ECCC 2015: ‘Fight Club 2’ details from Chuck Palahniuk, David Mack, Dave Stewart, Cameron Stewart and Scott Allie at Dark Horse panel

FIGHT CLUB 2 was first announced all the way back at San Diego Comic Con 2013, but author Chuck Palahniuk has now announced some details at today’s Emerald City Comic-Con 2015 in Seattle. Speaking at a panel alongside Dark Horse‘s editor-in-chief Scott Allie –  and artists David Mack, Dave Stewart and Cameron Stewart – he spoke candidly about the direction of the book and the artistic influences.

Palahniuk emphasised that this was a sequel to the original 1996 novel, and that working in the comic book medium was “more like a party than sitting at home and wishing you had a life.” Comparing it to his experience in Hollywood, he explains “In movies I’m a tourist. In comics I’m part of that team.”

Asked about the origins of the book, Palahniuk felt that if he was “going to talk about this Fight Club thing for the rest of my life” he may as well expand the world. The story will be set partly during the final days of the last book, shifting between the “past and future”. Palahniuk said he was seeking to build a Stephen King style mythology, referencing H.P. Lovecraft in the kind of broader world that he wished to establish. Previous characters, says Palahniuk, will “all come back in completely surprising ways.”

Deferring to Mack for the origins of the book, the artist mentioned that he originally wrote to the author in 2005 or 2006. Cameron Stewart said that he got involved by voluntarily illustrating the last chapter of the novel as a proof of concept. “If I don’t do it, someone else is going to do it – and they’re going to ruin it,” he joked. Scott Allie added that those pages may be included in the eventual hardcover edition of the series. Dave Stewart added that he was “an immediate yes” when Allie asked him to be involved.

Some of the major developments that were let slip in the preview images included the naming of the previously unnamed narrator as “Sebastian,” although that moniker will be dealt with in the preview comic being released on Free Comic Book Day on May 2 this year.

Artistically, Allie suggested there was a surrealism in all creative elements that were essential to the success of this book. Palahniuk adds that was a “morose” level of EC Comics darkness to the book. Everyone was apparently given tremendous amounts of freedom, and the art began to influence the story. Variant covers from artists such as Lee Bermejo were also shown.

Each issue will vary in length, with Cameron Stewart noting that every month’s release is “as long as it needs to be.” Palahniuk joked when speaking about the restructuring of his work for the comics format: “My god I write too much dialogue.”

A FIGHT CLUB 2 preview will be available on 2 May 2015 for Free Comic Book Day, and FIGHT CLUB 2 #1 hits stores and digital on 27 May 2015 from Dark Horse Comics.