Look for the animated Martian Manhunter and Dr. Fate at seven seconds! Remember, those two never appeared on the television program. (For the record, neither did Steppenwolf, who clocks in a touch earlier).
Ready for some hot hand flourishes, interesting and gripping body pretzels, and some of the greatest electronic-voice singing since Cher in “Believe?” Of course you are!
Don’t wait another second and click below to glory in the wondrousness that is Paula Adbul’s new “I’m-desperate-for-a-come-back-so-watch-how-I-can-still-dance” music video for “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow”!!
As a kid the Smurfs were my most favorite and most beloved cartoon series! I would get up at 6-mother-freakin’-AM every Sat. morning just to watch my cheery little blue friends scamper about in their many exciting and joyous adventures! I had, and still have on my desk at work (super nerd alert!), many of the little toy figures. I also posses a treasured Smurf binder given to me when I was 8 years old as a Valentine’s Day gift, and this amazing binder still holds all my drawing and doodles as a child. No other cartoon impacted me more; even to this dad my dad calls me anytime he sees something Smurf related.
So can I be anymore jazzed about the new 3-D Smurf movie coming out! OMG! I don’t think so! Seriously, I hope I don’t get hit by a truck before this movie makes it the big screen ‘cause this is the fulfillment of all my kiddie dreams (because, like, the first Smurf movie was utterly and completely horrendous! What was up with the singy-voices? Ugh! Sooo bad.). Bring on the movie baby, you know I’ll be waiting in line! Wheee!
So, like, even though I am totally a 33 year old man I am so not ashamed to freely and openly admit that I am so loving the heck outta the new Care Bears cartoon on CBS’ Kewlopolis programming block. Like, how can I not? Hello! Any show that is lucky enough to be featured on a block of shows called “Kewlopolis” has gotta be way radical to, like, the max, right? I mean, “cool” isn’t even spelled the way old boring geezers do! Oh no, it’s spelled all “Kewl” with, like, a total “K” and “ewl” and junk, because, welp, it’s totally hip, totally now and, like, totally AWESOME!
Plus, who doesn’t love little furry bears with happy and colorful belly badges teaching positive life lessons? I mean, if I have to relearn my all my forgotten morals – like telling the truth (as if!) and sharing (lame!) - then I for sure want to be educated on them from Funshine Bear and his shiny, smiley sun belly badge of joy. Funshine Bear rocks out hard with his totally red skater hat too! Whoot whoot! He’s street and he’s sweet! Now that’s a winning combo! So don’t hate all you judgey judgersons! Care Bears kick fanny, embrace it! LOL!
Whenever you listen to one of the old timers talk wrestling, you kind of wonder if they’re still working you or not. For the guys whose carny backgrounds demanded that they pay homage to kayfabe, their livelihoods and their health depended on it. After all, you didn’t want to be the guy caught smartening up the marks, because they would tell all their friends it was fake, then they wouldn’t come, and then your co-workers would break your legs.
On the other hand, it seems like these guys had the most amazing experiences, and that’s what you pick up out of Classy Freddie Blassie’s book Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks. The road stories, the crazy fan stories, the lifestyle stories, the in-ring stories… this book has them all. It’s a very entertaining read and well worth your time.
One nice thing about this book is that Blassie doesn’t pull punches with himself or others. He’ll tell you how much money he made in one sentence, and then in the next sentence admit that he was a lousy father and a serial fornicator. Such honesty is refreshing, as the only comparable book that I’ve read is Ric Flair’s. Most of the other books out there tend to sweep such infidelities under the rug.
I honestly didn’t know as I was reading the book that Blassie passed away in the same year as this was published. It became a bit depressing to me then that I would never get to meet the man or hear him use that trademark catchphrase of his. Above all, he seemed to be a guy that made himself better and tried to do better for himself and his financially.
To say that the Mick Foley books and the Ric Flair book were some of the greatest wrestling books ever written are really unimaginative picks. This one deserves any accolades it gets, simply because it is one of the more understated offerings from WWE Books. Blassie’s career spanned seven decades, and he’s worked with and known all the great ones. This is an excellent book, and it’s a great history lesson of the who’s who of the wrestling business. In the end, I think Blassie got all the credit and stability he was searching for in wrestling when he started, and isn’t that all that really matters?
Now this is sad . . .
