Exclusive Interview With ‘TOXIC SUMMER’ Creator Derek Charm

Step into the eerie yet exhilarating world of “Toxic Summer” as we delve into the creative mind of Derek Charm, the mastermind behind this thrilling comic series. With a blend of classic beach movie charm, teen horror suspense, and Derek’s unique perspective, “Toxic Summer” promises readers an unforgettable adventure filled with twists, turns, and plenty of surprises.

Derek, “Toxic Summer” seems to blend elements of classic beach movies, teen horror, and your own unique perspective. What inspired this eclectic mix, and how did you approach blending these genres seamlessly?

Thanks! What was really exciting about working on this book was getting to put together all of my favorite things and thinking “what would be the most fun thing to write and draw?” and then doing it. I really wanted to keep it light and funny while having this spooky/sci-fi vibe throughout. Like you said, a big influence was ’60s Beach Party movies and classic monster horror, as well as old MAD and EC Comics.

The characters of Ben and Leo find themselves in a nightmare scenario after a toxic spill transforms their dream summer into a waking nightmare. Can you delve into how their dynamic evolves throughout the series, especially in the face of such terrifying circumstances?

I was really grateful for the double sized first issue because I got to spend a lot of time with Ben and Leo and really define who they were before we dove into the weird stuff. As the series starts, Leo is the extreme, energetic leader, while Ben is the more laid back, go-with-the-flow type. As the series goes on and troubles mount, we start to see that Ben has a stronger side to his personality when he has to. They’re both based on very extreme versions of friends of mine, and it was fun imagining how they’d react to the things that come up in the story.

As someone with a knack for capturing the essence of teen summers, what specific elements from your own experiences or observations did you incorporate into “Toxic Summer” to create an authentic atmosphere?

A ton! The town they’re in, Port Dorian, is sort of based on a mashup of various upstate New York sleepy summer towns I’ve been to on vacations over the years. I’ve had beaches closed due to algae build up, shark attacks, dead sea life washing up—everything that ended up in this book but taken to their most extreme.

The covers for “Toxic Summer” feature a range of artistic styles, each capturing a different facet of the story. How do you believe these covers enhance the reader’s experience and anticipation for what’s inside?

The Variant cover process was such an unexpectedly fun part of putting this book together! It wasn’t really something I thought about going in, but I loved being able to reach out to artist friends and brainstorm a dream list with my editor Bess Pallares. I just really loved seeing different versions of these characters and this world come in, and to see what different artists brought to it. It is cool how some artists focus on the horror aspect, while others on the bright beach vibes.

“Toxic Summer” is part of Oni Press’s 2024 lineup, which includes a diverse range of comics pushing genre boundaries. How does “Toxic Summer” contribute to this vision of reinventing foundational genres, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?

It’s awesome to be a part of such an amazing lineup of books. There’s something for everyone in there and I hope people check them out. I love that they’re all visually distinct and art forward. Hopefully someone can find something that resonates with them and that will lead them to other books and creators they may not have encountered otherwise.

The concept of a small beach town overrun by subhuman monstrosities is both thrilling and terrifying. Can you share any insights into the world-building process behind Port Dorian and the creatures that inhabit it?

The creatures and what they may or may not be we discover more about as the series progresses, so I don’t want to reveal too much. As far as the process, I realized early I had to write down the answers to the whole mystery to make sure the world and the story made sense.

“Toxic Summer” promises to transport readers back to the early 2000s, a time of mystery and adventure before the ubiquity of smartphones. How did you ensure that the story captures the essence of that era while still feeling relevant to modern audiences?

As a teenager of the early 2000s, the essence of that era is in my blood. I think this story would have those vibes even if it was set in the modern age. The main thing about the current day like you said is that it’s too easy to solve every mystery and answer every question with the click of a button, and I wanted them to have an easier time being clueless. It just made sense to me to set it in that time.

As an Eisner Award-winning artist, what aspects of the visual storytelling in “Toxic Summer” are you most proud of, and how do you believe the artwork enhances the overall narrative?

After having worked on so many projects where there’s an established style or way of doing things, I was really excited to kind of break out and do what I thought would work best for the story and take some chances. I was really focused on the colors, and having corrupted colors for different environments. When we’re outside in Port Dorian there’s a green haze and everyone is tinted green, shadows are green, then when we’re inside under artificial light, everything is warmer. These are things that are done a lot in animation that I was excited to try out here.

Finally, “Toxic Summer” is described as a fast-paced comics escapade with teeth. What do you hope readers will find most compelling about this series, and what excites you most about sharing it with audiences?

I just hope people have a good time reading it! I really wanted to do something fun and silly with a horror/sci-fi vibe. Not really focused on any messages or deeper meaning, just two best friends navigating an increasingly insane series of events while trying to have the best summer ever.

Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997 is proud to present TOXIC SUMMER #1 – a fast-paced comics escapade with teeth from the mutated mind of Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Derek Charm (Jughead, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl)! Told across three specially formatted, bi-monthly issues beginning on May 1st – on shelves for Free Comic Book Day 2024 – this monster-sized 48-page nightmare beach party will keep you up all night … If you can live long enough to tell the tale!