Daredevil #1 Cover by Paolo Rivera

Fan-favorite writer Mark Waid has written for publishers including Marvel, DC, CrossGen, BOOM!, and many others with memorable takes on the Flash, Captain America, and Ka-Zar, as well as creating books such as Irredeemable and Incorruptible. Now, he is the writer of Marvel’s new Daredevil #1. Westfield’s Roger Ash contacted Mark to learn more about this new project.

Westfield: What appeals to you about the character of Daredevil? What can people look forward to in this new series?

Mark Waid: I love Matt’s can-do, won’t-be-defeated attitude. I love the paradox of a vigilante by night, lawyer by day. I love the urban noir of it. But most of all, I love Matt’s powers and am diving headfirst, more than we’ve seen lately, into what the world’s like to him on a moment-by-moment basis. There’s a LOT of Daredevil point-of-view action in this series, and not just the same old radar-sense effects. Heavy emphasis on sound effects, heavy plot emphasis on what Matt can and can’t detect with his enhanced senses. A focus on how in our screen-focused 21st century, how Matt’s powers are actually maybe NOT as useful as they were 15 years ago or so–not in an era where almost everyone communicates via smartphone….

What readers can look forward to is a new Matt with a new attitude. Rather than wallow in self-pity or depression over the horrific things he’s been through lately, he’s decided to stick his fingers in his ears (figuratively speaking) and ignore the recent past and go back to being an “earlier” Matt–charming, sly, witty, sexy, hungry for adventure. Unfortunately, the rest of the Marvel Universe, including Matt’s supporting cast, isn’t as eager to give Matt that chance. What he sees as a coping mechanism, they see as denial, and horns will lock very quickly.

Daredevil #1 Variant Cover by Neal Adams

Westfield: Is there anything you can say about some of the new characters who will be appearing in Daredevil?

Waid: My favorite is the new assistant D.A. who–like about a third of all New York–is utterly convinced that Matt is Daredevil despite his claims to the contrary. She’s constantly trying to get him to admit it–but not in a “Lois Lane trying to prove Clark is Superman” way. In a sexy back-and-forth way that’s almost foreplay to them.

Daredevil #1 Variant Cover by Marcos Martin

Westfield: You’re working with artists Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin on Daredevil. What can you say about their contribution to the book?

Waid: Oh, my God. Two better artists I could not be luckier to find. Both of them are reinventing the entire visual language of the book, and they’re both STUPENDOUS.

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Waid: Yeah. For those who like a darker book, fear not–there’s plenty of dark edge to the series still. We’re not turning Daredevil into Spider-Man. All we’re doing is tweaking the adventure-to-depression ratio a bit and letting Matt win again. We’re really excited!

Preorder

Daredevil #1

John Workman & Roger Ash

By Roger Ash

A few weeks back, I wrote about how much I like going to comic conventions. I got to indulge in that pleasure the weekend of August 28 & 29 when I attended the 11^th annual Baltimore Comic-Con. I love going to the Baltimore Comic-Con because it is one of the few shows that focuses specifically on comics. It’s also a unique show for me as I’ve been part of the convention staff for the past two years. I met convention organizer Marc Nathan a number of years back at a DC Comics function, and we hit it off and quickly became friends. Last year, Marc asked if I’d program the panels for him. I agreed. I guess I did OK as he asked me to do it again this year.

I always realized that putting together a convention was a lot of work, but until I became involved with the folks at Baltimore, I had no idea how much work. And honestly, that is really as it should be. If the folks behind the scenes do their jobs, as a convention guest, you shouldn’t even notice us. But if not for the work of people like Marc & Shelly Nathan, Brad Tree, Andie Trahan, Randy Tischler, Chris McClelland, Steve Conley, and hoards of volunteers, the convention wouldn’t happen and these folks deserve to be recognized. I was excited to learn of a new member to the convention staff this year in Reese Aaron Nathan, Marc & Shelly’s son who was born a mere two weeks before the convention. And he was around all weekend to keep us in line. This being my second year, I was more calm than last year and didn’t freak out when things didn’t go as expected. And trust me, things will not always go as expected. What’s important is how you deal with it. That’s a good thing to keep in mind whether you’re working at a convention or just living your life.

My personal theory on panels for conventions is to try to get something for everyone. Want to hear what your favorite publisher has to say? There were Marvel, DC, and IDW panels. Want to get some how-to advice? There was a digital art panel and Bob Schreck and Paul Pope talked about the editor/creator relationship. Want to hear your favorite creator talk about their work? There were spotlights on creators ranging from Terry Moore to Todd McFarlane to Denis Kitchen. Got your kids with you and want something they can go to? Mad artist Sergio Aragones is a good bet. Into comics history? There’s a spotlight on comics from the 80s and a look at Marvel’s Thor. No matter what your tastes in comics are, there will hopefully be a panel that appeals to you. That’s the way I always liked the programming when I first started attending conventions and so far that thought process has served me well.

My convention weekend began Friday afternoon when my flight arrived in Baltimore. After a short shuttle ride to the convention center, it was hugs and handshakes all ‘round as I met the rest of the convention staff, many of whom I hadn’t seen since the previous Baltimore convention. Then it was off to meet with the guys handling the set up for the panel rooms. I checked things out and all seemed to be in order and I learned pretty much everything I needed to know to make things go as smoothly as possible in the panel rooms. The rest of the day was spent helping out where I could, meeting with my more than able staff for the weekend (Tim, Dustin & Kevin) and making sure things were ready for the convention Saturday, saying hi to my roomie for the weekend (Matt Fox),and wandering the convention floor and saying hi to friends. The evening, as with any convention, was spent in the hotel bar meeting old friends, making new ones, and gabbing until the wee hours of the morning as beverages flow liberally.

Todd McFarlane talks to his fans

Saturday morning came quickly, but I needed to be at the convention center early to make sure all was ready. As we all worked to get things set up, we saw the line to get in grow longer and longer. It looked to be a big day, and the big draw of the day was Todd McFarlane, who made his first ever appearance at Baltimore and was only there for Saturday. The line for his signing was huge and his spotlight panel was packed. But that wasn’t all that was going on Saturday with DC and Marvel doing their big panels, spotlights on folks like Terry Moore, Denis Kitchen, and Michael Allred, a class with artists Howard Chaykin and Klaus Janson, and lots, lots more. If you’re a fan of Allred’s Madman, be on the lookout for a 20^th Anniversary special that he mentioned at his panel. It will include 20 single page stories featuring work by creators such as the Hernandez Brothers and Darwyn Cooke.

Saturday night were the Harvey Awards, which are named for classic creator Harvey Kurtzman and voted on by creators for creators. The Harvey’s are always a nice time with most people dressed to the nines and excellent food. You may have read about the awards elsewhere online, and you can see all the winners here. But I want to focus on a couple moments that will stick with me. First, this was the inaugural year for the Hero Initiative’s Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year award, which, accord to their web site “will recognize one person in comics each year who has demonstrated the generosity and integrity Dick brought to the charity and to the comic book community at large.” This being the first year for the award, they went with two recipients, Tim Sale and Jerry Robinson. Robinson’s acceptance speech was very moving and filled with accounts of how he has helped cartoonists around the world. Comic fans may know him as the creator of the Joker, but after listening to him speak, I could tell he felt that the work he did for others was his greatest accomplishment.

Walter & Louise Simonson

The moment that put the widest smile on my face was seeing Walter Simonson receive the Hero Initiative’s Lifetime Achievement Award. I’ve heard numerous stories about how Walter and his wife Louise, better known as Weezie, have helped others. They don’t do it for recognition, they do it because it’s how they are. I even have my own story about this. Walter agreed to let me to interview him for a Modern Masters volume even though he really didn’t know me aside from that I had interviewed him for Westfield. But he must have sensed I wasn’t some nut and would do my job well. Walter played a large part in me having my first book published. I’ll never forget that kindness and am proud to call him and Weezie friends. He certainly deserves this award and I’m so happy to have been there to see him receive it.

Street Fighter's Cammy

One look at the line waiting to get into the convention on Sunday and you knew that it was the day of the costume contest. The costume contest was started last year and was wildly popular. This year, it was amazingly even more so. You could clearly see the time and care most people put into their costumes. It was really pretty damn impressive. My personal favorite was the lady who was dressed as Cammy from Street Fighter. You can see her, and many others, in this nice montage someone posted of the costume contest on YouTube.

80s panel with John Workman, Louise & Walter Simonson, Marv Wolfman, Matt Wagner, Timothy Truman, and Mark Waid

But there were other things people could participate in on Sunday as well including a spotlight on Sergio Aragones; an 80s comics panel with Walter & Louise Simonson, John Workman, Marv Wolfman, Matt Wagner, Timothy Truman, and moderator Mark Waid (how’s that for an impressive lineup of talent?); Paul Pope and Bob Schreck talked about the creator/editor relationship; a fantastic art auction; and more.

Timothy Truman

You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t said much about the convention floor and that’s simply because working the panels didn’t allow me tons of time on the floor, although I did get some and had a great time while I was there. A few highlights for me included getting to meet artist’s artist, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. Ask most any artist working in comics and they’ll tell you how amazing Garcia-Lopez’s work is. But he’s never had a long run on a big book, so he has never been as widely recognized among comic fans. However, I was pleased to see a line at his table all weekend long. It was great to see him get the recognition he so richly deserves. I also got some time to talk with creator Timothy Truman. I asked him to do a sketch of his creation Scout for which, which he really went to town on. It’s fantastic! I also got to meet letterer/editor John Workman. If you’ve read Walter Simonson’s run on Thor, you’ve seen his lettering and sound effects there. I had interviewed John in the past but never actually met him. It was a pleasure to do so and he has some fascinating stories about comics history, because he lived them. I also got an old Dell Yogi Bear comic I needed, so I even added to my collection.

Looking back at the weekend, I had a fantastic time. I personally think this was my favorite Baltimore Comic-Con yet. The crowds both days were great and everyone I talked to said they had a wonderful weekend as well. I’m really looking forward to going back next year, and I hope some of you will join me there. If you do, I’m betting you’ll enjoy yourself.

Now, go read a comic!

Well, Christmas is over! Hope you had a great holiday season!

Of course, in the real world, the holidays are still several months away! But in the wacky world of comic book advance ordering, pretty much all of the industry’s major wares have already been offered up. Since the last three months have been SO packed with goodness, this month’s offerings pale a bit in comparison. Still, there’s plenty of great stuff if you dig around a bit, so here are my picks, along with a bit of commentary here and there since I haven’t had much chance to talk about current comics lately. On to it…

New Avengers #6

1. Avengers Titles: I am immensely enjoying most of Marvel’s recent Avengers books since The Heroic Age bannering began. (For those of you not playing along at home, The Heroic Age is not a crossover. The Heroic Age is the banner under which many of the Avengers (and other) titles have been thematically linked. All of the books work independently from each other under a common theme of heroic optimism after the very public defeat of Norman Osborn and his evil Avengers dopplegangers. Mostly.) My favorites of the bunch are the relaunched New Avengers by Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen, which comes pretty darn close to being the perfect superhero comic for me, and one of the few out there right now where the writing and artwork aren’t competing with each other for attention.

Which is what I think is happening in the flagship Avengers book. Bendis and John Romita, Jr. (whose work I normally love) aren’t meshing well together yet. Avengers #7 introduces the Red Hulk into the team, which will be good for JR Jr., who excels at the big bulky powerhouse characters (see: World War Hulk).

I’m also really digging the oral history of the Avengers that’s been winding its way though both of the key Avengers books, with Bendis providing character insight to stories that were produced before anybody cared about such things. I’m also greatly amused that Marvel is doing the oral history at all, because I pitched one about the JLA to DC’s book department over a dozen years ago — including actual published quotes from the original stories — and they looked at me like I was a bug. Then they asked me “What’s an oral history?” Bet they’re working on one now. Oral histories rock!

Uh, oh. Somebody dies in New Avengers #6. I’m guessing it will be one of the supernatural dudes (Dr. Strange, Son of Satan, or Brother Voodoo). You have to believe in magic!

I’m loving Avengers Prime for the Alan Davis artwork, but I’m wondering why the story has foolishly split Cap, Thor, and Shellhead into different realities, instead of working on the original premise of bringing the three characters together to resolve their differences. I’m also really enjoying Avengers: The Children’s Crusade, despite the fact that it seems like it’s the slowest produced mainstream title out there (far from it, actually). I think it will be worth it to finally catch up with Wanda, the Good Little Scarlet Witch Girl, and I hope that the popular character is redeemed a bit. Both story (Allan Heinberg) and art (Jim Cheung) are exceptional.