Brad Delp, long-time singer for the band Boston, has died. Delp’s incredible range (and often amazing high register) powered several classic rock anthems, including “More Than A Feeling”. Boston was often unfairly slagged in the ’70s as “corporate rock”, though the truth is that guitarist (and MIT grad) Tom Scholz recorded most of their material in his home studio and garage on equipment that he invented.
It also bears repeating that Boston’s sound carried a lot of influence. Go and listen to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Now listen closely to the chorus of “More Than A Feeling”. Hear that rhythm part? Yeah. Rest in peace, m’man.
Hey Everybody–
I have a few new pieces up at Newsarama–my interview with Steve Niles covering his work on 28 Days Later: The Aftermath from FoxAtomic; as well as some news on some of his upcoming projects including City of Others from Dark Horse which debuted today in stores bringing him together with horror artist icon, Bernie Wrightson. Spread the zombie love!
Also, I was fortunate enough to cover Mega Con’s honoration of Dick Giordano, former editor-in-chief for DC Comics, and one of the greatest inkers to have ever worked in the comic book industry. It was really nice and fun. I’m so glad Newsarama decided to share it.
Coming up–Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are talking about Jonah Hex and the return of the Western to comics. Also, I’ve just been informed that I’m attending a private, advanced showing of Frank Miller’s 300 next week so look for that piece to be on Newsarama Thursday morning.
Still working on my A-Ha piece for the Shotgun–there’s a lot of music to listen to beyond their initial album that spawned their one commercial hit in the US–”Take on Me”. I’ve decided to not only go over their discography but to compile a nice mix CD which I will list for any who are interested. They’re really good!
Go check out 803 Studios, I covered their anthology–Sequential Suicide, last week on Best Shots. They have open submissions for their next anthology. Daryn Beasley and I are getting to work tonight on our submission. I will be keeping a running log of our progress here.
Finally, a piece I’m finishing up titled, “Memoirs of an Electronic Lothario” may see print in the inaugural issue of Smith Magazine. Fingers crossed!
Have a great Wednesday guys! Just bought my books–this week is gonna be a doozy!
Steven Eks
Greetings and welcome to the new ShotgunReviews.com. Since 1999, we’ve done our best to give you worthwhile (and often funny) reviews and columns, and it’s time to shake off the rust and do it a little differently. We’ve kicked around a few ideas regarding how we’d do this new thing, and we hope you like what you see.
The new design comes to us from Barb Hallock, a student of mine with the appropriate attitude for this place (that is, bad). The more bloggish format puts us more on par with the current landscape. After all, we’ve been doing this almost eight full years. It was time for a big change. I think that you’ll agree that the new format, with a huge list of categories and easy searching, is a good one.
As part of that big change, we’ve brought in an influx of new talent from a variety of places. The entirety of our Best Shots team, responsible for the Best Shots column that runs every Monday at Newsarama.com, is now operating here in several capacities. You’ll also meet several talented young writers, including Barb herself, who will be tackling a variety of topics.
However, if you’re one of the rare folks that has read us since 1999, don’t get too worried. Shawn Delaney will still grace us with terrific music reviews, as will Jonathan Birdsong and the Lyrical Lounge crew. The Russ is back on wrestling coverage in full force. L.I. Rapkin’s already kicking in some culture. Eric Barker’s already opened the film vaults. And they aren’t the only familiar faces lurking around.
In the next few days and weeks, you’ll see the roster expand a little more and you’ll see some new recurring columns and features that we hope will become favorites. If you want to check out the old stuff, the old site currently still exists in its full glory under the archive button. If you want to talk about any of the stuff, old or new, visit our newly established forums.
So there’s my big speech. Enjoy yourselves, express yourselves, and invite friends. ShotgunReviews.com never went away, but we are most certainly back. Thanks for your time.
The Big Question with Fred Dekker
Interview with: Troy Brownfield
Usually in the Big Question, we have guests from the realm of comics. Notable exceptions are author Steve Beai, Jeph Loeb (who has an awesome comics career but also writes films) and icon Julie Strain. However, this time I’m pleased to announce that we have secured our first interview with a film director.
At this point, I’ll admit that I’ve been very excited to have this guest. One of my sentimental favorite films from my teen years is The Monster Squad, and this gentlemen co-created and directed that film! He’s also the man behind Night of the Creeps, Robocop 3, and quite a bit more, as you’ll see.
