

John Heffernan: Our heroes are Alabaster Graves and his supercharged up-armored hearse named Black Betty. Together they make up the driving force, if you will, of the story. Graves is a hardened veteran of funeral homes, mortuaries, and coroners’ offices across the Deep South, and if you’ve got a dead body that you absoutely need to get from point A to point B without it being “interfered” with somehow, Graves is your man. Graves’ current employer is one Felix Delacroix, owner and proprietor of the Delacroix Funeral Home and Mortuary, a huckster with a heart of gold who’s seen it all and done it all and probably made a buck or two doing it. Between Graves and Felix, they’re going to make sure that the restless dead make it home to their final resting places. The other main characters of the first series are Moses Freeman, a old hoodoo practitioner who’s been healing the sick and snuffing out black magic since the days of the Civil War, and his great-granddaughter Marissa, a college girl who doesn’t believe in all of this superstition and bullshit but is about to get the kind of education that doesn’t come with a diploma. Rounding out the cast is Uriah Fallow, a necromancer who can resurrect and draw power from the recently deceased. Fallow’s been around a long time, supplanting his aging tissue with freshly-dead flesh, and he needs a new heart to keep his evil in motion. And the one currently sitting in Mose Freeman’s chest will do just fine.

Decapitated Dan: I want to take a quick sidebar and ask you this: Mose Freeman looks like Morgan Freeman. Was this the intention?

John Heffernan: Yes and no. The description that I gave Leo in the script was:  “Getting out of the back of the cab is an old black man in an old brown suit. This is MOSE FREEMAN. Inspiration is Morgan Freeman by way of Nelson Mandela. He could be sixty, he could be a hundred. It’s impossible to say.” So, certainly I wanted Mose to look like Morgan Freeman, but maybe not exactly like Morgan Freeman, as he does in the book. My mistake was underestimating just how incredibly good an artist Leonardo Manco is. If I had known he could do such a dead-on portrait, I might have given the character a different name. That being said, this discussion touches on something interesting that’s going on in comics these days, and that’s the “casting” of well-known actors as characters in comics. Tommy Lee Jones as Norman Osborn in Mike Deodato’s Avengers books, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Bryan Hitch’s Ultimates, Simon Pegg as Wee Hughie in Darick Roberston’s The Boys. On the one hand, I can see some possible legal trouble there, sort of like the recent flap over digitally inserting the likeness of dead celebrities into vacuum cleaner commercials. On the other hand, it’s almost certainly what got Sam Jackson the Nick Fury gig in Iron Man 2 and the upcoming Avengers movie. Whether comic purists like it or not is I guess a matter of personal taste, but I’ll tell you what, if Driver gets made into a movie I’ll take Morgan as Mose any day.

Decapitated Dan: Where did the ideas for this story come from?

John Heffernan: I was sitting in a Denny’s around five in the morning, unable to sleep, and I came across this article in a local paper about a hearse driver who was carjacked at gunpoint. Authorities later found the hearse but they never found the “freight”. Apparently this happens a lot and it got me to thinking that for whatever reason, perhaps corpses are more valuable than we give them credit for. Why? Lots of potential reasons. Satanists? Necrophilia? The gold in the corpse’s teeth? Anyway, it struck me that if you had something this valuable to transport, you’d need someone you could count on to transport it, and that’s how the character was born. Beyond the mechanics of the shipment of human remains , I’ve also always been fascinated with the folklore of death and the supernatural, as well as with local history and culture and americana, and New Orleans has all of that stuff in spades. It’s one of my favorite cities and places to visit so it just made perfect sense to set the first part of the story there, as well as to make it a kind of base of operations for Alabaster Graves.

To read the rest and see preview images, click on the image below.

By JEROME MAIDA
Philadelphia Daily News

For the Daily News

RADICAL COMICS may have used last month's San Diego Comic-Con as a launching pad for a quintet of new titles, but the company is still emphasizing quality over quantity.

A case in point is its new series "Driver For The Dead," which could easily have been lost among the various books trying to capitalize on the vampire/zombie/undead genre these days. Instead, writer John Heffernan does a fresh take. The "Snakes On A Plane" scribe teams with artist Leonardo Manco to give readers what is becoming commonplace in Radical's books - writing and visuals that are virtually cinematic in caliber and scope.

In what appears to be a nod to that trend - and also, perhaps, to catch the eye of Hollywood movie producers - the first character we are introduced to is a stoic black man named Mose Freeman - a dead ringer in appearance, action and attitude to Morgan Freeman. Freeman is a "healer" who specializes in the supernatural.

He is called upon to provide his special services to a young, well-to-do couple new to the neighborhood whose son has fallen mysteriously ill. This leads to an exorcism attempt that takes several pages and is highlighted by the boy expelling something that makes Linda Blair's pea soup in "The Exorcist" seem tame by comparison.

Freeman is unflappable through it all until he is felled and the real story begins. A man with as long and distinguished a career as Freeman, battling demons, zombies and other supernatural creatures, is likely to have quite a few licking their chops to get their hands on his corpse.

There is only one man who can be trusted to keep his corpse safe and deal with the creatures of the night: Alabaster Graves, the Driver For The Dead.

When we first meet him, Graves is transporting a young boy he has to "take care of" before he completes the transformation from dead boy to undead vampire. Graves handles his emotional tasks with the cool detachment of a doctor who has to tell three people they're terminally ill every day. It's not pleasant, but it's his job.

The other star of the book is, arguably, Graves' hearse, which doesn't have a working radio or even an 8-track or seatbelts, but has a whole bunch of "safety features" that should entertain readers.

Two main themes run through this book. One is questioning who the true monsters of our society are. The second is the often overlooked issue - in comics especially - of race.

In addition, there are 46 pages of story and a 10-page "Hotwire" preview for only $4.99. Heartily recommended.

Read Jerome's full article by clicking the image below.

By JEROME MAIDA
Philadelphia Daily News

For the Daily News

RADICAL COMICS may have used last month's San Diego Comic-Con as a launching pad for a quintet of new titles, but the company is still emphasizing quality over quantity.

A case in point is its new series "Driver For The Dead," which could easily have been lost among the various books trying to capitalize on the vampire/zombie/undead genre these days. Instead, writer John Heffernan does a fresh take. The "Snakes On A Plane" scribe teams with artist Leonardo Manco to give readers what is becoming commonplace in Radical's books - writing and visuals that are virtually cinematic in caliber and scope.

In what appears to be a nod to that trend - and also, perhaps, to catch the eye of Hollywood movie producers - the first character we are introduced to is a stoic black man named Mose Freeman - a dead ringer in appearance, action and attitude to Morgan Freeman. Freeman is a "healer" who specializes in the supernatural.

He is called upon to provide his special services to a young, well-to-do couple new to the neighborhood whose son has fallen mysteriously ill. This leads to an exorcism attempt that takes several pages and is highlighted by the boy expelling something that makes Linda Blair's pea soup in "The Exorcist" seem tame by comparison.

Freeman is unflappable through it all until he is felled and the real story begins. A man with as long and distinguished a career as Freeman, battling demons, zombies and other supernatural creatures, is likely to have quite a few licking their chops to get their hands on his corpse.

There is only one man who can be trusted to keep his corpse safe and deal with the creatures of the night: Alabaster Graves, the Driver For The Dead.

When we first meet him, Graves is transporting a young boy he has to "take care of" before he completes the transformation from dead boy to undead vampire. Graves handles his emotional tasks with the cool detachment of a doctor who has to tell three people they're terminally ill every day. It's not pleasant, but it's his job.

The other star of the book is, arguably, Graves' hearse, which doesn't have a working radio or even an 8-track or seatbelts, but has a whole bunch of "safety features" that should entertain readers.

Two main themes run through this book. One is questioning who the true monsters of our society are. The second is the often overlooked issue - in comics especially - of race.

In addition, there are 46 pages of story and a 10-page "Hotwire" preview for only $4.99. Heartily recommended.

Read Jerome's full article by clicking the image below.

By JEROME MAIDA
Philadelphia Daily News

For the Daily News

RADICAL COMICS may have used last month's San Diego Comic-Con as a launching pad for a quintet of new titles, but the company is still emphasizing quality over quantity.

A case in point is its new series "Driver For The Dead," which could easily have been lost among the various books trying to capitalize on the vampire/zombie/undead genre these days. Instead, writer John Heffernan does a fresh take. The "Snakes On A Plane" scribe teams with artist Leonardo Manco to give readers what is becoming commonplace in Radical's books - writing and visuals that are virtually cinematic in caliber and scope.

In what appears to be a nod to that trend - and also, perhaps, to catch the eye of Hollywood movie producers - the first character we are introduced to is a stoic black man named Mose Freeman - a dead ringer in appearance, action and attitude to Morgan Freeman. Freeman is a "healer" who specializes in the supernatural.

He is called upon to provide his special services to a young, well-to-do couple new to the neighborhood whose son has fallen mysteriously ill. This leads to an exorcism attempt that takes several pages and is highlighted by the boy expelling something that makes Linda Blair's pea soup in "The Exorcist" seem tame by comparison.

Freeman is unflappable through it all until he is felled and the real story begins. A man with as long and distinguished a career as Freeman, battling demons, zombies and other supernatural creatures, is likely to have quite a few licking their chops to get their hands on his corpse.

There is only one man who can be trusted to keep his corpse safe and deal with the creatures of the night: Alabaster Graves, the Driver For The Dead.

When we first meet him, Graves is transporting a young boy he has to "take care of" before he completes the transformation from dead boy to undead vampire. Graves handles his emotional tasks with the cool detachment of a doctor who has to tell three people they're terminally ill every day. It's not pleasant, but it's his job.

The other star of the book is, arguably, Graves' hearse, which doesn't have a working radio or even an 8-track or seatbelts, but has a whole bunch of "safety features" that should entertain readers.

Two main themes run through this book. One is questioning who the true monsters of our society are. The second is the often overlooked issue - in comics especially - of race.

In addition, there are 46 pages of story and a 10-page "Hotwire" preview for only $4.99. Heartily recommended.

Read Jerome's full article by clicking the image below.

By Jason Rosas

Driver for the Dead #1 (of 3) by Radical Comics sounded like it was just another comic book hitched to the zombie bandwagon. Luckily, in creator/writer John Heffernan’s (Snakes on a Plane) capable hands, Driver for the Dead succeeds in paying homage to the horror genre by borrowing elements not only from the zombies, but also vampires, demonic possession, witchcraft, and slasher gore. Illustrator Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer) was a nice fit for the project given his background drawing brooding, troubled, unshaven, and wrinkle-suited protagonists. The only set-back to an otherwise entertaining tale was the glaring oversell for this title as a potential Hollywood script.

At the start of the book set in Louisiana, Moses Freeman, a stoic, aging black man who shares a striking resemblance to Academy Award Winner Morgan Freeman, performs a complicated exorcism of a home in Shreveport, Louisiana. Unfortunately, Freeman does not survive the ritual and sends word that his body be properly handled by Alabaster Graves, a professional hearse driver. Graves is skilled in interring persons of the supernatural persuasion, using a suped-up hearse named Black Betty as his transportation of choice. Graves recognizes that this assignment will be tricky as many would want possession of Freeman’s remains. However, Graves must also deal with Freeman’s great-granddaughter, Marissa, who will not take no for an answer. As it turns out, Graves will be hunted by Fallow, a zombie vampire of sorts, who can absorb the abilities of the supernaturally gifted and has been reviving other entities.

