If you are a regular reader of Nerdist, you probably know that we are big Sleepy Hollow fans. In addition to bringing you coverage from special Sleepy events on red carpets and at San Diego Comic Con, we’re also the home of the SleepyCast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast. Now that Sleepyheads have a third season confirmed, it’s only a few short months before we’re reunited with Ichabod, Abbie, Jenny and Frank.
Now, to hold you over, we have an interview with Mike Johnson, author of the comic book Sleepy Hollow: Origins on sale Wednesday, April 8 from BOOM!
It’s no small task to tell a piece of the origin story behind beloved characters like Abbie and Jenny Mills, Ichabod Crane and Abraham Van Brunt, but lucky for him, Johnson was a Sleepyhead himself as he explained to us.
“I was a big fan. I’m biased because a few years back I worked for the show’s co-creators Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, which ultimately led to my work on these comics, but the show is right up my alley. It’s got history, horror, and mystery combined with a dark sense of humor. I love it.” Johnson continued explaining why he was excited to address the backstory for the audience favorites, saying, “All of the characters had gone through dramatic events in their lives even before we met them in the pilot, and I was intrigued by going back and exploring those transformative moments through their distinctive voices. It’s like being able to hear their thoughts at critical moments in their pasts.”
A fan himself, were there any challenges that the author faced writing in the distinct tones of the characters in the Sleepy-verse? Even if there were, they were challenges that Johnson readily accepted. “It was one of the most fun things about the project. There was a challenge in making sure it all matched up with what’s in the show, but I really enjoyed both portraying different time periods and writing the different voices of the characters living in those times.”
With characters as exciting as those found in the world of Sleepy Hollow, was there one in particular that he was most looking forward to exploring? “I was really looking forward to writing the Horseman, and I loved playing with his voice before and after his head took leave of his body,” he explained. “In the end I think I liked writing Abbie the most. She’s such an interesting character, and Nicole Beharie has really brought her to wonderful life on the show. If I get another opportunity I’d like to use the comics as a way to explore the history of Sleepy Hollow itself, other secrets of the town down through the centuries that might tie into the main characters’ stories at some point.”
Sleepy Hollow: Origins, written by Mike Johnson, featuring cover art by Joe Quinones and art by MatÃas Bergara, is available on Wednesday, April 8 from BOOM!
Sleepy Hollow will return to Fox this fall with all new episodes.
