GVN Talking Comics Interview: Matthew Arnold On Comixology Originals’ Outer Lands (Exclusive Page Reveals)

If Matthew Arnold, a Director, Producer, and Writer, had solely concentrated on his successful television productions, he would have undoubtedly succeeded in that realm alone—something he has indeed accomplished. However, during the challenging days of the pandemic, Matthew chose to further expand his creative pursuits by venturing into the world of graphic novels. His first graphic novel, “Eden,” was published under Comixology Originals and featured artwork by Riccardo Burchielli.

Fast forward to today, Comixology Originals has once again teamed up with the talented writer for his latest graphic novel, “Outer Lands,” featuring artwork by Davide Gianfelice and a cover by comic legend Jock. Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew about his creative journey, his work on “Eden,” and his newest project, “Outer Lands.” In addition, the amazing team at Comixology Originals shared an exclusive page reveal from the book. But first, let’s give a warm welcome to the talented Matthew Arnold to GVN Talking Comics!

Embracing Film Creation at an Early Age

GVN: Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today, Matthew. Since this is our first conversation, let’s begin by discussing your creative beginnings. Were you always interested in creating film and television? Who inspired that enthusiasm?

Matthew: I was a teenager when my parents bought our first home video camera. Once I had that in my hands, all I wanted to do was make little movies with my friends. I’d craft stories and scenes and daydream about it relentlessly when I was in school. I never really thought about filmmaking as a career until I was much older, and I was wildly inspired by Quentin Tarantino. Seeing what he was able to do as an indie filmmaker brought me from Kentucky to Los Angeles, which marked the official beginning of my professional career.

Shadow People

GVN: Your film directorial debut was in 2013 with Shadow People. How long did it take you to put the film together, and what did you learn in that process that has carried with you as your career has progressed?

Matthew: It took about four years from the inception of the idea to seeing it on screen. The movie had various iterations and financing stops and starts. It wasn’t until I met a producer named Michael Ohoven that we really put the pieces together and were about to get it made.

The Evolution of “Siberia”

GVN: Not long after that, you took on the creative trifecta of Creator, Director, and Executive Producer for NBC’s Siberia. Did you have any trepidation in having such a firm grip on the creative reins for a network show?

Matthew: Actually not, surprisingly. Siberia didn’t start as an NBC show. It was independently financed, with the same producer who produced Shadow People with me. By then, I had a pretty decent command of directing and also writing. Siberia was a natural progression, especially after I became obsessed with mystery shows like LOST. It wasn’t until I was directing the finale episode that we learned that NBC had heard about our indie TV production and wanted to meet with us. I stayed on set to finish the series and the producer met with the President of the network. They offered to buy the whole series on the spot for a primetime network show. We were all blown away.

Matthew’s First Graphic Novel

GVN: In 2020, you put your talents to work on the graphic novel “Eden” for Comixology Originals and Dark Horse. What pushed you in the direction of writing a graphic novel, and how different was it for you from writing for film or television?

Matthew: Eden came to fruition during Covid, when my industry had mostly shut down. I always loved graphic novels, but there never seemed to be enough time to write one, with all the TV pitches and scripts I was working on. The pandemic became an opportunity to try something new. The writing process was quite different from script writing because I equated it more to directing, where I was really envisioning the scenes and describing the angles and lighting. I love the graphic novel writing process, it’s incredibly rewarding that way.

Outer Lands

GVN: Your latest effort in the graphic novel genre is another team-up with Comixology Originals for “Outer Lands.” Did Comixology approach you after the first one to possibly collaborate again in the future, or did you pitch this story to them?

Matthew: I pitched them a new story I had been focusing in on for my next creative project, because I thought it was more appropriate as a graphic novel than a TV or film script. I think the success of Eden, and how well that one turned out, was what made them want to go another round with me. I remember in my pitch meeting with Jeff Dibartolomeo, he held up a splash page from Eden, when the convicts are entering the town and said, “If you can write another graphic novel that looks like this, with another great story, we’re definitely in.”

The Inspiration for “Outer Lands”

GVN: So, what was the inspiration for this story, and if you could, please give our readers a synopsis of what Outer Lands is about?

Matthew: Without giving too much away, Outer Lands appears on its surface to be an Ancient Greek, sword-and-sandal adventure that soon spirals into a twisty, science fiction epic when our hero discovers a massive conspiracy at the center of his world. What primiarly inspired it was my time in Kentucky working construction jobs with the Amish, whom I became fascinated with — their culture, their rejection of the modern technological world. To find out why that has anything to do with the story…you’ll just have to read the book.

Speaking of “Reading the Book,” here are the exclusive pages, courtesy of the creative team of Matthew Arnold, Davide Gianfelice, and Comixology Originals.