Interview: Greg Pak on BOOM! Studios’ Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York #1 Daniel Bayliss Jack Burton cover

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York #1 Daniel Bayliss Jack Burton cover


Greg Pak has written Totally Awesome Hulk, Kingsway West, Action Comics, and many others. Now, he’s writing a crossover based on Kurt Russell’s characters from two of director John Carpenter’s popular films, Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York! Westfield’s Roger Ash recently contacted Pak to learn more about this upcoming series.

Westfield: How did you become involved with Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York?

Greg Pak: My friends at BOOM! sent me an email that included the words “Kurt Russell characters,” “Big Trouble in Little China,” “Escape from New York,” and “team-up.” And I couldn’t say no. The project just sounded like huge, fun mayhem. And my brain immediately started digging into different ways these worlds could come together and the hugely fun character dynamics that would come from putting big-hearted, goofy Jack Burton in the same room as cynical, deadly Snake Plissken.

Westfield: How much input have you received from John Carpenter?

Pak: My BOOM! editors sent him the outline I put together, which he reportedly loved, and then we got on the phone to talk about it. It was fantastic—he basically said go for it! And then I got to pick his brain for a bit about Snake and Jack. John Carpenter’s a legit legend and it’s a thrill plunging into a story like this with his input and blessing.

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York Daniel Bayliss Snake Plissken cover.

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York Daniel Bayliss Snake Plissken cover.


Westfield: Will other characters from the films aside from Jack and Snake be appearing?

Pak: That’s a secret for now, but big characters from both films will indeed appear. Dontcha dare miss it!

Westfield: What can you tell us about the story?

Pak: Truck driver Jack Burton gets transported into a future alternative post-disaster America where marauders in souped-up death machines fight on the shattered highways and everyone thinks Jack is a legendary war hero turned criminal named Snake Plissken. Then Snake himself shows up and the real mayhem starts.

Westfield: What can you say about your collaboration with artist Daniel Bayliss?

Pak: A piece of Daniel’s concept art for the series is one of the things that helped bring me on board in the beginning. He’s got this amazingly fun style that’s great for both humor and over the top action—it just felt like a perfect fit for the story I had in mind. He’s been doing a tremendous job on the book so far. Even his layouts have blown my mind—they’ve got so much character and detail in them they could practically be pencils.

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York Mike Allred Subscription Cover.

Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York Mike Allred Subscription Cover.


Westfield: Is there any character you’re particularly enjoying writing?

Pak: I’m loving them all. Jack’s particularly fun, though, because he just doesn’t stop talking. As a person who writes a lot of action stories, I’ve written a ton of terse, wry heroes. And that’s a blast. But it can be a real pleasure when you have the chance to cut loose dialoguing for a real blabbermouth.

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Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York

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