Patrick Horvath talks Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees sequel, Samantha Strong, and new Halloween Special

Badr Milligan

Aug 12, 2026

Patrick Horvath talks Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees sequel, Samantha Strong, and new Halloween Special

Episode Transcript

This week on The Short Box, we’re bringing you an exclusive SDCC 2026 interview with Patrick Horvath, the mastermind behind IDW’s breakout horror hit Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees and its sequel Rite of Spring!

Patrick unpacks the delicate balance between 1980s/90s small-town nostalgia and visceral, upsetting horror. We also talk about the character dynamics, the strong fan reception to Samantha Strong, how graphic design and lettering elevate the storytelling, why horror fans and non-horror readers alike are falling in love with this series, and what the future holds for the residents of Woodbrook in the upcoming Halloween Special!

Watch the uncut video version of this episode: HERE

Try COVRPRICE for one month for $1 : HERE

LINKS:

Take your comic shopping experience to the limit, by shopping online at Gotham City Limit!
Join our Patreon Community, and get access to bonus episodes, free comics, and other rewards! Try a FREE 7-day trial: HERE
The Schiller Kessler Group

Click here to text us Fan Mail!

Presented by CovrPrice

Proudly sponsored by Gotham City Limit

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

REACH OUT AND FOLLOW FOR MORE 🤝🏼

Email us at [email protected]
Follow Badr on IG , X, and Bluesky
Website: theshortboxentertainment.com
Check out the music from the show: DeftStrokeSound, Mecca Tha Marvelous, DJ Crumbz, L.E.R.M., & Dialectable Beats

See full episode transcriptTranscript is autogenerated by AI

Patrick Horvath 0:00

In this episode of the short box, it's horror, but it's like it's also somehow palatable in a weird way. Um, and I think that that juxtaposition with the animals, there's some magic in that recipe that allows people to sort of identify cross-culturally, like they're able to identify with these things. Like it's done, it's doing fairly well, like around the world as well. This book is, and so like I think a part of that is like every culture has like an anthropomorphic story thing that they grew up with. It's fairly common on this.

Badr Milligan 0:31

Ladies and gentlemen, short boxes fantastic. If you want to see the short box nation, Yep, short box nation. Hello again, welcome back, and thanks for pressing play today. If you're brand new, welcome to the show. I'm your host, Bodder Milligan, and this is the Shortbox Podcast, the comic book talk show where we bridge the gap between the panels of your favorite comics with the people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into making them. This is episode 508. Technically, this episode was recorded a couple of weeks ago. All right, it was recorded when I was at Comic Con. Uh, this is my interview with Patrick Horvath. All right, Patrick Horvath being the award-winning creator of the super duper uh just out of here smash hit IDW horror series, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and its sequel, Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, Right of Spring. Both series available right now, whether you prefer it in single issues, a collected edition, like a trade paperback or hardcover, you can get both series in whatever format that your heart desires. And it's well worth it. I feel like I have been uh an evangelist for this series, right? An evangelist for Samantha Strong for the past three years. Patrick Horvath has been on my dream list of creators to interview. So to be able to uh finally have a chance to sit down with him and and chat about all things beneath the trees. We talked about the making of the series, his inspiration when he first started out, the immense fan reception to the series, and just how much of a fandom has formed around the central character, all right? This cold-blooded serial killing bear, Samantha Strong. We also talked about what's on the horizon for the series. If you didn't know, there's a Halloween special coming out with a murderous row of comic creators and talent on the book that'll be out later this year. And something we didn't get to talk about, which maybe I'll save for a part two conversation, is the upcoming final volume of Beneath the Trees for Nobody Sees, which is coming out early next year, is titled The Summer in the Fall. I think they announced this series uh later in the day after this interview, which I think kind of speaks to just the sheer size of Comic-Con, all the different things going on, all the different announcements they make during the weekend, but also the insane upward trajectory that Patrick is on right now when it comes to the series and just his star power. But you'll hear about all of that in a sec. But I do want to give uh a shout-out to some folks that made this interview possible. Starting with uh the IDW press team, big shout out to them, big shout out to Kim Esslant who helped me arrange this interview in the first place and made it happen. I also want to give a shout out to Heidi McDonald at Comics Beat and Publishers Weekly for helping me even get to San Diego Comic-Con, right? Like I legit would not have even been able to step foot in San Diego or get in the door at Comic-Con had she not helped me out. So big shout out to Heidi McDonald. I also want to give a shout-out to uh my incredible sponsors who helped me pay the bills and keep the lights on, including my presenting sponsor, coverprice.com, the ultimate comic book price guide and collection management tool for comic collectors. You can get access to coverprice.com for one dollar for one month by using this special promo code in this episode show notes. I also want to thank Gotham City Limit Comic Shop. It's not only my local comic shop, but it's the best comic shop in Northeast Florida. If you live in Jack's, go visit them today on Southside Boulevard or buy some comics from them online at GothamCityLimit.com. So as you can uh tell, it took a whole village to make this interview and this episode happen. So I'm excited to finally share it with you all. Uh and I'm gonna stop yapping and just get to the show. Without further ado, here's my interview, Patrick Horvath, recorded at Comic-Con. Enjoy. Hey everybody, welcome to the show. My name is Bodder Milligan. I'm here at San Diego Comic-Con, and I'm sitting across from Patrick Horvath. All right, he is the artist and the writer, the overall mastermind behind the hit horror comic series, Beneath the Trees for Nobody Sees, and its sequel, Beneath the Trees for Nobody Sees, Rite of Spring, which is available right now in collected edition and trade paperbacks, etc. Patrick, it is such an honor to be sitting across from you today, man. How is your San Diego Comic Con going so hard?

