To many comic buffs who equate Northamptonshire with Alan Moore, it’s also the home to Mario Covone who after a short stint as a comic dealer decided he had far too many ideas in his head and so decided to venture into writing comics. Over the past few years the 30 year old has been busy writing a semi autobiographical series, Circles, and Alien fantasy, a Stranger comes to town. Along with artist Vasilis Logios the duo are about to unleash Video Nasty, a horror tale set amidst the furore of uncensored films appearing on video for the first time in the U.K.
During the 1980s there was a loophole which allowed uncensored films to go without certification, this soon attracted attention from the tabloid media and when the late Mary Whitehouse (the founder of National Viewers and Listeners Association) got involved, things got serious as video shop owners were threatened with prosecution. Back then it was really hard to watch films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist. As both films were banned.
Chances are you’d get dodgy looks at the video rental if you asked for a horror film. Blockbuster video wasn't around at the time.
In one form or another the debate against censorship still rages on. Covone wasn't born during the frenzy but he’s also a keen horror fan and spoke about his knowledge of horror, finding an artist, and the genesis of Video Nasty.
During the 1980s there was a loophole which allowed uncensored films to go without certification, this soon attracted attention from the tabloid media and when the late Mary Whitehouse (the founder of National Viewers and Listeners Association) got involved, things got serious as video shop owners were threatened with prosecution. Back then it was really hard to watch films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist. As both films were banned.
Chances are you’d get dodgy looks at the video rental if you asked for a horror film. Blockbuster video wasn't around at the time.
In one form or another the debate against censorship still rages on. Covone wasn't born during the frenzy but he’s also a keen horror fan and spoke about his knowledge of horror, finding an artist, and the genesis of Video Nasty.
Interview by: Neil Patel
Hey look! Its Mario!
1. Why do you think UK authorities took offence to horror films the same way the US government did with EC comics?
I don't think either of them took offence as much as they were looking for a platform to expand their political power base and needed a scapegoat to strike fear into the hearts of the everyday person on the streets. In the same way that the tabloids have exploited the victims of paedophiles in modern society to sell more papers by allowing the general public to believe that it has become a pandemic over the past decade, when in actuality the statistics of child sex crimes are virtually the same now as they were in the 1960's. But by building a climate of fear it has become the norm for parents to insist that the streets aren't as safe for their children as they were in their youth.
In the case of comics, yes EC was a huge focus in Fredric Wertham's witch hunt, but he also insisted that Batman and Robin were gay, as if it would have been a bad thing if they were, and this is something that a modern society would be more open and accepting of as is the case with horror comics. Would The Walking Dead be the biggest book on the shelves in 1954 after Wertham published 'Seduction of the Innocent'? Very doubtful. But once again we are fortunate enough to live in a more tolerant society.
In the case of Video Nasties, Mary Whitehouse was insistent that society needed to be reformed to fit her specific moral vision in a very dictatorial fashion and what didn't help was that she had a lot of influence in our then conservative government. All it took was a sycophant like the MP Graham Bright to jump on her bandwagon in an attempt to impress and gain personal recognition at the cost of many a film maker, distributor, and video shop owners expense. But that sort of collateral damage means little to someone whose ambition for power trumps actual morality and so the witch hunt began anew in the United Kingdom. In fact, at this point neither Whitehouse or Bright had actually viewed any of the video nasties that they were damning and when Bright presented his case to Parliament, instead of showing any of the films in full to give his peers any sort of actual perspective, he created a highlight reel of all of the particularly nasty scenes as if we, the general public, were renting two hour long showcases of barbarity rather than actual movies.
It was a game to them. The thing that Bright and Wertham had in common was their lust for power and attention and they were both happy to spin a web of lies in order to maintain their agendas.
