Hercules: Greetings Ryan! Thank you very much for granting us this interview...

Ryan: Oh, you are quite welcome. It is a genuine honor to speak with you about my work.

Hercules: I greatly enjoyed Zeus and the Rise of the Olympians and Legend: The Labours of Heracles. Were you always interested in Greek Mythology?

Ryan: Thank you. When you are working on a project, you never really know how it is going to land with fans, especially with something like mythology, so I am always glad to hear when people like our versions of the classic stories that we crafted.

My passion for mythology really dates all the way back to middle school. For these stories to have lasted for as long as they have is quite an amazing feat. When I was first approached to write graphic novels for educational purposes, after literary classics, mythology was the first genre I pitched. I couldn’t think of a better visual medium to retell these stories than comics.

Hercules: The Gigantomache seemed to be the direction both of these tales were taking us to. Am I perceiving that correctly?

Ryan: In a perfect universe, yes. If the books would have continued, I wanted to balance the stories, almost like how The X-Files had their mythology episodes and their one-shot “monster” episodes. I wanted to do the big epic tent pole stories that people know but I also wanted to do the smaller and lesser known tales too. If I did one book about Hades, I wanted to do a story about Pygmalion. Or if I did one about Poseidon, I would want to tell the tale of Bellerophon or Atalanta.

Theseus should have been the next project on deck as well as The Odyssey. Those scripts were finished but they never saw print.

Hercules: Alas, I would have loved to read your version of these tales! You also wrote Perseus: Destiny's Call and Stolen Hearts: The Love of Eros and Psychefor Campfire's Mythology series. Are they tied into the other graphic novels in the series, or are they complete stand alones?

Ryan: They are standalone stories in that you don’t need to know the entire mythological history in order to enjoy them. Without knowing hardly anything of mythology, you can just jump in. It is just a teacher talking to her student. But for the audiences that are fans, if you know how everything is interconnected, I think you can see the subtle nods.

The goal of the series was always to hook the reluctant reader, so it was my idea to present the story as a teacher – in this case my character of Demiarties – with a student she was tutoring. Demiarties would always show up in the book but a different student was being educated each time. To move the narrative forward, I was always trying to have the student asking the same question that the readers might be asking. And then there would be the “moral to the story” that she was telling.

Hercules: You also wrote The Treasured Thief for Campfire...

Ryan: The Treasured Thief was my first exploration into Egyptian culture. It was my attempt to branch out just slightly, so if the publisher wanted to step out into the rich lore that is Egyptian mythology, we could have done that too. However, Thief was less mythology and more of a folktale you could imagine people telling around the fire. While there is some action in it, it is really more of a romance, much in the same vein as Stolen Hearts was.

Hercules: When were you first aware that you wanted to be a writer?

Ryan: I feel I have always been creative. Up until around high school, you could always find me drawing. And in many ways I felt like I told stories with my art. But I came to the harsh self-realization that my art was not comic book caliber. I knew I would never break into comics as an artist, so around high school, I started making the switch to writing and found that to be much more satisfying. I could use art to add some zing to my writing but it doesn’t work the other way around.

Hercules: What were some of the earliest things you wrote?

Ryan: My first “published” work came in the form of Internet fan fiction. Back in the golden era of the Internet when everyone had 28K or 56K modems, I discovered a fan community for the video game Tomb Raider. So I really cut my teeth there, writing little short stories that received a lot of positive feedback. It started as a whim but then people started emailing me, asking, “When are you doing another story?” So you could say that was some of my first “real” work.

Hercules: Before you became a writer, what other careers did you consider or attempt?

Ryan: Writing and storytelling has pretty much been the only long term goal. I knew I wanted to be a writer back in high school. I was creating ideas for comics while attending college but I always moved forward with the idea of needing a 9-to-5 until I came across by big writing break.

The great thing about writing is that is a somewhat “safe” pursuit. The only thing it really outs me is time but I even see failed attempts to land a job at places like Marvel Comics as time well spent. It is not like I am investing $100K of my own money into a restaurant or a tech startup. I still work my 9-to-5 to support my family and any compensation I get from writing is “supplemental income.”

