The Big Question with Matt Wagner
Interview with: Troy Brownfield

Welcome back to The BigQ! We caught our next guest as he was about to depart for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Cruise, and we’re very grateful he took the time with us. You primarily know him from his amazing creator-owned work on his varied and epic incarnations of Mage and Grendel. Aside from a mountain of other cool projects like Sandman Mystery Theater and reinvigorating Dr. Mid-Nite in last year’s DC mini-series, he’s about to see one of his creations realized on the big screen. The BigQ is proud to welcome the great Matt Wagner.

THE BIG Q&A

Q1. The Mage project is build strongly on the themes of legends, myths and religions from all over the world. How massive an undertaking was the research for that project, and what were some of the sources that you most relied upon?

A1. I’d have to describe my research as continual rather than massive. I take a great delight in the world’s religious legendry which most people would find at odds with the fact that I’m an atheist. Still, I continually try to convince others that my belief in mythology as metaphor as opposed to cosmic fact doesn’t preclude me from enjoying, perceiving and even being moved to tears by the moral lessons and implications therein. The sources I use are all around, not centered in any one tome.

Q2. What made you decide to release Grendel: Devil’s Legacy in its new form after so many years since the original project?

A2. We’d been wanting to make this and all the other incarnations of GRENDEL available to readers ever since bringing the title to Darkhorse nearly ten years ago. Trouble was, the smouldering aftermath of Comico’s demise left us no access to the printing negatives vital to any publication in the pre-digital age. Now, the current technology has so advanced that this isn’t as much of a problem. Ultimately, we plan on re-issueing as many of the original story arcs as possible. With Devil’s Legacy, I’m particularly struck with what a precursor to many contemporary styles that the Pander Brothers’ work entailed. The long, hard-bodied women, the frenetic, panel-bursting lay-outs seem to be somewhat “proto-Image”.

Q3. What’s your target date for the next installment of Mage?

A3. HA! And so begin the “When’s MAGE III?” questions. I promise it won’t take another ten years. The events depicted in The Hero Defined occurred to me nearly a decade ago and so, at this point, I do have the emotional distance and necessary life experience to move onto The Hero Denied. Still, producing MAGE is a rather draining undertaking and I’m not quite ready to move onto the final installment.

Q4. It’s widely understood/rumored that Mage is in development as a feature film. How much are you able to tell us at this point?

A4. The film is being produced by Spyglass Entertainment (The Sixth Sense ) in conjunction with Critical Mass Productions. We’ve just received the final draft of the screenplay written by John Rogers (Jesse James ) and everyone involved thinks it just rocks the fucking house. Very exciting. The screenplay is truly a fine adaptation in every sense of the word, which means that it embraces a necessary group of “adjustments” for the translation to film. Still, I applaud (standing O) John for his brilliant interpretation. It is by no means a panel-by-panel film version and yet so captures the heart and soul of MAGE that even the most hardened fan will delight in the familiarity of it all while still encountering excitements in the film that are not to be found in the comic.

Q5. Your writing on Sandman Mystery Theater was outstanding! What are your favorite noir works, and will you be tackling works in that vein in the future?

A5. Favorite noir…hmmm. Well, I’d have to go with some of the classics…Chandler, Hammet, Cain, Thompson, Willeford, Ellroy. But I also like noir that doesn’t fit into the typically niche. For instance, I loved AMERICAN PSYCHO. It had been years since I’d read a book that made feel dirty and stained. A horrifying experience. I’m also a big fan of a book called TOPPING FROM BELOW by Laura Reese. Its an S&M murder mystery that is really provocative and intriguing and has a great pay-off. Again, parts of it made me feel icky and uncomfortable which is how Chandler’s work originally affected its much less jaded audience.

ShotgunReviews.com would like to thank Matt Wagner for taking the time with us, especially when he had a boat to catch! Follow his work diligently as it issues from various sources; Grendel: Devil’s Legacy is out now, and the reprints of the first Mage series are readily available. Get to it. As always, direct questions, guest requests and brickbats to Troy Brownfield at psikotyk@aol.com.

The Big Question with Brian Michael Bendis
Interview with: Troy Brownfield

Perhaps one of the best purveyors of crime comics today, our newest guest to the Big Question captured popular attention and enormous critical acclaim with work like Fire, Goldfish and Jinx. He’s taken on historical noir in his Torso series. He’s poked fun at himself while lacerating his Hollywood experiences in Fortune and Glory. He writes Sam and Twitch, and pretty soon he’ll be doing a stint on Daredevil with David Mack. As if that wasn’t enough, he’ll be debuting a new series at Image called Powers. And there just might be more coming. Ladies and gentlemen, the Big Q welcomes Brian Michael Bendis . . .

