The remarkable, standout piece of the permanent collection -- a phrase that chimes with sad irony -- was a page from Eclipse Books’ “M”, illustrated by Jon J. Muth and based on Fritz Lang’s film.

The image was remarkable in that it possessed no storytelling in a comic book manner. It told a story the way that the “Pieta” or “A Study in Blue and Grey” tell stories. The great masters of portraiture and Realism painted pictures that held a scale that exceeded that which was constrained within the frame. The emotions of the people portrayed and the atmosphere of the surroundings provided a scope that was far wider than the segment that had been articulated with such detail and expression. Muth’s page had all of the grandeur and subtlety that one associated with grand masters, yet it was a two panel page, essentially repeating the same image.

Why was this image so effective? Muth’s skill at painting the solid shades of the human form without a single hard outline were fantastically real and tangible. And the simple repetition of the image made ones eyes flick from one to the other, seeing the additional details in the room, trying to divine the role of and relation with the second character that appeared in the second frame. It became, like most fine art, a work of audience interpretation, and intimate relationship between artist and audience with the image as the complex game of cipher between them.

When I read “M”, I passed right by the image without recognizing it. I read all four issues, realized I hadn’t seen it, and had to go back, page by page, until I found it hidden between pages 38 and 40 of the first issue.

How is it that the page could have left such a vivid impression on me while I was in The Words & Pictures Museum, but upon reading it, I would not have even recognized it? The key word to the answer is in the question: “reading”. I did not recognize the page because it became subservient to the words.

The juxtaposition of words and images is a strange, arranged marriage. Once a person learns how to read, one is unable to see a word as its individual component letters. The associative meaning for the word supplants its physical construction. When this word is seen in the future, it is not read, it is recognized, and the brain skips straight ahead to the associations. It is only in rare occurrences that one experiences a moment of ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD-like confusion where “all of a sudden you haven’t the faintest idea how to spell the word ‘wife’-or ‘house’-because when you write it down you just can’t remember having ever seen those letters in that order before” (Stoppard, p38).

The viewing of visual art is a completely different mental process, and there is no true juxtaposition of these two neural routes; one activity must submerge to the other, and reading will almost always take precedent.

And word balloons over painted artwork are perhaps the least juxtaposed of any two elements in a comic book. Again, when a page is painted as Muth does, with no solid outlines, a word balloon with its flat white background and clearly delineated border sits on top of the art, rendering it flat where the color and shading had attempted the illusion of depth. Jeff Smith is printing the word balloons in ROSE with a semi-translucency, so that the combination is not so jarring. Marvel Comics went a different route, adding visuals to the word balloons. Characters like Wolverine and the Thing now “speak” with a distinct font, attempting to provide visual cues as to what the voices must sound like, and adding an artistic dimension to the dialogue. A misguided attempt, perhaps, but a natural side-effect of having fun while messing about with computer-generated lettering.

Marvel is about to host an “event” in all of its ongoing series titles. Christened with a phrase that pays homage to one of Marvel’s most fervent creators, the comics giant is presenting a month of entirely wordless comics under the banner title of ‘NUFF SAID. Ignoring the trite title, this event is not necessarily a bad thing. It has the potential to showcase what comics aficionados have been crying from the rooftops for years now.

I ask you, what term is synonymous with “children’s book”? The answer: “picture book.” I have clear memories of being taught at some time in childhood that all children must put books that used both pictures and words behind them. Pictures were a crutch, training wheels that must be abandoned. This cultural slight against pictorial storytelling has withstood detailed examinations of Neal Adam’s artwork, where he composes not just individual panels, but the entire layout of a page as a giant picture. Scott McCloud’s lengthy chapter detailing the genetic ancestors of the contemporary comic would not sway the popular opinion that comics are a cheap entertainment for kids.

The feeling is that the word is always paramount. Clichés like “a picture is worth a thousand words” may come all too quickly to one’s lips in response... but you will notice that said platitude is composed of words. This mistrust of the communicative power of words is behind the practice of redundant captions that has existed almost as long as comics as we know them (“The occupants of the car are shaken out --” ACTION COMICS #1, panel 66, 1938).

A month of silent storytelling from the most well-known comic publisher in the country does not actually stand a chance of successfully demonstrating that stories can be told wordlessly, in pictures, with as much eloquence as a prose passage. The stories, after all, will still be the superhero tales that one has come to expect from Marvel Comics. Just because a storytelling technique has been ordered from on high does not mean that the tales being told will also suddenly be revolutionized.

However, when asked to pick top five comics of 1999 for an article in THE COMICS JOURNAL (#220, Feb. 2000), contributor David A. Beronä named only wordless comics. Co managing Editor Eric Evans and writer Bart Beaty later singled out ALINE ET LES AUTRES by Guy Delísle for his skill at wordless communication. Silent storytelling is noticed, and it is noticed as exceptional.

Not to continually jump all over Marvel, but the so-called “Marvel Style” of comic scripting may be largely responsible for the dearth of pictures without additional narrative. The Marvel Style, it has been explained to me, runs thusly: an outline of the plot and action is written and sent to the artist. The artist then breaks down the action into panels and pages, and returns it to the writer. The writer then creates dialogue to fit within the panels provided.

The natural result of this technique is too much exposition. The Marvel Style produces wordy comics, because the writer inherently doesn’t trust that the plot, as he scripted it, can be told through a visual narrative. So each panel is then filled with redundant dialogue and captions in order to make the author feel secure that a) the storyline is obvious to all, and b) he has had the final word.

I don’t have the ability to fully delve into all of the examples of comics that have attempted to vary the balance and explore the verity of the “juxtaposition” of images and text. However, I encourage you to read the following, if only to explore the dynamic yourself.

• In 1979, EPIC comics published the first volume of ALFRED BESTER’S “THE STARS MY DESTINATION”, adapted for comics by Howard Chaykin and Byron Preiss. The second volume was never published independently, but in 1992, EPIC republished the first part along with the previously unseen second half in one complete volume.

  Chaykin does some amazing visual gymnastics in order to break up the prose so that it relates specifically to certain panels. His layouts are far more mathematical than anything he attempted in AMERICAN FLAGG, and are -- by and large -- successful. Note the changes from prose dialogue to screenplay format and back again.

• Cyberosia Publishing has just recently printed FRIGHTENING CURVES by Antony Johnston and Aman Chaudhary. Again, the text switches between prose and screenplay format -- what is so compelling about paring one’s writing down to nothing but dialogue? -- but there is an organized method here, as opposed to Chaykin and Preiss’s more haphazard transitions.

  FRIGHTENING CURVES runs 128 pages, with a font size of 10 and some of the most cramped line spacing I’ve ever seen. There is a lavish illustration by Chaudhary approximately every third page. My cynical instinct is that if the font were any larger, or the spacing more relaxed, the pictures would appear more along the lines of every fifth or sixth page, and the balance of words and text would seem... off.

• Brian Michael Bendis is perhaps the most verbose comics writer around. He is not held in disdain for this trait, it is not deemed a flaw, because it is all naturalistic dialogue. If he succumbed to the lure of vast amounts of inner dialogue in floating square captions, it would not be excusable.

  The GOLDFISH collection published by Image Comics in 1998 ends with an eight page prose story featuring the title character. Bendis is exceptional, however. He also switches from word balloons and pictures to nearly six pages of straight dialogue without illustration during the central confrontation between the two main characters. He knows how to use white space and large amounts of solid black in his illustration. He organizes space much in the way that Chaykin does: layout is just as much a part of the vocabulary of the story as the words and images are themselves.

Additional Reading: Any Paradox Press BIG BOOK, THE BOGIE MAN by John Wagner and Alan Grant, KRAZY KAT by George Herriman, CAGES by Dave McKean, and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley.

Conducted by Jonathan Ellis

Reality, dream, god, redemption, love, tragedy, universal truths, Sinatra and more. You can't chat with J.M. DeMatteis without mentioning these.

From SPECTRE to SUPERGIRL to BATMAN, these are just some of the projects he is currently developing. Read ahead, maybe you'll learn something.

I see Spectre has a strong sense of family, do you feel your own experiences as a family man has had a strong baring on your recent writing? One minute you're reading Alice in Wonderland to your kids, the next you find yourself inspired to write a whole new arc.

All my experiences feed into my work; but, of course, my family being such an intimate part of my life, they can't help but have a profound influence. I'm sure there are aspects of my relationship with my daughter in Hal's relationship with Helen (not that I'm doing it very consciously).

Joker. Our Worlds at war. Do you find big inter-company crossovers have a negative effect on your storylines? Interrupting set plans with special tie-in issues and so forth?

To be honest, I've always HATED these Big Crossovers. Find them nothing but an annoyance. That said, I always try to do my best to come up with as good a story as I can within the context I'm presented with. But, if I had a choice, I would NEVER participate in these things.

Speaking of Joker, I know you're a Batman fan - but I see Joker as a particular constant with you. Do you feel you're drawn more towards the chaos in characters?

