Billy's drawing

Horror News Network interviews Billy Martin & Brent Allen

Horror News Network: How did you come up with the concept for this title?

Billy Martin: I started writing ideas down for a video game concept. I knew I wanted it to involved supernatural creatures like vampires and there would be some type of a vigilante. I drew some concept ideas and thought about weapons and how the game would play. There wasn't a lot of story at first just drawings and scenarios. Brent and I had written a few script ideas before I pitched the idea of doing it as a comic book and from there we really dove in to developing the story.



Horror News Network: Have you guys always been into comics?

Billy Martin: Absolutely! I have a huge collection that I started when I was around 9 or 10. I got into comics when the Image boom happened, so Spawn was my favorite then. I used to buy books based purely on the art, because I knew I wanted to draw comics. Once I got older and started appreciating the stories and I already had a ton of books to go back and read.

Brent Allen: I was into comics when I was younger and then took some time off. Talking to Billy about comics got be back into the swing of things and then co-writing Vitriol really got me into them again.



Horror News Network: Vitriol seems like a cross between Blade and Judge Dredd. How would you describe the main character in this book?

Billy Martin: Obviously Blade was an influence, I'm familiar with the Judge Dredd character but can say I've ever read any books. Guess I need to! In my mind Vitriol was more of a cross between Eric Draven from The Crow and Hellboy. I wanted that sarcastic, dark, loner vibe with him. He struggles with his past and lets it cloud his future. He feels the pressure of being the city's hero and doesn't want to share his burden with anyone.

Brent Allen: He’s a character that is flawed on many levels which makes him human and not an all-powerful superhero. He has physical and emotional stress that is weighing down on him. He is scared to get close to people and he is also addicted to pain killers. All isn’t against Vitriol, though; he is also numb to pain to a certain extent. So there is some good to go with the bad.



Horror News Network: There seems to be no shortage of things that go “bump” in the night from this title. What can we expect in terms of blood and guts?

Billy Martin: Both Brent and I fans of over the top gore in horror movies. I have a very animated style of drawing which doesn't usually lend itself to a dark story like this. I just really wanted to be myself and draw what I wanted how I imagined it. I think the blend of art style with all the blood splattering and chopped off heads makes for a nice fresh look to the book. In issue one alone there are multiple limps being shot and hacked off as well as some intestinal spillage, so there certainly is no lack of blood and guts!

Brent Allen: Yeah, Billy and I both love bloody monster movies and comics. When writing this book we both knew that we wanted a pretty bloody book but still keeping it interesting story wise as well.



Horror News Network: Billy, you handle both the co-writing and art chores on this book. Which of the two do you find more enjoyable?

Billy Martin: Definitely the art. I love creating characters and worlds and concepts, but sometimes I'm too excited to start drawing to really focus the ideas into a story. Luckily Brent and I work really well together in that sense. He writes fast, so after we have a brain storming session I know I don't have to wait long to see a script to start drawing from.



Horror News Network: Your artwork definitely has a unique look to it. Did you take art classes or did you teach yourself how to draw?

Billy Martin: All self taught. I've been a student my whole life honestly. I'm always trying to get better and teach myself knew techniques. I spent my youth copying images off of saturday morning cartoons, and my teenage years trying to imitate my favorite comic book artists. As I got older I started reading anatomy books and learning more complex perspective stuff. Developing a style is the hardest part, you will always draw like the people you look up to at first. I'm still finding my own style in that sense, I try to draw from the gut as much as possible nowadays and make sure it's my image on the paper versus how I've seen someone else draw it.



Horror News Network: This title seems to lend itself pretty well to other media (movies or cartoons). Do you have any plans to move it toward that direction?

Billy Martin: Of course, that would be awesome! No immediate plans for that, but I would love to see something happen in the near future.

Brent Allen: I think we both would love to see Vitriol in a movie/cartoon/video game platform. Billy and I actually wrote a cartoon script together around 7-8 years ago so it’s definitely something we would be really interested in doing.



Horror News Network: Billy, how do you balance working on the comic and being in a band?

