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Thu Jul 17, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Interview: Greg Weisman Talks 'Gargoyles'
The creator of the hit cartoon series speaks about the past and the new comics
When I was younger, there was a Disney cartoon that my friends and I loved and which impressed our parents with its maturity and layered story-telling. The series was called Gargoyles
Although the series lasted only two seasons (followed by the short-lived Goliath Chronicles series, which is considered apocryphal), its fan base remains extremely loyal -- so much so, in fact, that a convention for Gargoyles fans, called the Gathering of the Gargoyles, has been held each year for more than a decade now. In recent years, we've seen much of the television series finally released on DVD, and Slave Labor Graphics has begun publishing an ongoing Gargoyles comic book series and spin-off miniseries, Bad Guys, headed up by series creator Greg Weisman and picking up where season 2 left off.
I spoke with Weisman (who also serves as story editor for the new Spectacular Spider-Man animated series) during the most recent Gathering of the Gargoyles event, and we chatted about the clan of winged Scottish warriors that he created so long ago and what the future holds for them.
COMICMIX: So, we’re at the 12th annual Gathering of the Gargoyles convention. You have the new comic book series from SLG and the Bad Guys spin-off coming out now. You’re even talking about future spin-offs. All of this says there’s a decent fan base. So what’s happening that we still only have the first 26 episodes of season 2 on DVD?
GREG WEISMAN: Well, there’s a lot of turnover at Buena Vista Home Entertainment. You’ll have people there who are interested in the project and then you’ll have new people come in who aren’t so much. The ugly truth of it is that Season One sold very well, and the Season Two, Vol. 1 DVD did not sell so well. Even if, ultimately, it sold as well as the first season, we sort of lost Disney’s attention. So we need to get their attention all over again, and the best way to do that is by making sure that we continue to sell the DVDs that exist, show them that the comics are selling well. Gargoyles is SLG’s best-selling comic.
Continue reading Interview: Greg Weisman Talks 'Gargoyles' ›
Thu Jul 17, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Jeph Jacques on 'Questionable Content'
Webcomics and art of staying indie in Northern Massachusetts
Now approaching its fifth year on the World Wide Internets, Questionable Content has gone through quite a few changes since its beginnings as an indie-rock webcomic that chronicled the life, loves and culture criticisms of "music nerds" Marten, Faye and a surrounding cast of characters (which also included Marten's troublemaking, sentient "AnthroPC," Pintsize).
These days, the cast has expanded singificantly to include fan-favorite characters such as Marten's obsessive-compulsive neighbor, Hannelore, and the relationships between major and minor characters have been explored, dismissed, or in the case of Marten and the "Coffee of Doom" owner Dora, bloomed into long-term (by webcomic standards, at least) plot points. While drama has managed to carve a niche for itself in the world of QC, Jacques has similarly carved out a name for himself among the top-tier creators in the webcomic scene.
After wandering through the QC archives a bit, I was struck by the differences in those first strips posted back in August 2003 and today's QC. Both the art and the focus of the series have shifted dramatically in the last few years -- much moreso than many of the strips on my radar. With that in mind, I recently took the opportunity to pick Jacques' brain about the origins and development of the series and the nature of "indie cred."
COMICMIX: I'm familiar with the area QC is based on, so I think it would be interesting to hear your take on the setting for the series and how it compares to its real-world counterpart...
JEPH JACQUES: For those not In The Know™, QC is set in Northampton, Massachusetts, a smallish town in the western end of the state, home to Smith College. Northampton is a Very Fancy Town that likes to pretend it is actually a chunk of Manhattan that somehow got carried two hours due north (possibly via Hipster Albatross).
The QC version of Northampton corresponds roughly, at best, with its real-world counterpart. Many of the streets are the same (almost all the outdoor backgrounds are taken from real-life photographs) but there are differences. Coffee of Doom, for instance, exists on some bizarre meta-street that does not actually exist in the real world. The exact location of Marten's apartment building is similarly a mystery. Basically, I use the actual town layout when it's convenient, but break the rules whenever it suits me.