The Joker is one of those incredibly fascinating characters... perhaps because we don't really know who he is or what made him into the lunatic we so love and fear. He could have been any of us before he snapped. Yes, as you note, there's a chaos in the Joker... and it's a chaos we all have within us.

My four-parter "Going Sane," which ran in LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT about nine or ten years ago, remains perhaps the best super-hero story I've ever done - and it's because I got to explore the Joker's psyche in a whole new way.

All that said, I think over-exposure can beat any character into the ground... and I hope the Joker gets a rest when this current crossover is finished.

I see you've got a new LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT arc starting up, and from the description it seems sort of like Robin vs. Kathie Lee. Could you tell us a little about the story?

"Grimm" is set in the early days of Robin's career... Dick Grayson's a pretty innocent, inexperienced kid, still in awe and, yes, a little frightened of Batman. The villain of the piece is Mother Grimm: a throw-back (at least initially) to the more innocent, less psychotic villains of the 60's. The whole story has a Dickensian feeling. Oliver Twist in tights. My main goal with this one was simply to have some fun. Nothing earth-shaking here... just a good, solid story. Trevor Von Eden did the pencils. The amazing Garcia-Lopez did the inks.

Also coming up is the Batman Hardcover ABSOLUTION. Knowing you the title alone is interesting enough to make me want to hear more. Could you share with us the story? Has an artist been chosen as of yet?

ABSOLUTION is the opposite end of the spectrum from "Grimm." It's a very realistic story... no costumed characters other than Batman himself.... that begins a decade ago with the bombing of Bruce Wayne's office building by a left-wing terrorist group. The story follows Batman's pursuit of the woman behind the bombing... and it takes him around the world... ultimately to India, where what he finds is not at all what he expected.
The question at the heart of the story is: Can a man truly atone for his horrendous deeds? Can he balance out the evil that he's done by acts of compassion? (This, of course, is also the primary theme of Hal Jordan's quest in SPECTRE.)

The fully-painted art is by a newcomer named Brian Ashmore. I think he's about two-thirds of the way done with the book by now. No release date set... and given current events, I have a feeling DC might wait a little longer than planned to put it out.

Understood. It is a little eerie how so many themes in comicdom draw parallel to recent events. It should be known that this story was in development before the events of September 11th.

Speaking of Hardcovers. They're beautiful. Look nice on your shelf. And are terribly expensive. Do you see the growing abundance of Hard Cover exclusive stories a good idea or are the increasing HC books maybe a bit too much all at once?

I love the format. For something like WILLWORLD, where Seth Fisher's art really deserved a superb presentation, I thought it was totally appropriate. At the same time, I agree with you: That's a lot of money to dish out... and I think the high price may just limit sales in an ever-shrinking marketplace. At the same time, I think these kinds of items, placed in bookstores (as opposed to comics shops), and promoted properly, will do very well. So perhaps a soft-cover version for the direct market and a hardcover for the bookstores...?

What made you decide to have the narrative of Monsieur Stigmonus interact directly with the audience? I feel almost drawn to the theatrical sense of drama.

I love Monsieur Stigmonus. He's one of those characters who just came alive on the page. So, really, I didn't decide anything: he did. That device just suited his personality perfectly. I look forward to bringing him back in Year Two of THE SPECTRE.

Was there any specific influence for the character? When I say theatrical I can't help but relate Stigmonus to the old melodramatic villains that would turn his head to the audience or lean downstage and explain his evil plans. Encouraging boos and waxing mischievous moustaches.

I was looking for a character who would inject some energy into the book. An opponent who would be, in all ways the philosophical and moral opposite of the Spectre, and yet who would have real depth and be interesting, colourful, chaotic. When I was doing MAN-THING at Marvel, I (with brilliant visual help from Liam Sharp) created a character called Mr. Termineus, who had many of these qualities. I decided to come up with a character who would be, let's say Termineus's distant cousin, living in the DC Universe. And starting from that, Stigmonus began to take on a life of his own.

Speaking of which... Do you ever intend on maintaining certain patterns in your work. The relation between characters such as Stigmonus in SPECTRE and Mr. Termineus in MAN-THING for instance. Both visually similar, both strongly connected to a child.

Yes, all the work connects up. Old themes re-emerge. Old characters find new forms. I think most writers, artists, and musicians have certain themes and ideas that obsess them. We're all trying to tell our story, sing our song, and constantly refining it, trying to get at it in new ways. I think that you have to look at any artist's work as one piece. I certainly look at mine that way.

How would you describe SPECTRE to new readers? See, I don't think of it as a DC Heroes book, and it's not a Vertigo book. It's something in between. Between the super-hero and the unnatural, and 'Supernatural' is just too easy and answer.

How to describe SPECTRE? Supernatural? Super-Hero? New Age? Dark Fantasy? It really does depend on the issue, doesn't it? In the coming months, the book is going to veer off even more into different directions. We've got a Christmas issue that features Santa Claus, Charles Dickens, and Ebenezer Scrooge, another issue that will be presented as prose accompanied by illustrations, another in which the Spectre doesn't even appear until the end of the story. Then we're going off into space for something a little more (excuse the expression) comic-booky. Spaceships and aliens and strange new worlds. So we're trying different things.

At its core, it's the theme of the book that matters, I think: Hal's search for redemption-and hope-for himself... and for the world. It's a theme that's become even more powerful, and poignant, in light of recent events.

Considering we create our own heaven and hell, is Hal Jordan's quest for redemption even necessary? If he need only to discover the power to redeem within, can he continue his outward quest for long, and if he were to find redemption would he continue as the Spectre despite it?

I think you've hit on something very important: Hal himself has to totally believe he has redeemed himself in order for his personal mission to be fulfilled. (Just as Abin Sur had to realize that he no longer needed to be in a Hell of his own making in SPECTRE #9.) It's not really God Hal's waiting for. God, I believe, is far more forgiving than we are.

And, even if Hal does achieve it-or realize that it's already there-there's still his broader mission in the world: helping us, as a race, realize what he is in the process of realizing. Where will it end? Well, I could see Hal coming to the end of his quest and having someone else take over the role of Spirit of Redemption. Or he could finally divest himself of his Hal-ness... evolve... and stay the Spectre for thousands of years. This is the kind of book that can go off in any direction-and that's the fun of it.

Heh. Even in one's own spiritual quest. You're your own worst critic. Speaking of the book's evolution into any number of directions, do you see yourself as staying on for long as possible or could you see yourself one day passing on the title to another?

I have no clue. I've been working in this business long enough to know that something could happen tomorrow and I could find myself booted off the book. Or I might suddenly decide that I've said whatever I need to say via this character and his world and quit. Or I'll find myself so filled with story ideas that I'll stay for three years. Or I'll PLAN to stay for three years and the book will be cancelled. You never know.

Now I came on this book without reading the LEGENDS OF THE DCU arc which preceded it. I feel I can read it well enough without having read those issues, but there are numerous references to the events carried out therein. Should readers use the LEGENDS OF THE DCU arc as a jumping on point before coming to the series? Any set plans for trade paper back collections of the LEGENDS OF THE DCU stories or the first few issues of SPECTRE?

No plans for a trade paperback of the Zulli-illustrated stories from LOTDCU. I think it's helpful to have read it, but the book has been moving along under its own power long enough that a new reader doesn't need to have seen those stories. I think, when the previous stories are referenced, we make things pretty clear.

I see Ryan Sook has come into some extra work recently, is he set for the series as far as future issues go? I also see Craig Hamilton is back for another guest spot, any chances on his filling the role of 'official' fill in artist or does DC have plans for him?

Craig Hamilton is our official fill-in guy. And he's done-and is doing-an incredible job. His work on SPECTRE #14, an interesting piece about a vampire, is his best yet. Blows away his previous issues.

As for Ryan, who quickly became one of my All Time Favorite Collaborators, I'm sorry to say that SPECTRE #13 will be his final issue. Happily, it's also his best issue... and the story just may be our best so far. It really breaks my heart to see him go. We had such a terrific time working together. But he had an offer he couldn't refuse and, really, that's the nature of the business.

Norm Breyfogle (of Batman fame) has signed on to do the arc after Craig's vampire story... and I hope he'll be sticking around for a while after that. His work is very different than Ryan's: Norm brings a new kind of energy to the book. He is extremely passionate about what he does... and it shows on the page.

Might that last issue of Ryan's be the prose issue?

Yes. SPECTRE #13 will be Ryan's last and that's our prose/illustrations issue. I'm extremely happy with the way it's turned out.

Do you ever find you adapt a script to fit a certain artists strengths. Maybe even something as small as a location, or certain symbols.

As I get more comfortable with an artist, I find I can trust them more. Once I knew what Ryan Sook was capable of, I knew I could push things as far as I wanted. That he would "get" what I was saying and not just visualize it but embellish and expand it.

Craig, too, is an extremely creative artist and I love his way of interpreting a story.