Before we begin, I do have to note one funny thing. Fred actually came to our site via my big Best Horror Movies of all time article (wherein I named Monster Squad as a favorite). He wrote me a very nice email, agreeing with some picks and really giving it to me over some others. Needless to say, I was flattered that he took the time, and I’m very pleased that he agreed to be interviewed here. Ladies and gentlemen, Fred Dekker!
You’ve worked extensively as a writer and director. How did you “break in”?
First, I got rejected from every film school I applied to (well, two). This freed me up to enroll as an English major at UCLA, where I made a bunch of great friends and started writing screenplays. The first three sucked — screenplays, not friends — and had to be put in a drawer. The drawer was burned, the ashes scattered, the room fumigated. The fourth script wasn’t terrible. I was friends with Ed Solomon (Men In Black, Charlie’s Angels) who had just broken into television writing. I asked him how he went about getting an agent, and he gave me some names of agents he had met but not signed with. I called the first one on the list and sent him my meager-but-not-sucky effort; a science fiction thriller entitled The Forever Factor. This particular agent read it, asked to represent me, and represents me to this day.
Around this time, Steve Miner (Halloween H:20, Texas Rangers, etc.) had optioned the rights from Toho to make an American Godzilla movie (this was years before the Emmerich/Devlin version). Steve wanted to do it in 3D like he had done the third Friday the 13th, and based on The Forever Factor asked me to write the script. So that was my first job in the movie business.
After Godzilla 3D I sold a pitch to Tri-Star Pictures (a “pitch” is when you sell someone on an idea, then they pay you to write it, as opposed to presenting a completed script). It was called Teen Agent and eventually became a terrible piece of dog poo called If Looks Could Kill. Despite the stench of this film, I maintain my original script rocked.
My next script was a low-budget horror-comedy I insisted on directing. It was called Night of the Creeps, and the rest is hardly history, but you can catch it on cable at 3 a.m.
You noted that you’ve worked as an uncredited writer on films like Ricochet, Lethal Weapon 4 and Titan A.E. How does that happen, and do you find it frustrating to know you worked on a project that doesn’t carry your name?
Unlike most writers (who are scurrilous credit-hogs), I prefer my name to appear on projects that I actually care about, the ones I had a real hand in and weren’t shat upon or re-written beyond recognition.
Ricochet was an original screenplay of mine, originally intended as a Dirty Harry movie. Joel Silver bought it (he told me Clint Eastwood found it “too grim”) and I was briefly going to direct it with Kurt Russell possibly playing the lead. For reasons I can’t recall, I left the project. The screenplay was re-written by Menno Meyjes, then Steve DeSouza. All three of us retain screen credit, but I count only four things in the movie that are mine. Because I originated it, Writers Guild rules automatically awarded me “Story by” credit. Interesting addendum: the opening scene of my original Ricochet script (or a variation thereof) is being used in the new Steven Segal movie, Exit Wounds. Because Warner Bros. owns the script, they can do whatever they want with it.
Lethal 4 arose out of my relationship with Joel Silver and director Richard Donner who wanted more “Whammos” (that’s Silver-speak for action scenes). We had a meeting and I said, “How about if Riggs and Murtaugh jump a car off a freeway and drive it through a high-rise office building?” A week or two later, they were filming it. I didn’t want or receive screen credit, but I did get paid very well and got to hang around the set and drink coffee. Thanks, Joel!
The less said about Titan A.E., the better.
I’ve also worked on Demolition Man, Anastasia, and numerous unmade projects including my favorite script, the live-action feature film version of Jonny Quest.
Tell us about your involvement with Tales from the Crypt.
I’d always loved the old EC Comics and the Amicus movie versions, so it was a thrill when Robert Zemeckis (and again, Joel Silver and Dick Donner) asked me to write the very first filmed episode, “…And All Through The House”. I’ve been a huge Bob Z. fan ever since Used Cars, so working with him was a dream. When the series sold to HBO, I worked on it on and off for the first two seasons, writing five episodes and directing one. My favorites were probably “Lower Berth,” a period piece that FX maestro Kevin Yagher directed (brilliantly), and my own “The Thing From The Grave” mostly because I got Teri Hatcher to wear a blue silk teddy and fall in love with a zombie (I suspect she’s still mad at me).