To say that Driver for the Dead was cinematic would be an understatement; as everything about Driver for the Dead screams “Make me into a movie! Look Morgan Freeman would be great!” Manco’s work, though excellent in general, here makes the book seem a bit unoriginal. Graves could just as easily be John Constantine. Nevertheless, Heffernan, as he did with Snakes on a Plane, makes what could be a campy tale, into a fast and loose joyride through the supernatural horror-scape. Hopefully, Manco won’t go for the PG-13 version he has produced so far; this could play out like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV show). But it ought to feel more Tarantino/Rodriquez/Roth-ish. That the setting is in Louisiana after the floods, where overturned graveyards abound, just makes for more fun and a huge set of possibilities. Hang onto your seats because Driver for the Dead promises to take you on a helluva ride.

Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Overall Rating 8/10

Click on image below for full article

By Jason Rosas

Driver for the Dead #1 (of 3) by Radical Comics sounded like it was just another comic book hitched to the zombie bandwagon. Luckily, in creator/writer John Heffernan’s (Snakes on a Plane) capable hands, Driver for the Dead succeeds in paying homage to the horror genre by borrowing elements not only from the zombies, but also vampires, demonic possession, witchcraft, and slasher gore. Illustrator Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer) was a nice fit for the project given his background drawing brooding, troubled, unshaven, and wrinkle-suited protagonists. The only set-back to an otherwise entertaining tale was the glaring oversell for this title as a potential Hollywood script.

At the start of the book set in Louisiana, Moses Freeman, a stoic, aging black man who shares a striking resemblance to Academy Award Winner Morgan Freeman, performs a complicated exorcism of a home in Shreveport, Louisiana. Unfortunately, Freeman does not survive the ritual and sends word that his body be properly handled by Alabaster Graves, a professional hearse driver. Graves is skilled in interring persons of the supernatural persuasion, using a suped-up hearse named Black Betty as his transportation of choice. Graves recognizes that this assignment will be tricky as many would want possession of Freeman’s remains. However, Graves must also deal with Freeman’s great-granddaughter, Marissa, who will not take no for an answer. As it turns out, Graves will be hunted by Fallow, a zombie vampire of sorts, who can absorb the abilities of the supernaturally gifted and has been reviving other entities.

To say that Driver for the Dead was cinematic would be an understatement; as everything about Driver for the Dead screams “Make me into a movie! Look Morgan Freeman would be great!” Manco’s work, though excellent in general, here makes the book seem a bit unoriginal. Graves could just as easily be John Constantine. Nevertheless, Heffernan, as he did with Snakes on a Plane, makes what could be a campy tale, into a fast and loose joyride through the supernatural horror-scape. Hopefully, Manco won’t go for the PG-13 version he has produced so far; this could play out like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV show). But it ought to feel more Tarantino/Rodriquez/Roth-ish. That the setting is in Louisiana after the floods, where overturned graveyards abound, just makes for more fun and a huge set of possibilities. Hang onto your seats because Driver for the Dead promises to take you on a helluva ride.

Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Overall Rating 8/10

Click on image below for full article

Review by Infinite Speech

“Driver for the Dead pt 1″: This title caught my attention during FCBD (Free Comic Book Day), and after picking up the preview I was determined to check out the full issue. Now, I’m not a big horror comic type guy, but after checking out some recommendations from our own Decapitated Dan, I’ve begun to broaden my horizons into this type of genre. So in saying that, I admit that I may not be some horror “expert,” but I do know a pretty good story when I read it, and Driver for the Dead did deliver with the first issue.

In Shreveport, Louisiana there is a very sick young man, and the Connor family has called on Moses Freeman to see if there’s anything he can do for the boy after all of their other failed attempts. Upon his arrival, Moses notices that something is definitely wrong, and assures the young couple that he will save their son. The thing is, Moses Freeman isn’t your everyday doctor, he deals in the supernatural and has felt the presence of some dark and sinister voodoo in the home. After he points out a few of the signs around the house, the Connors let him know that they recently fired their maid whom they caught stealing from them. Moses uses his talents to make sure that she is dealt with immediately, then turns his attention to helping the child. As he enters the young boy’s room with the parents, things shift to an even darker tone as he discovers that things are even worse then he assumed. During the ceremony to help the child, he ends up fighting a powerful and very large snake demon. During the final moments of the fight, the demon strikes out and mortally wounds Moses before it is destroyed, and with his last few minutes he gives the Connors a card with the name Alabaster Graves and asks that they call him.

Graves works for a funeral home and isn’t your everyday Hearse driver. You see, he deals in the supernatural as well, and when asked by his boss to transport the body of Moses Freeman to his family crypt, he’s on it. There is a slight problem in that Mr. Freeman’s great-granddaughter is going to accompany him, and she’s very skeptical of her great-grandfather’s history as some mystical voodoo doctor. Graves knows the danger she could be in and tries to discourage her, but her stubbornness wins out and the two are off to deliver the body to the family crypt in New Orleans.

Like many of the books coming out of Radical, this one looks great, but I was a bit surprised at how well I liked Heffernan’s story beyond what I read in the preview. The characters are interesting enough, and the dialog was pretty good as well. So far it looks like we’ve pretty much met all of the major players by the end of this issue, and the villain Fallow looks like he’s gonna be one tough guy to beat. Then again, Graves doesn’t seem to be a slouch in fighting the supernatural either, so hopefully the fight between these two will be worthwhile.

The artwork is done by Leonardo Manco, and I was impressed with just about every page as I read the issue. There is a bit of a resemblance between Moses Freeman and the actor Morgan Freeman that I noticed in some panels, which I actually thought was pretty cool. I will say that the detail on the hearse was just on point! It looks like the Black Betty was taken to Pimp My Ride: Voodoo Edition, as the design is mixed with plenty of supernatural protective elements, as well as a custom job that says “my car can kick your ass!” The panel layout was pretty good as well, and carried the action and story pretty smoothly without a lot of the jumping around that can get a bit distracting at times.

Driver for the Dead is only three issues long, and I’m hoping that Heffernan can keep the momentum going and deliver till the end. There’s plenty of set up here for a worthwhile story folks, so I suggest if voodoo, the undead, and supernatural beat downs are your thing, then check this issue out; and even if it’s not, then give it a try. Comics aren’t all spandex and capes!

To read the full review from Comic Attack, click on the image below.

Review by Infinite Speech

“Driver for the Dead pt 1″: This title caught my attention during FCBD (Free Comic Book Day), and after picking up the preview I was determined to check out the full issue. Now, I’m not a big horror comic type guy, but after checking out some recommendations from our own Decapitated Dan, I’ve begun to broaden my horizons into this type of genre. So in saying that, I admit that I may not be some horror “expert,” but I do know a pretty good story when I read it, and Driver for the Dead did deliver with the first issue.

In Shreveport, Louisiana there is a very sick young man, and the Connor family has called on Moses Freeman to see if there’s anything he can do for the boy after all of their other failed attempts. Upon his arrival, Moses notices that something is definitely wrong, and assures the young couple that he will save their son. The thing is, Moses Freeman isn’t your everyday doctor, he deals in the supernatural and has felt the presence of some dark and sinister voodoo in the home. After he points out a few of the signs around the house, the Connors let him know that they recently fired their maid whom they caught stealing from them. Moses uses his talents to make sure that she is dealt with immediately, then turns his attention to helping the child. As he enters the young boy’s room with the parents, things shift to an even darker tone as he discovers that things are even worse then he assumed. During the ceremony to help the child, he ends up fighting a powerful and very large snake demon. During the final moments of the fight, the demon strikes out and mortally wounds Moses before it is destroyed, and with his last few minutes he gives the Connors a card with the name Alabaster Graves and asks that they call him.

Graves works for a funeral home and isn’t your everyday Hearse driver. You see, he deals in the supernatural as well, and when asked by his boss to transport the body of Moses Freeman to his family crypt, he’s on it. There is a slight problem in that Mr. Freeman’s great-granddaughter is going to accompany him, and she’s very skeptical of her great-grandfather’s history as some mystical voodoo doctor. Graves knows the danger she could be in and tries to discourage her, but her stubbornness wins out and the two are off to deliver the body to the family crypt in New Orleans.

Like many of the books coming out of Radical, this one looks great, but I was a bit surprised at how well I liked Heffernan’s story beyond what I read in the preview. The characters are interesting enough, and the dialog was pretty good as well. So far it looks like we’ve pretty much met all of the major players by the end of this issue, and the villain Fallow looks like he’s gonna be one tough guy to beat. Then again, Graves doesn’t seem to be a slouch in fighting the supernatural either, so hopefully the fight between these two will be worthwhile.

The artwork is done by Leonardo Manco, and I was impressed with just about every page as I read the issue. There is a bit of a resemblance between Moses Freeman and the actor Morgan Freeman that I noticed in some panels, which I actually thought was pretty cool. I will say that the detail on the hearse was just on point! It looks like the Black Betty was taken to Pimp My Ride: Voodoo Edition, as the design is mixed with plenty of supernatural protective elements, as well as a custom job that says “my car can kick your ass!” The panel layout was pretty good as well, and carried the action and story pretty smoothly without a lot of the jumping around that can get a bit distracting at times.

Driver for the Dead is only three issues long, and I’m hoping that Heffernan can keep the momentum going and deliver till the end. There’s plenty of set up here for a worthwhile story folks, so I suggest if voodoo, the undead, and supernatural beat downs are your thing, then check this issue out; and even if it’s not, then give it a try. Comics aren’t all spandex and capes!

To read the full review from Comic Attack, click on the image below.

Reviews by Mark Ruffin

Driver for the Dead:

Fonts that lend a reminder for a cinematic style of heading marks the title and cover on a debut comic book from Radical Publishing. Louisiana environs embed as the setting for the morbid occupation of Alabaster Graves. Supernatural powers become an occupational hazard for this driver who transports the deceased for morticians and morgues. Stylishly surrealistic panels by Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer, War Machine) recreates the visual tone for Shreveport and surrounding communities.

Time Bomb:

Radical Publishing brings a new story arc from screenwriter and comics scribe Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Daughters of the Dragon, Hawkman). An expedition for an insidious modern day find goes looked-good-on-paper after escalating into time travel. Nazi doomsday. Hitler's Berlin. Human extinction. The three-issue series has a stand out story equal to the creative team.

After Dark:

Film director Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day", "Brooklyn's Finest") and Wesley Snipes ("Blade", "Undisputed") take their story concept to Radical Publishing. A-list comics scripter Peter Milligan (Human Target, Greek Street) writes the creative story into a limited comic book series. The science fiction drama endeavors for humane relevance within a star-spanning sojourn.