But I think that, rather than tailoring the story toward an artist's particular strengths, what happens is that, as I get to know what first-rate artists like Ryan and Craig are capable of, I relax and just push the borders outward, knowing that they'll be able to do whatever I ask... and then some.

That said, the final issue of Spectre was very much tailored to Ryan. I had discussed the story and my ideas about it with him and, based on that, he did a cover. One look at the cover (which I think is one of the best comic book covers I've ever seen) and I knew just how the story should be told. The cover gave me the method of telling the story.

Something similar happened years ago with Jon J Muth on MOONSHADOW. We had discussed the story, he read my original outline, and then he showed up at my house with these wonderful Dickensian sketches. Looking at his visual interpretation of my ideas I suddenly understood how I should tell the story. His visuals gave me Moonshadow's voice. And that's the great joy of collaboration, isn't it? Writers and artists inspiring each other, pushing each other's comfort zones so that they'll try new things, discover new ways of telling the tale.

If reality is a dream, how would you envision your dreamer? Or your dream for that matter?

That question requires a book to really answer it; but I will say that, based on my own experiences (and all of this is so totally personal; everyone has to come up with their own answers), there's only One Dreamer and that's God... Who doesn't just dream all of us, but, like a writer getting profoundly involved in one of his stories, becomes all of us.

Now we all have different conceptions of God/The Dreamer and I tend to relate to the more personal aspects: Divine Incarnations like Rama, Jesus, Buddha and, above all, Meher Baba (and their female counterparts). In my experience, in my dream, what it all seems to come down to, no matter what spiritual/religious tradition one comes from, is Love. The universe may be an illusion, but Love is the Reality that binds the Dream and the Dreamer-that binds all of us-and makes our lives truly worth living.

That's the short answer, anyway. (Maybe I'd better get going on that book!)

Since each individual has the ability to shape dream/reality, will the Spectre then be drawn into particular individuals dreams of reality?

We touched on that at the end of the Stigmonus storyline... with Stigmonus being so rooted in his dream/worldview that he was literally incapable of seeing the other, more hopeful, universe Spectre was trying to show him... and we've touched on it, thematically, in the whole series. But a story that addresses that issue so directly is actually an intriguing idea. Maybe we'll do it.

HaHa! Of course once he gets stuck in one dream he may very well be pulled into others, and once you actually exist within a dream how could you NOT question reality? Also, think about dream as a whole other realm. If dreams exist on a separate plane, then do dreams continue to exist once the dreamer passes away? But then that's a whole other book isn't it?

Yeah. But (in my experience) it's not just about dreams. It's about the REALITY underlying the dream, connecting up all the dream-universes of the individual dreamers. And that Reality is God (the Original Dreamer. The Dreamer in all dreamers). And, to very loosely paraphrase Meher Baba, the reason why God dreamed all of these universes, dreamed all of us, into being... is so that the Love that He Is can have expression.

But then, that's a whole other book, too!

Last we talked Swamp Thing was brought up as a possible guest appearance and having just recently read the latest trade, the idea of 'What is evil' was brought up...

"Aphid eats leaf. Ladybug eats aphid. Soil absorbs dead ladybug. Plant feeds upon soil...
is aphid evil? Is ladybug evil? Is soil evil?
Where is evil, in all the wood?"

Alan Moore: BOOK 4 - A MURDER OF CROWS

...An idea crucial to the role of the Spectre. Have any Yin Yang conundrums popped up in writing this series?

Isn't the whole universe-on one level, at least-just one big "Yin Yang conundrum"? How could that not be reflected in anyone's writing? The whole Stigmonus storyline was certainly a Yin Yang ballet.

What I was thinking was also in terms of the Spectres quest. He who is intent on stopping evil and rectifying wrong. How does he decide on what is and isn't evil? Especially if evil doesn't exist? But then that's a whole other book isn't it? [I think that'll be my new mantra]

The Spectre's quest has become less and less one of seeking out evil. I'd say that the Spectre is not an anti-evil force, but A PRO-MERCY FORCE. Remember, he is no longer the Spirit of Wrath, he is the Spirit of Redemption. So the Spectre isn't intent on punishing/ending evil, he is intent on opening the doorway into good that exists in each soul. (But of course all of this is still a little confusing for Hal Jordan. It is for me, too!)

Have the obsessive Hal Jordan fans of the world been beating down your door over the series yet? "Hal wouldn't say that! He doesn't look right! He should use a giant mouse trap!"

I think there are quite a few old-time Hal Jordan fans out there who really hate the idea of Hal as the Spectre and no matter what we do, they're not gonna like it. But really, this isn't the Hal Jordan they knew. This is someone who went mad, went bad, died and was reborn in a new role, a new life. You can't expect him to be the same.

That said, I understand how they feel. As a reader, I never particularly liked the idea of Hal going nuts and becoming a murderer and I sometimes think the new Spectre would have been better served-and more warmly welcomed-with a brand new character instead of an old and beloved one. Still, I LOVE writing the character; Hal's been one of my favourites since I was a kid, and I think his journey is fascinating and opens up many wonderful story possibilities in all corners of the DCU. And I am extremely pleased with the way the book's been evolving.

Just so long as you weren't one of the people sending Kevin Dooley death threats.

Also upcoming is your SPECTRE: SOUL WAR story. Will this be a Hardcover as well? Knowing the OLD Spectre character, I'd guess this would be about judgement upon the heroes, but with the new direction I'm curious as to where this will lead. Can you tell us a little about it?

SOUL WAR is a Spectre-JLA story about an alien invasion of Earth; but, unlike the invasions we usually see, this one isn't on the physical plane: it's on the level of human consciousness.

Character-wise, the story explains the often strained relationship between the Spectre and his former partners in the JLA, with a special focus on the Hal-Batman relationship.

And, yes, it's another 96 page hardcover. Daryl Banks is the artist.

Now, are you a big fan of adversity? I've noticed in works like SPECTRE and GREEN LANTERN: WILLWORLD that just upon a moment of achievement or understanding there will be some obstacle that pops up to shoot them down, making them to start all over again. To forcefully change their way of thinking. Is this part of a mischievous sense of humour or perhaps your own technique for a more entertaining story?

Well, no story's gonna work without adversity. There has to be SOMETHING for the protagonist to push against... even if it's just that his feet are swollen and he can't get his shoes on in the morning. But more than being a fan of adversity, I'm a fan of the human spirit that can re-perceive adversity as a gift. The ability to come up against something that seems awful beyond words and use it to unfold psychologically and spiritually into something absolutely joyful.

Considering your work on books like SPECTRE and the SUPERGIRL: WINGS GN, have you been doing much research in terms of religious views and the mythology of Heaven and Hell, God and the devil? I see classic archetypal projections, such as the image of a snake have been showing up.

My relationship with-for lack of a better phrase-the Spiritual Reality has been at the core of my life, the hub around which everything else in my life turns, since I was seventeen years old: I couldn't keep it out of my work if I tried. So I guess living life is the real research.

"When I was seventeen... it was a very good year..."

One of your recent one-shots SUPERMAN WHERE IS THY STING [excellent] dealt with, amongst other things, Superman dealing with survivors guilt. A very interesting take on the complexities of Kal-El's psyche, I was wondering if this action was inspired by any specific person/people?

I just know-from my own personal experience and observation of other people-that children take on whatever's around them. If they're in an abusive situation, a traumatic situation, that makes them feel lost and powerless, they create guilt, a sense of responsibility: "It's MY fault. I caused this to happen!" In a warped way, by taking on the responsibility they are giving themselves a sense of power. (If you caused this nightmare, you must be very powerful indeed.) It's a method of psychological survival. But, once you're out of the situation, it's an utterly useless method and we have to grow beyond it.

As for Superman, what excited me was the fact that no one had ever thought of this before. Survivor's guilt is a fairly common thing in traumatic events. It wasn't a huge leap to think of the sole survivor of a doomed planet sitting on a toxic waste-dump of guilt. And I think it worked very nicely in the story. It gave us a new angle on Superman's psyche.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming KANSAS SIGHTING GN? "It was a weather balloon! I swear!"

I've been fascinated by the UFO phenomenon for some time... especially the work of researchers like Kenneth Ring and John Mack who look at the UFO experience from a perspective of altered states of consciousness.

A few years ago, I was working on a Superman story and got to wondering who, other than the Kents, saw a UFO the night Kal-El came to Earth? Maybe that sighting has become legend in UFO circles? And maybe that rocket from Krypton wasn't the first one Jor-El sent? (Would you just blast your son off to another world without sending a few probes first?) And what if Superman himself was abducted by entities that were far, far different than the usual comic book space visitors?

Anyway, those thoughts led to THE KANSAS SIGHTING. I'm writing the first issue now (it'll be two 64 pagers), Jamie Tolagson is illustrating it, and I think it's going to be terrific, providing us with another, very different, take on Superman. But don't expect till 2003!

