Witness The End of Everything in Snowpiercer: Extinction

In Snowpiercer, creators Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette introduced readers to a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity’s last remnants clung desperately to life on a massive train, separated by
carriage and corruption, forever circling the world on an endless track.

This seminal sci-fi series inspired an award-winning movie starring Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, and a new Snowpiercer TV series hits screens later this year on TNT!

Now award-winning Hard Case Crime writer Matz has joined forces with original artist and co-creator Jean-Marc Rochette to unleash an all-new prequel: Snowpiercer: Extinction (JUN191937)!

Titan Comics talked with Matz about the new book which hits comic shops in September!

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Titan Comics: How did you first encounter the Snowpiercer series? Did you watch the movie first, or read the book?

Matz: I first encountered Transperceneige (Snowpiercer) pretty much when it came out in the 80s. I still have the first edition. I’ve always been a fan of Lob. I’ve been reading him since I was young, when he worked with Jijé, Gotlib, Gigi, and then later on with Pichard or Druillet. I’ve always paid attention to the names on the covers, even as a kid ! Amazing career, great style. Actually, was quite honored when Rochette asked me to work with him on a new Transperceneige. It was like walking in the footsteps of a giant. I’ve never met Lob, unfortunately. My first book was published the year he died, in 1990. I saw the movie much later. My intention was to remain true to his vision and style.

Titan Comics: What is your favourite aspect of this series? How did you capture that in a new story?

Matz: What I really like about the original series is the way it mixes sci-fi with a touch of poetry. Also, the whole train is a rather original idea, and a perfect parabola. I’m guessing Lob thought long and hard about human nature, the fate of the earth and how to deal with it in a smart and entertaining way. All these ideas mixed together provide a rather powerful tale.

Titan Comics: What is the new story about? Will new readers be able to enjoy it without knowing the rest of the series?

Matz: Absolutely. It takes place before the existing series, and what I like about it is that it deals with what happens right before the end of the world. It’s about how the world – our world - is on the brink of chaos, and how it goes straight into annihilation. We have preppers, ecoterrorists, people trying to save the world, and others planning on destroying it...

Titan Comics: Is there a particular scene or character you're especially proud of in this story?

Matz: It’s hard to tell. I am very impressed with what Rochette has done. Every scene is made better thanks to his art. Scriptwise, the thing I like best about this book is the way we build up the tension, and also the way Zheng’s dreams not only offer an interesting counterpoint to the story, but also because it builds up to the telepathic scene between him and Valentina. We have two « shamans », the reader will have to decide which one he likes best. I don’t want to spoil things though.

Titan Comics: Jean-Marc Rochette has illustrated every book in this series – what was it like working with him on Extinction?

Matz: The fact that Rochette asked me to work on Transperceneige with him was very important to me, as he is the original artist. I am not sure I would have done it with someone else. What I’m sure of though is that the book would have been very different, because Rochette knew what he wanted to do. Working on this with Rochette, who had worked with Lob on the first one, gave me the legitimacy I needed and some guidance. We closely worked together on the script. Rochette told me what kind of story he wanted, what topics, and I went from there. I wrote a treatment, and then the script. It all went smoothly. We get along really well, and creativiely speaking we cliked, as the story he wanted allowed me to work in it some things that I had been wanting to write for quite some time. Like the ecoterrorists. I’ve been olayting with that idea for quite some tile but had never use dit. I’ve always thought that at some point, it might happen…

Titan Comics: The world has changed a lot since the first book was released in 1982. Has that impacted your approach to this new story?

Matz: Actually, I’m not sure the world has changed all that much. Lob was spot on back in the 80s. And when you read books from the 70s and 80s, and see movies, and sometimes even older ones, you see that the same problems we are facing today were already there, on people’s minds. Pollution, destruction of the planet, our only habitat. The main différence maybe is that it seems like we are closer to the breaking point. And we’ve never done enough to really change anything. And I don’t think we will until it’s too late.

Titan Comics: Do you have any messages for fans of Snowpiercer?

Matz: Yes! Take a good look at Rochette’s pages, because they are truly quite amazing. So I can only hope that they will enjoy this new cycle as much as the previous ones. Have fun with it!