Hercules: You site RA Salvatore as one of your inspirations. I also loved the Crystal Shard and followed the unfolding tale that began in Icewind Dale for decades. What was it about the series that appealed to you most?

Ryan: I can tell you the exact circumstances as far as where and when I bought The Crystal Shard. There are not many other books I can say that about. I’ve followed Drizzt and the Companions of the Hall ever since. I’ve always been a fan of sword-and-sorcery fantasy, maybe even more so than spandex-hero comics. I loved Salvatore’s characters and the way in which he presented his worlds. By reading his work, I knew doing something like that was what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, it takes me forever to read his books because they inspire me to write so much. I will read his books for thirty minutes and then go write for two hours.

Hercules: You also credit George Lucas' Star Wars...

Ryan: I was born in 1974 so I think it is hard to find a person my age that is not inspired by Star Wars. But really, if you strip away the technology, Star Warsis clearly a fantasy story. If you look at the Death Star as a dragon’s lair (or as a dragon itself with its fiery breath), the story is about a young knight braving his way into the dragon’s lair to rescue a princess. It don’t get much more fantasy than that.

Hercules: Were there any other imaginal universes that inspired your creativity?

Ryan: Those Dungeons & Dragons novels were a huge inspiration. The films of James Cameron are top echelon in my book. You see the way Cameron crafts a story and I immediately say, “I want to do that.” Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth saga. Obviously today, you cannot be a fantasy writer and not be astounded by Game of Thrones. But I loved comics growing up. I still do. So the Marvel Universe is still a sandbox I would love to play in.

Hercules: What was it like working with the Dragon's Lair setting? I remember when the arcade game first came out. Eventually there were home console games and a cartoon if I recall correctly.

Ryan: Yeah, it is a really cool property from the mind of Don Bluth, who is pretty much a legend in animation. Dragon’s Lair came to me via working with MVCreations. They were the studio working on the Masters of the Universe comic series and they gave my first writing gig. I was introduced to Arcana Studios’ head honcho Sean O’Reilly and they asked if I could fill in for the last two issues of the series because the original author could not complete the series due to time constraints. I only had one title under my belt at the time and I really wanted more work. So, I was more than happy to fill out the script based on the original author’s outline. And it is still that sword-and-sorcery style but with just a little bit more “cheesecake” factor mixed in, which I do like.

The same scenario played out with Space Ace – another Don Bluth creation – where they had needed an author to fill in and complete the series. For Space Ace, I stepped in to replace Robert Kirkman – creator of The Walking Dead – so I feel like those are some nice coattails to be attached to.

Hercules: I recall when the Masters of the Universe toys hit the stores and enjoyed the mini-comics that came with them. How was it to work with those iconic characters and situations?

Ryan: When I was growing up, the holy trinity of afterschool cartoons was He-Man, G.I. Joe, and Transformers. I remember getting Castle Grayskull as a birthday present. I read those mini-comics over and over again. I really loved the Masters property. Again, it goes back to that sword-and-sorcery fantasy.

So when the reboot happened on Cartoon Network back in 2002, I ate it up with a spoon. Maybe it was a way of recapturing my youth but, yes, I bought all the figures I could and even a Castle Grayskull. (Okay, two. One for me and one for my kids.) When I saw they were doing a comic book, I was sold on it from Day One. I thought Val Staples and his team really did a great job with those books. When I got my comics for the week, if a Masters book was in it, it was the first one that was always read, even over titles like Todd McFarlane’s Spawn or Spider-Man. So, I approached Val and his editorial team about writing for the series. They gave me some tryouts and I landed my first job. I got to write Volume 3, Issue 8.

I cannot describe how much of an honor and a thrill it was to work on those books. Unfortunately, my book was the last that MVCreations published. I certainly don’t want to sound like I am throwing shade but it is a shame that the lawyers killed those books. I was really hoping to tell more tales in that universe. As it was my first book, it will always hold a place in my heart. But I have to imagine it is the same as today’s filmmakers who were inspired by properties growing up and now they get to play in those universes. Like J.J. Abrams and Star Wars and Star Trek. Or the guys that made Creed.

