Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Brent Peeples, Comics, dynamite, entertainment, Gold Key Alliance, phil hester

Phil Hester Talks Modernizing Classic Heroes Like Magnus And Turok

Published Fri, 01 Apr 2016 17:00:36 -0500

Phil Hester talks Gold Key: Alliance #3, on sale in June from Dynamite. Cover is by Felipe Massafera.

BYRON BREWER: Phil, was it tough to mesh these classic heroes together – especially since you are also introducing new iterations of them to a modern readership?

PHIL HESTER: Well, since we made the fundamental change of moving each character from their previous settings and eras to 21st century Earth, not so much. I guess the hard work was cooking up a way for each character to make sense in a contemporary setting, but once we'd done that the adventures themselves sort of clicked right away.

BB: Did artist Brent Peeples do new designs for ALL of the revamped GK characters? Did you have imput into these designs, if so?

PH: I trusted Brent to modernize the costumes where needed, and there's a lot of need. We're not only introducing those contemporary versions of the Gold Key classics, but taking a few side trips into alternate timelines to see a few "what if?" versions of each hero.

BB: In June, as issue #3 arrives, thus far which of these characters has taken hold of your imagination most as a writer? Which would you like to write in a solo series down the road, perhaps?

PH: That's a great question. I think Magnus is probably the easiest to write, but I identify most with Turok and his role as equal parts hero, hunter, naturalist, administrator, law enforcement, and reality star. I think I identify with the amount of multi-tasking he has to do. I also think it enriches the character beyond a hunter in an out-of-time setting. I think what we did with Solar also deepens the character, and Samson is just as nutty as he's ever been.

BB: Any other classic/revamped GK characters coming into Alliance before we reach its conclusion? If not, which one would you as the writer liked to have seen enter the saga?

PH: [In June's issue #3] … we finally get a good glimpse at what Doctor Spektor has been up to this whole time. We may also get a glimpse of Tragg and the Sky Gods before it's all over. Really, all bets are off!

For more information on Gold Key Alliance #3, click here.

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