Marvel Comics has always had a special relationship with New York City so today’s press release merely continues this. Check it out:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver, Small Business Services Commissioner Robert W. Walsh, Marvel Entertainment Editor-in-Chief and Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, New York Daily News CEO Bill Holiber and Editor-in-Chief Kevin Convey, and Spider-Man today announced the creation of Spider-Man, You’re Hired, an all-new comic book highlighting City resources available to New Yorkers who are navigating the job market. The comic, which features an unemployed Peter Parker starting his job search, is the Administration’s latest effort to connect out-of-work to New Yorkers to job training and placement services. It was inspired by the NYC Media original television production, “Job Hunt,” a ten-part series on how the City is helping New Yorkers to get back to work – focusing on Workforce1 Career Centers, libraries and other City services. Mayor Bloomberg made the announcement at Midtown Comics’ new store in Lower Manhattan.
“New York City provides free, first-rate job training and placement assistance, and we want every New Yorker that needs help to know about it, so we asked Spider-Man to help us spread the word,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “One of the reasons we created the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment was to find new ways to connect with New Yorkers. Our partnership with Marvel and the Daily News is a fun and innovative way to let everyone know about the web of resources the City has to offer New Yorkers that need job assistance.”
“Marvel’s proud to team-up with the City of New York to help inform all New Yorkers about the free services designed to assist them in finding employment. We couldn’t ask for two better leading men than Spider-Man and Mayor Bloomberg,” said Marvel Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada “Because even New York’s most famous Super Hero needs a day job!”
“We are always looking for new ways to reach people in all forms of media about the job resources offered by the City,” said Katherine Oliver, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “Working with Marvel, the Daily News and Small Business Services on this special ‘Spider-Man: You’re Hired’ edition is a tremendous example of how the government can work with the private sector to really help people.”
“Thank you to Mayor Bloomberg, Commissioner Oliver, the New York Daily News and the City’s great new partner, Marvel,” said Small Business Services Commissioner Walsh. “This is an exciting collaboration and a real super hero effort that will ensure that many more New Yorkers know about the City’s excellent free employment services. I’m glad that Peter Parker is helping us to spread the word to jobseekers that visiting a Workforce1 Career Center can help them get a job in this tough market.”
“As New York’s Hometown Newspaper, the Daily News is proud to use our printed pages and the power of NYDailyNews.com to help New Yorkers, like unemployed Spider-Man alter-ego Peter Parker, find work,” said New York Daily News CEO Bill Holiber. “The City of New York and the Daily News have been tremendous partners on this and other projects – such as the “Hire Me” series that partnered with the “Job Hunt” show and caller helpline – by combining our resources to help New Yorkers get to work. In today’s Daily News, not only will New Yorkers find a special edition of the Spider-Man comic created by Marvel Entertainment, but we’ve also provided readers with a guide to the city’s services for job searches, training and research. We hope our efforts not only help one of New York’s most famous super heroes find work, but other ‘real’ New Yorkers, as well.”
The recently created Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment is identifying and implementing new ways to let New Yorkers know about City resources available to them. To promote the City’s free workforce training and job placement services, the Office worked with Marvel Custom Solutions, a special division within Marvel Entertainment that develops innovative programs addressing the specific needs of partners and philanthropic interests, to create a special edition Spider-Man comic book featuring Mayor Bloomberg. (more…)
AP – Hi Pedro, and thank you so much for agreed to doing this little interview with here at All Pulp. Let’s get started with a little background about yourself. Tell us something about who Pedro Cruz is. Where do you live, where did you grow up etc.etc. and what is your current status?
PC – Hi, thanks for having me. I live with my dear wife on the same town where we’ve lived since we were kids, a small suburb of Lisbon, the city where we were born, in Portugal. Thirty-five years ago (that’s how old I am) Portugal had just left a long dictatorship and, by modern standards, it was an incredibly old fashioned place! Just to give you an idea, when I was born, there was only one single TV channel (owned by the state) broadcasting in black and white for just about six hours every evening! Everybody saw the same shows and heard the same news – it was like growing up on a little village. We used to watch old Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera cartoons, Japanese animated series like Marco, Heidi, Future Boy Conan, experimental animation films from Canada and even from the old eastern bloc countries too, but also old ‘60s series like The Avengers, The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits. There were many documentaries and we got to see old classic Hollywood and European movies in prime-time, something that would never happen now. Plus, most shows, even for kids, were broadcast in their original languages and subtitled, which made it easier for the kids of my generation to become polyglots and actually helped us learn to read. So TV had a huge part on shaping up my worldview. At the same time, there were plenty of newsagents with loads of comics featuring the Phantom, Mandrake, FlashGordon, Prince Valiant, Popeye,Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, LittleLulu, Tubby, Richie Rich, Casper, Hot Stuff, Turma da Monica, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, Conan… just to give you an idea, they could have a whole wall devoted just to comics. These were mostly Brazilian editions, as Brazil is an old colony of Portugal and we share the same language. I should point out that in terms of format, these were usually quite different from traditional American comics, about A5 in size ( 210 x 148 mmor 8.3 x 5.8 in ) and had from 64 to 300 pages featuring both current tales and reprints of old golden or silver age stories. And they were very cheap – I could read all the marvel line easily as one single magazine would be a sort of anthology consisting of one or two issues of the original editions of Captain America, the Avengers and Thor, for instances. Sometimes, they also featured articles on the authors or had pastimes or bring some kind of toy or poster… They were fun! On proper bookstores you had B.D. (Bande-Dessinée) hardcover comic albums with Tintin, Astérix, Spirou, Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Blake & Mortimer, Michel Vaillant, Ric Hochet, Valerian, Lieutenant Blueberry, Corto Maltese, Mafalda… I don’t want to sound like a grumpy old man, but nowadays, this reality I’m describing is mostly gone. Bookstores still have B.D. albums, but it’s very rare that you find newsagents carrying comics and there are very few anyway. Back to the past, my parents were very supportive and enthusiastic of me, they were big moviegoers and took me to see the Disney, Spielberg and Lucas movies that have had such a big impact on me and my generation. I was incredibly lucky of being born in the right time and place to experience this pop golden age and it left a mark in me that made me want to make things like what I saw in movies, cartoons and comics. I was an only child and my dad would bring home paper, pencils and pens in ample supply, so I’d spend long hours trying to draw characters and adventures either copied or imagined, in a style that echoed that same sensibility and aesthetic of all this pop culture. Later I went to study architecture in college, that seemed like a nice choice because I had the grades needed to get in there, it was a respectable profession and I still got to draw and learn art, but my heart was never there. During college, I worked for awhile at a small animation studio and it was an eye opener to how that really functioned. It was the galleys, really, you were just a cog in a machine. Animators got treated with very little respect and earned minimum wages. I left that, finished my graduation and went on to become a teacher while never stopping to draw. I won two awards on the annual public cartoon contest at Amadora Cartoon (the biggest comic convention here) and had quite a few illustrations, comics and cartoons published on DNJovem, a youth supplement that used to be a part of the print edition of Diário de Notícias, one of our leading newspapers. Unfortunately, there is no comics industry here in Portugal so I developed my blog as a way of showing my work. Currently, besides the comics on the blog, I’m also producing illustrations for Airship27.
AP –What level of formal art education did you have? What schools did you attend? Do you also teach art? If so, what kind?
PC – I graduated as an architect by the Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa and this year I’m taking a master’s degree on the area of Education, specifically Art Education. Currently, I work as a teacher on the public school giving art lessons to the 5th and 6th grades. My students are mostly children of African and gypsy ethnics from one of the most socially problematic suburbs in Lisbon, they’re extraordinarily creative and love expressing themselves through the arts which makes my job very fulfilling and fun too. I’m also coordinating a couple of projects at my school, one involving a role-playing game that helps pupils develop personal and social skills through problem-based learning, and another where I’m tutoring a small group of students developing a comic book and learning the different tasks involved in its creation (writing, penciling, inking, coloring, lettering).
AP –Did you always want to be a commercial illustrator? What was your first professional commission? Have you ever done work in the advertising field?
PC – I’ve always wanted to work on areas related to art, and had dreams of being able to draw as a full-time job. Unfortunately, the market here in my small country is diminutive and doesn’t pay all that well, especially if you want to have a house and family. The first time I got a professional commission was right after college, when an old classmate’s girlfriend asked for a caricature of all her fellow employees and her boss to give him as a good-bye present because he was moving to another department.
AP –Your website indicates you’ve done comic work. Have you always been a comic book fan and what are some of the comic projects you have worked on?
PC – I have always been an avid comic book fan and it’s only been on recent years that my consumption of comics has slowed down almost to a halt. I still read a book here and there but it has to be done either by a friend or from a very limited list of artists whose work I continue to follow. In spite of that, I still find great enjoyment in creating and drawing comics. As far as collaborations in comics go, I worked on Guard Dogs, a series written by Jason Quinn for Starscape Illustrated, a UK-based fanzine. I drew “Helljacket”, a short story written by Steve Zegers for Ronin Studio’s Ronin Illustrated. I also drew the first issue of NiteLite Theatre’s White Ghost and a short story featuring the Semite, one of writer Mike Haselhoff’s characters. There’s also been Grace, a great short story written by Aria Ponto. My blog is the best place to find some of these and other comics, if you take the time to explore it. I’ve done entirely on my own WHYM and METANOIA. At the moment, the later is still a work in progress which I post once a week on my blog but it has a definite ending. I also have a few more projects in different stages of development which will hopefully see the light of day sooner or later.
AP –What graphic illustrators have been the most influence on your development? What did you learn being a fan of their work?
PC – Comic book art has always been my primary influence and the list of graphic illustrators who have and continue to influence my development would probably be too long to relay here. Speaking strictly for the pulp illustrations I’ve been doing for Airship 27, I’ve purposefully tried to do what I’d call a classic American style. To this end I’ve been using the duoshade technique, which I was first introduced to by the work of John Byrne in the early 1990s in comics such as his OMAC mini-series and Namor. Originally, this was done through the use of a special paper called craftint, I think, that had imprinted lines or dot screens in non-repro blue, that became visible when a special chemical was applied. I was fascinated with the results of such technique and thought it was a very efficient and graphic way of introducing value, tone and special effects that could enhance the sense of mood, place, texture and dimension in a drawing while still working with just pure black ink on white paper. I investigated more and learned that the original master of such technique in comic illustration was the late great cartoonist Roy Crane and have devoured his work whenever I’ve come across a reprint of his comic strips. Since I had no access to craftint boards or the chemicals used to develop that process, I ended up creating duoshade through digital effects on the computer. So, basically, those are the two cartoonists that have probably influenced most the work I’ve been doing for the pulps.