Everybody here at Shotgun Reviews loves The Monster Squad. In fact, it’s kind of hard to figure out a way into the topic. How did that project originate with you and Shane Black?
Any discussion of The Monster Squad has to start with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (hereafter “A&CMF”). As a boyhood fan of both Abbott and Costello and the Universal monster series, this was probably the Holy Grail of my pre-teen years. Only later did I come to appreciate how difficult it is to pull off a “comedy/horror” film (obviously, it’s the genre I explored with mixed results in Night of the Creeps). A&CMF is an exception; a movie that is genuinely hilarious and scary at the same time. An American Werewolf in London would be another, coincidentally made by another A&CMF fan, John Landis. But I’d have to say there are only a handful of other films that have pulled off this difficult balancing act (I’m not a fan of Fright Night or the Scream movies).
As a kid, l also loved the Little Rascals shorts that ran on local TV (my favorites are the first talkies through to 1936 or ’37). After Creeps, the idea of an “Our Gang” meeting the classic Universal monsters seemed appealing to me; an obvious tribute to my misspent youth in front of the television. Shane was a college buddy and we shared a love of many things, including A&CMF. He had just started writing, which meant I could still afford him. So I asked him to take a crack at a first draft of Monster Squad based on a story we concocted together. It ended up being a 50/50 collaboration, to the point where I honestly can’t remember who wrote what. The 100-Year-Old-Amulet-That-Can-Tip-The-Scales-Between-Good-And-Evil is pretty much every episode of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” but I can’t remember where we got it, although Shane may have read Lovecraft at some point since he’s as voracious a reader as I am a film buff.
I showed the script to producer Jonathan Zimbert who was then partnered with director/writer/cinematographer Peter Hyams, a hero of mine for films like Capricorn One and Hanover Street. Although Peter was not crazy about Night of the Creeps, he did like the Monster Squad script and agreed to produce the movie. We made a deal with a company called Taft/Barrish, whose bigshots Keith Barrish and Rob Cohen (also a director and a great guy) executive produced.
Obviously, my first preference was to do the picture at Universal, which would allow us to resurrect the classic Jack Pierce make-ups. In their infinite wisdom, Universal passed (look at the mileage they get out of those monsters NOW! Again, ahead of our time, I guess). So the great Stan Winston designed our monsters, all in the spirit of Universal without crossing the copyright line. I was particularly happy with the Creature… sorry, “Gill Man” (played by FX genius Tom Woodruff) and the mummy, who I decided was probably a boy prince when he was mummified. I wondered why mummies were always depicted as big and lumbering. Besides, we already had a big lumbering guy.
The shoot was a baptism-by-fire. My hero Peter Hyams turned out to be a stern father figure, who sometimes wanted things done his way or the highway. Much of the time, we agreed, but when we didn’t, it got sticky. To make matters worse, the crew was made up of people he’d worked with before, so if there were sides to pick, they mostly picked his. Peter’s input was mostly in casting and shooting style. Creeps had been an aesthetic I like: moving camera, bright colors, wide lenses; Peter’s is more smoky and classic, earth tones, long lens master shots, that kind of thing. Our styles clashed a bit (I think Rob Cohen kept Peter from firing me) until he finally decided I knew what I was doing. For this reason, the last third of the movie — I think the best part -– I was left totally alone. It was great shooting in wide-screen (Panavision), and I loved working with cinematographer Bradford May, now a highly paid TV director. Oh, and the kids were all terrific.
I had also loved Bruce Broughton’s music for Silverado — its playful combination of pastiche, emotion and rousing adventure — so I asked him to score the movie before we even started shooting. I think the score is one of his best, and added immeasurably to the feel of the movie. Peter subsequently hired Bruce for several of his films, so he must have thought I was doing something right.
In the final analysis, I can’t decide if the movie’s box office failure was the studio’s fault, or the audience’s (I’ll take the fall for RoboCop 3). Tri-Star did the best they could with something that straddled kid’s movie, comedy, and horror, and this was years before these elements became mainstream (Goosebumps, Harry Potter, etc.) I think parents were afraid their kids would be scared, and teens and adults thought it was a kids’ film, so we ended up with, essentially, no audience.
Until the magic of home video, of course.
