Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: Origins #2 Puts Shel Face to Face with Their Past
The highly anticipated release of Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: Origins #2 on Kickstarter is here! Created and written by Wicked Tree Press’ Jessica Maison, the series delves deep into the societal reflections that monsters embody, offering readers a chance to confront monsters in new and thrilling ways!
Last year’s major crowdfunding success from Wicked Tree Press, Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: La Llorona in the Machine, has been named a finalist in the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards. An incredible achievement by Wicked Tree Press and now readers get to tag along for Mary Shelley’s biggest adventure yet.
Maison eloquently expresses the essence of her creation, stating:
“To me, monsters represent those that we cast out in society. I find those beautiful creatures have plenty to reveal about the people in our world. Mary Shelley’s School of Monsters is all about facing macabre versions of ourselves.”
We had a chance to speak to Maison last year and discussed how she got her start as a writer, and some of the most wild ideas become the best stories. She also talked about how she handles having a co-collaborator so far away, what we can see from her in the future (hint…it’s more monsters), and advice for up-and-coming creatives! You can find the full interview here.
in Geek Network‘s review of Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: La Llorona in the Machine, Chris Dailey says, “Despite the many different interpretations of Mary Shelley’s legendary monster over the years, Jessica managed to not only put an interesting new spin on Frankenstein’s Monster, but she also found a way to include Mary Shelley herself…” Check out the full review here.
Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: Origins #2 is available on Kickstarter now and you can secure your copy of the comic along with other monstrous rewards by checking out the campaign page here.
This introspective journey into the shadows of humanity wouldn’t be possible without the extraordinary talents of series illustrator Anna Wieszczyk. Wieszczyk talks about Mary Shelley and the many monsters lurking in the Maison’s universe.
Who’s your favorite character to draw from Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters? Why?
Anna Wieszczyk: I cannot decide as I enjoy drawing all the characters! It is always very exciting when new characters appear in the story, and characters we meet in the latest issue are going to be a great addition to the world of Mary Shelley.
From Covers of The O.Z. to Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters, I see a lot of range in your work. What genre, what kinds of stories, feel like home?
Anna Wieszczyk: I definitely like horror and fantasy. Working on this project was an experience I enjoyed very much.
Who/what is your favorite monster? Is there one that you hope Jessica writes in the future so you can draw him/her?
Anna Wieszczyk: I live in Kraków, Poland. It’s a very old city filled with history and legends, and I would love to see Mary and the crew visiting this city and exploring the local bestiary!
The colors in Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters are incredible. What influences/guides your choices when it comes to color and how it directs the flow of the story and characters from panel to panel?
Anna Wieszczyk: I think anime like Sailor Moon are my biggest inspiration. I’m trying to create a vibrant palette that adds to the uniqueness of the story and the characters.
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