Greetings to all who dare enter. This month I delightfully put somebody through the mill who is a hopeful up and coming artist, William �Slim� Black. Please read on and enjoy watching me make another supple victim quiver at my quantitative query. Note: Some of my questions pertain to Mr. Black�s newest graphic novel, Ayot Nom: Bloody Red Path. You can learn more about it at www.DarkMythComics.com

Let us begin; the hounds of hell grow hungry for Mr. Black�s entrails.

MM: So Mr. Black, what can you tell us about Ayot Nom: Bloody Red Path?

SB: Dude, call me Slim.

MM: Uh, okay, Slim, what can you tell us about Ayot Nom: Bloody Red Path?

SB: It�s the first big project I get to cut my teeth on; it�s also about a man so f�n crazy with revenge. It�s going to be a fun ride even though the first 5 issues start off slow, issue 6 is the kicker and that�s when you see how far his rage goes. Also, Dave [Montoya] did what a lot of others in this comic book world wouldn�t do, and that�s letting someone just bust it out. Right off the brain there�s no writing script; it�s (laughs) just a story in my head. I think Dave�s method will revolutionize the comic business if this works! Dave Montoya�s my mother f�n hero, you know, this kat�s a writer too.

MM: Tell us about some of the main characters.

SB: There�s Myo, the old swordsman, he�s based on an actual sword-saint�but I can�t say the real name due to copyright type stuff. There�ll be more people dumped into the story. I kindda make it up as I go along. (Laughs)

MM: Other than being the artist on this project, you are the plotter. How was it to come up with the direction of the story?

SB: It was easy, I mean, revenge is a straight line or damn near; a lot of thinking.

MM: And now William, this Iron Maiden might get a bit uncomfortable when you first step inside. Oh, but that�s what makes this job so much fun! What do you think about Rebecca Lofgren doing the scripting?

SB: I like it so far, I�ve only read the dialog for issue one. But it was good and I hope she can keep it up!

MM: When did you first start drawing?

SB: I think age six; so I�ve been at it for 22 years�damn I�m getting old! I�ve got three kids, a receding hair line, and gray hairs�damn those kids. (Laughs)

MM: Interesting. Let me put this blow-torch down and then see if my cauldron is boiling hot yet. So what people, if any, have influenced your own artwork?

SB: T. Lewis. He�s the creator of �Over the Hedge.� He�s a f�n bad-ass dude! I�ve watched the guy bust some stuff out when I was younger. Now that�s someone I�d like to work with sometime. Also my Grandma, she�s a really good artist too. She paints some cool wild life stuff and she�s helped me a lot. I spent a year at her house; it was awesome time in my life. During that time, my days went like this: wake up, draw a bit, eat, draw a bit longer, eat some more, draw again, sleep and repeat. (Laughs) Also this guy on Facebook named, BLACK ANT, there�s Courtland Ellis. I love this guy�s work �cause it�s super clean (if I was going to copy someone�s style, it�d be Courtland�s). Oh and there�s this fool named NAR, he�s way the f�n out there with the detail, there�s a lot of artists that I just like their work.

MM: Why are they so influential to your own work?

SB: Their motivation. They do their best, so it makes me wanna push myself and work harder because, my 1 � year old, she�s always attacking me when I�m trying to work. (Laughs)

MM: Alright Slim, let us now burrow into the darker places of your mind. What types of comic books do you enjoy reading in your spare time?

SB: NONE! Not any more, no comic book shops in Omak WA, and I quit reading the mainstream. I mean really, how many times does Spider-man have to fight Green Goblin? Or, how many times does Batman die or Superman? In the world of comics all the stories have all been done before.

I do read a graphic novels, though, like �Blade of the Immortal,� which is the only one I still read. That series is awesome for lack of a better word.

MM: Well Slim, now that the Iron Maiden has done its work, I�ll move you into this nice antique cauldron that has come to a rolling boil. In ten minutes, you�ll be done and we all know what that means. Dinner!! But first I have some more in depth questions, of course.

MM: Other than comics, what else do you like to do?

SB: Draw, spray paint (I like graffiti art), read, hang with the kids and wife, play Xbox, skateboard (and hope I don�t break a bone) and I do watch a lot of anime.

MM: Do you have any other projects which you are working on now or is there something else coming out in the future, we should know about?

SB: Well, I�m working on a book called �YoYo� for Q.E.W. Publishing. It�s been a fun project; also I�m trying to get this whole drawing with a Wacom Tablet down (I bought one back in February).

MM: What do you do with yourself when you�re not drawing?

SB: See answer to question nine. (Laughs)

MM: All right, I really want to thank you for taking the time to talk with us, today. Is there anything we didn�t cover that you would like to share with the readers?

SB: BUY MY BOOK! MY RIBS ARE SHOWING; my wife says I need to make some f�n money or I need to find a real job! So please buy my book at: https://darkmythproductions.com/mythmart/ayotnom.html

MM: Ah, it�s okay Slim, I�m not a picky eater. So anything else, Slim?

MM: Slim? Uh oh, he�s been boiled alive sooner than I expected. I should have finished the interview before the victim expired. Oh well, now I can eat.

MM: Strange, he tastes funny. Oh wait, I poisoned him at the beginning of the interview. Aakk � I�m having trouble breathing! My only regret is that I didn�t torture more victims