Mike Exner III talks all things “Adamant.”
Loophole Comics: Hello, Mike Exner III.
Mike Exner III: Hello, designated Loophole Comics website interviewer!
LC: Tell us a bit about Adamant.
ME3: Adamant is the story of a superhero that’s thrust into the future by his greatest enemy. When he arrives, he finds that it’s a pretty bleak, dystopian place. And the primary reason the world is the way it is is because Adamant wasn’t around to prevent it. So he teams up with allies old and new to try and get things back on the right track. There’s also a lot of twists and turns in store, including a pretty huge one at the end of the first issue that we’re hoping will flip readers right on their heads.
You can also find most of this information at the handy dandy Adamant ABOUT page.
LC: Speaking of Adamant’s greatest enemy, every good hero has one. Who is Adamant’s main baddie?
ME3: As of Page 1 — READ NOW — Adamant’s primary enemy is Dr. Alpha. The good doctor is brilliant, an expert in a variety of scientific fields of study, but he balances that out by being a genuinely twisted individual. He’s also the one responsible for Adamant’s unplanned jaunt to the future. Dr. Alpha is a pretty consistent thorn in Adamant’s side throughout the comic, and we have BIG plans for the character. Things have changed a lot during Adamant’s absence, and I think it’s definitely safe to say that Dr. Alpha has been altered just as much… if not more.
LC: The cover of chapter one boasts time travel, robots and frogs! How can one book cram in so much fun stuff?
ME3: Adamant is my love letter to superhero comic books. Everything that I enjoy about superheroes and the comics and other media they appear in will be touched on at some point or another in Adamant. As you can see from the cover to the first issue, a few of the things I really, really like are time travel, robots, and yes… frogs! You’ll see all three of those things within the first ten to twelve pages of the comic. This is my solemn vow to the readers.
L: Who else is working on this awesome webcomic with you?
ME3: Adamant was co-created along with me by artist Hany Khattab. Hany reached out to me last year about doing a project of some kind, and since having an artist approach a writer to make comics is pretty much a comics writer’s dream, I quickly agreed. We tossed some ideas around and eventually came up with Adamant. Hany designed a number of the characters, including the distinctive “A” logo Adamant sports, and he pencilled the first four pages of the comic. From there, we contacted inker and tattoo artist Reggie Cuvelier about inking the pages, and he did a tremendous job on Hany’s pencils. Unfortunately, after the first four pages were completed Hany had to take a hiatus and it seemed like Adamant might not continue. But then a tremendous artist and good friend of mine named D.C. Stuelpner stepped forward, providing fully inked pages for our colorist, and rising star if you ask me, Josh Jensen to work his magic on. Rounding out the creative team is Micah Myers, who is probably the hardest working letterer in comics. This man letters pages at a feverish clip, and completes any corrections I ask for within moments of my request.
I can’t express how grateful I am to be able to work with each and every one of these brilliant people. And you can see for yourself how amazing they are by visiting the Adamant CREDITS page.
LC: Where else can we find you?
ME3: I’m pretty easy to find on twitter and patreon and I’m loads of fun to follow.
LC: Thanks for the time, Mike!
ME3: It was my distinct pleasure, designated Loophole Comics website interviewer!
