So… the 2016 presidential cycle, huh? Let’s not go down that rabbit hole. But if you’re looking for something political to read, and not necessarily too much inside the beltway talk, than “Indoctrination” is just for you. It’s described as by Matthew Battaglia, the comic’s artist, “it ain’t quite, quite your typical comic topic”: domestic terrorism.
“It’s apocalyptic, frightening. It should be talked about more,” Battaglia said. “It’s an important book in that regard, but if you just want a good thriller, if you care about the ideas that we’re talking about it’ll work on that deep of a level as well.”
Panel three of ‘Indoctrination’ issue one. (The GWW/Courtesy of Z2 Comics)
Aside from the politics, Michael Moreci, “Indoctrination” writer, and Battaglia want to entertain their readers and put them on a “pretty cool thrill ride” where “there’s crazy plot twists, great cliffhangers, and I think some genuinely unique and cool moments,” Moreci said in an email.
“I hope people learn the dangers of radicalism,” he added, “and I mean that in a broad sense. Not just what we see as terrorist radicalism, I mean the radicalism that’s being passed as mainstream politics. People need to remember that us humans… we’re not enemies. People need to grow the f–k up and stop entrenching themselves against each other on every single issue in order to find solutions and progress our world forward, there’s no other way. We have to evolve and get better for ourselves, our planet and future generations.”
Both Moreci and Battaglia birthed “Indoctrination” out of personal political discussion between each other. Talks which they said they’ve had for a while. Moreci actually said he was “nervous to dive into such dark waters again” because he recently finished working on the comic “Burning Fields,” a political thriller. However, as time passed and the amount of ideas being bounced back and forth continued to grow, it was made clear that they had to pursue it.
“I ask myself that all the time,” Moreci said about why he chose to work with Battaglia. “Kidding! Matt’s great. We’re friends first, then collaborators, so we have a great relationship. Our politics are oftentimes opposed to one another, but I think we’re good at using that opposition to spark deeper understanding in our views and in our work. Not only that, but Matt’s a skilled artist and a risk taker, which ‘Indoctrination’ needs.”
“It makes for a better book,” Battaglia said of the “politics are oftentimes opposed to one another.” One of things we have going for us with ‘Indoctrination’ is Mike is way more than liberal than I ever am, so we have characters that represent a number of different facets. And because we’re both, sort of, on other ends of it we keep each other honest to make sure that the story is and characters are no one is like a caricature. We really try to treat them like people with motivations, with opinions that while you might disagree with them they come from a valid place in that there’s reasons why they think that way.”
Panel two of ‘Indoctrination’ issue one. (The GWW/Courtesy of Z2 Comics)
“Indoctrination” has received a 10 issue run, which Moreci and Battaglia said they appreciate because they can craft a tight, specific story and theme that’s set to debut June 29.