10 Questions with Mike McCarty
1. Why did you choose the legendary characters of Romulus and Remus to use as a vehicle to create a werewolf origin story in Gemini Rising?
Romulus and Remus always seemed cool to me. The whole idea of twin babies found nursed back to health by a wolf was very cool and weird and animalistic. When I started with the initial idea of werewolf bikers I figured they had been around since WWII. A lot of early biker cultures borrowed from the nazis, not because they were racists, but because nazi stuff made people uncomfortable, and bikers love making people uncomfortable. So I figured if they were an SS troop in WWII then they had to come from somewhere before that. The nazis had borrowed some imagery and tones from ancient Rome with things like the golden Eagle standard so just put 2 and 2 together and it came up werewolves. I couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been done already. Sure people hinted at it now and then but as far as I know I was the first to run with it as a full story.
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
Like most horror writers I grew up reading, Stephen King, Peter Straub, then I found the likes of F Paul Wilson, Conn Iggulden, James A Moore. I like to think that most writers I read either influence or inspire me in some way.
3. How did you first get involved in being a Hollywood makeup artist?
It was something I always wanted as a kid, I was way into horror movies…obviously. Halloween was my favorite time of year, I loved art, had some skills and Tom Savini was my hero. That appropriately ticks all the makeup fx artist boxes right there. From there on I learned a bunch of it myself did a little class here and there and started to slowly creep my way into the business. Now I’ve been doing it over 25 years.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
The shop I currently work at, KNB efx, is responsible for all things Walking Dead so I get to do a lot of stuff for those shows. Which is cool, but as a fan of the series it’s a total spoiler alert fest.
5. Would you rather have a novel that reaches number one on the New York Times bestseller list or win an Oscar for best makeup for one of the movies you worked on?
A novel for sure! But I would’nt not accept an Oscar ;)
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I love the transformation scenes and anything I think is going to scar people, freak them out a little, or put people out of their comfort zones. I think I may have done that in Book 1. Every now and then someone comes up to me and says “Poor Marcus.” (Referring to one of the books characters.)
7. What’s your favorite werewolf movie of all time?
The Howling! My aunt Mary Jane took me to see the Howling when I was 13 in the theater, she had no idea what the movie was other than werewolves. It’s a pretty intense movie for a 13 year old, full of sex and violence and a fantastic werewold transformation which I still love….I think it was paramount in changing my life and shaping who I am today. Even though I had to watch the sexy parts through her well placed hand over my eyes lol. That movie definitely made me the fan of werewolves I am now. I also got a chance to see American Werewolf in London in the theater as a young lad. I had to totally sneak in but it was worth its weight in gold. Both of those movies are pretty awesome.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
No not at all, no one should limit themselves there may be some things that are harder to write, but I would never limit myself.
9. What was your favorite makeup FX television show or movie that you worked on?
That’s a tough one. For years it was Sin City, now maybe the Maniac remake? Hostel 2 was an amazing time as far as being on set and having things go well. We shot that movie in Prague which is a fantastic city to live in for 2 months. The people are great and it’s one of the few major European cities that survived WWII unscathed. It’s truly a site to see.
10. Who did Negan kill on the final episode of season 6 of The Walking Dead?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…I’m sorry what was the question?
Romulus and Remus always seemed cool to me. The whole idea of twin babies found nursed back to health by a wolf was very cool and weird and animalistic. When I started with the initial idea of werewolf bikers I figured they had been around since WWII. A lot of early biker cultures borrowed from the nazis, not because they were racists, but because nazi stuff made people uncomfortable, and bikers love making people uncomfortable. So I figured if they were an SS troop in WWII then they had to come from somewhere before that. The nazis had borrowed some imagery and tones from ancient Rome with things like the golden Eagle standard so just put 2 and 2 together and it came up werewolves. I couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been done already. Sure people hinted at it now and then but as far as I know I was the first to run with it as a full story.
2. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
Like most horror writers I grew up reading, Stephen King, Peter Straub, then I found the likes of F Paul Wilson, Conn Iggulden, James A Moore. I like to think that most writers I read either influence or inspire me in some way.
3. How did you first get involved in being a Hollywood makeup artist?
It was something I always wanted as a kid, I was way into horror movies…obviously. Halloween was my favorite time of year, I loved art, had some skills and Tom Savini was my hero. That appropriately ticks all the makeup fx artist boxes right there. From there on I learned a bunch of it myself did a little class here and there and started to slowly creep my way into the business. Now I’ve been doing it over 25 years.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
The shop I currently work at, KNB efx, is responsible for all things Walking Dead so I get to do a lot of stuff for those shows. Which is cool, but as a fan of the series it’s a total spoiler alert fest.
5. Would you rather have a novel that reaches number one on the New York Times bestseller list or win an Oscar for best makeup for one of the movies you worked on?
A novel for sure! But I would’nt not accept an Oscar ;)
6. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I love the transformation scenes and anything I think is going to scar people, freak them out a little, or put people out of their comfort zones. I think I may have done that in Book 1. Every now and then someone comes up to me and says “Poor Marcus.” (Referring to one of the books characters.)
7. What’s your favorite werewolf movie of all time?
The Howling! My aunt Mary Jane took me to see the Howling when I was 13 in the theater, she had no idea what the movie was other than werewolves. It’s a pretty intense movie for a 13 year old, full of sex and violence and a fantastic werewold transformation which I still love….I think it was paramount in changing my life and shaping who I am today. Even though I had to watch the sexy parts through her well placed hand over my eyes lol. That movie definitely made me the fan of werewolves I am now. I also got a chance to see American Werewolf in London in the theater as a young lad. I had to totally sneak in but it was worth its weight in gold. Both of those movies are pretty awesome.
8. Is there any subject that is off limits for you as a writer?
No not at all, no one should limit themselves there may be some things that are harder to write, but I would never limit myself.
9. What was your favorite makeup FX television show or movie that you worked on?
That’s a tough one. For years it was Sin City, now maybe the Maniac remake? Hostel 2 was an amazing time as far as being on set and having things go well. We shot that movie in Prague which is a fantastic city to live in for 2 months. The people are great and it’s one of the few major European cities that survived WWII unscathed. It’s truly a site to see.
10. Who did Negan kill on the final episode of season 6 of The Walking Dead?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…I’m sorry what was the question?
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