Even now, thinking about it, it does make me feel a little bummed. Man, there were so many stories I could have told…

Hercules: Please tell us about Midnightto Daylight. The description on Amazon sounds really interesting...

Ryan: Going back to Star Wars, everything that I tell you is true from a certain point of view. I am fascinated with perspective. No army has every marched into war thinking they were the bad guys. So I wanted to tell two different stories – each from a different perspective – that revolved around the exact same events and were happening at the exact same time. In the case of Midnight to Daylight, one side is the vampire (who just wants to survive) and the other is a vampire hunter (who wants that vampire dead for very personal reasons). So, I never really say, “This person is the hero and this person is the bad guy.” It is just two stories… Arcana Comics is the publisher of that title.

The concept was originally to have the books published monthly and they were going to be printed so that you read one story “front to back” and then you flip the comic over and you can read the other story “back to front” (if that makes sense). Then if you compare the pages, what is happening on Page 3 in the hunter’s story is the same time frame as what is happening in the vampire’s story. So when a shared moment happens, it happens on the same “page” in each story.

I am working with Arcana on another project called Lex Talioniswhich utilizes a similar format but not so rigid a time structure. It is currently in the art phase but I am hoping it will be published soon.

Hercules: And what of The Praetorian?

Ryan: So much of my early work was based either on commissions or already established properties. An editor grabbed me and said, “Write about this.” Midnight to Daylight is an original creation but from an objective viewpoint it is pretty small scale. I love Midnight to Daylight very much and the art teams knocked their respective sides out of the park. But, comparatively speaking, it is a “bottle episode.” It is a self-contained story with just a handful of characters that really revolved around the uniqueness of the format.

The Praetorian was one of my first projects that is all me and was a story that was very large in scope. It was my story. My characters. And I feel it is more representative of my style. It revolves around a mysterious woman who is brought to a desert island dominated by a tyrannical wizard. She becomes the figurehead for a rebellion by fighting in the arenas and eventually leads a revolution. Again, more sword-and-sorcery fantasy. I don’t want to sound egotistical but I really felt The Praetoriancould have been adapted to Hollywood. In the back of my mind, I really hoped someone would have slid a copy to Sandra Bullock and John Cena and said, “You need to read this.” I loved the book. I loved how it turned out. But I don’t think it was a commercial success…

Hercules: Which other writing projects have you worked on?

Ryan: You’ve pretty much hit all the highlights. The only other major title that I have worked on as a writer was book also published through Arcana Studios called Penance: Trial of the Century that revolves around a costumed hero being put on trial for murder. That was a big collaborative effort that I had a hand in. But I am hoping to put out new work very soon.

Hercules: Which of your projects has offered you the greatest challenges?

Ryan: Working with mythology is challenging in that you have to respect the history that is there but you still want to present it in such a way that it makes it your own. Some people might see that as writing in a box, like playing in a universe that has a lot of canonical history. Obviously, you want to be creative but you also have to be respectful to what all has come before you. Writing in that is a challenge but it is also fun. I had questions one time and I reached out to a college professor who I saw speaking on the History Channel and he was nice enough to answer me back.

There are literally professors who teach this stuff at a college level. If you are going to step into that sandbox, you cannot just wing it. You have to have done your research. You have to know your stuff. But the cool thing was that using the “storyteller” technique allowed me to move the narrative along and it also let me tell a “version” of the story. What the teacher was saying might not be 100% true but this was her version of the story.

Hercules: Which of them has granted you the greatest level of creative freedom?

Ryan: Telling mythology does hem you in, in that this is a story that has been around for thousands of years. You don’t monkey with that too much. With The Praetorian, I was pretty much allowed to tell whatever story I wanted. There was very little editorial influence. So as far as them trusting me and just letting me tell my story, I was pretty much off the leash and allowed to do whatever I wanted. The catch to that is that if no one likes my story, that issue is squarely on me.

Hercules: And which of them has provided you with the greatest level of personal satisfaction?

Ryan:Writing Masters of the Universe was a tremendous thrill but at the same time it is bittersweet because, looking back, I had so many ideas I would have loved to have presented in that world. The Praetorian is special because it is my ideas, kind of like my child. I loved the story but I think Arcana took a bath on that one financially.

