Behind-the-Scenes: Curt Pires and Luca Casalanguida's Horror-Fantasy Series 'Lost Fantasy'

An inside glimpse at this month’s Lost Fantasy #1 shows the process behind the pulse-pounding opening, as well as sketches of the lead characters, in Pires and Casalanguida new horror-fantasy ongoing series

Buckle up for an inside look at this month’s debut issue of the new ongoing horror-fantasy series Lost Fantasy, by bestselling writer Curt Pires (Indigo Children) and frequent co-collaborator, artist Luca Casalanguida (Money).

This behind-the-scenes sneak peek, as revealed by Dread Central, shares the process behind the pulse-pounding opening. Additionally, a glimpse at the character design sketches by Casalanguida shows the conceptualization of the leads from the new series, which explores an alternate version of our world where magic, myth, and monsters exist just beneath the surface of our own.

“I knew I wanted to give the book a cold open that immediately pulled you in and set up the stakes,” said Pires. “It didn't take me long to come up with this imagery of this girl covered in blood running through the woods—it's something that's just instantly evocative and captured my attention and interest. And I consider myself the first reader besides being the writer so that is usually a good sign. The hunter she runs into is a red herring of sorts that you're meant to sort of be afraid of for the little girl and wonder if he's going to harm her. And then we quickly pull the rug out and establish what's coming for her is actually much worse.”

Casalanguida added: “When I read the the first page of the script, I said, ‘Fuck!’ Then I kept saying it on the following pages! The beginning of the story immediately grabbed me. The little girl running off into the woods is a powerful image. You wonder what she is running from, why she is running, and if she will be saved. You immediately take her to heart. I really enjoy drawing forests—I like to play with shadows and contrasts. This story was really fun to draw. It's got everything you want in a comic: action, fights, intrigue, real characters, monsters, magic, and horror.”

In Lost Fantasy, there’s a magical world that lies beneath ours, and first contact was made over a hundred years ago between the two worlds due to a natural disaster, resulting in a schism that allowed monsters to break through. Since then, secret monster slayers, known as The Great Hunters, have been working with global leaders to police the border and to keep our world safe from the creatures that lurk in the shadows. But last night, something broke through, resulting in a mysterious mass killing in Montana, and causing things to shift in a way that will ripple through both worlds. Now it’s up to rookie monster hunter Henry Blackheart to stop it…

Pires said about Henry's introduction: “We start in a room which is basically ground zero of a bender—and then we see him walk out of this seedy motel room and into this magical slum of sorts. It immediately sets the tone for the kind of magic in our book—and the magic world we're showing is not your familiar type of fantasy.”

Casalanguida added: “We're confronted with a real world where characters talk and do things as we do every day, and suddenly you discover a world hidden in plain sight where all sorts of elements or characters could be anything. You don't know what to expect. Henry, we find out, is a complete mess. Maybe you don't want to know what he's done to make himself like this. But when he answers the phone, he has to go. His appearance was very clear in Curt's mind. I tried to make him very simple and practical in his clothes (he has to move and fight nimbly), but at the same time you can't forget him after seeing him. We didn't do a lot of studying for him, he came out of the box. That's the way it usually works for me. The characters have to take shape from the pages, from what they do and say, how they move, their attitude. Only then do they feel real.”

In addition to the JPRG-inspired Lost Fantasy tale, the giant-sized comics will also feature a serialized backup story, Indigo Children: Exodus, that continues Pires’ hit sci-fi series Indigo Children.

The series will also feature an homage variant cover series (Cover B of each issue) illustrated by artist Alex Diotto, which will pay tribute to iconic video games, manga, and stories that have influenced the series, including Final Fantasy, Berserk, Devil May Cry, with more to be revealed soon.

Lost Fantasy #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, April 30 (FOC is April 7):

• Cover A by Luca Casalanguida - Lunar Code 0225IM305
• Cover B (Final Fantasy VII homage) by Alex Diotto - Lunar Code 0225IM306
• Cover C (1:15 cardstock incentive) by Luca Casalanguida - Lunar Code 0225IM307
• Cover D (1:25 cardstock incentive) by Darick Robertson - Lunar Code 0225IM308
• Cover E (1:50 cardstock incentive) by Jae Lee - Lunar Code 0225IM309
• Cover F (1:75 virgin cardstock incentive) by Jae Lee - Lunar Code 0225IM310
• Lost Fantasy #2 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, June 4:
• Cover A by Luca Casalanguida - Lunar Code 0425IM372
• Cover B (BERSERK homage) by Alex Diotto - Lunar Code 0425IM373
• Cover C (1:15 B&W incentive) by Luca Casalanguida - Lunar Code 0425IM374
• Cover D (1:25 incentive) by Tyler Boss - Lunar Code 0425IM375

Lost Fantasy will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

 

Select early praise for Lost Fantasy:

“Lost Fantasy has chosen a hellishly difficult quarry to pursue: to be goth high-action genre, and obviously smart. It’s inspiring to watch this slide its blade home.”—Kieron Gillen (The Power Fantasy, We Called Them Giants)

 

“A unique take on high fantasy…It will also feature a very large sword.”

—Comics Beat

“Lost Fantasy #1 delivers an exciting start to a new fantasy series, introducing readers to a hidden world of monsters, hunters, and magic. With its extended page count, gorgeous artwork, and compelling characters, this debut issue sets the stage for what could be Image Comics' next big hit.”—Gonkbonk

"Magic and mystery are secretly a part of our history in Lost Fantasy, and the world-building feels incredibly unique. Its story and various design elements include undertones reminiscent of Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda (a winning combination), and the cliffhanger ending will leave you clamoring for more. The character designs and settings feel fantastic yet grounded, and the engaging visualization of magic in the book will surely grab your attention."—ComicsOnline

“The debut issue is chock full of intrigue and mystery, all wrapped up in page-turning action sequences with monsters and magic galore. The comic shines in its pulsating action sequences; it’s bloody and fast-paced. In terms of story, the world building is superb, presenting a fascinating narrative where monsters—trolls, werewolves, and the like—all exist in a magical world beneath our own.”—Comics Bulletin

“Yes, Henry smashes monsters with a massive sword, but Lost Fantasy is meant to be both celebratory of and subversive of popular fiction. It’s Pires and company leaning into and bucking certain elements to tell a story that matters—if only because it’s how they want to pen a fantasy story.”—AIPT

“I believe that comics are the only medium in which you can judge a book by its cover because they are one of the most visual, and this book’s cover sold it for me. Casalanguida’s art and Dale’s colors on this book had me on the line like a fish in a barrel. What I found was a really exciting take on the fantasy genre that seemed to be more inspired by role-playing games than classic fantasy lore.”—Gatecrashers

“An imaginative gauntlet is thrown down that is sure to captivate fans from the opening pages.”—ODPH Podcast