In stores as of October 10th is also the aforementioned SUPERGIRL: WINGS one-shot. Following an angel that has lost her way in her mission of caring for human souls. Wanting to disassociate from humanity, she is taken down a road of self-discovery that ultimately brings her closer to one soul than any other, that of Linda Danvers. Now I'm unfamiliar with Supergirl, is she an angel as well, what exactly is going on there? Why did you choose Supergirl to headline this story, as opposed to say, Zauriel, Superman or Aquaman who also make appearances but not in the leading roles.

I chose Supergirl for a very simple reason: The editor asked me to do a Supergirl Elseworlds! I wasn't all that familiar with the current version of the character (although I later read quite a few issues and have to say I was very impressed with Peter David's work on the book) before tackling this project; but when the editor suggested a story in which Supergirl was a literal angel (as opposed to the quasi-angelic superhero she is in the monthly), I got very intrigued and signed on.

The good news is you don't have to know ANYTHING about Supergirl to pick up WINGS. It is a complete, stand-alone story that has nothing to do with current continuity. Yes, we get to play with the DCU and see familiar characters in unfamiliar roles (Batman shows up as Satan himself, Aquaman is the literal Lord of the Oceans)-but it's the kind of tale you can just pick up and read without being burdened by years of back-story. I just got my copies this week and I think the book is quite lovely. Jamie Tolagson's artwork is elegant and truly magical. (Which is why I grabbed him for THE KANSAS SIGHTING.)

Now you're a New York boy, I hope you're well. Hope you and your family are well. Were you far enough from the towers to be safe? Have you made plans to address the tragedy in your writing or your music anytime in the near future?

Although I grew up in New York (Brooklyn, to be precise) and have lived in Manhattan, I now live a hundred or so miles away from the City... but I still have friends and family there so the whole thing was fairly traumatic. As for addressing the tragedy in my writing, I've signed on to do a story for DC's benefit book and that provides a wonderful outlet for my thoughts and feelings. And I'm sure these events will colour everyone's work in the days and months ahead.

As a music man yourself, what have you been listening to lately?

As I write this it's John Lennon's birthday (October 9) and I'm listening to lots of Lennon's solo work, which remains some of my favorite music of all time. Other things I've been enjoying? I've been on a World Music kick this year and (among other things) I've been listening to Krishna Das, Lama Gyurme & Jean-Philippe Rykiel, Jai Uttal, Tulku. But I really like all kinds of music, from the Beatles to Radiohead to Sinatra to Prokoviev.

Also in the works is J.M.'s ABADAZAD, a sort of contemporary Oz piece, an original graphic novel specifically aimed at a younger audience.

What can you tell us about ABADAZAD? Have any confirmations been made yet? I know you're interested in doing comics centered towards the children market, but rather then the comics industry why not take your books directly to other book publishers such as Scholastic? Wouldn't you have a better chance of reaching a wider audience that way, or are you just adamant about making a children's comic work?

No, I'm not at all adamant about only doing these stories in comic book format. I've completed one manuscript for a short children's book which my agent now has... and I am not adverse to doing something like ABADAZAD (or the equivalent) as a novel. In fact, I'm going to have to because it means so much to me.

But, as I've said before, I do feel that it's important for the comic book business to get its collective head out of its collective butt and start doing material that is accessible to younger readers. And I think ABADAZAD would be perfect. Michael Lark has expressed interest in illustrating the story, Joey Cavaliere wants to edit it, and, at the moment, we're waiting for Michael to finish up a project. When he gets close, the "official" proposal will go in to the Powers That Be at DC. So we'll see.

What about cross-promoting. Doing the story as a cartoon or movie simultaneously as a comic series or children's book?

Yes, I have considered that. I am STILL considering that.

In SUPERMAN WHERE IS THY STING you wrote about the mind and how it's not simply confined to one's head.

"Every cell in our bodies resonates with memories... intelligence.
Every atom of our being holds clues to who and what we are."

Which reminded me of something I once scribbled down about how our molecules are windows into other dimensions. Do you subscribe to the theory of a universe within? Power within ones self is obvious, but creation?

I guess I'd say that we're not just a PART of the universe (or universes) but we quite literally ARE THE UNIVERSE. I recently took a six day Qi Healing workshop with a seventy-three year old Chinese Master and the way he began each meditation was by saying: "You are universe... universe is you." I don't believe that's metaphorical. I believe that's the literal truth. The difference, as Meher Baba once noted, is in the states of consciousness. What we are (or aren't) AWARE of. It's one thing to say you're the universe, another to be that statement. And live from that truth.

Other then all mentioned, plug section. Plug away for all and everything you want.

Nothing to plug, really. Although I always encourage people to go to amazon.com's music section and buy lots and lots of copies of my CD, "How Many Lifetimes?".

Thanks to J.M. for taking the time to talk with us, and special thanks to J.M. for being an ever interesting interviewee.

For those who haven't yet discovered SPECTRE, keep your eyes open for a nice jumping on point in the months ahead. December's issue [#12] will be apart of DC's FULL COVERAGE month wherein the majority of it's titles will be tailored as entry point issues for new readers, all featuring specialty designed cover art. It's also a Christmas story, or as the solicitation reads:"The Spectre of Christmas." The Phantom Stranger! Santa! Charles Dickens! Guest stars don't get any bigger than this. Our own friendly ghost joins in the ultimate team-up, as Hal Jordan takes on an evil Scrooge hell-bent on the destruction of Christmas, and ultimately, the hopes and dreams of all humanity. The Spectre must face demonic gargoyles and a blood-thirsty Victorian mob in order to save the world from an encroaching storm of darkness and despair!

And in January look for Ryan Sook's last issue with SPECTRE 13. A prose issue with detailed illustrations, which should be worth picking up for those reasons alone. Then in the following months, Craig Hamilton fills in, followed by a story arc featuring the work of Norm Breyfogle. So check it out, or if you're looking for a good self-contained story be sure to pick up the SUPERMAN: WHERE IS THY STING [featuring the best artwork Liam Sharp has done for years] and SUPERGIRL: WINGS prestige format one-shots, in stores now.

 

Jonathan Ellis is Interviews Editor for PopImage.


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.
DC Comics.com - DC Comics Online..
FEATURE: The Will Behind WILLWORLD - Seth Fisher explains his artistic process regarding the GREEN LANTERN: WILLWORLD HC.
J.M. DeMatteis INTERVIEW - Read the J.M. DeMatteis interview from January 2001
E-mail Us. - Send us an e-mail, commenting on this article.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS
All reviews this time by Brian Domingos (BD) and Matt Singer (MS).

FELON #1
Writer: Greg Rucka
Pencils: Matthew Clark
Inks: Ray Snyder
Eight Issue Mini. Minotaur/Top Cow/Image 2001
$2.95

FELON is the second release from Top Cow’s new Minotaur imprint and follows the newly released Cassiday, out of prison and going after what is owed to her. She’s a con woman of obvious skill and Rucka does a great job of showing us this. My beef with FELON is that it stinks of a Top Cow book. The art work, while tightly following Rucka’s pacing seems very ‘1997’ in its composition. The storytelling is sloppy at times, leaving you with indiscernible panels at times. The colouring doesn’t help too much either as it carries the TC ‘House’ tinge to it. It’s earthy and muddy and draws a very heavy feel to it. I doubt I’d pick up another issue, but it might work for HardCore fans of Rucka’s crime work. (BD)

FOUR WOMEN #1
Writer/Artist: Sam Kieth
Additional Inks: Jim Sinclair
Five issue miniseries Homage/Wildstorm/DC 2001
$2.95

I’ve never really been a fan of Sam Keith’s work, but I usually find him interesting enough to at least give everything a shot. FOUR WOMEN is his most recent work since last year’s ZERO GIRL, also published by Wildstorm. FW follows, you guessed it, Four Women on the way to a reception and is narrated by one of the Women, Donna, as she explains the story to a now-anonymous outside person. The story is mostly the women sharing stories and talking in the car ride as they head to their predetermined destination. The thing is, though, it’s really quite boring. I actually put the book down a few times only to come back to it later because I couldn’t take it in one sitting. I had a lot of trouble getting into the characters. The issue ends with a horrific tragedy framed with panicked dialogue and subtle artwork.  I just didn’t care terribly much.  (BD)

NOBLE CAUSES #1
Writer: Jay Faerber
Penciler: Billy Dallas Patton (I), Patrick Gleason (II)
Inker: Damon Hacker (I), John Wycough (II)
One-Shot
Image 2001
$2.95

Jay Faerber has finally made his way into the realm of creator-owned books with NOBLE CAUSES, a soap opera-esque book about a dysfunctional family of super-heroes immersed in the public eye. I respect Jay as a creator for his integrity and professionalism, and I generally enjoy his work so I thought I’d give him the much deserved shot. The script comes across as a bit trite at times, but he’s doing something new and finding his niche.  He’s taken a big step and one in the right direction. The book is structured in two different parts; one with the main story and the second with a small back story that fills in obvious blanks. The characters are pretty straightforward and the artwork is cartoony with a tinge of flash to it. As the series progresses this could turn into a top-notch book. I’m enjoying it so far. (BD)

JOKER: THE LAST LAUGH #1
Writers: Chuck Dixon and Scotty Beatty
Penciler: Pete Woods
Inker: Andrew Pepoy
DC Comics
$2.95

There's been a lot of flack about this crossover around the internet; frankly, I've never been so into comics that I cared enough. I bought the first issue to check it out and my purchasing it or any other will be based on its quality. As much as I've enjoyed Joker in movies and a few comics (THE KILLING JOKEis essential reading for any comic fan in my opinion); I'm not a huge fan. So convincing me to read a mini series about a near-death Joker who is looking to go out with a bang is an uphill battle.  Writers Dixon and Beatty are still a long way from the top with me.