Legend for me was pretty personal. With any writing, you have to get inside the head of your character. And you still want to bring a touch of yourself to the story. I was thinking about Hercules (or more accurately Heracles). What would drive him to track a deer for an entire year? Why would he not give up in the face of these incredible odds? And then it hit me. He is paying penance for the crime that took his wife and kids away from him. He is looking for redemption.

The order of Herc’s twelve labors can sometimes get jumbled up depending on who is telling the tale but the first (the lion) and the last (Cerberus) are always the same. I lost my mom to cancer in 2005 and what I would give for one more conversation. Hercules achieved the impossible 12 times. Since Hades demanded he bring Cerberus back, I thought, “Man, he should be rewarded with one last conversation.” In doing so, Herc gets something we all would love to have: one last conversation with a loved one that we’ve lost. To me, that was a universal truth. Finding a story that everyone can relate to is very hard to do. Unlocking those truths are so rare. So I was very proud of my script and adding my little contribution to the story.

Hercules: What do you love most about being a writer?

Ryan: I love world building. I love creating stories that transport people to other worlds. The joy of working in comics is that collaboration between artists and other creative people. And I like slipping in those “morals to the story.” With Heracles, it is that we would all give anything for one last conversation. With Stolen Hearts, it is the fact that love is not found. It is forged. With Perseus, it is that you have to embrace who you are. You cannot run from your destiny.

Hercules: I am new to your work but have enjoyed your approach to Greek Mythology. Are there be any new projects in this genre on the horizon?

Ryan: I wish but I am afraid not. For reasons that were never explained to me, I had a fully completed and submitted script for Theseus that died on the vine. Fully scripted, ready to go, but never went on to the art phase. I also had a massive script for The Odyssey that was going to be over 150 pages. The script was written, edited, and was also ready to go. But for whatever reason, the project died. Perhaps it was too expensive to produce?

Unfortunately, the company is based in India and I am in Oklahoma, so I can’t exactly knock on their front door. Despite repeated emails and reaching out, no explanation was ever given. I think they are still doing books… just not with me, which is a shame because it was largely an enjoyable experience and according to the majority of reviews, people liked my work.

Maybe the mythology wing just wasn’t profitable. So it is like those television shows that get canceled mid-season.

Hercules: What projects are you currently working on?

Ryan: I am currently working with a company called Yali Dream Creations on two titles that are based on historical battles. I am not certain how much I can discuss openly at this time but I do feel that both titles are epic in their scope and in the action we will be presenting. Both titles are very indicative of my style that I like to write.

And the publishing world has changed dramatically in the last decade with self-publishing, print-on-demand services, and eBooks. So I am working on a novel that I am hoping to self-publish in the near future.

Hercules: Beyond your work as an author, what is the rest of your personal universe like?

Ryan: It is a cavalcade of whimsy the likes of which most mortal men dare not dream of, yet I am cursed with a general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Nah, truth be told I am a pretty normal guy. I work my 9-to-5 and I am a divorced father of three. I am obsessed with movies and I write as my pastime. Aside from a round of Overwatchwith my kids or an occasional romp through Azeroth in World of Warcraft, it doesn’t leave me much time for other things.

Hercules: What's next in the unfolding adventures of Ryan Foley?

Ryan: I wish I knew. I need to travel to the Oracle at Delphi and ask her. I hope it is not fighting a Minotaur but I have been hitting the weights hard over the last couple years just in case it is.

Hercules: How can folks learn more about you and your creative projects?

Ryan: That is a good question and I have no answer. I am horrible and I do mean horrible at self-promotion. I have a Facebook page for “Ryan Foley – Author” but I update it so rarely, it is a bit of a joke. I need to work finding a way to get my name out there. This probably has done more for that than anything I have done in the past year!

Hercules: Thank you very much Ryan! I enjoyed interviewing you and wish you the very best on all of your creative endeavors.

Ryan: It was my pleasure! Keep reading, friends, and write on!

Hercules Invictus Interviews

Ryan Foley

Author of

Legend: The Labours of Heracles