The Big Question with Brian Michael Bendis: 3-21-00
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.