AP –Of all the artists in the field today, which do you admire the most and why?
PC – I am very omnivorous in my tastes but, speaking strictly of comics, of all the artists still regularly working professionally in the field, the one that still amazes me the most is Jean Giraud “Moebius”. I can look repeatedly even at his latest works, like Inside Moebius or Le Chasseur Déprime, and still feel surprised, inspired and refreshed. Looking at his work makes me want to draw! There’s no bigger compliment I can think of for an artist.
AP –How did you first become affiliated with Airship 27 Productions? Was this the first pulp illustrating you had ever done?
PC – My friend writer Aaron Smith came up with a story featuring Doctor Watson and Doctor Seward for a possible graphic novel for me to illustrate. Then he started to work for Airship27 and pitched the same idea as a novel to Ron Fortier, presenting the possibility of me working as an illustrator for the novel. Ron liked my art and asked if I was also interested in contributing illustrations for Jim Anthony Super-Detective, another of their series. Naturally, I jumped at the chance of illustrating pulp adventures. After all, many of the comic book heroes which I’d enjoyed so much as a kid had their roots on the pulps. I’d never done it before, but I’ve loved the experience so far. Ron Fortier and Rob Davis have been incredibly easy and friendly to work with. Their role as mentors behind this project can’t be over-emphasized and I hope our collaboration continue for many years to come.
AP – You’ve illustrated a Doctor Watson book and two featuring pulp hero Jim Anthony. Do you prefer one character over the other and do you have a different approach when doing the art for these two diverse characters?
PC – I like them both for different reasons. As far as the drawing goes, Jim Anthony comes easier because he’s just such an archetype, with his muscled physique, the strong jaw line and the defying attitude, so there’s really no way I could miss him other than on purpose. Doctor Watson, on the other hand, is much more of a challenge because not only is he closer to one of us common mortals, everybody knows him, which makes it intimidating. Drawing him is like sketching an impression of an old friend from back when you were a kid… only he is very famous, so you better make sure you draw him correctly!
AP –Is there a particular pulp or comic book character you would like to work on?
Why those characters?
PC – There’s a bunch of comic book characters I’d like to work on. Problem is they no longer have much character in them; they’re just properties. So, while I don’t rule out the possibility of working on pre-existing comic book characters – never say never – at this point in time, on that level, I’m much more interested in developing my own worlds, characters and stories, even if they are inspired by what came before. Which is basically the advice Jack Kirby gave young, new creators: if you want to follow on his footsteps, do your own thing. As far as pulp go, I think things are different as the characters I’ve been drawing for Airship 27 fall within public domain and aren’t owned by any one particular corporation whose sole intent is exploiting them and the authors involved for maximum profit at the least expense, with little care or regard for the original vision of the characters or their creators. With Airship27, there is a desire of respecting the characters and their original authors’ intentions as much as possible and everybody retains full rights to their own work, which is nicer. Beyond that, I’d like to have the opportunity of spreading my horizons and work on other genres like science-fiction and high fantasy.
AP –Here’s a tricky one. Of all the work you’ve ever done, which are you the most proud of?
PC – Oh, I won’t fall for that one, that’s like picking a favorite out of your sons. They all have their charming qualities and their faults too. Usually, the next project, the one that’s still floating in my mind’s eye, not yet materialized, that’s the one that excites me the most.
AP – Finally, is there anything you would like to plug here? Some project you want to let your fans know is coming soon? Feel free to promote away.
PC – I have my own blog www.pedro-cruz.blogspot.com where I regularly post. Again, as with drawing and making comics it is a way of communicating, of reaching out to people through my posts. Sometimes, it’s a funny video I come across on youtube, other times it’s just some rambling I have to put off my chest, often it’ll be some sketch or a comic. Currently, I’m serializing METANOIA, an experimental wordless comic, quite different from my pulp illustrations, in which I get to work with color. Once that’s finished I’ll probably take some months off to make the switch to producing fully digital artwork. For the last few years I’ve been using hybrid methods of creating art, but now it’s time to make the definitive change hoping it’ll improve my productivity while helping save some trees. If all goes well, you should all be seeing the results of that sometime in 2011. In the meantime, in terms of pulp fiction, I’m currently illustrating a new book featuring a couple of stories with Dr. Watson and Hound Dog Harker, and also a comic short story with none other than Jim Anthony Super-Detective.
AP – Thanks so much, Pedro. This has been most informative. Continued success in all your future endeavors.
We know, we know, you’re weary and worn out, tired of all things political. But, we loved this show when it was first on the air and miss it terribly. Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) today announced all seven seasons of The West Wing are available for the first time in high definition exclusively through digital download on iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand and other online digital retailers. Winner of 30 Emmy Awards™ and two Golden Globes™, The West Wing aired between 1999 and 2006, giving viewers a fictionalized look inside life in the Oval Office.
WBDD is also giving fans of The West Wing something to vote “yes” for this Election Week – an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with one of the show’s executive producers, Thomas Schlamme. Now available at , fans can get a sneak peek and hear details about the show they love.
“The overwhelming fan response to the show has always been truly humbling and I’m excited to work with Warner Bros. in bringing this collection to consumers,” said The West Wing Executive Producer Thomas Schlamme, who is featured in a special interview clip.
The West Wing offers a behind-the-scenes look at the life of the eclectic group of frenzied staffers in the Oval Office. The sophisticated series starred Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford and Martin Sheen — just cast this week as the new Uncle Ben in the next Spider-Man film. Acclaimed dramatist Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, The American President, The Social Network) created the series and executive produced with Thomas Schlamme and John Wells. The West Wing is from John Wells Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
The 1970s was not a kind decade for live-action television based on comic book heroes. First there was the Cathy lee Crosby misfire of a [[[Wonder Woman]]] telefilm then there were the Reb Brown[[[ Captain America]]] telefilms.[[[Spider-Man]]] made it to prime time as a series but it didn’t resemble the comic in tone or style and died a swift death. But the absolute most mind-numbing and cringe worthy hours featured DC Comics’ stalwart heroes and villains.
I’ve never seen an NBC executive explain what made them think the two specials that aired in January 1979. The Challenge and The Roast, aired as [[[Legends of the Superheroes]]], were probably the first time mass audiences were introduced to [[[Green Lantern]]] or[[[Flash]]] or Hawkman but they certainly knew Adam West’s Batman, Burt Ward’s Robin and Frank Gorshin’s delightful Riddler. As a result, the aging trio donned the tights once more to anchor the two specials. A veritable who’s who of B-list performers and outright unknowns filled the remainder of the costumes.
Comic book fans probably loved seeing Captain Marvel, Hawkman, Huntress, Black Canary, and others in real life but the shows did not earn great ratings and have been derided by those who recall seeing them. While illegal bootlegs have circulated for years, Warner Archive has collected them on a single disc from the best source material available.
You have to love kitsch, bad writing, awful acting, and comic books to enjoy (or endure) these specials.
The Challenge pits a gaggle of villains led by Mordru the Merciless to once more destroy the world. The heroes split up and run around like idiots in an attempt to find and disarm the doomsday device. Mike Marmer and Peter Gallay, who wrote the script for both specials, apparently never learned that humor is derived from character and situation. Not a single hero or villain has a personality depriving the story from any humorous opportunities. The heroes act like dim-wits and never use their powers when they would be needed. The laugh track is badly handled since it is triggered by the lamest of activities. The costumes are authentic but clearly done on the cheap as were the visual effects. (And why on earth is Batman’s cowl worn over his cape?)
The Roast, hosted by Ed McMahon, has some genuinely funny lines but far too few and again, mostly ignoring their characters so are generic jokes. The villains and others arrive to roast the collected heroes, causing mayhem and nonsense.
Nicely, the disc does contain some deleted scenes and outtake, making this a true collector’s item but this is really for the die-hard fans only.
AP: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! How about we start with you telling us a little bit about yourself — where are you from and how did you develop an interesting in writing?
RB: Thanks for having me here to share my story with your readers. I’m a freelance journalist/photojournalist from Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. I have had a passion for writing since I was 10 years old. I started reading comics before I was in kindergarten. I love how a great storyteller can weave an epic tale. When I started writing in my school journal, I wanted to make my journal sound more like an adventure than a simple record of school events. My third grade teacher complimented me on my imagination. I continued writing and felt a fire inside me. I pursued that interest to North Bay where I studied journalism at Canadore College. I received the North Bay Nugget Journalism Award. My articles have appeared in newspapers all across Ontario and on the Internet. My most renowned piece was a five-part series on child pornography called, “They Hide in Suits. The feature appeared in Osprey newspapers across Ontario. Since then writing has been my mistress.
AP: In addition to writing, you’re also a photographer — do you think that helps you in any way as a writer? Are you able to look at things from a different visual perspective and then transfer that to the page?
RB: That’s an excellent question. Without a doubt, photography has played a key role in my writing. A photo is a visual account of an event or moment. It captures the essence of the scene and tells the story. Photography brings it all to life in front of our eyes. Before I take a photo, I follow three principle steps: What is the best angle to take a photo? Will the new angle change the meaning of the photo or add more detail to the story? And what can I do to add more feeling into this picture? In photography, as in writing, we change the angles of our characters, the scene, the plot, and the essence. A writer begins with a mental image of what he/she sees for the scene in question. As well, drawing is a form of photography, and it allows us to focus on what’s going on in the scene. I believe photography has been a faithful guide in my writing. One of the fathers of photography, Louis Daguerre said it best, ‘I have seized the light. I have arrested its flight.’ And that’s what writing is all about, capturing your readers’ attention by giving them a visual picture in their minds.