Patrick Horvath 4:48

Well, thank you for having me. And um, and so far, so great. Uh, it's been uh we're getting into the Friday of the weekend, and like it's like we're getting into the full-on like con experience right now. We're tapping into the weekend warriors that are starting to show up. Um you have like preview night and then Thursdays, like those are the honestly the smarter folks maybe that like want to get in without it getting too crazy, and they hit all the special stuff before it gets like sold out or whatever. But uh, but yeah, so far, so great. It's it's been a blast. Um, I've been able to sign a little bit, and I have panels coming up on Saturday. Uh, we're going to the Eisners tonight. Nice, yeah. It's um, it's uh it's just been fun and exciting.

Badr Milligan 5:25

You know, speaking about Eisners, I I can finally say this uh in person to you. Congratulations on the nomination. Oh, thank you so much. Beneath the trees for nobody sees right of spring is is uh nominated for Best Limited Series. Uh on the topic of of um awards, I'll get back to the Eisners, but uh Rewind almost a uh almost a year ago, New York Comic-Con 2025. I attended my first award show, which was the Harveys, yeah, yeah, and got to witness You Win, which was it Book of the Year?

Patrick Horvath 5:54

Yeah, we got the yeah.

Badr Milligan 5:55

Which I I think is was like at the was it the last award of the night. I think it was I mean, it was so cool to see that in person. Not only was it my first award show, but to get to see you win, a book that I was following and you know in in love with. And then, you know, your energy, I mean Oh, thank you very much.

Patrick Horvath 6:09

Um, that was a trip. I did, I really didn't expect that. Um, and I'm still like, I was really, it took a long time to wrap my head around it because you're up. I mean, there's like all these the the weird part about this is like this is you know, it's my first book, but I've been a longtime reader. So like being nominated in a category with a lot of your heroes is like a real mind trip. So like I was just like, ah, I know it's like imposter syndrome was like firing on all cylinders, and I was just like, oh my god. Yeah. Um, so uh, I mean, it it's been wild though. Like it's just to see where this book's taken me um has been incredible and um it really never ceases to amaze me.

Badr Milligan 6:49

I gotta ask, man, because I I was um reading a press release for the upcoming Halloween special, which we'll talk about later, but uh I think it was Tim Seeley had a blurb uh in this press release, and he was saying, I was reading, you know, Beneath the Trees Nobody Sees before anyone else did. I got a advanced preview of the first issue, fell in love with it, and and I got me thinking, you know, hearing you talk about like being in a room with your peers and idols and people you look up to. Who else has approached you as a colleague, as a peer, as a you know, someone that you admire, that you were maybe taken aback by like, oh my god, you like you've read it, you like it?

