MOUSE GUARD is Back

Article and interview by Scott Tingley, June 30. 2007

Holy Cow! Here we go again. One of last year's biggest comics for younger readers is coming back with a new story.

David Petersen and Archaia Studios Press are back with Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 . This will be another six issue mini series and it will hit the shelves this July. This must have been announced a while ago and I missed it, but don't you miss it. Tell your comic retailer to put an issue away for you right now. If you don't go to comic shops and only buy graphic novels, this will likely be sold as single book in about a year. I won't be waiting.

M.G. Creator, David Persen, was nice enough to do an interview with me on very short notice:

Scott Tingley CitC: Congratulations on the new series and all of the praise and honors you
received for the first series.  How has the past year and a half been for
you?

David Persen: It's been amazing, I have been able to attend lots of cons and meet with
fans of all ages, I have been able to make comics my full time job, and I'm
trilled with the Fall hardcover that came out this last Spring and excited
about the future of Mouse Guard.

CitC: There is no denying that Mouse Guard is a quality book, but did you and your
publisher expect this kind of response?

D.P: Not entirely. We knew we had something different to offer that would find a
niche and be around for a while... But I don't think we had an idea it would
strike the chord it did. It's been amazing.

CitC: The new series is due in stores in a couple of weeks.  What is it about?

D.P: The new series, Winter 1152, is about the mice doing some emergency travels
for food and medicine, but finding themselves in horrible weather and
situations, where getting home is the hard part. It will cement the
characters relationships a bit more and reveal more about the Black Axe
legend.

CitC: You do all of the creator chores on Mouse Guard: writing, drawing, and
coloring.  How long does each book take you?  How much of the six issues do
you write before you start drawing?

D.P: It takes about two months for me to get a book done. I work from an outline
when I do the book. I have an outline for the series and an outline for the
issue I'm working on. I add the dialogue once I finish the art so I can
balance the amount of work the words need to do vs the final images.

CitC: Are there any plans to take Mouse Guard beyond comic books?

D.P: We are talking to Hollywood about a feature film. We have people in
place for a board game, we have talked to people about RPGs, And Diamond
Select has the license for Plushies, PVCs and resins.

CitC: Good luck with all of this.  I'll check in after issue one hits the stands.

The company lists Mouse Guard as being for ages 10+. I agree with them. I think of the content being equal to “ Lord of the Rings Light” . If your child had no problem watching last year's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie, he/she should have no problem reading this.

Go HERE for previews of the first series.