New York Comic Con was a good event for Patrick Horvath. The author and artist of Free For All and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees has won a Harvey Award, announced his third installment in the Beneath the Trees series, and is set to score a tie-breaking goal at DC KO. This was something that no one expected.
By Saturday afternoon, it was all in the rearview mirror and Horvath had time to “relax” by signing autographs for fans and talking to reporters at the IDW booth. He joined The Beat for a conversation about Beneath the Tree: The Rite of Spring, the challenges following his first blockbuster, and what’s next for Samantha and Co.
Russ Burlingame: Congratulations Harvey. Isn’t it great to be celebrated like that when the other one is currently in the works?
Patrick Horvath: To be honest, I’m still confused. Of course, it’s a huge honor and I’m forever grateful for this book and all it does. It’s amazing. I don’t know if it’s even more satisfying, but it’s great. It was a wonderful trip.
BURLINGGAME: One of the original appeals of Beneath the Trees was the element of surprise that juxtaposed this adorable world with the darkness beneath. What are the challenges of making a sequel now that the element of surprise is gone?
Horvath: That’s a different story, and that was kind of the hope – that it’s a different flavor. Its strength is that it allows you to build this story. Building on these characters, you can see the influence of the entire first story spread over their lives and how it changed them. I can actually see it getting worse, especially over time. Honestly, that’s a huge strength for the project.
Burlingame: Most American comics are made into series, but up until now you’ve been drawing stand-alone stories. It feels like we’re finally getting to play in a traditional sandbox.
Horvath: Oh, definitely. It’s all new territory for me. This has never happened before.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #5 Cover by Patrick Horvath
Burlingame: What are your plans? Do you know what the long-term future is for Beneath the Trees?
Horvath: Well,[the third miniseries]was just announced, so that’s my life right now! I’m currently finished with Volume 2 and will be working on Volume 3 right away. It’s 2027, so we don’t know what will happen yet. I’m really looking forward to completing this.
BURLINGGAME: What did you want to do melodically for Volume 2?
Horvath: It’s darker because it doesn’t have the innocence that it had in the first film anymore. After experiencing so much, I can’t go back to my old town. Similarly, Samantha is now different and more alert. She wasn’t as cautious as she used to be, but her arrogance was her downfall. It no longer exists.
Things have changed. It feels silly to have the same vibe as the first time. Because that’s not true to the story we just told. It’s a darker, sadder, meaner book.
Burlingame: When introducing new characters into this world, how difficult is it to balance the character design in a way that feels like it makes sense in a dark version of the book, but also belongs to the children’s book aesthetic?
Horvath: It’s all intuitive. I’m not very scientific about it and lean toward what feels right. The same goes for how we deal with violence and other things. You need urgency, you need cuteness, you need sadness…I’m always weighing these things.
Burlingame: This is a comic marketed as a high concept, but it’s its quiet character moments that really shine. How complicated are all these relationships after the events of the first book?
Horvath: Relationships definitely get more complicated, but I feel like we’re learning so much. The more we know, the less innocent everything becomes, and therefore the confusion certainly arises.
But we also begin to see, in Volume 2, that modernity is starting to creep in, with the internet and globalization, land development, and big-box stores displacing mom-and-pop shops. Everything is becoming more complex and it feels like it can’t help but evolve.
Under the tree when no one is watching: The Rite of Spring #1
Cover D Scotty Young Variant
Burlingame: These are two very different levels of “pushing the innocent,” and while we’re focused on the characters, that macro-cultural stuff can actually have a bigger impact on the world.
Horvath: Yes, that’s right. I think this is a happy coincidence, but I’m all for accepting it. It works very well.
Burlingame: Do you think the world is just going to get darker, or do you think by the third book there’s going to be a point where the characters say, “Okay, I’ve taken the mask off, and I’m thinking about the situation.”
Horvath: I don’t know. I can’t say too much without giving too much away…but I won’t take it lightly!
Burlingame: From a process standpoint, how do you both handle the books you write and draw?I think they’re very well-structured because of the mystery element.
Horvath: I do a general outline first so I know where I’m going. Then, once that’s set, you basically just work on the script. Next, consider layout and ink, and consider scripting as well.
Burlingame: Are there other genres you’d like to incorporate these characters into? I mean, if DC KO can do it, so can Westerns.
Horvath: Oh, that’s a good question. I’m open to it, but I don’t know. It has never crossed my mind!
Burlingame: Are you working on anything else on the side?
Horvath: Nothing has been announced. Of course there will be more, but for now it’s all about Beneath the Trees.
Stay tuned to The Beat for more coverage of NYCC ’25.
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