AP: You recently published your first novel (The Resurgence: Chronicles of the Shadow Chaser), which is actually the first book in a two-part series. What’s the story on The Shadow Chaser and are there plans to continue the series past the announced two volumes?RB: I created Shadow Chaser when I was 16 years old. Me and the guys were always getting together once a week to play a role-playing game (rpg). It was a few weeks after Christmas, and I just got this new super-hero rpg. So, we started a new campaign. The other players took all the cool heroes, so I decided to create my own. I started to draw a rough design, and then it was time to give my hero a name. The smoke was coming out of my ears; I wanted use something cool and original. So I decided, for now, I’ll call my hero Shadow Chaser. As the weeks went by, I started to expand on the story and the characters. It came to the point I had created a binder just for Shadow Chaser. Then about a few months later, I forgot to do an English assignment where you had to create a short fiction story. To save myself from the jaws of detention, I used a quick short story I did on Shadow Chaser, and I got an “A” for originality. Many friends told me I should write a Shadow Chaser novel. In 2005, I decided to put the character to the test. Five years and several rewrites later, The Shadow Chaser is ready to fight against the forces of evil. So, the first book is an origin story. We have the old Shadow Chaser, Dr. Arthur Brown, looking for a new Shadow Chaser to take on the evil Scorpion Syndicate. He chooses, Kevin Wolf, a dispirited seventeen-year-old, damaged by the brutal murder of a loved one, to reprise his role. But will Kevin be able to live up to the Shadow Chaser legacy? It’s a question readers will be asking at the end of the story.
At the present, we’re editing the second novel, The Reckoning: Chronicles of the Shadow Chaser, the conclusion of the two-book series. We’re gunning for a 2011 release, but rest assured, it’s not the end. I don’t want to add a spoiler alert, but you will see a big change in our hero’s life, and I don’t mean two fives for a ten. I’m also in the free writing process for a third Shadow Chaser novel; where we will encounter Shadow Chaser’s newest and most powerful villain, Deathlore. My nephew, Ron Belaire Jr. (who also did the inks for the cover), and I created this bad boy. And believe me; SC will have his hands full. I’m also in the talks with some artists to bring SC into the comic book world. So, I will be quite busy, but it’s a great busy, and I’m lovin’ every minute of it.
AP: Shadow Chaser certainly looks like he draws from both the classic pulps and also from the world of comic books. What influences went into the development of the character?
RB: I believe it goes back my years reading comics and the classic pulp characters such as the Shadow, the Spider, and the Phantom. Since I was a kid, my mom would tell me stories of when my grandfather used to listen to the classic radio series of the Shadow. She used to tell how Orson Well’s portrayal of the Shadow frightened her. She said his laugh echoed in their small wooden cabin. But my grandfather was glued to the radio and enjoyed every moment of drama and escapism. Times were tough in 1940’s Quebec; he worked hard and for just under a dollar a day. When he arrived home, he would turn on the radio and listen to the Shadow. I never met my grandfather, but the story always stayed with me. It would be a safe bet to say, in a way, Shadow Chaser has allowed me to be closer to my grandfather. Also, the classic Spider-man stories of the 70’s and 80’s really played a role in developing the character. What I loved about Spider-man was his humanity and he was a teen with real-life problems. So, I wanted Shadow Chaser to have the same realism. He’s far from perfect; he’s constantly making choices, and those choices have consequences. Consequences lead to conflict, and conflict leads to great storytelling.
AP: One thing that’s kind of unusual about your promotion of the book are all the trailers and videos you’ve posted — who creates those and what kind of work goes into them? Do you think this has worked in terms of attracting attention to the book?
RB: My nephew Ron and I have created them all to this point. We used a computer game called the Movies by Lionhead Studios. The software allowed us to create movies in a Sims type atmosphere. It takes many man-hours to come up with 3 to 4 minutes of footage, but I think it’s worth the effort; especially when I saw Shadow Chaser coming alive and knocking out a thug in front of my monitor. I stumbled on this by accident. At first, we were thinking of doing audio trailers with photo stills, but I happened to be checking trailers and spotted the word “machinima” during my search. The technology behind it is amazing. I checked out the forums and asked if anyone could create a Shadow Chaser costume template. I was fortunate that I found such a person in Mr. Michael Perkey. He created the template and the first teaser trailer went up in the fall of 2009. The reaction was amazing; I had responses from people from all over the world. The highlight was when former Marvel and DC artist, Michael Netzer added my teaser trailer to his favourites on his YouTube channel. After the creation and positive feedback I received from the teaser trailer, came the extended trailer. And I was surprised by another turn of events. I had supporters and Facebook friends, whom I have never met, asked me if they could take part in lending out their voices for characters. From that moment, I knew I had something special. The best part of all of is I met some awesome people as result of these trailers. So, I have spread the word about the book and made new friends. That alone is incredible. With YouTube and social media, book trailers have now become just as popular as movie trailers. Hopefully within the next year, I will be upgrading my software to increase the quality of the trailers. They’re a great promotional tool.
AP: This is a real boom time for modern pulp fiction: are there any authors or series out there that you’re currently a fan of? Do you see yourself branching out into other characters besides just the Shadow Chaser?
RB: I’m just starting to follow the modern pulp scene, but what I’m seeing so far is off the charts. One of these modern pulp characters I am following is Don Gates’s upcoming series, Challenger Storm. Recently, I watched a Challenger Storm tribute video, and it really brought the series alive. I can’t wait for its release. I believe there is a resurgence of interest in the classic pulp tales of the past. Many of my members have said that Shadow Chaser, and other new heroes like him, are considered to be within the “Neo-Pulp” genre. I’m honoured and humbled to be a part of this new and exciting universe, but at the same time, I feel the old pulp stories are still of tremendous interest to readers today.
As for branching out, I’m currently talking with Dan Barnes, the creator of Tree Frog Comics, to do a Shadow Chaser crossover with his flagship character, Vatican: the Angel of Justice. And I’m thinking of bringing in another creation of mine to the public. But for now, Shadow Chaser is my top priority.
AP: If people want to learn more about you or the Shadow Chaser, where should they go? And where can they buy a copy of the book?
The novel is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble online, and Lulu.com. Currently, if they go to Lulu.com, they can save 25% off the cover price. As well, if anyone is interested to have a signed copy, you can check out the official website and send me a message.
AP: Thanks for joining us!
RB: Thank you for having me. If I may, I want to take this moment to thank all my family, friends, and supporters. You’re all the best. For story is nothing without the reader.
AP: Thanks for joining us, Ver! To start with, how about telling us a little about yourself — in other words, what’s the secret origin of Ver Curtiss? VC: The secret origin? Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret! But what I can tell you is that I live in Northern Virginia with my wife Linda. My wife is the Virginia native, but I lived in Idaho, California, and Tokyo before finding myself on the East Coast. Besides doing my art, I run a small, one-man computer troubleshooting company (since art doesn’t really pay the bills). So until I find the proverbial rich “patron of the arts” who can’t live without my art, I’ll spend my days chasing virii, Trojans, worms, and other nasty data-eating critters, while producing art on weekends and between clients.
AP: You’re quite an accomplished artist — what mediums do you like to work in?
VC: Thanks! Though I’m not always sure what my art is really accomplishing. Actually, it would be easier to ask which media I don’t like to work in. As a self-taught artist, ink and graphite are my two oldest friends. Seems like just about every artist starts with pencils and pens, just after graduating from crayons. I also like using fine-tipped ink pens and markers. But I really love using Sumi ink and a brush. Sumi’s a Japanese ink made of soot and ash, which is much darker than standard India ink. Of course, the brush takes a lot more time than markers, but the results can be well worth it. I enjoy sculpting, though I don’t get to do it very much because of the cost of materials and the cost to my back (I live with chronic back pain, and sculpting can tend to really aggravate it; much more than the art table or easel). Photography’s always been a favorite of mine, as has painting. I’ve used acrylics and watercolors a lot in the past, but I’ve been teaching myself oils these last few years. With water-soluble oil paints, it’s easy to get some really nice results without my entire home smelling of turpentine and linseed oil. I also love using the airbrush, but the tedious cleaning of all the little parts can be a real buzz-kill. And I like my art to be fun. As you can tell, I prefer keeping things “old skool” in my artwork, but I’m not against doing stuff digitally when appropriate. I’ve actually been using the computer to help my art for about twelve years. But unlike a lot of the “new skool” digital artists out there, I see the computer as more of a tool than an all-inclusive solution. Pure digital art just seems to lack “soul” to me, for some reason. I’d rather ink or paint by hand, but there are some things which are easier and quicker on the computer. Like any good medium, I think the computer should free the artist rather than constrain him. ANY medium should merely be a means to an end, and that end is self-expression. Lastly, I really enjoy making art from the unexpected, what some would refer to as “found art”. For instance, a few years back, when all my clients insisted on giving me all the CDs they were getting in the mail, I found myself gifted with spindles and spindles of AOL, NetZero, Prodigy, and a plethora of other promotional CDs. As soon as the client would say something like, “I hate to just throw these away, and figured you could use them,” I knew I was going to be handed a bunch of AOL CDs. So after receiving literally hundreds of them, I decided to start making cyber-skulls out of the CDs and worthless computer components (also gifted to me). Some of the skulls would appear to grow from old motherboards, some had pulsing neon lights, etc. Just last week, I saw a picture of my CD skulls on a major Steampunk site and a German Web page; I don’t know how they found them, but it was cool seeing that they were finally being appreciated. But they aren’t the only “found art” I produce. Recently, I found a perfectly preserved dead bumble bee on the sidewalk next to my mailbox, and created what can only be called a “Cyber-Bee” or “Steampunk Bee”. It took a lot of traditional small watch parts and some very small electronics, but turned out much better than I’d even hoped for. Now the owner of the local art gallery I display at is anxiously awaiting a whole series of Steampunked insects. My good friend Ron Hanna (of Wild Cat Books fame) loved the Cyber-Bee so much, he decided to encourage my art with a gift of ten mounted exotic bugs from Thailand, and I just finished a Steampunk rhinoceros beetle from the collection Ron gave me. Part of me can’t wait to do more, and part of me is asking “What the frak am I doing, super-gluing this this watch jewel to a dead bee’s eyeball?” But I guess that’s art! So I guess you’d call super-glue, broken clockwork, and bug parts my newest media.