Patrick Horvath 7:22

Well, but the big ones for me were like it just seemed like out of the blue, like Size Barrier and uh Scott Snyder were just like early champions. And I was just like, What? I didn't know they'd I didn't know they were given preview. You know how it goes. I mean like apparently it had been handed out and then passed around, and I just didn't know. Um, then I would just have people reaching out about it, and I was just like, oh my God, thank you so much. Like this is incredible. That and like early reviews um that were really well received uh were the like first order indicators that it was like there's something kind of special going on. And I I like I it honestly just feels like a real charmed like existence of how this book's been pushed out, and it's just like never said, like it hasn't stopped. Like I'm just like, oh my god, okay, like wow, all right, wow, okay, like we're just processed this. Um and so it's been it, but it's I don't know, at a certain point, like I almost have like you know, mind blow fatigue because I'm just like, I'm just like, I don't even know I don't even know what to do. I'm just sort of um, what do you want to say? I'm like, I'm just kind of letting it happen at this point. It's just like I have to like stop, really gotta stop getting in my head about it and just accept it. And very, very grateful. Um, but it has been like wild to just have folks whose work I've read and really, really, really loved, and then just to have them reach out and be like, hey, uh, this was really great, good job. Yeah, really excited for this book.

Badr Milligan 8:46

Now we're here talking about uh Rite of Spring. And I'm curious when you were wrapping up, or even maybe uh at what point writing the first series did you know or have an inclination that I've got a second series in me, I got a sequel in me. I guess what where did what was the genesis for Rite of Spring?

Patrick Horvath 9:02

Yeah, it it popped in um when I was working on the third issue of the first arc. And uh there's specifically like the scene that takes place in a funeral uh for one of the like the first murdered victim that we see in the town, and um specifically the town, like not from Samantha, but from Nigel. And uh, and as for Martin the Goat, and the town is grieving Martin. And Samantha's there um because she's like she she has to show up, right? And she's part of the town, but she intellectually, like, emotionally has no idea like what anybody's going through, intellectually kind of understands like the idea that this town is grieving for Martin and that she's caused a similar type of um trauma for like family members of victims from the past that she's essentially disappeared, and it's arguably worse because nobody has had really probably any closure, right? They just disappeared. Nobody knows what happened to them. So I'm like, well, yeah, I guess like if I was gonna do a follow-up, like it would be like her dealing with a family member from like, let's make it the duck, because we all know the duck, and like let's let what would that be? I wanted it to have a time jump to let that compound and sort of like kind of you know twist in sort of this weird obsessive way, like this family member which ends up being Monica, the sister of Danny the Duck. And so, like it's so funny to say this stuff, and it's like this is the heaviest duty stuff, but it's like Danny the duck. Um Monica Brewster. But anyway, it's uh yeah, it was it was it came around then. And then, and honestly, it was like I had the idea for like a second and a third, and it was just it kind of came. I was like, Oh yeah, second would be this, and then oh, okay, well, third would be this then. And it and it just it kind of showed up in my mind pretty quick. And then I think it was like I was finishing up or working on issue four when the first issue came out, like actually came out into stories, and then at that point it was just like uh becoming obvious that like people are into it, and pretty soon IDW is like, hey, uh, if you have any ideas for like a second one, like let us know. We'd love to keep doing them. I'm like, I do actually like and then I I gave them the pitch for it, and they were just like, Yeah, okay.

Badr Milligan 11:07

Sign this up for five more of these. You know, on the topic of of of the fan reaction, I was curious, is there a common sentiment that that you're getting from fans? Is there like a particular issue that that people are excited to talk to you about? I don't know.

Patrick Horvath 11:20

I mean, it's a little bit of everything throughout. A lot of it I noticed was the it was the shock, uh like how heavy duty it got. Um, and I think like a lot of the I think the grounded violence part of it was caught a lot of people off guard. And that was sort of the intriguing part of it for them. Like the like, you know, it's fairly anatomically correct in the in the gore, and how the it's not like played off for fun. I I wanted it to be problematic, you know, I wanted it to be sort of upsetting, and so that it wasn't like cool or like done in like sort of a uh sly kind of way or something. Uh, and I think that reverence for it in that sense caught people off guard. Um, and so that that's kind of the thing that comes up. They're like it, and it is it's horror, but it's like it's also somehow palatable in a weird way. Um, and I think that that juxtaposition with the animals, there's some magic in that recipe that allows people to sort of identify cross-culturally, like they're able to identify with these things. Like it's done, it's doing fairly well, like around the world as well. This book is. And so, like, I think a part of that is like every culture has like an anthropomorphic story thing that they grew up with. It's fairly common. And so, like, I think that nostalgia and then also the grown-up perspective of like this horrible, you know, trauma that's happening to them. Um, is like the that those are the two big ones that's just resonating with everybody.