Billy Martin: It has been quite a challenge but a welcome one. I really love making music and drawing. I'm very passionate about both and would hate to ever have to choose just one. It took me 4 years to complete the pencils for all 6 issues. Sometimes I'd go weeks where I couldnt work on Vitriol. I'd set up my make shift art studio in hotel rooms, tour buses, backstage, anywhere I could. This year the band is taking some time off, so hopefully people like Vitriol and want more so I can actually work on it and get it out quickly.



Horror News Network: Where can our readers find out more about you and this comic?

Billy Martin: I'm very active on Twitter, @TheBillyMartin. I'm always posting work in progress shots and making sure everyone knows when and where to get Vitriol. My website is Bloodzilla.com, plenty of info there as well!



Horror News Network: In closing, what would you guys like to say to our readers about Vitriol the Hunter?

Billy Martin: This book has been a long time in the making and I think readers will see the passion we put into it. It's meant to be a fun book reminiscent of those 90's era Image books where things were over the top because comics are supposed to be! I hope they enjoy it and want more so we can share all the more adventures we have written for Vitriol.

Brent Allen: Vitriol the Hunter seems like a simple story about a guy running around hunting vampires. There is a lot more to it and the future of the book goes to some fun and pretty odd places.

Billy Interview about The Hunter

Billy's Interview tfaw + 5 pages of The Hunter

TFAW: Can you introduce us to Vitriol: The Hunter?
Billy Martin: Sure, Vitriol is the unfortunate victim of his father’s bad choices. The city Vitriol lives in has fallen victim to supernatural beings that were released from a government experiment led by his father. He loses his family and is badly injured due to his father’s negligence, and now at an older age, he is set on clearing his family’s name.


TFAW: The premise is really interesting: a gothic horror sci-fi adventure–set in the future! How did it start?
BM: I just was thinking from a fan or a reader’s perspective. I love superhero comics, but I also love horror themes in general. Vampires, zombies, etc. I can’t get enough of that stuff. I also love stories that are set in a post-apocalyptic setting in the future, where things seem hopeless and some of the technology is just rehashed concoctions made of old and new objects. So I really just mixed all the stuff up, and Vitriol was born!

TFAW: What were some of your inspirations?
BM: The movie The Crow was a big influence on me in general. I love James O’Barr’s books as well, but the dark grittiness of the movie has always stuck with me. Batman, of course, because he has that mysterious brooding superhero vibe without having super powers. Crimson is a favorite of mine as well, and Humberto Ramos is hands down my favorite artist drawing comics right now.

TFAW: How did you connect with Brent Allen, and what’s your collaborative process like?
BM: Well Brent is my brother-in-law, and we have been writing stuff together for years. We wrote and produced a cheap zombie film together a few years ago and that really kicked it off. We started writing scripts together and even developed an animated series pitch. I had the idea for Vitriol on tour and started jotting ideas down as a proposed video game.
I love creating characters and worlds and stories, but I’m too impatient and I really wanna just start drawing. Luckily Brent and I work really well together in that sense. We can sit and brainstorm ideas or bounce emails back and forth. He literally can understand all my ramblings and turn it around into a great script the next day. Brent likes more slasher-horror and futuristic sci-fi, whereas I like the more supernatural monster horror and creature-based fantasy stories.

TFAW: What’s the most interesting thing about Vitriol, your hero?
BM: As a writer, Brent is really into giving every character a very believable story. We gave Vitriol some personal demons to battle along with the vampires he’s fighting. He can’t fly, he can’t crawl on walls, and he’s not rich, so he has to rely on his strength and his passion to pull off being a “superhero.”

TFAW: What motivates the villainous Lord Barthus?
BM: Barthus was basically a lab rat for the government. So as much as he is the villain of the series, it’s fairly justified. In this story arc Barthus realizes that the only reason the city is still intact is because he only rules the night. If the vampires could rule the daylight hours, he could achieve his world domination goal.

TFAW: What do you think is going to surprise readers the most about this comic?
BM: I grew up drawing Disney characters, so naturally I have an animated quality to my drawing. Usually, horror-themed books are very serious looking and gritty and realistic, whereas this book has a serious tone in the story, but a very stylized look to it. Storywise, Brent is always looking to add the “twist,” so we have a lot of cool and unexpected turns in the story that will keep the readers excited about what’s next!

