We're only two issues in, but "Paper Girls" already has readers hooked. Written by Brian K. Vaughan with art by Cliff Chiang, colors by Matt Wilson and lettering by Jared K. Fletcher, "Paper Girls" is delivering on all levels. In the months between the Image Expo announcement and premiere, the creators were incredibly tight-lipped about the premise. Now that the story is unfolding, it makes perfect sense why they were reluctant to say too much. Nothing should prepare readers for the wonderful surprises that await between the comic's pages.

Vaughan, Skroce, Lotay and More Talk Creator-Owned Latest

Incorporating '80s teen movie nostalgia, classic science fiction and drama, "Paper Girls" is building a world that is comforting and familiar, yet also disconcerting. The titular paper girls are Erin, TJ, Mac and Tiffany, a clever, smart-mouthed pack of pre-teens roaming the streets of Cleveland. You know these girls -- some of us were these girls -- street smart, forward-thinking, independent and maybe a little too brave for their own good. That bravery spurns them on to stand up to a neighborhood bully, dodge a creepy cop and pursue a potential threat from outer space. And that's just in the first issue.

CBR News spoke with Vaughan and Chiang, learning their reactions to the book's unexpected success, the never-before-attempted-in-comics plans the creators have to interact with their fans, and how Vaughan's mother played a role in the series' creation.

Brian and Cliff, the first two issues of "Paper Girls" are out -- what has the reception been like so far? What's one of your favorite comments you've heard?

Brian K. Vaughan: At this stage, I'm always most concerned about what our retailer partners are saying, and it sounds like they can't keep"Paper Girls"on the shelves, which is astounding. I know I said something similar when Steve Skroce and I released "We Stand On Guard," but I seriously never dreamed that a comic about four 12-year-old newspapergirlsin Cleveland could sell nearly 100,000 copies, especially without a single alternate cover. But it seems like there's an ever-growing audience out there that's hungry for new ideas and new stories. If even a fraction of those sales hold for the series, Cliff and I are confident we'll be able to tell ourgirls' complete story over the next several years, so we can't thank everyone enough.

Cliff Chiang: One sentiment I've seen a lot is, "I have no idea what's going on, but I love it." I'm as guilty as the next person of being curious about reboots and sequels, but it's really gratifying to see people embrace our weird, new story.

Both of you were so committed to maintaining the mystery of the series, which, as a reader, I appreciate, since I've gasped out loud at least once each issue. How did you create the pacing for these big reveals?

Vaughan: Thanks! I've been a fan of Cliff's deceptively sophisticated layouts since we first worked together on a "Swamp Thing" short story a million years ago. His pacing is always spot-on, so I just try to stay out of his way and trust that the story's going to be told perfectly.

Chiang: Brian's clearly very careful and deliberate about revealing mysteries, so it's my job not to ruin the suspense before it happens. That could mean using a lot of tight, small panels on the pages before a really big panel, or avoiding full bleed panels before a splash page. On their own, these are kinda minor things but when you combine them with the dialogue and the color, it really affects the storytelling.

The series so far has a great rhythm in general, and moves very quickly -- Brian, how do you develop rhythm in a story, and Cliff, what is important for you to capture artistically to keep the story flowing?

Chiang: For me, it's important that we stay interested in and care for the characters, so I put a lot of emphasis on body language and expressions. Luckily, there's so much life in Brian's dialogue it's easy for me to imagine how thegirlswould be saying it!

Vaughan: Comics are one of the only forms of visual storytelling where you, the reader, are an active collaborator who actually has a lot of control over the story's rhythm. I've found that when readers care about your characters, the story will seem to "flow" effortlessly, but when they don't, it doesn't. So yeah, as Cliff said, I think we concentrate most of our attention on making ourgirlsfeel three-dimensional.

In a previous conversation we had, we talked about how you both drew from your childhoods as a frame of reference for "Paper Girls," making it a very personal story. Has anyone from your childhood read it? If so, what did they think?

Chiang: My mom? Does that count? She liked it though!

Vaughan: My mom read it, too, and while I don't think she was a fan of all my filthy language, she was crazy about the art, especially Matt's colors. A lot of period details in the story were inspired by a creepily complete dossier Mom sent me about my life as a 12-year-old kid back in 1988, so Mrs. Vaughan gets much of the credit for anything in the story that rings true to my childhood pals.

The story opens on Halloween night, and there are so many details -- even the little jack o'lanterns on the inside cover -- that create a perfect, spooky tone. How did you go about setting the scene, and what parts of Halloween inspire "Paper Girls"?

Vaughan: Like "Star Wars," Halloween is a phenomenon that you usually love as a kid, but then start to kind of hate as a cynical young adult, and then you maybe get to fall in love with all over again if you're ever fortunate enough to become a parent. That's an important element of our story, how time changes and destroys and sometimes even resurrects our pasts.

Chiang: One of the best things about Halloween is the magical feeling that just about anything could happen, that tingle of expectation. That's a big part of the book.

What's the worst thing you ever got while trick or treating?

Vaughan: A laminated card with Bible quotes.

Chiang: A toothbrush!

By the end of issue #2, we can see some pretty distinct personalities emerging from thegirls. Brian, when you were creating these characters, how immediately did you know who was who? And how did you describe them to Cliff for the designs?

Vaughan: Characters never feel "real" to me until I see an artist's interpretations, so I tried to be very general with my descriptions, talking more about each girl's personality than her appearance. And Cliff aced them all with his very first sketches, especially Erin, who became a lot more complex and interesting in my mind once I saw how much life Cliff breathed into her.

Cliff, the character design is just striking, especially how much you communicate with the girl's facial expressions. From their body types to their styling, thesegirlslook like kids, not just like small adults. How did you arrive at the styling and design choices you did?

Chiang: Each of thegirlslooks very different from one another, from color to silhouette, and I tried to make sure their clothes fit their personalities, too. They're at an age where you're beginning to define who you are in a bunch of small ways.

You have to strike a balance when drawing kids, particularly pre-teens, because in a way, they do look more like little adults at that age. But they need to feel younger and more wide-eyed. I try to focus on their comportment and make sure it's never too mature. It's good for them to be a little awkward!

Brian, there are some traits and themes thus far that are found in your other work -- the integrity and independence of teenagers, the fracturing of trust between adults and kids -- what inspires you to explore these situations? And has reflecting on the dynamic between parents/kids shaped the way you are as a father?

Vaughan: Even though it stars kids, I've started to realize that"Paper Girls"is less inspired by my childhood or by my own children than it is by the fact that I'm going to turn 40 in July, which is irrationally terrifying to me. I always write about what scares me most, and aging is suddenly frightening to me for maybe the first time in my life, so I'm once again using comics to work on my own fucked-up issues through my infinitely more talented collaborators.

There is some excellent backmatter in both issues, including a fan club and a survey. Have you received a lot of replies? And do you plan to continue these cool, interactive features?

Vaughan: Cliff and I are honored that the prestigious American Newspaper Deliverers Guild has partnered with us for the backmatter of this series, and those interactive features will definitely continue, sometimes in a way that we don't think a comic has ever before attempted. I've heard from our contact at the A.N.D.G. that they've already received more than a thousand self-addressed stamped envelopes requesting membership cards, so I hope everyone will be patient as the home office processes all those forms.

In one word can you share what you're most excited for readers to see from what you have in store for us with "Paper Girls"?

Chiang: Technology!

Vaughan: Loss.