interview by the YMB Staff

How did you get involved in Zuda and what was the working relationship like?  How involved was DC Comics?

Kwanza, my editor, asked me to pitch the story. I found my artist and my own letterer, and submitted the finished project. There was very little editorial guiding or input, which is awesome, in a way, but really - it lets me stand or fall on the merits of our strip.

How do you plan on crushing your competition at Zuda?

I plan on crushing my competition with exceptional art, compressed storytelling, a fun concept, and a few other things.

How different has it been working on an online comic as opposed to a printed one?

When you are writing a standard comic, every right-handed page is supposed to give the read incentive to turn the page. With Zuda, literally every screen has to give the readers an incentive to click further. As a writer you have to adapt your strip to the new reading rhythm of the format. I have 8 screens, or literally, 4 full-sized comic pages to get my readers' attention. How many comics can you name off hand that get a reader's attention, reveal essential plot and character information, and are enjoyable by page 4? It doesn't happen often in the era of decompressed storytelling.

Where did the concept for High Moon come from? 

For over a decade I've wanted to do a Civil War tale with werewolves, HIGH MOON was an extension of that thinking. The title and details came to me over three years ago, in a dream, when I was dying. Seriously.

How did you link up with your artist, Steve Ellis?

I had met Steve several times over the course of various conventions and such, but when we started talking at the New York ComicCon about werewolves, the project just developed naturally.

What more can you tell us about the main character, "enigmatic drifter" Matthew Macgregor?

He's not a drifter, so much, but that element is certainly part of his character. He's really more loosely based on Marshall Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke than anything else. As a character, Matt is very stubborn, 'an unchanging man in a changing time' is I believe how I pitched him. His favorite book is 'The Prince,' and some of his other character traits and details can be found over at the High Moon Production Blog.

What else can readers look for from you?  Any past work readers can seek out?

I have another project with a mainstream company, that I totally can't talk about yet. If you like what you see in HIGH MOON, drop by my website: DavidGallaher.com for other projects. And if you like what Steve Ellis does with HIGH MOON, you are going to love THE SILENCERS and CRIMSON DYNAMO.

Zudacomics.com and High Moon go live today, October 30th!