Comics Interview — Issue #013

Conway discusses his move from comics to screenwriting, focusing heavily on his and Roy Thomas's tumultuous experience co-writing the screenplay for Conan the Destroyer: five drafts for Dino de Laurentiis, three directors, and ultimately being denied co-screenplay credit by the Writers Guild despite receiving sole story credit. He also reflects on his comics work at DC, including frustration over DC's failure to promote Atari Force and Sun Devils, his burnout on Firestorm (which he is handing to his wife Carla), his revamp of the Justice League of America (streamlining the roster around Aquaman and new members), and the collapse of the JLA/Avengers crossover. He is enthusiastic about the current creative renaissance at both the major publishers and the new independent companies.

In a brief colloquy appended to the Conway interview, Thomas shares his measured views on Conan the Destroyer: the final film drifted far from what he and Conway originally intended, and he regrets key scenes — including essential plot exposition about the character Darkwolf — that were cut from Fire and Ice. He reflects that leaving Marvel's editor-in-chief role in 1974 freed him creatively, and he is now happily working at DC with the Justice Society and Captain Marvel. He sees the growth of multiple comics companies as vital to the field's maturity.

Rosa, a part-time writer/artist and construction company co-owner from Louisville, Kentucky, traces the full history of his fan strip The Pertwillaby Papers from its origins as a college newspaper strip through its run in Rocket's Blast Comicollector, and the evolution into the superhero-parody Captain Kentucky for a Louisville newspaper with a readership that dwarfed the best-selling issue of Spider-Man. He speaks passionately about Carl Barks as his primary artistic influence, his commitment to research and plot authenticity over flashy layouts, and his disdain for the price-guide era that he feels handed fandom over to speculators and dealers, destroying the hobby's original communal spirit. He hopes readers will support his professionally published Don Rosa's Comics and Stories as an alternative to the superhero mainstream.

Colon discusses his DC graphic novel The Medusa Chain, which he is writing, pencilling, inking, lettering, and coloring himself — a deliberate choice for creative control after years of having his careful pencils damaged by incompatible inkers. He reflects on nearly twenty-five years at Harvey Publications (drawing Richie Rich, Casper, and others), brief stints at Seaboard/Atlas and Marvel, and his editorial work at DC on The Flash (where he pitched the idea of the Flash killing someone and standing trial, boosting sales dramatically) and Green Lantern. He is candid about DC's New Talent Showcase being a "disaster," praises Neal Adams for fighting for creators' rights, and warns that Amethyst should remain a prestige project rather than becoming a monthly series.

Weaver, owner of Benders in Phoebus, Virginia, offers a ground-level retail perspective on the 1984 market. His best sellers are X-Men titles and New Teen Titans; independents like American Flagg and Jon Sable do well, while Archie titles languish. He notes that Japanese animation comics (*Astro Boy*, Captain Harlock) sell surprisingly well. He criticizes Marvel's "Special Edition Reprints" for undercutting back-issue sales on which specialty shops depend, and expresses hope that diverse subject matter from publishers like Eclipse will broaden comics' audience beyond superhero readers.

DAK solicits reader opinions on the magazine via an informal poll, asking fans which interviews they have liked most, who they would like to see covered next, and what improvements they would suggest, promising to publish the best responses and award free subscriptions for the best ideas.

(int. Lyman Rand) — Nichols, an XXX-rated film actress and Adult Film Association Best Actress award winner, discusses her lifelong passion for pulp magazines, science fiction, and comics. She grew up reading her parents' pulp collections and became devoted to the Silver Surfer, Vampirella, and H.P. Lovecraft; she cites Virgil Finlay as her primary artistic influence and works in scratchboard inspired by him. She recounts her early Hollywood work as a stunt double for Jessica Lange on King Kong, and describes her original comic character, Mr. Zen.