If you’re making a list of rabid fanbases then you’d be remiss if you didn’t mention those who love Boondock Saints. The two films featuring the Boston-based anti-heroes are legendary, as is the writer and director of those films: Troy Duffy.
In 2010, 12-Gauge comics released a six issue mini-series (plus a one-shot prelude) entitled Boondock Saints: In Nomine Patris. Co-writer Troy Duffy recently sat down with iFanboy to chat about the experience of bring his famous film characters to life on the comic book page.
iFanboy: How did you originally decide to bring the Boondocks Saints to comic books?
Troy Duffy: [12-Gauge Comics publisher] Eben [Matthews] and [co-writer] J.B. [Love] came to me. Though we had been thinking about a comic for years, these things often are made into reality when a well placed “dude” comes along. They were those dudes.
iF: Both film and comic books are visual mediums. How challenging was it to go from telling a story on the screen to telling a story on the page?
TD: Before telling a story on screen you’re telling it on a page anyway by writing a script, so it’s very similar. The only difference was that you have more freedom in comics. You can go and do just about anything you want. It all boils down to shooting the shit with your buddy around a camp fire. Verbal medium, written medium, visual medium – they are all just extensions of this, in my mind.
iF: Describe the working relationship between you, your co-writer J.B. Love, and the artist Guus Floor.
TD: I’ve never met Guus. I didn’t have much to do with the artwork because that all seemed to be very comic specific. Sometimes you gotta leave it to the pros. As for J.B., our working relationship consisted of he and I smoking cigarettes on my porch and talking story while he typed. Then we’d shoot versions back and forth until I approved it. Oh, he also makes a hell of a Pimm’s Cup. Delicious.
iF: For Boondock Saints fans who haven’t been keeping up with the comic books, where is the McManus family now, as this series opens up, in relation to the films?
TD: Right where the boys sit down with their dad and have a real conversation about his history. Much of it is Il Duce and how he became who he is, as well as a few present day brothers’ gigs. We basically chose a moment we could get some real mileage out of and exploited the shit out of it!
iF: The story of Boondock Saints: In Nomine Patris deals heavily with Noah McManus/Il Duce’s past. Is this a story that you’ve wanted to tell for a while?
TD: Yes, but this also coincided with the fans’ desires to hear it. I never really expected it but, although Il Duce gets only about 10 minutes of screen time in Boondock Saints, he seemed to capture the fans’ imaginations. They wanted to know absolutely everything about this man, which is why, in the sequel, we went more “Duce Heavy”.
iF: Was it fun to slip back into these characters again?
TD: Never slipped out.
iF: What is your favorite scene from Boondock Saints: In Nomine Patris? The one you couldn’t wait to see when art started coming in.
TD: The whole first issue. That’s just because it’s almost like getting the first dailies on a film you’re shooting. You don’t know what it’s going to look like until you see that first stuff. Guus did a great job.
iF: What can you do in comic books that you can’t do in film?
TD: You can take mushrooms and go nuts on it! All the extreme stuff you can’t really do in film, you can in comics. FREEDOOOOOOM!
iF: How do you explain the enduring popularity of the McManus family?
TD: I don’t really know. There is something there that many people identify with. I’m sure there are many things that contribute to this but if it ‘ain’t broke don’t fix it. I sometimes picture father and sons at a podium saying, “They like us. They really like us.”
iF: Now that you’ve completed Boondock Saints: In Nomine Patris, are there any plans to write more Boondock Saints comics in the future?
TD: I think I got the bug now. I may do this for a long time.
Look for Boondock Saints: In Nomine Patris at your local comic book store or at Graphicly, where all six issues are available:
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The first film was out of this world awesome.. the second… no comment..
On a related note.. theres a mall store (spencers gifts) near me selling lamps with the 2 silenced pistols as the base with a boondock saints shade…. spencers has the lamp sitting between the lube and the elmo jamees.
The first film was fun, loved Willem Dafoe’s role. He was kind of a very sleazy DC villain, no?
hmmm… its been a while since ive seen it.. but i remember Dafoe being good in it.
As a Boston area native, I’m proud of those Boondock Saints killing everybody. I like the sequel too, though it’s much more goofy and can’t compete with the original.
This comic, well hey it’s fun that its out there, doesn’t quite grab my interest though.
I saw the first Boondocks Saints and very pleasantly surprised how good it was. have not seen part 2 or checked out the comics though I’ve been curious to do so. Did see the documentary which was crazy.
If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and watch Overnight. It’s up there with American Movie as great documenatries about film making.
Yeah, after I watched Overnight my interest in anything Troy Duffy-related dropped tremendously.
THIS^^^
I personally like Boondock Saints 1, but have zero respect for the assclown known as Troy Duffy. That guy is moronic.
Watch Overnight and everyone will learn why after all this time, all Duffy could get off the ground was the cruddy sequel Boondock Saints 2 and now a comic book.
Its pretty sad because actual no-talent hacks like Uwe Boll keep making movies, whereas Troy Duffy could be doing some decent stuff but has too many doors closed from being such a Grade A Prime Douchebag.
I assume Conor told Duffy the secret irish codeword at the beginning of the interview to get on his good side. something like “Tiocfaidh ár lá” but not
Kilpatrick is a Scottish name.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pUbYKd8TVU
That clip just made me so happy.
@Conor: forget i mentioned a secret irish codeword. it was a joke
It is actually both Irish and Scottish-
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Kilpatrick
You try finding a keychain or tchochke in Ireland with “Kilpatrick” on it. Doesn’t exist.
I am betting I could find one in the town of Kilpatrick in county Meath Ireland.
My particular Kilpatricks come from Scotland.
90s SNL sketches and convenience stores are Josh’s main source of information
pfft. like you know anything about irish names, josh.
The first film was kinda fun but far from great and the the second film was soooo bad it insulted the audience with its lame ass , attempt at being a Lethal Weapon rip off- Producer I know some nerds liked it-LETS MAKE A COMIC