Speaking of which: all Monster Squad fans should unite and write your favorite home video company requesting a new, remastered, widescreen DVD (with director audio commentary, of course!). I don’t want to be self-serving by starting the ball rolling, but you guys can — Just pretend it was your idea! A letter-writing campaign will have more effect than a phone call from a sniveling director. Those pan-scanned VHS tapes must be banished into the vortex!
Here’s a really specific question about The Monster Squad: when Rudy is fighting the monsters toward the end, we definitely see him kill two of Dracula’s brides. However, to my recollection, the third is never shown as being slain onscreen. Could you explain that bit?
I learned many valuable lessons from editor Jim Mitchell, and one thing he taught me was cheating. Next time you look at the movie, check out the kids in the scary mansion being stalked by the monsters while Sean tries to figure how to spring the trap door. In one shot, Eugene’s holding Pete the dog. In the next, Pete’s on the ground. In the next, he’s back in Eugene’s hands. And so on. Jim would say, “If the audience is watching the dog while the kids are about to be killed by monsters, we’re in big trouble.” In other words, editing is cheating. The trick is not to get caught. (At the end of the movie, as the vortex recedes, Phoebe repositions herself behind a bench, then – in a reaction shot – is back where she started. That always drove me crazy, but we never fixed it.)
As for the vampire brides (two of them played by college crushes of mine, the third by a stuntwoman), my eye was on getting to the next story beat: Dracula/Bat, Sean’s Dad arrives, Wolfman, etc. I figured, “We know Rudy’s killing the brides, so let’s move on.” In other words, I cheated on the third bride. You just caught me, that’s all.
(Here’s a question: where do the vampire brides’ bodies go when the sheriffs’ cars drive up to battle the Wolfman and the Creature? Also, why is Frank sucked into the vortex when he’s one of the good guys? Damn! Maybe I should look at this movie again.)
Why do you think that movie (The Monster Squad) resonates so strongly with the viewers who saw it in their teens?
Truly, I have no idea, but I’ll take a crack at it. It’s the same reason Harry Potter and “Buffy” and Nickelodeon are all so popular now. Two words: Teen Empowerment. John Hughes aside, how many movies were made in the ‘80s that didn’t depict kids as cliches (horny, jocky, nerdy, stupid)? Answer: not a lot. Here was a movie with a simple premise: Grown-ups don’t get it. It featured teens who are smart and resourceful, who form a club based on mutual interest, who tease but do not rebuke each other, who do not let their personal problems get in the way of friendship, and finally, most importantly, have enough simple, pure IMAGINATION to solve a problem in an unconventional way. In other words, smart teens who save the world: How could that not resonate with teen viewers? Of course, that’s just my theory.
Monster Squad Fun Facts (exclusive for Shotgun Reviews):
– Liam Neeson was hired to play Dracula’s mysterious alter ego, but we cut his scenes from the script before shooting them.
– Paul Reiser auditioned to play “Del Crenshaw” but Peter Hyams thought he looked too young to play the kids’ father.
– Dustin Diamond (“Screech” from TV’s “Saved By The Bell”) acted in, but was cut out of, an early school scene with Sean and Patrick.
– Mary Ellen Trainor who played “Emily Crenshaw” is married to director Robert Zemeckis.
– Michael Faustino who played “Eugene” is the younger brother of David Faustino from “Married With Children”.
– My friend and college roommate Ethan Wiley was making House 2: The Second Story at the Culver Studios the same time we were making Squad, so we’d visit each others’ sets.
– Other visitors to the Monster Squad set included Alyssa Milano and the Ackermonster himself, Forrest J. Ackerman.
– Sound mixer Richard Portman also worked on such classics as The Godfather, The Deer Hunter, Nashville, Young Frankenstein, and Star Wars (he also mixed my “Tales From The Crypt” episode).
Tell us what projects you have coming up.
I recently sold a pilot to Columbia-Tri-Star television, which I will write, direct and executive produce with Barry Sonnenfeld and Barry Josephson (the Men In Black guys). Entitled “Rocket City,” it’s my attempt to create a live-action version of Japanese anime, blending science-fiction, girls in school uniforms, ninja assassins, secret agents, robots, artificial intelligence, and an assassinated President who still runs the country from a top secret underground command post. In other words, it’s too cool for TV, so it will probably die on the vine.
