Andi Ewington’s writing includes such offerings as [Forty-Five] 45, Campaigns & Companions, S6X, Sunflower, Red Dog, Dark Souls II, Just Cause 3, Freeway Fighter, Rogue Trooper, Warhammer, and Vikings.
It’s no surprise then that this chat with Matt Badham about his latest novel, Bones & Betrayals: Silence of the Dead, turned into a more freewheeling dialogue than originally intended on comics, writing and the freelance life.
Special thanks also to Andi’s co-author Erica Marks and illustrator Calum Alexander Watt, who both joined the conversation at the eleventh hour to give their insights on Bones & Betrayal: Silence of the Dead.
In Bones & Betrayal: Silence of the Dead, murder has come to the city of Tronte…
Holtar didn’t become a necromancer for the prestige – he did it because talking to the dead is marginally easier than dealing with the living. Unfortunately, his latest case has given him a fresh problem: the corpses aren’t talking.
No last words. No cryptic riddles. Just silence. And silence, as it turns out, is very bad when your job depends on listening to the dead speak of their final moments.
With only a snarky, possessed skull called Seymour as his companion, Holtar must unravel a conspiracy that threatens both the living and the dead – one that grows more tangled, absurd, and dangerously personal with every once-bitten pastry.
Silence of the Dead is a fantasy mystery with the wit of a detective comedy – where necromancy is just another thankless job, the dead refuse to talk, and the killer has an unsettling passion for pastry-based clues.
Andi, you seem to be back working in comics with a bit of a bang after some years away. Please tell us what that’s like for you and about your current projects, including work on “Rogue Trooper” (whose profile is a bit higher because of the forthcoming film)?
Andi: I stepped away from comics for nearly five years while I pivoted to game writing. I was with Supermassive Games on their horror anthologies, which was a fantastic and fulfilling experience, but it meant comics had to take a back seat for a while. That said, I did manage to write two in-game comics that unlocked if you completed Little Hope, so I still kept my hand in!
Being back really does feel like coming “home”. I’ve always loved the comics scene. I missed seeing friends and colleagues, going to cons, writing scripts, that thrill when the art first lands in your inbox – and then watching the reaction once it’s out in the world. Saying goodbye to that was tough, so being back is a huge relief.
I was lucky that when I emailed Tharg about returning, he came back with the chance to write a “Rogue Trooper” script. I leapt at it. Rogue’s such a brilliant character, and I’ve always enjoyed weaving history into stories – spinning a loose truth into his universe. I’ve now written three Rogue stories, and with the film on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be better. Beyond “Rogue”, I’ve written two “Future Shocks” and a “Tales from the Dark Museum”.
Dredd still eludes me – though I did sneak his badge into “Killing Code” in issue 483 of the Megazine!
You work in shared universes and on your own properties. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing both kinds of work, and does the approach to each differ in any way?
Andi: In a shared universe it’s about understanding the rules and what’s gone before. With something like Warhammer, that’s no small task – the lore is vast and intricate. To handle that, I tend to focus on small, contained stories that don’t interfere too much with the wider setting.
With my own projects, the freedom is enormous. I can go in any direction I like, though I still need to respect the boundaries of the world I’ve built. The Hero Interviews, for example, took me two years to map out, but now those foundations exist I can drop in smaller stories, like I did with Bones & Betrayals: Silence of the Dead, co-written with Erica Marks.
So yes, the approach does differ – but eventually the two overlap. Whether it’s a vast shared universe or my own creation, I still find myself working in focused bubbles, telling stories that feel complete in themselves while feeding into a bigger whole.
You work in multiple media. What’s it like skipping between them and what opportunities and challenges does each hold?
Andi: I’ve written for games, novels, comics, and film. At heart, they all demand the same thing – good stories and strong ideas. What changes is how those stories are delivered. Switching between screenwriting, comics, or writing with player experience in mind is something I’ve learnt over the years to the point it feels second nature.
Right now, I’ve got boardgame writing, a novel, and this interview on my desk. The opportunities speak for themselves – being adaptable means I can take on a variety of projects, which is a gift for any freelancer. It makes me a bit of a Swiss Army knife, able to pull out the right tool for the job.