2. How do you think you’ve reflected this in Video Nasty?
My vision for Video Nasty was to create an entertaining horror comic first and foremost. Its all well and good putting a book out that is rammed full of my own political beliefs that I could step back from patting myself on the back saying "aren't I a clever boy", but if the story itself has no core of being an entertaining yarn then my potential audience won't care. Once I had the basic story laid out I then set about on how I could use the tale as a fun house mirror, showing truth amid the fiction. The only way I could do that was by making my characters as human as possible, warts and all, and having them talk and react to certain situations in the manner that their real life counterparts would. I've tried as best I can to tell a story that genuinely feels like it takes place in small town England 1983 without alienating those that were born after that time period.
I've been told that I have succeeded in doing so. In fact I was sent an incredibly complimentary and humbling quote from Brad Stevens, Author and Film Journalist, after he read the first issue saying that it is "an accurate reflection of the paranoia that gripped the UK during the Video Nasties panic. They seem especially timely given that similar tabloid campaigns are still being conducted against foreigners, homosexuals, Labour politicians, and pretty much anyone who doesn't fit in with the Daily Mail's worldview." Which coming from someone that I respect as much as Brad made me take a huge sigh of relief in knowing that I was successful in achieving my own personal mission statement heading into this project.
3. What was the main inspiration for Video Nasty and what films or comics did you watch to inspire you?
I've been a fan of horror since going to my friend Michelle's Halloween party at the age of eleven and being shown A Nightmare on Elm St. 3 for the first time. It is a genre that has fascinated me since that night and been prevalent in almost every artistic endeavour I have attempted to undertake. It is a form of entertainment that allows us to admit our fears of untimely death as well as assist us in coming to terms with our own mortality and as such, I believe is an incredibly important art form.
My initial inspiration for the comic came after watching the amazing documentary 'Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship and Videotape' by British film makers Jake West (Director) and Marc Morris (Producer) at Nucleus Films. I had always been a fan of the nasties, but it wasn't until I viewed this eye opening film and saw the way in which we were manipulated by the government and media with their gross lies and shameless puppeteering, that I felt inspired to have my say on the subject.
Lucio Fulci’s film 'The Black Cat', even though not a video nasty itself, was a huge inspiration for the comic. In fact my main character is heavily influenced by David Warbeck's work in that movie.
As for comics that inspired me, I come at it from a different perspective. I found myself less inspired by what was available on the market as much as what wasn't. As in the case of the cheap rip off slasher flicks that tried and failed to emulate the successes of Halloween and Friday the 13th, I found a lot of the modern horror comics (Hellboy being a glaring exception) to be derivative, uninspired, and quite frankly rather boring and I wanted to change that. I've ended up reading fewer and fewer horror comics as I'm not overly impressed with what is currently on the shelves. There are many comics out there that inspire me to be a better writer, but not since Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing have any of them been in the horror genre. Stand out works of excellence and originality to me are books like 'Y The Last Man', 'Bone', 'Sandman', 'Whiteout', & 'Beats of Burden', though there have been some stellar superhero comics too that I have adored over the past decade; Joss Whedon's run on X-Men, Geoff Johns' Green Lantern, Ed Brubaker's Captain America and Abnett and Lannings cosmic work for Marvel. In fact I fantasise on a weekly basis about being given the reigns on the Marvel horror characters in an attempt to revitalise them the way Abnett and Lanning did for their Sci-Fi brigade.
I don't think either of them took offence as much as they were looking for a platform to expand their political power base and needed a scapegoat to strike fear into the hearts of the everyday person on the streets. In the same way that the tabloids have exploited the victims of paedophiles in modern society to sell more papers by allowing the general public to believe that it has become a pandemic over the past decade, when in actuality the statistics of child sex crimes are virtually the same now as they were in the 1960's. But by building a climate of fear it has become the norm for parents to insist that the streets aren't as safe for their children as they were in their youth.
In the case of comics, yes EC was a huge focus in Fredric Wertham's witch hunt, but he also insisted that Batman and Robin were gay, as if it would have been a bad thing if they were, and this is something that a modern society would be more open and accepting of as is the case with horror comics. Would The Walking Dead be the biggest book on the shelves in 1954 after Wertham published 'Seduction of the Innocent'? Very doubtful. But once again we are fortunate enough to live in a more tolerant society.