Reviews by Mark Ruffin

Driver for the Dead:

Fonts that lend a reminder for a cinematic style of heading marks the title and cover on a debut comic book from Radical Publishing. Louisiana environs embed as the setting for the morbid occupation of Alabaster Graves. Supernatural powers become an occupational hazard for this driver who transports the deceased for morticians and morgues. Stylishly surrealistic panels by Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer, War Machine) recreates the visual tone for Shreveport and surrounding communities.

Time Bomb:

Radical Publishing brings a new story arc from screenwriter and comics scribe Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane, Daughters of the Dragon, Hawkman). An expedition for an insidious modern day find goes looked-good-on-paper after escalating into time travel. Nazi doomsday. Hitler's Berlin. Human extinction. The three-issue series has a stand out story equal to the creative team.

After Dark:

Film director Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day", "Brooklyn's Finest") and Wesley Snipes ("Blade", "Undisputed") take their story concept to Radical Publishing. A-list comics scripter Peter Milligan (Human Target, Greek Street) writes the creative story into a limited comic book series. The science fiction drama endeavors for humane relevance within a star-spanning sojourn.

Review by Chris Smits

Arriving at the home of a very sick boy, a man named Mose shows a troubled couple that there are more things going on in their house in Shreveport Louisiana than they had been aware of. Revealing the world of black magics and curses around them, Moses performs the acts of a healer for their son, but not without great cost. This cost results in a phone call being made to a funeral home in New Orleans and requesting the services of a driver who works there; A driver who knows all about demons and devils, witches and vampires, and specializes in handling things of this non-nature.

Alabaster Graves is a driver for the dead and now he has to get down to Shreveport for this job he was specifically requested for. Supernatural things are brewing though, and Graves is more than likely to end up at the center of it because of this job.

John Heffernan kind of has two comics going on in this one book. The first one being a creepy horror tale and then the second is more of an action book with horror elements. The two tie-in seamlessly but it still reads almost like two different books because of the tone shift. The beginning (with Mose and the sick boy) is a horror story that delves into elements of everything from EC Comics to any Creepy or Eerie and the like. Voodoo and curses, nasty little reveals showing how the curse was placed, all complete with a bit of a twist. That’s a formula that’s classic, I’m a big fan, and Heffernan does it just fine.

Once the story shifts to the driver Graves, it immediately takes on a much different feel. He has a suped up hot-rod of a hearse complete with a cache of military weapons in it. His knowledge of the supernatural seems to be on par with his knowledge of armaments and how to use them, so throw in some expletives and a suit and you have your Driver For The Dead.

It’s a grisly, graphic and unashamed book and not for the kiddies or those that don’t care for graphic nastiness. For the rest of us ghoul-hounds, it’s a well done bit of action/horror that I found to be entertaining.

To read the full review, click on the image below.

Review by Chris Smits

Arriving at the home of a very sick boy, a man named Mose shows a troubled couple that there are more things going on in their house in Shreveport Louisiana than they had been aware of. Revealing the world of black magics and curses around them, Moses performs the acts of a healer for their son, but not without great cost. This cost results in a phone call being made to a funeral home in New Orleans and requesting the services of a driver who works there; A driver who knows all about demons and devils, witches and vampires, and specializes in handling things of this non-nature.

Alabaster Graves is a driver for the dead and now he has to get down to Shreveport for this job he was specifically requested for. Supernatural things are brewing though, and Graves is more than likely to end up at the center of it because of this job.

John Heffernan kind of has two comics going on in this one book. The first one being a creepy horror tale and then the second is more of an action book with horror elements. The two tie-in seamlessly but it still reads almost like two different books because of the tone shift. The beginning (with Mose and the sick boy) is a horror story that delves into elements of everything from EC Comics to any Creepy or Eerie and the like. Voodoo and curses, nasty little reveals showing how the curse was placed, all complete with a bit of a twist. That’s a formula that’s classic, I’m a big fan, and Heffernan does it just fine.

Once the story shifts to the driver Graves, it immediately takes on a much different feel. He has a suped up hot-rod of a hearse complete with a cache of military weapons in it. His knowledge of the supernatural seems to be on par with his knowledge of armaments and how to use them, so throw in some expletives and a suit and you have your Driver For The Dead.

It’s a grisly, graphic and unashamed book and not for the kiddies or those that don’t care for graphic nastiness. For the rest of us ghoul-hounds, it’s a well done bit of action/horror that I found to be entertaining.

To read the full review, click on the image below.

Review by Leroy Douresseaux

So what would parents do if they had to bury a son that was destined to return as a vampire?  Well, Alabaster Graves, the hearse driver for Delacroix Funeral Home and Mortuary, would transport the son’s body to the graveyard.  Graves is a “specialty driver.”  He’d know just what to do with the newly risen undead child.

Alabaster Graves is the star of Driver for the Dead, a new, supernatural horror comic book miniseries from Radical Comics.  Set in the heart of Louisiana, Driver for the Dead is written by John Heffernan (screenwriter for Snakes on a Plane) and drawn by Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer).

In Driver for the Dead #1, Graves gets the assignment of driving to Shreveport to pick up the earthly remains of renowned voodoo priest, Mose Freeman. With Freeman’s sexy, but mouthy granddaughter, Marissa Freeman, riding shotgun, Alabaster must return the body from Shreveport to New Orleans.  What Graves doesn’t know is that he is being pursued by the mysterious Uriah Fallow, for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize.

THE LOWDOWN:  It would not be inaccurate to compare Driver for the Dead to DC Comics/Vertigo’s long running supernatural comic book series, Hellblazer.  However, John Constantine, the star of Hellblazer, is an occult detective and mage whose adventures have a Film-Noir feel.  Driver for the Dead’s Alabaster Graves is a kick-ass hero in a comic book that seems like a Hollywood supernatural action movie.  Think of Alabaster Graves as Jason’s Statham’s Frank Martin (of The Transporter film series) meets Darren McGavin’s Carl Kolchak.

Writer John Heffernan has scripted a dark, violent, supernatural tale that is electric with entertainment rather than being bleak and depressing.  It’s funny and wild, but crazy like good horror should be.  I also have to give credit to Heffernan for including black characters in the story.  So often, I read stories set in places where there should be black characters, yet there are few if any.

The art by Leonardo Manco with painted colors by Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo translates all the bizarre flavors and outlandish supernatural elements into something coherent and actually quite chilling.  Manco, a veteran comic book artist, captures the nuances of the characters with a sly grace – making even the stock characters a bit more interesting than they should be.

THE LOWDOWN:  Readers of Hellblazer and The Dresden Files may like Driver for the Dead.

A-

To read the full review, click on the image below. 

Review by Leroy Douresseaux

So what would parents do if they had to bury a son that was destined to return as a vampire?  Well, Alabaster Graves, the hearse driver for Delacroix Funeral Home and Mortuary, would transport the son’s body to the graveyard.  Graves is a “specialty driver.”  He’d know just what to do with the newly risen undead child.

Alabaster Graves is the star of Driver for the Dead, a new, supernatural horror comic book miniseries from Radical Comics.  Set in the heart of Louisiana, Driver for the Dead is written by John Heffernan (screenwriter for Snakes on a Plane) and drawn by Leonardo Manco (Hellblazer).

In Driver for the Dead #1, Graves gets the assignment of driving to Shreveport to pick up the earthly remains of renowned voodoo priest, Mose Freeman. With Freeman’s sexy, but mouthy granddaughter, Marissa Freeman, riding shotgun, Alabaster must return the body from Shreveport to New Orleans.  What Graves doesn’t know is that he is being pursued by the mysterious Uriah Fallow, for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize.

THE LOWDOWN:  It would not be inaccurate to compare Driver for the Dead to DC Comics/Vertigo’s long running supernatural comic book series, Hellblazer.  However, John Constantine, the star of Hellblazer, is an occult detective and mage whose adventures have a Film-Noir feel.  Driver for the Dead’s Alabaster Graves is a kick-ass hero in a comic book that seems like a Hollywood supernatural action movie.  Think of Alabaster Graves as Jason’s Statham’s Frank Martin (of The Transporter film series) meets Darren McGavin’s Carl Kolchak.

Writer John Heffernan has scripted a dark, violent, supernatural tale that is electric with entertainment rather than being bleak and depressing.  It’s funny and wild, but crazy like good horror should be.  I also have to give credit to Heffernan for including black characters in the story.  So often, I read stories set in places where there should be black characters, yet there are few if any.

The art by Leonardo Manco with painted colors by Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo translates all the bizarre flavors and outlandish supernatural elements into something coherent and actually quite chilling.  Manco, a veteran comic book artist, captures the nuances of the characters with a sly grace – making even the stock characters a bit more interesting than they should be.

THE LOWDOWN:  Readers of Hellblazer and The Dresden Files may like Driver for the Dead.

A-

To read the full review, click on the image below. 

Review by Brett Schenker

Driver for the Dead #1 is fantastic.  I’m just going to outright say, this is a must buy for the week.  Written by John Heffernan and art by Leonard Manco the story has two parts.  The first part focuses on a voodoo priest and the second half a driver for a funeral home who does a bit more than just move dead bodies around.

Alabaster Graves is a driver for the dead. As a veteran of funeral homes, mortuaries, and coroners’ offices across the Deep South, Graves chauffeurs hundreds of bodies to their final resting places. But now, Alabaster must cover the distance from Shreveport to New Orleans to retrieve the remains of Mose Freeman, renown voodoo priest, with Freeman’s sultry granddaughter riding shotgun. What he doesn’t know is that he’s being pursued by a resurrectionist named Fallow – a necromancer who gets his power from stealing body parts… and for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize.

The story, art, setting all comes together to set the perfect mood.  This is great synergy on the comic page.  The story takes place in a post-Katrina Louisiana.  A lot is played off of the state’s history of supernatural and ties to voodoo and hoodoo.

The first part focusing on Freeman just sets the tone and builds that supernatural tension, and in the end sets the standard that anything can happen.  The quick transition to the main focus on Alabaster gives us a picture of who our hero is quickly.

I’m not the biggest fan of horror as a genre, but this is a series I can get behind and can’t wait for the next issue to come.  It’s just so solid and entertaining.  If you haven’t picked up a comic from Radical Publishing, this is a great series to start with.

Plot: Heffernan masterfully sets the tone and pace and uses his setting to it’s full potential.  The characters are interesting, action entertaining and plot intriguing.  It may seem odd, but after reading this, my urge to check out Louisiana increased.  It’s a solid start to what could be a very entertaining series.  Rating: 9.5

Art: Manco’s art matches the writing and fits the mood perfectly.  The action, use of angles and panels is great and the coloring is top notch.  Everything fits when it comes to art, and what could of easily been a washed out in darkness series instead is washed in perfect browns and dead on drab colors.  Rating: 9.5

Overall: This is a series that the art, tone, story just work so well together.  You can tell the writer and artist are completely on the same page.  It’s so fantastic and a must buy for the week.  Overall rating: 9.5

Recommendation: Buy

To read the full review, click on the image below.

Review by Brett Schenker

Driver for the Dead #1 is fantastic.  I’m just going to outright say, this is a must buy for the week.  Written by John Heffernan and art by Leonard Manco the story has two parts.  The first part focuses on a voodoo priest and the second half a driver for a funeral home who does a bit more than just move dead bodies around.