Thunderbolts #150

My other big fave is the revamped Thunderbolts, which is pretty much back to the original T-Bolts concept of villains working to reform/better themselves. In the original series, a bunch of ’em were already headed in that direction, and now the villains are a lot more amped-to-11 hardcore by writer Jeff Parker, with added wildcard potential (Man-Thing as transport?). The current issue is a big 96-page anniversary, with a 40-page lead story guest starring the original Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. Those are quite the anniversary guests! Hope there’s plenty of cake!

I’d also give props to

* Hawkeye and Mockingbird: one part Moonlighting, one part Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and a whole lot of dynamite!

* Invincible Iron Man: every issue better than the next — and did you read that Annual?! Can’t wait to see what writer Matt Fraction will do with Thor!

* Captain America: dragging a bit since Steve Rogers returned, but I think some interesting things will come out in the upcoming “The Trial of Captain America.”

I do have to mention that Heroic Age: Villains #1 is a pretty dumb title, when you think about it, and maybe pushing the concept a bit too far. While there may be a few unnecessary (or pushing it) titles under the Heroic Age banner, at least most of these books do actually have something heroic and positive about them, while most of Marvel’s Distinguished Competition’s Brightest Day bannered books are anything but “bright,” instead largely concentrating on torturing characters and wallowing in general unpleasantness. There seems to be a big disconnect between title and execution there. Don’t get me wrong — I was totally excited by the return of the 12 dead characters at the end of Blackest Night. But that lasted all of a week, until Brightest Day #0 started making their newly re-won lives miserable again. I’d hate to think that the “Brightest Day” concept was just manipulative hype and nothing more. Hope that changes soon!

Batman: The Dark Knight #1

2. New DC Comics Titles: DC mainstream rolls out four new superhero titles this month, two of which will drive fans batty!  Batman: The Dark Knight is a new ongoing monthly, written and drawn by David Finch (in his first writing assignment?) with inking by Scott Williams. Slated to focus more on supernatural and esoteric Bat stories, this new title kicks off with a six-issue arc that explores the ramifications of the murder of one of Bruce Wayne’s childhood friends . . . I’m sorry, but the title of Grant Morrison’s new book makes me laugh. It’s called Batman, Inc. I think it’s funny because I thought that DC was holding that title in reserve for the company itself, for when all their other imprints and character franchises ultimately fail, and Batman is the only thing left. It’s hard to tell what this title is going to be about from DC’s solicitation copy (which has been pretty generally useless for actual information in trying to decide what books to order lately), but it sounds like Batman may finally be cashing in on all that lucrative licensing of his name and trademark. Or something. At least it will look great, as Yanick Pacquette is drawing it! . . . Apparently, DC feels confident in putting Superboy back in his own regular monthly title again. The Superboy storyline in the recent Adventure Comics run was pretty awesome, but this book will be done by the new creative team of Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth) and “up and coming” artist Pier Gallo. The initial storyline will explore a side of Smallville that nobody knows about! (Probably not the sunny side!) . . . Just in time for DC’s experiment with the Red Circle characters (Mighty Crusaders) to go away forever, DC lunches yet another venerable old superhero franchise — the all-new adventures of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents! Written by Nick Spencer and drawn by artist CAFU, this new series will present brand new characters who will take over from the original Agents. They have to make some difficult choices — specifically,  will their new powers kill them? . . . Actually, there’s one more “new” superhero book this month, but it’s a Johnny DC book, and more of a relaunch. All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold continues the adventures of the Caped Crusader teaming up with just about anybody in the DCU, although we hear that the new emphasis will be on the “big guns” like Superman or Wonder Woman, rather than the quirky “fan-favorite” (but non-big-selling) characters of its previous incarnation. It’s now written by Sholly Fisch and illustrated by Rick Burchett.

Vampirella #1

3. Vampirella #1:  Honestly, I haven’t been a Vampi fan since the original Warren days a billion years ago, but I certainly recognize the importance of the character in the overall fabric of comics, so a new Vampirella #1 should be a pretty big deal. (Besides, I heard somewhere that vampires are hot right now!) This new Vampi series is written by Eric Trautmann and drawn by Wagner Reis, and since Dynamite is publishing it, it’s going to have ONE MILLION DIFFERENT COVERS!!! Okay, I may be exaggerating a little, but there will be covers by Alex Ross (2 of ‘em),  J. Scott Campbell, Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, Joe Madureira, and others. (NOTE: Due to possible limited availability, not all covers may be available from Westfied.) The first issue also features a “rare” Vampi story by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. (I like my bloody steaks medium rare, myself.) Sounds like something everybody can sink their teeth into! (NOTE: Westfield is not responsible for the condition of comics that you’ve sunken your teeth into.)

John Carter of Mars

4. Dark Horse Fantasies: Dark Horse is putting some great fantasy series back into print with a couple of new collections. John Carter of Mars features timeless work originally printed in the acclaimed DC Comics Tarzan and Weird Worlds series by a who’s who of fantasy greats including Marv Wolfman, Howard Chaykin, Murphy Anderson, Gray Morrow, Sal Amendola, and Joe Orlando. Meanwhile, Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone collects the long-out-of print comics adaptations of the first two Elric novels — Elric of Melnibone and The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, originally published by Pacific Comics and First Comics — adapted by  writer Roy Thomas and illustrated by artists P. Craig Russell and Michael T. Gilbert. Look for more details on these two great collections in Bob Greenberger’s upcoming previews here at the Westfield blog.

Shockrockets

5. IDW: Danny Husk: The Hollow Planet: Springing out of a recurring character from The Kids in the Hall, Scott Thompson’s Danny Husk debuts in an all-new graphic novel written by Thompson and Stephan Nilson and illustrated by Kyle Morton. In this new story, the unflappable everyman Danny Husk finds himself in a world where his average looks and demeanor make him an exotic and much-sought after individual. With the help of an oddball cast of characters, Danny must rescue his son and escape before the Prince of Mu has them all executed. Watch the blog for Roger Ash’s interview with Thompson for more details — It’s Westfield’s first audio interview! . . . Also from IDW this month, the third volume of Alex Raymond’s incredible Rip Kirby and Volume 2 of Jack Kent’s delightful King Aroo — both new classic comic strip collections from the Library of American Comics! . . . Plus, a personal favorite of mine is back in print (in a nice hardcover presentation for the first time). Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen’s Shockrockets, one of the best miniseries of its era, was originally published by the late, lamented Gorilla Comics. The Shockrockets are an elite squadron of hi-tech aircraft built with a fusion of alien and terrestrial technology and flown by the best pilots available. Operating on an unstable Earth after a devastating invasion from space, the Shockrockets are tasked with protecting the planet, a mission that becomes more intense when an rookie outsider joins the team after a freak accident and makes waves with the rest of the squad. Beautifully illustrated hi-flying action in a 160-page full color hardcover.