Badr Milligan 12:43

Yeah. Uh, you know, speaking about uh Right of Spring and the time jump, I do want to um maybe explain to the listeners that the there's an eight-year time jump between the first series and the second series, Right of Spring. We go from 1986 to 1994. What really kind of uh got me early on in Right of Spring is the focus around like early internet, you know. Uh I think in the first issue, the very first kind of splash title page is made to look like an old, you know, early early website, you know. And I mean, I I love the way that you had the the credits at the bottom, you know, with you of the paint little icon, you know, significant.

Patrick Horvath 13:22

I mean that's all Nathan Whitdick, by the way. Oh, designer. Genius. I was like, yes, and it really sets, I think puts you right into the tone. And if you look at the newspapers from the front, that's all Nathan. Oh. Like on the first arc. And um, and he just came up with that. And he was like, they I remember like uh my editor reached out, they're like, hey, do you could just give us like a list of all the businesses that you've got like in town? Um that because I would I would start populating like the streets with like, well, what this is like ace peacock, like men's habadashery, like this is like, you know, there's like the moose market or moose mooseman market, um, or like um different stuff like that. It was one of those things where like it started showing up as a newspaper and then it started evolving. Yeah. And in a way that I wasn't expecting. And and it was just so like well thought out. We didn't talk about any of that. Wow. But he really just kind of like helped create this thing that started influencing me, and I was working off of that. And then to the point where like in issue six, we see the newspapers that Nigel has, or like we we can see like the newspaper. And so it's like it's one of those things where I was like, we please let's keep doing this. Yeah, and then when it came to the second one, we had a talk, and and we I was like, Well, it's gonna be set up like early internet days. So I'm thinking, like, you sign into AOL online, you got the disc, like that's the whatever that page is, and like that page would like evolve, right?

Badr Milligan 14:41

And I think it's a smart way of of bringing in another aspect to like this murder mystery. Right now we're focusing on Monica Brewster, she's looking for the killer of her brother, who, you know, if you read the first series, you know who that was. And you know, you're bringing in this like modern day phenomenon, which is like the internet sleuths, you know. I think there's there's literally like a Hollywood movie a couple years ago all about like, you know, someone solving a murder using the internet. But I thought that was a unique way of bringing in like this modern thing into this world in the early 90s, you know, and set in this early 90s. I I guess for me, it just spoke to me being in a kid that grew up on the internet. Yeah, well, I mean, it's uh that was why I did it.

Patrick Horvath 15:21

Like I grew up in like this is I'm essentially like spoiler, like this is I'm just like rehashing my life, like like grew up in a smallish town in the 80s, like in the 90s, the internet came to town and it was a weird thing, and like you're just like you're interfacing with the world larger now. And like, and our world's shrinking, right? Every everything feels like it's like not so far away anymore. Um, and then you have a weird subcultures that show up, and it felt like that very much like had to be a part of it.

Badr Milligan 15:48

I can literally hear the AOL dial-up sound right now. I'm like, is that my memory or someone trying to log into the internet right now? Now, I mentioned, you know, Monica Brewster being uh one of the the new kind of like central focus characters. Obviously, you still are focusing on Samantha and her trying to like you know get away with things, and and I think also the layer of like, you know, privacy, you know, like even though this is like early 1990s, you know, you're bringing in like the topics of like privacy and you know, like can you really do anything anymore with like the rise of the internet? But you know, Monica is I think such a cool character because she's obviously mourning, she's also driven, you know, she's uh methodical, um, she's grieving. And I was curious, like, uh what was it like writing these two kind of different characters? Monica, who is, you know, mourning, but also like on this quest. And then you got Samantha, who's a little more methodical, pragmatic, low-key.