Alabaster Graves is a driver for the dead. As a veteran of funeral homes, mortuaries, and coroners’ offices across the Deep South, Graves chauffeurs hundreds of bodies to their final resting places. But now, Alabaster must cover the distance from Shreveport to New Orleans to retrieve the remains of Mose Freeman, renown voodoo priest, with Freeman’s sultry granddaughter riding shotgun. What he doesn’t know is that he’s being pursued by a resurrectionist named Fallow – a necromancer who gets his power from stealing body parts… and for whom the corpse of Mose Freeman would be the ultimate prize.

The story, art, setting all comes together to set the perfect mood.  This is great synergy on the comic page.  The story takes place in a post-Katrina Louisiana.  A lot is played off of the state’s history of supernatural and ties to voodoo and hoodoo.

The first part focusing on Freeman just sets the tone and builds that supernatural tension, and in the end sets the standard that anything can happen.  The quick transition to the main focus on Alabaster gives us a picture of who our hero is quickly.

I’m not the biggest fan of horror as a genre, but this is a series I can get behind and can’t wait for the next issue to come.  It’s just so solid and entertaining.  If you haven’t picked up a comic from Radical Publishing, this is a great series to start with.

Plot: Heffernan masterfully sets the tone and pace and uses his setting to it’s full potential.  The characters are interesting, action entertaining and plot intriguing.  It may seem odd, but after reading this, my urge to check out Louisiana increased.  It’s a solid start to what could be a very entertaining series.  Rating: 9.5

Art: Manco’s art matches the writing and fits the mood perfectly.  The action, use of angles and panels is great and the coloring is top notch.  Everything fits when it comes to art, and what could of easily been a washed out in darkness series instead is washed in perfect browns and dead on drab colors.  Rating: 9.5

Overall: This is a series that the art, tone, story just work so well together.  You can tell the writer and artist are completely on the same page.  It’s so fantastic and a must buy for the week.  Overall rating: 9.5

Recommendation: Buy

To read the full review, click on the image below.

Interview by Fletch Adams

Hoodoo psychics, jazz funerals, supercharged hearses, grave robbers and naked witches.  That’s what writer John Heffernan found at a Denny’s restaurant one early morning.  No, it’s not a twisted new Grand Slam meal, but rather some of the elements comic fans will find in Driver for the Dead, Heffernan’s new series debuting this month from Radical Publishing.

After reading a newspaper article about a hearse that was carjacked, only do be later discovered, its “freight” missing, the writer of the 2006 film, Snakes on a Plane, got curious.  As he researched incidents like this (which apparently are more common than one might think) Heffernan started wondering why a person would want to steal a body – and how you could guarantee a corpse got delivered from point A to point B without being “interfered” with. 

From there, characters and a story took shape - Alabaster Graves (a hearse driver who knows that there's more to the business of death than the undertaking profession might allow the public to believe), Marissa Freeman (great-granddaughter of an old hoodoo witch doctor, who rides shotgun with Graves and her great-grandfather’s corpse), Fallow (a necromancer who sustains himself by transplanting his own aging tissue with a steady supply of fresh flesh) and a mysterious and dangerous journey through the Cajun and Creole mysticism of the Deep South.

With the new three-issue series pulling into comic shops later this month, Broken Frontier spent some time chatting with Heffernan – about the creative process, his journey as a writer and, of course, those motherfucking snakes on that motherfucking plane.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What did your journey look like from being a guy with stories to tell to being a professional screenwriter and now comic writer?

JOHN HEFFERNAN: It’s a lonely thing, writing, and I’ve always been kind of a lonesome person so I guess it goes hand in hand.

It’s part escapism, part exhibitionism, part just looking at the world in a new and different and often sick and twisted way. I always had a thing for short stories. When I was a kid I was really into Stephen King and Clive Barker, still am, and their collected short works like Skeleton Crew and the Books of Blood were always my favorites. So I grew up on that stuff and as I got older I started writing my own short stories, some for pleasure and some for school. I was an English major in college, which in retrospect was not the most sensible use of four years of my time and thousands of dollars of my parents’ money but hey, it’s worked out so far. Besides, I can’t do math.

At some point I fell in love with movies and got it in my head that I wanted to work in the film business, doing what I had no idea, but something that would no doubt lead to great fortune and fame. So after I graduated I bought this big blue child-molester van with no back windows and drove out to Hollywood with about $500 to my name. Again, not very sensible and definitely not recommended. After a few lousy temp jobs I got a position working at USC Film School, which led to a couple of assistant gigs at a few different production companies. While I was there I sat in on a few development meetings and figured out that the best, or at least the cheapest, way to establish yourself creatively in Hollywood was to write a good screenplay.

So I read and did coverage on a bunch of screenplays, and I can tell you that one way to learn how to write a good screenplay is to read about five thousand bad screenplays. They were all so formulaic, so generic, so boring.  So I decided I would write one that would not be formulaic and generic and boring. It might not sell, no one might even read it, but it definitely wouldn’t be boring. I started writing a spec script and after a few drafts I showed it to my movie producer boss. To my surprise he liked it and helped me get an agent, and we ended up working together to create and sell Snakes on a Plane. I’ve been writing professionally ever since.

BF: I think I’m obligated to ask a Snakes on a Plane question…that movie is likely best known for the pre-release phenomenon that surrounded it.  What was were involvement in the movie and what sticks out to you most about the entire experience?

HEFFERNAN: Yeah, that was something. People heard the film’s title and just got inspired. All the fansites, the song contests, the unauthorized merchandising… which I still haven’t seen a dime from, by the way, although I do have a ton of bootleg T-shirts in a box in my garage. It was really fun, and very gratifying.

The only negative from all the sort of ironic fandom going on was that some people expected the movie to be a “so bad it’s good” campy romp send-up, which it really wasn’t. It was always meant to be more of an homage to the classic disaster/when-animals-attack flicks of the 1970s, like The Towering Inferno meets Kingdom Of The Spiders or something; a modern-day B movie but done well, not poorly. Good suspense, good comic relief, good action, good horror. And I think that’s what it ultimately turned out to be, and a lot of people really enjoyed it, but there’s not a huge audience for movies that people think are intentionally stupid, and some people who might have gotten the wrong idea about the film during that pre-release viral fanstorm might have missed out on the fun of seeing the movie in the theater on opening weekend.

But my most memorable experience from the film was seeing the completed airplane set for the first time. The producers basically bought a 747, cut it in half, and then put it on an enormous air-powered gimbal inside a huge soundstage. The interiors were done to a T—you could walk inside the plane’s cabin and completely believe that you were mid-flight on a real transatlantic carrier. Then, when the technician fired up the gimbal and ran the lights and the rain machines, the plane would roll and dive while you were inside it and you were tossed around like you were riding the most realistic plane-crash-simulator amusement park ride ever.

My other most memorable experience was the small part that I had in the movie: I played the FBI dog handler who sweeps the cargo hold with the German Shepherd just before the snakes are released. That was so cool, as I have a German Shepherd myself and they’re just awesome dogs. The only problem was that this particular dog just could not hit his marks to save his life, so we had to bait the set with little pieces of sausage everywhere to get him to go where we wanted him to go. That one scene took about 15 takes, and by the end of it I was thinking it was all my fault for trying to be a movie star and wasting all this film and everybody’s time and money. But I guess I was OK because the scene made it into the final cut of the movie.

BF: To most people, you don’t have that instant name recognition as a comic book writer, but you’re not really “just another Hollywood guy” trying his hand at comics.  Can you tell us a little bit about your involvement with comic books?

HEFFERNAN: I’ll actually take that as a serious compliment, because I certainly don’t want to be “just another Hollywood guy” trying his hand at comics. There are way too many posers out there who say they’ve been into comics forever but couldn’t tell you the difference between the Golden Age and Silver Age or Earth-1 and Earth-2 or that the new comics come out on Wednesdays. It’s all just a result of the explosion of superhero movies—writers want to go where the market is, and there’s nothing wrong with that per se, but you can always tell the guys who just talk the talk and the guys have been card-carrying geeks their whole lives. The guys who just want to do a book so it can be optioned for a studio release vs. the guys who want to do a 60-issue run of their own title for its own fanbase and its own loyal readers and have it mean something as a comic and nothing more.

For me, I’ve been a comic book fan since I was about six years old. I remember mowing my grandmother’s lawn for two bucks on weekends and then I would walk to the convenience store and spend 50 cents on a comic book and 50 cents on Twinkies and sit in the convenience store reading comics and eating Twinkies. Which probably explains the loneliness. I started becoming a “serious” comic reader in junior high school right around the time that Crisis and Watchmen were coming out. I started out reading the Big 3 and then moved on to more indie stuff as I got older. I loved Chris Claremont and John Byrne and the stuff they were doing at Marvel and DC but my favorite titles in high school were actually First Comics’ Badger and Nexus from Mike Baron and Steve Rude.

I also loved what was going on with the newly imprinted Vertigo stuff; Sandman was great, Animal Man, all of that. And I had a special place in my collection for my coveted first-printings of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns. But I think I really started to want to write comics when I read Garth Ennis’ Preacher for the first time. For me, that was more than a comic, it was a religious experience. I couldn’t believe that a comic could be that good. So dark, so funny, so clever. Ever since then I’ve been looking to do a book of my own, and I knew that Driver for the Dead would be that first book, but I definitely don’t want it to be my last. I’d like to write more of my own stuff, but I’d also like to write on some big iconic characters too. I’ve got some ideas for the Punisher that would make the skull on his chest blush, believe me.

BF: I stumbled across an interview you did with Jimmy Palmiotti back in 2006.  In it you mentioned that you would be interested in doing your own comic property, but it would need to be with the right company.  What made Radical that company?

HEFFERNAN: First and foremost was the deal that Radical offered. It’s basically a 50/50 split in terms of creative ownership of the property and revenue sharing, which is appealing to any creator. Radical is also known for developing properties that can easily transition into other media, like film and games and television, and Driver for the Dead is no exception. But the clincher for me was the high production value that Radical is known for; their books just look so much better than anything else on the market. Publisher Barry Levine has a great eye for talent, and being a terrifically accomplished artist and photographer himself, he knows what looks good on a page and he knows how to work with artists. The company also has a very smart and collaborative editorial staff and art department, and working with them has truly been a delight from start to (hopefully not) finish.

I should also mention that I loved doing that interview with Jimmy Palmiotti; Jimmy is a truly great guy who should have his own comics industry award named for him. He’s also doing a book for Radical called Time Bomb which will hit stands soon.

Click the image below to read the full interview.

Interview by Fletch Adams

Hoodoo psychics, jazz funerals, supercharged hearses, grave robbers and naked witches.  That’s what writer John Heffernan found at a Denny’s restaurant one early morning.  No, it’s not a twisted new Grand Slam meal, but rather some of the elements comic fans will find in Driver for the Dead, Heffernan’s new series debuting this month from Radical Publishing.

After reading a newspaper article about a hearse that was carjacked, only do be later discovered, its “freight” missing, the writer of the 2006 film, Snakes on a Plane, got curious.  As he researched incidents like this (which apparently are more common than one might think) Heffernan started wondering why a person would want to steal a body – and how you could guarantee a corpse got delivered from point A to point B without being “interfered” with. 

