Everyone bends - or breaks - the rules sometimes. But what if even the slightest misdemeanour had a tangible, transformative effect on you? That's the premise of Lawful, a new fantasy series from superstar X-Men and Hulk writer Greg Pak and Stranger Things artist Diego Galindo.
The eight-issue series lands in June from BOOM! Studios. The publisher's press release for the book reveals that it's set "in a walled city with strangely familiar architecture" and that we'll be following two small children as they discover that "in the eyes of society, there is no distinction between being lawful and doing the right thing."
It all sounds super intriguing. In an exclusive announcement and interview with Newsarama, Greg Pak broke down a bit more about the comic's premise and its personal resonance. We've also got an early peek at some of Diego Galindo's pages and character designs. But first, here's Qistina Khalidah's lush main cover art for the first issue.
Newsarama: How would you describe the world of Lawful? What sort of a setting is this?
Greg Pak: Imagine a chunk of a big city ripped from Earth in the 1980s, set down on a fantastical planet, and cursed with one simple spell: every time you break a rule, you turn a bit more into a monster. Now jump forward 75 years and let's see what happens.
What led to you writing Lawful in the first place?
I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s as one of the only Asian American kids in my neighborhood and schools. I had a great childhood, but I also had the semi-conscious sense that if I ever pushed any boundaries too far, I would probably be singled out, caught, and punished. So I think I internalized the idea that my safety and success depended on meeting and, if possible, vastly exceeding any rules or standards. That can work out pretty well in schools and workplaces that dish out rewards for that kind of effort. But on a personal level, unquestionably accepting all rules and standards society presents you with can create impossible expectations that no human can live up to. And of course there's the question of whether all those rules and standards are actually fair or just.
So Lawful is a chance to use a fantastical but familiar setting to explore a young person grappling with the highest stakes version of this kind of pressure to live up to impossible standards. We're striving to tell a hugely fun fantasy story, but I hope it's also challenging and troubling and maybe ultimately comforting to readers who, like our heroes, struggle to find themselves and do the right thing in a world full of shades of gray.
The protagonists are two young children. Who are they, and what are they facing in the series?
We first see our heroes as little kids playing with fire - breaking a rule in a world where any disobedience turns you a little bit into a monster. We then jump forward in time to see them as young adults grappling with the physical, emotional, social, and political consequences of the different paths they've chosen.
Without spoiling too much, Sung is the son of the city's champion, the main enforcer of the city's rules. He's grown up under tremendous pressure to live up to his family's legacy, and he knows that his mother's safety also depends on his adherence to the rules.
Meanwhile, Eris is Sung's childhood friend who's always lived on the edge - and has grown the tail, horns, and claws to show for it. Eris thinks the road Sung's chosen is impossible - but her own path seems just as dangerous.
The book has been described as a morality tale. Why are stories like that still so important?
In some ways, you could say it's a revisionist morality tale. A traditional morality tale might end with a person breaking a rule and getting their comeuppance. Lawful explores into the shades of gray when you dig a little deeper, which feels right for a world full of shades of gray.
How has it been working with Diego Galindo on this series? What does his art bring to this story?
Diego and I worked together on the Stranger Things: Tomb of Ybwen book, which was one of my favorite projects over the last few years, and I knew he had a real feel for evocative settings and great character expression. I absolutely love what he's doing with Lawful, making this fantasy setting feel absolutely real and tactile while bringing out the big range of subtle emotion in all of our characters.
And let me sing the praises of colorist Irma Kniivila, who I worked with on Ronin Island and the NYC Department of Education book Who Belongs?. Irma's got this stunning watercolor style that adds so much organic depth and texture to these images it takes my breath away.
And I'm thrilled to be reunited again with Simon Bowland, who's brilliantly lettered so many books I've worked on, including Mech Cadets, Ronin Island, and even the Incredible Hercules books back in the day.
And of course BOOM! editor Shantel LaRoque has been, well, a rock, providing the kind of questions and guidance that great editors use to make books so much better in so many tiny and big ways.
Is this a world that you might continue to explore in the future?
If sales are through the roof, anything's possible! But we've planned this thing out to hit very hard and make for a deeply satisfying eight issue epic. Looking forward to sharing this story and huge thanks to everyone who preorders from their local comics shops!
Lawful #1 is published by BOOM! Studios on June 12.
Greg Pak has written many of the greatest Hulk stories of all time.
