Lost Boys

Steve Niles and Gary Panter stop in Philly to promote their new collaboration.

by A.D. Amorosi

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It isn't often that giants like Steve Niles — the wry, dry author of comix fare such as 30 Days of Night — get together with giants like Gary Panter, the painter and graphic artist best known for his work in RAW, designs for Pee Wee's Playhouse, album covers for Frank Zappa and The Residents and friendship with Philly's Bardo Pond. But sometimes that's how giants roll.

So on the occasion of the release of Niles' revolutionary Zune Arts graphic novel, The Lost Ones, he'll hang in Philly with one of its artists. This is no one-illustrator gig: The Lost Ones' tale of four extreme-sport pals in a time-traveling interplanetary race for life and limb features four different artists tackling Niles' thrilling narrative, including Dr. Revolt from NYC's graffiti crew The Rolling Thunder Writers; Brooklyn design duo Morning Breath; fashion designer Kime Buzzelli; and Panter.

Panter had never met Niles. "I knew his work, but we'd never talked before," says Panter, whose style for The Lost Ones — inked with brush, flat colors — is similar to the Marvel comic he did recently for Jonathan Lethem's Omega. "There wasn't time to make a baroque comic, but Lost Ones' script was better told with a straightforward style — little cross-hatching or patterning." For Niles' gripping plot, the novelist figured Panter would be perfect. "But it was a bit intimidating, to be honest," says Niles. "He's a legend and I sort of froze. But that's what I love about this project. I mean, what are the chances Panter and I would ever work together?"

Zune Arts, in its quest to move beyond solely digital and video projects, brought all parties to the drawing table for this initial foray into this art/comix medium. (Digital and paperback versions of The Lost Ones will be available.) "There aren't many projects where sharing, caring and creativity are the main points to be stressed," says Niles. "Usually it's murder, monsters and mayhem."

What results is a world of unlimited possibilities wherein Niles' usually dark forces can play in the field of lords like Panter and have an unusually joyous time doing so. "In this story, if you sock Napoleon in the face, you don't change the present, you create a whole new world," says Niles. "It's a real creative playground."

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

Steve Niles and Gary Panter will sign copies of The Lost Ones, Fri., July 18, 6-8 p.m., free, Brave New Worlds, 45 N. Second St., 215-925-6525, bravenewworldscomics.com.