M1NDH@CK3D with Dave Cook, an Interview About the Anti-Cyberpunk Series “Killtopia: Phantoms”
Ghosting takes on a whole new form
Writer Dave Cook has been building the world of Killtopia for years now, shaping it into one of the most distinct and energetic indie sci-fi series I’ve read in a long time. Originally published by BHP Comics, with a hardcover available to purchase via Titan Comics, the first arc of Killtopia pushed the cyberpunk aesthetic and theme to its limit, with a sharp mix of bloodsport, techno-dystopia, corporate overreach, and a nanomachine plague ravaging the brave new world of Neo Tokyo.
With Killtopia: Phantoms, Dave Cook returns to that neon-soaked future dream/hellscape to explore new corners of this world, with new looks into the lives of the people trying to survive inside.
I spoke with the writer about his latest Kickstarter campaign for Killtopia: Phantoms and just what readers can expect from this next chapter.
First and foremost, for those unfamiliar, what is Killtopia? Is it like Killadelphia? Located in Killsylvania?
COOK: Killtopia is my award-winning cyberpunk comic series, currently published worldwide as a collected edition by Titan Comics. It’s set in Neo Tokyo, which was overrun by killer mecha ten years before our first book begins. The Japanese government walls the rampaging machines into a district called Killtopia - the hunting grounds of the world’s most popular bloodsport.
If you’re great at hunting the mechs, you can become an overnight celebrity with infinite wealth and social influence. Our story’s big hook is that one of the mechs - named Crash - achieves sentience. Crash’s systems contain the cure to a nanomachine plague that’s killing the human species. After a bounty is placed on Crash’s head, a rookie hunter called Shinji vows to help the machine cure the planet and figure out why it’s different from the rest of its kind.
I started working on the Killtopia concept back in 2016, seeing reports that the government here in the UK were thinking about scrapping our country’s free health care system. I started thinking about the lengths people would go to if they suddenly have to pay for their medication and treatment overnight - which is where the series’ nanomachine plague and the Killtopia bloodsport came from.
But beyond that, it’s essentially a love letter to everything I like - from Cowboy Bebop and Akira, to Japanese action video games and action movies. It’s an anti-cyberpunk story, as Neo Tokyo isn’t that dystopian at all, and we avoided all the usual trappings of the genre - like trenchcoats, brooding characters, edgelord bait, and more. We just told the story we wanted to tell.
It also gets VERY silly at points, because we all need a laugh amid the nonsense of everyday life…
Agreed! Now, Dave, you make some of my favorite cyberpunk comic books. I see the Cowboy Bebop references. Get the Akira and Ghost in the Shell homages in Killtopia. I have to say… Bravo. Bravo. Any other references or callbacks stand out to you?
COOK: Thank you! In terms of Killtopia’s tone, I was hugely inspired by the Japanese action game No More Heroes, by Grasshopper Manufacture. In that game, you’re a rookie assassin fighting up the ranks of the American assassins ranking table, by slaughtering a cast of brash, larger-than-life killers - each with their own signature weapons and gimmicks. In Killtopia, our hunters - known as ‘Wreckers’ - each have distinct characteristics. No More Heroes was the template for that.
Killtopia often slips into parody and satire, taking potshots at how ludicrous modern life is - from cultish fandom, class division, health inequality, and a million other things. In some way, it’s taking power away from the awful people who dictate our happiness and wellbeing on a daily basis - from big corporations and corrupt politicians, to addictive social media tech and the dividing power of fan hype.
Elsewhere, the book is littered with so many easter eggs and references. Our Titan Comics hardback edition even has a quiz at the end to test how many you’ve spotted (which is very, very silly). So yeah, RoboCop was also a huge influence, thanks to the parody and satire, and I’d also throw the likes of Battle Royale, Macross Plus, Blade Runner, Alita: Battle Angel, and much more into the mix.
Our first arc ended with Killtopia #5 back in 2023, and we’re currently funding the first issue of our second arc on Kickstarter - the far darker and horror-themed sequel, Killtopia: Phantoms.
Now, what is Ghosting? And I mean that in regards to Killtopia. Not in the ignoring my DM’s kind of way. Also… check your DMs. I sent you a smiley face.
COOK: Ghosting is a key plot device in Killtopia’s second story arc, Phantoms. It’s a phenomenon that begins on Halloween night in Neo Tokyo’s Shibuya district, where a mass mind hack forces thousands of people to see their worst fears come to life before their eyes. The attack causes a riot to break out, as people defend themselves against horrors that aren’t really there. The death toll is unimaginable.
