Star Wars and The Question writer Alex Segura on Alter Ego, his gripping new noir thriller set in the world of comics publishing

2024-12-03

ComicsStar Wars and The Question writer Alex Segura on Alter Ego, his gripping new noir thriller set in the world of comics publishingWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Art: Sandy Jarrell; Lettering: Jack Morelli)

Sandy Jarrell's interior illustrations from Alter Ego.

Writer Alex Segura is certainly on a bit of a hot streak at the moment… At DC he is currently penningThe Question: All Along the Watchtower, a new mystery series that follows Renee Montoya as she tries to solve a murder aboard the Justice League’s space station. Meanwhile, over at Marvel, Segura has also been writing the epicStar Wars: The Battle of Jakku, which tells the story of the final conflict between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.

Amidst all of this, today also sees the publication of Alter Ego – Segura’s terrific new prose novel set in the world of comics publishing. It’s a noir mystery thriller that, while connected to his previous book Secret Identity, can be read on its own. Newsarama caught up with Segura to find out more about the new novel, and his upcoming Daredevil tale, Enemy of My Enemy…

(Image credit: Flatiron Books)

A woman’s face on the cover of Alter Ego.

Newsarama: Alex, first off, how would you sum up the story of Alter Ego to our readers?

Alex Segura:Alter Ego is a “standalone sequel” to my LA Times Book Prize-winning crime novel, Secret Identity, which was a murder mystery set in the comic book industry in the ’70s. You don’t need to read Secret Identity to understand or dive into Alter Ego, but it certainly won’t hurt.

One of Sandy Jarrell’s interior illustrations from Alter Ego.(Image credit: Art: Sandy Jarrell; Lettering: Jack Morelli)

Sandy Jarrell’s interior illustrations from Alter Ego.

How does the book connect to Secret Identity?

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The connective tissue is the Lynx – the character Carmen co-created with legendary and tragic artist Doug Detmer. Both stories present situations where talented creators are presented with their dreams with powerful, dangerous caveats: first Carmen having to create in secret and then Annie having to continue the Lynx’s adventures under the purview of people who are more interested in money than content. Both books showcase two very different eras of comic book history, and the challenges of art vs. commerce with a murder mystery and thriller backdrop.

The Legendary Lynx, central to the new novel, featured in a comic series from Mad Cave Studios last year.(Image credit: Art: Sandy Jarrell; Lettering: Jack Morelli)

Sandy Jarrell’s interior illustrations from Alter Ego.

You work in comics yourself and these books are very much about that world. What makes it such a ripe medium and industry to explore in these novels?

I think people love novels that transport them to worlds they’re not familiar with – and while comics are everywhere in terms of pop culture, the inner workings of the industry are still a mystery. Plus, I believe that noir is the kind of thing that can happen in any setting – outer space, sports, comics – so it was fun to weave a mystery/thriller through this world I was really aware of. The contrast between the reality of comics (business meetings, P&L sheets, options) and the IDEA of comics (colorful pages, word balloons, superheroes) make for a fascinating setting.

Sandy’s just one of the best in the business. I’ve known him for a long time and it’s been such a treat to watch him develop. When I was thinking about the art sequences in Secret Identity, I knew we needed someone who wasn’t just going to mimic the style of the era, but really get into it and make it their own. Sandy’s not only a wonderful artist, but he’s a student of comics history, and his contribution to these books cannot be understated. It’s been one of the most fulfilling creative collaborations of my career.

Image1of1(Image credit: Art: Sandy Jarrell; Lettering: Jack Morelli)

Image1of1

(Image credit: Art: Sandy Jarrell; Lettering: Jack Morelli)

Sandy Jarrell’s interior illustrations from Alter Ego.

Alter Ego touches on questions of character creation and ownership – a subject that’s very pertinent to the comics industry. Are you worried about the future of rights for comics creators given things like increasing pressures from corporate owners and the current proliferation of AI?

I think the AI bubble will self-destruct once people actually engage with the parasitic “product” that those things will create. You can’t replicate creativity, but the existence of AI attempting to do it is certainly not helping. People have always wanted shortcuts to creativity – a path to getting to the thing, whether it’s a book, comic, movie, or whatever, faster. But the reality is that creativity is a lot of work, and it takes years to hone your craft, and those years are often fraught with rejection and defeat.

I think the ongoing challenge for creatives is finding ways to fund your stories without having to make concessions to those stories, whether it’s an editorial thing or rights-based, like giving up film or media just to see the book exist. On the flipside, the people funding the work need to make it worth their effort – so that’s the push and pull that’s been around forever.

You’ve said that this was a difficult book to write. How so?

It was hard because I’d envisioned Secret Identity as a standalone, but when I wrote the epilogue, I saw another idea forming. But sequels are inherently hard – you’re already being compared to the first one, and in this instance, Secret Identity did very well and was well-received. So, the struggle came in deciding what kind of story to tell. I knew I wanted it to be set in the modern day and reflect back at Secret Identity, but I didn’t want it to feel like a rehash. But once Annie appeared, the story fell into place – and I think Alter Ego stands on its own, and fits nicely with what’s come before, which was really hard. I feel really proud of the book, now that it’s done!

(Image credit: Hyperion Avenue/Marvel)

The cover for Enemy of My Enemy.

You’re also working on aDaredevilnovel for Marvel, titled Enemy of My Enemy. What can you tease about that book?

Yes! I’m thrilled to be working on this. It’s very much a legal drama, where Matt must defend someone for the crime of murdering one of his deadliest foes. Part of Matt feels relief this villain is gone, but another part of him knows that justice shouldn’t skip past anyone, even if the accused is none other than Frank Castle, the Punisher!

What appeals to you about writing for Matt Murdock and his world?

Matt is messy. Daredevil is messy. I like writing about complicated people who don’t always make the right choices, and this is very much Matt’s worst-case scenario. Part of him wants to just step away and let the chips fall, but that’s when people need Daredevil most.

How different do you find writing for established characters like Daredevil compared to your own creations? Do you approach the two types of books differently?

Well, the big difference is the pre-existing characters are baked already, so I don’t need to spend as much finding out how they act or what makes them tick. But the challenge with a character like Daredevil is that he’s been written for so long, in so many different ways, that I have to figure out howmyversion of DD fits in, and where. But that’s also part of the fun!

The Question: All Along the Watchtower #1 sets upa fascinating murder mystery in the Justice League’s home…

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