Action Goes by a New Name, Ghezal Omar
Bullets and blood may not be to everyone’s liking, but comic book writer Ghezal Omar is all about crafting her world of action—even if it leaves a few bodies along the way.
Her first comic, .357 Magnum Opus follows a bounty hunting crew on a gig gone wrong. Full of twists and turns, car chases, and shoot outs, it’s an exciting story that will stick with readers from beginning to end.
She has since created two more series with Pimp Killer and the recently funded Pagan Valley and has more continuations planned for later in 2024.
Ghezal Omar was kind enough to share her inspiration and why the comic book medium has been an outlet for her stories.
For as long as she can remember, storytelling has always been a part of her. “I moved from Afghanistan to the United States when I was 4 and used to hear nostalgic tales from better days,” said Omar. “As a kid I would read stories to my classmates and grew to enjoy storytelling and writing.”
Fast forward to 2024, and Omar has a roster of action titles that pay homage to films like Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction or Guy Ritchie’s Snatch—all while infusing her own style published under her company, Artillery Network.
A major theme in Omar’s works is strong female lead characters. “Characters like Ripley from Alien have inspired my work due to their resilience and depth,” said Omar. “I love crafting robust and complex female characters and it’s important to see more of them in comic books.”
Omar’s passions being writing and art made the comic book medium a perfect fit. “It’s the best of both worlds and fits the dialogue and action for my stories. I had other careers, but transitioning to comic books allowed me to follow my passion.”
Scarlet by Brian Michael Bendis was Omar’s first experience with a comic book and notes The Best We Can Do from This Bui mirrors her own immigrant struggles. As far as direct inspiration for her own stories, those come from a lot of places. Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads inspired .357 Magnum Opus. An Uber driver with wild stories in Las Vegas was the source of Pimp Killer, and Pagan Valley came to Omar while driving on the 5 South freeway one night.
“Music or unique experience inspire my ideas, but I enjoy the value of discussing and refining ideas with close collaborators.”
Omar has collaborated with other writers such as Kayden Phoenix, creator of the first Latina Superhero Team, and attends comic conventions such as San Diego Comic Con and NYCC to promote her work. If you happen to see her at any of these conferences, be sure to pick up a few new titles and tell her Pages and Panels sent you.
To hear music inspiration check out these playlists curated by Ghezal Omar.
Music that inspired Pimp Killer. Music that inspired Pagan Valley.
For more on Ghezal Omar, visit www.artillerynetwork.com or follow her at (@357magnumopus) or (@ghezalsupernova) on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Artillery Network Founder
Ghezal Omar