While there is a nice B-plot with Nightwing and Oracle on a well-scripted date, the actual story of Joker turning everyone else into joker-type people really doesn't enthuse me. Pete Wood's art is nice for the regular humans, but not nearly menacing enough for the Joker - a character I've found best depicted as a mix of cartoonish elements and horrific undertones. But cover artist Brian Bolland has it down; this story would have benefited from his work in the interior art. All in all, there isn't much to get worked up here one way or another. And I'm not going to buy issue two. (MS)

ICEMAN: ICONS #1
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Aritst: Karl Kerschl
Marvel Comics
$2.50

Iceman's a interesting character to me; one I found myself a fan of for no reason I can place. Puns about his coolness aside, he's usually a well-written minor character; plenty of funny lines, but not much to him when you get down to it. I suppose this comic, if it has a purpose besides just selling more books to X-MEN fans, is to add some substance to the character.

Interestingly, we find this character already with more background than I realized; this issue follows Iceman's trip to Hong Kong to visit a son he's fathered with a woman there. I must admit this is far from anything I would have expected for an Iceman mini, and the end result is fairly satisfying. Still, the book follows the rather unpleasant recent trend of starting mini-series with an issue that sets up everything, with little of anything aside from exposition, then throws the reader an exciting last page to get you to buy the next issue. Yeah, it makes you want to read issue two, but I paid money to get a good story now, not in a month. So while I am intrigued by the last page of ICEMAN, I wish that the rest of the pages had had that much energy to them.

I did enjoy the art by Karl Kerschl, whose work I am unfamiliar with. His slightly manga-influenced style (jeez, is every artist right now "slightly manga influenced?") works well with the book's tone and is well complimented by a clear and clean coloring style. (MS)

DOOM PATROL #1
Writer: John Arcudi
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
DC Comics
$2.50

The cover of DOOM PATROL #1 volume whatever (three at least, I think) is a close-up of good old Robotman with a disgusted look on his face, the reflections of the rest of a new team shining on his forehead. A thought bubble reads, "We're doomed." Prophetic words indeed. I don't know how long this book can last in this state.

While I've read and admired Grant Morrison's early run on the book (collected in the trade CRAWLING FROM THE WRECKAGE), I've never been so attached to it that I couldn't imagine reading and enjoying a new version of the team. And John Arcudi is a writer whose work has really worked for me on a few occasions. Here, we get a new team, including old Cliff Steele, who wind up together after a few twists of fate. Along the way there is humor (none of it as funny as any issue of BARRY WEEN for example), and a little bit of rather lame super-hero action. I don't quite know what I was wanting out of this book, other than to be reasonably entertained. And I was not. It all felt rather tame and weak. I have little invested in these new characters, and there was little reason given why I should start caring about them. Art by newcomer Tan Eng Huat is not particularly exciting, but it does match the tone of the book well. If this book is to survive, I think it needs to get bigger and smarter, and give us a reason why we should care about these goofy characters who aren't all that funny. (MS)

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS runs every other week at PopImage.com. All artwork copyright it's respective owners and creators, used for purposes of review.


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.


INTERVIEW: MARC BRYANT AND MAL JONES
Conducted by Christopher Butcher

Local boys make big, come on the scene with new Original Graphic Novel.

I think the most important thing, about my interview with freshman creators Marc Bryant and Malcolm 'Mal' Jones is that Marc was late getting there. It's true. Mal, in his dorm room at art school, apologized for him twice before he showed up too. Where was Marc, you might ask? Out at the movies, with his wife. And to me, that really is the most important thing about the interview. Marc and Mal have lives, interests, and influences outside of the comics industry. It's that freshness that's so readily apparent in their new graphic novel, OVERTIME. They're comic fans, sure. But Malcolm draws from a wide variety of artistic influences, from classical to commercial. And despite having read maybe ten different stories that Marc has written, not one even flirted with superheroes. They're two very unique, very fresh voices, and OVERTIME is bound to be a very auspicious debut. I'm proud to bring you this interview with two friends and to show you how two PopImage kids made good.

POPIMAGE: First off, please introduce yourselves.
Marc Bryant: I'm Marc Bryant, writer and co-creator of OVERTIME.
Mal Jones: I'm Mal Jones, artist on OVERTIME
Marc Bryant: …and co-creator.
Mal Jones: …and co-creator!
Marc Bryant: Damn straight

POPIMAGE: That's interesting that you credit Malcolm with co-creation. Originally, you had started OVERTIME with a different artist hadn't you Marc?
Marc Bryant: Yeah, a very talented guy named Sherard Jackson. He did some of the design with me, when it was still an illustrated prose story at OPI8. Now, though, its gone through so many changes, it's as much Mal's show as it is mine. With Sherard's blessing, I might add.
Mal Jones: Sherard's stuff is so lovely.

POPIMAGE: Mal, how was it for you coming into a project which had begun with a separate artist?
Mal Jones: I had no problem with it, honestly. By the time Marc and I started working together on Overtime, we had already worked together on a few shorts (Afterbirth at NextComics and Date Night which will be in Cyberosia's Revolving Hammer). So we were vibing really well and Overtime had moved from prose to sequential art and was really becoming a new beast.
Marc Bryant: Mal took to it like a fish to water. He really knew what the story needed from day one.

POPIMAGE: Tell the nice readers a little bit about how you work together. Is it full script to artwork, or a little bit of give and take?
Marc Bryant: That's part of the miracle of the internet-we both chat a LOT during the day, so I'd send bits and pieces of what some people might call 'full scripts' then we'd riff on that until we had a scene or page that we were both pleased with. I can't believe I just said 'miracle of the internet'.
Mal Jones: Yeah, Marc sends me bits and I doodle out lay outs, send them to him, he adapts the scripts, I adapt my pages. It was an evolutionary style of creation.
Marc Bryant: At this point, between what we've done, and what we're working on, we have our own little 'virtual studio'.
Mal Jones: I would say Marc and I talked for at LEAST an hour a day during Overtime's creation. It was always changing and shifting. I have piles of unused pages and sketches.
Marc Bryant: At least an hour. Usually a lot more.

POPIMAGE: Mal, you've got a really unique graphic style. Was it a challenge adapting to what Marc was looking for on Overtime?
Marc Bryant: Hahaha…
Mal Jones: Hahaha… DAMN CROWD SCENES!
Marc Bryant: See, you're getting ahead of yourself again. :-)
Mal Jones: Honestly? Yes, it was hard. Overtime was my first "major" project. It had scenes where I had to draw 100's of people. Scenes where I had to evoke mood and tone in just a few panels of talking heads. Marc was INCREDIBLY patient with me. I was truly learning on the job.
Marc Bryant: And I'm pretty 'hands off' with artists in most cases. I left him to his own devices a LOT, which may have actually been frustrating for him at times.

POPIMAGE: Marc, this will be your first big project too, won't it?
Marc Bryant: Yes. By a long shot. Not the first feature length story I've written, but the first published.

POPIMAGE: Any sense of nervousness involved in the project for either of you? This is your first shot at really putting yourself out there, one would imagine it would be a little frightening.
Marc Bryant: Not as much nervousness as I would think. I was much more nervous pitching the book, than I am seeing it published. I always figured that would be the other way around.
Mal Jones: I feel the same as Marc. I mean, it's going out there in to the world like it should. It's not a story that is meant to be hidden away in the corners of closets. It should be in shelves, in homes. That's why we made it. It's just going out to where it belongs.

POPIMAGE: So what WAS the pitch process like, guys? Long and involved, and how did you end up with Cyberosia?
Marc Bryant: I met Scott Brown, ironically enough, when I was an editor at...Pop Image! We kept in touch, and met at the SDCC in 2000. He became interested in OT when it was still at opi8. When Mal and I hooked up after Sherard moved on to other projects, Scott and Kristen REALLY got interested in it. We pitched it at San Diego this past summer and now we're just a few months from seeing it published. The pitch process was relatively painless. Cyberosia know exactly what they're looking for in a book, and part of what they want is a book that is very true to the creators' vision.
Mal Jones: Painless?? The suspense was KILLING me! I'm so impatient
Marc Bryant: Well, you're young yet… You don't know long pitch process yet junior ;-)
Mal Jones: For me the pitch process was just part of the natural progress so you could say it took 8 months to pitch the book if you wanted. Marc and I hooked up in January, got to work, finished the book in the summer, pitched it at San Diego, and bam... one year after we started we will have a book in our hands.
Marc Bryant: Pretty good turnover rate for an OGN, even a shorter one, in this day and age I'd say.