AP: What artists inspire your work?
VC: Now that’s quite the question! I’d have to say my earliest inspiration was John Romita (Sr.). I really started drawing when I was about eight or nine. More than anything else, I wanted a Spider-Man poster, and the only way I could get one was to make it myself. So for quite a while, Romita Sr and Ross Andru were the entire art world as far as I was concerned (I was Spidey-crazy as a kid). Not long after that, I discovered John Buscema and some of the other comic luminaries of the time. But as a teenager, I discovered Frank Frazetta, and it was like everything came into focus! Frazetta opened my eyes to the true power of art! After seeing Frazetta, it was no longer a matter of just wanting to reproduce WHAT I saw on the printed page, but now I desired whole-heartedly to learn HOW real art was made and WHY it could speak to me like it did. I wanted to learn all I could about his art which inspired me so. Since that time, there have been a great number of artists whose work has inspired me. Michael Golden’s early work on the Micronauts taught me the value of contrast. The classic Art Nouveau artists Parrish and Mucha taught me the importance of beauty and elegance in art, etc., etc., etc.. There have been SO many since then, I could never name them all! But I try to learn as much as I can from each one. In recent years, there have been so many important artists in my life! The incredible Steve Rude, Mike Mignola, Kenichi Sonoda, Ugetsu Hakua, Samura Hiroaki, Ryan Sook, Gil Elvgren, Walter Baumhoffer, Shirow Masamune, Andrew Loomis, Dave Stevens, etc., etc., etc. And when I get a bad case of “artists’ block”, all I have to do is pull my Frank Cho books off the shelf, and the beauty and simplicity of his line-work makes me want to draw again! I guess that’s both the curse and the blessing of being a self-taught artist. When you go to school to learn art, you may have half a dozen influential teachers. When you’re self-taught, you might have hundreds! Each new artist you discover not only touches your soul with the beauty of their work, but they ingrain a little piece of themselves into your artistic style.
AP: How did you come to develop an interest in the pulps?
VC: It seems like such a cliché answer, but I discovered the Doc Savage paperbacks as a kid, and loved them. I’d known of Doc from the short-lived Marvel comics series of the period, and just loved reading a prose novel of the same “super-hero” I was reading about in the comics. I read every Doc Savage novel I could find, and did several book reports on them. I remember one in particular. Not only did I write the report, but decided to jazz it up a bit by drawing a poster-sized reproduction of Boris Vallejo’s beautiful cover. The teacher loved it, and consequently the first A+ she ever gave a book report went to “The Boss of Terror”. After a while, I moved on to other things, as kids will. But almost twenty years later, I happened to be working/living at a group home for juvenile offenders, and discovered a Doc Savage paperback on a shelf of donated books for the kids to read. I picked it up, read it, and found that the magic was still there. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best of the Doc novels (“The Motion Menace”), but it sparked something special again, just like the books did when I was a kid. I asked my supervisor if I could keep it, and started scouring the SanJose bookstores for more Doc Savage books. When I left the group home a few years later, I took with me dozens of great Doc paperbacks, and left behind a bunch of my duplicates, just to inspire future readers. And though I have all the Bantam paperbacks now, I still have that magical first copy of “The Motion Menace”. From there, the habit just grew. My wife gave me a beautiful copy of the original pulp “The Green Master” for our first wedding anniversary. That was the first true pulp I ever held. Little did she know what she was starting! A couple of years later, I saw Ron Hanna’s newsgroup posting looking for artists for his new pulp fanzine, and thought, “I can draw Doc!” And the rest, as they say, is history.
AP: You have a strong connection to Ron Hanna and Wild Cat Books — can you tell us a little about that?
VC: That first drawing I submitted to him was a real catalyst. It accomplished two things: 1. It introduced me to Ron, and we started corresponding. We met at Pulp Con a few times, and became fast friends. When he decided his life needed a change of scenery, my wife and I offered our spare bedroom to him and his cat (despite my allergies). And we’ve been best buds since. He’s a true brother to me, and we absolutely love doing projects together. 2. That first piece literally revived my art from the dead. In college, I’d worked as full-time lead artist at a graphic design company, as well as doing a twice-weekly cartoon strip for the college paper, all while providing just about any other art the small college needed (murals, graphics for the teachers, yearbook design, special event posters, etc), and trying to do paintings for my own enjoyment as well. I was so burnt out on art by the time I graduated, I didn’t want to do ANY art beyond the occasional doodle during grouphome meetings. So for about five years, my art was as dead as disco. Then when I did that first piece for Ron, I found the fun in my art again, and thought, “I’ll have to draw again sometime.” Ron liked it so much, he asked me if I’d do more work for him, and before I knew it, I was in almost every magazine he published. I look at those old pieces, and just want to gag at how primitive they were. In essence, I was teaching myself how to draw all over again. Art isn’t like riding a bike. You can’t just forget about it for half a decade and hop back on at the place you left off (at least, I couldn’t). You don’t quite start from square one, but it’s darned close!. Yet Ron saw the potential in my art, and kept pushing me to do more, while simultaneously encouraging me to do better. He has a true gift to do what I always refer to as rescuing “lost” artists and writers. A lot of his “kittens” (as he refers to the Wild Cat Books family) have shared their similar experiences with me. He sees a spark of potential, and fuels it into a full creative blaze. I firmly believe that the creative spark is a huge part of how God made humanity in His own image. People instinctively create! Give any small child a crayon, and they start drawing (often all over the walls if you don’t watch them closely). They don’t need to be told what to draw or how to draw; they just DO it. Play music, and they’ll begin to sing along (usually with their own lyrics, made up on the spot). And if they don’t sing to the music, they’ll dance to it. That’s the Divine spark within the human heart! God is the great Creator, and being made in His image, we have a built-in need to be creative as well. Unfortunately, as we “grow up”, we seem to forget HOW to create, or we just lay that creative nature aside! It’s a real tragedy, but it happens to more people than you’d think. I truly believe the Lord put Ron Hanna on this earth to rescue “lost” creative types: artists, writers, etc. And he does that job wonderfully! Ron rescued my own creative spark, and he continues those rescues to this day. AP: You’ve worked for Moonstone as well as other publishers — can you tell us a little about what you’ve done for them, specifically about the Black Angel character?
VC: I’ve worked with several publishers, but Moonstone’s been a real dream come true. I’ve always wanted to work for a real comic publisher, and it’s finally happened. I started working with them when Martin Powell (writer extraordinaire) introduced Joe Gentile (Moonstone’s publisher) to some of the work I’d produced for Ron, portraying the pulp character Domino Lady. Not only was Martin involved with Wild Cat Books, but he was also one of the lead writers on the Moonstone prose collection of original Domino Lady stories. Joe Liked what he saw, I guess, and the next thing I know, I’m working on the Domino Lady prose book, providing an illustration for each of the stories. It was a lot of fun. When Moonstone decided to do a revival of “Air Fighters”, including Black Angel, they asked me if I’d be interested. They didn’t have to ask twice! And the really cool part was the fact that I got to work with Martin Powell again! He’s writing the adventures, and they’re absolutely great! I can’t wait to see the characters all develop and see what sort of surprises he has in store for us! I’m hoping we’re going to see a lot more of the Black Angel character in the near future. I’ve read most of the stories from the original “Air Fighters” of the 1940s, and they really don’t hold a candle to what Martin’s already been able to do with the character. But don’t worry, he’s being as true to the original as possible, so don’t expect modern-day adventures. Black Angel spends her time kicking Nazi backsides! She’s a very unique character, combining both compassion toward the innocent and ruthlessness toward evil, as well as more than a little bit of sexiness. The stories are a lot of fun to do, but I have a feeling both Martin and myself are just getting warmed up! Keep watching!
AP: If you had a dream project, what would it be? VC: Only a handful of people know, but I’ve actually been working on my own graphic novel for about seven years now. Most of that time was spent on research and just trying to get the story right. The story takes place in ancient Japan during the Sengoku period, often called the “time of the Warring States”. It’s known as the bloodiest period in human history, and deservedly so. The story’s called “Makigari”, and I’m hoping to have the first portion of it ready to shop out to publishers soon. My dream would be for Makigari to get picked up by a comic company and distributed both here in the States and in Japan. I think American readers will enjoy it, without having to know anything about Japanese history, because a lot of the story centers around the human condition and universal experiences (loss, grief, hope, redemption, vengeance, etc.), and there’s also a lot of action and warfare (not only physical warfare on the battlefield, but psychological and spiritual as well!). I think a Japanese audience would enjoy the fact that I portray some familiar historical figures in a completely new light, and I’ll be pitting them against unfamiliar enemies and allies. There’s a HUGE twist to the story, which you’ll just have to wait to see!
AP: There’s a lot of discussion about the modernization of classic pulp heroes — what do you think about that? is it okay to update characters or do you prefer to see them as close to their original incarnation as possible? VC: I honestly waver back-and-forth on this question. I typically prefer to see the pulp era characters kept in the pulp era. It’s such a unique period of American history! The Art Deco and Art-Nouveau influences were everywhere, making it a potentially stunning era for any good artist to portray. And a good writer should recognize all the various cultural influences of the time. America was just clawing its way out of the Great Depression, leaving millions out of work and crime on the rise. The environment was an even bigger concern than today, due to this little thing called the Dust Bowl. The big cities were all on the rise, and finding their own identities. The world was on the brink of another “Great War”, due to a frustrated little German oil painter with a silly mustache. It’s such a great era, so rich in potential stories! Yet most artists and writers barely touch on any of that, often leading to stories which are mediocre at best. I think that’s why so many people want to modernize the pulp heroes. They think that the pulps would be more appealing if modernized, so people can relate to them easier. But I believe the real reason for wanting to modernize the pulp characters is that it’s EASIER. The writers and artists know today’s world, and are spared from having to due research if the characters are modernized. It’s very disappointing to me. As a reader, I don’t relate to a character because they happen to breathe at the same moment I do. I relate to them because they share the human experience in all its grit, grime, and glory! On the other hand, modernization of characters CAN be quite good when in the right hands. Look at Batman and Superman, Both of these characters are originally from the tail-end of the pulp era, yet they continue to amaze and entertain audiences to this day! Why? Because they continue to portray the human experience. Superman the Kryptonian takes the “glory” to occasionally ridiculous extremes, but Clark Kent’s always there striving through life in his human guise. He’s easy to relate to for almost every guy out there. It took him… what… almost five decades just to tell the woman he loved who he really was. That’s a guy any other guy can relate to! And Batman most certainly is easy to relate to in the “grit and grime” aspect of human nature.