Captain America: Man Out of Time

6. Mark Waid: The Kid That No Longer Collects Comics is back to write the character that he was born to write in a new Marvel miniseries. Captain America: Man Out of Time is a five-part story examining in-depth the era just after the Avengers free him from the iceberg where he’s been in suspended animation for half a century. How will Steve Rogers adapt to the world of the 21st century? It’s illustrated by Jorge Molina (Avengers: Initiative) . . . If that wasn’t historical enough, Waid is also teaming up with the father of Marvel Comics himself — Stan Lee! — with a second new title for Boom! Studios — Stan Lee’s The Traveler. (Stan’s Soldier Zero #1 debuted last month.) The Traveler is another classic man-out-of-time story, as the mysterious Traveler battles the forces of evil and finds all of history — and the future — hanging in the balance! It’s drawn by Chad Hardin (Amazing Spider-Man) . . . If that wasn’t enough, Manic Mark is also writing new issues of his regular fan-fave Boom! series this month –  Irredeemable (#19) and Incorruptible (#12). Inconceivable!

Stan Lee Universe

7. The Stan Lee Universe: Speaking of Stan, if you’re new to comics (or just old and forgetful like me) and don’t really have a handle on the whole “Stan Lee mystique” thing, check out the new The Stan Lee Universe book, published by TwoMorrows. It’s edited/compiled by Roy Thomas (who was there) and Danny Fingeroth (a True Believer!) and promises to be the ultimate repository of Stan Lee ephemera (i.e. interviews, mementos, and trivia) from the Merry Marvel years — some of which comes from Stan’s personal archive and has never before been seen by the public. The book includes cool swag: Notes from Richard Corbin and Will Eisner on projects that never happened. Pages from Stan’s Silver Surfer screenplay for Roger Corman. Unpublished notes from Stan and Jack Kirby’s Silver Surfer graphic novel. Plus interviews and testimonials from John Romita (Sr. & Jr.!), Todd McFarlane, Roy Thomas, Dennis O’Neil, Gene Colan, Al Jaffee, Jerry Robinson, and others! Available in both 176-page softcover or 192-page hardcover (with dustjacket and 16 pages of material not in the softcover). Face front, effendi!

Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition

8. Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition: The rabbit ronin is celebrating his 25th Anniversary this year, and to celebrate, Fantagraphic Books is publishing a massive 1,200 page, two-volume slipcased hardcover which will serve as the complete omnibus for all of the the character’s earliest adventures — basically the first seven volumes of Usagi Yojimbo, plus lots of bonus material. This will include two Usagi/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover stories, tons of sketches, a full-color cover gallery, and a lengthy career-spanning interview with award winning creator Stan Sakai. It’s not often that charm, whimsy, and epic saga are all part of the same work, but Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo not only combines but defines all of these qualities. It’s a prodigious achievement in comics, and this is your chance to get in from the very beginning.

Return of the Dapper Men

9. Return of the Dapper Men: It’s Anorev, a world between time where machines have worked so long that it’s become play and the clocks have all stopped at the same time, until the day that 314 dapper-looking gentlemen rain down from the sky to start the world again. Now Ayden, the only boy to still ask questions; Zoe, the robot girl all other machines hold dear; and the Dapper Man known only as “41” must discover what happened to make time stop, and to learn what “tomorrow” really means. The sun is setting for the first time in memory, and once that happens everything changes. Return of the Dapper Men is a 128-page hardcover all-ages graphic novel by writer Jim McCann and artist Janet Lee and published by Archaia. Not only is the concept fascinating, Lee has a unique art approach that includes decoupage — which means that her original pages, instead of being the usual paper, are actual blocks of wood! Roger Ash recently spoke to the creators about this new work and that interview — with many more details about the story — will be right here at the blog soon! Be sure to check it out — before we all run out of time!

10. Try something new. No, really. I dare you.

And you pick. Don’t just listen to my picks. Try something new, or something you’ve heard good things about — not just the stuff you normally look at. You might be missing something really big!

Don’t follow leaders, watch the parking meters.

Then write and tell me about it. (Yes, it’s homework. September is back-to-school month, remember?) But when you find something really cool, the best thing you can do is share it.

KC CARLSON asks the musical question: Is it time for the comics industry to have its own self-help book? Giving Up the Ghost: When It’s Time to Lay Your Tired Old Comic Book Character (or Franchise) Down to Sleep (Instead of Relaunching It Over and Over Again). Does comics need a Dr. Kevorkian? Or do comic book publishers think that Euthanasia is a great title for a new war comic about new recruits set in Iraq or South Korea?

As always, Westfield disavows any knowledge of my actions.

KC

by KC Carlson

Long-time comics writer and editor Mark Waid said something interesting on Twitter the other day:

“Annnnd today was the day I stopped reading super-hero comics. One that I won’t name finally broke me. Collection stops as of now. No joke.”

He went on to clarify, as others responded to him:

“It’s not one bad comic. It’s the unbearably last in a long string of bad comics.”

“…It’s been building. I didn’t say they were all bad. I said I’ve reached a limit.”

“…I LOVE comics. And I LOVE super-heroes. And I’ll keep writing ‘em. But there is a new, recent cynicism to many of them that I find exhausting and mean-spirited and uninspiring and life-denying.”

“Lotta good super-hero comics out there. Grant’s stuff. Bru’s stuff. Fraction’s Iron Man. Etc. My issue is much deeper than that.”

Reactions ran the gamut of outright anger (from those who thought Waid was somehow betraying the cause of superhero comics, I guess) to endless speculation on what comic it was that set him off (ultimately pointless, except for further gossip fodder) to a lot of folks silently (or not so) agreeing with him.

