They couldn't let go. Thomas Jane and Mike Carey resurrect The Lycan, a comics project languishing for over fifteen years. Jane and screenwriter David James Kelly initiated the concept and hired Carey to write the script. An artist was also hired. That artist disappeared. An opportunity arose years later, and a new artist, Diego Yapur, finally materialized this ruthless tale of adventure and horror.

The North Sea. 1797. A ship shatters on the shore of a Scottish isle. The hunters within spill upon the sand, encountering a Red Coat regiment and a Convent-turned-Fortress. The three factions mistrust each other but must find unity if they're to defend themselves from a hirsute plague.

The Lycan recalls the gnarliest stories in the best comic book anthologies: Twisted Tales, Creepy, Vault of Horror, etc. Yet, it's given the space that writers like Bruce Jones were never afforded. Thomas Jane and Mike Carey are confident storytellers who've spent a lifetime consuming this beautiful medium and know they can let the title and the many engaging characters below it do the work.

The beast is coming, but in The Lycan #1, the horror explored is utterly, painfully human. With the French Revolution on the horizon, paranoia grips everyone, and the faith carried by pirates, soldiers, and nuns is challenged and found fractured. How can they possibly fight their doggie dinner destiny?

The Lycan allows our podcast conversation with Thomas Jane and Mike Carey to travel into various caves and crannies. We dig into their passion for the comic book medium and how it differs from movies (The Punisher) and novels (The Girl With All The Gifts). We discuss the comic's complicated origin and the challenge of collaboration, as well as the powerful, relatable themes at this book's center. Fear, paranoia, and faith - who needs a werewolf to do you in?

The Lycan #1 is now available on ComiXology but will eventually see physical release through Ablaze. Continue this conversation with Thomas Jane by following him on Instagram. And follow Mike Carey on Twitter.

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Thomas Jane and Mike Carey on The Lycan

Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast