How Boulet Brothers, Alaska 5000, Yvie Weirdly Made Heavy Metal Hallowen

If it’s something the world needs, it’s a more open embrace than queer, whether in the sense of sexuality or in the sense of the weird. Fortunately, legendary drag producers, artists and icons The Boulet Brothers do it all in Heavy metal # 311, nicknamed the Halloween Acquisition.

Filled with stories written by some of the most fabulously ghoulish talents in the business, such as The curse of Bly Manor director Axelle Carolyn, comic book writer Steve Orlando, the Boulet brothers, and many other fearsome queens – the theme, now, is a notable highlight for gruesome glamor and timely scares.

“It had already started Starward in Heavy Metal, and I’d been friends with Drac and Swan for a while when that started, ”explains Steve Orlando. “We had been trying to find a way to work together since we met, and the project took many forms over the years. But once I got to Heavy Metal for a story of my own and saw the wide canvas they offered for telling subversive and provocative stories, I knew I had found home for my first collaboration with the Boulets. Heavy Metal is a science fiction institution, and knowing the drag, horror, filth, and glamor principles of Drac and Swan, merging the brands for Halloween made perfect sense. These are two brands that have approached creativity in a similar way: be provocative, be bold, respond to meet one. So I knew putting them together would be lightning in a bottle. “

The Boulet brothers echoed Orlando’s statement in the issue’s lead interview, conducted by none other than George C. Romero. “I’ve been a fan of [Heavy Metal Magazine] since the 1980s, ”Drac said,“ when I saw him in comic book stores growing up. The covers were always so iconic and some of them have inspired our drag looks. “

With the obvious connection established between the world of horror drag and Heavy Metal, it was time for the team to get to work setting the stage for the big names in drag and other creators who would appear in the issue. Between Orlando and the brothers, it all came down to a case of who you know.

“Once we knew Halloween Acquisition The theme was going to become a reality, we both pushed our contacts for creators who knew the iconic legacy of Heavy Metal and who also had that specific Halloween charisma, “says Orlando. “With that in mind, we brought together this stellar cast of creatives from across the world of drag, film, comics and professional wrestling.”

Brothers Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet act as hosts in the spooky takeover number (as Warren Publishing’s horror hosts for the old anthologies Sinister and Mysterious, or Elvira, Lady of the Night), guiding readers to wicked and haunted worlds from the minds of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Katya Zamolodchikova, Yyvie Oddly and Alaska Thunderfuck 5000; Steve Foxe (Party and prey; Cheat code) and artist Isaac Goodhart (Catwoman); and American horror story director Axelle Carolyn. And for the creators who spoke to Polygon, this fusion of minds with a love of horror and drag in common was something of a match made in heaven (or hell).

“I have known the Boulet brothers for years and I think they are great. We even went out and had cake once, ”says Alaska Thunderfuck 5000. Polygon. “When they asked me to be part of this project with Heavy metalI said heck yeah, that sounds like fun. I used to draw a lot of comics when I was a kid. It was my way of telling long and long narrative stories that was much more fun than writing. I used to really know my characters and honestly I still know a lot of them today. I think comics are beautiful and exciting and sexy, and they make reading fun. “

The Alaskan story revolves around Honor, a 1985 sex worker who finds herself the host of a hideously deadly supernatural parasite who promises to help her get revenge on the many men who have hurt her or taken advantage of her profession. . While Honor is happy at first to harness her newfound power and really feel in control of her body and destiny, there comes a point, of course, where she has to wonder if she is really in control of herself or is simply being driven by another outside invader. . . With art and lyrics by Przemyslaw Klosin, the story is as wonderfully vile as it is timely, and twice as beautiful.

“No matter what she does or what story she tells, there is always a strong woman at the center,” Alaska says, “and turning her into a sex worker was a no-brainer because prostitutes have the best clothes and shoes. She is drawn into revenge and revenge from the people who have wronged her. But then there comes a point where revenge is eating her up, so she has to conquer her. wait [readers] I think it’s cool and pretty. I make. And I hope he makes them hire sex workers and treat them very well. “

Alaska’s contribution isn’t the only one to blur the lines between horror, glamor, and grime to surprising effect; Each story in the special issue mixes the field of drag with some truly grotesque scares. According to Orlando, the relationships built between the Heavy metal and the fabulously warped minds of the creative guests are really what gave the stories a blended mix of subversive storytelling.

