Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle Talk ‘The Wrong Earth’

This week sees the release of The Wrong Earth #3 from writer Tom Peyer and artist Jamal Igle. The series, which has been a critical and sales success for upstart AHOY Comics, centers on two different versions of the same character from different worlds in the multiverse — who accidentally change places.

The first issue sold out and went back to press almost immediately, and the publisher’s follow-ups have been critical successes, as well — thanks in part to Peyer’s guidance as editor-in-chief.

Peyer joined ComicBook.com ahead of the release of #3 to talk about the series, where it has been, and where it will go next. You can also check out the video above, featuring an interview with Peyer and Igle at a release party for the series’ first issue.

What made now the right time for AHOY to launch?

People need a laugh! Things are really getting rotten out there.

Obviously you are no strangers to trying to make some pretty good books happen outside of the Big Two. What is different about Ahoy to previous similar attempts?

Different for me, personally? I’m a lot more involved. I write for AHOY, but I’m also the editor-in-chief. I get to interfere in everything we do.

Jamal Igle is a huge talent. Putting a book like this together, was part of the challenge finding someone with enough nuance to make the two different earths feel like two halves of the same coin without ever confusing them?

Jamal has done exactly that. Originally we thought about arranging for two artists to draw the two separate worlds, but that would have been a huge mistake.

Jamal has approached both worlds, and both heroes, with such care and thoughtfulness and invention, he quickly became the series’ legitimate co-creator. The Wrong Earth would have been very different without him, and not as good.

How did you get guys like Grant Morrison and Shannon Wheeler to contribute backmatter to the book?

We asked them. It’s all we’re allowed to do, legally. We’d planned to pull a Stephen King’s Misery on them, but that would have just gotten us into a lot of trouble. It was our publisher, Hart Seely, who first realized it. That’s why he’s the boss!

Have you guys thought far enough ahead to have considered the possibility of crossovers with other creator-owned books, or are you more focused on just trying to keep your own house in order at first?

I’m not interested in event comics. I want to concentrate on good stories. Events too often get in the way.

The arc that Dragonfly could have over the life of the series seems pretty self-evident, but will Dragonflyman also have a journey to go on? Or is he more a flat arc whose goodness will create arcs for those around him?

Oh, Dragonflyman will learn a few things, all right. Before it’s over, some of his behavior might surprise you. But don’t worry; he would never go dark!

The Wrong Earth #3 from Ahoy! Comics will be available in comic shops and online on Wednesday, November 7. You can get the first two issues on Amazon and ComiXology now.