Some Visions, some Heaven and some Hell…
With special thanks to Kurt Adam, your help is warmly appreciated

 
On December 15th 2005, we had the opportunity to talk to Clive Barker on the phone not just about some of his recent projects and activities but also about some more private questions. This is the second and last part of the interview!
 

That's Clive!: Ok. Now let’s talk about Luna7. I’ve heard from Hans Rueffert that he bought a bigger printer to do even bigger Giclées in the future. Can you tell us what Giclées will be published next and what prints are planned?

Clive Barker: We’ll all send the images out to you because the titles won’t mean anything to you. There are actually three pictures. One of the pictures is called “Icon” which is on the poster for Bert Green’s exhibition. But there are also two other paintings from the exhibition, which you won’t be familiar with.
 

That's Clive!: Are there plans to do the “Abarat” map or is that one just too big?

Clive Barker: Yeah, we’ll definitely do that. Yes, absolutely. And obviously there has been a lot of enthusiasm about me doing that. So, no question we will do that. When we will do that – sooner or later – I don’t know yet. But we will certainly do that.
 
That's Clive!: Now the books. Did you hear about the problems with the “Visions of Heaven and Hell” book? Nearly everybody who bought the book complained about the pages being glued together.
 
Clive Barker: It’s obviously just the gold on the corner of the book. When a book is gilded like that the edges are stuck with the gold. When you ease these pages separately it never sticks again. It may be a lot of work but on the other hand you get gold edges on the book!
 

That's Clive!: We talked to Rizzoli and they told us that you cancelled the planned limited edition of “Visions of Heaven and Hell” shortly before being print.

Clive Barker: No. The limited edition is coming out – from B.E. Trice. Actually I’m doing the cover for it now. So, yes, there will be a limited edition. And there has never been planned a limited edition from Rizzoli – it was always B.E. Trice – who do all of my limited editions. 

That's Clive!: OK, then. So, what projects are you planning to do next?

Clive Barker: It’s actually quite straight forward. This next year will pretty much be a book and painting year. I’ll finish “Scarlet Gospels” – I’ll begin the third book of “Abarat” (I’m doing the paintings for it at the same time) – and that will probably take up the year. Meanwhile of course my company will be making movies and the various television production companies that are making “Weaveworld” and

“Coldheart Canyon” will hopefully invite me to look at the material as it is shot. But my main work really are these two books and the paintings – no exhibitions next year. No books being released next year. Just prepared for release.

 
That's Clive!: So “Scarlet Gospels” is planned for an early 2007 release?

Clive Barker: Right, exactly. And it will be a big book, too. A 220000 word book.

That's Clive!: Sounds great. OK, finally we got some questions from some of your fans.

Clive Barker: Yeah, fire away.

That's Clive!: One wanted to know if there will ever be a sequel to “Undying”?

Clive Barker: I haven’t been after that. No one invited me. And because those rights don’t belong to me someone has to come to me and ask.

That's Clive!: So there won’t even be a little short story covering that subject?
 

Clive Barker: Yeah, that’s a possibility. I haven’t thought about that. So, let me think of that.

That's Clive!: That would be great. – Speaking of sequels: Will there ever be a sequel to “Nightbreed”?

Clive Barker: I would first like to have the Director’s Cut Version of the first part being out on DVD. But in order to get to that they will certainly have to open up there files and let me find those missing 25 minutes. But they have so far refused to do that. So I think the likeliest place for “Nightbreed” to reappear on the page is – just like in “Scarlet Gospels” where I’m saying “Good night” to the man with his pins in his head – there maybe a way at some point in the future that I fold “Nightbreed” into a book and tell the rest of their story that way.

That's Clive!: And speaking of “Nightbreed”. Can you tell us if there will be any hints at the “Nightbreed” in your new book “Scarlet Gospels”. You know – just like in the “Jihad” comics where those two worlds already met.

Clive Barker: Right. I’m not going to tell you what’s in “Scarlet Gospels” – it’s pretty outrageous stuff. But I will say: I’m trying to make a very serious novel about hell. There is nothing silly about the story the way the movies have gone. I’m trying to return the seriousness of the first movie – to use that as the tone of the book. I pretty much want the book to be an honourable farewell to a great horror character. But I want to make it his final appearance. – At least from my pen.

That's Clive!: And finally: One last question. Actually it is the question that surprised me the most: A lot of fans asked if you will ever publish “Klepp’s Almenak” as a whole independent book?

Clive Barker: I thought about that. And in fact I don’t want to give too much away. But yes, I suppose I could do “Klepp’s Almenak”. It’s logic the people would ask – so yes, there’s a very good chance that in some form or another we will see “Klepp’s Almenak”.

That's Clive!: Clive, thanks again for this great interview!

Clive Barker: You’re welcome! Bye!

© December 2005 by That's Clive!