AP: Are there any “new” pulps that you really enjoy?
VC: Not to sound like I’m playing favorites, but I’ve really enjoyed some of the “modern” pulp heroes I’ve had the opportunity to work on. Kevin Olson’s “Spring-Heeled Jack: Gunfighter” comes to mind immediately, as does Barry Reese’s “Rook”, and John French’s “Bianca Jones” character. I freely admit I don’t get to just kick back and read these days, but I will almost always insist on reading a book before I illustrate it. I’ve been impressed with these characters and their stories. The Rook stories are a bit like the mutant love-child of “Weird Tales” and the detective pulps, and I love the series because of it. Spring-Heeled Jack is based on the legend by the same name, but Kevin’s taken him from the streets of Victorian England, and dropped him smack-dab in the middle of the Old West as a gunfighter! Talk about shaking things up! and John’s character Bianca Jones is a feisty little police detective who tracks down and kills some big monsters in the streets of modern Baltimore! I guess I like characters and stories that mix together things you’d never expect to be combined. It’s that whole peanut butter and chocolate idea, but with monsters, maidens, and a fare share of madness (at least in Jack’s case).
AP: What’s coming down the road from you? Any new projects you’d like to mention? VC: I’m hoping and praying that Makigari will be done sometime in the coming year (finally!). I think my friends and family are all sick of hearing about it! I’m also hoping for more Black Angel stories. And anything else Moonstone (or other publishers) cares to throw my way would be welcome. I have to admit, my life is the very definition of the word “freelance”. I never know what each new week will hold. It might be filled with a bunch of computer clients with serious virus problems, or a publisher looking for artwork, or a gallery looking for something unique to display. I guess only the Lord knows what you’ll see from me next. I certainly don’t!
MONSTERVERSE, BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE HORROR COMIC and FILMS EVENING at the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE in Hollywood, CA. AN EVENING WITH BELA LUGOSI at the AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE. Celebrating the career of horror icon Bela Lugosi and the launch of MONSTERVERSE’s new horror anthology comic book, BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE.
Thursday, 7:30 PM October 28th, 2010 The Egyptian Theaterhttp://www.americancinematheque.com/egyptian/egypt.htm Two Feature Films starring Bela Lugosi in THE BLACK CAT and THE RAVEN. With Boris Karloff. Mainstream news coverage will be in effect for the Halloween weekend in Los Angeles, the media capital of the world. This is a major launch for the first issue of BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE horror anthology comic book.
Special Guests from Hollywood and the Comic Book Industry will be announced. Other featured guests are Bela Lugosi, Jr., and Kerry Gammill including contributors to BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE horror anthology comic book series.
There will be a Special Panel on Lugosi examing his career and the new comic book between films and a MONSTERVERSEComic Book Display with contributors featured in the lobby.
An Exclusive Preview Trailer will be screened with art of the upcoming MONSTERVERSE graphic novel, FLESH AND BLOOD, written by Robert Tinnell and illustrated by Neil Vokes. To be unleashed Halloween 2011.
TRAILERS FROM HELL. Commentaries from directors Mick Garris and Joe Dante on Bela Lugosi and his films.
Poster design by artist Charlie Largent.
This exclusive event image may be Tweeted with:http://twitpic.com/2mxwhx MONSTERVERSE is a new independent comic book company with a horror anthology book coming out in October 2010 and entitled, BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE.
Here is a direct link preview of the book and its pages posted on YouTube. LUGOSI HORROR COMIC YOUTUBE PREVIEW The comic will be available at comic shops everywhere and online and is distributed by Diamond. For a new independent transmedia company MONSTERVERSE enjoys having the top talents in the world such as John Cassaday, Bruce Timm and the legendary Basil Gogos creating covers for its books. Writer/director (of the upcoming THE WALKING DEAD), Frank Darabont, gave this quote about cover artist Basil Gogos. “Basil Gogo doesn’t paint pictures of monsters, and never has. What he does is conjure their essences on canvas like a magician. More than that, he conjures our love of these subjects in a manner that defies description or analysis. How does an artist infuse an entire fan community’s love of a whole genre into his brushstrokes? I’ll never be able to explain it, but I know I’ll always be grateful for it. Seeing Gogos’ portraits is revisiting the best friends of my childhood.” – Frank Darabont Monsterverse was chosen the FEATURED COVER STORY on COMIC SHOP NEWS 1207 a few weeks back (distributed to over 500 of the top comic book shops nationwide and given out to customers with purchases). This article beat out the top comic companies in America, an impressive feat for a new independent publisher. Take a look at our official website. We are quite proud of the amazing talents involved. http://monsterverse.com/ MONSTERVERSE and BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will receive special coverage in the upcoming double-sized Halloween issue of RUE MORGUE.There is a feature story on MONSTERVERSE andBELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE also being prepped for their special Halloween issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS MAGAZINE. MONSTERVERSE publisher Kerry Gammill is creating a terrific new feature cover for the January FAMOUS MONSTERS. BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE is published by Kerry Gammill who is internationally known for his artist work at Marvel and DC Comics on titles like MARVEL TEAM-UP, INDIANA JONES, POWERMAN/IRON FIST and SUPERMAN. Kerry has also worked as a make-up effects designer on studio genre films such as VIRUS and TV programs such as STARGATE and THE OUTER LIMITS. Here is a link to Kerry’s professional art website:http://gammillustrations.bizland.com/monsterart/ This FANBOY PLANET article can give you a quick update on what is going on with the history of the company and its future plans:http://www.fanboyplanet.com/interviews/mc-monsterverse.php This link takes you to our first issue cover by the legendary FAMOUS MONSTERS cover artist, Basil Gogos.http://twitpic.com/1doadj Our variant cover is by one of the hottest artists working in American comic books today, John Cassaday, and who recently directed an episode of Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE television series. Whedon has been tapped to direct Marvel Studios’ epic feature film, THE AVENGERS.http://twitpic.com/25v1o3 The back cover is by Warner Brothers animation executive producer and Emmy-winning designer/artist Bruce Timm. To reserve a copy of the Lugosi comic book at a comic shop you need to supply them with the Diamond Item # Code, AUG101080, with the title, BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE. The first issues of the Lugosi comic book will be shipped in October to celebrate both Halloween and Lugosi’s 128th birthday. A special celebration of Lugosi films, the new comic book and its contributors is set for the American Cinematheque in Hollywood at its Egyptian Theater on Thursday, October 28th. BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will be a double-sized 48-page color quarterly and retailing for $4.99 and with no ads (except for a house ad announcing a serial adaptation of the novel DRACULA and starring BELA LUGOSI by Kerry Gammill and beginning in issue two). It is pure comic book fun and frights from front to back with a brief article on Lugosi.
BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE will feature some of the most talented storytellers working today in comic books and horror films. No other comic book series has this kind of industry talent nor do other comic book companies have these kinds of horror film heavyweights working on any comic book. This is a first in comic book publishing and dedicated to the fun and classic horror of Bela Lugosi but made for today’s audiences. Movie directors like John Landis (An American Werewolf In London, Burke And Hare) and Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) along with make-up genius Rick Baker (American Werewolf In London, Michael Jackson’s THRILLER, Men In Black), will be providing stories and art for future issues. More Hollywood horror film creators are also working up stories. The most acclaimed creators in comics will be writing and drawing stories such as Steve Niles (30 Days Of Night), artist John Cassaday (Planetary, Astonishing X-Men) and Mike Mignola (Hellboy).
The first issue contains stories and art by such notables as Kerry Gammill (SUPERMANand SPIDER-MAN ), James Farr (whose XOMBIE online animated and comic book series is being brought to theater screens by Dreamworks in a live-action production by top writer/producers Orchi and Kurtzman), Chris Moreno (WORLD WAR HULK), John Cassaday, Rob Brown (voted online as horror artist of the year for BANE OF THE WEREWOLF), Derek McCaw, Rafael Navarro (creator of the Xeric Award winning series SONAMBULO), Martin Powell and Eisner Award- winning artist Terry Beatty (THE BATMAN STRIKES), Brian Denham (IRON MAN, ANGEL), Bruce Timm and more. The book also features an article by leading Lugosi researcher and author Gary D. Rhodes.
MONSTERVERSE ENTERTAINMENT is a transmedia company headed by its publisher and editor, the comic book and film design artist, Kerry Gammill.
Keith Wilson, formerly of DC Comics, is an editor and writer/artist.
Producer/screenwriter Sam F. Park is the west coast editor and a writer/artist.
We’re very proud of BELA LUGOSI’S TALES FROM THE GRAVE and what has been accomplished within our growing independent publishing venture, MONSTERVERSE. This is our first comic book project with several more in development. We plan to make MONSTERVERSE the go-to company for horror projects in all media.
I’ve included links below to help with graphics, photos or information. Please contact me with any questions. Sincerely, Sam F. Park West Coast Editor MONSTERVERSE ENTERTAINMENT “Bela Lugosi’s Tales From The Grave”http://monsterverse.com/ park@monsterverse.com 818-605-2181 Links:
I know, your first thought is: this isn’t my problem. I’m the writer, not the artist. This is National Graphic Novel Writing Month. National Graphic Novel Drawing Month isn’t for a while yet.
No no no. The page is important as a unit of storytelling, and as a writer for graphic novels, you should be thinking visually to prepare for it.
Think about an hour long episode of television. Many people think of it as the five act structure, with eight or nine minute acts acts being broken up by commercial breaks. (Yes, 44 minutes of television.)
But it’s often more useful to think of it as twenty-two two minute scenes. It breaks the story down into much smaller bits, with each scene delivering some useful piece of information about the story or characters, while allowing for contrasting bits and alternating plotlines.