In the case of Video Nasties, Mary Whitehouse was insistent that society needed to be reformed to fit her specific moral vision in a very dictatorial fashion and what didn't help was that she had a lot of influence in our then conservative government. All it took was a sycophant like the MP Graham Bright to jump on her bandwagon in an attempt to impress and gain personal recognition at the cost of many a film maker, distributor, and video shop owners expense. But that sort of collateral damage means little to someone whose ambition for power trumps actual morality and so the witch hunt began anew in the United Kingdom. In fact, at this point neither Whitehouse or Bright had actually viewed any of the video nasties that they were damning and when Bright presented his case to Parliament, instead of showing any of the films in full to give his peers any sort of actual perspective, he created a highlight reel of all of the particularly nasty scenes as if we, the general public, were renting two hour long showcases of barbarity rather than actual movies.
It was a game to them. The thing that Bright and Wertham had in common was their lust for power and attention and they were both happy to spin a web of lies in order to maintain their agendas.
2. How do you think you’ve reflected this in Video Nasty?
My vision for Video Nasty was to create an entertaining horror comic first and foremost. Its all well and good putting a book out that is rammed full of my own political beliefs that I could step back from patting myself on the back saying "aren't I a clever boy", but if the story itself has no core of being an entertaining yarn then my potential audience won't care. Once I had the basic story laid out I then set about on how I could use the tale as a fun house mirror, showing truth amid the fiction. The only way I could do that was by making my characters as human as possible, warts and all, and having them talk and react to certain situations in the manner that their real life counterparts would. I've tried as best I can to tell a story that genuinely feels like it takes place in small town England 1983 without alienating those that were born after that time period.
I've been told that I have succeeded in doing so. In fact I was sent an incredibly complimentary and humbling quote from Brad Stevens, Author and Film Journalist, after he read the first issue saying that it is "an accurate reflection of the paranoia that gripped the UK during the Video Nasties panic. They seem especially timely given that similar tabloid campaigns are still being conducted against foreigners, homosexuals, Labour politicians, and pretty much anyone who doesn't fit in with the Daily Mail's worldview." Which coming from someone that I respect as much as Brad made me take a huge sigh of relief in knowing that I was successful in achieving my own personal mission statement heading into this project.
3. What was the main inspiration for Video Nasty and what films or comics did you watch to inspire you?
I've been a fan of horror since going to my friend Michelle's Halloween party at the age of eleven and being shown A Nightmare on Elm St. 3 for the first time. It is a genre that has fascinated me since that night and been prevalent in almost every artistic endeavour I have attempted to undertake. It is a form of entertainment that allows us to admit our fears of untimely death as well as assist us in coming to terms with our own mortality and as such, I believe is an incredibly important art form.
My initial inspiration for the comic came after watching the amazing documentary 'Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship and Videotape' by British film makers Jake West (Director) and Marc Morris (Producer) at Nucleus Films. I had always been a fan of the nasties, but it wasn't until I viewed this eye opening film and saw the way in which we were manipulated by the government and media with their gross lies and shameless puppeteering, that I felt inspired to have my say on the subject.
Lucio Fulci’s film 'The Black Cat', even though not a video nasty itself, was a huge inspiration for the comic. In fact my main character is heavily influenced by David Warbeck's work in that movie.
