The Golem of Venice Beach returns to Kickstarter, brought to life by artists Frank Quitely, David Mack, Nick Dragotta, Howard Chaykin, Dean Haspiel, Jae Lee, Das Pastoras, Juan Jose Ryp, Stan Sakai, Vanessa Cardinali, and writer Chanan Beizer for the final volume in the series.
We spoke to Beizer once again about The Golem of Venice Beach Vol. 2 in this exclusive interview.
Where does the story pick up at the start of Vol. 2?
In Volume 1 we were introduced to the main characters – Adam, an immortal Golem; Jake, the only living descendant of the Golem’s creator; and Uncle Steph, an elderly man who was saved as a child during World War 2 by Adam. It ends on a cliffhanger after the Golem protects two runaway girls from gangbangers.
Volume 2 picks up immediately afterwards and sets up a confrontation between Adam and the leaders of the gang. We also learn more about Erica, a central figure in a death worshipping cult. The opposing forces circle each other until the eventual clash that will determine the fates of all involved.
Would you describe The Golem of Venice Beach as a love letter to SoCal and SoCal culture?
I think it’s focused into something more specific – it’s a love letter to Venice Beach. I’m sure that if you mention Southern California to people, a certain percentage will immediately think of a beach if not Venice Beach itself. It’s a special place and a classic part of Americana. And the fact that it’s one of the few Los Angeles neighborhoods in which walking is a must, makes it even more unique.
You have said in the past that you see Golem as more of a noir story, but you also have horror elements. How do you balance the two genres?
It’s interesting how things evolve. Initially I was intrigued by the contrast between night and day serving as a metaphor for film noir vs film soleil – shadows and dark alleys vs blazing sun and sweaty bodies. But as the various artists made their marks on the look and feel of the book, I felt that it leaned a bit more towards horror.
There’s also the belief that Mary Shelley was influenced by the legend of the Golem when she wrote her horror classic, Frankenstein. With a pedigree like that, it’s no wonder that there are elements of horror in my story. As for balancing the two genres, I just write what makes sense to me. If some people think it’s more noir and others think it’s more horror, I don’t mind that at all.
You have once again assembled a crew of top notch artists that contribute to many aspects of the Kickstarter campaign. How did you manage this and what bonus items/content stands out to you the most?
Much like in Book 1, I relied on my editor Chris Stevens to do the heavy lifting in assembling a crew of all-stars for Book 2. It’s one thing for me to ask, “How about Frank Quitely for the cover?” It’s another thing entirely for it to become reality. Or I’d mention that I’ve always been a huge fan of Howard Chaykin and Stan Sakai and how they’d be right for certain parts of the book. Next thing you know, both of these Hall-of-Fame artists are on board. I’m being a tad facetious and there were definite moments that I worried we wouldn’t find all the artists we needed. But perseverance paid off. I also give much credit to Chris for matching artists to other parts of the story. I described what I thought was right and Chris was able to not only come up with the perfect name, but also convince that artist to join the Golem team.
For bonus content this book has some very unique surprises. Instead of pin-ups, there’s an entire bonus Golem story. It’s nine pages and includes contributions by five amazing artists. There’s also a two-page homage to a classic confrontation between the Hulk and Thor using characters from The Golem of Venice Beach.
In terms of bonus items, we definitely have something for a select group of Kickstarter backers. A limited number of books will include a bound-in designed bookplate signed by Frank Quitely himself. This tier will also include a special 8×10 print that will only be offered with this particular book.
How was it working with Vanessa Cardinali again on Vol. 2?
It was extremely smooth and pleasurable. Besides the fact that Vanessa came up with some incredible imagery for Book 2, she was also tireless in producing the pages themselves. Her page count for Book 2 was larger than that for Book 1 but her work ethic was so dependable. Between the two books, she had over 260 pages, which is quite a lot. Even with such a large workload, the quality and creativity did not suffer one bit. Both books are a testament to her ability as an artist.
Future projects?
There’s an idea for a possible sequel to The Golem of Venice Beach, but it’s actually more of a prequel. I don’t want to mention the title I have in mind because it would basically give away the premise.
I’ve also been working on a short story about Hank Greenberg, the Hall-of-Fame baseball slugger for the Detroit Tigers. It’s fictional history that reimagines his time as a soldier in Europe during World War 2. I’m even thinking of turning it into a graphic novel.
The Golem of Venice Beach Vol. 2 is currently available to back on Kickstarter until Friday, October 4.