As for the cultural setting, from what I can tell Northampton is primarily young, liberal, Caucasian, and college-educated, and the cast of QC essentially reflects that.
Continue reading Interview: Jeph Jacques on 'Questionable Content' ›
Wed Jul 16, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Garth Ennis on 'Crossed'
The 'Preacher' and 'Punisher' scribe discusses his new, gut-churning series for Avatar Press
No stranger to pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the comics world, Garth Ennis has routinely shocked and awed readers of such titles as Preacher, The Boys, Punisher and recently, The Chronicles of Wormwood. In early August, Ennis looks to repeat that success with Crossed, a story that promises to be a "horrifically visceral exploration of the pure evil that humans are truly capable of indulging." The series will be published by Avatar Press -- also no stranger to testing the limits of mature-themed projects -- with art provided by Ennis' former collaborator on Wormwood, Jacen Burrows.
According to the solicit text for the series:
Imagine, for a moment, the worst crimes against humanity. Picture the cruelest affronts to decency. Conjure your darkest nightmares... and then realize it could all be so much worse. When civilization crumbles in one terrifying moment; when people are gleefully breaking into unthinkable acts of violence all around you; when everyone you love has died screaming in agony: What do you do? There is no help. There is no hope. There is no escape. There are only the Crossed. Certain to be the most depraved and corrupt book of the year, this one is not for the faint of heart!
With the prologue issue of Crossed (#0) hitting shelves immediately after this year's San Diego Comic-Con International, I posed a few questions to Ennis about the origins of the series, his thoughts on pushing the boundaries in today's comics scene and what really shocks him these days.
COMICMIX: What sparked the idea for Crossed, Garth?
GARTH ENNIS: I had a dream that I thought was going to be about zombies attacking a house full of victims, but it turned out they weren't zombies at all. They were simply people, grinning with psychotic glee at the thought of what they were going to do to the occupants of the house -- which wasn't going to be anything nice. Then I woke up.
Thanks again, subconscious self.
Tue Jul 15, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Joss Whedon on 'Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'
New musical series to test experimental online distribution model
Creator Joss Whedon is no stranger to innovation and odds-defying creative success, having launched a massively popular television series out of a panned film, reinvented and reinvigorated various comic book properties, and transitioned a cancelled television project into a well-received feature film. With this week's debut of his three-part musicial series Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, he looks to break new ground once again, as the project he conceived during the recent Writers Guild strike and created with "friends and family" hits the Internet and looks to test a new model for online distribution of creative projects.
Starting on Tuesday, July 15, the first 10-minute episode of Doctor Horrible, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day, will be posted on drhorrible.com. Subsequent episodes will be posted on July 17 and July 19, and remain free to view until midnight on July 20. At that time, all of the episodes will be taken down until the DVD of the series is released at a later date. Whedon promises to let fans know more about the DVD release and his grand experiment in distribution during the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con convention, during which he'll screen the complete series one more time for attendees.
I was recently given the chance to have a short conversation with Whedon about Doctor Horrible, the impetus for this new project and his experience working with one of my favorite actors, Neil Patrick Harris.
Continue reading Interview: Joss Whedon on 'Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog' ›
Mon Jul 14, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
Interview: Wil Wheaton on Writing, Movies and Comics (Part 1)
We sit down with the author of 'Just A Geek' and the man behind wilwheaton.net for a three-part chat
Writer, actor and soon-to-be publishing mogul Wil Wheaton has come a long way since his days as a child actor in such breakout roles as Gordie LaChance in Stand By Me
However, in the years since Star Trek, Wheaton has managed to mostly put acting and Wesley Crusher behind him and reinvent himself as a writer through his website, his work in various magazines and other publications, writing gigs on several comic books and work on manga titles from publishers such as TokyoPop.
Wheaton has also managed to launch a very successful publishing company, and is still a fan favorite at conventions and appearances all over the country. I caught up with the multi-talented Wheaton recently at a non-trendy eatery in Pasadena, CA, to talk comics, his career and his love of writing.
COMICMIX: Okay Wil, what people really want to know is what you order for lunch.
