A Kickstarter is currently going on for the hardcover edition of Michael Schwartz’s ghostly comic book Armored. Schwartz, who spoke with Cemetery Dance in 2023, is back to talk about the extras in the campaign, the other ghost comic he’s been working on, and his podcast centered on Wizard Magazine.
(Interview conducted by Danica Davidson)
CEMETERY DANCE: What can you tell us about the deluxe hardcover edition of Armored?
MICHAEL SCHWARTZ: We’re thrilled to be launching the deluxe hardcover edition of Armored on Kickstarter. The book collects issues 1-5, a stunning cover gallery showcasing every incredible cover from the series, a behind-the-scenes look into the making of Armored, and a 10-page bonus story.
What’s this about a 10-page bonus story?
The bonus story comes from the Armored ½ issue, which was originally published by Wizards The Podcast Guide to Comics and exclusive through Kickstarter. When I joined the podcast, the other hosts pitched the idea of creating an Armored ½ issue in the spirit of classic Wizard Magazine half issues from the late ‘90s and early 2000s. While much of the content from that issue remains exclusive, we’re excited to include the 10-page story in this hardcover edition. Set just before the events of the next story arc, this story offers a deeper look into the haunted suit of armor’s mysterious past and hints at dark new secrets hidden within the castle where it was discovered.
What sort of exclusives can be gotten through your Kickstarter campaign?
For this campaign, we are offering a Kickstarter exclusive dustjacket featuring David Mack’s stunning cover art from the sold-out issue #4. Clover Press has also put together an exclusive 16-piece trading card set, mini-prints of the most popular pieces of Armored cover artwork, and best of all, we’re offering Armored issue 6 — the start of a brand new story arc!
What have you been up to since we last spoke in 2023?
The biggest project I’ve been working on recently is my upcoming graphic novel Till Death, co-written with Rachael Schaefer and illustrated by Gaia Cardinali, who is now wrapping up the final pages. Like Armored, it’s a ghost story — but with a very different tone and style. We’re incredibly excited about this one and look forward to sharing more about it soon.
In addition to working on Armored and Till Death, I’ve been keeping busy with VFX work, teaching at an animation school, and developing new film adaptations based on some of R.L. Stine’s books.
Can you tell us about your Wizards podcast? Do you talk much about horror comics there?
Wizards The Podcast Guide to Comics is a fun, issue-by-issue deep dive into the comic book industry as seen through the pages of Wizard Magazine. Each episode, we take a nostalgic look at news, movie rumors, and comic book buzz of the time — delivered with plenty of humor and a love for all things geek culture. It’s a must-listen for anyone that read the magazine in the ‘90s or early 2000s. Sadly, horror comics do not come up as often as I’d like. However, since we’ve only made it to the year 2000, there’s still plenty of time for horror comics to make an appearance.
Enjoy the following preview of Armored!
