Matthew Petz brings War to The Woods!

Posted on July 12th, 2011 - 10:13 AM by

After a Brief hiatus the comiXology blog is back with all-new interviews from the creators of the coolest digital comics around! Today we’re lucky enough to sit down with former Zuda comics winner and current War of The Woods creator Matthew Petz. His creator owned comic is a unique addition to the comiXology collection and in the interview below Matthew was kind enough to give us some insight into his work and the killer comic he works on.

comiXology: First off Matt thanks for your time. For those unfamiliar with your Book War of the Woods, could you explain what it’s about?

Matthew Petz: Well my standard quick pitch at a con is its’ War of the Worlds meets Wind in the Willows. Basically it’s the classic aliens invade Earth storyline but from the perspective for the Animal kingdom. Specifically we follow a father and son who happen to be otters. Along the way you’ll meet all kinds of new animals as they try to figure out how to survive and fight back.

comiXology: The classic UFO twist makes for a really fun and unique read. What would you say has been your biggest influence for this project?

MP: When I first came up with the idea it was just a straight Aliens invade Earth story focusing on humans. Focusing on animals came from my girlfriend Maria. So In a way she was the most influential person on the story! Beyond that I just love the classic stuff like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Phin the little otter in the story is at the beginning of the classic heros journey, so those classic stories really helped me figure out where I wanted to go. I was also thinking of things like the Walking Dead and The Road, and the Alien films.

comiXology: So just for fun. Do you believe in life out amongst the stars?

MP: Totally. Its’ crazy to think we’re the only life in the universe. Plus life is much more exciting with big mysteries like that. I always roots for the possibility of alines and sea monsters and bigfoots!

comiXology: For the matter. What advice do you have for your fellow humans in the event of an alien invasion?

MP: Ya know I probably think about this stuff too much. In the case of aliens, we might be screwed. Alien technology is probably too much for us realistically. I’d rather try to survive a zombie invasion. Whatever happens first thing you need to do it get your crew together. Being in NY I think you need to get across a bridge quickly or at the very least steal a boat. But you need to follow the golden rule : You don’t have to reload an axe or a machete …. yeah I’ve thought about this too much!

comiXology: Now War of The Woods happens to be one of the few creator owned comics on comiXology as of right now? How did this project come to fruition in the first place?

MP: Well originally War of the Woods, was a winner of DC Comics’ Zuda competition. DC closed Zuda down before I had a chance to actually launch the comic. The one GOOD thing to happen though was that I had a contract already signed. In the end I was essentially bought out and DC was great about giving me my rights back. From there David Gallaher  ( High Moon, and Box 13 ) helped put me in contact with Comixology. They seemed really great and interested in getting the book out there.

comiXology: With the next installment approaching release, any chance you can give us a taste of what’s in store?

MP: Well, this first season really sets up a larger story. It introduces the reader to the main cast and the world at large. I’m finishing the last section now and when we come to the end of part one the big journey will have begun to save Earth.

comiXology: Ultimately what do you hope readers take away from War of the Woods, is there a message hidden among the mayhem?

MP: I really wanted to create an original all ages book, something EVERYONE can enjoy. Beyond the fun of seeing animals fight aliens I hope people connect with the characters and I suppose the main theme is having faith in something despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

comiXology: Given your experiences in the world of digital comics, what would you like to see happen down the road, and where do you see things going from here?

MP: Well digital is the future. I’m definitely of the belief that printed a 20 page comic will become exclusively digital. As tablets get cheaper and more prevalent EVERYONE will own one. At the same time I think we’re seeing that printing a collection of digital content is something consumers very much want. It’s something I want to do with War of the Woods. Have it serialized digitally then collected in a print trade. It’s a really exciting time for comics!

comiXology: Thanks Matt!

Be sure to check out War of the Woods along with all the great digital comics from comiXology. For more cool creator interviews and all the latest on the world of digital be sure to bookmark the blog and check back often!

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