The Black Hood will soon be fighting his own supervillain team. Greg Hettinger has already gone through so much since the first issue, from cop to vigilante. What else is he going to have to deal with? Writer Duane Swierczynski talked to us about the upcoming arc and working with some iconic artists.
COMIC VINE: What's going on in the current arc of THE BLACK HOOD?
DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI: All kinds of mayhem. The Black Hood is facing off against his first supervillain team—the Crusaders. Who are they? Well, imagine a gang of far right-wing lunatics trying to clean up the streets of inner-city Philly for dubious moral reasons—but actually in it for the money and power. Greg is outnumbered, outgunned, and barely hanging on. These guys may be the thing that finally breaks him.
Greg Hettinger has gone through some changes since his journey began. What kind of mindset is he in now? Is he close to breaking down?
The tragic thing is Greg thinks he’s keeping it together and acting like a proper hero. Which, of course, is usually the moment right before things start to fall apart completely. Greg’s good in the heat of a battle, but he has to work on his long game.
What's coming down the road for Greg and Jessie's relationship?
Hmmm... a brick wall, maybe? Who knows? (Okay, I do, but I’m not telling.) There are a lot things that have come between them, but for Jessie, nothing’s a bigger deal-breaker than the Hood. And Greg... well, he just can’t seem to quit the Hood.
Michael Gaydos provides a pretty gritty and dark look for this world. For you, what are you enjoying about his work and the process of working with him?
I’ve enjoyed absolutely everything about his work and am very proud of our six issues together. Michael’s left the book, but I’m hoping he’ll come back to Philly sooner than later. (Also, my kids think I’m slightly cooler for having worked with one of the guys behind Jessica Jones.)
What was is like working with Howard Chaykin for issue 6?
I’m such a Chaykin fan, I named a character after him in my recent novel, Canary. (Shhh, don’t tell him.) So to be able to work with him on a comic was a dream come true.
Now that you're 8 issues in, looking back, what were some of your favorite moments from the series thus far?
I’m still really happy whenever we show a lesser-known section of Philadelphia—the turf under the El, the Badlands, the waterfront. I remember the one time that Brian Azzarello’s 100 Bullets set a scene in Philly, and I was geeking out over the sight of Liberty Place in the background. It’s been really fun to show the place where I grew up, even though it’s not exactly the most tourist-friendly place going.
Going back to the beginning, when reinventing this character, what was the biggest challenge and what things about the original character did you want to bring over to the series?
I wanted this to be a crime comic more than a superhero comic, so I did everything I could to resist or subvert the usual tropes. I didn’t want him to have superpowers. Or even much of a battle plan. Greg’s not the smartest guy in the world, but he has a good heart beneath all of that scar tissue. As far as the original series, I kept coming back to the question, “What would make a cop put on a black hood to fight crime?”
This series is my best answer.
Will any other Dark Circle Comics characters be making their way into this book?
Not at the moment. Pretty sure The Shield and The Hangman wouldn’t last very long in Greg’s Philadelphia.
Rick Burchett, who worked on the Red Circle version of THE BLACK HOOD, will be joining you for issue #11 of the book. What's it been like working with Rick and what does he bring to the story?
We’ve only just started working together, but I’m thrilled that Rick will be bringing this vital connection to the Black Hood’s past. It makes the current series all the more legit, you know?
Thanks to Duane for talking to us and make sure to check out THE BLACK HOOD. Issue #9 will be in stores on February 17. Check out an exclusive preview below!
