Interview: Geof Darrow Talks Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to Be Kin Silent but Deadly Edition
Oct 08, 2024
Interview by Mike Szymanski
Dark Horse presents the king-size Silent But Deadly Edition of the Shaolin Cowboy epic, Cruel to Be Kin. No words to slow you down, no philosophy to burden your tic-tocked brain—just pure, unadulterated, uncensored, pedal-to-the-metal, full-color kung fu, six-gun, barn-burning action, as only Stewart and Darrow can deliver.
We spoke with Geof Darrow, the creator behind the acclaimed series, to find out what went into crafting this special, wordless edition of the latest Shaolin Cowboy story arc.
Shaolin Cowboy has a long history, from its original run to recent releases with Dark Horse. How did the idea for the Silent But Deadly Edition come about?
Word balloons cover up a certain amount of the drawings I do in my comics. I can’t leave space for the balloons; it just looks funny to me. Probably OCD. When I receive the color art from the amazing Dave Stewart, the amount of work he does on each panel often gets hidden by my jibber jabber (Side note: Nate [Piekos] at Blambot does an amazing job on the letter art and balloon placement. He is a real ace.) and I wanted people to see all of Dave’s glorious work unadulterated. The [book’s trim] size came from my seeing an Italian edition of the Shaolin Cowboy book Shemp Buffet and I wanted that format, much to Dark Horse’s consternation, I imagine. But they let me do it, so hats off to them and “Thanks!”
With Shaolin Cowboy known for its detailed artwork, how did removing all text in the Silent But Deadly Edition change your approach to storytelling?
I don’t work from a script, just my thumbnails and notes on the margins on my pencil pages. Much like Jack Kirby did. Not that I am comparing myself with the King, only that I noted he often made notes on the panel borders and that probably gave me the idea.
Without dialogue, were there specific scenes in Cruel to Be Kin that gained new significance in this silent edition?
No…ha ha.
What were the unique challenges of creating a completely silent comic compared to your previous work on Shaolin Cowboy?
I draw them all as silent movies. I think you can follow them; the only thing you can’t depict is the motivations of the monsters he fights. There are usually banal reasons, with hatred being a common denominator. I have a big collection of manga, my favorites mostly untranslated. I bought all the Lone Wolf manga in the seventies, years before they were translated. My first manga was a samurai manga drawn by [Goseki] Kojima a year or so before he began Lone Wolf. My copy is pretty beat up. I looked at it all the time. I found it in a Japanese bookstore in New York, while I was there on business. Also, [I was influenced by] my collection of French bandes dessinées, [the text of] which I also couldn’t read, but I was stupified by the art, so unlike anything in American comics in 1972. Thanks to Bud Plant who imported them and sold them.
What do you hope readers will experience differently with the silent edition compared to the original versions?
Appreciation of Dave Stewart and his amazing art/craft. And some weird background details.
Shaolin Cowboy has been praised by critics and fans for its humor, action, and art. What do you think has resonated most with fans, and what’s next for the series?
I didn’t know it was praised… feared, maybe. Glad they see the humor.
I just finished drawing a 118-page new Shaolin Cowboy book and now have the daunting task of inking it. In fact, I am so afraid that I put it off by trying to draw a 24-page comic, seeing if I could do that fast. I will print it myself and have it on sale at New York Comic Con. It is action packed. Hope my readers won’t be disappointed by my faster style. It will be printed from my pencils, which have always been very tight…maybe not well done, but tight!
The Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to Be Kin - Silent But Deadly Edition (MAY241104) hits your local comic shop this Wednesday, October 9th. Reserve your copy now using PREVIEWSworld Pullbox! Look for it and more from Geof Darrow below.
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o Includes the DHP special!
Featuring a brand-new cover by Geof Darrow and Dave Stewart!
