by Elisabeth@TFAW

Fans of the Eisner-winning Strangers in Paradise series mourned its conclusion in 2007, after 14 years of following the adventures–romantic and otherwise–of Katchoo, Francine, and David. Fortunately, writer, artist, and publisher Terry Moore has just released a limited-edition Strangers in Paradise Omnibus, three signed and numbered hardcover volumes that include every SiP story as well as every cover.

In addition, he's currently publishing Echo, a sci-fi action-adventure tale of a photographer, Julie, who gets caught in the crossfire–literally–of a top-secret weapons experiment and ends up with an atomic weapon fused to her body. Read on to hear about his feelings about the conclusion of SiP, the Echo movie, and more!

TFAW.com: Hi Terry, thanks for meeting with me!

Terry Moore: Thanks for inviting me.

TFAW.com: It's been two years since Strangers in Paradise concluded. Looking back, how do you feel about the series as a whole?

TM: I can look back on the 14 years it took to make it and know it was time well spent. I have something of value to show for my time. That's a good feeling.

TFAW.com: Would you have done anything differently?

TM: I would have bought a full-size scanner sooner.

TFAW.com: Is there any chance we'll see SiP, or any of the characters, in the future?

TM: Never say never. Right? In my head, they're still young, gorgeous and having incredible days. The only difference is we're not following them around anymore. It's awfully tempting.

TFAW.com: Tell us about the SiP Omnibus–it's big!

TM: Everything from the series is in the Omnibus, packed into two 1,200-page books, plus a third book that's a cover gallery of every SiP-related cover published by me. This is the edition I will sit down and read, because I spent a long time going over every page, making corrections, fixing art and layout problems; things that bothered me. Now I can read the story without the nagging errors. I can't wait.

TFAW.com: Will the Omnibus be printed in a trade paperback format as well?

TM: Yes, but not the cover gallery.

TFAW.com: Your new series, Echo, is pretty different from Strangers in Paradise thus far–it's more like a superhero, woman-on-the-run adventure. What made you decide to tackle this genre?

TM: I wanted to do a sci-fi, X-Files type of story. My favorite stories growing up were sci-fi. I just wanted to try my hand at it.

TFAW.com: How have your Strangers in Paradise fans reacted to Echo?

TM: I managed to keep some SiP fans, I think. Many say they like Echo better. More often than not, though, I hear from Echo readers who say they never gave SiP a try but, on the strength of Echo, now they will.

TFAW.com: It seems like the "Echo" of the title might refer to the deceased Annie, who is somehow still part of the Battle suit that's grafted itself to Julie. Will Annie's presence continue to grow during the series?

TM: In a word, yes. That's the basis for the whole thing.

TFAW.com: What kind of complications will this cause for Julie and Dillon? Do you see them ever having a romantic relationship, and how weird would that be?

TM: It would be a weird triangle, for sure. As a writer, how could I stay completely away from that?

TFAW.com: I'm interested to find out more about what went wrong between Julie and her estranged husband. What can you tell us about that?

TM: No. You have to read the story!

TFAW.com: What role will Julie's sister, Pam, have in this story? Is she going to recover from losing her family?

TM: Pam's journey is obviously important to the story. Why it's relevant will become apparent later.

TFAW.com: Who is Ivy Raven? Is she good? Is she bad? She seems to be forming a special connection to Julie. Is this part of the job–tracking down someone–or is this unusual for her?

TM: Ivy is complex. She is not afraid to listen to her instincts and use all her senses in the search for answers. This can lead to a dangerous level of involvement with the "subject." Can Ivy handle it? I'm curious to find out.

TFAW.com: Why did the company who created the battle suit kill Annie?

TM: Foster gives his reasons in issue #14!

TFAW.com: You've prefaced each issue with quotes from Einstein, Oppenheimer, and others. Who's next?

TM: Paris Hilton. She inspires me so. Doesn't she you? Sigh . . .

TFAW.com: How long do you envision Echo running, as a series? (I'm hoping for many years.) Do you have the main plot finalized? Is there an end point you have in mind?

TM: I outlined the entire series before I started, laying it out in three acts spread over 30 issues. I'm on issue #15 now, which is in act two.

TFAW.com: Echo has been optioned for a movie–can you tell us more about that?

TM: Lloyd Levin, the producer of Hellboy and Watchmen, among many other great movies, has purchased the film rights to Echo. The deal made the cover of Variety, so I feel very good about working with him. He'll get it made, and he'll make it right.

TFAW.com: What would be your dream cast?

TM: Great actors who look like real people and love the characters.

TFAW.com: Does this open the door for a Strangers in Paradise movie or television series?

TM: I hope so. SiP is so long, getting a busy stranger to read it is impossible. I need some street cred first to get anywhere with SiP.

TFAW.com: You've mostly self-published SiP and Echo, although you have worked with Image, Marvel, and other publishers. What are the differences, and which do you prefer?

TM: I prefer self-publishing. The differences are like Earth and Mars; too many to list briefly. But the main diff is freedom. Oh, and nobody can fire me.

TFAW.com: Do you have any other projects coming up?

TM: Just the SiP theme park and buying out Apple. Maybe some more comics.

TFAW.com: Thanks again, Terry!

Are there any Strangers in Paradise fans who have transferred their love to Echo? Did anyone see the Strangers in Paradise Omnibus in person at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con? Post your answers below!