I am also writing a feature I plan to direct which could be described as a realistic, Dogma 95-style re-working of Night of the Creeps. In other words: Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Meanwhile, enjoy my wife’s work as Story Editor and writer on the new James Cameron/ Fox television show, “Dark Angel.” Her name’s Moira Kirland Dekker and not only is she a wonderful writer, she’s also cute.
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The team at Shotgun Reviews would like to thank Mr. Dekker for his time! Personally, I’d love to see Rocket City make it onto someone’s schedule. In the meantime, let’s bombard Anchor Bay, a noted rescuer of films for DVD, and get them on the ball about Monster Squad! Thanks again to Mr. Dekker, and maybe we’ll be able to have him back someday. Go rent Night of the Creeps.
Troy Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. He’s proud to admit that his Master’s Thesis short novel, The Order, was influenced by The Monster Squad. Email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com.
The Big Question with Jeph Loeb
Interview with: Troy Brownfield
Considering that we’re in the midst of the Halloween season, it’s only fitting that we have as our Big Question guest this a man who has appropriated the holiday as his own in the field of comics. With frequent collaborator Tim Sale, he brought us several Batman Halloween tales before giving us one of the finest Batman stories ever, The Long Halloween.
That’s not to say that his resume stops there. Far from it. Before making a mark in comics, our guest wrote the screenplays for hits like Commando and Teen Wolf. His comic writing credits include Challengers of the Unknown, the sublime Superman: Man for All Seasons, the Wolverine/Gambit mini-series (all with Sale), X-Man, X-Force, and Coven.
Currently, he’s writing Superman and finishing out Batman: Dark Victory, the thematic successor to Long Halloween. He’s also about to join Carlos Pacheo as the scripter of Fantastic Four. He’s also one heck of a nice guy.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jeph Loeb!
THE BIG Q&A
Q1. It’s common knowledge among comics fans that you actually had a well-established career as a Hollywood writer prior to comics fame. How did you end up making the transition from films to comics?
A1. In an odd way. I was working on, of all things, a FLASH movie at Warner Brothers. The producer, Stan Brooks, is a dear friend and he introduced me to Jenette Kahn, the President at DC comics. One thing led to another and Jenette asked if I wanted to write a comic book. Well, it was like Santa asking if I wanted to ride in his sleigh! So, I asked for Superman, Batman…er… well, the list went on until we somehow got to CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN — not, my first choice, second or 11th choice — but it was COMICS — and I thought that was so cool. It took a long time to find the right artist — and here’s the best part of the story, but Barbara Randall (now Kesel) introduced me to a young artist named Tim Sale. And the rest they say… is hysterical…er, history.
Q2. Batman: The Long Halloween has got to be one of the finest Batman stories ever. How did you develop the concept of the 13-part holiday-themed mystery, and did the unique nature of the story make crafting its sequel, Dark Victory, more difficult?
A2. I never thought of Dark Victory as a sequel, but as a continuation of the original story. We had taken the reader on a very dark ride in The Long Halloween and we drove into a long deep tunnel. About half way through, Tim and I got out and left the readers in the car. It was time to bring the car back into the light and that was the start of the journey. I wanted to tell the story of how Batman survived the loss of Harvey Dent, what happened to the crime families in Gotham City and the origin of Robin and that’s where we began. We set out to tell something that was more… I don’t know … grand … in its design than The Long Halloween and I hope we succeeded. I think we’re all better at our craft — everyone,Tim, Greg Wright our colorist, Richard Starkings our letterer, than we were three years ago and hopefully it shows in the work. So the challenge was to make something BETTER.
Q3. When you hear “Jeph Loeb” as a fan nowadays, it’s hard not to immediately think “Tim Sale” along with it. How did your partnership develop?
A3. Well, I’ve told the story of how we met above. But, the partnership started with my acting like I knew everything and Tim tolerating me! As the years have gone by, we’ve become the best of friends and it is a true partnership. Now he knows everything and I tolerate him!
Q4. Your work on Superman: Man For All Seasons and the monthly title actually brought me back to reading Superman after an absence of many years. How do you continue to find new approaches to a character that has been in continuous publication for over 60 years?