POPIMAGE: Recently there was a post at the WEF where a creator was discouraged about pitching his project, as it didn't seem to be what the industry wanted. Yours is a science-fiction, original graphic novel. Not exactly a genre or form that's setting the world on fire. Was that a concern?
Mal Jones: Hell no. A story is a story. At least from my point of view :-)
Marc Bryant: I have to agree, and really, OT is a crime comic, disguised as a sci-fi piece. We've really tried to present it as such to. As far it being an OGN, I think people like AiT/PlanetLar and Top Shelf are seeing to it that OGN's DO start a fire. At least a small one.
Mal Jones: OGN's are such a great format. They look nice on bookshelves, stand up to time better then floppies. And OT's sci-fi elements are simply a setting for it to be a good crime story, akin to the type of thing one would see on Law and Order or Homicide. So the genre worries were pretty much non-existent to me.

POPIMAGE: Can you discuss some of your individual influences? Was there anything that specifically influenced this project?
Marc Bryant: The work of people like Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker has had a big influence on the mystery aspect of the story, at least from my perspective. I'm a big fan of shows like Homicide as well. Originally, years ago when I had the idea, it was like a road story/romance set in the present day – except for the fact that everyone was immortal, it was a bit of a slice of life type thing. That idea didn't really have legs on it.
Mal Jones: I still like that idea.
Marc Bryant: Though, and little by little, it evolved into what it is now. I honestly don't remember WHAT my influences were at the start.
Mal Jones: My influences range from Monet and Manet, the impressionist school of painting, to Dave McKean and Bill Sienkiewicz.

POPIMAGE: Were there any significant changes made to the story between it's inception at OPI8 and the Original Graphic Novel coming in January?
Mal Jones: Yeah, Marc had to deal with my fine art lovin' artistic stylin'! :-)
Marc Bryant: Not really. I was in the process of writing it, as it 'aired' at OPI8. There were a couple changes (as far as the opening), and I made significant changes to Cafferty's character, but otherwise we finished up with the story I set out to tell.

POPIMAGE: You didn't find any difference between telling the story as illustrated prose and comic format?
Marc Bryant: Well, I haven't really written much prose, but that's what Chad wanted, so I was adapting my scripting style to prose from the beginning. The transition was very smooth.

POPIMAGE: Okay. I asked this question of Warren Ellis, and I'm asking it of you. What's more important to you, creating, or creating comics?
Marc Bryant: Ultimately, its creating. But if I have my say, comics will always be where I do the most work.
Mal Jones: Creating. To me creating is essential to my life. If it is in comics, then that's awesome. If I'm creating websites, awesome. If I'm making paintings, awesome. However, that said, comics as a form is intriguing and such a challenge that I don't think I'll ever not be trying to work in them.

POPIMAGE: Marc, what's the allure of comics to you?
Marc Bryant: I really did learn to read on comics. Its so hard to say what it is that attracts me to the art form, other than sentimentality. But it is such a fresh medium, and the possibilities are endless. Its been said time and again that you have a limitless special effects budget doing comics, and that's so true. You have a better shot of getting your own ideas in front of an audience, however small, than in any other medium really. I love comics. What else can I say?

POPIMAGE: You've mentioned that you worked very closely on the net, chatting back and forth. A lot of creative teams find the internet an obstacle in their communication, difficult to really feel out the other partner. Did any of these problems plague you?
Marc Bryant: In no way whatsoever. This book couldn't have been done without the internet. Its how we met, it's how we worked together, and it played a huge part in selling the book to Cyberosia.
Mal Jones: Nah, not that I've noticed. I mean, Marc may be sitting in his castle in the backwoods of Tennessee with a shotgun for all I know ready to blow my head off for what I did to his book. But that's the price of the internet, right? Seriously, no. Without the internet, OVERTIME would not exist at all.

POPIMAGE: How DID you hook up anyway? I don't think you mentioned how Mal came to be working on the project.
Mal Jones: I honestly have no idea how we hooked up.
Marc Bryant: The best I can recall, we met in the WEF chat one night, started talking, and then exchanged AIM screen names. The whole thing went from there. We knew each other's names from the WEF anyway.
Mal Jones: It was definitely through the Warren Ellis Forum, yeah. We did Date Night and then Afterbirth, and just putzed around with a couple of projects, and suddenly we started talking about Overtime and it just came together.

POPIMAGE: What have you got coming up? Anything you can discuss?
Marc Bryant: We have a short story, DATE NIGHT, in the upcoming anthology from CYBEROSIA, REVOLVING HAMMER. I have an article in the PopImage collection from Cyberosia. I also have a short strip in the works for NextComics, a couple of projects with Mike Norton, of THE WAITING PLACE fame, and Mal and I are already starting on another OGN. The working title is HAIL SUSAN.
Mal Jones: Well, as a pair we have Date Night, a short in Cyberosia's REVOLVING HAMMER, and I did the art for another short called MOMENT OF SILENCE written by Scott O. Brown that will be in it as well. Other than that I have some things that I'm writing and drawing myself that aren't worth mentioning more then that, and HAIL SUSAN with Marc. All that plus graduating from the University of Maryland means I've got a full plate.

POPIMAGE: Speaking of OGN's, why was it important to you that OVERTIME be in this format?
Marc Bryant: The main reason for me, was for it to have more appeal to non-comics readers, and to give a longer shelf life than if it was a serialized miniseries.
Mal Jones: As a fast paced crime story, it has this pacing, this structure, that just works as one solid read. The OGN is also viewed in a COMPLETELY different light by non comic readers.

POPIMAGE: What have you read recently that's really turned your crank?
Mal Jones: Well sitting on my desk right now is NON #5 from Highwater Books, SLOW JAMS from David Choe, ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN, and the DEADENDERS trade paperback.
Marc Bryant: I've gotten into a lot more 'indie' comics lately-PISTOLWHIP and MEPHISTO and the EMPTY BOX kicked my homesick ass. I also really liked Brian Ralph's CAVE-IN and Scott Mills' BIG CLAY POT. I'm also loving everything by Brian Azzarello, most of Bendis' work, COUSCOUS EXPRESS, and, surprise surprise the whole CROSSGEN line.
Mal Jones: Indie books eh, Marc? You've been hanging with me too much.
Marc Bryant: Please, I was reading comics when you were an itch in your daddy's rosy palm.

POPIMAGE: Crossgen, really? What do you like about it?
Mal Jones: I always enjoy the WAITING PLACE, the AiT/PlanetLAR series... my tastes are VERY wide so it's hard to really pick what I like a lot. Plus I haven't gotten new books in ages, so...
Marc Bryant: I like the fact that the CG books are first and foremost about the STORY, not the creators, not a franchise, not the company. About telling a good story. And the production values are top notch.

POPIMAGE: Interesting. OVERTIME is sci-fi/crime. What kinds of genres are you interested in working in? Anything in particular?
Mal Jones: Quirky Slice of Life. Anything really. EXCEPT superheroes.... at least not ones that wear tights. It's not that I'm this big ANTI superhero guy... I just don't enjoy drawing the damn things.
Marc Bryant: Right now, I'm leaning towards stories that fall outside of your usual genres. I'm interested in stuff like the Cohen Brothers do, or Wes (RUSHMORE) Anderson. Quirky, funny character stories, with a lot of suspense, and a lot of heart. Though I'm not above the occasional car chase. ;-)

POPIMAGE: Hypothetical: Marvel Comics comes to you tomorrow and asks you if you're interested in working with them. What would the answer be?
Mal Jones: Sure, why not, right? Marvel, no matter what anyone says about them, is a beast in the world of Comic Making. If they were willing to let me loose on one of their properties I would be too curious to say no.
Marc Bryant: My answer would be a resounding yes. The Marvel characters mean a lot to me, on a sentimental level, and I couldn't pass up my shot to make my mark on them, however insignificant. Plus, doing a Marvel book would put my name out there and help me build a following in a way most independent projects never could. If I could bring 20,000 people to something like OVERTIME by writing SPIDER-MAN, I would in a second.
Mal Jones: Of course, I'm going to do my best to bring 20,000 people to Overtime anyway, of course. I mean, come on, Jim Mahfood is doing the Fantastic Four! That's just smooth …

POPIMAGE: What do you think is the most important challenge facing the industry today?
Marc Bryant: Getting new readers, which ideally means creating books that can hold their own against other mediums, and creating the means to promote those books.
Mal Jones: The perception the "mainstream" has upon on comics. I mean, that's the problem right there... the fact that I have to refer to those that don't read comics as the mainstream. Comics are making headway in that area, but they still have a long way to go I think.
Marc Bryant: Can I add here, that Mal and I like working together so much, that we've formed an official partnership? It's called Overtime Comics, naturally enough, and we'll be launching the site soon. We intend to always be working on something. It's not a publishing venture, but its a creative partnership, that will inform and support everything we do creatively-together, separately, or with other creators.