TFAW: You’ve jumped into the role of comics creator with both feet–co-writing and drawing the comic on top of touring with Good Charlotte. What’s been your favorite part of the process?
BM: The best part has been watching myself grow as an artist. I’ve had to really learn new techniques and draw things I never imagined drawing before. When you draw for fun, you draw what comes easy and you never think about drawing a character in a boring pose. So often a story calls for two people to be talking and one of them has it’s back to you and I had think how do you draw a back? Haha. Looking through the books I really think you will see the art gradually taking a step up from book to book.

TFAW: What’s been the biggest challenge?
BM: The biggest challenge has been time! I started this project four years ago. Since then I’ve released an album, toured across the world, had two sons, and completed six issues of a comic book! I am very grateful that I can do music and art, because I love both so much. Very quickly IDW realized that I could not make a monthly book deadline. I brought my art supplies with me and I was working every minute I could, backstage, in hotel rooms, on airplanes.
On top of that I wanted to combine my art and my music, and I created a six song instrumental soundtrack to accompany the book. I’ve been remixing and producing for other artists under the name Villain, and this will be my first official release of original music as Villain. The best part is it will be a free download! Luckily my wife has been very patient with me, getting to be a dad and have your dream job is not something everyone gets to do!

TFAW: What comics are you reading right now?
BM: My favorite ongoing series is Invincible. Ryan Ottley is so good and Kirkman is unstoppable right now. I love the Amazing Spider-Man stuff that Ramos was drawing. Chew is really good, Skottie Young’s Wizard of Oz books are great, too!

TFAW: You’ve drawn a lot of cool sketch cards of DC’s New 52 and the Walking Dead–do you have any interest in drawing for other books?
BM: Absolutely! Even before I picked up a guitar I dreamed of drawing comic books. I’m so thankful that IDW gave me this opportunity, I hope it opens other doors for me in the comic industry to draw more books.

TFAW: What are your post-Vitriol comics plans? What else are you excited about?
BM: I just can’t wait to get it into the reader’s hands. I know anytime someone from another entertainment genre, like acting or music does a book most people will be skeptical. I hope comic fans will give this book a shot and see how passionate Brent and I are about this story. I am excited for people to hear the soundtrack as well, it’s really a big moment for me all around. Hopefully people like it and support it because we have a lot more stories ready to go for Vitriol.

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Vitriol The Hunter #2

IDW Presents Vitriol The Hunter

San Diego, CA (November 14, 2012) – Coming this February, IDW Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of VITRIOL THE HUNTER, an all-new comic book series co-written by Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin and Brent Allen, featuring interior art by Martin.

“This book has travelled everywhere I have on tour over the last few years,” Martin said. “I’ve had a light table and art supplies set up on countless busses and hotel rooms across the world.”

They own the night... they yearn for the day! In this gothic sci-fi adventure, Martin and Allen bring a new grisly horror to life. Set in the fictional city of Basilika in 2127, this six-issue series narrates the journey of Basilika City’s last great hope, Vitriol, as he stands as the only force that can stop Lord Barthus and his heinous vampire regime from overtaking the city.

“Billy is a one of kind. He’s a guy that we hope to be someday,” Sean “Cheeks” Galloway said. “Although he’s had major success with his band Good Charlotte, his love and his drive to draw and to succeed as comic illustrator is mind-boggling and inspiring to us creators to push our limits.”


Additionally, Martin is producing a soundtrack inspired by VITRIOL THE HUNTER. Under the name Villain, Martin has been creating remixes, as well as writing and producing music for other artists. This will be his first official release of original music as Villain, showcasing his dynamic mix of electronic music with traditional film score. The special soundtrack for VITRIOL will be available for free download inside the comic.




VITRIOL THE HUNTER #1 ($3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in February 2013. Diamond order code: DEC12 0473.

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A venir ce février , IDW Publishing est heureux d'annoncer le lancement de VITRIOL THE HUNTER (Vitriol le chasseur), une toute nouvelle bande dessinée co-écrite par le guitariste de Good Charlotte Billy Martin et de Brent Allen, dont les dessins sont de Billy Martin.