Patrick Horvath 16:40

Yeah, it well, it felt like um it very much tapped into my life like living in Chicago for several years when I was doing Monica. And it felt like um, it just felt like somebody that had been like twisted and like kind of ground down by this existence and this pursuit. And it's she sort of like re-established herself existentially as like just this person trying to find out what happened to her brother. Like that's all she she just that's everything is to that end, and she has no like a life or purpose sort of outside of that. And especially at this point, like she's very much like you know, cut away like all the other aspects of her life, um, except for this thing. And it felt like somebody who was so like sort of cynical and also like you need to have hope, but then you're also sort of punishing yourself for being hopeful um because you know it seems so impossible, like the task. Um, and at the same time, you just need to know. And it was all that stuff sort of swirled around that like it just like it all kind of felt like the the perfect sort of like tone for the book, and and having her set it with like that first issue. Um, it it just kind of all like I don't know, it all kind of fell into place really well.

Badr Milligan 17:47

I like that you mentioned uh tone because I think that is some uh a very uh key strength of the series is the is your mastery of like this tonal shift where we're you know, one minute we're like living in this cozy, lived in like neighborhood that we, you know, town that we all kind of like wish we were living in, where we knew our neighbors and you know, like there was like the the local shops. But then at the drop of a dime, it's like it gets dark quick, you know, like you know, it's it's intense. And and I was curious, you know, how do you handle the tonal gear shift uh for artistically from you know Samantha being a charming shop owner to a sadistic cold killer?

Patrick Horvath 18:24

Yeah, it's it's I mean I I uh well thank you for um uh all the kind words. And I feel I'm glad to hear it's working. Um a lot of it is intuitive, and I'm just kind of going with what feels right. I mean, with Samantha and especially that first arc that we did, like a lot of that is that it to me it was the fascination was having such a stark contrast between the two. Um, and then the idea that like when you evolve it into Right of Spring, it's it's it's like it's a meaner book. Like it just is. Like it's I think there's also sort of like the illusion of safety has totally been shattered in Woodbrook because of what happened. And I like, and that goes in, you know, in hand with a lot of how the um the there's a fallout effect from that first book, and that's kind of what like Right of Spring is like that fallout effect. Like a lot of the stuff that was set in motion from it, we're watching that play out through like Pauline and Lewis and like how they're dealing with the trauma of like losing Charlie, and like how you have um you know Bertie sort of basically becoming like an introvert, like a major introvert, which is very in line with him being a turtle, uh, and then in him like coming out of his shell, you know, so to speak. And uh, and then also with you know, with Monica, like largely like those the main driving force, and that that's like the fallout from you know what happened with what Samantha did and like how this is kind of colliding with Samantha in the town, and like by choice, right? Like by Samantha reaching out and like kind of bringing this to an end, so to speak.

Badr Milligan 19:54

I want to shift gears and talk about um you know, you mentioned uh was it the graphic designer, editor? Oh, Nathan Whitick, yeah. He was the he's the designer. Designer. I'm glad that you brought him up because it feels like you know, it's a small team, but a a purposeful team. Like everyone plays a very you know, you're playing writer and artist, graphic designer, and then we've got Hassan Otsman Elho, whose lettering plays, I mean, one, he's the best. He's one of the best, right?

Patrick Horvath 20:19

He's literally nominated for the first time. Yes, he is nominated again uh this year. Uh and I mean like it's for many books, but I'm proud to say mine's one of them.

Badr Milligan 20:28

Yeah. But his lettering plays such an integral role in establishing like the tone and the voice of Woodbrook and all of the residents. As a solo writer and artist on this project, can you talk a little bit about the collaborative process? Like, what does that look like when you're handing off pages to Hassan?

