All things Extraction with Ande Parks
New Extraction comics coming from Ignition Press and new films/tv on the way as well!
I first met Ande Parks at Wizard World Chicago in 2012. It was the first large comic convention I had ever been to. For reasons unrelated to Ande (sorry, pal!), that weekend would go down as a core memory for me. Little did I know that years later, I would share meals, laughs, and hugs with Uncle Ande. When I met him, I had no idea he was not only a comic artist but a really great writer as well.
When I think of Ande as a writer, I think of two things:
Crime
Action
He is one of the few comic people I have been able to brag about knowing to my non-comic-reading friends. I could say I know people like Jim Lee or George Perez, and most of my non-comics friends wouldn’t blink, but they do know Extraction.
Extraction (originally Ciudad) is a multimillion-dollar Netflix franchise based on a graphic novel written by my friend Ande. Now, a reprint of the original is on the way, a new movie, a show, and more comics written by Ande. Today, I am going to talk about all things Extraction.
As an artist, specifically an inker, you may recognize Ande from his work on Green Arrow, Nightwing, Ant-Man, or Superman. As a writer, you may know him from Capote in Kansas, Green Hornet, Union Station, or The Lone Ranger.
Austin Allen Hamblin: It was such a long and wild ride to get from Ciudad at Oni Press to 2 Netflix Films, a show, a spin-off movie, and more comics. Was there ever a point where you thought Ciudad just wasn’t going to make the jump to film?
Ande Parks: Oh, god yes. From the time I signed on to the point where the first movie came out was a twelve year stretch. In that time there were seemingly countless false starts. The producers meeting with this star or that star, etc. Hollywood has a way of making even the most fresh-eyed optimist jaded, and I certainly became jaded.
By the time the producer I know told me it was a done deal… that they were filming with Chris Hemsworth, I didn’t even believe him. It took seeing a photo of Chris on the set on Twitter a week later to convince me.
AAH: I know you have done a lot of work for Oni Press over the years, but how did you first get involved with this? Was it through Oni or the Russos?
AP: The Russos approached my producer guy, Eric Gitter, looking to get back into features at a time when they had ended up working on a lot of tv shows (Community, Carpooling, Arrested Development). They had the basic idea: the setting and the predicament. They wanted to develop it with someone as a graphic novel and film script simultaneously. I was the natural fit because of my crime background, and because the brothers had read and liked my Union Station book.
AAH: When the first film came out, it was almost a perfect storm. Everyone was at home during COVID and looking for a distraction. Then boom, a new action film with Chris Hemsworth drops right into our homes. Did you ever envision this being as big as it has become?
AP: As I said, I was pretty jaded by the time it came out, and I’m generally a “believe it when I see it” kind of guy anyway. So, no. I didn’t think it would get made. I didn’t think people would like it. I didn’t think it would get a sequel, and so on. To have all of those dire expectations shattered over time was a helluva ride. I guess it helped me learn that it doesn’t always pay to have zero expectations. Maybe sometimes you should let yourself dream a little.
AAH: The original graphic novel is getting a reprint (now in full color) through Ignition Press. They are also publishing more Extraction stories written by you. What has it been like to work with them on this new phase of Extraction?
AP: I love the Ignition team. These are all people I’ve known for years. Jeremy Haun is a dear friend. Jamie Rich is my favorite editor to write for. To see the original in print again, and in color for the first time, is really amazing. I can’t wait for people who have loved the films to be able to see where it all started.
AAH: What can we expect from the new stories?
AP: Kick ass action with some cool character development and some new supporting characters I’m really proud of. And Ronan Cliquet is really nailing the art. It’s a great looking book. I guess I should say that the new series, Tyler Rake: An Extraction Story, is a prequel, not just to the first movie, but to the original graphic novel. It takes place a few years before that first Tyler Rake story. He’s not an extraction expert yet. He’s living in hiding and working security at a nightclub. He wants no part of the mercenary life. Of course, it’s never that simple. Our new story sees him drawn back in and, eventually, moving toward becoming the guy we know from Extraction.
AAH: With the film adaptation being a little different from the comics, has that affected how you are writing the comics going forward?
AP: I have always felt like the comics give me some freedom that they may not have in the films, and I try to exploit that as much as possible. The comics version of Tyler Rake can do things Chris Hemsworth would not do, and all involved have always recognized that. Of course, the movies are as good as it gets when it comes to action set pieces, so I really have to up my game there and give readers stuff that is new and exciting in the comics medium. We aren’t just doing movies on paper. Comics have unique strengths, and we try to play to those.
AAH: Your writing always includes a lot of action. Why do you think action works so well in the comics medium?
AP: Someone asked the Coen brothers once why there was so much violence in their work and they said, “Yeah, it’s called drama.” Maybe I’m just not good enough to make compelling stories without violence (I guess Capote in Kansas was close). I just like action. I like fighting. I like set pieces. I want the quiet character moments, too, but dammit… I want my hero kicking some ass at some point!
AAH: When the inevitable Extraction: Iowa comes out, will you use me as the villain?
AP: Let me put it this way: Do you remember that there’s a kid who fucks up early on and gets thrown off a roof?
AAH: What advice would you give to any young creators?
AP: Perfect is a lie. Make the thing in front of you as good as you possibly can, put it out there and make the next one better. Keep moving. Keep getting better!
AAH: How can people follow your work?
AP: My lone public social media thing is Insta, so please find me there. Because my name is spelled funny, I’m easy to search for. I’m on Bluesky as well, but don’t spend as much time there because the doomscrolling gets to me.
AAH:
Tyler Rake: An Extraction Story #1, a new comic book from Ignition Press, is scheduled to be released on April 1, 2026.
The reprint of the Extraction graphic novel, published by Ignition Press, is scheduled for release on April 14, 2026.
Until next time, reporting from a corn field in Iowa, Austin Allen Hamblin is returning to his cave. Did you know I also write comics? If you are interested in following my work, you can find all that info out here: https://linktr.ee/austinallenhamblin