A4. I’m glad you came back to the character. I hear that a lot and that makes me smile. I am, first and foremost, a fan. I collect comics and have collected them since I was ten years old. I go to the store every Wednesday and I buy stuff I know I’ll get in my “box” from DC or Marvel by the end of the month, but I want it NOW. So, I try and approach Superman the same way I approach all my work. I try and tell the best stories I can. Now, I’m not an idiot, so I surround myself with the best people I can. Look at the artists I had to work with over the years! Tim Sale, Ed McGuinness, Joe Madureira, Jeff Matsuda, Ian Churchill, Steve Skroce, Chris Bachalo, Adam Pollina… I’m sure I’m fogetting somebody who I adore (!) … but I’d really have to screw it up to screw it up with that kind of talent. So, I’m very, very lucky and I never try and forget that. I respect Superman. I know what he can do for the reader and for the comic book business IF we respect him. And we have FUN. That’s the key. Eddie Berganza (Superman Group Editor) GETS IT and that’s most of the battle. And McGuinness. Pure Joy.
Q5. I just read that you’ll be scripting the Fantastic Four beginning with the December issue. I seem to recall you noting in a Wizard interview that FF was a book you’ve always wanted to work on. Any indication of what we might see as readers?
A5. Again, hopefully, FUN. The F.F. are the first family of comics. They are this wonderful dysfuntional family who are bickering one second and then fighting to death for each other the next. To clarify a bit, I am only scripting the book — Carlos Pacheco — who was the OTHER main reason I agreed to take the book — is plotting and doing the artwork. He’s beyond brilliant and has the same passion as I have for the characters. So, the stories are his — I just get to polish his car. But, I’ve finished two issues now and it’s pretty grand stuff. But, it is the Carlos show. He’s the star. And we’ll see The Grey Gargoyle and The Negative Zone and a New Frightful Four and all kinds of wild stuff. If you love the F.F. you’ll love where Carlos wants to take the book.
Q6. As if Superman, Batman, and the FF weren’t enough, you’ll be taking on Daredevil soon. What can you tell us about that?
A6. Well, by the time I start Daredevil:Yellow, Batman will be all done. So, my energies won’t be too divided. DD: Yellow is about the time where Matt wore the Yellow costume (DD Vol. 1 #1-6). We want to tell a story about the JOY of being a hero. So much of what has made DD great of late (post Miller) is the DE-construction of the hero. But, there was a time when DD really enjoyed what he was doing — sort of the Indiana Jones of the Marvel Universe — swinging around and really gettting off on it. We want to bring that excitment to a story about his early days.
Q7. In the past, you’ve written for both Awesome Entertainment and the X-office over at Marvel. What were those experiences like?
A7. When I was at Awesome it was a magical time. We were building something and Rob Liefeld gave me a chance to be a PUBLISHER when no one else would even think of it. And we were making great books that people were just coming around to — when our financier pulled the plug. It was beyond tragic. I’ve never lost something in a work environment that was so painful. But, I learned an enormous amount and have applied that in new directions. The X-Men office was equally thrilling in its own way. I was in at the end of the last big rush — The Age of Apocalypse — the creation of X-Man — and working with Scott Lobdell on bringing Cable and X-Force into the Top Ten books again. We had a blast and then, again, things happened — this time with editorial — where it wasn’t as much fun any more. So… I moved on. It was a very good decision.
Q8. I saw you take part in the McLaughlin Group panel at Wizard World in Chicago with Mark Waid, Brian Pulido, and Erik Larsen, and my wife and I thought the banter between you and Waid was hilarious. Tough question: who’s funnier?
A8. Larsen. Waid and I were just his sock puppets. :)
Q9. Comics seem to be in a period of upheaval, with major moves made almost daily. What’s your reaction to the future of the industry and what it might mean to small companies?
A9. I think it’s a great time to be in comics. When everyone is wondering what will work, as a creator you HAVE to take chances. I mean, Ed McGuinness on Superman? You think that just HAPPENS? So, I couldn’t be happier. I wish that the FANS would buy more books — really ravage the stores and that will happen. It always does.
Q10. Last question: when you wrote “Commando”, did you ever think that Alyssa Milano would grow up to be so hot?
A10. Um… she was TEN. ’nuff said.
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We’d like to thank Mr. Loeb for taking the time to be our guest here at The Big Question! Be sure to check out his monthly work, and I highly recommend The Long Halloween and Man For All Seasons. I’d also encourage you to rent Commando (but if you’re really into Alyssa Milano, you’re probably better off with Embrace of the Vampire).
