It’s always a thrill to beat the final boss at the end of your favorite video game, but what if that boss entered the real world?
Frank Barbiere and Stephen Rhodes answer this question in their new Comixology Originals series titled Zero Instance. Barbiere and Rhodes team with artists Vic Malhotra and Eoin Marron for the new five-issue Zero Instance series, crossing wires and genres for a thrilling ride through the virtual and real world.
We spoke to Barbierre and Rhodes about their experiences in the video game industry, how those skills transferred to the world of comics, their collaboration, and what fans will discover in Zero Instance.
Where did you both get involved with Zero Instance?
Frank Barbiere: Stephen and I became friends over a shared love of games and comics, as well as a shared profession as game writers. We wanted to tell an original story and began talking about a sci-fi concept of an MMO where characters eventually came to life, and Zero Instance was born.Â
Stephen Rhodes: Frank said it best! We’ve known each other for quite some time and have always wanted to collaborate on something that felt distinctly us. We started kicking around ideas and one very quickly rose to the top and that concept eventually evolved into Zero Instance.
How is the world of video games similar to the world of comics in terms of the creative process and how is it different?
Barbiere: Games is normally a larger team effort. It’s very collaborative, but you ultimately are not the only decision maker. You can sometimes lose sight of creative vision as a collaborator, but also your studio mates can lift you up and take the work in exciting directions. Comics are small teams and allow us to really curate the story we want to tell and work with our artistic collaborators one on one. It’s my favorite medium and a very direct line from our ideas to the page.
Rhodes: Game development is a huge undertaking, with large teams and many different disciplines working together toward a shared vision. It’s software development where you’re also shooting a movie whilst also building a theme park experience all at the same time. Comics are similar creatively, but there’s fewer people and fewer things to worry about. I love how much creative freedom comic creation offers and the collaborative dynamic between the writer and artist or writers and artists in our case. I love both mediums for different reasons because storytelling is why I get up every morning.
Zero Instance is about a character escaping from a virtual world into our world. Why is this theme so appropriate for the AI age?
Barbiere: We’ve been working on this story for a few years, so the developments in AI that have happened have been interesting to see and consider. Stephen and I are advocates for human driven creativity and process, so we hope a story that shows the dark side of letting machine intelligence runs wild resonates. More importantly, the book celebrates the human ideals that we reinforce through gaming, and is a coming of age story that pushes against technology and celebrates what gamers can achieve when they recognize their own abilities.
Rhodes: When we first started talking about this book, AI still seemed like it was on the distant horizon. Fast forward to now, technology is evolving so quickly and the way we interact with it is also changing. I think the way we explore certain themes in the book will really resonate with a lot of the conversations that are happening around us. At its core the book is about human ingenuity and creativity, but also a cautionary tale about the misuse of technology and how giving up more control to it can have dire consequences.
The first two issues feature art by Vic Malhotra and issues three to five are illustrated by Eoin Marron. What was it like working with both and what do they each bring to Zero Instance?
Barbiere: Both Vic and Eoin are artists I’ve wanted to collaborate with for a long time, so I feel very fortunate to have them both on this project. They’re both excellent storytellers who elevate the scripts we write, so it’s been a joy watching them bring this world to life. Vic was instrumental in the early designs and aesthetics of the characters and in-game world. Eoin picks this up wonderfully in issue 3, and also really pushed on how to present the near future in things like the architecture and technology. I couldn’t be happier with their work.Â
Rhodes: Vic and Eoin are both incredible artists who I’m really grateful we got to collaborate with. Their attention to detail and unique styles give the book a great visual identity. The pages are full of gorgeous detail but also the action is really clear and easy to read. Vic was with us from the very beginning of the concept and really helped define the look of the characters and the worlds they inhabit. When Eoin came on board he added a lot of details that make the world feel lived in and gave the later issues more of the sci-fi aesthetic we needed as the story progressed. I’m incredibly happy with how the visuals turned out across the board.
Speaking of a virtual world, thoughts on bringing your comic to Comixology Originals?Â
Barbiere: I’ve worked with CO for a long time and love working with them. They give us autonomy and space to tell the stories we want, and the digital distribution can help us reach readers who aren’t familiar with comic shops//the medium in print. They’re fantastic partners and we’re grateful they gave us a chance to tell this story.
Rhodes: This is my first time working with Comixology Originals and they’ve been incredible partners. The team is fantastic and really supportive of the story we wanted to tell. Getting to release the book digitally first really helps us get the story out to as many people as possible in a way that’s easy and convenient. Given this is my first creator-owned book I couldn’t have asked for a better publisher.
If you could bring one video game character to life who would it be and why?
Barbiere: I think seeing a real life Crash Bandicoot would be pretty funny.
Rhodes: HK-47 because who doesn’t want a sarcastic and mildly psychotic robot following you around making witty remarks while you go about your business?
Zero Instance #1 is now available to read on Comixology Originals.
