HamletMachine on Sowing Musical Erotic Terror in Come Find Me
HamletMachine hones the rare skill of walking the razor's edge of terror and desire. Whether through their biblical horror meditation on lust—Lucifer's Garden—or their other genre explorations of sexuality in Starfighter and Mickey + Jessica, they've evolved as a singularly passionate, skilled voice in sequential art where steam and tension pulse through every panel.
They employ that finesse in COME FIND ME, Becky Cloonan's (another trailblazer in erotic horror) short story collection that unites other masters of subtle, romantic horror. HamletMachine's story, "The Devil's Trill," paints an achingly evocative, melancholic portrait of decay, as a man makes a faustian pact that soon leads him into sordid musicianship. Ernie Estrella asked HamletMachine some questions about her process and first work for DSTLRY.
COME FIND ME is currently in stores and available in digital and to order from dstlry.co. Check DSTLRY's Halloween Sale too, featuring all of our comics and merch that go bump in the night—including a very, very sweet deal if you do pick up a copy of Come Find Me.
How did you become a part of the COME FIND ME project? In general, how do you regard less Western, more folkloric horror?
HamletMachine: I was graciously invited by Becky Cloonan and the DSTRLY team!
I love all kinds of horror, from folkloric to Frankenhooker! I had been watching the Hammer horror films recently, which focused on gothic and fantasy romance, so I was already primed when Becky described the project to me. I know she’s a fan of similar films, and we both have a love for The Devils. Horror is really fascinating. I am interested in it all! I love to explore the darker aspects of eroticism and there’s a lot of space for creativity in this genre.
Becky was one of the early artists to try and get an emergence of Manga influencing Western Comics in this modern era in the States. I see similar things in the way you're pushing into the space of Yaoi but bringing your own sensibilities to the genre, would you agree with that comparison?
HamletMachine: It’s true that the artist's sensibilities are reflected in their work, and I adore Yaoi (mostly referred to as BL these days), so this genre has definitely had a huge influence over what I draw! I’m a queer artist, so the attraction was immediate—work like Viewfinder, Sex Pistols, and Ai no Kusabi had a huge impact on my penchant for drama and queer sex.
Come Find Me Interior Art by HamletMachine
Let's talk about your COME FIND ME story, it's a wonderful take of a man undergoing a metamorphosis right?
HamletMachine: Yes! It’s a very Kafkaesque tale of obsession, so your reference is excellent! A violin maker finds the perfect instrument in the voice of a songbird—he makes a Faustian deal to obtain her.
The short comic was based on a series of erotic illustrations about a devious Musician character stealing a songbird to “play” her—inspired by the Hades and Persephone trope!
This collaboration is with Joe Pavelka, what is it about his writing that you mesh with so well? And what is it that you both set out to do with your COME FIND ME story?
HamletMachine: Joe is an incredible writer, world builder, and has amazing taste in movies, so I trust him completely. "Devil’s Trill" is the first comic that we created together from the start, so it was thrilling to have the opportunity on such a badass collection!
In our previous project collaboration, (femme/butch lesbian romance comic, Mickey + Jessica) the comic had already been conceived before Joe joined on as a writer and story editor so, even though we’ve worked together before, DSTLRY offered a really special and unique chance to collaborate in COME FIND ME. We’re really grateful to the team for letting us create in such a free setting.
I don't want to jump the gun, but this story does feel like the start of something for DSTLRY. Is it possible that you're not done with these characters you've introduced? Is there anything you can share about your 2025 series?
HamletMachine: While we both loved working with these characters in COME FIND ME, Joe and I have been developing a different story pitch for DSTRLY and look forward to working together with them in 2025! This new original title will have a lot of trademarks of my comics: female gaze queer romance fantasies, sexual attraction, and drama. Joe Pavelka is on board for the writing, so it’ll be dark and erotic.
Come Find Me Interior Art by HamletMachine
"Devil's Trill" is also a tale of seduction. A lot of American comics readers may not be familiar with Yaoi manga, could you talk about what drew you to that segment of comics and its influence on you?
HamletMachine: Discovering this genre truly changed my life—it had the triforce of everything I had ever wanted in comics: emotional romance, explicit sexual gay scenes, and it was coming from a female and/or queer gaze. I became so obsessed with the genre that I am here writing this to you now.
Your work has this easy flow into eroticism that is really natural. There's a real art to making an erotic tale though, even in a six-page story where it doesn't seem shoehorned. How do you navigate those waters, while continuing to push boundaries?
HamletMachine: Haha, it was an initial challenge for Joe and I to work within the constraint of six pages, so that’s a relief to hear! I also think the erotic takes skill—not even in my own work, but so many artists I follow online are just masterful at the art of desire! I try to study the greats so one day I can be as powerful.
It’s been a real treat to see all the artwork in the larger format books. And I’m a fan of big climaxes at the end of horror movies, so I’m especially excited that the end page can be presented in all its ruinous glory!
Come Find Me Interior Art by HamletMachine
You like to work in black and white, with minimal color. Here you add a washed out red into the palette, a similar palette used in your adult queer series, Mickey + Jessica. What is it about working with this limited color palette that you're so often drawn to using?
HamletMachine: I’m a goth at heart, haha! But I do derive a lot of visual influence from that genre. And of course, I love German expressionism in film! Big black swaths of ink are so powerful and attractive. (This is why Becky is my art idol, haha!) Lee Loughridge was gracious enough to work on the colors and elevate the line art!
Your layout design is so divine too. You don't do a lot of traditional panel work, instead drawing these beautiful, flowing splash pages that seamlessly tell the story and yet, I think the larger real estate with the DSTLRY books help accentuate your style, doesn't it?
HamletMachine: Thank you for the kind words. The format of "Devil’s Trill" was actually a little bit of a departure for me, in terms of flow! I usually stick to more structured panel layouts in my comics, but the way Joe and I interpreted Becky’s vision for Come Find Me was inspired by her literary and poem recommendations: it seemed like a more atmospheric and interpretive style would fit the descent into madness...
Our thanks and gratitude to the DSTRLY team, Becky Cloonan, Will Dennis, Sean Edgar, Lucas Gattoni for the invaluable help with the lettering, Lee Loughridge, and everyone on the team whose hard work made Come Find Me possible!
If there was a cocktail named after Devil's Trill, what would be its name?
HamletMachine:
Songbird
1.5 oz shot of neat Czech Absinthe with a cigarette