From there, characters and a story took shape - Alabaster Graves (a hearse driver who knows that there's more to the business of death than the undertaking profession might allow the public to believe), Marissa Freeman (great-granddaughter of an old hoodoo witch doctor, who rides shotgun with Graves and her great-grandfather’s corpse), Fallow (a necromancer who sustains himself by transplanting his own aging tissue with a steady supply of fresh flesh) and a mysterious and dangerous journey through the Cajun and Creole mysticism of the Deep South.

With the new three-issue series pulling into comic shops later this month, Broken Frontier spent some time chatting with Heffernan – about the creative process, his journey as a writer and, of course, those motherfucking snakes on that motherfucking plane.

BROKEN FRONTIER: What did your journey look like from being a guy with stories to tell to being a professional screenwriter and now comic writer?

JOHN HEFFERNAN: It’s a lonely thing, writing, and I’ve always been kind of a lonesome person so I guess it goes hand in hand.

It’s part escapism, part exhibitionism, part just looking at the world in a new and different and often sick and twisted way. I always had a thing for short stories. When I was a kid I was really into Stephen King and Clive Barker, still am, and their collected short works like Skeleton Crew and the Books of Blood were always my favorites. So I grew up on that stuff and as I got older I started writing my own short stories, some for pleasure and some for school. I was an English major in college, which in retrospect was not the most sensible use of four years of my time and thousands of dollars of my parents’ money but hey, it’s worked out so far. Besides, I can’t do math.

At some point I fell in love with movies and got it in my head that I wanted to work in the film business, doing what I had no idea, but something that would no doubt lead to great fortune and fame. So after I graduated I bought this big blue child-molester van with no back windows and drove out to Hollywood with about $500 to my name. Again, not very sensible and definitely not recommended. After a few lousy temp jobs I got a position working at USC Film School, which led to a couple of assistant gigs at a few different production companies. While I was there I sat in on a few development meetings and figured out that the best, or at least the cheapest, way to establish yourself creatively in Hollywood was to write a good screenplay.

So I read and did coverage on a bunch of screenplays, and I can tell you that one way to learn how to write a good screenplay is to read about five thousand bad screenplays. They were all so formulaic, so generic, so boring.  So I decided I would write one that would not be formulaic and generic and boring. It might not sell, no one might even read it, but it definitely wouldn’t be boring. I started writing a spec script and after a few drafts I showed it to my movie producer boss. To my surprise he liked it and helped me get an agent, and we ended up working together to create and sell Snakes on a Plane. I’ve been writing professionally ever since.

BF: I think I’m obligated to ask a Snakes on a Plane question…that movie is likely best known for the pre-release phenomenon that surrounded it.  What was were involvement in the movie and what sticks out to you most about the entire experience?

HEFFERNAN: Yeah, that was something. People heard the film’s title and just got inspired. All the fansites, the song contests, the unauthorized merchandising… which I still haven’t seen a dime from, by the way, although I do have a ton of bootleg T-shirts in a box in my garage. It was really fun, and very gratifying.

The only negative from all the sort of ironic fandom going on was that some people expected the movie to be a “so bad it’s good” campy romp send-up, which it really wasn’t. It was always meant to be more of an homage to the classic disaster/when-animals-attack flicks of the 1970s, like The Towering Inferno meets Kingdom Of The Spiders or something; a modern-day B movie but done well, not poorly. Good suspense, good comic relief, good action, good horror. And I think that’s what it ultimately turned out to be, and a lot of people really enjoyed it, but there’s not a huge audience for movies that people think are intentionally stupid, and some people who might have gotten the wrong idea about the film during that pre-release viral fanstorm might have missed out on the fun of seeing the movie in the theater on opening weekend.

But my most memorable experience from the film was seeing the completed airplane set for the first time. The producers basically bought a 747, cut it in half, and then put it on an enormous air-powered gimbal inside a huge soundstage. The interiors were done to a T—you could walk inside the plane’s cabin and completely believe that you were mid-flight on a real transatlantic carrier. Then, when the technician fired up the gimbal and ran the lights and the rain machines, the plane would roll and dive while you were inside it and you were tossed around like you were riding the most realistic plane-crash-simulator amusement park ride ever.

My other most memorable experience was the small part that I had in the movie: I played the FBI dog handler who sweeps the cargo hold with the German Shepherd just before the snakes are released. That was so cool, as I have a German Shepherd myself and they’re just awesome dogs. The only problem was that this particular dog just could not hit his marks to save his life, so we had to bait the set with little pieces of sausage everywhere to get him to go where we wanted him to go. That one scene took about 15 takes, and by the end of it I was thinking it was all my fault for trying to be a movie star and wasting all this film and everybody’s time and money. But I guess I was OK because the scene made it into the final cut of the movie.

BF: To most people, you don’t have that instant name recognition as a comic book writer, but you’re not really “just another Hollywood guy” trying his hand at comics.  Can you tell us a little bit about your involvement with comic books?

HEFFERNAN: I’ll actually take that as a serious compliment, because I certainly don’t want to be “just another Hollywood guy” trying his hand at comics. There are way too many posers out there who say they’ve been into comics forever but couldn’t tell you the difference between the Golden Age and Silver Age or Earth-1 and Earth-2 or that the new comics come out on Wednesdays. It’s all just a result of the explosion of superhero movies—writers want to go where the market is, and there’s nothing wrong with that per se, but you can always tell the guys who just talk the talk and the guys have been card-carrying geeks their whole lives. The guys who just want to do a book so it can be optioned for a studio release vs. the guys who want to do a 60-issue run of their own title for its own fanbase and its own loyal readers and have it mean something as a comic and nothing more.

For me, I’ve been a comic book fan since I was about six years old. I remember mowing my grandmother’s lawn for two bucks on weekends and then I would walk to the convenience store and spend 50 cents on a comic book and 50 cents on Twinkies and sit in the convenience store reading comics and eating Twinkies. Which probably explains the loneliness. I started becoming a “serious” comic reader in junior high school right around the time that Crisis and Watchmen were coming out. I started out reading the Big 3 and then moved on to more indie stuff as I got older. I loved Chris Claremont and John Byrne and the stuff they were doing at Marvel and DC but my favorite titles in high school were actually First Comics’ Badger and Nexus from Mike Baron and Steve Rude.

I also loved what was going on with the newly imprinted Vertigo stuff; Sandman was great, Animal Man, all of that. And I had a special place in my collection for my coveted first-printings of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns. But I think I really started to want to write comics when I read Garth Ennis’ Preacher for the first time. For me, that was more than a comic, it was a religious experience. I couldn’t believe that a comic could be that good. So dark, so funny, so clever. Ever since then I’ve been looking to do a book of my own, and I knew that Driver for the Dead would be that first book, but I definitely don’t want it to be my last. I’d like to write more of my own stuff, but I’d also like to write on some big iconic characters too. I’ve got some ideas for the Punisher that would make the skull on his chest blush, believe me.

BF: I stumbled across an interview you did with Jimmy Palmiotti back in 2006.  In it you mentioned that you would be interested in doing your own comic property, but it would need to be with the right company.  What made Radical that company?

HEFFERNAN: First and foremost was the deal that Radical offered. It’s basically a 50/50 split in terms of creative ownership of the property and revenue sharing, which is appealing to any creator. Radical is also known for developing properties that can easily transition into other media, like film and games and television, and Driver for the Dead is no exception. But the clincher for me was the high production value that Radical is known for; their books just look so much better than anything else on the market. Publisher Barry Levine has a great eye for talent, and being a terrifically accomplished artist and photographer himself, he knows what looks good on a page and he knows how to work with artists. The company also has a very smart and collaborative editorial staff and art department, and working with them has truly been a delight from start to (hopefully not) finish.

I should also mention that I loved doing that interview with Jimmy Palmiotti; Jimmy is a truly great guy who should have his own comics industry award named for him. He’s also doing a book for Radical called Time Bomb which will hit stands soon.

Click the image below to read the full interview.

Review by Brandon

Would you sign up for a job that entails fighting all sorts of undead monsters battling for your very soul while giving you a chance to drive a kickass hearse in the meantime? If these are the sort of things you look for in a comic then look no further than Driver for the Dead #1 from Radical Publishing. I couldn’t have asked for a better title than that and, really, this is an overall enjoyable comic to read and am looking forward to the next issue. At the moment though let's focus on this first issue and have ourselves a review.

The story begins with Mose Freeman, a man of supernatural powers and knowledge en route to a house to help a sick child. Now this child isn’t sick with any old illness, but has been cursed by a former nanny with some real powerful magic. In the ensuing fight a dragon demon thing flies out of the boy’s mouth and attacks Mose, fatally wounding both in the process. Mose's final wish is for the parents to call someone to take care of his remains and that man is Alabaster Graves.

With this being a comic you know nothing goes right for Alabaster as he runs into some grave robbers as they open fire on him, hitting his hearse. Graves gets word that Mose Freeman has died and requested him personally to drive his body back to New Orleans to be buried in the family crypt. Only hitch in the plan is Mose's great-granddaughter is coming along for the ride which is a bad idea in his book, but seeing the money at the end of the tunnel let's him get over it.

The first issue written by John Heffernan features encounters with the aforementioned grave robbers and a witch who informs him of a potential showdown with Fallow, an entity of pure evil setting his sights on Alabaster and Mose's corpse. I have to say I really dug the artwork by Leonardo Marco (colors by Kinsun Loh & Jerry Choo) as it's just a great fit with the story and adds a darker tone to the work as well. Great first issue of this new series and I very much enjoyed reading it and am definitely looking forward to that next issue.

Review by Brandon

Would you sign up for a job that entails fighting all sorts of undead monsters battling for your very soul while giving you a chance to drive a kickass hearse in the meantime? If these are the sort of things you look for in a comic then look no further than Driver for the Dead #1 from Radical Publishing. I couldn’t have asked for a better title than that and, really, this is an overall enjoyable comic to read and am looking forward to the next issue. At the moment though let's focus on this first issue and have ourselves a review.

The story begins with Mose Freeman, a man of supernatural powers and knowledge en route to a house to help a sick child. Now this child isn’t sick with any old illness, but has been cursed by a former nanny with some real powerful magic. In the ensuing fight a dragon demon thing flies out of the boy’s mouth and attacks Mose, fatally wounding both in the process. Mose's final wish is for the parents to call someone to take care of his remains and that man is Alabaster Graves.

With this being a comic you know nothing goes right for Alabaster as he runs into some grave robbers as they open fire on him, hitting his hearse. Graves gets word that Mose Freeman has died and requested him personally to drive his body back to New Orleans to be buried in the family crypt. Only hitch in the plan is Mose's great-granddaughter is coming along for the ride which is a bad idea in his book, but seeing the money at the end of the tunnel let's him get over it.

The first issue written by John Heffernan features encounters with the aforementioned grave robbers and a witch who informs him of a potential showdown with Fallow, an entity of pure evil setting his sights on Alabaster and Mose's corpse. I have to say I really dug the artwork by Leonardo Marco (colors by Kinsun Loh & Jerry Choo) as it's just a great fit with the story and adds a darker tone to the work as well. Great first issue of this new series and I very much enjoyed reading it and am definitely looking forward to that next issue.

