[PROCESS] An Interview with W. Maxwell Prince
Talking to the writer of GAME OF CITIES AND THINGS
Today, we’ve got a special bit of [PROCESS] content for you, as we talked to W. Maxwell Prince, writer of GAME OF CITIES AND THINGS, our latest LEGENDS story.
You can read GAME OF CITIES AND THINGS Part 1 and Part 2 now, and next Tuesday we’ll be back with Part 3, the conclusion. After that, we’ll have another [PROCESS] post for you, going behind the scenes with the story’s artist, Marco Rudy.
Finally just a reminder that this story will be collected in print as part of LEGENDS VOLUME TWO, a 200-page edition featuring tales told within the 3 Worlds / 3 Moon universe by some of the best talent in comics. If you’d like to get you’d like to get the gorgeous deluxe hardcover, join THE CIRCLE, our premium tier today (Annual subscribers will receive a softcover of the book).
Now, here’s W. Maxwell Prince…
3W/3M: First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with us and answer a few questions. So, how'd you arrive at 3 Worlds / 3 Moons, and what drew you to wanting to work within this creative sandbox?
W. Maxwell Prince: Editor extraordinaire Molly Mahan sent me a lovely invitation to take part in this massive landscape of worlds, moons, stories, sub-stories, stacks, and sub-stacks. I’m usually a “no” guy when it comes to invitations, but Molly promised me my favorite thing: creative freedom. And so I was able to make this Italo Calvino homage inside the world that so many writers have helped build. (Thanks, Molly!)
Given much of the foundations are still being laid in how the worlds and moons interact and the universe functions, what was your experience like coming up with a story that fit within what was known, and how did you find a way in based on what has been published so far?
As I mentioned a second ago, I had this deep desire to do a Calvino riff…somewhere. And when I started to read about Heir, and its rules (and lack thereof), I knew exactly where I could have my post-modern fun.
You're best known for your creator-owned work, was coming into another creators' universe tricky?
YES! I am not accustomed to playing with other people’s toys. But it turns out it is a hell of a lot of fun. I’m playing with a rather LARGE toy this summer, so GAME OF CITIES AND THINGS was a fun (and beautiful, thanks to Mr. Rudy) dry-run on how to work within the confines of an existing narrative,
What led you to include Darjon the Blind in the story?
Heir is chock-full of schemers and people trying to get ahead (or atop, as it were). And the second I met Darjon in the previous 3W/3M materials, it occurred to me that he is this kind of one-man system of checks and balances on royalty, and those that would dare try to become royal. (Also: he looks really cool, man. He’s got a blindfold even though he’s blind, a super-sweet long-ass cutlass, and lacks any apparent need for shirts. That’s just, as kids say, “baller shit.”)
How did your collaboration with Marco Rudy come together? What was it like working with him on this story?
That was all thanks to Molly. I don’t want to muddy things with words. Use your EYES and look at what Marco did. It’s the stuff of dreams.
From your [LEGENDS] story and Ice Cream Man, it's clear you thrive in the anthology and one-shot space when it comes to comics and storytelling. What draws you to the short story?
I love how short it is, and how, eo ipso, it’s not long. Short stories offer a lot of that, and ~30 pages is exactly how long my internal lithium ion battery lasts before needing to be recharged. (With alcohol.)
Do you have any interest in writing anything longer?
I’d be down for 32 pages. 33? I dunno.
For our readers who may or may not be familiar with your prior work, would you like to give them a quick pitch and why 3W/3M fans in particular may be interested in it?
I’ve got the market cornered on short, weird stories. So the basic structure of 3W/3M is perfect for a guy like me, and my storytelling sensibilities.
Ice Cream Man is a genre-defying ongoing “anthology” comic that features a new story, new characters, and often a new FORM of storytelling (we’re known for our experimentation) every issue. The one thing holding them together? A mischievous, magical ice cream man named Rick, who could be God, the Devil, or a stray cat come to life. We’re 44 issues in, and we’re hoping our readership helps buoy us to 100!
A film adaptation of Ice Cream Man is on the horizon. Congratulations! Is there any news or updates you can share about that?
I can’t speak about it, unfortunately. But it’s fun and good!
Lastly, what else can readers look forward to reading from you in 2025? If it's not yet announced, whatever you can tease!
Please do check out a little indie jam I’m doing with my Ice Cream Man collaborators in August. It’s called SUPERMAN: THE KRYPTONITE SPECTRUM, and is on the “Black Label” of the DC Comics publishing concern.
Thanks for sharing! I love the process stuff.