What happens when a dark sci-fi novel becomes a comic book?
On this episode of Talkin' Comics Podcast, AJ Reimann sits down with writer Matt Adcock to talk about his journey from novel writing to indie comics and the process of transforming his novel Complete Darkness into a comic book.
Matt's original novel is a near-future dark sci-fi story built around a wild question: What if humanity discovered that Hell could actually be mapped?
After artist Carl Brown read Complete Darkness and suggested that it would make a great comic, Matt began a completely new creative journey—learning how to translate a novel's ideas, characters, and world into sequential art. Matt explains how working with an artist changed the storytelling process and why comic writers have to let the artwork carry so much of the story.
This is a conversation about more than just making comics. It's about taking an idea that exists in your head, finding the right creative people, and figuring out how to bring that idea into the real world.
#ComicBooks #IndieComics #ComicBookCreator #SciFi #TalkinComics
Host: A.J. Reimann https://linktr.ee/Talkin_Comics_Podcast
Guest: Matt Adcock @cleric20 https://www.etsy.com/shop/CompleteDarkness
📚 About Matt Adcock
Matt Adcock is a writer whose novel Complete Darkness began a journey into the world of indie comics. The comic adaptation is planned as a larger series, with Matt and artist Carl Brown currently working toward a ten-issue story.
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⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Talkin' Comics Podcast
00:38 Meet Matt Adcock
01:16 From Complete Darkness to Comic Book
02:20 The Global Comic Book Community
03:05 AJ's Journey Into Creating a Comic
04:00 Traditional Comic Art vs. AI
04:29 Black & White vs. Full Color Comics
04:50 What It's Like to Hold Your Finished Comic
06:17 Why Physical Comics Still Matter
06:45 How Comics Can Inspire Young Readers
07:31 What Inspired Matt to Become a Writer?
08:12 The Notebook That Changed Matt's Writing
09:19 Turning Comics Into Audiobooks?
10:18 From Comic to Animation?
11:25 Complete Darkness & Working With New Artists
12:19 Discovering Jim Hobbs
13:32 The Inspiration Behind Complete Darkness
14:00 Mapping Hell Through Dark Matter
15:57 Creating a Superhero by Accident
16:15 Turning Complete Darkness Into a Comic
16:42 How Many Issues Will Complete Darkness Have?
17:10 Creating Comics With Family
18:18 Learning to Draw Through Trading Cards
19:28 The Real Cost of Making Comics
20:27 Publishing Books vs. Comics
20:32 Finding a Publisher for Complete Darkness
21:10 Writing in Someone Else's Universe
22:23 The Search for a Comic Book Publisher
24:39 The Challenges of Manufacturing & Shipping
27:55 Three Comics You Could Never Live Without
28:21 AJ's Thor Reading Challenge
29:30 Favorite Comics & Characters
31:00 Comic Book Universes & Superpowers
33:00 Thor, Captain America & Comic Book Morality
36:00 If Your Life Were a Comic Book...
38:00 Creating a Comic About Your Own Life
40:00 The Reality of Being an Indie Creator
42:00 Making Comics With the Right Artist
44:00 AJ's Journey With The Chronicles of Panel Pete
46:00 The Future of Complete Darkness
48:00 Finding Comic Book Publishers
50:00 Comic Book Conventions & HeroesCon
52:00 Terrificon, Walt Simonson & Comic Book Memories
54:00 Finding Your Place in the Comic Community
56:00 Where to Find Matt Adcock
58:00 Final Thoughts
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