Lara Phillips is the creator of Ronin Studios' Ministry, a book which takes its name from the central location, a magick industrial complex and research facility of the dark arts. Set on Crowley Island, it concerns David Hanson's survival within the facility. Having been impressed with the first issue, I sat down to have a chat with Lara about the work and became more impressed.

Alltern8: I've read elsewhere zombie classics and modern works such as 'The Waking Dead' are influences. How about those that are not so readily apparent? What other media do you feast on, horrible or helpful?

Lara Phillips: Well, I find all my influences helpful even if they give me nightmares. Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a classic that's stood the test of time and of course, Clock Work Orange. Pink Floyd's The Wall is something that influenced me in issue 2 when dealing with Hanson's mental breakdown. But if Ministry can summed up in a few words it would be a quote from Blake's Second Coming - "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world."

Alltern8: If I read right you're based in Africa? What have been the opportunities in making comics and the response relating to The Ministry locally?

LP: South Africa is still coming into its own as far as horror's concerned. Most of the comics here are humorous and political. Still I've had a great response from comic readers and have quite a strong following. I also very blessed to have my students at Style Design College as test readers. They're always asking after my characters as if they were asking after old friends.