Preview & Interview: Sarah Vaughn Exhumes Gothic Romance in Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love
Cover Art by Stephanie Hans
Though his name is featured in the title, Boston “Deadman” Brand isn’t the first face readers see when they open Deadman: Dark Mansion Of Forbidden Love, out this Wednesday—and not because the incorporeal hero is possessing another body. Writer Sarah Vaughn (Alex + Ada) kicks off the story by introducing the characters who Deadman, a deceased trapeze artist seeking justice for his murder, will aid over the course of the three-issue miniseries. Berenice, most pertinent to the debut chapter, is caught not only in tangled relationships with her boyfriend Nathan and friend Sam, but also faces the terrifying reality of seeing the ghosts that haunt the massive home her significant other has inherited.
Deviating from the pulp and superhero yarns Deadman has historically headlined, Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love embraces gothic romance and horror at their finest, with broody art from Lan Medina accented by beautifully textured colors from José Villarrubia that render the ghoulish lead suitably insubstantial and turn the house into a character all its own. Berenice and Boston’s interior monologues signal a throwback to old-school romance comics without feeling stale or tired, and the entire effect is one of timelessness, a story told without a chronology. Each of the three issues runs a weighty 48 pages, a draw for new readers familiar with Medina’s run on Fables or Vaughn from her pervious romance work in anthologies like Fresh Romance.
Paste: This is the longest project you’ve written solo, as Alex + Ada was co-written alongside artist Jonathan Luna. Was there anything that surprised you about the process?
Sarah Vaughn: Nothing too surprising, other than getting the hang of a new process and better understanding the inner workings of a major publisher. I still feel like I have a lot to learn. It’s the first time I’ve worked with artist Lan Medina, José Villarrubia the colorist and Janice Chiang, who is the letterer.
To be honest, I never feel that I write comics solo, even if I’m the only writer. I like working with editors, and they drastically change the shape of the book with input and notes. Other team members can change it, too, whether it’s discussing general opinions about the story they’re working on, or changes to the script to better serve the artwork and layout. I always want the book to be as good as possible, and other perspectives and input are vital to that process for me.
Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love Interior Art by Lan Medina and José Villarrubia
Paste: This is also the first time you’ve worked with a character with such a long history and backstory. Deadman was featured prominently in Justice League Dark and has a fanbase all his own. Did you approach this differently than your creator-owned work, knowing that audience exists?
Vaughn: In some ways, yes. Deadman/Boston Brand has a legacy that I’m aware of, and doing everything I can to honor and incorporate, all the while wrapping my own ideas around him to create something new.
Paste: It seems like the industry has reached a turning point when it comes to recognizing the demand for romance comics, thanks in no small part to groups like Rosy Press, which you have contributed to. While clearly informed by the history of romance comics, Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love reads specifically like gothic romance. What made you interested in exploring that genre?