If you have a suggestion for a Big Question guest (or if you’re a entertainer with a project that you’d like to promote), contact Troy at psikotyk@aol.com.
Top 20 Hair Band Songs of All Time
by Troy Brownfield
Nothing captures the essence of late-’80s cheese so much as the “hair band.” Here’s twenty prime slices from the dairy of arena rock.
20) I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)–Steelheart. Keening falsetto and unabashed sentiment. These guys were really trying to get laid.
19) Up All Night–Slaughter. I briefly dated a girl in college during the fall of ‘92 whose favorite band was Slaughter. She had a six foot tall poster of them on her wall. What’s worse is that I saw them open for Kiss, sans make-up.
18) House of Pain–Faster Pussycat. Another power ballad, this one about generational disconnection. Call it Cat’s in the Cradle on Aqua Net.
17) 17–Winger. The Humbert-esque Kip Winger, former Alice Cooper bassist, now composes for the New York Ballet. Life is weird.
16) New Thing–Enuff Znuff. I seem to remember Howard Stern really liking these guys.
15) When You Close Your Eyes (Do You Dream About Me?)–Night Ranger. One of the great “They did that?!” songs of the ’80s, from the artists who brought you Sister Christian and Sentimental Street.
14) Rock Me–Great White. Is this song a demand, a request, or a plea? I am unsure.
13) Kiss My Love Goodbye–L.A. Guns. I eschewed the more conventional Ballad of Jayne in favor of this rocker. I hear that in the early days of Seattle, they would cover Teen Spirit live. *snicker*
12) Bang Bang–Danger Danger. I I kind kind of of like like this this one one.
11) Still of the Night–Whitesnake. This epic track from their eponymous multi-platinum disc nudges out the more popular Here I Go Again mainly because Here was remixed for pop radio, removing some of the guitar. Just another example of the man trying to take away our music.
10) Cum On Feel The Noize–Quiet Riot. Very few songs make me want to yell “Whoooooo!” like this one.
9) We’re Not Gonna Take It-Twisted Sister. Except this one.
8) Don’t Treat Me Bad–Firehouse. Any song that references getting kicked in the face automatically scores points with me.
7) Wait–White Lion. Late, great Terre Haute radio station WPFR once played this song three times in one hour during the peak of its popularity. Yes, I’m serious.
6) Shout at the Devil–Motley Crue. Remember when Motley Crue was kind of scary and angry? Now they’re all sober and married to hot blondes. I guess the message here is that maybe Satan isn’t so bad.
5) Talk Dirty to Me–Poison. My pal Shawn has played in lots of bands. One time, I hung with him as a band of his practiced at a frat house. The frat brought a keg. I was handed a cup. Fifteen refills later, I was singing lead. On this song. Ah, college.
4) Down Boys–Warrant. I will never, ever forget that Warrant performed this song on the first episode of Rock Rock Rock’N Rollergames.
3) I Remember You–Skid Row. When Sebastian Bach croons “I looOooOOOOVE YOU!” with a register that falls somewhere between a blow to the groin and a cat in a blender, you believed him.
2) Photograph–Def Leppard. Featuring one of the all time greatest hooks in metal (”I see your face every time I dream”), this is one full-on party-hearty song, man.
1)Sweet Child O’ Mine–Guns N’ Roses. How dare Sheryl Crowe cover this? The original will never be replaced. Quo vadis, Axl?
Best Metal Band Front-Man Stage Banter Cliches
by Troy Brownfield
10) “Hey ladies! Time to lose those T-shirts!”
9) “Is everybody ready to rock and roll toniiiiiiiiight?!?!”
8) “Check it out! Drum solo!”
7) “This is a good time to start feelin’ BAD, if you know what I mean!”
6) “Who wants to ROCK?!”.
5) The clever segue (for example, when you introduce a song by making it part of a sentence. “When Ratt comes to town, we’re ready to Lay It Down!”)
4) “This one is for all the lovely ladies in the audience tonight!”
3) “Let’s everybody put your hands together now!”
2) “Are you ready for us to kick your fuckin’ asses?”
1) “We’ve played in lots of places, but you fans in (insert city name here) are the best anywhere, and we mean that!”