"Ce livre a voyagé partout dans le monde au cours des tournées des années précédentes. J'ai une table lumineuse et autres fournitures artistiques mis à disposition dans le bus ou dans les nombreuses chambres hôtels."

 La nuit leur appartient ... se languissent la journée. Dans cette aventure de science fiction gothique, Billy et Brent apportent une nouvelle horreur macabre à la vie. Situé dans la ville fictive de Basilika en 2127, cette série de 6 tomes raconte le voyage du dernier meilleur espoir de Basilika, Vitriol, il se présente comme la seule force qui peut arrêter Lord Barthus et son horrible régime de vampire qui attaque la ville.

"Billy est le gars que nous espérions être un jour. Bien qu'il est du succès avec son groupe Good Charlotte, son amour et son énergie pour dessiner et réussir comme illustrateur de BD est époustouflant et nous pousse nous, créateurs" à dépasser nos limites" raconte Sean "Cheeks" Galloway.

De plus, Billy Martin a produit une soundtrack (musique) inspiré de Vitriol the Hunter. Sous le nom de Villain, Billy Martin a créé des remix ainsi que l'écriture et production de musique pour d'autres artistes. Ça sera sa première sortie officielle de la musique originale de Villain, mettant en vedette son mélange dynamique de musique électronique et de B.O de film. Cette soundtrack spécial pour VITRIOL sera disponible en téléchargement gratuit dans la BD.

VITRIOL THE HUNTER #1 ($3.99, 32 pages en couleur) sera disponible en février 2013. Diamond order code: DEC12 0473.

Billy Martin's work

This is a blank artist proof sketch card from Cryptozoic's "The Walking Dead: Comic Book" trading card set. You choose the character and Billy will draw the character of your choice. It can be a zombie or any character from the comic book. This set is based of the comics so please don't choose a character from the show who doesn't appear in the comic book. After purchasing a card please email BloodzillaStore@gmail.com with your request of the character. 

Variations of this product

 $40.00 USD - Default Title

You can buy HERE

IDW Announces Vitriol the Hunter from Billy Martin

“This book has traveled everywhere I have on tour over the last few years,” Martin said. “I’ve had a light table and art supplies set up on countless buses and hotel rooms across the world.”

Scheduled to launch in early 2013, Vitriol the Hunter is co-created by Martin and Allen and draws on the folklore and old monster myths prevalent in today’s society, twisting them into a macabre-style story reminiscent of classic horror movies crossed with futuristic fantasy. A self-proclaimed vigilante, Vitriol embarks on a mission to protect his homeland from the malicious monsters that have overtaken it, led by a brutal tyrant vampire.

Billy Martin is producing a soundtrack inspired by Vitriol the Hunter. Under the name Villain, Martin has been creating remixes as well as writing and producing music for other artists. This will be his first official release of original music as Villain, showcasing his dynamic mix of electronic music with traditional film score. The special soundtrack for Vitriol will be available for free download inside the comic.

“Billy and I have done numerous writing projects together, and this is definitely our best work to date,” Allen said. “Being from Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe is a hero of mine, and I can only hope to step foot in part of his shadow on this project. We are both really excited to hear how the readers take to the world we created.”

Set in the fictional city of Basilika in 2127, Vitriol the Hunter chronicles our hero’s journey as he encounters werewolves, hordes of hellions, and other walking myths. This new horror series is slated to run for six issues.

“The best part of working with Billy over the past several years has been watching him grow as an artist,” series editor Denton J. Tipton said. “You could tell he had tremendous talent from the start, but he’s really honed his style and absorbed the techniques of graphic storytelling. Taking our time with this series has really paid dividends, but we can’t wait for everyone else to see the results!”

source

  Similarly, Good Charlotte guitarist Billy Martin will draw and co-write Vitriol The Hunter, a collaboration with Beretta Jane guitarist Brent Allen about a monster hunter trying to take his land back from a group of monsters. Martin will also create music for the comic under the name Villain, with a code to download the tracks free included in each issue. The first of which will be out in early 2013, and retail for $3.99.

Vitriol the Hunter by Billy Martin

Up and drawing away already. ‪#VITRIOLtheHUNTER

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