WIL WHEATON: The ricotta with mission fig here is awesome. I love that, but I get it so much...
CMix: Before you arrived, someone's cellphone rang and it was the bridge alert from the Enterprise.I looked around and thought you were already here, but realized that you probably wouldn't have that as your ringtone.
WW: No, my phone plays "Good Times, Bad Times" by Led Zeppelin.
CMix: That's a good one. So, you just came back from a convention, right?
WW: Yes, the Emerald City Comicon.
CMix: Are you wearing an Emerald City Con shirt?
WW: You know what, I didn't have time to get one. This is a "Hanners" t-shirt from Questionable Content, which is one of my all-time favorite webcomics ever.
CMix: Nice. At the convention you seem kind of surprised at the amount of books you were selling. Does that happen a lot?
WW: I never know what to anticipate when I go to a new show. And I have these internal metrics that I set -- sort of like an average sales figure that's kind of the line for whether or not it's a successful show, and there are all these different means by which I measure success.
Is it fun? Are the people cool? Did I stumble across a cool new t-shirt? Did I meet new artists?
Continue reading Interview: Wil Wheaton on Writing, Movies and Comics (Part 1) ›
Fri Jul 11, 2008 — by Matt Raub
ComicMix TV: The 'Hellboy II' Ron Perlman Interview
The 'Hellboy II' star has a touching moment with our ComicMix TV host...
No Hellboy interviews are complete without talking to the titular character himself. Ron Perlman’s name has been on the lips of just about any comic book or television fan since the mid '80s. In a fun interview with Perlman, we got to ask him about his evolution as Hellboy, his interest in comic books, and his thoughts on returning to the 1980s TV show Beauty and the Beast (at this interviewer’s expense).
Hellboy II: The Golden Army opens today, July 11.
Missed one of our Hellboy II: The Golden Army interviews this week? Here are links to all of the recent ComicMix TV interviews with the Hellboy II cast and crew:
- Selma Blair and the 'Hellboy II' Interview
- Luke Goss Talks 'Hellboy II'
- Doug Jones and the 'Hellboy II' Interview
- 'Hellboy II' and the Guillermo Del Toro Interview
Fri Jul 11, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Jon Rosenberg on the 'Goats' Book Deal
The long-running webcomic's creator talks about his new publishing deal
When I spoke with Goats creator Jon Rosenberg a month ago, he hinted at big things in store for his long-running webcomic that may or may not involve lasers, contracts and lawn care professionals.
Well, the news broke today, and despite a conspicuous absence of lasers and lawn care, there is indeed a contract at the heart of Rosenberg's big announcement. Rosenberg tells ComicMix that Random House imprint Villard will be publishing collections of the color strips of the series (everything from late-2003 until the current storyline) in a set of 150-page volumes. He expects to have the first volume ready for San Diego's Comic-Con International next year, with two more volumes following in six-month intervals.
From the official press release:
Villard Books will publish the recently completed Goats story arc, The Infinite Pendergast Cycle, as a trilogy —in the style of the great sci-fi sagas Goats so affectionately parodies. Each trade paperback volume will be full color and published at six-month intervals. The first volume, Goats: Infinite Typewriters, set for July 2009, will include newly revised and created material intended to introduce new readers to the colossal and complex Goats universe—and set up the audience for the rest of the epic. Book 1 will cover material published on the Goats website from December 2003 to January 2006. The second book, Goats: The Corndog Imperative, scheduled for a November 2009 release, covers January 06 to March 2007. And the third book, Goats: Showcase Showdown, due out in April 2010, covers March 07 to April 08.
I spoke with Rosenberg about the publishing deal and what it means for one of the 'Net's longest-running webcomics.
COMICMIX: So how did this deal come about, Jon? Who approached who?
JON ROSENBERG: My agent, Judy Hansen, made everything happen. I called her up one day and she said, "Hold on, I'm going to call up Random House and get you a book deal." And I waited on hold for a bit and when she got back on, it was all taken care of.
I'm beginning to suspect that Judy has some supernatural abilities, it has been an amazing education watching her bend reality to her will as she works.