Think of an episode of House MD, broken up into two minute scenes.
1. Meet the patient, who collapses from something strange.
ROLL CREDITS
2. Doctors sit around table, House comes in, establishes problem.
3. Doctors meet with patient, run tests, get background info needed for the patient.
4. House gets involved in wacky scheme to get Wilson and Cuddy to appear in roadshow production of Guys & Dolls to pay for new MRI machine.
5. Doctors apply cure to patient, which fails spectacularly and leads to growth of extra arm.
END FIRST ACT, COMMERCIAL
This structure also works for comics, where you can go page by page and figure out what has to go where.
Page 1: The Green Goblin is testing his equipment, then he meets with the Enforcers to hire them to help him deal with Spider-Man.
Page 2: Goblin cuts a deal with a movie mogul to get Spider-Man to appear in a film.
Page 3: Peter Parker is at school when he hears about Goblin flying over New York; he excuses himself to change.
Page 4: Spidey meets Goblin, Goblin pitches the movie deal.
Page 5: Spidey goes to movie mogul, haggles over the deal, and signs to make sure he has money for Aunt May’s medicine. The Goblin lurks in the background, noting that Spidey is falling into his trap.
Simple sounding? Sure. And yet, that’s pretty much how Amazing Spider-Man #14 introduced the Green Goblin to the world.
In addition, the end of the page is a natural break point in your story, a good place to bring a scene to an end, while your reader is turning the page.
So take a look at how other people use the page in their writing– then try it in your own work.
Remember: you can follow all the NaGraNoWriMo posts here!
AP: Andrew, it’s a real treat that you dropped by to visit with ALL PULP. Can you share a little background on yourself?
AS: It’s a real pleasure to be here! All Pulp may be relatively new but it has already become THE place to be for all the latest breaking pulp news. As for my background, I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada but moved to Vancouver with my wife in the hopes of becoming a professional writer. I’m also a lifelong movie fan and work as an extra in the thriving film industry here, being a small part of such films as WATCHMEN, the first Fantastic Four and the A-Team along with numerous TV shows/movies over the years. I’m a voracious reader of pulp and hardboiled fiction. I have a massive Spider-Man collection which I won’t be adding to any time soon since Marvel has ruined the character for me. I’m a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan. And I love classic rock: AC/DC, Dio, CCR, Beatles and a whole host of others.
AP: Your name graces the covers of several books that are making the rounds amongst pulp fans? Can you give us a rundown of the work you’ve done in the pulp world, including books, short stories, etc.?
AS: Sure. I’ve had the great good fortune to work with Airship 27/Cornerstone Book Publishers and have been part of a number of their fantastic pulp anthologies. I have tales in Secret Agent X: Volumes One and Three, Jim Anthony Super Detective: Volume One, Dan Fowler G-Man: Volume One, Black Bat Mystery: Volume One and still can’t believe that I’ve been part of both volumes of their Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective series. And how could I forget collaborating with the great Ron Fortier on Ghost Squad: Rise of the Black Legion! I’ve also just had a short story appear in Pro Se’s Masked Gun Mystery #1.
AP: You have done quite a bit of work on established Pulp characters? What is the appeal of working on characters created sometimes more than a century ago for a modern writer?
AS: They are great characters. That’s pretty much it. They are fun, dynamic and the non-stop action pacing is too good to pass up from both a reading and writing standpoint. Also, unlike the pulp writers of the Golden Age, we have the benefit of hindsight and can explore historical themes the original pulp writers were not aware of or were unable to write about. For instance, my Dan Fowler tale (“The League of Dead Patriots”) deals with the Japanese internment camps of WW2 in a way that the pulps of the day would never have tried. And it doesn’t even have to go as far as the complete plot. Having that period be historical for us modern writers gives us great freedom to include little details here and there for attentive readers to catch. It can be something as simple as a nostalgic touch or historical name dropping. Plus with all these characters in the public domain, we can do the odd team up every now and then and really go to town! And there’s also the opportunity to grow the genre. Read the first Doc Savage and then the last novel from 1949, the characters are not the same. They have changed, evolved. Perhaps not for the better in some cases but that evolution is unmistakeable. I love all the great elements that go into a good pulp story. I wouldn’t write pulp if I didn’t. However with this new era of unprecedented pulp creation going on today, all of the modern day writers and artists are the new vanguard of the genre and it’s up to us to continue to grow the art form. That said, I feel I should stress that the classic elements have to be in place. That’s a must! But just like that subtle evolution from the 30s to the 40s, pulp needs to push the envelope a little. Being a small part of this new pulp revolution is one heck of a lot of fun. The myriad titles published in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s demonstrate that there really are no boundaries when it comes to pulp and I’m curious to see where the genre is going. I think the genre can be experimented with and yet still be authentic to pulp readers young and old. It’s a great time to be a pulp creator and I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
AP: Sherlock Holmes. You’ve written a bit about the Master Detective for Airship 27. Why Holmes? What does this particular character touch in you as a creator?
AS: No one is more surprised than I am by how much I love to write Holmes and Watson adventures! When the opportunity first presented itself, I passed on it because I felt I was not qualified to play in that particular sandbox. Although I was fully aware of the characters and the rich legacy that has grown around them for more than a century, I had not actually read many of the stories. I think my Holmes exposure was limited to The Sign of Four and A Study In Scarlet, which I had read for a college course in mystery fiction. The 2 novels plus the odd story were pretty much it as far as my exposure to pure Holmes went. So who was I to try my hand at a tale?
Well, after I slapped myself silly and woke up, I realized that I’d been offered the chance to write, arguably, the two most popular characters in the history of pop culture! How could I say no? This lead straight to Doyle and a thorough reading of almost all of the original Holmes tales. And they won me over! I became an instant fan. This plus my love of writers like Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy meant I was already steeped in the Victorian vernacular so to speak. So I sat down and started writing and had so much fun crafting a mystery with that beautiful language and those wonderful characters that I was finished the tale before I knew it. And I’m just getting started with Holmes and Watson! Watch out world! The game’s afoot!
AP: You’ve left your mark on several other Public Domain characters as well. Any favorites?
AS: First of all, thank you for suggesting I’ve added to the rich history of these already great characters. I take writing these public domain characters very seriously and consider it an honor to be able to do so. Favorites? Well, Holmes and Watson of course. And I love Secret Agent X! Fowler, Jim Anthony and the Black Bat are also great but if pressed for favorites, I’d have to go with the great consulting detective and the man of a thousand faces.
AP: What about public domain territory you’ve not yet ventured into. Any characters you want to write about in the future?
AS: Honestly, all of them! As for a list, well, the Green Lama comes to mind. Adam Garcia is having a Lama-fest these days and I can’t resist the urge to get in on the fun. Domino Lady guest-starred in my Fowler tale and she also great. Let’s see, Moon Man would be a lot of fun, Captain Hazzard (though my intrepid editor Ron Fortier will see that anyone who undertakes a Hazzard tale will meet with an unfortunate accident, cue organ music), the Scarlet Pimpernel, Allan Quartermain, Ebenezer Scrooge, the Masked Rider and a bunch more. The more the merrier! Writing pulp is just too much fun!
AP: A work that you co-wrote that has gotten a bit of buzz is THE GHOST SQUAD: RISE OF THE BLACK LEGION, co written with Ron Fortier for Airship 27. Can you give us a brief outline of this book?
AS: Working with Ron was one of the highlights of my writing career to date. Actually I should back that up. Just being ASKED to work with Ron was the true highlight. At the time, I’d only written 2 or 3 pulp tales and, out of the blue, the King of Modern Day Pulp asks me if I want to collaborate with him. Yeah, I had to think about that one for a nanosecond. The Ghost Squad consist of Lazarus (yes, that Lazarus from the bible), Lady Arcane, the mistress of the mystic arts, Alan Hale, pilot and brawler extraordinaire and Professor Andreas Vantassel who has more medical and scientific degrees than you can shake a stick at. The immortal Lazarus has become aware of a terrible threat to world peace, the Black Legion, and has put the Ghost Squad together as a top secret fighting team with government backing to combat this threat. The first novel introduced the characters and the menace of the Black Legion and had as much action as Ron and I could jam into it. The buzz you mentioned has been most welcome and truly appreciated by everyone involved with the book. With an amazing cover by comic artist Chad Hardin and interior illustrations by the incomparable Rob Davis, the first book kicked off the Squad in style and it’s immensely gratifying to hear that folks have enjoyed the book. And Book Two is in the works!
AP: How about co-writing? Some writers absolutely love to work on books with other authors, other writers absolutely detest it. How do you feel about it and what is the process you prefer to use when co-writing?
AS: I suppose it depends on who you are collaborating with. When Ron contacted me, I had never collaborated before so it was all new to me. And I had a blast! Ron implemented a method where one of us would do a chapter or two, then pass the book on to the other to whip up a chapter or two and this back and forth was a lot of fun. Watching the pages grow, finding emails with attached chapters of the novel already done so you don’t have to… it was great! I have nothing but good memories of working with Ron and can’t wait to do it again!
AP: You have your own creations as well. Can you list a few of those for our audience?
AS: Okay. Well, I self-published a long short story of mine called The Forty Club as a gift book since it dealt with the trials and tribulations of reaching that milestone. And my first full-length novel, The Dark Land, was also as self-published effort though a new, revised edition is coming from Airship 27/Cornerstone hopefully next year. The Dark Land is a near-future science-fiction mystery where a terrible pandemic has wiped out most of the world’s population, plunging the survivors into chaos. With the death of billions, the governments have resorted to cloned policemen grown from samples stored for just such a global emergency. The hero of the tale, C-Peter Reilly, is a clone but he remembers the life of his source material and that is a big no-no so while he’s on the case, he’s plagued by memories of loved ones he never really had but who are more dear to him than anyone. I have a superhero serial running in A Thousand Faces magazine featuring Fred Brand and Project X – as an unlikely a duo as you’re liable to find anywhere. I’ve sprinkled a few other stories around here and there in Storyteller, TBT, Thirteen Stories magazines and others. And I just had my very first pulp short story appear in Masked Gun Mystery #1 from Pro Se Productions. The story is called “Run” and it is very dear to my heart because it was the story I sent to Ron as my audition for joining the ranks of Airship 27. And it got me the gig! My biggest non-pulp work is The Light Of Men, the response to which has been nothing short of staggering and humbling.
