When we asked comic writer Brandon Jerwa how he prepared to write comics based on the sci-fi classic “Highlander,” his response came in the form of a Freddie Mercury-worthy howl.
“HEEEEERE WE AAAARE! BOOORN TO BE KINGS! WE’RE THE PRINCES OF THE UUUUUNIVERRRRSE!” cried Jerwa.
“Listen, you can’t write Highlander without some Queen blasting in the background. It should be a law. I mean, come on -- is there a better combination of movie and music?" joked Jerwa. "The answer is ‘no,’ and I’m going to have to kick your ass just because you took a half-second to think about it.”
But while Jerwa and artist Carlos Rafael's Dynamite Entertainment miniseries “Highlander Origins: The Kurgan” (hitting comic shops January 21) doesn’t come with a computer chip rocking Queen’s soundtrack to the 1986 film, the comic book does draw directly from the original Christopher Lambert flick. “Origins” spins the tale of the early years of the films skull-wearing, head shaved psychopathic villain The Kurgan -- originally portrayed with a gravely growl by Clancy Brown.
“I didn’t want to totally neuter this great villain by making him some poor little tot who turned nasty after a terrible life, but you can definitely see how some early experiences set him on the road to ruin,” Jerwa said of the two-issue story. “He’s a survivor for sure, and I think that’s what ultimately drives him.”
And survival will play a major role in the Barbarian wastelands where the series is set as it just wouldn’t be a Highlander story without a few sloppy decapitations.
“Who doesn’t love a little head?” Jerwa exclaimed. “‘The Kurgan’ delivers the goods with every swing. This is very true to the Highlander tradition -- swords, blood, Quickenings and more than one kind of sweaty situation. You want a dog fight? Done. You want a band of Immortals kicking the living crap out of the title character? There we go. Heads will roll. We even get some terrifying titillation in issue 2.”
Click on the image above for a preview of "Highlander Origins: The Kurgan" #1, courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment.
The Highlander franchise helped spawn half a dozen movies (some of dubious quality), two TV shows, an animated series and a gaggle of other comics, novels and tie-in media, but for those who still know the property best from the Lambert-slashing, Queen rocking original, “The Kurgan” aims to be the series for you.
“I think the first movie is really the lock-in point for Highlander’s pop-culture status to the general public,” Jerwa said. “Hopefully, we can reach out to even casual fans and bring them into the larger world of this massive franchise. This book can be read by anyone, but there are some definite Easter Eggs for people who know the bigger mythology. It’s always a delicate balance, appealing to hardcore fans vs. the general public, but it’s something I’ve grown pretty comfortable with in my writing.”
Like what you see? Stifling a yell of "There can be only one!?" Let us know what you think about the new miniseries and its focus on the villain from the first film!
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