Corinna Bechko talks EC Comics Blood Type [Exclusive Interview]

Blood Type No. 1, an all-new serialized comic will be unleashed in June as part of the Oni Press resurrection of EC Comics. It’s penned by Corinna Bechko (Cruel Universe) and illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino (Old Man Logan) and features Ada, an immortal vampire who debuted in a short tale in Oni’s EC title Epitaphs of the Abyss No. 3

While Epitaphs, from Oni with the keeper of the EC legacy, William M. Gaines Agent, Inc., continued the EC anthology tradition from 1950s comics like Tales from the Crypt, Blood Type offers a first. It’s the first standalone, serialized horror series under the EC banner.

In the story, Ada finds herself at a Caribbean resort with an ample supply of wealthy tourists to meet vampiric needs. Soon, she finds she’s not the only predator on hand. An older, dangerous figure is on hand with a “carnal hunger for greed and power.” Blood Type is the flagship for a new slate of semi-regular EC Comics limited series that will spotlight and continue a select few of the razor-sharp short stories introduced in the pages of EC’s monthly anthology titles –

Corinna Bechko, a Hugo- and Eisner-nominated creator and author has worked with many major comics publishers including Marvel and DC. She has also written three titles for young readers from the Smithsonian imprint.

She has noted she fell in love with Ada when she penned the initial short. She recently fielded a few questions from Wicked Horror about creating and continuing Ada’s story.

WH: When did you first think about Ada having an extended existence following her appearance in Epitaphs of the Abyss and an issue 0? Did you hope she could become an ongoing character?

Corinna Bechko: Pretty much as soon as I finished scripting the short! I didn’t think it would be possible then because EC Comics had never had a longer form book before this, but I fell in love with Ada and her cocky, take-no-prisoners attitude as soon as she appeared on the page.

WH: Were you thinking ahead to an antagonist that would be right for a character such as Ada?

Corinna Bechko: Initially, no. In the short she just appeared to me fully formed and ready for action. But the idea of her stuck with me long after I finished that first story. Where had she come from? What could have possibly made her into the person she is today? And how could I learn to be a little more like that, albeit without all the murder and mayhem? Turns out I can’t be. Ada is Ada, and Corinna can only watch her unfold.

WH: How did you go about crafting a longer narrative while staying true to EC style, which often was about building to an ironic twist?

Corinna Bechko: That was a bit of a challenge. The EC style is instantly recognizable: short, sharp, twisty, and always resulting in gruesome punishments for those who deserve it. In some ways that’s antithetical to a longer piece, especially one told in issues which are not only longer, but which also impose rigorous demands of their own on the pacing of the action. I think we solved this conundrum by weaving in flashbacks and stories which tell their own wicked tales throughout the body of the larger story. Each one relates back to the mystery at the center while harkening back to EC’s roots. It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever written, and I’ve relished every second of the wild ride.

WH: How did you decide on a Caribbean setting? Were you a fan of things like White Zombie?

Corinna Bechko: I grew up in a beach community that was overrun with tourists for half the year. They thought it was paradise, but those of us who lived there knew there was a lot of darkness tucked away behind the scenes too. And often the financial disparities were brutal. That’s probably the reason I love “sunshine noir” and horror set in bright places. And yes, I did see White Zombie for the first time at a rather impressionable age. As problematic as many aspects are, there’s no denying that the setting (and lead!) are showstoppers.  Speaking of zombies, I Walked with a Zombie is perhaps a closer parallel. Unlike White Zombie, it examines what it means to actually live in an “exotic” locale while peeling back some of the layers around how power and wealth can warp a semi-closed society.

WH: Was there a sense of gravity in being handed the keys for an all-new EC Comics title? Does it feel like you’re forging new territory in sort of hallowed horror comics territory?

Corinna Bechko: Absolutely! I am very aware of the weight of the history that comes attached to the EC Comics name. That said, I found I had to acknowledge that and then put it away. Otherwise, I might have been rendered unable to write. Gravity can keep you centered, but too much can pin you to the earth. And this story in particular needed to be light on its feet. Plus, I know that everyone involved on the editorial side of things truly loves EC. That frees me because I trust them to tell me if anything doesn’t ring with EC tones.

WH: The visuals on EC Comics are iconic. When writing a script, how much do you try to provide the artist to work with?

Corinna Bechko: I try to give the essentials of the plot and anything that could be important later but otherwise stay out of the way. Comics is a collaborative medium, so you have to really trust your team. Fortunately, I’m working with the masterful Andrea Sorrentino. An artist of that caliber certainly doesn’t need a writer constraining their talents with extraneous details. 

WH: Did you look back on original EC comics, and if so do you have any favorite tales that provided inspiration? Do you have any favorite EC writers and artists from the fifties?

Corinna Bechko: I did read a lot of them when I was preparing to write Blood Type, but of course I was already quite familiar. The number of twists some of them cram into such a limited number of panels is astonishing! So many of the greats worked on EC stories that it’s hard to narrow it down, but Al Williamson might have created some of the most memorable images from the last century of comics. I’m going to call out Wally Wood as well. His talent is unrivaled, as is the heartbreaking scope of his stories.