CMix: What can you tell us about the specifics of the deal? Do you receive anything on a per-book basis, or was this a flat-rate arrangement?
JR: This is a standard book-type deal as far as I understand, with a royalty rate and an advance paid on those royalties and that sort of thing. It's a nice deal, I'm not going to retire early on it or anything but I'm quite happy with the terms.
Continue reading Interview: Jon Rosenberg on the 'Goats' Book Deal ›
Thu Jul 10, 2008 — by Matt Raub
ComicMix TV: 'Hellboy II' and the Guillermo Del Toro Interview
Famed director explains his vision for the 'Hellboy' sequel
Guillermo del Toro has made his mark in the comic book and sci-fi/fantasy world with his work on both Hellboy films, writing and directing Marvel’s Blade II, and possibly now joining in on future projects such as Doctor Strange and The Hobbit. See what Guillermo has to say about his favorite comics, the evolution of characters in the new film, and even a little Pan’s Labyrinth homage in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, which hits theaters this Friday, July 11.
Missed one of our Hellboy II: The Golden Army interviews this week? Here are links to all of the recent ComicMix TV interviews with the Hellboy II cast and crew:
Wed Jul 9, 2008 — by Matt Raub
ComicMix TV: Doug Jones and the 'Hellboy II' Interview
Abe Sapien chats up ComicMix as the 'Hellboy II' release date approaches!
Doug Jones is a name that doesn’t get used lightly when it comes to comic book fans. He’s had roles ranging from Abe Sapien in both Hellboy films, to Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four 2. See what Doug had to say when it came to his newly expanded role in the sequel, as well as a possible future for Silver Surfer (maybe written by J. Michael Straczynski!).
Catch Hellboy II: The Golden Army in theaters Friday, July 11.
Missed one of our Hellboy II: The Golden Army interviews this week? Here are links to all of the recent ComicMix TV interviews with the Hellboy II cast and crew:
Mon Jul 7, 2008 — by Matt Raub
ComicMix TV: Selma Blair and the 'Hellboy II' Interview
Liz Sherman sets ComicMix TV on fire!
Selma Blair returns to the Hellboy franchise as Liz Sherman, this time a little with a little less angst, and a little more sass. See what Selma has to say about her favorite comics growing up, coming back to the character, and her experience on the set of Hellboy II: The Golden Army, in theaters this Friday, July 11.
Mon Jul 7, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Brian Bendis on 'Secret Invasion,' TV and Marvel's MMO
Marvel's main man provides some thoughts on Dire Wraiths, Skrulls and Spider-Woman
Among comic book fans, Brian Bendis has become a household name as the architect of Marvel Comics' "Ultimate" universe, the writer of countless stories involving just about every character in the publisher's stable and the author of a long list of well-regarded, creator-owned projects such as Powers, Torso and Jinx.
Credited with making a host of third-tier characters relevant and merging the many worlds of the Marvel Universe into a more manageable landscape, Bendis is currently scripting Secret Invasion, Marvel's latest, massively marketed crossover event that has readers guessing which of their favorite characters are actually shape-changing Skrulls in disguise.
I spoke with Bendis during a signing event at the recent Wizard World Chicago convention. The long line of fans that curled around the Marvel booth, through the aisles and around several other booths was a testament to both the massive list of projects Bendis has authored, as well as his genre-spanning appeal among fans. Those in line offered up everything from issues of Bendis' long-running, creator-owned series Powers to issues of Daredevil and Secret Invasion, and many identified themselves as members of Bendis' popular message board community, Jinxworld.
COMICMIX: It's been a while since we've talked, Brian... I'm glad I could catch you for a few minutes.
BRIAN BENDIS: Yeah, this is our inaugural ComicMix interview. I've never been on the site before.
CMix: Well, let's get right to it, then, as I don't want to take up too much of your time with everyone in line here. First off, with the recent Secret Invasion reveal of Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew, as a Skrull, how does that reflect on all of the Spider-Woman stories you've been telling for the last few years? You've been building a fairly complicated history for the character, after all...