Shortly after, Neo Tokyo’s Central Dispatch (the police force) forms an elite unit called Phantoms, dedicated to finding the hacker and bringing them to justice. However, the hacker keeps manipulating society in many ways, such as making rational, sane people believe bullshit conspiracy theories.
The hacker also makes people grow hateful towards their fellow humans, and worse still, physically controls them like puppets to carry out crimes and murders on their behalf. In short, Ghosting is a metaphor for the disinformation and manipulation we see everyday, which makes people believe the Earth is flat, that there are microchips in your vaccines, and that everyone who disagrees with you is the enemy.
I see these things every day and I just think to myself, ‘How did we get here? Why are so many of us angry at our fellow humans? Is there a way back to how it was before?’ This sounds bleak, and Phantoms does deal with some gnarly topics, but ultimately, it’s a story about a better, more positive future is achievable - if we’re willing to put the work in, and stop giving oxygen to those who benefit from our misery.
And of course, because this is Killtopia, Phantoms also gets VERY silly in parts.
Alright, let’s mix this up. You’re me. Yes, I’m sorry, it sucks. What unique question can I ask Dave Cook that would instantly sell people on his Cyberpunk franchise, Killtopia?
COOK: Damn. That’s a great question. I think they should ask, ‘Do I have to be a cyberpunk fan to enjoy Killtopia?’
Okay, now answer it yourself. Boom. Mind-hacked. Got you to do my job for me…Is this how mind-hacking works? What are some of the rules of your cyberpunk reality?
COOK: Aha! I see what you did there! The answer is, ‘no, absolutely not.’ The thing I love most about cyberpunk is how stretchy it is as a genre. There are many great examples of movies, books, and games out there that have so many hallmarks of the cyberpunk genre - yet they look nothing like the classics you imagine, like Blade Runner.
Killtopia is a huge melting pot of genre staples and influences. It’s got sci-fi moments, wicked dark comedy, massive action set-pieces, weighty mecha battles, psychedelic trips into the virtual reality darknet, Yakuza turf wars, and so much more.
Beyond the influences I mentioned earlier, there are moments in there inspired by everything from the South Korean movie, Oldboy (my favourite movie ever, trivia fans!), The Raid, Borderlands, Metal Gear Solid, Fallout, and so many more.
If you’re on the fence, we’re giving the first digital issue of Killtopia away completely free, to help new readers sample our world. No catch, no nonsense! It’s on the house. Give it a try and see what you think.
An awesome opportunity for any readers! Now, Phantoms takes place years after your last series with Bloody Mary as your new lead. Tell us more about who she is, her fall from grace, and her role as a cop-for-hire.
COOK: Mary was first introduced briefly in Killtopia #3, as the new rising star of the Killtopia bloodsport. Everyone is predicting that she’ll be the next big name, and she’s slowly but surely becoming a superstar Wrecker - with big sponsors, a growing fan base and many prospects ahead of her.
Without spoiling the end of the first Killtopia arc, Bloody Mary and the other Wreckers find themselves out of work and desperately searching for a new purpose in an increasingly confusing world. Mary works with her agent to try and find her a new bloodsport or job that will keep her in the spotlight. Needless to say, that doesn’t work, so to satisfy her lust for the hunt, she becomes a cop-for-hire at Central Dispatch.
Central Dispatch was a fun thing to write. It’s basically a gamified police force (like the Uber of law enforcement). Kill a perp quickly and you get bonus pay, eliminate a most wanted target and you earn a day’s paid vacation. With bonuses on the line, the cops no longer care about due process and who is guilty or not. They’ve all got itchy trigger fingers and see everyone as an enemy. Sound familiar?
Mary is invited to join Phantoms Unit after the mind hacker starts creating chaos across Neo Tokyo. Specifically, the hacker targets Mary in a way that almost has deadly, catastrophic consequences. Eager for revenge, Mary agrees to join Phantoms and find the hacker responsible.
The Phantoms Unit seems like a great reason for us to journey throughout this world of Neo Tokyo. What is its role, who are its leaders, and what are they supposed to do?
COOK: Phantoms Unit was formed by Violet LaBelle, a senior detective whose daughter was killed during the bloodshed of the Halloween mind hack. Her right hand man is Gunnar, a data expert who assists the team with information, surveillance and hacking support from a distance.
Then there’s Hibiki ‘Hab’ Souta, a rookie cop who has just transferred to Neo Tokyo with his wife and kids. Hab’s a little inexperienced, and is mostly working with Phantoms to earn money for his family, but he’s also a capable cop with a heart of gold, and the skills to bust heads once the bullets start spraying.
