Interview: John Allison on Wicked Things from BOOM! Studios

Wicked Things #1 Max Sarin cover

Wicked Things #1 Max Sarin cover


John Allison is the writer, and sometimes artist, of such comics as Giant Days, Bad Machinery, By Night, Steeple, and more. Now he returns with artist Max Sarin for Wicked Things from BOOM! Studios’ BOOM! Box imprint, which features new adventures of teen detective Charlotte “Lottie” Grote. Allison stopped by to tell Westfield’s Roger Ash more about this upcoming series.

Wicked Things #1 preview page 1

Wicked Things #1 preview page 1


Westfield: Charlotte Grote has appeared in other series you’ve written. What should readers know about her going into Wicked Things?

John Allison: Charlotte was a precocious child detective in my previous comics, part of a mystery-solving team and the last time we saw her (in Bad Machinery) she was 16. In Wicked Things, she’s 18, and hits adulthood like many child stars do – exceptionally good at one thing and pretty terrible at everything else. Her ego is monstrous. She’s a balloon waiting to be popped! But no prior knowledge is required to read Wicked Things. It’s all there on page 1.

Wicked Things #1 preview page 2

Wicked Things #1 preview page 2


Westfield: How did the new series come about?

Allison: I did a Charlotte solo story in 2012 as a mini called Murder She Writes, an Agatha Christie style whodunnit. It was the best-selling mini I ever did, I had to keep reprinting it. So more solo stories were always on my mind, but Murder She Writes was very complicated to write, so I knew I’d have to wait until I could give them my undivided attention. When Giant Days ended, this was the thing I wanted to do most.

Wicked Things #1 preview page 3

Wicked Things #1 preview page 3


Westfield: Who are some of the other characters readers will meet?

Allison: In the first two issues, you meet a lot of Lottie’s rivals in the teen sleuthing game, and her loyal Dr Watson, Claire Little. Claire is adorable, and the rivals are appalling. And then you meet a lot of police officers. I don’t want to say why, it’s kind of a spoiler. But there’s a whole new ensemble cast who aren’t particularly impressed with Charlotte Grote’s schtick.

Wicked Things #1 preview page 4

Wicked Things #1 preview page 4


Westfield: You’re working again with artist Max Sarin. What makes this a good collaboration?

Allison: Max is a great interpreter of my scripts. After around fifty issues of Giant Days together, I can write for Max in the knowledge that they can draw anything I ask for. Great dynamic panels, great emotions, everything is on the page that I want to see there. When you hand a script in, you can’t ask for any more.

Wicked Things #1 John Allison cover

Wicked Things #1 John Allison cover


Westfield: Any closing comments?

Allison: I’ve written the first four issues of Wicked Things now and I think it takes a little bit from everything I’ve done so far and makes something completely new. I don’t think it’s like any other crime comic. It has a peculiar energy. I really hope people like it.

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