THE BIG Q&A

Q1. “Fortune And Glory” is great on any number of levels. One of the sequences I found to be most effective and entertaining was where you describe exactly what an “alternative” comic personality is and does. Why do you think that small press and black & white books seem to carry a stigma even among comics fans?

A1. Thanks. If I knew that I would be so goddamn rich that you would never get me to do this interview..:) but it does exist. Many feel black and white is incomplete or some such thing. black and white is beautiful and immediate. David Lynch said it is an immediate abstract way to see the world.

Q2. Another “Fortune & Glory” comment you made was that video games may be cutting into comic fandom. You said that was a rant for another time. Please consider this another time.

A2. Well, it certainly isn’t my original theory. And its more fact than theory.

Comics, beyond the aesthetic artform, have always been an entertainment. an escapism.

Well, video games are of such high quality and they fill the same need, only better. Why read Spiderman if you could be him? and I mean this from a kids perspective, not as an adult one. And the funny thing is, comics sold the video games. You open up a mainstream comic? what do you see? ads for cool video games.

So, the youth market is gone. Disappeared but the adult audience is still there. they just need to be spoken too. And I can’t do it alone..:)

Q3. Much of your work carries that heavy noir ambiance. What were your earliest storytelling influences in that regard?

A3. Well, earliest, it is hard to say. But strongest are Mamet, Richard Price, Jim Thompson, Jon Alton. Steranko.

Q4. Do you follow much of the comics mainstream?

A4. Sure. I hate to break it to you, but as much as I see myself as an indy comics guy- and it is my deep roots- I am writing two spawn books, daredevil, a smidge of Batman and my creator owned book this year POWERS is a full color book. so…

Q5. What do you find to be particularly compelling among the “big companies” right now?

A5. Well, the icons are there. And the industry is so lost, the opportunity to do something new and bold is out there.

Q6. You’ve been doing the Spawn spin-off “Sam & Twitch”. Is it hard to convince readers to try a crime book with that Spawn connection?

A6. Well, yes. So you give them one for free. read it! It is apparent in two seconds how legit the book is. I love the book. its a dream job. Great art, freedom to express myself.

Q7. “Powers” looks to be a fresh and entertaining concept. Could you explain its genesis, and how other creators are being involved?

A7. Its a crime concept I’ve been developing with Mike Oeming for a couple of years and the first issue looks fantastic.
Michael Avon Oeming has worked for every major publisher of comics. He is best known for the two graphic novels of his space opera Ship Of Fools and the multi-award winning Foot Soldiers. His recent credits include The Spirit, and the new Supermans Pal, Jimmy Olson and Young Justice for DC Comics.

For Powers, Mike will be using an art deco mixture of Bruce Timm and Alex Toth. This style compliments both the dark cinematic quality needed for crime fiction, and the iconography needed for super people.

The concept of Powers?
Detective Christian Walker is a special homicide officer in charge of cases that involve Powers. What is a cops job like in a world where powers are par for the course? And what kind of cop is given the assignment? Find out in the gritty, new crime comic book series Powers.

Powers takes place in a large unnamed metropolitan city. It will feel and breathe like a crime fiction drama but its backdrop will be littered with brand new original and mysterious hero and villain icons created especially for this series. These characters will strictly remain in supporting roles and cameos. We will rely on the simple shared popular notions of comic book characters and not on elaborate continuities and origins Cheshire, Retro Girl, Blast, Lizzie Bordon, Fury, Diamond, The Sift, Elemental, Shotgun, Johnny Royalle, And The Fat Fish Gang are just some of the supporting characters that litter this special comic. See a peak of some of them in the enclosed artwork.

The First storyline: Who killed Retro Girl?
Detective Christian Walker has to investigate the shocking murder of one of the most popular superheroes the world has ever known: Retro Girl.

As the female ex-counterpart of one of the world’s most famous and beloved superheroes, Retro Girl had it all, and she used it to help people who couldn’t help themselves. with a spunky verve, a killer smile, and an innocence that harkened back to a simpler time, retro girl stole the hearts of everyone.
But now her mutilated corpse is found butchered in a dark and dirty alley. walker is teamed up with spunky rookie Detective Deena Pilgrim, and the murder investigation takes them from the seediest underbelly a city has to offer, to the gleaming towers that are home to immortal beings.

