InterPop Comics Q&A: Alex Segura Brings the Mystery to THE REJECTS
Alex Segura, acclaimed mystery novelist, comic book writer and comics executive, has brought his scripts to InterPop for some time in the pages of Emergents Presents. Last month, he launched a highly successful and acclaimed ongoing series with co-writer Chantelle Aimée Osman and artist Adrián Gutiérrez with colorist Wil Quintana: The Rejects. This week, the second issue drops, and after last month’s stunning reveal, nothing will be the same! Learn more about Alex’s techniques, influences and favorite reads here.
InterPop: After having written solo heroes like Maser for InterPop, you’re tackling your first team book, The Rejects. How does your writing process differ for a team versus a solo character? And which is your favorite Emergent to write?
Alex: I think with a team, the challenge becomes, how do we give each character their beat, and how do we have each of them progress? Because every character is someone’s favorite! I think for Chantelle and I, we want to not only show individual growth, but really dial up the conflict of the team and make it an interesting world to visit. So far my favorites have been the mysterious Zephyr [Editor’s note: recently revealed to be Young Zeroth!] and Addison, who we need to figure out a codename for…but Addison is very much our Kitty Pryde-type character.
InterPop: Do you use special software to write, such as Final Draft or Scrivener, or do you stick to Microsoft Word?
Alex: I’m basic! I use Word. It gets the job done.
InterPop: Has a character ever surprised you and led you to alter the story from the outline in a way you weren’t expecting? Do you have an example of this happening?
Alex: Yes! I think when I started I had trouble wrapping my head around Kindler and Makeshift. Chantelle helped with that a ton, and we found meaningful ways to differentiate the two and create some high drama. So stay tuned for that! Rachel and Rylen, our editors on the book, were also fantastic sounding boards.
InterPop: What’s the last great graphic novel you read?
Alex: I just finished The All-Nighter by Chip Zdarsky, Jason Loo, and co. It’s a fantastic twist on the superhero concept, but also a heartfelt and meta take on stories and how vibrant they can be. For fans of Black Hammer, Spider-Man, and Fables.
InterPop: Without giving away spoilers, what can readers expect from The Rejects?
Alex: The Rejects is about teens that are gifted with powers they never wanted, and forced to deal with the consequences. They’re alienated and desperate for home and found family. While the Rejects gives them that, on the surface, there’s something bubbling underneath that could pose even bigger problems. This is the story of a group of teens that connect and stay together, no matter what — in the vein of classic X-Men and New Mutants stories that I loved reading as a teen myself.
InterPop: Tell us what excites you about working with InterPop!
Alex: I love getting the chance to collaborate with my friend and co-writer, Chantelle Aimée Osman, who is making her comic book debut. The team Rachel has put together is stunning — from Adrián’s linework to Wil’s bombastic colors to Sal’s sharp letters, it’s aces all around. I’m just grateful to have the runway to tell a longer story that will hopefully resonate with people and still deliver the bombastic excitement fans want from superhero comics.