Review by Nathan Armstrong

Alabaster Graves is an excellent name for the driver of a hearse; I feel like there’s something indisputable about that. It’s the name (and occupation) of the protagonist in a new three part graphic novel from writer John Heffernan and illustrator Leonardo Manco titled Driver for the Dead. Although not everything about the first volume hits its mark the way “Alabaster Graves” does, it goes a long way towards setting the table for what is potentially a very good horror story—it introduces its characters, it grounds the setting (in a supernatural Louisiana), and it gives us, by the end, a simple but useful plot to build around: Graves must drive his tricked-out hearse from New Orleans to Shreveport while protecting himself, his cargo (the body of a New Orleans exorcist), and his passenger (the granddaughter of that same exorcist) from a variety of evils, including vampires, witches, and other eldritch terrors.

Driver for the Dead #1 opens with a short episode following that exorcist, Mose Freeman, and his attempt to save a boy who’s been cursed by the hoodoo magic of his former nanny. The vignette establishes the laws of this particular fantasy world quickly and adroitly, and it allows Freeman and the family that requested his services to work briskly through a variety of the story’s themes: magic, death, and racial tension. The pacing is excellent, and continues to be throughout the book, building suspense when necessary while maintaining momentum through some necessary exposition.

The art of Driver for the Dead reflects on those same themes, in its colors and textures, and by handling the non-fantastic elements of the story as realistically as possible; people, especially, are rendered very carefully, creating a contrast with the story’s supernatural elements. The backgrounds are highly detailed, as well, and all of that care helps establish a sense of immediacy that pays off when the story turns gruesome.

Those aforementioned themes, however, come both hit and miss in the writing. It’s a story uniquely suited to comment on the strangeness of death—between the plot being structured around the business of a funeral home, and the protagonist struggling to survive against the machinations of the undead, it’s covered its bases from pretty much every angle on that front—and it seems poised to do that well, in later volumes. The biggest miss comes on the subject of race. It’s an obvious play, in post-Katrina New Orleans, and ignoring it might have been a bigger error, but it’s a difficult subject to write with any nuance, and Alabaster Graves provides the story’s only groan-inducing moment when he and his passenger see white policemen hassling some young, black men. He rants to his passenger about the real monsters of New Orleans, which are not policemen, nor the fearful people who empower them, but instead actual monsters. Yeesh.

Despite the occasional stumbles, and a little ham-fisted writing, fans of the horror genre shouldn’t miss Driver for the Dead. With two volumes worth of story left to tell, there’s no way to say if the series ultimately meets its potential, but it might be worth your time to find out.

Review by Nathan Armstrong

Alabaster Graves is an excellent name for the driver of a hearse; I feel like there’s something indisputable about that. It’s the name (and occupation) of the protagonist in a new three part graphic novel from writer John Heffernan and illustrator Leonardo Manco titled Driver for the Dead. Although not everything about the first volume hits its mark the way “Alabaster Graves” does, it goes a long way towards setting the table for what is potentially a very good horror story—it introduces its characters, it grounds the setting (in a supernatural Louisiana), and it gives us, by the end, a simple but useful plot to build around: Graves must drive his tricked-out hearse from New Orleans to Shreveport while protecting himself, his cargo (the body of a New Orleans exorcist), and his passenger (the granddaughter of that same exorcist) from a variety of evils, including vampires, witches, and other eldritch terrors.

Driver for the Dead #1 opens with a short episode following that exorcist, Mose Freeman, and his attempt to save a boy who’s been cursed by the hoodoo magic of his former nanny. The vignette establishes the laws of this particular fantasy world quickly and adroitly, and it allows Freeman and the family that requested his services to work briskly through a variety of the story’s themes: magic, death, and racial tension. The pacing is excellent, and continues to be throughout the book, building suspense when necessary while maintaining momentum through some necessary exposition.

The art of Driver for the Dead reflects on those same themes, in its colors and textures, and by handling the non-fantastic elements of the story as realistically as possible; people, especially, are rendered very carefully, creating a contrast with the story’s supernatural elements. The backgrounds are highly detailed, as well, and all of that care helps establish a sense of immediacy that pays off when the story turns gruesome.

Those aforementioned themes, however, come both hit and miss in the writing. It’s a story uniquely suited to comment on the strangeness of death—between the plot being structured around the business of a funeral home, and the protagonist struggling to survive against the machinations of the undead, it’s covered its bases from pretty much every angle on that front—and it seems poised to do that well, in later volumes. The biggest miss comes on the subject of race. It’s an obvious play, in post-Katrina New Orleans, and ignoring it might have been a bigger error, but it’s a difficult subject to write with any nuance, and Alabaster Graves provides the story’s only groan-inducing moment when he and his passenger see white policemen hassling some young, black men. He rants to his passenger about the real monsters of New Orleans, which are not policemen, nor the fearful people who empower them, but instead actual monsters. Yeesh.

Despite the occasional stumbles, and a little ham-fisted writing, fans of the horror genre shouldn’t miss Driver for the Dead. With two volumes worth of story left to tell, there’s no way to say if the series ultimately meets its potential, but it might be worth your time to find out.

Review by Alan M. Rogers

Don’t worry.

There’s a good chance you don’t know what’s really going on around you. There’s a good chance you think the real monsters are thugs; the real villains are drug dealers or baby snatchers.

Don’t worry.

There’s a good chance your mortal remains won’t be stolen, mutilated, dissected, sold for spare parts, used in dark rituals or used by the local necromancer.

That is, if your friends and relatives have his card.

Alabaster Graves. The driver for the dead.

Dramatic enough intro? I hope so, because Driver for the Dead by Radical Publishing is just that: dramatic. In the best possible ways. Writer John Heffernan takes his big screen experience (Snakes on a Plane, anyone?) and delivers supernatural suspense with a hollywood flourish.

The story opens in Shreveport, Louisana and immediately, the flavor of the old south, the deep south is captured in every panel; you can almost smell the bourbon, the mesquite and the bayou. You can almost feel the heavy sunlight pouring out of the painfully bright sky.

The art here is typical of radical; a sharp photorealism with intense attention to detail and amazing colors and it sets the mood perfectly. Driver for the Dead is one of the best examples I’ve seen of why art is such a big deal in comics. In a medium combining text and visuals, you have the unparalleled opportunity to have art reflect the story and help carry the story.

Sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it? It is. But when it’s done with this level of skill and precision, the story comes to life in ways that story or art alone can’t do and speaks of a very high level of collaboration.

The story opens with a man named Moses Freeman; he climbes out of a yellow cab outside a old southern manor house carrying an old doctor’s bag proclaiming him a healer. It’s worn and weathered and you can almost see the leather is seamed with cracks.

“I’ve been carrying this bag around with me for fifty years.”

He’s a well-dressed african-american who wears dignity like a suit. He walks up to the gate and – after finding a pair of crossed nails near the walkway, greets the couple living there.

He’s there to heal their son.

The sequence is as timeless as the south; impossible to place in a period. It’s the small things, like the way the couple dressed, the subtle bits of affection between them, the way their home is drawn, the way the light fades out the sharp lines, softening everything with a coating of pastel.

Moses walks in and takes control, easily figuring out the mystery that stymied doctors and priests before him.

This is a man of learning and of power; in the space of just a few pages, Heffernan takes the reader through a crash course in just who Moses Freeman and what he can do as he does mystic battle with the hoodoo curses left by a nanny fired for theft. Artist Leonardo Manco uses his experience on Hellblazer to good effect, making Moses’ battle against the demon possessing the boy into an epic struggle against altogether disturbing and reptilian adversary.

You’re gripped with the urgency of the battle; the sudden escalation, the sudden realization that he’s up against something more powerful and abhumanly evil than he knew. You’re positive he’s going to win.

You’re positive his power and knowledge – maybe even his faith – is greater than the otherworldly creature he’s fighting for.

But when all is said and done, Moses Freeman needs a bit of very specialized help – the help only Alabaster Graves can provide.

The art shifts as the story does, growing dark and gritty. The sun-drenched old south gives way to dusk shadows and urgency; panels flash by as we meet Alabaster Graves doing his grisly work, trying to keep a new vampire from rising.

He’s driving a hearse, the dead body in a coffin chained down in the back. But this hearse? This hearse is a black gothic roadster with a massive supercharger, great fins, awesome rims and enough gothic bling to make even the most demanding urban fantasy reader happy. Pentacles and symbols of power decorate the car and Graves is obviously the hard-edged, bad-to-the-bone southern boy. He won’t be stopped. Won’t be cowed and won’t let anyone or anything get in his way.

Heffernan again shows his mastery of the form by using the scene to dual purpose. He introduces to Graves, his job, his personality and his skill while the artist team gives us a single glimpse of something very important that sets us up for the story to follow. I’m not ashamed to admit I missed it as just one more detail. I saw it. I noted it. But I didn’t grasp the importance of it.

Graves goes home to his silver-bullet airstream trailer, decorated – like his car- with esoteric arcana. As a man in his macabre profession should, he has a horrible dream. He goes in to work the next morning and we’re back to the sun drenched pastels.

A few revelations later, and Graves is reluctantly on his way across the sprawling south with Moses Freeman’s great-granddaughter along for the ride. A volatile combination of angry, smart and naive, Marissa Freeman doesn’t believe the stories about her great-grandfather. She believes he was a hero; a healer and herbalist who “helped poor black folks when the rich white doctors wouldn’t treat them.” The idea he was a witch doctor was just superstition.

Graves is convinced to let her ride along by that great equalizer – a big check. The ten-hour drive across the sprawling south starts with awkward conversation and beautiful dramatic irony. Disgusted by the lack of modern amenities in the tricked-out hearse (seatbelts, MP3 player jacks, stereos, etc), Marissa, right beneath mystical symbols of protection asks: “This thing got any safety features to bring my great-grandfather back in one peice?”

This entire book screams something a lof of urban fantasy comics don’t have: authenticity. It’s authentic south; old wives’ tales have real power, superstition is more than just superstition and all the tales of monsters is real. The racial tension, the combination of vintage and modern and the feeling of being there, in the deep south, where Reconstruction is still a bitter memory, drags the reader into the story.

John Heffernan has done his research. Being from Texas, I know the place he’s writing in and he writes it like he’s been there.

So has Graves.

The trip out to Shreveport isn’t uneventful. We’re taken through the south – a place out of time, living anachronism with old women churning butter turned sour, farmers with stillborn calves, water flowing upstream, where a witch’s familiar is still a black cat.

Graves faces down a witch – a real devil-worshipping, green-skinned, evil woman with folklore weaknesses and a history with the hero. He’s already killed her once…but she was ripped from the ground by a necromancer named Fallow.

The authenticity still rings through this story. Heffernan hasn’t just researched the south, he’s researched voodoo and the traditional signs and powers of a witch. And again, we see that clue – which, if you’ve paid attention, you know to look for.

Graves isn’t even worried. He takes her on with casual ease. He doesn’t waste his time or give her a chance to get him before he gets her.