As for comics that inspired me, I come at it from a different perspective. I found myself less inspired by what was available on the market as much as what wasn't. As in the case of the cheap rip off slasher flicks that tried and failed to emulate the successes of Halloween and Friday the 13th, I found a lot of the modern horror comics (Hellboy being a glaring exception) to be derivative, uninspired, and quite frankly rather boring and I wanted to change that. I've ended up reading fewer and fewer horror comics as I'm not overly impressed with what is currently on the shelves. There are many comics out there that inspire me to be a better writer, but not since Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing have any of them been in the horror genre. Stand out works of excellence and originality to me are books like 'Y The Last Man', 'Bone', 'Sandman', 'Whiteout', & 'Beats of Burden', though there have been some stellar superhero comics too that I have adored over the past decade; Joss Whedon's run on X-Men, Geoff Johns' Green Lantern, Ed Brubaker's Captain America and Abnett and Lannings cosmic work for Marvel. In fact I fantasise on a weekly basis about being given the reigns on the Marvel horror characters in an attempt to revitalise them the way Abnett and Lanning did for their Sci-Fi brigade.
4. How did you go about plotting the story, was it much like creating a horror film?
I started with the motivations for my antagonist. Who was he killing and why? Then I thought of the characteristics of the protagonist and everything else just sort of fell into place. If this character that I created was put into this bizarre situation how would he react? How would the world and people around him be reacting and how would that influence him along the way. I find plotting a story is relatively easy, you just need consistent story beats to keep the reader interested. Not that I'm claiming this book to be perfect in that respect. Issue #2 for example is a slower chapter with more exposition than action, but I like to think that interesting, organic dialogue keeps it flowing until the next big beat.
Keeping it flowing like a horror flick was important to me though. I wanted this book to feel like one of the films from the Video Nasty list. Fans of horror, specifically those that are fans of the nasties, are hardcore fans that know their stuff and I'm hoping that when they read this comic they will appreciate the nods I have sprinkled around the book. Each issue has a subtle theme to it that reflects a specific sub-genre within the list of nasties, whether it be cannibalism, demons or Nazis, it doesn't matter what your favourite Video Nasty is, you'll find something of it reflected in this book.
5. The first issue starts off with a grisly murder, without revealing too much what are the killer’s motivations?
You'll find out in issue #6.
6. As an independent writer, can you describe your experiences in finding an artist?
Bloody hard work. I wrote Video Nasty in 2011 and have been through two previous artists before discovering the talent and incredible work ethic of Vasilis Logios. It would be incredibly easy for me to put out ten books a month if money wasn't an issue, but as it stands the majority of artists out there want to be paid a decent amount for their work, which is fair enough if you are a proven commodity with a track record and portfolio. But I don't understand the mentality of the aspiring comic book artist that wants a Marvel/DC salary after putting out a mini comic that is lauded over by their small circle of friends who have convinced them that they are the next Jim Lee.
Don't get me wrong, Vas isn't doing this book for free and nor should he, but he is humble enough to realise that without exposure it will be difficult for him to be noticed by the bigger companies, so we came to a financial agreement that suits us both and have equal 50/50 ownership of the comic. He has faith in me as a writer and promoter and has never missed a deadline or handed in sub-par work. It has been an absolute joy to work with him and I'm hoping that he will be on board for volume 2 next year.
7. One of the main draws of Video Nasty was getting respected movie poster artist Graham Humphreys to contribute the covers, how did you persuade him to draw the covers?
He is an incredible artist and one that I have admired for many years. It just made sense to me that he do the covers as he is without a doubt the most influential artist in the British Horror movie scene. I emailed him and told him about the project and he got it straight away as we have similar sensibilities. We negotiated a price and the rest is history. You have no idea how satisfying it was to receive those emails from Graham with the finished paintings. Buying an indie comic is a gamble, especially with an unknown writer/artist team. I want people to know that this is a quality product that they can feel safe parting with their hard earned cash for and Graham's work on the covers really help to put that message across. They are visually striking, relate specifically to the content of each issue and are just a joy to take in. We have recently come to an agreement for the collected editions cover, so I still have at least one more image coming my way this year which I can't wait to see.
I started with the motivations for my antagonist. Who was he killing and why? Then I thought of the characteristics of the protagonist and everything else just sort of fell into place. If this character that I created was put into this bizarre situation how would he react? How would the world and people around him be reacting and how would that influence him along the way. I find plotting a story is relatively easy, you just need consistent story beats to keep the reader interested. Not that I'm claiming this book to be perfect in that respect. Issue #2 for example is a slower chapter with more exposition than action, but I like to think that interesting, organic dialogue keeps it flowing until the next big beat.