Patrick Horvath 20:43

Oh, it's very I mean, it's very much like, you know, um, I like I hand off like I always feel like I hand off pages of the art and it comes back as a comic. You know what I mean? Like I've I'm obviously like I've got sequential art and like a layout and it's the it's that, but like it's not the whole thing until I get it back and I see what Hazan's done. And like, and it's always like it's so funny because there'll be panels that I didn't realize were gonna be my favorite panels when I like finished a page, you know what I mean? What are some examples? Oh man, my all-time favorite in Right of Spring is like um it's so small, and like spoiler, the um it's so it's in issue six and it's when um Charlie, it's after Charlie's come around the back and Chip's gone and uh Chip the Fox is gone, and Charlie comes around back and uh Samantha finds the trucks like not where it was supposed to be, and then she sees that Lewis is in the truck, and he's having this whole moment of like, who are you? Like he's for the first time like realizing like what a monster Samantha is, you know what I mean? And then she's like, You could like I can't let you take the truck, like I need the truck, and she's gonna shoot at him. And so he defloors it and leaves, and she shoots, and she hits instead of him, she hits the rear view mirror. And it's this moment of like it's this panel of him reacting to that. And I think I had like a gasp or something like that, but instead. It's like this, like it's that startle and freak out, and him having the moment of like being like, oh my god, like all that in that moment. And and Hassan's just like this little like scribbled, like uh expressive thing, and it's so perfect that it like it's just like one of my all-time favorite panels and like the everything I've done so far. It's just like everything in that moment, he like he nailed it, you know what I mean? Like, it's like such a cherry on top, and it make it really just like it makes the moment, it's incredible. Um, and his he does touches like that all the time. Like, he'll, I mean, he's mentioned in interviews too, like that. This isn't a discovery or anything. The way part of his magic is he'll like he'll just throw stuff out. Yeah. And like, and if it doesn't work, he's also like super cool to be like, no problem. You know what I mean? I just thought it'd be uh, you know, I just had an idea I wanted to rent a bite, and you get to see it in that first pass in the lettering. And um, and like they're like 99.9% of these things are awesome. Yeah. And like, and like, if anything, like I'll be like, I just want to, there's a tiny little thing in the background, like if I could just move a little bit over here just to not quite hide it as much or whatever. But like, it's like they're always great, they're always fun choices. And it's honestly, it's like performance to me. It feels like performance of the characters um and how they're they're like whispering, they're shouting, they're like they're sad. Yeah, whatever. Like he gets all that. He has such a nuanced approach to all the lettering in that regard that like it's um it's just a real treat. It's I'm very spoiled in that I got him on my first book, yeah. Um, and that he said yes to it. Uh and I like I said, who's like top of the list? Because I was like, yep, like I mean, who knows I'll ever get another shot. Like, can I please have the best? You know what I mean? And so um, so it was, you know, and there there are also many, many great letters. Um, but Hassan is definitely one of them, man.

Badr Milligan 23:46

Yeah. Uh, you know, speaking about uh just other other creators or whatnot, I was looking at the press release for uh the the upcoming Halloween special, and there was a Peach Momoko cover that stopped me in my tracks. Yeah, and it was like, oh, he's got a Peach Mamoko. Yes. It's like, all right, Patrick's random Patrick's made it. He needs a treat where nobody sees is here. Like, you know, I don't know.

Patrick Horvath 24:08

Again, like it blows me away, dude. I had no way. I had no way of like even thinking that would ever be a possibility. And then Ryan, who who's the director of sales at IDW at Mention, is like, hey, so uh Peach Momoko wants to do like a thing for the Halloween thing. I was like, shut up. Shut up. He's like, uh, she really she really likes the book. I was like, that's incredible.

Badr Milligan 24:28

But I mean, uh overall, I uh I I bring up you know Peach Momoko because I think the variants for Beneath the Trees, whether it be the first series or even the second series, the variants that you've done, Peach Momoko. I think I saw an amazing Jay Gonzo variant. Oh yes. I'm I'm curious, aside from those two, which artist interpretation of Samantha or anyone in in the Beneath the Trees universe has particularly impressed you or or made you like, wow, I didn't, I didn't even see that angle of that character.

Patrick Horvath 24:54

Um it's it's uh man, there's so there's a ton of good ones. Like honestly, the Jay Gonzo one was like I I wasn't uh I didn't again like it, I kind of just see the stuff um and then it's like a total treat. Um and so his was a really, really uh a pleasant surprise because I didn't even know he was doing one. Um and it's really righteous. And then I was also um like blown away by uh the another, this is uh uh from last year for the San Diego and New York variants. Uh they had Jared Collum do them. Oh wow. And um, and they're uh that was also a surprise. Like I literally saw them. I was like, this is Jared Collum because I know his work because I'm a fan. And um, and he is also just like a master watercolor artist. And um, and to see his work and gua, he works in gouache too all the time, but his his stuff, his like his approach to it is always like, I was like, oh, that's like that's a good one. Like he's like he's a teacher as well, and like it shows in the sense that he has a a very advanced understanding of of the medium, and it's like so fun to just watch somebody like I mean, like I feel like I'm just getting shown up like constantly with these covers, and it's like and it's awesome. It's a total dream. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly, exactly, yeah, yeah. But um, but uh, but that Jared Cullin was like a total surprise because I was just such a fan for a while and nobody told me anything about him doing anything. Wow. And then to get him on the Halloween special, like he's doing he's doing his own um segment for the Halloween special he's writing and do and painting.