It also means I can weather industry shifts. At the moment, the games industry is going through turmoil, so I’m putting more time into comics and novels until things settle. And if it all goes wrong, I can lean on my 30 years of design work—branding, key art, marketing, so I’ve always got other strings to my bow.
What makes Rogue Trooper such a great character (and strip) to work on?
Andi: Rogue has that same mythic, wandering presence as Clint Eastwood’s “Man with No Name” – driven by revenge, trying to do the right thing while doing whatever it takes to survive. What really sets him apart, though, are his biochip buddies. Their soldier’s banter provides so many great character moments, highlighting that unique mix of comradeship, gallows humour, and grunt-level respect between them.
As a huge fan of history and historical battles, I also love weaving in echoes of past wars and conflicts. Researching unbelievable real-life stories and experiences, then filtering them through Rogue’s eyes, adds another layer that makes working on the strip both exciting and rewarding.
I wonder what your thoughts are on Judge Dredd and his world, as both a fan and a creator?
Andi: I’ve had a strong affinity for the Dreddverse ever since I was a kid, reading the latest mind-blowing issue while Saturday morning cartoons played in the background. Something about the striking art and razor-sharp storytelling really resonated with me. I still get goosebumps thinking about the first time I saw Brian Bolland’s iconic “Gaze into the fist of Dredd” panel back in 1981 – and it was an even bigger thrill to meet the legend himself this year at Lawless.
As for what’s enjoyable about visiting the Dreddverse, I suppose I’m drawn to the big American theatrics combined with that quintessentially British sense of humour and storytelling – the sort of mix you’ll only find in Mega-City One.
As for opportunities, I’d honestly jump at anything. Of course, the holy grail would be the Dark Judges. I actually got to scratch that itch a little in [the comic zine] Zarjaz, where I wrote a Dark Judges story illustrated by Kev Crossley. It was about a gang of thieves pulling casino heists while disguised as the Dark Judges using holo-tech. It turned out really cool, and fingers crossed one day I’ll get to take a proper crack at the Dark Judges in the pages of 2000AD.
You’ve strayed into the area of the small press with your answers by mentioning Zarjaz.
Any thoughts the small press’s place in and importance to the Brit’ comics scene?
(R.I.P. to Richmond Clements and Dave Evans of Zarjaz, both gone far too soon and before their time).
Andi: Of course, it has to be said first and foremost that both Dave Evans and Rich Clements were amazing advocates for the UK comics scene – they were pivotal in giving me the opportunity to hone my skills on the likes of Zarjaz, Dogbreath, FutureQuake, and Something Wicked, especially at a time when I was probably struggling to figure out how to make further inroads within the industry. They were nothing less than patient and supportive, showing kindness and enthusiasm every time I sent a story their way. I had many conversations with them back in those days, and I miss them enormously.
I don’t think it’s possible to overstate their contribution in helping the next wave of comic creators come through the ranks.
I still, to this day, advise newer creators to seek out publications like Zarjaz and mentors who echo the spirit of Dave and Rich to sharpen their skills and learn the craft; without their guidance, I believe much of today’s talent might never have been discovered.
Please tell me about the pros and cons of crafting one-off strips like “Future Shocks”. Creating a whole universe to tell a story in, in only four pages.
Andi: Ahhh, yes! Those magnificent “Future Shocks”! That’s a really tough nut to crack. For me, it’s one of the hardest things to write – a self-contained story in as little as four pages, with something that’s more than just a good set-up. The key is finding that nugget of a twist in the tale and pushing it further and harder, making every panel work to deliver the punch that’s needed.
Pros? Getting your work published, cutting your teeth on the prog, being noticed by the Mighty Tharg, learning how to write compelling stories succinctly, and being forced to think more about page layouts and the art. Most importantly, it opens the door to further opportunities.
Cons? It’s tough! Sometimes the idea is just a nice idea, but not the whole idea. And finding an original angle is not as easy as you’d think. You don’t have many pages to nail it!
Turning to Bones & Betrayals: Silence of the Dead…
Erica and Calum, please give our readers a quick overview of your background and how you came to work on the novel.