POPIMAGE: What would be your dream project?
Marc Bryant: My dream project would be a feature length graphic novel, something like FROM HELL, published and distributed in the mainstream book trade, in hardcover and in color. Owned by myself and my collaborator of course.
Mal Jones: I don't have one, honestly. Any project that forces me to learn and adapt and grow as an artist is a "dream" to me. I'm not in comics for the money, heh. I'm in it for the craft.

PopImage would like to thank Marc and Mal for consenting to this interview. Just a reminder to check out their comparitively inexpensive Original Graphic Novel OVERTIME in January. For more on the series, please visit http://www.overtimecomics.com or the publisher's website at http://www.cyberosia.com .

 

Christopher Butcher is Assistant Editor of PopImage.


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.


STARVED FOR ATTENTION: THE GREAT PUMPKIN RETURNS
by Zack Smith

           FADE IN:

            EXT.PUMPKIN PATCH - HALLOWEEN NIGHT

                               SALLY
                     I can't BELIEVE you're doing this AGAIN!

                               LINUS
                     Quiet, Sally!  You'll scare away the
                     Great Pumpkin!

                               SALLY
                     "The Great Pumpkin."  "The Great
                     Pumpkin."  There IS no Great Pumpkin!
                     It's just some strange ritual you go
                     through every year that oddly resembles a
                     subtle indictment of organized religion!

                               LINUS
                     NO!  There IS a Great Pumpkin!  And he's
                     going to fly forth from the pumpkin patch
                     and give toys to all the good little
                     children...with a little help from me!

                               SALLY
                     What do you mean?  And what's with that
                     weird book you're holding, the "Nee-Kro
                     Mon-I-Khan"...?

                               LINUS
                     I found it on Amazon.com!  According to
                     the site, it can summon forth ALL the
                     spirits of Halloween!  Um, do you have
                     any goat's blood on you...?

                               SALLY
                     Ask Lucy.

                               LINUS
                     Oh, it'll probably work without it...now
                     to read the spell..."Dark forces beyond
                     the veil of reality...wizened spirits of
                     Astograth...executives of the NBC
                     television network...summon forth the
                     black-hearted spirit of All Hallow's Eve,
                     and let him give me candy and toys!"
                         (pause)
                     I added that last part myself.

                               SALLY
                     Look!

            The sky SPLITS OPEN!  Ancient spirits scream the SCREAMS OF
           THE DAMNED!  "Inside Schwartz" actually becomes WATCHABLE!
           And from the sky comes...

                               LINUS
                     It's him!  It's finally him!  It's the
                     Great Pumpkin!

                               SALLY
                     I don't believe it!  You were RIGHT!

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     HA HA HA!  AFTER THESE COUNTLESS
                     MILLENNIA, THE DARK LORD SAMHAIN IS FREE
                     AT LAST!

 
                               LINUS
                     Great Pumpkin!  Down here!  I never gave
                     up on you!  Could I have some Jolly
                     Ranchers?

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     FOOLISH BLANKETED MORTAL!  DO YOU
                     COMPREHEND THE AWESOME POWERS YOU HAVE
                     UNLEASHED THIS NIGHT OF INFINITE TERROR?

                               LINUS
                     Um...what about a Snickers?

            FHWOOOM! The Pumpkin INCINERATES Linus with a blast of
           FLAME!

                               SALLY
                     AAAAAHHHH!

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     I GROW WEARY OF YOU IRRITATING YET ODDLY
                     PRECOCIOUS MORTALS!  I SHALL FIND OTHER
                     REALMS IN WHICH TO WREAK HAVOC!

            INT.FAMILY CIRCUS - DAY

                               PRIEST
                     So why did you call me, Mr. Keane?

                               DAD
                     I think...I think my daughter may be
                     possessed.

                               PRIEST
                     What makes you say that?

            BLAAAAARG! A wave of GREEN PUKE is hurled on them!

                               PRIEST
                     AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!  Who did that?!

                               DOLLY
                         (tied to a bed; giggling
                          insanely)
                     Not Me...Not Me...Not Me...

                               DAD
                     Dolly!  Put down that crucifix NOW!

            INT.DILBERT - DAY

                               DILBERT
                         (roaming the office halls with
                          a  shotgun)
                     Heh heh heh...need more toner...need more
                     toner....

                               POINTY-HAIRED BOSS
                     Dilbert!  Stop that!  Lunch break was
                     over ten minutes ago!  You can shoot
                     people when you're OFF the clock!

            INT.LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND - DAY

                               LITTLE NEMO
                     Oh!  Um!  What a funny dream I had!  I
                     dreamt that there was a horribly burned
                     child-molester with razor fingers coming
                     after...AAAAHHHH!

                               FREDDY KRUEGER
                     Sweet dreams, kiddie.  Hey, wasn't this
                     strip cancelled like a hundred years ago?

            INT.FUNKY WINKERBEAN - DAY

                               LES
                     Oh no!  I'm being EVICTED!

                               LISA
                     Oh no!  I have CANCER!  Again!

                               FUNKY
                     Oh no!  I'm about to fall off the WAGON!
                     DAMN YOU GREAT PUMPKIN!!!

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     ACTUALLY, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU.
                     YOUR STRIP IS ALWAYS THIS DEPRESSING.

                               FUNKY
                     Oh, right.  Got any Scotch?

            INT.PEANUTS - DAY

            CHARLIEBROWN and the GANG are TRICK-OR-TREATING!

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                     Why do people always give me nothing but
                     rocks?!  I mean, I'm wearing a COSTUME!
                     Do they just automatically hate me for no
                     rational reason?

                               LUCY
                     Your life is so oddly existental.

            SuddenlySALLY runs up!

                               SALLY
                     HELP!  HELP!  IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN!

                               LUCY
                     Good grief.  Not this again.

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                     Sally, there's no such--

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     HA HA!  DIE, PREMATURELY BALD MORTAL!

            ZAPPPPP!!!! A BLAST knocks the Pumpkin away from the Peanuts
           gang!

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                     Who did that?

                               JASON FOX
                     Oh, hey there.  I'm Jason from "Fox
                     Trot."  My prodigious supergenius has
                     enabled me to construct anti-pumpkin
                     weaponry to take down this demonic force!

                               LUCY
                     You know, this sort of thing never
                     happened to Calvin and Hobbes.

                               JASON FOX
                     Bad news though -- I can't hold the
                     Pumpkin off forever!  If we're going to
                     take him out, we need to put out the
                     magic candle inside his pumpkin-head!  If
                     only we had something we could kick up
                     there, like a football...

            Everyonelooks at Charlie Brown.

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                     Ohhhhhhh no!

                               JASON FOX
                     Come on!

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                         (sighs)
                     Look, I'll kick it...but Lucy, you're
                     going to have to hold it still this time!
                     The fate of the world is in the balance!
                     You CANNOT pull away the football!

                               LUCY
                     Charlie Brown!  Of COURSE I'm not going
                     to pull it away!  Don't be such a
                     blockhead!  Now go on and kick it!

            Sheputs the football down...Charlie Brown gears up, runs...

                               GREAT PUMPKIN
                     HA HA HA!  I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                         (to himself)
                     Okay, this is it...got to do this...can't
                     miss...can't miss...

            INT.FLAMING PITS OF TARTARUS - FIVE MINUTES LATER

                               SCHRODER
                     Lucy, you couldn't let him kick the
                     stupid ball just ONCE?

                               LUCY
                     Okay, I'm just going to admit it -- I
                     think I have a problem.

                               CHARLIE BROWN
                     WOW!  This place is GREAT!  For once, I
                     don't have to worry about being rejected
                     by the little red-haired girl, losing
                     baseball games, getting a kite stuck in a
                     tree or everything else in my life going
                     wrong, because I KNOW it will!  I'm...I'm
                     HOME!

                               SALLY
                     Good grief.

            FADEOUT.

            THE END.
 
 

 

ZACK SMITH (zacharymsmith@hotmail.com) would like to wish everyone a happy Halloween! And special thanks to Kelley Jones for the Pumpkin art! Go read THE CRUSADES, which is a hella-creepy book, and one you should be reading! And extra special thanks to Marc McKenzie for that sweet coloring job! YAY MARC!


PopImage Forum - Discuss this message at the PopImage forum.