Badr Milligan 26:20

You know, on that topic, can you talk a little bit about um what we can expect from the Halloween special? Because this is like a unique one-shot. I know you've like you're enlisting some friends and and colleagues to also jump in here and tell the story. What can people expect from that? Who's who's on the project?

Patrick Horvath 26:33

Let me run through. It's gonna be it's Che Grayson with uh Matt Emmons. Um it's gonna be James Tiny and the fourth with Tyler Boss. Um it's uh Lethal Combo. Yeah, yeah. It's Jared, as I mentioned, um, and also Tony Fleece and uh uh Dave Wactor. And it's gonna be it's an anthology. So it's a series of stories, takes place a couple years after Right of Spring. Oh, nice. Uh kids that are teenagers at that point are sort of sitting around the campfire around Halloween telling spooky stories about you know a woodbrook, basically. Um and um, and yeah, and it's gonna be it's I mean, like listen, Halloween's my favorite season. It just felt like the perfect thing to do uh for like another Ashcan project to, you know, do in between volume two and volume three. And so um it was just a uh it was uh I don't know, man. As soon as people joined on and they said yes, I was like, oh my god, yeah, okay, cool, we're doing it.

Badr Milligan 27:21

Like I can just tell from your energy, you know, I had a chance to talk. Shoutouts to Kim as well as Greg Katman. Like the energy all the entire IDW staff that I've had a chance to interact with, the energy that they all exude about this project. It's gotta be really nice to have had and continue having the like this support from a publisher like IDW. Like, uh is there anything specifically that they've empowered you that you didn't think that like would be possible?

Patrick Horvath 27:46

I mean, it was um from the very beginning, they've just been cheerleading the book. And I they had all the belief in the world with this book, especially at the beginning when I was like as a first time like comic creator too, right?

Badr Milligan 27:58

Yeah. Like that's that's uh unprecedented how much you know.

Patrick Horvath 28:01

Like I've done stuff, but I've never, I mean, this is my own first book that I've ever like really put out. And um and they were just a hundred percent behind it like the whole way, um, like hard selling it, like that first issue. Um, and it was uh it just blew me away because I wasn't expecting, I don't know. I mean, obviously they wanted to do well um and and they believed in the project, and uh, and they just really put everything behind it to make sure it got out there um and to try and just get over that, you know, that big first hurdle, like me being a who made it? Like, who is this person? Um, and so it's you know, I and it's never stopped. Like it's even like I'm still getting pleasantly surprised by all this stuff that shows up at the booth here uh this year in terms of the plushie. If anybody's seen the plushie, we've got Daniel the duck, plushie with tearaway chunks, we've got um awesome skate deck, they've got uh and then merch um beyond that too with shirts and totes and stuff. And it was very much like a it's just all like I knew it was in the works, but to see it in reality are like, you guys, you guys are this best, thank you. So it's pretty cool.

Badr Milligan 29:01

Halloween special. I know there's a third volume that that had recently been announced. You mentioned Plushie's skate deck. I mean, Samantha had a cameo in the DC KO. I mean, it's like the beneath the trees uh train is is going strong, man. Um, I do got one question about, you know, we mentioned like this is like your first like full-length comic book project, but prior to this, you were working in movies as a storyboard artist. Uh I got movie credits on weapons and southbound. I guess I guess what elements of like your work as a storyboard art? Like, was it an easy transition?