As shocking twisted hidden truths about Retro Girl come to light, Walker finds that to solve this crime, he might have to reveal his own dark secret.

Though a majority of the character creations for this comic will be done by the series creators, one of the bold ideas behind this new comic book world will be asking well known comic book creator friends of ours to lend us brand new super hero and villain creations to fill our cityscape. This will be an extra layer of fun for the readers. Many big name talents, talents people don’t usually think of in this genre, have already committed.

So far the A-list includes David Mack, Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins, Bob Gale, Phil Jimenez, Mike Allred, Ashley Wood, Brian Holguin, Jim Valentino, Steve Lieber, Ed Brubaker, Dan Brereton, Mark Crilley, Judd Widnick, Jim Krueger, Dave Walker, Phil Hester some real surprises to come

Q7. At this point, where do your potential films stand?

A7. Torso is in active development. Torso is currently in development at Dimension films with producer Todd McFarlane and Terry Fitzgerald with a screenplay by Bendis and Andreyko

The other stuff are in limbo or haven’t been shopped yet. But there’s always a couple things cooking over here.

We’d like to thank Brian Michael Bendis for taking time from his obviously busy schedule to answer ALL of our questions. If you’re smart, track down his work! Just about everything is available through the site www.jinxworld.com. It’s a killer site; check it out.

As always, if you’d like to see a question asked or any interviewee discovered, email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com. He’ll try to oblige.

The Big Question with Mike Carlin
Interview with: Troy Brownfield

Our guest this time in The Big Question is Mike Carlin, Executive Editor at DC Comics! Before I get into the specifics, I’d like to take a moment and say that it’s been my experience that Mr.Carlin is one of the nicest guys in comics. I spoke to him for the first time about three years ago regarding internships at DC, and have since spoken to him at a couple of conventions. He’s thoroughly personable and patient with every fan I’ve seen him speak to. Comics are fortunate to have an ambassador like him.

BIO: Mike Carlin is the Executive Editor of the DC Universe for DC Comics… he worked his way up from being a writer/artist for Marvel’s CRAZY magazine to assistant editor to editor there. Whisked away by DC Comics to work with John Byrne on their re-launch of the SUPERMAN titles in 1986, Mike achieved his greatest notoriety when that led to his orchestrating the world (In)famous “Death & Return of Superman” storyline. Mike still writes and draws funnies for his own enjoyment.

THE BIG Q&A

Q1: How do creators go about proposing a new title, mini-series, etc.? For example, what are the steps and do younger writers stand much of a chance?

A1: Established writers can approach editors with ideas. New writers need to have some form of previously published examples of their writing which we can read without the legal concerns of ideas being stolen. The sample comic should be accompanied by a note that says something like: “Here’s an example of my work… I also have a Green Lantern idea if you like the enclosed sample. Would you like to see my idea?” We cannot read unsolicited material that features our characters or the genres they exist in… only after we ask to see the sample can a new writer break in.

Q2: Will DC be pursuing the concept of any original online comics via DCComics.com?

A2: This is still a new area for us and there are no concrete plans at the moment… but you can check out several Superman “Webisodes” available online now. Not quite comics… but fun nonetheless!

Q3: Despite the advances made by DC over the years with such things as Watchmen, the Vertigo line, and more Mature Readers titles, the general public perception of comics still seems to be that they are either “kid’s stuff” or like the old Batman TV series. How can the general public opinion be changed so that they see the diversity and maturity in the field?

A3: Only the public can change their own minds… I DO think DC as well as many other publishers have widened the accepted range comics are “allowed” to tread… things like Art Spiegelman’s MAUS… Jeff Smith’s BONE… tons of new and different work from all quarters HAVE changed what can be done and what is accepted. Even things like the first BATMAN movie have served to dispell the majority of the public’s prejudice… but we still have a long way to go. We’re on the right road though!

Q4: DC has been doing an outstanding job of reviving characters from the Golden Age (Hourman, Star-Spangled Kid, JSA, etc.). Are there plans for any more revamps of the classic sort?

A4: Watch the skies for Hawkman!

Q5: Can I have a job?

A5: Looks to me like you have one! (If he only knew . . . Ed.)

We’d like to thank Mike Carlin for taking the time to appear in The Big Question! Be sure to read DC’s books (and that includes Vertigo, Wildstorm and the guilty-by-association America’s Best Comics)! If you have anyone that you’d like Troy to track down, or a question you’d like answered, email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com. He’ll do his best to get your guest.