Interview: Bad Meets Eval in 'The Antagonists'
Jun 20, 2023
Interview by Troy-Jeffrey Allen
In comic shops this August, The Antagonists is a villainous new series created by Tyler F. Martin, featuring art by Giacomo Guida from Godhood Comics. The story invites readers into the happy home of the Eval family of supervillains who have a multigenerational operation that would put Lexcorp to shame.
In the following interview, writer Tyler F. Martin explains why this title is The Incredibles meets Ozark!
To me, something like The Antagonists feels truly inspired. Where did this premise come from?
I’m a huge fan of gore in comics and the superpower physics of realism. Something that Invincible and The Boys do so well. But the superhero family was already done, and I remember having just seen Incredibles 2 and binging Ozark. Then it came to me what about a family of supervillains? I put all those inspirations in one book and well now here we are!
So, what is The Antagonists? What is the “set-up?”
The Antagonists tells the story of a married duo of supervillains who were once the most feared and deadly villains in the world, but at the top of their game they vanished. Twenty years later we see the two retired and are raising a super-powered family while in hiding.
Who are the Eval family? How far is their lineage of superpowers?
Although superpowers in this world can span back a few generations, Tonya and Calvin got their powers in their teens.
Tell us about Destructus and Ultima. Why was it important to you that we follow their struggle?
The Antagonists is really a love story that we don’t get to see among supervillains often. It’s about these two people whose lives are interconnected and who have had to depend on each other to overcome their obstacles. They are two people madly in love and it shows in their actions and what they stand for.
What’s the creative process like between you and Giacomo Guida?
Giacomo is always a pleasure to work with. From designing the characters to doing cover work and sequential -- he was critical in helping set up the world visually.
Looking forward, what can readers expect from The Antagonists?
Lots! Not only will the main series span 150 issues, we’ve also announced seven spin-offs that take place in various time frames throughout The Antagonists universe.
In terms of audience, who is The Antagonists for?
We recommend a mature audience, rated T for teen. So 13+ is a good age to start!
The Antagonists is available August 23, 2023 at your local comic shop. Reserve your copy with PREVIEWSworld Pullbox.
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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the producer and co-host of PREVIEWSworld Weekly. His comics work includes MF DOOM: All Caps, Public Enemy's Apocalypse '91, Fight of the Century, the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics, and the Ringo Awards-nominated Magic Bullet.
