Throughout his award-winning career, science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson has published over 140 books, with more than 50 appearing on U.S. and international bestseller lists. His works have sold more than 23 million copies worldwide. Among his numerous titles, he has written spin-off novels for franchises such as Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files. Additionally, he co-authored the Dune prequel series with Brian Herbert.
On November 18th, Abrams ComicArts is releasing Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set, collecting Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Raúl Allén, and Patricia Martín’s acclaimed graphic novel adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary 1965 novel Dune. In advance of this pending box set, we caught up with the prolific author to discuss his career, his many adaptations of popular franchises, and, of course, his work on Frank Herbert’s Dune. So let’s welcome the talented Kevin J Anderson to GVN Talking Comics.
Creative Origins
GVN: Thank you, Kevin, for taking the time to speak with us. Since this is our first opportunity to chat, let’s begin by exploring your creative beginnings. When did you first develop an interest in writing, and which authors inspired you to pursue this ambition?
KEVIN: I knew I wanted to tell stories before I knew how to read. I watched movies (especially influential was The War of the Worlds) and my imagination spun off to make up other stories. When I could read, early landmarks for me were the classics by HG Wells, then I graduated to Andre Norton and Edgar Rice Burroughs, and then I read DUNE when I was 11 and that truly changed my life.
Working at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
GVN: I noticed that you worked for 12 years at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which focuses on research and development in science and technology. This seems quite different from writing best-selling novels and comics. How did this opportunity arise, and at that time, did you see that position as your career choice?
KEVIN: Oh, it’s absolutely not different at all! I loved science fiction and I wanted to write science fiction. In college, I majored in Physics and Astronomy and got my degree. I hoped to be a novel writer, but it’s hard to make a living that way…at least for a very long time. So I became a technical writer, using my science background and my writing skills to do papers and reports, while I spent every day in a huge, high-tech research lab. It was pure inspiration.
Working on Popular Franchises
GVN: You have had a varied and successful writing career, contributing to some of the biggest franchises, including Star Wars, X-Files, and, of course, Dune. Did you feel any apprehension about working on such well-established fan favorites? After all, Star Wars fans can be particularly challenging to please.
KEVIN: I never thought about writing in other established universes until one day my editor called and told me Lucasfilm liked my work and asked if I was interested in writing sequels to Star Wars. Since I loved Star Wars, I jumped at the chance. I didn’t really think about the challenges; I was a huge fan and I knew I would pour my best work into it. The Star Wars success led to me being noticed by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, and also to DC Comics (I did some Batman and Superman novels). But my favorite science fiction novel was DUNE, and Frank Herbert had left his series on a huge cliffhanger when he passed away. After I’d established my credentials in working in existing well-known universes, I found a way to contact Brian Herbert and asked if he would be interested in working together to finish his father’s story.
When I work in an existing franchise, I completely immerse myself in the universe, reading, watching, living and breathing everything about the characters and the details. I know it inside and out before I do any writing. When I did my first Star Wars novel in 1993, that was the early days of the internet…and internet trolls were a new and unexpected thing. But each fandom has them, and I keep in mind that I am writing for the millions of fans who love the further adventures, not the dozen who will find fault with everything.
Putting his Talents to Work with Brian Herbert on Dune
GVN: I had mentioned “Dune,” and it was after the passing of the legendary creator Frank Herbert that you began collaborating with his son, Brian, to continue and expand upon his father’s iconic vision. How did this collaboration come about? Did Brian approach you, or did you reach out to him first?
KEVIN: Frank’s last novel in the series, Chapterhouse Dune, ends on a cliffhanger, and it’s obvious that he wasn’t finished with the story. As a Dune fan, I wondered for years what was going to happen to those stranded characters in crisis. My own career took off and I published many novels, won or was nominated for almost every major award in the field, and earned my chops at writing in someone else’s universe, I finally got up the nerve to write to Brian Herbert through a mutual friend, and I asked if he had any plans to complete the series, or if he would consider the two of us collaborating. When we first talked on the phone, we hit it off immediately and started exchanging ideas like crazy. We quickly realized that we could work together…and now we’ve written 24 collaborative novels.
The Popularity of Dune
GVN: As a follow-up, what do you think it is about Frank’s original “Dune” saga, as well as the work you and Brian have done, that resonates with so many fans, both old and new?
KEVIN: As I said above, I read a lot of science fiction adventure when I was younger, Andre Norton and Edgar Rice Burroughs in particular, but when I encountered Dune it was so much MORE. Not just an adventure story on an alien planet, it was all so rich and detailed and REAL. I had never encountered a science fiction novel with so much world building before, with layers and layers of politics, ecology, religion, philosophy, economics. You can read it on so many different levels and I think each person takes away a different impact and epiphany. I have read DUNE more than I’ve read any other novel (28 times, I believe), and I always find something new. Even just doing the graphic novel scripts for Dune: The Graphic Novel, we had to do such a careful x-ray on every single scene, I found many many nuances I had never noticed before.
Abrams ComicArts: “Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set
GVN: This brings us to the upcoming release from Abrams ComicArts: “Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set.” A collection of all three of your acclaimed graphic novel adaptations of Frank’s original Dune novel, in collaboration with Brian and artists Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín. How did this project come about, and what can fans expect from this boxed set? Can it serve as an introduction for those who are new to the world of Dune?
KEVIN: For years there had been discussions about bringing DUNE into the comics arena, and we had various comic publishers interested. At the time, there were also discussions and negotiations for a new film adaptation of DUNE, so just the business aspects were very complicated. What emerged was the perfect platform, I think, with BOOM! Studios producing monthly comic books adapting our first prequel trilogy—House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino—which have all been gathered in hardcover collections, and Abrams ComicArts producing the higher-end editions of the graphic novel adaptation of DUNE itself.
Because Frank’s classic novel is divided into three books, we decided to do the graphic novels the same way. When Brian and I approached adapting such a masterpiece, the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, we both immediately agreed that it needed to be done, scene for scene, the way Frank had written it. We weren’t going to “adapt” it by changing all kinds of things. So, when you read the three volumes, you will get the visual experience of exactly what the novel is. We think the most die-hard fans will appreciate it, and a whole new readership can also be introduced to the classic novel in this way, and we hope they go on to read the book.
Considering his Best Work
GVN: Thank you again for joining us today, Kevin. Before wrapping up, I like to end with a fun hypothetical question, especially for someone with such an impressive body of work. Imagine you’re invited to contribute a selection of your works to a time capsule celebrating the best of sci-fi and fantasy literature. Which titles would you choose for that collection?
KEVIN: Well, all of them of course! Seriously, when I look back at all my titles, I am very proud of the range of works and genres. In the Dune series, I think our best is the Legends of Dune trilogy—The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle of Corrin—which establishes the origins of the Dune universe. Of my other books, I am especially fond of my steampunk fantasy adventure Clockwork Angels, which I cowrote with my friend Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist from Rush. My new Lovecraftian science fiction novel NETHER STATION is a particular favorite.. And, just for the sheer delight, I love my humorous Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series; the first novel is DEATH WARMED OVER. (I don’t know if you can add a link, but I have signed copies of all my books at wordfireshop.com )
Abrams ComicArts is releasing Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Raúl Allén, and Patricia Martín on November 18th.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