AP: Talk a little about THE LIGHT OF MEN, about the story itself and whether or not you feel it is pulp.
AS: The novel took me a little more than 12 years to research and write as it is set in a Nazi concentration camp and I wanted to get all the details right. The tale is set in the dying days of the war and a strange prisoner is admitted who appears to have his own agenda, his own reason for being there aside from being arrested. I can’t really say more without giving away too much of the tale but I will say that there is a science-fiction element in the novel and we’ll leave it at that. The book has been added to the Holocaust Memorial Museum Library in the US, has received very good reviews, and was even a book club read for a group of bloggers – all of which has been simply amazing. As you might imagine from the subject matter, it is not a light-hearted tale. My goal was to give modern readers the genuine experience of what it was like to be in one of those horrible camps and I pulled no punches. I’ve heard from readers that this was the experience they had reading the book which has been immensely gratifying because it means all those endless hours of research paid off. Although there is action in the novel, I would not classify it as pulp. It’s more of a literary work though there is a good dose of action along with that science-fiction element I mentioned. Unlike writing pulp, writing this novel was not a lot of fun, but it is the work I’m most proud of to date.
AP: Can you share anything about the super hero serial you’re creating for A Thousand Faces Magazine?
AS: Sure, I’d be happy to. The Brand/X serial took on a life of its own with me. The first tale, “Soar”, was supposed to be the only tale. It dealt with the general fascination we all have, as comic and pulp fans, with flying. Wizard used to have a monthly poll where fans could vote on the super power they most wanted to have and flying won month in and month out. So I came up with the idea of a two-bit crook whose greatest high is to be carried by a superhero in full flight. Flying, or soaring, becomes a full-blown addiction with him. Thing is, the only way to fly with a hero is to commit a crime and get carted off to jail. Thus poor Fred’s life becomes reduced to doing time until being released from jail so he can commit a crime and get that high when a hero scoops him up to send him back to prison. The pay off for this was that, like most junkies, more is always needed to fix and the short flights no longer do it for him. So he comes up with an idea for the longest and best flight of his life, which is also supposed to be his last. Fred Brand was supposed to commit suicide in achieving this ultimate high, going out in one final blaze of glory. However when it came time to write that scene, something just clicked in my head and Fred survived that first tale. I sent it off to the magazine, crossed my fingers, and moved on. To my delight the story was accepted and was published in issue #0. Well, a few readers wrote in expressing their fondness for Brand and speculating on what would happen next with him. This blew me away, because I certainly hadn’t thought that. But their discussions got me thinking and I found myself asking, “Yeah, what does happen to him?” and now I’m on a journey with Fred and Project X to find out. Six tales have appeared to date, the last just a few months ago. And they are all still available in issues #0, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 12. With more to come…
AP: You’ve been nominated for at least two awards and won one of those. What awards were those and how does that sort of attention affect you as a writer?
AS: My second published tale, “A Turn of the Scrooge” was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award, which is the Canadian equivalent of the Edgar. It didn’t win, but coming so early in my career I really could say that it was truly and honor and thrill just to be nominated for so prestigious an award. Last year my novelette, “The Adventure of the Locked Room”, won the Pulp Factory Award for Best Pulp Short Story of the Year. The story was part of Airship 27’s first Holmes anthology (Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Volume One) and the book also took home awards for Best Pulp Cover (Mark Maddox) and Best Pulp Interior Art (Rob Davis).
The awards were presented at the Windy City pulp show in April and to say I’m still on Cloud 9 would be the understatement of the year! I was, and still am, completely bowled over by winning the award. As I’ve only been reading pulp for about 10 years and writing it for only 3 or 4, I still consider myself the new kid on the block with a lot still to learn so to win one of these beautiful awards so early in my pulp career, well, there are simply no words to truly express the feeling. What affect did it have on me? Well, it showed me that I’m on the right track with my pulp work. The awards are voted on by pulp writers, artists and fans. Getting the nod from a group like this covers all the bases, doesn’t it? Also, as a writer, you never know if your work is good or not until someone reads it. You can think it is, convince yourself it is, but the only way to truly know is to hear from people who know the genre, have read your story and enjoyed it. Hearing positive feedback from readers through reviews or emails is a precious reward in itself. Being voted an award by your peers is just the icing on the cake. And it is a humbling experience. You think: “Wow! Folks actually read my story and liked it! It affected them!” It’s what every writer works towards. For those of you who don’t know, the awards are presented annually by the Pulp Factory to recognize outstanding achievement in pulp writing and art and any new published work set in 1940 or earlier is eligible for nomination in a given year. So get scribbling pulp creators, you could be the next winner!
AP: Anything coming in the near future from the mind and pen of Andrew Salmon you want to talk about?
AS: Well, I’ve just learned that my third Sherlock Holmes tale has been accepted by Airship 27 and will appear in Volume Three of that bestselling series. Look for that in January. Mars McCoy Space Ranger is also about set to blast off from Airship 27 and I’ve got a tale in that along with a bunch of other great pulpsmiths. There’s that revised edition of The Dark Land looming. And I’ve just finished a collaboration on a novelette with pulp fan Mark Halegua who created a hero called the Red Badge. Readers can look for that in an upcoming Airship 27 release. As for works in progress, well, I’ve got some novel ideas… literally. I’m currently working on a novel featuring German pulp heroes which I think is going to knock a few folks for a loop. I’ve also been given the nod by Air Chief Ron to write a full-length Sherlock Holmes novel and was press-ganged by Ron and artist Rob Davis at the Windy City show a couple of years back to write a Secret Agent X novel. Believe me, no arm twisted was involved. Ha! I kicked ideas around for an epic X tale and I think I’ve hit on one that will work. Along with all that, I’d like to do more Fred Brand tales, and maybe throw in a pulp novelette along the way. Also, I sit daily with fingers crossed as I await word on the Green Hornet tale I submitted to Moonstone for the upcoming Green Hornet Casefiles anthology. Working with Joe Gentile and Moonstone was a lot of fun and I’ll gladly do it again if they want me. As I’m a huge Operator 5 fan, and, I believe, they are now doing 5 stories, I’ll say a prayer every night that Joe gives me the go ahead to do one. I guess to sum up my plans I can just say: pulp and more pulp! I’m having the time of my life here!
AP: Andrew, thanks again and come back to visit ALL PULP anytime.
AS: It’s been my sincere pleasure! Thanks for having me. I’d love to do it again sometime. Hey! I check All Pulp every day and so should every pulp fan. Pulp fiction is back, big time! There’s a lot of truly great stuff being created today to stand shoulder to shoulder with the great work of the past giants. All Pulp celebrates that. If you’re a pulp fan, what more could you ask for?
ELIZABETH BISSETTE, Writer/Performer/Relative of Pulp Icon
Elizabeth Bissette, wearing Norvell Page’s fedora and holding his .22
AP: Elizabeth, ALL PULP is really excited that you have time to sit down with us. Before we talk about your very special connection to Pulp, can you give us some background on yourself?
EB: I guess Southern Gothic Renaissance woman might sum it up best. I’m a music, art and culture writer and one day had the privilege of talking with Mike Seeger (http://mikeseeger.info/), a folk archivist and musician Bob Dylan credits with being the reason he wrote his own songs. It changed my life. I spent the past five years or so since then doing a Lonesome Liz (http://www.myspace.com/lonesomeliz) version of what he did; traveling and learning as much as I could from other artists and musicians I ran into; writing about them along the way.
Through the course of all this I’ve become an Outlaw Americana singer-songwriter and visual artist, with the official Outlaw nick-name Lonesome Liz. (Hellbilly Outlaw authority and filmmaker Cuzn Wildweed (
http://www.myspace.com/cousinwildweed)told me Outlaws had nicknames and that was bound to be mine; I figured he knew more about it than I did and have kept it ever since.) I also play a little banjo; had the good fortune of learning a little from a man in Appalachia named Bill Garvin, who played with Bill Monroe early on.
There’s more to it than that, but that’s the backbone of it. Mr. Seeger died last year and my interview was the last he did. I can’t thank him in person anymore for how our talks were so pivotal for me and how other artists have told me since they’ve in a way been important for them to0. He centered a lot of his work academically so I’m putting together a Masters Thesis of Thank You – I’m going to put all the research, some done with his feedback, into a Public Folk Studies thesis. I majored in Religious studies so there’s going to be a Folk Belief track too. I’m the only person I’ve heard of who’s getting an MA in Hoodoo.
AP: Now, let’s get to that special connection to the Pulp field. You are related to a key figure in Pulp fiction. Would you elaborate on that, please?
One of only two existing photos of Norvell Page
EB: Norvell Page was my Great-Uncle and the funny thing is my family never talked about him. I grew up hearing stories about this mysterious and intriguing figure who “wrote something to do with Spider-man” ,but that’s about it. Well, one day I was sitting at home; I was about 22 I guess, and I turned to my room-mate and said, “You know, my family always said my Great-Uncle wrote something to do with Spiderman and I really don’t think they would have made that up, but I’ve not heard anything else about it, I wonder what that was?” The response to that was, “Well, if it’s really true then you could just write Stan Lee and ask him.” I said, “Well, I guess you’re right.”
At the time, Mr. Lee was still with Marvel so I just looked at the website, found what appeared to be the right e-mail for him and wrote, “Dear Mr. Lee, I’m the Great-Niece of Norvell Page and I have heard that my Great-Uncle wrote something about Spiderman, but have no idea if it’s true or even what it was.”
Well, it may not surprise you but it sure surprised me to receive an e-mail back from Mr. Lee in I think maybe 10 minutes, saying “Great Gotham! We’ve been wondering what happened to Norvell Page since 1943!” Not in those exact words of course but it was rather overwhelming to discover that, not only had I been looking for the truth behind Norvell’s Spider but Spidey apparently had been looking for the truth behind Norvell. It was every bit as life changing as that phone call to Mike Seeger.
AP: Can you share a brief biography of Norvell Page with us?
