“Pants Optional” is PopCultHQ’s Zoom video interview feature where we connect with individuals within the comic book community. It’s a way to see/hear what creators have been doing during the pandemic, projects which may be in motion during this downtime, and noteworthy events and happenings taking place in lieu of conventions, appearances, and the weekly NCBD grind.
For Episode XXII, I spoke with writer Scott Alan Gregory. The award-winning screenwriter & filmmaker has created what he considers his masterpiece and brought it to Kickstarter.
Chapter one – “The Strange Case of the Mangled Ankles” – is a quirky five-part mystery illustrated by Thiago Motta and set in the rampantly anachronistic world of STRANGE BURDEN, where 50s diners, 30s automobiles, 80s gadgetry, and 40s fashions collide with retro-future space technology and thriving pockets of 1880s Western society. It is a grimy, lived-in world, one with an extraordinary history rich in interstellar invasions, supernatural menace, villainous uprisings, and glittering heroics.
It is also a world populated entirely by characters sourced from the Public Domain. Keen readers will recognize names and likenesses from Golden Age comics, old films and TV, classic literature, and even world history.
STRANGE BURDEN: True Stories From the Archives of Burden Strange
Writer: Scott Alan Gregory
Artist: Thiago Motta
Lettering: Micah Myers
Burden Strange is back.
After 20 years in retirement, former adventurer-for-hire Burden Strange is getting the old team back together. Joined by a batch of eccentric new recruits, they struggle to reclaim their dubious glory in a world that has moved on without them.
So sit back and hear from Scott as he discusses how the pandemic inspired his first entry into the comic book medium, praise he has for his creators, and the exciting world he is creating with Golden Age characters from the Public Domain!
A very special thanks to Scott Alan Gregory for taking the time to speak with us at PopCultHQ. Be sure to check out the STRANGE BURDEN campaign and join other backers who are making this project a reality!
If you are an industry professional and are interested in being featured in our “Pants Optional” segment, hit me up at tahoejbennett@popculthq.com and let’s see what we can put together!