Keeping it flowing like a horror flick was important to me though. I wanted this book to feel like one of the films from the Video Nasty list. Fans of horror, specifically those that are fans of the nasties, are hardcore fans that know their stuff and I'm hoping that when they read this comic they will appreciate the nods I have sprinkled around the book. Each issue has a subtle theme to it that reflects a specific sub-genre within the list of nasties, whether it be cannibalism, demons or Nazis, it doesn't matter what your favourite Video Nasty is, you'll find something of it reflected in this book.
5. The first issue starts off with a grisly murder, without revealing too much what are the killer’s motivations?
You'll find out in issue #6.
6. As an independent writer, can you describe your experiences in finding an artist?
Bloody hard work. I wrote Video Nasty in 2011 and have been through two previous artists before discovering the talent and incredible work ethic of Vasilis Logios. It would be incredibly easy for me to put out ten books a month if money wasn't an issue, but as it stands the majority of artists out there want to be paid a decent amount for their work, which is fair enough if you are a proven commodity with a track record and portfolio. But I don't understand the mentality of the aspiring comic book artist that wants a Marvel/DC salary after putting out a mini comic that is lauded over by their small circle of friends who have convinced them that they are the next Jim Lee.
Don't get me wrong, Vas isn't doing this book for free and nor should he, but he is humble enough to realise that without exposure it will be difficult for him to be noticed by the bigger companies, so we came to a financial agreement that suits us both and have equal 50/50 ownership of the comic. He has faith in me as a writer and promoter and has never missed a deadline or handed in sub-par work. It has been an absolute joy to work with him and I'm hoping that he will be on board for volume 2 next year.
7. One of the main draws of Video Nasty was getting respected movie poster artist Graham Humphreys to contribute the covers, how did you persuade him to draw the covers?
He is an incredible artist and one that I have admired for many years. It just made sense to me that he do the covers as he is without a doubt the most influential artist in the British Horror movie scene. I emailed him and told him about the project and he got it straight away as we have similar sensibilities. We negotiated a price and the rest is history. You have no idea how satisfying it was to receive those emails from Graham with the finished paintings. Buying an indie comic is a gamble, especially with an unknown writer/artist team. I want people to know that this is a quality product that they can feel safe parting with their hard earned cash for and Graham's work on the covers really help to put that message across. They are visually striking, relate specifically to the content of each issue and are just a joy to take in. We have recently come to an agreement for the collected editions cover, so I still have at least one more image coming my way this year which I can't wait to see.
8. Your work on Circles is deeply personal, how would you say it compares to VN?
It's apples and oranges. I've spoken a lot about horror comics during this interview, but I'm not exclusively a horror writer. Circles is a semi-autobiographical story about my youth, young love, friendship, adolescence, the joys of being a teenager, and the hard times too. When we are young we believe we have the whole world figured out, that we know who we are and what we are going to be and little do we know that the world doesn't conform to our whims and that we are but a mere product of the influences that mould us. Circles is incredibly personal and at times a very difficult story for me to write, but it is and always will be my most important work. I let my guard down with this comic, it is sort of like sitting on the psychiatrist's couch for me as I reveal secrets, some of which I have never told anyone, in order to entertain. I want people to know that my priority with my writing is always to maintain a semblance of reality within everything I put out and I can only do that by building a relationship of trust with the reader. With Circles I am placing my life in their hands and there is no greater respect I can offer. In fact, I reveal my biggest secret to date in chapter 8. Something that may well change my life and not necessarily for the better, but something I feel so strongly about that I can't keep it a secret any longer.