BB: It reflects perfectly, because I was writing her knowing this. It wasn't like someone surprised me with it. I knew from the first issue of New Avengers that she was a Skrull. But the reveal and the reaction to the reveal, it was so genuine and it was a real relief. I did feel bad, though. There were a few Spider-Woman fans on my boards, one of whom had spent thousands of dollars on original art from the issues I had written. They showed me the art, and they were amazing, but the whole time I was like... Oh, no...
But the whole point is surprising people. You can't start whispering to one person or another. Only about four people in Marvel knew that was the way things were going to play out.
Continue reading Interview: Brian Bendis on 'Secret Invasion,' TV and Marvel's MMO ›
Sat Jul 5, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Seth Rogen and the 'Green Hornet' Interview
Where does one get a 'manservant' these days, anyways?
When rumors of a Green Hornet film co-written by and starring Seth Rogen (Superbad, Knocked Up) first surfaced, I'll admit being a bit skeptical. However, Sony recently announced a June 25, 2010, release date for the film, so things seem to be moving forward.
For those not in the know, The Green Hornet tales follow millionaire Britt Reid, who runs a newspaper by day and fights crime alongside his Asian manservant Kato at night. The adventures of the character were chronicled in both a radio series and comics, as well as a short-lived television series most noted for introducing the American audience to Bruce Lee.
The SuperHeroHype crew recently spoke to Rogen about the film:
When asked about Stephen Chow being involved in the project, Rogen confirmed that his name has come up and said, "Until you get an official green light, the studio won't spend any money and you can't get an actor without any money. We would love to have him. The version of the script is ultimately written as a very intense action movie."
"It's a very intense action movie and the relationship between Green Hornet and Kato, a lot of comedy comes from that. At first actually, we weren't even sure going in we could be more of a Jet Li type guy who maybe isn't the funniest guy in the world, but he's physically very impressive, or whether it would be more of a Stephen Chow type guy who can do martial arts, but clearly has a sense of humor. In the version that we've made it seems like a Stephen Chow type guy would be more suitable for the role. Again, until they officially greenlight it, it's hard to make any of those decisions," Rogen continued.
Rogen is writing the film with his frequent collaborator, Evan Goldberg, who co-wrote Superbad with him.
Thu Jul 3, 2008 — by Rick Marshall
Interview: Warren Ellis on FreakAngels, Webcomics and Doctor Who
The 'Transmetropolitan' and 'Black Summer' author discusses his grand experiment in the world of online comics
For anyone familiar with the online presence of award-winning writer Warren Ellis, it came as no surprise when the author announced at last year's San Diego Comic-Con that he would be scripting an original, ongoing webcomic hosted by Avatar Press and titled FreakAngels. The concept, the preview art and even the name of the series all seemed quite, well... Warren Ellis.
What has been surprising, however, is the ease at which the longtime print author has adapted to the online medium and managed to create a compelling, unique series with very few blips in the weekly schedule he set for himself and FreakAngels artist Paul Duffield. At a time when top-tier print titles are failing to meet monthly schedules time and time again, Ellis and Duffield have managed to create a consistently compelling, unique series worthy of mentioning in the same breath as many of the more established webcomics out there. The fact that the series also has Ellis' considerable online savvy and the resources of an up-and-coming publisher like Avatar behind it only makes the entire package even more intriguing to anyone with an interest in the digital evolution of the medium.
Avatar afforded me a few minutes to speak with Ellis during the recent Wizard World Chicago convention (where he was the event's Guest of Honor), and I was glad to have the opportunity to ask him about FreakAngels, his thoughts on the online publishing scene, and how it all relates to traditional British storytelling.
COMICMIX: Coming from the print side of the industry, did your creative process change much for FreakAngels, Warren? How did the new medium affect your routine?
WARREN ELLIS: The only thing that has really been affected is the length of the episode. But even then, I'm not really writing with six pages in mind so much as I'm writing with 144 pages in mind. I'm writing FreakAngels in 144-page blocks, so I'm really keeping my eye on the bigger picture as opposed to keeping an eye on the ending of page six. So really there's been no change at all.
