Meet the Creator: Matz
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It’s 40 years since Snowpiercer, creators Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette introduced readers to a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity’s last remnants clung desperately to life on a massive train, separated by carriage and corruption, forever circling the world on an endless track. This seminal sci-fi series inspired an award-winning movie starring Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, and the Snowpiercer TV series, airing on TNT and Netflix.
Award-winning Hard Case Crime writer Matz joined forces with original artist and co-creator Jean-Marc Rochette to unleash all-new prequel: Snowpiercer: Extinction.
How did you first encounter the Snowpiercer series?
MATZ: I first encountered Transperceneige (Snowpiercer) pretty much when it came out in the 80s. I still have the first edition!
I’ve always been a fan of Jacques Lob. I’ve been reading his work since I was young, when he collaborated with Jijé, Gotlib, Gigi, and then later on with Pichard or Druillet. I paid attention to the names on the covers, even as a kid! He had an amazing career, and a great style. I was quite honored when Rochette asked me to work with him on a new Snowpiercer – I felt like I was walking in the footsteps of a giant.
Unfortunately I never got to meet Lob himself. My first book was published the year he died, in 1990.
What’s your favorite aspect of the series? The train? The characters?
MATZ: The original series mixes sci-fi with a touch of poetry, in a way that I really like. The train itself, the titular Snowpiercer, is a rather original idea, and the perfect setting for a post-apocalyptic parable. I’m guess Lob thought long and hard about human nature, the fate of the Earth, and how to approach it all in a smart and entertaining way. The end result was a rather powerful, striking tale.