Giant Squid's Aaron Gregory Created a Comic Book for Their New Album

Posted on Dec 9th 2011 12:30PM by Amy Sciarretto Comments

Translation Loss

Giant Squid are releasing a comic book to coincide with the vinyl release of 'Cenotes.' It's only 12-pages, but it's high impact. The idea came from Translation Loss, the band's label.

"It's a good sampling of the story, emotional landscape, and aesthetic of the tales being told in both this latest EP, and 'The Ichthyologist' before it," vocalist/guitarist (and new father) Aaron Gregory told Noisecreep. "It gives me a great chance to finally kick start the comic side of this saga, to just get published both as an artist and writer."

The comic is Gregory's passion project and labor of love, and it's certainly a resume booster. He said, "I'll be handling damn near every aspect of this initial short issue: all the writing, penciling, inking, coloring, lettering. With all those credits under my name, it will also help me find work in the industry hopefully doing any one of those skills professionally, as I continue to produce my own work."

Turns out Giant Squid had previously planned to issue a complementary comic book. "Initially, there was going to be a comic coming out shortly after 'The Ichthyologist,' which was telling the same story that the album does," Gregory said. "I originally planned on just writing it, and would find an illustrator to do the rest. Once I finished my script though, and got deeper and deeper in to art school, I realized it would be foolish to give up the opportunity to draw it myself.

Listen to 'Troglocambarus maclanei' From Giant Squid

"So I've been chugging away ever since. I'm positive I'll have other artists come in and relieve me on short bits here and there as well, as I know so many amazing comic illustrators now from the last three years of art school. I'm excited though to keep pushing ahead and have a deadline looming ever closer to really get something all put together and out in the fans hands."

Gregory hopes to release six, normal-sized issues at 22 pages every two to three months in both a small print run and online. After these are released, he hopes to combine and publish the all of them as a trade. He said, "I really see this happening before the next record, which will be the final installment in 'The Ichthyologist' mythos. That way, the album will continue a story the fans will finally be familiar with, and not scratching their heads wondering what the f--- I'm singing about. And though the musical counterpart may end, the tale will keep on going as long as I have the drive to do it and there will be people who care about it."

Amazon

The initial comic is an efficient and necessary 12 pages. Gregory revealed a little about the narrative, saying, "It involves the main protagonist of The Ichthyologist, in a rather brutal predicament he has found himself in. Due to his new found adaptive abilities, he is being exploited by a small village of remaining human survivors. Remaining from what, I won't say yet.

"And exactly what they are using him for I'll save as well, but the lyrics of the song explain a lot if you can put it all together. Imagine being a eternal human salt lick for some pretty nasty creatures, and you'll get a great idea. But I don't want to give much more away!"

Pick up Giant Squid's 'Cenotes,' and check out all of the band's cool merch, at this link.

Follow @Noisecreep on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Our Newsletter