I've kind of refused to change. [Laughs]
Continue reading Interview: Warren Ellis on FreakAngels, Webcomics and Doctor Who ›
Wed Jul 2, 2008 — by Van Jensen
Interview: G. Willow Wilson on 'Air'
From 'Cairo' to new series about acrophobic stewardess and the fight for alternative energy
G. Willow Wilson is a fascinating person for many reasons, not the least of which is that she writes really cool comics. Her path into comics is one of the most unique in the industry, though.
Wilson was born and raised in the United States, later converted to Islam and moved to Cairo to work as a journalist. In her spare time she worked on the graphic novel Cairo, a story of magic and mythology set in Egypt's capital city that came out from Vertigo last year.
In August, Vertigo releases the first issue of a new series by Wilson and Cairo collaborator M.K. Perker, titled Air. It features a stewardess who's afraid of heights and becomes embroiled in a fight for a new, magical energy source.
I spoke with Wilson about the series and her upcoming memoir.
COMICMIX: When did you start working on Air, and how did the idea develop?
G. WILLOW WILSON: I started working on Air several years ago as a straight prose novel. But I stopped one chapter in and decided it had to be a comic book. After we wrapped up Cairo, Karen Berger asked me if I had any strong ideas for an ongoing monthly with a female lead character. I hemmed and hawed and pitched her a couple of mediocre things. Then I had a clandestine 'Duh' moment and pulled out Air. You always have a certain feeling about ideas you know are going to gel and be great, and I had that feeling about this story. Happily, so did Karen.
CMix: What were some of the inspirations for the project?
GWW: It's the moments when you feel most trapped that true escape is possible. That's really what this book is about. Walking into an airport as a Muslim pretty much sucks -- you have to de-Islamify yourself as much as possible (I never carry a Koran on the plane with me, for instance; I always pack it in my checked bag) in order not to make security people and other passengers nervous. Yet flying is still the most magical, surreal form of travel we have. So I wanted Air to both examine this tense political atmosphere and shed it, escape from it, use it as a jumping-off point for the totally unreal.
Tue Jul 1, 2008 — by Chris Ullrich
WWC Interview: John Jackson Miller on 'Star Wars' and Webcomics
The force is with John Jackson Miller
Writer and comics authority John Jackson Miller probably has one of the most enviable jobs in comics today. Starting off in the early '90s as editor of Comics Retailer magazine, Miller went on to edit various other publications including Scrye and the Comics Buyer's Guide. Later, stints on Marvel's Crimson Dynamo and Iron Man led to his working for Dark Horse comics.
Once at Dark Horse, Miller helped re-launch the company's Star Wars comics with his work on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Recently, he also wrote the comic book adaptation of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull film and launched his own webcomic called Sword & Sarcasm. I caught up with Miller at Wizard World Chicago to discuss Star Wars comics, webcomics and the first time he ever saw Star Wars.
COMICMIX: John, thanks for your time. Having a good show?
JOHN JACKSON MILLER: Yes, a wonderful Chicago con as always.
CMix: So, tell me about why you're here?
JJM: Well, I'm here to sign and talk about Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, our ongoing series now at issue 30 and still going strong. It's a big year for us because we had the "Vector" crossover. We've also had some major events with Zayne Carrick, our figitive Jedi who's finally getting his taste of justice with a big showdown about to come up.
Those big events will take us through issue 33 at least. It should be pretty interesting what happens.
It may not be the big showdown that people expect because we also want to make sure we keep people guessing a bit and not always do what people might be expecting. We don't want readers to get too comfortable with what's going on and we want to keep it interesting.
CMix: Excellent. You also involved with Wizards of the Coast on some projects as well, right?
JJM: Yes. They are coming out with a series of minatures for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic board game. I helped design some of those characters because several of them are from the comic. I was also a co-author of the Campaign Guide for the game as well, which contains information from all the comics and the two videogames.
Continue reading WWC Interview: John Jackson Miller on 'Star Wars' and Webcomics ›