Marissa managed to miss out on all the fun.

There’s a saying we take seriously down here in the south. “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.”

The witch speaks Fallow’s name, and he appears. A couple of old southern women are going to visit a blind man “God has gifted with the Sight,” to get a little help at the casino. Only, Fallow has plans for the seer, too.

This guy is a villain. He’s not your sympathetic villain you can sorta root for. He’s not a good-looking, smooth-talking warlock who seduces his victims with slick promises. He’s a walking corpse wearing a black hat and a black coat.

Radical’s comics tend to push the envelope, taking plots and stories we know and breathing new life into them with dynamic art and writing using the comic medium to its fullest. They turn genre on its head (FVZA is a great example of this) and throw the idea that there is nothing new out the window.

Driver for the Dead is urban fantasy at its best. As a genre, urban fantasy is best when it has theme and flavor and mood – and this comic is permeated with it. Amazing imagery, deft storytelling and some really good writing make Driver for the Dead one of those comics discerning readers will talk about for years and new readers will be spoiled by.

Read Driver for the Dead and (re)discover why comics are still cutting-edge storytelling.

Review by Alan M. Rogers

Don’t worry.

There’s a good chance you don’t know what’s really going on around you. There’s a good chance you think the real monsters are thugs; the real villains are drug dealers or baby snatchers.

Don’t worry.

There’s a good chance your mortal remains won’t be stolen, mutilated, dissected, sold for spare parts, used in dark rituals or used by the local necromancer.

That is, if your friends and relatives have his card.

Alabaster Graves. The driver for the dead.

Dramatic enough intro? I hope so, because Driver for the Dead by Radical Publishing is just that: dramatic. In the best possible ways. Writer John Heffernan takes his big screen experience (Snakes on a Plane, anyone?) and delivers supernatural suspense with a hollywood flourish.

The story opens in Shreveport, Louisana and immediately, the flavor of the old south, the deep south is captured in every panel; you can almost smell the bourbon, the mesquite and the bayou. You can almost feel the heavy sunlight pouring out of the painfully bright sky.

The art here is typical of radical; a sharp photorealism with intense attention to detail and amazing colors and it sets the mood perfectly. Driver for the Dead is one of the best examples I’ve seen of why art is such a big deal in comics. In a medium combining text and visuals, you have the unparalleled opportunity to have art reflect the story and help carry the story.

Sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it? It is. But when it’s done with this level of skill and precision, the story comes to life in ways that story or art alone can’t do and speaks of a very high level of collaboration.

The story opens with a man named Moses Freeman; he climbes out of a yellow cab outside a old southern manor house carrying an old doctor’s bag proclaiming him a healer. It’s worn and weathered and you can almost see the leather is seamed with cracks.

“I’ve been carrying this bag around with me for fifty years.”

He’s a well-dressed african-american who wears dignity like a suit. He walks up to the gate and – after finding a pair of crossed nails near the walkway, greets the couple living there.

He’s there to heal their son.

The sequence is as timeless as the south; impossible to place in a period. It’s the small things, like the way the couple dressed, the subtle bits of affection between them, the way their home is drawn, the way the light fades out the sharp lines, softening everything with a coating of pastel.

Moses walks in and takes control, easily figuring out the mystery that stymied doctors and priests before him.

This is a man of learning and of power; in the space of just a few pages, Heffernan takes the reader through a crash course in just who Moses Freeman and what he can do as he does mystic battle with the hoodoo curses left by a nanny fired for theft. Artist Leonardo Manco uses his experience on Hellblazer to good effect, making Moses’ battle against the demon possessing the boy into an epic struggle against altogether disturbing and reptilian adversary.

You’re gripped with the urgency of the battle; the sudden escalation, the sudden realization that he’s up against something more powerful and abhumanly evil than he knew. You’re positive he’s going to win.

You’re positive his power and knowledge – maybe even his faith – is greater than the otherworldly creature he’s fighting for.

But when all is said and done, Moses Freeman needs a bit of very specialized help – the help only Alabaster Graves can provide.

The art shifts as the story does, growing dark and gritty. The sun-drenched old south gives way to dusk shadows and urgency; panels flash by as we meet Alabaster Graves doing his grisly work, trying to keep a new vampire from rising.

He’s driving a hearse, the dead body in a coffin chained down in the back. But this hearse? This hearse is a black gothic roadster with a massive supercharger, great fins, awesome rims and enough gothic bling to make even the most demanding urban fantasy reader happy. Pentacles and symbols of power decorate the car and Graves is obviously the hard-edged, bad-to-the-bone southern boy. He won’t be stopped. Won’t be cowed and won’t let anyone or anything get in his way.

Heffernan again shows his mastery of the form by using the scene to dual purpose. He introduces to Graves, his job, his personality and his skill while the artist team gives us a single glimpse of something very important that sets us up for the story to follow. I’m not ashamed to admit I missed it as just one more detail. I saw it. I noted it. But I didn’t grasp the importance of it.

Graves goes home to his silver-bullet airstream trailer, decorated – like his car- with esoteric arcana. As a man in his macabre profession should, he has a horrible dream. He goes in to work the next morning and we’re back to the sun drenched pastels.

A few revelations later, and Graves is reluctantly on his way across the sprawling south with Moses Freeman’s great-granddaughter along for the ride. A volatile combination of angry, smart and naive, Marissa Freeman doesn’t believe the stories about her great-grandfather. She believes he was a hero; a healer and herbalist who “helped poor black folks when the rich white doctors wouldn’t treat them.” The idea he was a witch doctor was just superstition.

Graves is convinced to let her ride along by that great equalizer – a big check. The ten-hour drive across the sprawling south starts with awkward conversation and beautiful dramatic irony. Disgusted by the lack of modern amenities in the tricked-out hearse (seatbelts, MP3 player jacks, stereos, etc), Marissa, right beneath mystical symbols of protection asks: “This thing got any safety features to bring my great-grandfather back in one peice?”

This entire book screams something a lof of urban fantasy comics don’t have: authenticity. It’s authentic south; old wives’ tales have real power, superstition is more than just superstition and all the tales of monsters is real. The racial tension, the combination of vintage and modern and the feeling of being there, in the deep south, where Reconstruction is still a bitter memory, drags the reader into the story.

John Heffernan has done his research. Being from Texas, I know the place he’s writing in and he writes it like he’s been there.

So has Graves.

The trip out to Shreveport isn’t uneventful. We’re taken through the south – a place out of time, living anachronism with old women churning butter turned sour, farmers with stillborn calves, water flowing upstream, where a witch’s familiar is still a black cat.

Graves faces down a witch – a real devil-worshipping, green-skinned, evil woman with folklore weaknesses and a history with the hero. He’s already killed her once…but she was ripped from the ground by a necromancer named Fallow.

The authenticity still rings through this story. Heffernan hasn’t just researched the south, he’s researched voodoo and the traditional signs and powers of a witch. And again, we see that clue – which, if you’ve paid attention, you know to look for.

Graves isn’t even worried. He takes her on with casual ease. He doesn’t waste his time or give her a chance to get him before he gets her.

Marissa managed to miss out on all the fun.

There’s a saying we take seriously down here in the south. “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.”

The witch speaks Fallow’s name, and he appears. A couple of old southern women are going to visit a blind man “God has gifted with the Sight,” to get a little help at the casino. Only, Fallow has plans for the seer, too.

This guy is a villain. He’s not your sympathetic villain you can sorta root for. He’s not a good-looking, smooth-talking warlock who seduces his victims with slick promises. He’s a walking corpse wearing a black hat and a black coat.

Radical’s comics tend to push the envelope, taking plots and stories we know and breathing new life into them with dynamic art and writing using the comic medium to its fullest. They turn genre on its head (FVZA is a great example of this) and throw the idea that there is nothing new out the window.

Driver for the Dead is urban fantasy at its best. As a genre, urban fantasy is best when it has theme and flavor and mood – and this comic is permeated with it. Amazing imagery, deft storytelling and some really good writing make Driver for the Dead one of those comics discerning readers will talk about for years and new readers will be spoiled by.

Read Driver for the Dead and (re)discover why comics are still cutting-edge storytelling.

Review by Kevin Beckham

Louisiana is a place known for its vast culture and rich history. Thus making it a perfect location to tell any narrative, especially one involving the tried and true lore of Hoodoo (African folk magic). Add some demons, vampires and supernatural elements to said location and witness the blueprint for Radical's Driver for the Dead.

The Conner family has a problem, their son Billy, has been cursed from an ex-employee that practiced the art of Hoodoo. This is a type of West African black magic that came over on slave ships and acted as sorcery. It has been passed down through families over time. Fearful of their sickly condition and out of other options the Conners enlist the help of Mose Freeman. His occupation is simple... he's a “healer.” Mose begins his investigation on the Conner's hired help Clara. He goes on to explain the tricks and tactics that were used to punish their son Billy. Soon he prepares for an exorcism of Billy but that's where he gets more than he bargains for. The power of the demon infesting Billy fights the exorcism every step of the way. In the end it mortally wounds Mose. He uses his last breath to demand a call be placed to Alabaster Graves.

Driving his unmistakable hearse, Black Betty, Alabaster is fighting the clock to get his current cargo into the ground before it changes into a vampire. Cargo like that makes Alabaster anything but the run-of-the-mill hearse driver. Alabaster deals in something a little more exotic than normal dead folk. This one just happens to be a Goth kid that had the misfortune of being vampire grub. Now infected, the kid kills himself, kind of, but is still slowly beginning to turn. So Alabaster has to get him in the ground before it's too late, despite running into some grave robbers that foil his proper burial of the vampire. Thus leaving him no other choice than to slay his cargo, Alabaster makes it back home in one piece to deal with his own problems.

Once back, Alabaster returns to his 9 to 5 at the Delacroix funeral home. He's then informed by his boss Felix that Mose Freeman has been killed. Mose's last wish was that Alabaster drives his remains to the Freeman's family crypt. The only catch this time is that Alabaster will have a living partner riding shotgun. One Marissa Freeman, Mose's great granddaughter. After a few moments hating the idea Alabaster is forced to agree.

To say that John Heffernan (co-writer-Snakes on a Plane) takes a few cues from a lot of different sources would be an understatement. But that's not entirely a bad thing in this supernatural adventure. The story's narrative feels like a collective of a classic grind house and horror films mixed in with a little bit of the Dresden Files and a touch of Criminal Macabre for good measure. But somehow everything works and all the while the story keeps a great and interesting pace. The first ten pages are worth the book's price alone. Leonardo Manco's (Doom Returns, Batman: Gotham Knights) pencils and panel presentation are absolutely awesome. It adds so much to the story that it would really be hard to imagine anyone else's art on this book.

Sometimes comic books try too hard to express a lot of range and emotion. Then things just somehow get drawn out, overdone and complicated. It feels as if companies are always attempting to achieve that next big event that will change the industry. It can just be a pain. Throw in the search for the perfect unification of story and art and that creates nothing but more obstacles as a reader. But with Radical's Driver for the Dead you don't really get any of that. And that's a good thing. What you do get is simple; a book that has a fun story and kick-ass art. Simply put, it's one cool comic.