Granted, this probably wasn’t the best forum for such a pronouncement, and it probably wasn’t particularly calculated. Those of us who personally know Mark (jeez, I’ve known him for over 20 years now) know that he can be emotional, especially about things that he loves, and when he reacts, he may go too far. He’s very passionate about comics — and Rao knows the comics industry today could use more actual, honest passion. His reaction is the opposite of the exhausting, mean-spirited, uninspiring cynicism we see in the kind of superhero comics he was talking about — much of which has been thrown back at him in response.

Why are readers overreacting to this simple statement by one man? We’ve all known fans who hit a point where they felt burned out or contemplated dropping a title, a franchise, or the hobby altogether. Maybe this is just Mark’s way of saying this time, he’s the one thinking of taking a break. But in his case, it’s different.

Mark Waid has become in many folks’ minds Mr. Superhero Comics. He’s been their champion, the tireless defender of the four-color hero. The uber-Fanboy. The ultimate fan-turned-pro. The kid with the most comic books in America. The guy who has the bottle city of Kandor in his living room, next to his key to the Fortress. The one with the kind of career comic fans dream of, writing all his childhood heroes and running a successful comic company.

It’s as though Santa Claus called a press conference to say that Christmas has become too commercial.

Actually…

I doubt very much that Mark is completely and finally done with superhero comics. For one thing, he’s got so many friends in the industry that he’ll probably want to keep up with their careers. Because that’s what friends do. I do think he will take a break from certain comics for a while — especially the ones currently driving him crazy. I’m actually doing some of that myself and consider it a reasonably healthy thing to do from time to time.

Imagine that you hear that your childhood friends are now criminals, into hard drugs, associating with bad people or worse — actually killing people. It would be difficult to be around them — possibly illegal as well — but you want to be able to do something for them, if you can. It’s very easy to see Waid’s blast as a warning shot across the bow — a relatively harmless act intended as a call for action and attention. Or put another way, an intervention of sorts for the current caretakers of our childhood friends.

If Waid is concerned about the state of superhero comics today, what does that mean for those who still buy and read them. Should we all reconsider our hobby?

Keep Your Love Alive

It seems weird to say this at a blog mostly devoted to selling you new comics (and I give Westfield a lot of credit for allowing me to say this), but often, the best thing that you can do if you don’t consistently like the comics that you are currently reading is to stop buying them. Seriously. The trick is to remember that with literally hundreds of new comics every month, there’s always something different to try. It’s unlikely that you’ll come to hate all comics, especially if you’ve been reading for a while and love the artform of comics. Growing out of certain comics — or just taking a vacation from them for a while — is a sign of maturity and an indication you’re ready to try something new. That’s why all the folks here at Westfield love to point you in the direction of something different to seek out — sometimes even by the same publisher of the series you’re thinking of dropping.

There’s a British proverb that “a change is as good as a rest.” If you try something different, taking a break for a few months from your old favorites, you’ll return refreshed, with new eyes, better able to appreciate what brought you to them in the first place. Or maybe you won’t — but you might find something you like even better. Don’t keep following the same old habitual ruts. That will just make you hate something you used to love.

Here are a couple of case studies from personal experience. Back in the late 70s/early 80s, I was a complete and total superhero freak. (It was hard not to be — superheroes were practically the only thing being published at that time.) Both Marvel and DC had a pretty captive audience during those days, and while both had some great titles, a lot of stuff from that era wasn’t too exciting. At that point in time for me, the only reliable source for comics was a comics store about 40 miles from the city I was living in. So, every Friday (new comics day back then), I would make the trek to and from the comics store to get new comics.

One Friday, I arrived at the comics store only to discover that there weren’t any new Marvel or DC comics — I had forgotten that it was a “skip week”. (Back then, in months with five Fridays in them, the last Friday of the month was “skip week”. Marvel and DC were locked into a four-week shipping cycle per month, and during that fifth week, no new Marvel or DC comics were shipped.) I was pretty mad about making the long trip and having nothing to buy.

Cerebus

Smartly, the store owner showed me some new, independently produced comics that had just come in. Both were black-and-white, and one was hysterically funny while the other had some really beautiful artwork in it. Both of the books were from genres that really didn’t interest me much — fantasy and sword and sorcery. But these looked interesting, and since there was nothing else to buy, that day I went home with the first few issues of both Elfquest and Cerebus — both of which I loved so much I ended up buying every issue of both series until they ceased publication many years later. They also opened my eyes to the world of indy comics — which was just beginning to boom in a very big way — as well as other types of comics beyond superheroes.

Kingyo: Used Books

For my wife Johanna, a completely different form of comics saved her from a waning interest in superheroes. About a decade ago, she was getting bored with what she was reading, almost to the point of giving up comics altogether. Then an editor assigned her a manga to review, and that was her entry into a new, exciting format with different subject matter. The then-exploding manga boom made available a huge — and vastly different — range of subject matter. Many of the titles that she found were directly aimed at female readers — something that American comics have been traditionally bad at (unless you’re a woman who enjoys gothic horror).

The funny thing is, the particular series she started reading, she wound up hating. By the time the 12th and final book rolled around, she’d outgrown the story (which didn’t go anywhere positive), but she kept trying other works in the format and found some lifelong favorites. Now, Johanna’s love for manga is on display, along with comments on all kinds of comics, at ComicsWorthReading.com (where I occasionally stop by with comics or animation reviews, as well).

Do you have a story about a positive change you made in your reading habits? Don’t forget that we have a comments section below for you to share your stories. (Please don’t use it solely to complain about comics you dislike. There are literally dozens of other forums around the internet where you can do that. Thanks!)

Sending a Message

There’s another benefit to shaking up your buying habits. If you don’t like the direction a favorite title is taking, voting with your wallet is the best way to make your feelings clear. Emailing or sounding off at online message boards is cheap and easy — and offers slim chance of even being noticed by anybody who can actually change things. A classic 80s comic editorial made the case that the only way a publisher can tell what fans like or dislike is voting with your wallet.

