Exclusive 28 Days Later Aftermath Comic Page & Details

I spearhead a division of Fox Atomic entitled, appropriately enough, Fox Atomic Comics, whose mandate is to produce four original graphic novels a year, either based around our theatrical titles or created from original material. That being said, we will still create standard comics every now and again (we did one for Turistas), but the primary focus of the imprint is just on graphic novels.

On the theatrical front we have two movies coming out in 2007 that are perfect for the graphic novel treatment: 28 Weeks Later and The Hills Have Eyes 2. Being a huge horror fan I wanted to not only develop those properties into graphic novels in order to expand upon and explore the mythology of each movie, but I also want make sure they were handled with all the proper care and respect that each title deserves.

Who is writing 28 Days Later: Aftermath?

None other than horror master Steve Niles! We were very fortunate to secure such a talented writer, who in all honesty is perfect for the project. Steve's a big fan of the original movie, so that along with the promise of a free Star Wars DVD sold him on the project (kidding about the DVD - it was really an Aliens box set).

What is the story of 28 Days Later: Aftermath?

The 28 Days Later graphic novel is broken down into four inter-connected stories that take place at different stages of the initial Rage Virus outbreak. We see things that are hinted at in the first film, such as why the Rage Virus was created in the first place, what happened when the virus first started to spread, and what it took to survive in London itself once the virus had decimated the city.

Why is the name for the comic different from the film ( film is titled "28 Weeks Later")?

The graphic novel chronicles events that take place before, during and after the initial Rage Virus outbreak, as depicted in the first film (28 Days Later). The "Aftermath" tagline was important because although the story is based primarily around the timeline of the first outbreak, the graphic novel introduces a few thematic elements that moves the overall story forward towards the events of 28 Weeks Later...

How does the story compare to the plot of the new film?

The story and characters in Aftermath are original, but the overall narrative weaves it way around story points that have been established in the first movie.

Are the characters different or the same?

New characters... although there may be a subtle clue or two as to what happened to Jim and Selena....

How was it working with Steve Niles?

Steve is amazing; he's a very gifted writer who has a natural skill for creating interesting characters. In addition, I'm also very fortunate to be working with another talented dude, Jimmy Palmiotti, who is serving as the editor on all Fox Atomic titles.

When will it street for readers?

28 Days Later: The Aftermath will be released in April of 2007, in all comic book stores as well as major book retailers. Our distribution partner is HarperCollins, so you'll be able to find the book just about everywhere! Don't come crying to me if you can't find it in your local 7-11 though. Can't help you there.

What other comics does Fox Atomic Comics plan on doing?

There are a few other graphic novel projects in the pipeline aside from 28 Days Later: The Aftermath. Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are working on The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning, which is a prequel story exploring how those mutants ended up in the middle of the desert in the first place. We also have The Nightmare Factory, based on the short stories of Thomas Ligotti, releasing in Halloween of 2007. We also have one other graphic novel slated for release in 2007 that I can't talk about just yet... but soon!