Unit 44 #8: Final 4 Days!

Let's keep this thing alive!

Hi friends!

We’re in the final days of the Alterna Comics August Preorder campaign, and while we’ve met our crowdfunding goals, it’s coming down to the wire to ensure you secure your copy of Unit 44 #8: A Brush With Death for $2.25!

With story and letters by me, art by Aleks Jovic, and colors by Andrew Pate, it’s our wackiest issue yet as inept Agents Gibson and Hatch give the Grim Reaper a ride to Area 51, but as the day goes on, they worry they may be his next victims!

And while I have you, here’s the latest installment of my Area 51-on-1 interview series where I constantly ask ridiculous questions of series artist Aleks Jovic. It’s always a good, weird time!

WES: Aleks… Can you believe it that I made it to issue #8 of Unit 44? How cool is that?

ALEKS: Unbelievable! I am so happy and enthusiastic and I'm having such a wonderful time. I just don't see anything ruining this wonderful moment we are having. 

WES: Issue #8 has inept Area 51 employees Gibson and Hatch meeting Death himself. Are you scared of the concept of death?

ALEKS: …I don't really think about it that much. Just trying to enjoy the time I have.

WES: Because I’m totally freaked out at the concept of death.

ALEKS: …well, you really shouldn't think about it too much. Hey, we are at issue 8 of this wonderful comic we are creating. How about we talk about that?

WES: Not to make this about me, but the idea of dying really, really, really freaks me out.

ALEKS: …I get it…it is scary. All your life you are busting your ass to avoid death, and in the end it catches up to us all. Almost like we are some sort of a cruel cosmic joke…

WES: I mean, one minute you’re here… the next you’re not… It’s just… it’s weird, you know?

ALEKS: …like nothing you do matters at all…all the things you accomplish, all the hurdles you overcome…and in the end…puff…nothing…

WES: This is about you, I promise. It’s not about MY crippling fear of dying. 

ALEKS: …all the stupid fights we have…and for what? What's right and wrong? Is there even such a thing? 

WES: Because it’s totally terrifying. Am I wrong?

ALEKS: You know I read somewhere that when you die, you go back to where you were before you were born. But I don't remember anything before I was born!

WES: Okay, moving on. Wait… Am I having an existential crisis?

ALEKS: Is it just darkness? At the end of this whole journey, there is just nothing? Are we just some puppets pretending to have free will? Or are our egos just so big and we pretend that choices we make in life matter?

WES: So, anyway, this issue. You drew some stuff. What was the most fun thing you drew?

ALEKS: …I don't know, man…you got me all depressed with all this death stuff… I don't wanna do this anymore…

WES: When you say “Grim Reaper,” people obviously have an idea in their heads. How did you approach Death’s design in this issue?

ALEKS: Well I was in a much better place than I am now, I'll tell you that! 

Boy, if we had this conversation before we finished this issue, he would have been a lot different.

WES: This was your third issue of Unit 44 to be released. Readers may not know that you’ve drawn 5 in total–more than any other artist. Are you sick of it yet?

ALEKS: No! 

WES: How about that colorist, Andrew Pate? He’s killing it over your inks.

ALEKS: Oh yeah, he is awesome! 

I believe Pate is also a French dish, a savory filling of meat and fat that is baked in a terrine and served hot or cold. 

WES: You’re thinking of Pâté.

ALEKS: Yeah. Big fan.

WES: What keeps you coming back to draw more Unit 44?

ALEKS: I was recently diagnosed with something called "negativeanswerophobia". Basically it means I can't answer in a negative way to any question…and you keep asking…

WES: If someone hasn’t read the series, why should they check it out?

ALEKS: Okay, I'm gonna be serious just for this question. The amount of fun we have making this silly weird comic is just unbelievable. And if people can get just a tiny bit of that by reading it I think it's well worth it. 

And you should check it out so we can keep making more! Read our comic so I can have more fun in my life that Wes just ruined with all his death talk! 

WES: Cool. Because I was genuinely confused why people would want to read this madness. I’m not sure that’s a question, but I’ll pause for comment.

ALEKS: I acknowledge and accept your pause, and I will honor it. 

WES: Thanks for lending your artist talents to this irreverent sci-fi/comedy. If I haven’t said it lately, I appreciate you. 

ALEKS: And I appreciate you too, buddy. Thank you for bringing me along on this crazy ride.