MILES TO GO Announcement New Book from AfterShock

Amara Bishop is a newly single mother with a long-buried past. Raised by an 
alcoholic father in a rundown trailer, Amara was a child when she learned to kill. And she hasn't killed anyone since she was thirteen. When her aging mentor is murdered, and her daughter is threatened, that will soon change...


MILES TO GO #1 / $4.99 / 32 pages / Color / On Sale 9.9.20
Writer: B. Clay Moore
Artist and Colorist: Stephen Molnar
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Cover: Stephen Molnar
Incentive Cover: Francesco Francavilla
 
 
B. CLAY MOORE ON WHAT THE STORY’S ABOUT AND WHY HE’S EXCITED FOR IT TO COME OUT:
 
“The story follows Amara Bishop, who spent her formative years as the apprentice to a government-sponsored assassin, and is now a single mother struggling to figure out why she's never succeeded at anything in life the way she did at, you know -- killing people. When she and her daughter Alea find themselves attacked in their home, she joins an aging colleague of her former mentor's and begins to unravel her past as she fights to secure her daughter's future.
 
I'm excited for people to meet Amara and her "family." I think we've created a unique protagonist with a backstory and a "hook" that will deepen as the story moves forward. One of the underlying themes examines the ways we relate to our loved ones in the wake of difficult decision-making, which hopefully adds some depth to what is, on the surface, an action-oriented genre tale.”
 
B. CLAY MOORE ON HOW HE CAME UP WITH THE TITLE FOR THIS BOOK:
 
“MILES TO GO reflects the idea that Amara has spent much of her life running from a past she can't quite process, and toward a future she can't fully envision. Also, our cast is immediately put on the run, with miles to go before they reach the end of their journey.” 
 
B. CLAY MOORE ON HOW HE FIRST HEARD ABOUT AFTERSHOCK COMICS AND SOME OF HIS FAVORITE TITLES FROM THEM:
 
“I've been aware of AfterShock since they announced their existence. I knew Mike Marts from his days at DC, and have known Joe Pruett since I worked for Image Comics and helped him set up his Desperado imprint there many years ago. AfterShock has been on my radar for two primary reasons. First, they publish work by a broad range of talented creators, from relative newcomers to industry legends. Second, the books they publish seem determined to color outside the lines a bit, pushing boundaries and examining ideas that might not have been commonly explored in comics before. 
 
A few of the titles I've really enjoyed include DARK RED and DARK ARK, both of which are written by friends whose work I always enjoy, and anything by Garth Ennis. Mark Sable and Maan House's new book, GODKILLERS is pretty great, too.” 
 
B. CLAY MOORE ON (3) REASONS WHY COMIC FANS SHOULD ADD THIS TITLE TO THEIR PULL LIST:
 
“First, we've really attempted to focus on the three lead characters, which includes Moses Graves, the aging assassin Amara and Alea reluctantly team up with. We hope readers embrace them, and can relate to their dealing with the curve balls life throws at them. Second, Stephen Molnar is doing fantastic work on the art and color. The project came together after Stephen asked if I wanted to create something new with him, and it's been a true collaboration every step of the way. We've known each other for years, and are glad to have finally found the right project to work together on. Third, I think the story will head in some unexpected and interesting directions, with a lot of energized action along the way. The goal is to create a genre story that's not only heavy on the action, but also brings flesh and blood characters to life, while exploring some deeper themes just below the surface.”
 
STEPHEN MOLNAR ON HIS APPROACH TO THE ART:
 
“It's quite different than what people have come to expect from me. While my style of storytelling and panel design hasn't changed much from what I've done in the past, my line art on MILES TO GO will be more loose and sketchy. It will also be the first project that I've done the color art on. As we get further along in the series I plan to rely on color more often and plan out each book's color scheme at the layout stage.”
 
STEPHEN MOLNAR ON WHAT HE HOPES COMIC BOOK READERS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS BOOK:
 
“What attracted me to Clay's concept for the series was the normal problems that the characters are dealing with. The book may have a larger than life plot device pushing it forward, but it's the personal details of the main characters' relationships that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to.”
 
STEPHEN MOLNAR ON HELPING TO BRING THE STORY TO LIFE AND HIS FAVORITE PANEL OR PAGE FROM THE FIRST ISSUE:
 
“Early in the first book there's a scene where Amara is having a discussion with Alea. It's interrupted by a phone call that directly impacts their conversation. At the same time the serious issue of what to have for breakfast is being dealt with. Alea's reactions to all these things during the scene were a lot of fun to draw and I think any young parent reading the book will be able to empathize with Amara.”