MARGUERITE BENNETT & BEV JOHNSON unveil FLASH GORDON: THE GIRL FROM INFINITY

90 years on, Flash Gordon is still going strong! Check out the latest iteration as Marguerite Bennett and Bev Johnson join Hernando Diaz to discuss Papercutz's The Girl From Infinity.

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COMIC BOOK YETI: Greetings, Marguerite and Bev, and welcome to Comic Book Yeti! You are both visionary comic book creators whose work has charmed audiences and redefined the scenery of graphic storytelling. Your latest project, Flash Gordon: The Girl from Infinity, not only features your incredible talent but also explores themes of heroism, identity and social justice, pushing the limits of the medium. Can you tell us about your background as an artist and writer? What inspired you to work in the comic book industry?

MARGUERITE BENNETT: As to what inspired me, I was a consummate bookworm as a child, and as soon as I reckoned that comics were just kids’ books for grownups, I was hooked. Sometimes it feels like the last medium left where words and illustrations combine in harmony. As to my background, most folks probably know my superhero work, like DC Bombshells or Batwoman, or else my indie horror work like Animosity.  

BEV JOHNSON: I love visual storytelling in general, and comics are an amazing medium that can range from silly to totally serious. Ever since I was little, I voraciously read comics and created my own. As an artist, I’ve worked in a bunch of different areas, like animation, children’s books, and product design, but comics keep seeming to draw me back. I always try to get in tune with the characters’ emotions and use them to inform the broader beats of the story. I also tend to get attached to any character I draw, and comics allow me to draw them over and over again.

CBY: Talking about your latest project, Flash Gordon: The Girl from Infinity, what inspired the story or concept behind your comic book? Were there any particular experiences or influences that shaped the concept? Why "The Girl from Infinity?"

MB: Whenever you’re writing for a younger audience, the most crucial question is, What book do I wish I’d had when I was y’all’s age? So that’s my attempt – an exciting, beautiful, emotional book with all the boring parts cut out. All the adventure stories of my childhood distilled into one glorious space opera, bursting with all the things that Baby Marguerite liked best – friends I could have and places I could visit, monsters I could fight and tame, tasks I could win, delicious food and beautiful clothes and an ever-expanding map in a land of wonders.  

BJ: I totally agree with Marguerite’s reasoning - I always think of the intended audience and what kind of stories I either loved or wanted at that age. I tried to keep the art playful while still having serious and sweeping narrative moments. 

CBY: At the beginning of the story, you mention Dale Arden, Ark, and Emperor Azimuth. Can you tell us about the development of your main characters and share with our readers a bit about the long-running history of Flash Gordon? What influences shaped their personalities and arcs?

MB: We were inheriting a story nearly a hundred years old, with characters who are classically defined–a courageous Flash, a compassionate Dale, and a conniving Emperor. No matter the shifts in their appearances or time, this would always be key. Now, as you may have noticed, the background of each character is mysterious–and through the course of the journey, those pasts will be unlocked and explored, for you to understand what gave each their courage, compassion, and cunning. 

BJ: It’s definitely an intimidating task to design characters that are based on existing ones while also creating something new and fresh - especially because the tone and demographic of our Flash is so different than either the 30s Flash or 80s Flash. I tried to keep Flash’s design and mannerisms exuberant; Dale’s kind; Azimuth’s tortured.

CBY: An aesthetic style is often a reflection of an artist's personal experiences, beliefs, and emotions. How would you describe your narrative and artistic style for this comic? Were there any specific techniques or styles you aimed to incorporate?

MB: I must’ve buried poor Bev beneath a heap of reference images in those first drafts – I wrote this story entirely during lockdown in 2020, and I lived in this world as much as Flash did. Art Deco for the Emperor, Art Nouveau for Arboria, color palettes and costumes and creatures galore–Bev transmuted the daunting amount of raw material I sent her way into something elegant, charming, and hypnotically lovely. 

BJ: I wanted the world to feel surreal and colorful, and the characters to feel both fantastical but also grounded in very real emotion. The comic style for Flash is mostly traditional American with some splashes of manga influence. 

CBY: Each stage of the writing process serves a specific purpose. For instance, drafting allows for the free flow of ideas, while revising focuses on enhancing clarity, coherence, and style. What is your writing process and collaboration like? Do you have any specific routines or rituals that help you get into the creative zone?  

