So after you've re-invented a classic DC character (Creeper), worked on DC Comics' biggest heroes ("Justice League Adventures") and then co-created acclaimed creator owned work ("Pistolwhip"), what would you do next?

Something decidedly original at DC Comics mature imprint Vertigo Press, of course!

As announced today by Vertigo at the Comic-Con International in San Diego, writer Jason Hall and artist John Watkiss are bringing a brand new series to readers later this year. In a Dystopian future, Carter Lennox is an employee of Ethicorp, a company that violently "takes out the bad" from society. Watkiss and Hall spoke briefly to CBR News, sharing a few juicy details about the series.

"'Trigger' is really going to be something different," says Hall. "It's a very neat feeling to create and write a book where I've made the conscious decision ahead of time that anything can happen... and to anybody. It's unlike anything I've done before, yet, at the same time, I think fans of my previous comics and projects will find certain elements in there that are familiar to them. John Watkiss has turned my character and world descriptions into some incredible designs -- and I think we're truly creating a unique series. I just finished the script for #6 (which the editor said it has the potential to be the

'coolest, most original comic ever' -- I can't say if that's true, but I do think it turned out pretty keen... and bizarre!) and am about half-way done with #7.

"There's no easy black and white answers given to the idea of getting rid of the "bad stuff" in society -- it all depends on your point of view. If I tried to say anything more, I know ETHICORP would immediately have me censored. Or worse..."

Watkiss was sparse with further details about the series, but said, "The story is basically George Orwells's '1984' combined with a sense of Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis' with edgy Roman Polanski overtones. I'm really excited because the story inspired a potential for illustrative stylishness due to the fusion of clothing from 1910 to the 1940's."

The project came about as a result of another acclaimed collaboration, Hall and artist Cliff Chiang on "Beware The Creeper," and Hall explains, "Editor Will Dennis and I had a great time working on 'Beware The Creeper' and were eager to get another project up and going. Both he and Karen Berger (who was also very pleased with 'Creeper') felt that they wanted to see me tackle a creator-owned series rather than

simply doing another DC-based character mini-series or something. I wasn't about to argue with that, so I immediately sent them a brief pitch for 'Trigger.' Fortunately, both of them loved it and wanted to see more. So I worked up an extensive proposal that outlined the entire series, complete with detailed character/world descriptions, etc. And even though some of it got censored by ETHICORP, they loved it (which was great to hear!) and it was approved lickity-split - even before an artist was attached. So I started on the script for #1 while the editor and I went through a list of potential artists. John Watkiss had recently sent in some unrelated samples that were very cool and so they had him do up some potential designs for 'Trigger' based on my proposal. The stuff he sent in for it was amazing, blew us all away, and he was signed on to the book. And now we're all hard at work, doing our best to make the book truly something unique. I think readers are going to be a bit surprised by and really dig what they see. And I hope to be back here at CBR once the book is solicited to talk a bit more about it all!"

Upon publication of this story, Ethicorp contacted CBR News and has promised to have their representatives work with us to ensure that any future news items about "Trigger" will be represented in the proper fashion. Stay tuned...