Interview: James Tynion IV celebrates 5 years with DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #0

The Department of Truth by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds has a big milestone coming up. Image Comics/Tiny Onion will mark the anniversary with a special extra-length #0 issue of the best-selling series in September. The issue will also feature a story by guest writer Scott Snyder and guest artist Joshua Hixson about the secret history of Elvis in the first of a three-part back-up story.

Read details below:

A new day has dawned at the Department of Truth. Lee Harvey Oswald and his ruthless new recruits are ready to do whatever it takes to make the agency great again. Don’t miss this critical turning point in the Eisner-nominated series.

This special issue will also see the King of Rock n’ Roll take the stage again with the first of a three-part backup story featuring guest writer Scott Snyder (Absolute Batman) and horror artist extraordinaire Joshua Hixson (The Deviant) that will delve into the secret history of Elvis Presley.

Fans can look for covers by Simmonds, Hixson, and Tom Muller, as well as a die-cut variant by Tyler Boss.

The Beat chatted with Tynion about the milestone. 

DEANNA DESTITO: How did you decide on this particular approach to celebrating 5 years?

JAMES TYNION IV: As important as it is to celebrate this milestone, it’s also a key turning point in The Department of Truth‘s ongoing story. Last year, we built toward issue #25 and long-simmering revelations about the Department’s past.  Now, we’re moving the story into the present in BIG, upsetting ways. 

The Department of Truth has never been a “ripped from the headlines” book, but we’ve never shied away from difficult topics either, and we felt a responsibility to meet the current moment head-on. You’re going to see that reflected in the new cast of agents recruited into the Department by Lee Harvey Oswald as he attempts to cling to power. And that new cast does NOT play well with Cole Turner and the other agents that readers have been following for the last five years…

Outside of the story arc that Martin and I are kicking off in this issue, we knew we had to do something special to justify calling this #0 and not just the next issue in sequence. Inviting our first-ever full guest creative team for a backup serial definitely felt like it fit that bill. 

DESTITO: How has it been working with this pretty amazing creative team on this issue?

TYNION: Scott Snyder was there at the very beginning of my comics journey, so there’s no one I’d trust more to come in and tell a story set in the world of The Department of Truth. Scott’s also a lifelong superfan of Elvis, so he’s bringing a level of passion and care to this story that only he could offer. And with Joshua Hixson (The Deviant) and Jordie Bellaire (Exquisite Corpses) on art, it feels like a Tiny Onion family affair. 

This is the first time Josh and Jordie have collaborated, and their work together has brought out whole new unsettling textures to Scott’s script. We’re very excited for readers to start this three-part Elvis saga here, before following it into the next two issues of The Department of Truth. 

DESTITO: What can fans of this series expect?

TYNION: Longtime fans of The Department of Truth can expect to see Martin turning in some of his best work yet as we introduce some of our nastiest players yet. In many ways, issue #0 is a dark mirror to issue #1, and you’re not going to want to miss the next chapter of the story that begins here. Hunter, Charity, Chuckie—they’re all going to leave a major mark on the face of the series in the issues ahead. 

DESTITO: Can new readers jump in here? If not, reading order suggestions?

TYNION: We took pains to make this issue as accessible as possible. If you’ve never read any of The Department of Truth before, issue #0 will explain the world’s premise, introduce you to the core cast, and (hopefully!) entice you to come back for more. That said, we’ve been weaving this twisted tale from the very first page of the very first issue, so there’s no better way to catch up than by grabbing the trade paperbacks in order, digging through the back-issue bins, or picking up our Complete Conspiracy deluxe hardcover collections. The first collection includes the initial 17 issues, and the next collection is in the early stages of production now, so keep your eyes peeled for updates about that.

DESTITO: Any teasers you can share?

TYNION: Some of the most striking characters from The Department of Truth are also the most unreal. The Fictional Woman in her red dress with the X’s for eyes. The Star-Faced Man in the impossible basement with his grotesque crying meal. This issue gives readers their first glimpse at a horrifying new embodiment of the modern era, and we’re excited for him to haunt the pages of the series in issues to come. 

I can also say that things are going to get much worse for Cole Turner before they get any better. If they ever do. It’ll pay for him to have friends in low places…let’s put it that way.