These days, everybody with internet access has an opinion, but unless they’re doing it on their own time, no comic company has the staff to go out and look at everything said about their comics on the internet, much less note it for later or respond to it. A lot of comic fans think that what they say has a lot of impact with what the publishers do and think. Nothing could be further from the truth. While it might be possible to sway a creator or an editor (and you’re crazy if you think that most line editors actually have power to make or change policy decisions) to your line of thinking, publishers and decision-makers turn to the bottom line to make most of their decisions. If their latest comic tanks in sales, that means the book is canceled or the publisher scrambles to make editorial or creative changes to save the book. If sales indicate that it’s a hit, then the publishers have really no other choice to think that they have a success on their hands, and there’s absolutely no reason to make any changes whatsoever.

Thus, you vote with your wallet — if you buy (and continue to buy) comic books that you think are bad, you are actually telling the publishers that you think the comic is good. And why would they change a good thing?

All of this — and especially the phrase “Vote with your Wallet” — was much more elegantly explained (I think, unless my memory is completely gone) in a regular text feature called “Meanwhile…” published sometime in the latter part of the the 1980s in many DC comics. Its author was DC’s Executive Editor at the time, Dick Giordano. Dick was a very strange comics executive in that he did not want to publish bad comics — only good ones. He wanted to earn your money, an idea he strove to inspire in all the people who worked with him.

(I spent hours in the comic vault looking for this specific Meanwhile… column, until I came right up against deadline. I would be very grateful to those with a better memory than mine — or more time to search — for more information on this particular column.)

_____________ Is When You Keep Doing the Same Thing Expecting Different Results.

It’s understandable that people operate out of habit. It’s comfortable to stick with the same old favorites. Plus, as comic fans, many of us are infected with that weird “collector mentality”. We think we need every issue or appearance of our favorite characters. But it’s so unnecessary. We also keep buying issue after issue of comics we no longer enjoy because we keep hoping “maybe this one will be better.”

We now live in an age where most everything that’s worth reprinting already has been (or will be soon). Further, it probably already exists somewhere electronically, and hopefully soon everything will be legally downloadable (and hopefully the artists and writers will continue to be compensated for their work).

If you stop buying a series and regret it later, you will be able to find it again somewhere, eventually. If it was bad, you will find it for cheap somewhere online, or in a quarter (dollar) box at a con. If it is good, it will be reprinted in some highfalutin’, super-expensive format (which will decrease the perceived value of the actual comic, which as soon as it is reprinted will suddenly be available everywhere as a back issue). And when the series does get better (they usually do), you’ll hear about it right away. That’s one thing the internet is really useful for.

Take the chance. If you don’t like what you read — read something else. PLENTY of good stuff out there every week.

(By the way, in case you’ve never heard the little adage that is this section’s subhead, the missing word is “Insanity.”)

The Wrap-Up

New Avengers

Ironically, for the first time in a couple of years, there are a number of current titles that are actually propelling me to the comic shop every Wednesday, making it more than just a weekly chore. Many of these are Avengers-related books under the Heroic Age banner. For me, a lot of these books show great promise in combining traditional heroic values with modern-day storytelling, without feeling like they’re retreads of the Silver Age.

One of the best things about comics is the diverse amount of material that’s available. I don’t particularly like zombies that much, but I’m happy that zombie fans have a number of different options to choose from if they want to read a comic book about zombies. Same goes with vampires, who are immensely popular among a lot of readers.

Same even goes for superheroes. They aren’t all for me. Some — like Kick-Ass or The Boys — take things to such an extreme that I question whether these characters are even heroic at all. But they still have a place in the world of comics. I don’t really care for those comics’ particular world-view, but I don’t begrudge those that do. I don’t have to read or buy those comics, and it’s great that there’s an outlet for those who enjoy those kind of stories or characters.

_________________________________

KC CARLSON regrets the interruption of the ongoing look at comic book storytelling, the Never-Ending Story. But as you’ll see as we get back to the history of 1986 and beyond (in two weeks), you’ll discover that aspects of what was discussed here today is a part of  the wrap-up of that history.. And, as always, his opinions are his opinions alone.

Hugs and kisses for Johanna for saving my butt on this one, as there was so much I wanted to talk about here that my brain came close to exploding (again). If you understood and liked this column, that’s her fault. If you hated it, it’s mine.

Bonus points for those who get the reference buried in the title. Hint: I can’t tell a joke.

Don’t forget to share your stories about discovering new comics!

The Cerebus cover comes from the Grand Comics Database.

Heroes Con floor Saturday afternoon

by Roger Ash & KC Carlson

Hi! In case you’re wondering where we’ve been (c’mon, play along), we just spent a wonderful weekend at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC. Convention organizer Shelton Drum put together one heck of a show that had something for everyone. If you’ve only been to conventions with a big publisher presence, you’d be in for a surprise at Heroes. There was everything from web comics, superheroes, to autobiographical comics. The only large publishers who had booths at the convention were Boom and IDW. There was still a DC and Marvel presence at the show through panels and creators, but this isn’t a publisher-centric show.

However, if you were looking for back issues, or any sort of comic-related merchandise from hoodies to statues to hats, you could find it in the excellent retailer section. If you wanted to meet your favorite creators, Heroes had a wonderful guest list and was a great place to get a sketch or get a book signed. In fact, because everyone was so approachable, everything Roger brought with him to be signed was done by the end of the day Friday. What was cool about the guest list is that was that it was a nice cross section of creators. Whatever kind of comics you’re into — indy, superhero, web, or anything else — there were sure to be creators there whose work you enjoyed. Names included J. Scott Campbell, Brian Bolland, Jeff Parker, Steve Lieber, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, Guy Davis, Mike Mignola, Roger Langridge, Kate Beaton, and many, many others. What’s interesting is how many creators there have worked for both mainstream and indy publishers. For the most part, the way things were set up, it was often easy to have a nice chat with your favorite creator as well as get your comics signed.

A sculpture in the hotel. Any guesses as to what it is?

The talk of the convention seemed to be DC’s Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #3. If DC’s intent with that issue was to get people talking, they succeeded wonderfully. However, if they wanted to get people talking about it positively, they failed, as we didn’t hear any good comments about that issue all weekend long. Instead, we heard lots of recommendations for Marvel’s Heroic Age for a refreshing take on heroing.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend to be a comics fan. Now, we’re going to split things up and give you some personal thoughts on the show.