Hab is Mary’s partner, and together they hit the streets to follow leads, shake down Yakuza drug pushers, and learn the whereabouts of the elusive mind hacker. All I’ll reveal is, the hacker has teamed up with Nova - the heiress of a notorious Yakuza clan. Her motivations for helping the hacker are one of the biggest mysteries and plot twists in Phantoms.
Nova was very fun to write as well. She’s hyper intelligent, deadly, and has 3D hard light printer augments in the palms of her hands - which she can use to print blades, guns, shields, tactical gear, and anything else she needs to get out of a jam. I can’t wait for our readers to meet her and slowly learn her true nature.
Clark Bint’s art makes it clear: fear is the engine here. How does staring down fear in the face propel the story? Where does it break your characters in the process?
COOK: Clark was on board with Phantoms the moment I told him about some of the arc’s earliest horror moments. Thanks to the Ghosting effect of the hacker’s manipulation, people across Neo Tokyo find it hard to tell reality and nightmares apart. It gave us space to really play with moments of psychological horror, where scenes warp, decay and erupt in various creative ways.
Honestly, Clark’s art was incredible in the first Killtopia arc, but somehow he’s gotten even better in Phantoms. I’m always amazed by Clark’s dedication to pushing himself, trying new things, and surprising readers with visual flourishes they won’t expect.
When it comes to the fear aspect, we want readers to question what they’re seeing throughout the Phantoms arc. Everyone in Neo Tokyo is taking ‘neural’ pills to keep the hacker out of their brains. The thing you need to ask yourself is; are the pills even working? Is what you’re seeing fact or fiction - it all speaks to the rampant disinformation we see right now around the world. I also wanted to write Phantoms as a ‘puzzle box’ narrative, so that when you read it over again from the beginning, you’ll see things in a different light. It wasn’t easy to write that way, but I also wanted to push myself this time around.
In terms of where it breaks our characters. Many of our cast are dealing with something heavy in their lives. You might not realise it at first, but they all have demons, hang-ups, and trauma that the hacker is trying to exploit for their own sick enjoyment. With Mary specifically, it’s feelings of regret, inadequacy, imposter syndrome, comparing herself to others, and the feeling that her life has peaked post-Killtopia.
These are all things I’ve struggled with a lot over the years, so I’m very much imprinting my own feelings onto the character. I’m mostly doing this to show others that they’re not alone in feeling this way, and ultimately, that you’re 100% valid as a person regardless. As bleak as Phantoms can get, I hope that people take a positive message away from the story once it’s all said and done.
Can I also say the artwork also looks violently psychedelic this time around. Any scenes written or pieces drawn you’re particularly proud of in the first new issue?
COOK: I don’t want to spoil any of the horror sequences, but the first mind trip sequence is positively grotesque, and should appeal to fans of the final battle in Akira, where Tetsuo starts to get a bit… melty… You’ll know what I mean once you read Phantoms #1.
Elsewhere, Clark has outdone himself with his vistas of Neo Tokyo. We always want the city to feel like a character in its own right - a tangible, living place that you care about - and Clark has once again smashed it. All I’ll add is; look closely at those scenes and you’ll see a lot of extra detail and easter eggs.
Finally, the campaign ends relatively soon. Is there anything you can promote that’s special about this one? Give us the skinny. Why back Killtopia: Phantoms?
COOK: Killtopia: Phantoms #1 is the continuation of our award-winning cyberpunk series, which has proven itself to be a Kickstarter smash, with over £150,000 raised since 2018, a major publishing deal, and lots more fun stuff to come in the future. So if you back us, you’re guaranteed the same level of quality you’d expect with a large publisher. We’ve been making comics for over a decade, we know what we’re doing, so backing us is a safe bet.
Also, just to reiterate that we’re the anti-cyberpunk. There’s something for everyone in Killtopia and Killtopia: Phantoms, so please do check out the campaign page, look at our lush sample pages, and check out the free copy of Killtopia #1 we’ve linked to from the campaign page.
And thanks to anyone reading this who has backed us already, we appreciate you so much, honestly!
Thanks for chatting with me :)
You can support Killtopa: Phantoms on Kickstarter Right Now
Christian Angeles is a writer and entertainment journalist with nearly a decade of experience covering comics, video games, and digital media. He was senior editor at The Beat during its Eisner Award–winning year and also served as managing editor of The Workprint. Outside of journalism, he writes comics and books.
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