By J.C. Vaughn

A lot of people who don't normally like horror movies or zombie films or bizarre adventures seem to be going back and re-evaluating their preconceived notions of those genres, at least when it comes to Sam Raimi's Evil Dead/Army of Darkness three-pack of wise-cracking, zombie-fighting escapades.

In the light of the director's outstanding and conspicuous success with the two Spider-Man features and the Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys television series, many fans are still discovering the cult classic zombie-bashing movies starring Bruce Campbell as Ash, an employee at the S-Mart superstore who finds himself caught up in some serious tongue-in-cheek weirdness salted with chainsaws, shotguns and Elvis references.

Even though Army of Darkness, the last of the films, came out more than a decade ago, the enthusiastic base of fans continues to grow. Now Dynamite Entertainment and Devil's Due Publishing have scored a surprise (to some) hit with a new comic book incarnation of Ash and his adventures.

Last week, Scoop exclusively previewed pages from the first issue of the second mini-series, Army of Darkness: Shop Till You Drop (Dead). This time we're talking with writer James Anthony Kuhoric, an Evil Dead/Army of Darkness fan of very long standing, who also writes Stargate SG-1 for Avatar Press.

Scoop: When did you see the first Evil Dead film?
James Anthony Kuhoric: I first saw Evil Dead in 1987. I was hanging out with a high school buddy who was a real horror aficionado. He talked his parents into renting Evil Dead on video a few weeks before the sequel came out in theaters. We chowed down on pizza and popcorn to the “Ultimate in Grueling Terror” and loved every second of it. I think his parents' commentary through the video actually made the show even better. It was classic mom & dad “oh-my-God” and “What did we rent?” Let's face it, as a sophomore in high school, seeing a flick like Evil Dead while revolting your parents is pretty much a win-win situation.

Scoop: Did you see them in order?
JAK: Actually, yes I did. We snuck into the R-rated showing of Evil Dead 2 a few weeks later at the local movie theater. I think we even smuggled in pizza subs and sodas... Hey, high school kids have a tight budget, you know? Several years later my wife (who at the time was my high school sweetheart) took me to see Army of Darkness for my birthday. I knew right there that she was a keeper.

Scoop: What made you like them so much?
JAK: Two words - “Bruce Campbell.” The cheesy special effects, the innovative camera angles, and the incredible mix of horror and humor made the show really good, but he made it great. From his elastic face to the simple moxie he exudes. Campbell's performance is iconic and likeable in the films. He is the quintessential modern day monster fighting wise guy.

Scoop: You've suggested for years that there should be an Evil Dead/Army of Darkness comic. Now there is one and you're writing it. Any jitters because this long-held dream finally came true?
JAK: Yes and no. Absolutely jittery about finally getting to work on a series that I've enjoyed for years. The Evil Dead/Army of Darkness fans are a serious group and they want anything that represents the franchise to be legitimate. Of course, being one of those fans I feel the same way and it was actually easy to come up with the story concept. I usually try to put myself in the mental position of the main character for my stories and write from their point of view. With Ash, it was a blast! I did come just short of cutting off my hand in favor of a chainsaw though...not quite that crazy yet.

Scoop: Have you read all of Danger Girl writer Andy Hartnell's first story arc? What did you think?
JAK: I don't know Andy personally, but he is obviously a fan of the show. I read his scripts and outlines before setting to work on the AOD: Shop 'Til You Drop Dead series and was really impressed.

Scoop: Judging by the preview we ran in Scoop last week, you've got to be happy with Nick Bradshaw's art on your first issue, right?
JAK: I can't say enough about Nick Bradshaw as a person and an artist. I met Nick for the first time at Wizard World Chicago this past year and he was fantastic. The best thing about his art is his grasp of the property and his uncanny way of making the perfect AOD interpretation of the descriptions. Every page I have seen has blown me away! You couldn't ask for a better talent to lead this series. Thanks Nick!

Scoop: Is Army of Darkness pretty much your dream gig in horror comics?
JAK: Absolutely! When it comes to movies and comics I'm a horror fanatic. Army of Darkness is easily one of my top five favorites. The only down side has been that we haven't seen any new adventures in over a decade...until the comics. Now the AOD fans have something new to enjoy and add to their collections!

Scoop: What's your background in collecting?
JAK: I've been collecting comics for about 23 years. My tastes are all over the place. I like a wide variety of stuff from Star Wars to Walking Dead, and I have a complete run of Amazing Spider-Man. I've been a big '70s TV and movie comic guy, too, so you can likely see me scouring the Bronze Age bins looking for bargains at the biggest conventions.

Scoop: You're also writing Stargate SG-1. Should we expect a crossover?
JAK: An Army of Darkness/Stargate crossover - now that would be something to see! I think Colonel Jack O'Neill and Ash would get along pretty well and I know for sure that Ash would kick plenty of Goa'uld butt. Hmmm...I'll have to pitch that one...

Scoop: Is this stuff only that Army of Darkness fans would like or are you aiming for wider appeal?
JAK: I think it would appeal to anyone who enjoys that eccentric mix of horror and humor that AOD does so well. Ash is an everyman, so I think we can all identify with him in one way or another and if you like a Three Stooges-esque approach to your undead dismemberment, you'll love these comics!

Reprinted by permission from November 12, 2005 edition of Scoop, the weekly free email newsletter from Gemstone Publishing and Diamond International Galleries. To get Scoop each Friday, visit http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/signup.

©2005 Gemstone Publishing, Inc.