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Mark Waid, an Interview

posted by Matt Knicl at 1:43 am.

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alexrossart.com

Mark Waid is an author whose books are staples in many (like mine) comic collections. His most popular work, Kingdom Come, was illustrated by Alex Ross and continues to shape the direction of DC today (Current issues of Justice Society of America feature the Superman from this series). He has worked for DC and Marvel, taking the reigns of characters like the Fantastic Four and helping write 52, DC’s weekly series detailing the fallout from Infinite Crisis.

Currently, his work includes Brave and the Bold, a relaunch of DC’s team-up book as well as the limited series, Potter’s Field, which he wrote for BOOM! Studios, the comic publisher where he is now Editor. I spoke with him about his work and BOOM! Studios for an upcoming article in The Buzz.

There is EXCLUSIVE information here about an upcoming project! Okay, it’s just a title, but let me have my moment.

Matt Knicl: How did you come to BOOM!?

Mark Waid: I turned left at DC. No, seriously, I’d been approached by founders Ross Richie and Andy Cosby about finding some place where my editiorial skills can come to bear, and this seemed the perfect circumstance.

Matt: How do you think smaller publishers fare in today’s marketplace, especially in comparison with DC and Marvel?

Mark: I won’t whitewash it; it’s tough out there if you don’t have the words “Civil Countdown Initiative” plastered on your covers. But the market’s more receptive to non-super-hero material than it’s been in my lifetime, which is encouraging.

Matt: Are there any trends you have noticed in comic readers today?

Mark: A growing dichotomy. Hardcore super-hero fans seem to want more and more comfort and nostalgia in what they buy, while at the same time, the non-super-hero readers seem more hungry than ever for new concepts and horror and crime books, which is great for us.

Matt: Why do you think popular culture has suddenly become so welcoming towards comic books and graphic novels in the past few years?

Mark: Because Hollywood–the initiator and barometer of pop-culture tastes– is no longer being run by guys who think Batman is Adam West. It’s being run by grown-ups who read Watchmen, Dark Knight and Maus and know that comics can be a sophisticated storytelling medium.

Matt: What plans do you have for BOOM! in 2008?

Mark: The Godfather launch–untold tales of the Corleone family–will be huge for us. We’re relaunching our most successful anthology one-shots, CTHULHU TALES and ZOMBIE TALES, as ongoing monthlies headlined by stars like Joe Lansdale and Steve Niles [30 Days of Night]. We’re lining up a gangbuster slate of mini-series and graphic novels. We’re exploding.

Matt: Is there any conflict of interest working as Editor for BOOM! and as a writer for DC?

Mark: Not as long as I don’t put Wonder Woman in any of our comics.

Matt: Are there any dangers for smaller comic publishers?

Mark: How much time do I have to answer this? Look, every small business endeavor short of opening up another STARBUCKS is dangerous. Comics require a huge upfront outlay of cash to creators and printers before you get that money back from retailers. It requires meeting shipping schedules so you don’t get repped as fly-by-night. And vampires and werewolves live under your bed at night, there’s that, too. It’s a mine field. But nothing compares to the rush of assembling, from scratch, a comic you can be proud of.

Matt: What was your inspiration for Potter’s Field? Is there a possibility for more in that series?

Mark: Plenty of possibility; as soon as [Paul] Azaceta’s schedule clears, we’re in for more. I was inspired by the true tale of Hart Island and its graveyard for John Does. Every corpse has a story to tell.

Matt: Do you have any more titles for BOOM! in the future?

Mark: Me, personally? Lots. Nothing to announce quite yet, but I have a lot of things in my back pocket that I’m dying to turn into mini-series. Here, here’s an exclusive for you because you’ve been so nice: THISMANY. It’s a title. That’s all I can tell you right now. But it’s probably my next thing, and if you dug IMPULSE, you’ll like this.

Matt: In the recent Brave and the Bold you use some more obscure characters like H is for Hero and the Newsboy Legion. Why did you choose those heroes?

Mark: Because for every hero I put in B&B, there are ten more I love equally that I’d love to sneak in but I know can’t headline a book. So I pull in the third- or fourth-string guys whenever I can sneak them past Batman and Green Lantern.

Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.