INTERVIEW: ANN NOCENTI
Conducted by Dan Coyle

One comic I will always remember having a huge impact on me is DAREDEVIL #250, "Boom." I can even recall the place where I bought it- the Plymouth Meeting Mall, and the comic I bought it with- TRANSFORMERS #36 (that godawful "Spacehikers" story, and Jose Delbo's first issue- but that's another story). Sure, it had Daredevil battling a supervillain, Bullet, but this was no simple hero-fights-a-new-bad-guy story. Bullet wasn't just a criminal, he was a government agent out to discredit environmentalists to help a chemical company win a lawsuit. Matt Murdock was trying to keep a law clinic together while working for the plaintiff on the same lawsuit. Plus, there was the story of Bullet's son, a kid obsessed with nuclear war.

"Boom" may be best known as penciler John Romita Jr.'s first issue, but to me, it was something different. And I never forgot who wrote that story: Ann Nocenti.

Starting out in Marvel Editorial in the 80's, Nocenti has to her credit a wide range of diverse titles such as MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS, KID ETERNITY, WOLVERINE, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-WOMAN, and the graphic novel collaboration with artist John Bolton: SOMEPLACE STRANGE. But Ann is probably best known for her four-year run on the man without fear: DAREDEVIL. She also co-created two of the most offbeat characters in Marvel history, Longshot and Typhoid Mary.

Ms. Nocenti has spent the past few years outside of the comics field, and is currently editor of Scenario: The Magazine of Screenwriting Art. I recently contacted her for an brief interview; I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to Ms. Nocenti for taking the time to speak with us.

Okay, how did you "break in" to comics?

I saw an ad in the back of the Village Voice for an assistant editorial position, and when I called up, the woman wouldn't tell me what exactly the company published. Natch, I assumed that meant it must be a porn joint. At the time I was fresh out of college with a worthless fine arts degree, and was slinging cocktails at some jazz club in the city... so I wasn't exactly qualified for anything much anyway. But I had just read a Henry Miller trilogy, the one that opens something like: "33 years old, age of Christ crucified, a failure in every sense of the word" and somewhere in there Miller is looking for a job, has no qualifications, and is intimidated by NYC's tall steel towers. But one day he impulsively enters a skyscraper, takes the elevator to the top, talks a blue streak of lies to some exec in a penthouse, and (almost) gets a job. So, thinking of Miller's chutzpah, I figured what the hell, see if you can bullshit your way into a job, even if it's just writing porn. When I got to the address, the first thing I saw a giant Captain America cutout. I'd never read a super-hero comic, wasn't really sure what they were let alone know they were a rich and complex art form, but I knew I wanted to work in an office with a giant cutout like that.

So, remembering the passage in the Henry Miller book, I went into the big executive's office and talked a blue streak of lies, invoking Nietzsche, McLuhan, Warhol, and anyone else I could think of that toyed with superhumans, pop art, or visual linguistics. On the way out a very nice woman named Virginia Romita said to me: "You don't smoke, do you?" So, adding one more lie to the pile, I said no. (Winstons, pack a day). I never thought I'd hear from them, figuring my bullshit was transparent as glaze on a donut, but Jim Shooter (who interviewed me) called the next day and hired me. Who knows why, maybe he thought bullshit was the best qualification to write comic books. So, I quit smoking and hustling cocktails, and began working for Marvel Comics.

And, ironically, it was sort of a porn joint. (Only kidding)

"Cripes, man! Hookers reading bibles!
I don't want to live in this New World..."

You started out at Marvel editorial in the 80's- what was that environment like, during Jim Shooter's "legendary" reign?

Life under Shooter's reign was like life in any benevolent dictatorship. At least he had a vision and was passionate about it, and underneath him the suppressed masses had fun in their insurgency meetings, and eventual revolt that overthrew the despot. Think Castro's Cuba -the guy's been espousing free elections for what, 40 years? But damned if he'll ever allow one.

Shooter loved comics, understood them pretty well, and the basic structural storytelling principles he imposed on them were very sound, but he was so damn maniacal about imposing them he forgot, in the process, that great individual artists and storytellers rise out of breaking the form, breaking the rules in interesting ways. So, principled as he was, he failed in that he tried to force his theories on very creative people in a dogmatic, dictatorial way. It reached a point, just before his fall, when you can pick up ANY Marvel comic of that year and find the "can't/must" panel, the one he inserted into every comic, the point at which the hero pauses to say, "I can't (fill in the blank) but I must (fill in the blank). Shooter thought this would add instant conflict to every comic produced, but those imposed panels are just tumorous growths in otherwise healthy, unconflicted stories. But, that said, he was often very brave... I remember I wanted Bill Sienkiewicz to do a series of "experimental" painted covers on the NEW MUTANTS, and he supported me on that, and in many other things I wanted to try. Anyway, since the staff was unified in their anger at his bully methods when it came to story, many days at the office were a kind of fun complicity of rebellion.

The place was packed with creative editors: Mark Gruenwald, Louise Jones, Mike Carlin, Al Milgrom, Archie Goodwin, Larry Hama, Ralph Macchio, and many others, most of them witty cut-ups and pranksters that keep the office a very lively place. Plus, Steve Ditko, Bill Sienkiewicz, Walt Simonson, etc. etc... All these guys would visit and tell wacky stories and you could basically get through the day without working too hard. Anyway, it was a fun era (until it wasn't) and even though, during the years I was the editor of the X-MEN and all the "mutant" books, Shooter and I fought like hell, I always respected the guy for his passion for comics. And, as it turned out, the dullsville regime that replaced him makes him look practically open-minded in comparison...

Your first comic work, as I understand it, was a rather bizarre four issue run on Spider-Woman ending in the heroine's death. What was that like, having your first ongoing assignment leading to you killing your lead character off?

It was a wacky bit of fun, but I was too new to the game to understand that killing off beloved characters is a rotten thing to do. Looking back, I guess I was hoodwinked. I think Mark Gruenwald, who was the editor of the book, might have had some kind of personal agenda going on there, but I don't what, really. Maybe I don't want to know? Well, I was glad he gave me the work, and I had fun working with him, he was a very creative guy.

Actually, that wasn't my first job, my first comic work came from Denny O'Neil. He asked me to write a story for his BIZARRE ADVENTURES mag, and I think I wrote about a guy who "chased the bitch," as they say, chased lady luck too hard in the casinos. He beat the odds, but I can't remember how it ended for him, badly I think.

Longshot- where did this guy COME from? Reading the original miniseries, it seems at first he's coming from traditional fantasy roots but later on it becomes apparent he's from something entirely different- Mojoworld, 57 channels and nothing on. Did the character evolve as you were writing him?

I don't really know the answer to that one. I never read much fantasy or sci-fi, so he didn't come from there. I think I had some kind of muddled existential idea, that the Mojoworld was a funhouse version of our own media-obsessed world, Mojo produced completely manipulated beings, drenched in the tepid lukewarm bath of "culture", and Longshot stood outside that as a blank slate that had to create himself. Like, what is a human being if you could remove him from his world? Or something like that.

I don't think any of it was very planned or conscious, I just started at page one and had fun. I do remember when I came up with the glowing eye thing. It came from a one-eyed cat I was living with at the time, and how the one eye would glint in the dark at night. I thought that was so cool and eerie, I gave it to Longshot. I remember the editors I pitched it to (Carl Potts and Louise Jones), who were just amazing, very supportive of the whole project, but Carl was like, what do you mean, his eye glows? How can that be drawn? Why does it glow? Louise Jones was more like, who cares what it means, it's cool. But it worked out in the end, since Art Adams drew it so well, no one questioned it. And it seems to have caught on, 'cause years later there were dozens of characters with one eye glowing. I do know that Longshot's odd charm and innocence came from Art Adams... from the way he interpreted and drew him. Even though the writer does all the groundwork for a new character, they really don't come alive until they're drawn, so your question about did the character evolve, the answer is yes, most strongly influenced by Art. His work on Longshot was just so damn delicious, every new page was a thrill. When he designed Ricochet Rita, and Spiral (WOW!) and that little pup, I forget what I called him, that little puppy that grew and grew! You can't imagine how wonderful it was to be working with Art Adams.

You wrote DAREDEVIL for a very long period of time, issue #236, not too long after Frank Miller's "Born Again" storyline, to issue #291, with very few breaks in between. It's rather amazing, especially when compared to today's superhero comics, how much social commentary and smarter-than-average themes you were able to cram into Daredevil, and pretty much every other superhero comic you've done. Reading "Boom" (DD #250) or "The Billion Dollar Ashtray" (DD #273) were rather eye-opening experiences at my age.

Was the impression at Marvel that since the character doesn't sell unless it's got Frank Miller's name attached, you could pretty much do whatever you want?

Those Daredevil stories were a blast to write, and I always had great artists on that book, but the stories maybe could have used more breezy fun shit and less smartypants stuff. I haven't looked at them in many years, but if I read them again today I'd probably think they had too much politics and "social commentary." I just always had a problem with how the stories in super hero comics built to a violent conflict, and that's how the stories were resolved. Real life is very complex, and the way out of a conflict is just as often not violent. So, the fights were like tumors in the story, to me. On one level the fight