James Bacon talks to James Hagan, co-creator of The Ravishing Radium Girl, an all-new series following a radioactive vigilante on a violent quest for justice, styled by the 1930s Golden Age of comics…
Comics are finding a footing for some time now with Kickstarter and I was quite interested in The Ravishing Radium Girl by James Hagan and Bilbo Scioscia, which has hit its initial funding goal.
The Ravishing Radium Girl: A Bloody Love Letter To The Golden Age Of Comics is an all-new limited comic series, following a mysterious vigilante on a violent quest for truth and justice through Alkaline City; a sprawling metropolis of the 1930s controlled by the ruthless megacorporation RadCorp.
The comic has a fascinating concept, intertwining real-world historical events through the storytelling style of the Golden Age of comics: the era where the archetype of what makes a ‘superhero’ was formed.
In Alkaline City, RadCorp controls politicians, police, even the unwitting citizens, and it is up to a victim of this megacorporation’s disregard for human life to reveal the truth behind their sinister history and deliver justice to the victims of their machinations.
The comic is inspired by the real-world tragedy of the Radium Girls of the 1920s – factory workers who were unknowingly poisoned while painting glow-in-the-dark watch dials, who began to horrifically alter and die from the radiation. The corporations responsible and aware of these tragedies began to hide the truth and discredit the victims, all to protect profit at any cost. It is a timeless tale of corporate brutality.
Radium Girl is story of a young woman who has everything ripped away from her, who is mutated and abused by a selfish world, and who learns that she must save a city that took everything from her – because if she doesn’t, no one else will.
James Hagan, its writer, may be known to Irish and British comic readers, as he has worked both in Sub-City in Dublin and also The Notting Hill Comic Exchange in London. The concept of the comic interested me, and I thought I’d ask James Hagan, writer on this project a few questions.
James Bacon: You have a background in working in comic shops having worked in them both in Dublin and London, how long have you wanted to do a comic book project and what’s driven you?
James Hagan: I’ve wanted to create a comic since I was a teenager, and I’ve been talking about doing so, for what must be a decade by now in every comic and book shop I’ve worked in. I realised that it’s not a goal that will come to you; if you want it, you’re the only one that will make it happen. I suppose I got sick of hearing myself say “one day I will”.
Can you explain to readers a little bit more about Ravishing Radium Girl?
Radium Girl is my take on the Golden Age hero, based off the real-world tragedy of the Radium Girls of the ‘20s. I love serialised Golden and Silver Age books (like Young Romance and Tales of Suspense), so I wanted to make a comic in a fantastical world, but for the modern adult. It’s definitely darker, but at least it means we get to add lots of graphic violence!
What’s important about the story and art, from your perspective?
It’s the little details of the world building where we see the real-world issues seep in. Bilbo, the book’s artist, has designed this book to appear like a violent twist on a Golden Age comic, but it’s a veil over the very dark world underneath. Status and identity determine who you get to be. It’s an important story to tell, because the issues we address here, racism, sexism, corporate greed – run as rampant as they ever have today still.
How did you meet Bilbo Scioscia? Have they worked on other projects?
Bilbo is an incredible painter, and we became close friends as he began dating my old room mate, Alanis Kerr, who herself is an amazing artist. So much of Bilbo’s portrait work is framed as beautiful but hides a sinister nature underneath it. That’s exactly what Radium Girl needed.
His work includes incredible natural and conceptual painting portfolio.
Has the Irish small press scene, and comics in Dublin influenced your decision to go to Kickstarter with this comic?
I don’t think I would’ve ever thought I could do this unless Rob Curley started Atomic Diner. I read Atomic Rocket Group 66 when I worked with Rob, and I asked him how he was able to get into comics, to which he told me he just did it. It might seem like simple advice, but that’s all that was necessary. He didn’t have an Irish publishing house to do it in, so he made one. He wasn’t handed success, he earned it, so that’s where I suppose I got the kick up my arse to actually do what I wanted to do.
What’s the overall plan for you? Do you want to write professionally?
Who doesn’t? I’ve got my Substack zine Short Circuits, which I hope to print in summer of 2026, I’ve been working on comics and short stories for years. If I can keep this fire going, I won’t ever stop. Getting paid for it is a bonus. I’m doing it now for the love of the game.
The 21st century has seen an incredible influx of Irish comic book creatives. Have you any that you really enjoy or who have inspired you?
Declan Shalvey has had the Midas Touch for the last decade. Cian Tormey brought Superman to Dublin. Superman! Look at Tríona Farrell’s work so far, too; she’s colouring for some of the biggest books there is. Rob Curley built the foundation for the Irish scene.
There’s too many to count! Irish talent is finally being recognised internationally, purely for the fantastic output Irish creatives have. I can’t wait to savour every moment of it.
• Check out The Ravishing Radium Girl here on Kickstarter
• Follow James Hagan on Substack
• Follow Bilbo Scioscia on Instagram
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
James Bacon (he/him) is an Irish fan, a train driver living in London. A Hugo Award-winning editor of the fanzine “Journey Planet”, he is a comic fan and enjoys comic art, war Comics, Star Wars, Irish aspects to comics and railways in comics or otherwise. He has been writing about comics for over thirty years.
Categories: Comics, Creating Comics, Crowd Funding Projects, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Crowdfunding Spotlight: Paragon, featuring last ever “Captain Bulldog” tale 
Crowdfunding Spotlight: VYPER – Red Shadow 
Crowdfunding Spotlight: SHRIEEEK! Special – All Dell Breaks Loose! 
Time Bomb Comics partners on ComicScene Yearbook 2026
Leave a Reply