Artist/Writer: Ted McKeever
Contribution: 'Past the Mission'

Describe your relationship with Tori.

I am an admirer of her ability to create depths and emotions beyond the simplicity of notes.

How did you become involved in this project?

Rantz Hoseley contacted me, and when he said it was for a visual interpretation for Tori's songs, I was in.

Why did you choose to interpret 'Past the Mission'?

I felt it had the tone and atmosphere of where my head was at the time. I liked the melancholy it caused in me, and in turn it caused me to visualize images that eventually became part of the story.

What is it about Tori's music that inspired your visuals and storyline?

She speaks without clarification of exactness. She's abstract, and yet direct. She tells a story with her words, and sets the tone with the range of her voice. She's a very visual musician and that is rare.

In what way to graphic novels evoke the same reactions -- both emotional and physical -- as that of music?

If given the right amount of freedom and page count, a good graphic story can evoke a mood that creates a soundtrack all its own. It's like what they say about good comedy. The timing is everything. Same goes for graphic novels. The pacing and timing is what makes it work, or not.