NYCC 2023: Scott Snyder and Valeria Favoccia Reflect On ComiXology’s `By A Thread’

Prolific comic book writer Scott Snyder’s latest project is a family affair, with the concept initially developed by his son Jack. The pair enlisted artist Valeria Favoccia to illustrate By A Thread, a new limited series from ComiXology that deals with a small patch of necrotic material that threatens to spread around the world. While Jack was at school, his father and Favoccia sat down with Comicon.com for an exclusive interview at New York Comic Con.

Tom Smithyman: So it was Jack who came up with the idea for By A Thread?

Scott Snyder: Yeah! 100% It was a couple summers ago, and he was like: “Dad, I had this idea, and I was wondering if you want to work on it with me. It wasn’t at all like “let’s make a comic together.” It was just write a story together. He told me the idea, and we started building it out. I just loved it. And I realized that it might be an opportunity to get to work in this medium with him because he loves it and he’s a fanatic for James Tynion – which I love, because James is one of my best friends.

So he pitched this idea and we started working on it. And I realized that it really had substance. It was something he cares about. He’s passionate about the idea of a world where young people find a way to have faith in this future that they can build together and that exceeds the expectations of the generation before them and the limits that are set on them.

So so I started blocking it out a little bit with him in terms of structure and we realized we could do it as a series. So then it was about finding a fantastic co-creator, and the very first person that we saw and really loved was Valeria.

Smithyman: So you get an email from Scott Snyder?

Valeria Favoccia: Actually, which me on Twitter. And I said: “Whhaaaatttt????”

Smithyman: Did you think you were getting punked?

Favoccia: Yeah I thought it was a fake account! I was thinking: “No it couldn’t be him!” And then we shared some emails and the three of us were on a video call.

Then they told me about the story, and I felt like it was under my skin just from the beginning. I thought that everything that they were saying was coming out of my mind like. All the stuff about the story is completely in my taste.

Snyder: Also, working with somebody who has such passion for the story but also for the integrity of the characters to make sure it says something. To make sure every character is representative of a full-blown personality and beliefs and ideals. It’s been great working with somebody that not only elevates the work but brings it to life in such a sparkling way.

Favoccia: I had ideas. I had things that I wanted to share with them because I was very passionate about this story. I was thinking about them while drawing, and I was like “I think that we should do that.” And they were always open to listen to me to work together to adopt something that I had thinking about. And that was the best thing in the world because I felt like this book is completely mine – not something that I’m just working on but something that we are creating together.

And I love that they agreed to make the characters as much different. I’m Italian, so we don’t have like different races. I live in Milan, and it’s just like New York. I love this mix of ethnicity and sharing different cultures. I even tried to include different gender identities in this story. And I was so happy to have their support.

Erik Amaya: You mentioned that the story is about a younger generation finding a hope that older generations reject. Was that a revelation to you?

Snyder: I think the big anxiety as a parent right now is that it does feel like they’re inheriting a very sort of entropic system that feels broken in fundamental ways. Not that it can’t be repaired, but everything from the sort of political climate to the big systemic problems both culturally and you know globally. It just it feels so daunting as a dad to be like “Here’s the world, son!” Maybe my parents felt that way too and when I was growing up but it feels more pronounced now in some way.

We Have Demons is about this and Book of Evil is about this as well. I usually work through a couple of themes, and all the stuff that I’m doing for a period of time come at it from different vantage points. When I was on Justice League there was a lot about people, if given the chance, would they side with the villains? Would they embrace their worst impulses around 2016. You can see that in Metal. You can see that in The Batman Who Laughs.

That theme has been on my mind a lot, and I thought Jack’s idea about these kids that decide they’re going to take this really dangerous but really daring adventure to try and find something better than what’s out there and build something better was very invigorating. It’s the way I hope they feel. It was revelatory to see him be hopeful about it.

Smithyman: It’s such an American thing to expect that your children will have it better than you did. I’m worried that my kids won’t have a better life, and I can hear a similar concern in your voice.

Snyder: It’s hard. Especially for Jack’s 12-year-old brother. He hasn’t known a political climate where there was anything at all inspiring. There’s just a dark period. Even now, regardless of who you’re voting for the cacophony and the vitriol, the ridiculousness, the conspiracy theories, the divisions – that’s what he grows up with.

Those feelings have worked their way into a lot of stuff. But this project is the purest expression of this – especially given coming from him and having a someone who’s on a rocket ship ride like Valeria. It made it an energizing and invigorating experience to see them come in with that – not just hopefulness – but passion.

Smithyman: How do you describe your artistic style?

Favoccia: It’s a hybrid. I grew up with manga and anime, but I love superheroes very much. And I really love doing dynamic scenes and fighting scenes. So I try to have a fresh style. It’s a combination of an anime soul but also an American style.

In the past, I’ve worked with existing worlds like Stranger Things, so you are expected to draw things in a specific way. But in this book, I asked myself what I would love to see. I challenged myself to improve my style. So I emphasized the anime stuff that I love so much. And New York Comic Con is the perfect place to show it. I hope so, anyway!

Snyder: I have zero doubt about it. It’s my son! I’m so proud of it, and he’s so proud of it.

Smithyman: Thank you both for taking the time out of your busy NYCC schedule to talk to us. And next time, we’ll schedule the interview on the weekend so Jack can participate!