Patrick Horvath 29:33

Yeah, to come in like a storyboard comics. Well, it's funny because like and it's I've also written and directed stuff, and it's a um in my mind, I sort of like I kind of take in the comic and execute it as you would like a production in the sense of like I'm wearing all the different hats of like a director in the sense of I'm directing, you know, uh the actors and getting a performance, but I'm also the actors, so I'm like giving the performances I'm drawing and trying to create it. That's good. Um, and then also there's like, you know, I'm doing like set deck and like, you know, the production design of like the place and what it looks like and like wardrobe. I'm trying to doing wardrobe design and trying to figure out like why are they wearing what they're wearing and like props are really important, and like what are these props? And like in my head, I have all these like department heads being like, oh, this but not this and whatever. You know, you are the department head. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're like, you sort of like I kind of claw my way through the comic that way and like kind of put it together with with some, you know, a thoughtful appraisal of like what these what these different you know aspects should be, you know what I mean? Uh so that it's honestly been helpful in that regard. And then like shot selection, it's the storyboarding's like, it's definitely not a one-to-one storyboarding is different than um than doing comics. Storyboarding is very much like you're just trying to get everybody on the same page. This is what the camera flow is gonna be like. Um, and it's like it's just these they're guardrails. And then in this, it's like you're very much like this is sequential art, this and it's the thing. Like, storyboards, like nobody sees like those don't that's not the thing. The thing's the movie, you know what I mean? Um, and you can do so much more in a comic. So like it's uh it definitely lent itself to like uh favorably in terms of like emotional impact through just like uh visual storytelling um and just kind of being mindful of like what that is and how to how to best utilize it. But then you're also like sort of jettisoning the whatever hangups you have about like shooting something and be like, yeah, yeah, but this is a comic. Like we can literally like pretend like this gutter is actually like a slit throat, and like you can, you know what I mean? Like you can like really just kind of go wild with it.

Badr Milligan 31:34

It reminds me of something I think. Um I had Jimmy Palmiati on the uh show a while back, and he said something I still think about that comic books is like the purest, most direct form of um uh you know, delivering a creative vision, you know, yeah. It's a smaller team. Oh, yes, yeah.

Patrick Horvath 31:51

You can move faster, it's like the purest sense of what you want to communicate. Thank you. And I think that you, oh my God, when you make a movie, like it's the hardest thing in the world. And if you can get like 80% of your idea, that's like a eureka. You know what I mean? Like you're like, yeah, yeah, you're doing great. More likely it's like a 60% of what you're hoping to make. It's up. Like there's so many factors, there's so many people, there's so many problems, there's so many notes that show up or whatever. And like, I'm working on this, we've just like been talking about like it's it's myself, it's designer, it's Haas doing the letters, you know. I work with an editor, Jake Williams, and then we put it out. And it's like, and that's the team, you know, and it's so small and wonderful and flexible, and you know, and like if if you have to work through something, even like I'm also working on RT and Hell right now, and it's like working with Tyler Crook, who's incredible, and like in that one, like we'll be like, this layout's not working. I'm so sorry, this layout is not working. Like, um, uh, I I need to like we need to kind of reappraise this thing. And then Tyler be like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Here, let me like rework this part and that part, and like that, this is it, and it's even better. Yes, like, and it just and it happens like that, you know what I mean? And it's like all of a sudden gels, and it's so much more dynamic of a team that way. Um, it's wonderful, man.

Badr Milligan 33:04

I love comics. Yeah, the teamwork and the energy comes through in the work, man. Um, last question for you Beneath the Trees, Volume One is out, Beneath the Trees where Nobody Sees, right of Spring is also now out in trade paperback collected edition. Any last words or parting words for anyone that might just have, I don't know who would be on the fence after hearing you gush and like express like just how much this project means to you. But for anyone that's on the fence about checking out Beneath the Trees where nobody sees, what would you say?

Patrick Horvath 33:29

Um, I would say like it might, I would say, I mean, if you're into it, like listen, it's a horror book. So, like, if that's like the thing, I totally understand. There's some people, it's just not for them, and I can appreciate that. Um, it does get gruesome. I will say this, it's and this has been like one of the best things, the biggest compliments I've ever received about the book, is that like it's gotten people that aren't normally into comics back into comics or into comics for the first time, which is like incredible to hear. And now also people that are just like, they're like, you know what, I just don't like horror, but I like this book. And so it like is a lot more palatable, I think, than people might think it would be if you tell them it's a horror book straight off. Um, and I I think it's just like it's there's a lot more to it under the hood than most people think. I think that's part of the reason why it's so compelling. But I mean, like, yeah, if you're interested at all, like please give it a shot. I'd really appreciate it.

Badr Milligan 34:17

There we go. Look, if my cosine means anything, absolutely go check out Benefit the Trees When Nobody Sees. Patrick, even great. Thank you so much, man. I appreciate you so much. Thank you so much.

About The Author

Badr Milligan

A project manager, podcaster, and a professional moderator all rolled-into-one. Co-founder of the Jax Podcasters United Group. Host and producer of The Short Box: A Comic Book Talk Show. Resident of Springfield, but not the one on TV.

To read more about Badr, check out his full bio here.