An Interview with Jean Michel creator of American Dark Age by his girlfriend who really doesn't care

JESSICA: So, what's this thing about?
JEAN: It's about this girl. Katherine Brody. She grows up on a horse farm with her dad in Oregon. He's a widower and she's unsure of her place in the world. The only way she knows how to express herself is by tearing away at her guitar and singing punk music in a crappy band.

JESSICA: What does that have to do with the Dark Ages?
JEAN: At the beginning of the story, the whole world loses its power and the use of its machinery, so everyone has to go back to living life like they did in the dark ages which includes using swords and stuff, since guns and bombs don't work either.

JESSICA: Why don't guns work and what if a machine doesn't need electricity? It's not magic is it? Just don't say it's magic.
JEAN: All of that gets explained later in the book. It's a mystery for a while...and no, it's not "magic".

JESSICA: Hrhm... And by the title, I'm assuming it takes place in the US?
JEAN: Yeah, I used to watch all these films and read books about knights, samurai and barbarians, but they're always set in Europe, Asia and...I don't know Cimmeria. I loved all that. Still do, but, when I was a kid I always felt kinda stupid with a sword in my hand, because I didn't have a British accent.

JESSICA: What the hell is "Cimmeria"?
JEAN: It's where Conan is from.

JESSICA: He didn't have a British accent. He's German or Austrian.
JEAN: My point was that he's not American and as a child I didn't have anyone to look up to that had a sword AND an American accent.

JESSICA: So, what; you're saying you look up to this girl you created?
JEAN: No. I'm trying to create characters and a story that I wish I had gotten to read when I was a kid. Characters that kids today can look up to that resemble them in some way. Jeez.

JESSICA: Alright, so what's so great about her?
JEAN: Brody's my favorite parts of Red Sonja, Tank Girl, and Wonder Woman at a slumber party with Joan Jett, Donita Sparks and Brody Dalle.

JESSICA: ...I swear to god, if you mention pillow fights or truth or dare, I'm going back upstairs.
JEAN: I'm just trying to say Brody's got a little bit of all those chicks in her. Nothing dirty.

JESSICA: You're a sick person. Anyway, what was with all the music references in the story?
JEAN: I'm a visual artist, but deep down, I've always wanted to be a rock star like Ozzy or Joey Ramone. As a kid, when I wasn't alone in my room, swinging a homemade sword and trying to fake a British accent,... Stop smiling like that. When I wasn't doing that, I was lip-synching to Black Sabbath, The Clash and the Ramones imagining what it might feel like to be them. Even though I never became a musician, music always pushed me to create whatever art I could, so I tried to show my appreciation to my musical heroes by naming certain characters, places, and even story titles after familiar musical landmarks in my life.

JESSICA: Did you name anyone after me in the comic?
JEAN: Maybe.

JESSICA: Who?
JEAN: I'm not saying anymore about it. If you wanna find out, then you need to read the book every time it comes out each month, just like everyone else.

JESSICA: Oh, so you think I'm just like everyone else? Did everyone else have your baby?
JEAN: I'm just saying you have to wait to find out. That's all.

JESSICA: ...Y'know what? I don't wanna talk about you anymore. Let's talk about Jac. How'd you find her to do the art?
JEAN: Okay, fine. Jacqueline Taylor is an amazing artist going to school for animation in Ottowa, Canada. I found her Deviant Art gallery through a mutual friend and I was blown away by her stuff. Once she read the script for issue one, she pretty much told me I wasn't aloud to hire anyone else to work on this book. An artistic marriage made in cyber space heaven.

JESSICA: Oh, I see. You'll marry Jac in cyber space, but you won't marry me in real life.
JEAN: Wait, what? 

JESSICA: Nevermind. What About Megabrain? You wanna tell people about Megabrain?
JEAN: Yeah. Megabrain is the brain-child of Mike Vuolo and myself. Get it? Brain-child?

JESSICA: That's why, I'M the funny one in the relationship.
JEAN: Hrhm...Anyway. Mike and I decided it was about time to finally do something with all the stories we've plotted out and we knew that no self respecting publisher would print anything from a couple of schlemiels like us, and with the awesome might of the internet at our disposal, we've taken it upon ourselves to bring our stories to life.

JESSICA: Don't forget it's garbage night.
JEAN: I know it's garbage night! Can we finish this first?

JESSICA: Sorry. So where can everyone read your comic book?
JEAN: American Dark Age will be the first book to debut on the Megabrain site, when it launches on January 17th. It's going to start off digitally, but as soon as we've got the budget, all of our books will be going to print.

JESSICA: Sounds, wonderful. Can we go to the city now?
JEAN: Yes, we can go now.

JEAN: - smooch -