Story - 8.0

Plot - 9.0

Art - 9.5

Overall - 8.8

Review by Kevin Beckham

Louisiana is a place known for its vast culture and rich history. Thus making it a perfect location to tell any narrative, especially one involving the tried and true lore of Hoodoo (African folk magic). Add some demons, vampires and supernatural elements to said location and witness the blueprint for Radical's Driver for the Dead.

The Conner family has a problem, their son Billy, has been cursed from an ex-employee that practiced the art of Hoodoo. This is a type of West African black magic that came over on slave ships and acted as sorcery. It has been passed down through families over time. Fearful of their sickly condition and out of other options the Conners enlist the help of Mose Freeman. His occupation is simple... he's a “healer.” Mose begins his investigation on the Conner's hired help Clara. He goes on to explain the tricks and tactics that were used to punish their son Billy. Soon he prepares for an exorcism of Billy but that's where he gets more than he bargains for. The power of the demon infesting Billy fights the exorcism every step of the way. In the end it mortally wounds Mose. He uses his last breath to demand a call be placed to Alabaster Graves.

Driving his unmistakable hearse, Black Betty, Alabaster is fighting the clock to get his current cargo into the ground before it changes into a vampire. Cargo like that makes Alabaster anything but the run-of-the-mill hearse driver. Alabaster deals in something a little more exotic than normal dead folk. This one just happens to be a Goth kid that had the misfortune of being vampire grub. Now infected, the kid kills himself, kind of, but is still slowly beginning to turn. So Alabaster has to get him in the ground before it's too late, despite running into some grave robbers that foil his proper burial of the vampire. Thus leaving him no other choice than to slay his cargo, Alabaster makes it back home in one piece to deal with his own problems.

Once back, Alabaster returns to his 9 to 5 at the Delacroix funeral home. He's then informed by his boss Felix that Mose Freeman has been killed. Mose's last wish was that Alabaster drives his remains to the Freeman's family crypt. The only catch this time is that Alabaster will have a living partner riding shotgun. One Marissa Freeman, Mose's great granddaughter. After a few moments hating the idea Alabaster is forced to agree.

To say that John Heffernan (co-writer-Snakes on a Plane) takes a few cues from a lot of different sources would be an understatement. But that's not entirely a bad thing in this supernatural adventure. The story's narrative feels like a collective of a classic grind house and horror films mixed in with a little bit of the Dresden Files and a touch of Criminal Macabre for good measure. But somehow everything works and all the while the story keeps a great and interesting pace. The first ten pages are worth the book's price alone. Leonardo Manco's (Doom Returns, Batman: Gotham Knights) pencils and panel presentation are absolutely awesome. It adds so much to the story that it would really be hard to imagine anyone else's art on this book.

Sometimes comic books try too hard to express a lot of range and emotion. Then things just somehow get drawn out, overdone and complicated. It feels as if companies are always attempting to achieve that next big event that will change the industry. It can just be a pain. Throw in the search for the perfect unification of story and art and that creates nothing but more obstacles as a reader. But with Radical's Driver for the Dead you don't really get any of that. And that's a good thing. What you do get is simple; a book that has a fun story and kick-ass art. Simply put, it's one cool comic.

Story - 8.0

Plot - 9.0

Art - 9.5

Overall - 8.8

This series could turn out to be a guilty pleasure. Look at the pacing of the opening scene, the plot set-up, the b-movie horror title, the suspiciously familiar faces, and you know this is designed to be a movie—not a huge shock knowing Heffernan is responsible for bringing us Snakes on a Plane. Still, comicbook purists may balk. But Leonardo Manco and painters, Kinsun Loh & Jerry Choo, bring us into the story with a visual mood and eeriness that is nearly palpable and addictive. We may well unconsciously reach for the popcorn while reading this one.

This series could turn out to be a guilty pleasure. Look at the pacing of the opening scene, the plot set-up, the b-movie horror title, the suspiciously familiar faces, and you know this is designed to be a movie—not a huge shock knowing Heffernan is responsible for bringing us Snakes on a Plane. Still, comicbook purists may balk. But Leonardo Manco and painters, Kinsun Loh & Jerry Choo, bring us into the story with a visual mood and eeriness that is nearly palpable and addictive. We may well unconsciously reach for the popcorn while reading this one.

Review by Andrea Speed

This new supernatural drama kicks off with the main character only introduced midway through, as first we meet Mose Freeman, essentially a hoodoo man (voodoo practitioner), who gets called in on a macabre case that he does manage to solve, but it’s bigger than he can handle. Much bigger, which is how he ends up dead. This is where our main character, Alabaster Graves, comes into the picture. He’s the titular “driver for the dead”, and he isn’t just a hearse driver but deals in specialty cases, such as people who would rise as a vampire if not buried properly. Graves gets the job of driving to Shreveport to pick up Mose’s remains, with Mose’s sexy, sassy granddaughter riding shotgun. Both are unaware they’re being pursued by an evil man who see Mose’s body as the ultimate prize. The story takes its time getting going, but it is pretty good, and sets up an intriguing scenario. The art by Manco is dark but made for this genre, and the painted colors are nicely done. A sort of action movie/supernatural saga mash up, it looks like the start of another solid new title for Radical.

Review by Andrea Speed

This new supernatural drama kicks off with the main character only introduced midway through, as first we meet Mose Freeman, essentially a hoodoo man (voodoo practitioner), who gets called in on a macabre case that he does manage to solve, but it’s bigger than he can handle. Much bigger, which is how he ends up dead. This is where our main character, Alabaster Graves, comes into the picture. He’s the titular “driver for the dead”, and he isn’t just a hearse driver but deals in specialty cases, such as people who would rise as a vampire if not buried properly. Graves gets the job of driving to Shreveport to pick up Mose’s remains, with Mose’s sexy, sassy granddaughter riding shotgun. Both are unaware they’re being pursued by an evil man who see Mose’s body as the ultimate prize. The story takes its time getting going, but it is pretty good, and sets up an intriguing scenario. The art by Manco is dark but made for this genre, and the painted colors are nicely done. A sort of action movie/supernatural saga mash up, it looks like the start of another solid new title for Radical.

by Jason Wilkins

For a comic featuring a hot rod hearse piloted by a machine gun-toting driver with a bad attitude, one would think speed is of the essence. Such is not the case with Driver for the Dead #1 – and that’s a good thing.

Writer John Heffernan, the man who wrote the hell out of the screenplay for Snakes on a Plane, turns in a seriously strong first attempt at comics with Driver for the Dead. As stated in his recent interview with Broken Frontier, Heffernan isn’t just another “Hollywood guy” looking to use comics to make a quick, easy pitch to the studios. He’s a bonafide comic book nerd.

He knows things – things like new comics come out on Wednesdays and who published Nexus and Badger. It’s this genuine passion for comics that fuels his first comic book’s originality, craftsmanship, and ultimately its success.

Set in the Deep South, Heffernan’s plot unfolds languidly, naturally. That isn’t to say the pacing is lethargic or the plot overweight – both are quite the opposite, in fact. It simply felt like I was taking an evening stroll through the streets of Shreveport or New Orleans, allowed by the plot’s even pacing to relish the sights and sounds and shadows as they slid past.

Much of the plot’s balance stems from Heffernan’s fully realized characters and settings. Each new face is introduced to the audience organically and allowed the time and space to grow as the story unfolds, pushing the action as they mature. Hoodoo witch doctor Mose Freeman’s introduction and subsequent death in the book’s first act is a perfect example of Heffernan’s strong characterization. Although he may have only lived for 22 pages, Freeman engages the audience with his humility, charm, and bravery. His sudden death just less than halfway through the book comes as a genuine shock.

Heffernan’s script truly leaps off the page thanks to his artistic collaborator Leonardo Manco. His work here is absolutely phenomenal, treating the reader to stunning, panoramic establishing shots, dramatic camera angles, and expressive characters. Manco infuses every panel with fine detail, creating lush backgrounds and atmospheric settings with exquisite linework and an intuitive grasp of visual storytelling. Digital painters Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo accentuate Manco’s beautiful lines rather than overwhelm them with cheesy coloring effects, showing remarkable restraint in service to the story.

Driver for the Dead is one of those books you’re not sure what to make of when you first discover it. Once you crack the cover though, you discover that speed isn’t everything, even behind the wheel of a souped-up coffin wagon. Sometimes, finesse and craftsmanship and a little care make for just as satisfying a joyride.

Read Jason's review on Broken Frontier by clicking the image below

by Jason Wilkins

For a comic featuring a hot rod hearse piloted by a machine gun-toting driver with a bad attitude, one would think speed is of the essence. Such is not the case with Driver for the Dead #1 – and that’s a good thing.

Writer John Heffernan, the man who wrote the hell out of the screenplay for Snakes on a Plane, turns in a seriously strong first attempt at comics with Driver for the Dead. As stated in his recent interview with Broken Frontier, Heffernan isn’t just another “Hollywood guy” looking to use comics to make a quick, easy pitch to the studios. He’s a bonafide comic book nerd.

He knows things – things like new comics come out on Wednesdays and who published Nexus and Badger. It’s this genuine passion for comics that fuels his first comic book’s originality, craftsmanship, and ultimately its success.

Set in the Deep South, Heffernan’s plot unfolds languidly, naturally. That isn’t to say the pacing is lethargic or the plot overweight – both are quite the opposite, in fact. It simply felt like I was taking an evening stroll through the streets of Shreveport or New Orleans, allowed by the plot’s even pacing to relish the sights and sounds and shadows as they slid past.

Much of the plot’s balance stems from Heffernan’s fully realized characters and settings. Each new face is introduced to the audience organically and allowed the time and space to grow as the story unfolds, pushing the action as they mature. Hoodoo witch doctor Mose Freeman’s introduction and subsequent death in the book’s first act is a perfect example of Heffernan’s strong characterization. Although he may have only lived for 22 pages, Freeman engages the audience with his humility, charm, and bravery. His sudden death just less than halfway through the book comes as a genuine shock.

Heffernan’s script truly leaps off the page thanks to his artistic collaborator Leonardo Manco. His work here is absolutely phenomenal, treating the reader to stunning, panoramic establishing shots, dramatic camera angles, and expressive characters. Manco infuses every panel with fine detail, creating lush backgrounds and atmospheric settings with exquisite linework and an intuitive grasp of visual storytelling. Digital painters Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo accentuate Manco’s beautiful lines rather than overwhelm them with cheesy coloring effects, showing remarkable restraint in service to the story.

Driver for the Dead is one of those books you’re not sure what to make of when you first discover it. Once you crack the cover though, you discover that speed isn’t everything, even behind the wheel of a souped-up coffin wagon. Sometimes, finesse and craftsmanship and a little care make for just as satisfying a joyride.

Read Jason's review on Broken Frontier by clicking the image below

Comics » Driver for the Dead #1 – First Issue

Alabaster Graves is a driver for the dead. As a twenty-year veteran of funeral homes, mortuaries, and coroners' offices across the Deep South, he has chauffeured hundreds of bodies to their final resting places, although the trip isn't ...

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Comic Book News & Community, Driver for the Dead #1.

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