MB: As I mentioned, I wrote this story entirely in lockdown. It was my escape, I suppose. I went to the same place by the window to write each down, on my red chaise longue. I cuddled up with my bearded dragon and my cup of coffee and we watched the world we could no longer reach. And then I went back in time and became twelve-year-old again and started to write the adventures I wanted to have. 

BJ: Marguerite’s manuscripts are always super helpful, and I was able to envision the world and characters through her words and references. I usually listen to music while I work, and for Flash I listened to a lot of Star Wars soundtracks. 

CBY: Readers can identify in the story the special relationship between a brother and sister. What themes or messages do you hope readers will take away from your comic book?

MB: I hope they learn that failure is not the end. That everyone makes mistakes–and not just little ones, either, but big ones. People can mess up in huge ways, but it’s not the end of the story. Work will always be there–you can almost always fix what it was that got damaged, if you aren’t scared to be honest, if you aren’t scared to work hard. Nothing ever healed without first being broken. 

BJ: I love Marguerite’s take on the siblings - I always have a soft spot for sympathetic or even possibly-redeemable villains, as well as stories with complex family dynamics. The love is still there even if the characters have changed. 

CBY: Creating a comic book is a wonderful journey, but you sometimes meet some obstacles. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while creating this comic, and how did you overcome them?

MB: A global pandemic, probably, ha. Some very dark personal times. Sickness, isolation, injustice, unrest. The collapse of the company that was employing us. But we made it through. 

BJ: It was a pretty tumultuous time, yeah. Luckily this story is a hopeful and optimistic one, and it’s going out into the world despite many roadblocks. 

CBY: Are there any particular comics, artists, or writers that influenced your work on this project beyond the existing Flash Gordon legacy?

MB: Oh, gosh–I was up at all hours watching the old black-and-white film reels on YouTube, trying to figure out how to work in lizard monsters. I must’ve watched the 1980 movie ten times just while writing. We’re on the shoulders of giants, from 1934 all the way to Seth McFarlane, who has introduced Flash to so many younger fans and kept the legacy alive. 

BJ: For the art style, I tried to emulate some Avatar the Last Airbender - a chaotic, diverse, magical world, with characters that are allowed to be both serious and whimsical depending on the moment.

CBY: The end of this comic book is really amazing and I want to know a little bit more about it. Are you currently working on any future projects or sequels to this comic book? If so, without any spoilers, can you share any details?

MB: Thank you for the kind words! My favorite scene is in its sequel, I can tell you that! I have more planned, a great sprawling space opera of high-key, old-fashioned adventure, but the future is uncertain. Much is written, but writing is easy. I hope the world is ready for Flash–she’s keen as anything to meet y’all. 

BJ: Thank you! I will say, there is indeed a lot more story that Marguerite wrote. 

CBY: Looking back on this project, I think moments of reflection have an important role within part of the story. What have you learned about yourself as a creator, and what are you most proud of regarding your contribution to the comic?

MB: In the six years that it took to bring this comic and its sequel to life, there were many forces that buffeted it from all sides, threatened its message, threatened its very existence. It was cancelled more than once. But through all of it, Bev held fast and so did I. I think that dauntlessness is the thing I’ll take away from this. Never has so much time elapsed for me between writing the first word and seeing it reach the light of day, but that conviction was rewarded. I think that may in fact be something to be proud of. 

BJ: This project was stubborn - there were a couple times that I was almost convinced it wouldn’t see the light of day, which is always a huge downer when you’ve poured time and love into something. So I’m very glad everyone came together and kept it pushing, and I think everyone’s work paid off well. By the end of the project, I was coloring line art I had drawn four years prior, and that felt oddly rewarding.

CBY: Do you have a favorite scene or moment in the comic that you particularly enjoyed creating? What makes it stand out for you?

MB: I’m mighty fond of the trials, which Bev illustrated so beautifully. Those big spreads that implied training montages, huge civilizations full of culture and creatures–I’d spend hours pouring over those as a kid and making up stories from background characters. Arboria is a particular treat. 

BJ: I’m very fond of Flash and Dale’s first meeting - Flash is just such a fun fish-out-of-water character but with traditional heroic bravery and determination, which contrasts nicely with Dale’s responsible, cautious personality. 

CBY: Marguerite Bennett and Bev Johnson, thank you for joining us in the Yeti Cave today! For our readers at home, please feel free to include any portfolio, publication, or social media links below where they can further engage with you and your work. We look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

MB: I haven’t been on social media for almost eight years – I’m a hermit hunkered down in my witch cottage in the forest. But y’all can find trades of my work in most any comic store or bookstore you prefer. Thank you much for your time!