“Heavy metal He has incredible connections not just in the comics, but in the realm of sci-fi and horror in general, and the same can be said for the Boulets. So like everything in it Halloween AcquisitionIt was a mix of manic talents, this time behind the scenes, ”he says. “So what you have with these incredible art teams is a fusion of contacts and relationships built both in Boulet and in Heavy metalIt is time in power. With both of them so well established and reunited on the page for the first time, it wasn’t a matter of finding people to join. If anything, it was a matter of finding a space for everyone! “

Image: Heavy Metal

Director of The curse of Bly Manor, Horror journalist and first-time comic book writer Axelle Carolyn was also ready to comment on her contributions to the Halloween Acquisition, which harks back to traditional love and death stories within the horror genre. Very similar the candy manBy Mike Flanagan Oculus, and the Bloody Mary myth, Carolyn’s story invites an unprepared twist on a harmless game of mirrors. Drawing on the fear of the unknown and the haunting nature of early “party games,” Carolyn goes on to describe her inspirations for such a classic yet recently revived concept.

“The inspiration came from those incredible, spooky old Halloween cards from the early 20th century and the games they represent. It is an idea that has been floating in my head in one form or another for years; originally, it occurred to me for an anthology movie that I produced, Halloween tales, but I ended up directing something else. It was great to have the opportunity to see it finally come to life, ”says Carolyn. “As for mirrors… I’ve always found them terrifying, especially at night. Something about seeing another person reflected in your place or revealing something about yourself that you weren’t aware of. Eek! “

Reflection appears in abundance among all the stories throughout the collection, in many ways. Queer concepts are incorporated into the book from page one and offer a fun (and comfortable) take on the idea of ​​self-identity for readers. But they also echo anarchism at the heart of both drag and horror as genres. Both are equally rooted in the concept of transgression of the “norm”, the combination of the two becomes something perfect. Both represent a rejection of the social status quo and are also linked to a form of rebellion that rejects the need to ask others for permission to simply exist. When it comes to reflecting contrary expectations, queer rebellion and horror essentialism prove to be at the very core of the Halloween Acquisition.

“Terror reaches its highest expression when it pushes the boundaries, makes you uncomfortable in the game, and gives you something beautiful to look at. The same, I think, is true for drag, ”says Carolyn. “So those two art forms seem very complementary, and I am very glad that the Boulet brothers have brought that murderous combination to a wide audience!”

“I think Drag is kind of scary,” adds Alaska. “I used to be afraid of drag queens. And a lot of people still are, even though Drag is now this kind of family product. Drag is this idea of ​​commercial beauty taken to an absurd extreme. And that can be scary. “

According to Orlando, “Like horror, drag is a narrative in a strong, grand and provocative way that demands attention and will not allow it to be ignored. And it has its roots in the same subversion of social expectations as, of course, weirdness, but also horror. I think that’s why you often see a crossover between the media in the form of horror queens like the Boulets. Drag demands a reaction, horror demands a reaction, and both force you to leave your expectations in the dust. “

With Heavy metalThe penchant for going the extra mile and creating a new kind of conversation, and the beautiful nightmare concepts of some of the most crowned modern drag, it’s undeniable that audiences of all backgrounds will find great laughs and even greater thrills in this lush treat. of Halloween.

“We’re going to deliver all the exciting gonzo storytelling you expect from Heavy metal, with that touch of drag, horror, filth and glamor ”, promises Orlando. “Of course we want the scares and surprises, but I also hope they see connections between the genres that they weren’t expecting. This is really the creative combination of our lives after death, between the Boulets and Heavy metal. So hopefully fans of either get in, have a wild ride, and come out as fans of the Boulets and Heavy metal! Because in every medium, from print to television, both offer content that takes you right to the edge of your expectations and challenges you to step above that line. I want everyone, no matter why they have this problem, to be restless, horrified and full of joy, in that order. “

Courtesy of Heavy Metal Magazine, you can check out the first five pages of the Heavy Metal Halloween Takeover issue’s main interview, between George C. Romero and Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet below.

For the full Boulet Brothers experience, check Heavy metal # 311.