Erica: I met Andi three years ago when I edited The Hero Interviews, and we clicked instantly, same twisted sense of humor, same love of storytelling chaos. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years, a lifelong reader, and now a cybersecurity student (because why not add digital sleuthing to the mix?). Writing’s always been my passion, so when Andi invited me to co-create Bones & Betrayals, I jumped in with both feet and a thesaurus. We’re a great team, and I’m ridiculously proud of what we’ve built, and excited for whatever strange, hilarious adventure comes next.
Calum: I am primarily a concept artist, drawing characters and costumes for film, animation, and games. Though I started off in comics, drawing for 2000AD all the way back in the last century! Andi and I first met and worked together on a comic strip – for Andi’s [Forty-Five] 45 anthology, and we’ve collaborated on a few projects since. I don’t often work in the area of fantasy, so I was more than happy to contribute in a small way to the project.
What was your involvement in Bones & Betrayals, and what have you tried to bring to it with your illustrations?
Calum: I drew the cover art and incidental chapter break images for Bones and Betrayals. The skull cherry-pie was Andi’s direction and it’s a wonderfully wicked idea – at first we have this tempting looking pastry, but on closer inspection we’re somewhat taken aback by the very suspicious looking filling! I endeavoured to make it all look delicious though!
The back cover ‘cherry’ was great fun, again emphasising the murder mystery aspects of Erica’s and Andi’s tale – and of course a little reference to Seymour, who is certainly quite versatile for a disembodied sentient skull!
Would it be fair to describe Bones & Betrayals as a genre mash-up?
Erica: Genre mash-up? More like genre mayhem, and honestly, I’m here for it. Bones & Betrayals is what happens when fantasy crashes into mystery, steals its trench coat, and starts solving crimes with necromancy and sass. If it stands out, it’s probably because it refuses to sit down politely.
Andi: I think in today’s world people are looking for something a little different. Books like Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series are doing really well, and tap into that fantasy/sci-fi funny bone readers are yearning for.
I’m a big fan of adding comedy to anything I write (I blame a childhood spent watching endless reruns of Blackadder and The Young Ones). There’s always room for the standard epic fare – but in a crowded market I’d much rather lean into my strengths than follow the herd.
I love subverting expectations. With The Hero Interviews I wrote the whole novel as a transcript, and with Bones & Betrayals: Silence of the Dead I’ve worked with Erica to create our fantasy spin on Sherlock & Watson, with the comedy turned up to eleven. I hope it makes the book stand out, but in a market dominated by big advertising budgets, it’s tough for a small indie to get noticed!
Did that make it more fun to work on for you guys as you played with tropes and conventions while also subverting expectations?
Andi: Absolutely. As I mentioned, I love comedy, and Erica has a wicked sense of humour that resonated with me straight away. I first spotted it when she proofed and edited The Hero Interviews, and I knew instantly I wanted to work with her. She brings so much quirky energy and is a brilliant writer in her own right. I love bouncing ideas around with her and trying to create the unexpected. Bones & Betrayals was a fantastic success – one I’d happily repeat again and again with her, always pushing expectations and subverting tropes. There’s nothing better than taking something like a crime story and asking, ‘how can we make this funny?’
Erica: Definitely. Playing with tropes is half the fun, especially when you get to twist them into something weird and wonderful. Andi and I have this great creative rhythm where one of us says, “What if…” and the other immediately goes, “Yes, and let’s make it even stranger.”
It’s like building a fantasy crime scene with glitter and ghosts. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
Massive thanks to Andi, Erica and Calum for taking time out to speak to downthetubes
Head downthethetubes for…
• Bones and Betrayals – Official Site at bonesandbetrayals.com
• Buy Bones and Betrayals – Silence of the Dead from Amazon.co.uk (Affiliate Link)
• Follow Andi Ewington on BlueSky
• Follow Erica Marks on BlueSky
• Calum Alexander Watt is online at calumalexanderwatt.com
• Follow Calum Alexander Watt on BlueSky
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Matt Badham is a freelance writer. His work has appeared in the Judge Dredd Megazine, 2000AD and Big Issue in the North.
Categories: 2000AD, Art and Illustration, Books, British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Creator Interviews, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Other Worlds
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