June Brigman

Roger sez: This was my first time at Heroes, and I’m glad I went. So often I go to conventions because I’m working for Westfield or running panels at Baltimore. It was nice being a fan for the weekend. High points for me included meeting artists Brian Bolland (The Killing Joke, Camelot 3000) and June Brigman (Power Pack, Brenda Starr). While I had interviewed them both previously, I had never met them in person. It was great to be able to chat with each of them for a little bit. Unexpected pleasures included meeting Roger Langridge (The Muppet Show, Fred the Clown) and Kevin Maguire (Justice League). I admire both creators’ work and was glad to have the opportunity to meet them. Given the genius of their art, I was pleasantly surprised to note how modest each was. They deserve to have much bigger audiences.

Janet Lee shows off a page from Return of the Dapper Men

I also spoke with Jim McCann and Janet Lee about their upcoming book Return of the Dapper Men, which will be published by Archaia later this year. Janet’s art for this book is amazing, and I guarantee you’ve never seen anything quite like it before. For one thing, all the art is done on blocks of wood.

I attended a few panels, including spotlights on Brian Bolland and Beasts of Burden creators Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson. Both sessions were moderated by Tom Spurgeon and featured interesting looks at the creators and how they work as well as how they view their work. To whet your appetite, Evan and Jill mentioned that there is a Hellboy/Beasts of Burden crossover on the way.

Jim McCann

The other panel I attended was Mondo Marvel, at which editor Bill Rosemann, associate editor Lauren Sankovitch, and writers Christos Gage (Avengers Academy), Paul Tobin (Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man), Jim McCann (Hawkeye & Mockingbird), Jeff Parker (Atlas, Thunderbolts), and Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four, SHIELD) took questions from the audience. It was a welcome opportunity for fans to talk to Marvel creators about their work. There were some fun news items that sneaked their way into the conversation as well. Dr. Strange and Dr. Voodoo will be appearing in New Avengers #1. When asked if She-Hulk Jennifer Walters would be getting a book again, the response was basically, “Be patient.” And if Jeff Parker and Paul Tobin have their way, Woodgod will be returning to the Marvel Universe. That’s a BIG “if.”

Overall, I had a fantastic time at Heroes and was reminded why I love this crazy industry we call comics so much.

KC sez: I, on the other hand, am a old hand at convention-going, probably attending well over 100 conventions – large and small – since I first started in the 1980s. Most of those I worked at – either sitting behind a table at a DC Comics, Capital City Distribution, or Westfield Comics booth; actually selling comics for various comics retailers over the years; or running around like a crazy person supervising the panel rooms or other odd jobs for several years at the Baltimore Comic-Con. These days, I’m happy to not be working shows so much, so I can treat attending shows like a vacation, most of which I spend catching up with old friends. I think this was probably my 13th or 14th time at Heroes, so I had a lot of people to catch up with.

Jeff Parker

I “worked” the show a lot differently than Roger. Instead of seeking out autographs or sketches, I was more interested in handshakes/hugs and good conversation – all of which were in generous supply at Heroes (as they always are). Much time was spent talking to good folks like Jeff Parker (check out the Heroic Age versions of Thunderbolts and Atlas, if you haven’t already), Jim Amash (chatting about his book on Sal Buscema and serialized interview with DC editor/writer George Kashdan currently running in Alter Ego), Jose Marzan, Jr. (one of my fave Superman inkers, we spoke about Dick Giordano romance covers and Dan DeCarlo, of all things), Bob Schreck (checking up on each other’s health issues and life at IDW), Kevin Maguire (an old DC bud who I haven’t seen in close to a decade), Mark Waid (our traditional two-minute conversation before he blew me off — he’s evil, you know), Rob Ullman (who lives in the same city as me and yet we only seem to chat at comics shows), Mike Lieb (Legion fan supreme, who caught me up on his latest Legion commissions), and dozens of others.

The only panel I got to attend was the brilliant Defective Comics: A Celebration of Superhero Oddness. Ben Towle and Craig Fischer assembled this multi-media tour de force. The high point of the panel was the discussion with an eclectic bunch of folks who have been known to deconstruct (as well as produce) superhero comics over the years: Jeff Parker, Evan Dorkin, Colleen Coover, and Chris Pitzer. There was already a good chance that this panel was going to be one of the high points of the convention, but it quickly went off the rails and propelling itself into something a bit more legendary. There were early clues that something might be up – Dorkin sat for several minutes early in the panel with his head in his hands, before erupting into a brain-warping, stream–of-consciousness rant/deconstruction of comics history, comics fans, and comic panels themselves. With Parker and Coover occasionally chiming in (preventing Dorkin from completely hyperventilating), topics ranged from why anyone would even date Archie Andrews, much less actually marry him, to the inability of the big two to produce anything for a general audience that isn’t dependent on decades of continuity, to out-and-out rants on Stan Lee and much discussion (and condemnation) of DC’s most recent issue of Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal. With Parker summarizing the “plot” in the most monotone matter-of-fact-way while Dorkin provided pantomime for the hard-of-thinking, it was one of the most brutal (and well-deserved) public floggings of a recent comic book that I have ever seen. (As well as gut-bustlingly funny.) Amazing stuff.

That’s not even all the content Ben and Craig put together. They also included clips of the weirdest superhero movies you’ve never heard of and some additional discussions we weren’t able to stay for. (Unfortunately, my wife Johanna Draper Carlson was having a bad reaction to a convention hot dog.) That kind of smorgasbord panel was a great metaphor for the convention overall.

Occasionally a fight would break out such as this tussle between the Red Skull and the Black Panther.

The Heroes show is so packed with things to do that you can’t possibly do everything – so I regularly met up with Roger, Johanna (who was having her favorite show in a long time – check out her con report at ComicsWorthReading.com), and blogger Tim O’Shea (Robot 6, TalkingWithTim.com). Since all of us had different experiences of the show, chatting frequently with them was like being able to see the whole thing! If you’ve been thinking about attending your first convention and are looking for a low-stress, amazingly friendly atmosphere, you can’t go wrong by marking your calendar for next year’s Heroes Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. And that goes double for all you folks who usually just do the humongous high-pressure shows, where you have to stand in line for hours just to get a signature and maybe a “Hi, how are you?” At Heroes, you stand a really excellent chance of meeting – and actually having a conversation with – your creative heroes! Hey! I wonder if that’s how it got its name!

*KC Carlson knows that the show is actually named after the sponsoring retailer, Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find. But he likes his version too.

Even the Dazzler joined in the fun.

We spent a lot of time here

But we were wary of the flavors of Jeff Gordon.