I am also incredibly lucky to be working with an artist the calibre of Frank J. Right on this strip. He understands the emotion that I want to convey with this piece and his art compliments it beautifully. So much so that last year he was nominated for an Arcade Award in his home country of Ireland for his work on Circles and that was after we had only put out three chapters. Just today Frank and I finalised negotiations on another book due out at the end of the year entitled 'Stars Above Love' that I think is going to be a pretty big deal for us both.
9. As a horror aficionado, do you think censors have become irrelevant in an age of downloads and video on demand?
I think censors have always been irrelevant. I don't believe that art should ever be censored. I mean we aren't talking about snuff or child porn, we're talking about art and freedom of expression which is a right that should never be taken away from us just because some finger wagging, self imposed parental figure tells us that they don't like it. I do believe in classification and I think the BBFC in particular have evolved a great deal since the early 1980's, but legal downloads and VoD will be censored if the DVD is. You'll only find the uncut copies you are after on torrent and file share sites, which inevitably hurts the studios, so they end up putting out more family friendly movies and not as many films with an actual backbone. Look at RoboCop. Original, 18 certificate. Remake, 12 certificate. The studios are scared. They won't put out a sequel to Dredd, the BEST comic book movie of 2012, because they won't make as much money as the safer, more family friendly comic book films.
I grew up in the 80's and 90's. Arnie movies and slasher flicks were what I loved as a kid and it didn't turn me into a sadist, but inspired me to become an artist.
FUCK C*NS*RSH*P!!!
It's apples and oranges. I've spoken a lot about horror comics during this interview, but I'm not exclusively a horror writer. Circles is a semi-autobiographical story about my youth, young love, friendship, adolescence, the joys of being a teenager, and the hard times too. When we are young we believe we have the whole world figured out, that we know who we are and what we are going to be and little do we know that the world doesn't conform to our whims and that we are but a mere product of the influences that mould us. Circles is incredibly personal and at times a very difficult story for me to write, but it is and always will be my most important work. I let my guard down with this comic, it is sort of like sitting on the psychiatrist's couch for me as I reveal secrets, some of which I have never told anyone, in order to entertain. I want people to know that my priority with my writing is always to maintain a semblance of reality within everything I put out and I can only do that by building a relationship of trust with the reader. With Circles I am placing my life in their hands and there is no greater respect I can offer. In fact, I reveal my biggest secret to date in chapter 8. Something that may well change my life and not necessarily for the better, but something I feel so strongly about that I can't keep it a secret any longer.
I am also incredibly lucky to be working with an artist the calibre of Frank J. Right on this strip. He understands the emotion that I want to convey with this piece and his art compliments it beautifully. So much so that last year he was nominated for an Arcade Award in his home country of Ireland for his work on Circles and that was after we had only put out three chapters. Just today Frank and I finalised negotiations on another book due out at the end of the year entitled 'Stars Above Love' that I think is going to be a pretty big deal for us both.
9. As a horror aficionado, do you think censors have become irrelevant in an age of downloads and video on demand?
I think censors have always been irrelevant. I don't believe that art should ever be censored. I mean we aren't talking about snuff or child porn, we're talking about art and freedom of expression which is a right that should never be taken away from us just because some finger wagging, self imposed parental figure tells us that they don't like it. I do believe in classification and I think the BBFC in particular have evolved a great deal since the early 1980's, but legal downloads and VoD will be censored if the DVD is. You'll only find the uncut copies you are after on torrent and file share sites, which inevitably hurts the studios, so they end up putting out more family friendly movies and not as many films with an actual backbone. Look at RoboCop. Original, 18 certificate. Remake, 12 certificate. The studios are scared. They won't put out a sequel to Dredd, the BEST comic book movie of 2012, because they won't make as much money as the safer, more family friendly comic book films.
I grew up in the 80's and 90's. Arnie movies and slasher flicks were what I loved as a kid and it didn't turn me into a sadist, but inspired me to become an artist.
FUCK C*NS*RSH*P!!!
Editor's Note: To keep up to date on all things Video Nasty, as well as any other projects of Mario's. Head here!