EB: Norvell was a remarkable man. He seems to have really been like his characters in more ways than one. While writing Pulps he dressed like the Spider sometimes, drove a Dailmer, lived for a time on Riverside Drive, he was very Wentworth in day to day life. In 1943 he left Pulp writing for a government career that was pretty heavy, to say the least. He seemed, for example, to truly want to save the world and I think tried to. In some ways maybe he came close, hard to tell. Sounds incredible, but we are talking about the Spider.
He grew up in an old Southern family, the Pages arrived in Virginia very early on, 1652. Their first land grant became Williamsburg eventually and they had a lot to do with the founding of some of the major sites there, William and Mary, (which he briefly attended) and Bruton Parish Church are the main ones. A long line of revolutionaries, statesmen and writers as well. The popular Ante-Bellum novelist Thomas Nelson Page, for example, was a close relative.
Norvell started out as a journalist and wound up in New York after his writing had started taking off enough to make a move there make sense. He wrote for the Times and also the World Telegram, where Varian Fry, who spearheaded the International Rescue Committee, an operation that got a number of major artists and thinkers out of occupied Europe, was an editor at the time. Family rumor has it and considering his later government career it’s certainly plausible, that he got his start in intelligence work helping Mr. Fry. I’ve not yet been able to fully substantiate it but he was right there with Varian, was later an official intelligence worker as fellow writer Ian Fleming was and maintained a lifelong friendship with Max Ernst, the husband of Peggy Guggenheim, who funded the committee.
As you and your readers know, he became a tremendously influential and prolific Pulp writer; ‘the Batman’ first appeared in a Spider story (editor’s note-A character, different from the later, more famous one, named ‘Bat-Man’ appeared in the Spider Novel DEATH REIGN OF THE VAMPIRE KING, published approximately six years prior to the debut of DC Comics’ Batman) and he later also wrote two ‘Black Bat’ tales. He also wrote what’s considered a classic, ‘But Without Horns’, a story that explores the concept of a ‘superman’ but this time as a villain, and, of course, he created the Spider. It’s hard to imagine what comics would be like today without the vast imagination of Norvell Page playing such a heavy role in Pulp Fiction.
His career with the Government would probably be boring to read in an outline but he moved from Committee to Committee, clearly trying to make the world a better place as best he could; you can find an outline of that in his obituaries at my Norvell Page blog. He was one of the only members of these committee who remained in the Executive Offices of the President which I guess translates to real close to where all the action was. At the time of his death he was the Editor in Chief for the Atomic Energy Commission, and he was also one of the first six people appointed to that Commission. He died, unquestionably suspiciously, around the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
AP: What sort of family stories are there about Norvell Page? Can you share some insight into how he was as a man, a writer, a relative?
EB: Oh yes and the tales are as wonderful as his stories! The best one is that his parents had tickets for the Titanic and didn’t go at the last minute because, according to my Grandmother, Norvell, who I guess was 11 or so at the time, begged and insisted that they not. Good call.
Another tells of him rescuing all of them again from certain destruction. He was home for Christmas from college and it was back in the days when candles were still used for the trees. Well, I guess everyone had too much eggnog and someone forgot to put the candles out. The house caught on fire and Norvell somehow woke up. He didn’t panic but instead threw his mattress out his window, ran and grabbed my grandmother and my Great-Uncle Roger, then infants, shouted through the halls to wake everyone up and jumped with one of them under each arm out the window.
Last but not least, by the next Christmas he couldn’t bear to be away from Audrey, his high school sweetheart who the family didn’t approve of. He left William and Mary to elope with her. To keep his parents in the dark about what they’d done, he left letters with his room-mate describing how he was doing in college to be mailed, one a week, over the remainder of the semester. He then went to nearby Norfolk and told the editor of the paper there that he was 18 and had already been writing for the Times Dispatch in Richmond. They gave him, I believe, an editing job. And so his writing career began.
AP: Just how much was THE SPIDER a part of Page’s life?
EB: As far as I can tell he WAS the Spider.
AP: Was Page’s connection to THE SPIDER and to pulp in general an overall positive or were there any negative things as well?
EB: Positively positive! He seems to have made such wonderful friends and had such a fantastic time. It was probably also a huge outlet for all of the stress he must have been under, considering his probable role in the IRC and who knows what else; (he was, for example, on a German liner on its way to Austria when WWII broke out.)
The family, however, did not approve of Pulp Fiction or consider it a worthwhile use of his writing ability; that’s part of the reason no one ever talked about it. His father had wanted him to be the next Poe (who was also from Richmond and who had worked with my Great-Great Uncle, Lawrence Page on the Southern Literary Messenger), and seems to have been disappointed. He was too close to it to realize he actually sort of was the next Poe I suppose. So, in a way, that was probably a negative.
AP: How are you involved with THE SPIDER? How are you working to further the legacy of this character that you have a family tie to?
EB: I have a theater background as well as the aforementioned music and art and recently merged the three in a multi-media event I produced called Lonesome Liz’s Mojo Sideshow. The show was a tribute to and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the death of Norvell Page and the 75th Anniversary of his ‘Spider’ Series.
Norvell’s Ken Carter stories were released at that time and they included my favorite tale of his, ‘Satan’s Sideshow’ and also one called ‘Hell’s Music’, which I thought touched in an odd way my connection with the Hellbillies, (and I had the good fortune of having Hellbilly artists Cuzn Wildweed and J.B. Beverley (
http://www.myspace.com/waywarddrifters) as performers). It wasn’t a play of his stories but inspired by the way both of our imaginations unwittingly went in the same direction. The play was a Southern folklore interpretation of ‘Faust’ at its core, with the ghosts of Sideshow workers and historic figures, including Norvell, playing a part in my (the ‘Faust’) damnation.
There was an accompanying visual art exhibit to the Sideshow, which featured artists from all over the world, everywhere from Hazard, Kentucky to London! I was fortunate to have some amazing people participate – including Molly Crabapple (
http://www.mollycrabapple.com), a visual artist and entrepreneur who founded Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, (she’s also done some work with ‘Weird Tales’ and Marvel, the earth shattering ‘Scarlet Takes Manhattan’, for example), Katelan Foisy (http://www.katelanfoisy.com), another New York artist, painted me as ‘Faust’ for the exhibit, Wes Freed (http://www.wesfreed.com), who’s best known for his Drive by Truckers album and poster art was part of it; and many others. It was fantastic. A local sculptor contributed a giant black widow spider they hung from the ceiling with a banjo instead of a violin.
All of those remarkable creative minds, and many others, joined together in what was, I think a remarkable tribute to him. What’s so lasting about Norvell isn’t just his work but his influence on other artists and what I love most about the show is that it reflected that, albeit in perhaps an unexpected way.
I’d love to write Pulp stories or comics myself, maybe something that included 5 stories in 5 genres as a tribute to him. I’ve been turning ideas over for a while. The characters are there though. There’s a Lonesome Liz Hoodoo Detective, Katelan Foisy inspired a character named Penny Dreadful, a Western based on the Dodge City Gang; I’m sure it will happen in time.
AP: You are a writer yourself as well as a multimedia performer. Has The Spider influenced your own creative process at all, shown up in any of your work, etc.?
EB: He’s always there. I don’t quite know how to explain how he’s always there except we were raised with the same stories I suppose; have the same sort of brain. I think he probably shows up to some extent in all of the characters I’ve made up but some are more like him than others. The Goblin King, a central character in a fantasy series I’ve written, has elements of the Spider and the Batman that were deliberate, choosing Faust as the center of the Sideshow play was definitely because of his life and writing, he was very Faust in a way and making that production a Vaudeville style one was definitely due to Ken Carter, the idea of making Lonesome Liz a detective came from his detective stories, he’s all of it I think.
AP: Now, part of your background is in the paranormal field. Ever encountered anything that makes you think Page is looking in on things? Anything SPIDER related in your life or family you can’t really explain?
EB: Well, he was doing séances with a woman from the Dominican Republic, L. Ron Hubbard and Arthur Burks for years so I’m not surprised that there are odd things that occur from time to time. Family members and a few other people have seen a man in black standing by me a time or two, and they’re not family members who usually talk about or even believe in ghosts. One even described him as wearing a cape and I have to admit it did sound like the Spider. Funny thing was that was a relative who hadn’t read any of the stories and didn’t know what he looked like.
AP: Why do you think THE SPIDER has such appeal to the reading public?
EB: Because it was great writing. You care about the characters, they have depth, conflict, and they’re very alive. And it was so extreme! It was the bloodiest, most dire, most deadly Pulp fiction of all Pulp fiction! It was also the most bizzarre at times. Pulps were an escape, something to empower the powerless and what did that more, who did that more than the Spider?
AP: What about the rest of Page’s work? Can you discuss some of his other pulp work beyond THE SPIDER?
EB: It’s a wonderful tapestry of imagination. Whatever you’re into you’ll find it in Norvell’s stories. G-men, detectives, weird menaces, magicians, westerns, swords and sorcery, I have a hard time thinking of what sort of story he didn’t write! The Spider just happens to be what someone kept in print. There are other characters, other stories I think are a lot better or at least a lot more intriguing.
AP: Do you have anything past, current, or in the works, our audience might be interested in checking out? Any music, writing, work on Page’s life, anything at all?
Marvel Comics has always had a special relationship with New York City so today’s press release merely continues this. Check it out:
We know, we know, you’re weary and worn out, tired of all things political. But, we loved this show when it was first on the air and miss it terribly. Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) today announced all seven seasons of The West Wing are available for the first time in high definition exclusively through digital download on iTunes, Amazon Video On Demand and other online digital retailers. Winner of 30 Emmy Awards™ and two Golden Globes™, The West Wing aired between 1999 and 2006, giving viewers a fictionalized look inside life in the Oval Office. 
The 1970s was not a kind decade for live-action television based on comic book heroes. First there was the Cathy lee Crosby misfire of a [[[Wonder Woman]]] telefilm then there were the Reb Brown[[[ Captain America]]] telefilms.[[[Spider-Man]]] made it to prime time as a series but it didn’t resemble the comic in tone or style and died a swift death. But the absolute most mind-numbing and cringe worthy hours featured DC Comics’ stalwart heroes and villains.
Consider the simple comic book page.
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