Horror and Fantasy Comic Book Writer Jeremiah Espinoza on Storytelling

“If you’re a creator who’s concerned about whether your stories will find an audience, just go for it, because your stories will find someone…It’s a risk, but it’s a rewarding experience.”

- Jeremiah Espinoza

Storytelling has always been part of Jeremiah Espinoza’s life. Whether it was novellas in his childhood days, screenplays in high school, or comic books in the present day, writing is in his blood.

As a self-published comic book creator, Espinoza’s break-out hit, Hallowed North, was successfully launched on Kickstarter. This horror title contained themes of personified depression and is an incredibly poignant and haunting tale.

Fast forward to 2024, and Espinoza expanded from horror and brought his love of Dungeons & Dragons to the comic book page with his latest comic book: One-Shot.

Espinoza took time to talk with Pages and Panels about his journey, and how he likes to bring complexity and depth to all of his projects. 

Seth A. Romo: Thank you so much for talking with me today! I’m excited to hear about your comic book journey, the stories you’ve created, and what you’re currently working on.

Jeremiah Espinoza: My comic book origin story is pretty typical for a ‘90s kid. I got into it through the X-Men Animated Series and Batman: The Animated Adventures. That was my introduction to these characters and heroes. Back then, I’d go to comic book shops or pick up comics at gas stations and grocery stores. As I got older, around 10 or 11, I started to think comics were a bit silly. It felt like they were trying to be serious storytelling formats, but I thought, “This is for kids—why are they making it seem so adult?” So, I drifted away from comics for a while, which is funny now considering the type of stories I tell. But in my early 20s, I read The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, and that reignited my passion. From there, I wanted to read every comic on the “best of” lists—Year One, Watchmen, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. I even dove into Scott Snyder’s Batman run during DC’s New 52 era.

Transitioning from a reader to a writer can be a big leap. Where do you think your storytelling knack comes from? Is it something that’s always been part of your personality, or does it come from your family?

I think storytelling has always been a part of me. My mom was an English teacher, and growing up, we had shelves full of both classic and modern novels. In school, if I had to read a book for English class, we usually already had it at home. My mom read to me a lot, which got me into reading and eventually writing my own stories. I remember writing stories as early as third or fourth grade for state writing tests—and then going home to write sequels to those stories!

Wow, so it started early for you! It sounds like you were always writing.

Definitely! In middle school, I spent a lot of time in my family’s computer room writing novels or novellas. They weren’t great, but in my mind, I was writing the next great American novel that would be turned into a movie, and I’d be the screenwriter giving interviews!

Let’s go back to The Dark Knight Returns. You mentioned it changed your view on comics. What other influences have shaped your storytelling style over the years?

The Lord of the Rings had a huge impact on me. I saw The Fellowship of the Ring in theaters, and it was mind-blowing—kind of like how people describe seeing Star Wars for the first time. After that, I dove into the books and even watched the old ‘70s animated Lord of the Rings, though that was a letdown compared to Peter Jackson’s movies. But looking back, I can see how that series shaped my approach to storytelling. Many people are surprised when I say The Lord of the Rings was a big influence on Hallowed North, even though it’s a horror comic. Of course, Stephen King is also an influence, but Tolkien’s world-building left a lasting impression on me.

That’s really interesting! Many people would expect Stephen King or a horror influence for Hallowed North, but I love that The Lord of the Rings played a role. Now, you balance both horror and fantasy in your work. Your one-shot title leans more toward fantasy, right?

Yes, that’s right. The one-shot title was my way of having more fun with writing. Hallowed North is very personal and emotionally heavy, so the one-shot gave me a chance to do something lighter and more humorous. It still touches on darker themes, but I used more self-deprecating humor, which wouldn’t fit Hallowed North.

I read Hallowed North before this conversation, and it was terrifying! The art really brought your writing to life. How has the journey been, from dreaming about writing to now being at conventions with a table of your own?

It’s been surreal. As someone who used to hide his writing, releasing Hallowed North and getting feedback was emotional. Some people connected with the story on a deep level, saying it captured their experience with mental illness perfectly. Knowing that my work could impact people like that is incredibly rewarding.

It sounds like you put a lot into this. I know the comic is an oversized issue—how did that come about?

Initially, I planned for Hallowed North to be a full graphic novel, but after researching Kickstarters, I realized that wasn’t feasible for a first-time creator. So, I broke it into a six-issue series and used the first two Kickstarters to fund the initial issues. We also created an extended collection—Hallowed North: Rising—which combines the first two issues with additional material to create a seamless story.

For those unfamiliar, how would you describe both of these series—your elevator pitch, so to speak?

One Shot is Dungeons & Dragons meets The Suicide Squad. It’s not just about capturing the look of the D&D world but the feel of playing D&D with friends—the chaos, the fun, and the wild improvisation when things go off the rails. Meanwhile, Hallowed North is a dark fantasy horror story that takes place inside the mind of someone struggling with depression. Depression manifests as a monstrous entity, and the characters in the story—figments of the protagonist’s imagination—must band together to stop it.

Where can people find your work and support what you’re doing?

I recently revamped my site. You can find me on social media under the handle @jaynespinoza. Or go to my site: jaynespinoza.com.

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This interview has been edited for clarity. Jeremiah Espinoza is a Latino storyteller from Houston, Texas. He is the creator of  Hallowed North & ONE-SHOT and his work has been featured in collections such as Fairytales from Mars and The Pub Crawl Anthology. Be sure to follow him at @jaynespinoza.