Flash #0

by Josh Crawley

In honor of New Avengers #61 shipping this week, I’d like to talk about Mark Waid’s first run on The Flash.

I know that seems like an odd leap to make, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

Remember my column a few months back, Collecting in the Beginning? Well, before Waid and Ron Garney brought some much-deserved attention to Captain America, Waid had been crafting some amazing stories on DC’s slightly more symmetric of their Scarlet Speedsters, Wally West.

I don’t recall the exact reason I decided to ask a friend to buy Flash #0 for me. I do know I wasn’t regularly making the half hour trip to Madison to buy comics (at Westfield Comics), but I don’t know why I would’ve even wanted that issue. I hadn’t bought many DC comics at that point in my life, and it isn’t like the internet was quite as prevalent then as it is now. Maybe it had something to do with the Zero Hour #0 retelling of origins of characters. Why am I still babbling about this? No clue.

Flash #0 is one of my favorite comics ever. It very well may be one of the best comics ever, too. Waid was joined on art by his regular Flash collaborator Mike Wieringo, who’d settled into drawing what I consider the iconic Wally West: fun and youthful but mature, cartoony but believable, and topped with sideburns and a pompadour. Sadly, this would be the last issue of Flash Wieringo would draw, though he went on to do plenty of other great work, including some great Flash covers!

The issue reads as a great stand alone story, yet it still answers a question Wally had been asking himself for a number of the title’s preceding issues. It also leads into the next storyline: Terminal Velocity!

In Terminal Velocity (Flash #95-100), we’re treated to the return of Impulse (who made his debut in Flash #92-94, collected in the Impulse: Reckless Youth softcover along with Impulse #1-6), who’s now being trained by Wally. Also, Kobra is in town, there’s a plethora of speedsters, and Wally names the successor to the mantle of the Flash! His motivation? The love of his life, Linda Park.

Yeah, I’m a sap. Whatcha gonna do about it?!

The art in this storyline is primarily by Salvador Larocca, but we also get treated to Carlos Pacheco and someone who would soon be a regular artist on the title: Oscar Jimenez. Others who shouldn’t go without being named are Jose Marzan, Jr on inks, Gina Going on colors, the amazing Gaspar Saladino on letters, and all edited by Brian Augustyn. I’m sure I’ve left someone out, and for that I apologize.

I can’t easily recommend you buy Terminal Velocity, however, because DC felt some reason to let it go out of print. Lame. I’m going to blame Dan Didio, Geoff Johns, and Barry Allen, though I swear there’s no hard feelings!

Race Against Time

And now that I check, Dead Heat is out of print, too. Dead Heat was a crossover between Flash and Impulse titles (issues 108, 109, 110, 111 and issues 10 & 11, respectively) that featured the death of a speedster! Anyone reading Blackest Night: Flash can probably guess who. Dead Heat leads directly into Race Against Time, which is in print!

Race Against Time has more art by Jimenez, as well as some by a young Jim Cheung! It also features the return of future-Flash John Fox, who first appeared in an earlier Flash Special #1 way back in 1990.

Since buying all of these trades, I’ve gone back and read more Waid work on the Flash in single issues, as well as the Return of Barry Allen (in print!) and Born to Run (essentially Wally West Year One; not in print) softcovers. The new edition of Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told, while it not only has a vast majority of stories different from the first edition, also ends with another great Wally West Flash tale by Waid, Wieringo & company.

If for some reason I ever lose all of my belongings, these would be on the short list of things I’d have to replace. They really are that damn great.

And so ends the column for this week. Want more of me running my mouth? Check Twitter. Need to tell me something? Email & post info below!

josh@westfieldcomics.com

Westfield Comics
ATTN: JOSH
7475 Mineral Point Rd STE 22
Madison WI 53717
______________________
Josh Crawley is the tenured Master of Disaster for Westfield Comics, not to be confused with Josh Crawley, the keyboardist for Everclear.

The cover to Flash #0 came from The Comic Book Database.

Strange #1

Mark Waid is one of the most popular writers in comics today. Among his many credits are memorable runs on DC‘s The Brave & The Bold and Flash, and Marvel‘s Fantastic Four and Captain America. Currently, he’s one of the writers on Amazing Spider-Man and he’s the Editor-In-Chief at Boom! Studios where he writes new adventures of Pixar’s The Incredibles as well as several creator-owned books. This month, he chronicles the new adventures of Stephen Strange, formerly Dr. Strange, in Marvel’s Strange. Westfield’s Roger Ash recently got in touch with Waid to learn more about this mini-series.

Westfield: What about the character of Stephen Strange appeals to you?

Mark Waid: That he’s a thinker. A learner. A man who’s dedicated his life to personal betterment, only to have had to start again at the bottom more than once and rebuild himself. That makes him one of the deepest, richest characters in the Marvel Universe.

Westfield: What can you say about the Strange mini-series and the characters who will be appearing in it?

Waid: So far, we’re trying to stay away from Stephen Strange’s old nemeses and get into some new, slightly less cosmic threats. The main thrust of the series is that it’s told from the point of view of Stephen’s newest student, a young, somewhat nerdy woman who knows nothing about him and isn’t sure she even believes in the magic he represents. Plus, to her and to our eyes, he’s not exactly at the top of his game anymore; he’s a little broken-down, a little more unpredictable.

Westfield: You’re working with artist Emma Rios on the book. What can you tell us about your collaboration with her?

Waid: She’s a colossal talent. I first took notice of her at Boom!, where my managing editor, Matt Gagnon, had found Emma to illustrate the excellent mini-series Hexed written by Michael Alan Nelson (collection on-sale now!). Once she was on Marvel’s radar, I knew we couldn’t hold her down at Boom! for long, so I did the next best thing – I pulled a few strings and made a few requests to make sure I got to work with her! She’s phenomenal, she really is; a student of Steve Ditko with a very modern, very appealing style. And she’s not easily creeped out by some of the horror in this series; in fact, looking at her character designs, I suspect she’s got quite the dark side to her!

Westfield: Are there any other projects you’re working on that you’d like to mention?

Waid: Irredeemable is still going strong at Boom!, and next month sees the debut of The Unknown, Volume Two: The Devil Made Flesh!

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Waid: Just that I’m having a ball writing Stephen Strange. I keep wanting to call him “Doctor,” but in this series… the Doctor is Out!

Purchase

Strange #1