Comics Interview — Issue #018

Comics historian John G. Pierce interviews Rod Reed, who served as executive editor of Fawcett's comics line from 1941 to 1943 and scripted many of the most humorous Captain Marvel stories of the Golden Age. Reed shares reminiscences about working with C.C. Beck and Kurt Schaffenberger (who ribbed him for writing too many mob scenes), recalls recruiting Bill Finger to write for Fawcett (who turned in 16 pages when paid for 15), and credits Bill Parker as the under-appreciated creator of Captain Marvel, Billy Batson, and most of the original Fawcett cast. He also reveals that he invented the city-visiting story format for Captain Marvel and takes credit for a behind-the-scenes editorial decision that inadvertently changed the name of a Mary Marvel character.

Part one of a wide-ranging interview with the young creator of ZOT!, conducted by Jim Salicrup with Kurt Busiek (a childhood friend of McCloud's) present. McCloud argues passionately that comics are a medium, not a genre, capable of far more than super-heroes, and discusses the influence of Japanese and European comics — particularly Osamu Tezuka — on his approach to visual storytelling and reader participation. He recounts how he developed ZOT! while working in DC's production department, shopped it to six publishers simultaneously (nearly landing at WaRP Graphics before settling on Eclipse), and describes the book's central theme as "hope — making hope work, making it practical." The interview is labeled Part One, with Part Two to follow in a later issue.

Suydam, a self-taught artist and Rockabilly musician living in Manhattan's East Village, discusses the origins of his grotesque-humorous Mudwog character (a nose that walks and talks), his frustration with Heavy Metal printing his strip chapters out of order, and his early career path through DC's House of Secrets and into Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated. He cites Steve Ditko, Frank Frazetta, EC horror artists (particularly Graham Ingels), Hokusai, and Norman Rockwell as key influences, and notes he has been hired to do concept design work for three film productions.

Condon, who came to DC from Delacorte Press (where Kurt Vonnegut was among his authors), explains his role as Managing Editor: scheduling, contract negotiation, liaison between editorial and sales/production, and vetting new proposals including graphic novel pitches from mainstream book-world agents and authors. He reflects on his surprise at how exciting and professionally serious the comics industry is compared to trade publishing, and expresses optimism that DC's fiftieth anniversary year and upcoming projects (he mentions Ronin) signal a creatively bright future. He keeps deliberate distance from story conferences, describing himself as "the one who carries the whip" on scheduling.

Marvel's Director of Specialty Sales gives a detailed account of her unconventional path into the industry — from Radcliffe geology graduate to Boston-area comic retailer, magazine circulation manager, and New Media Publishing/Distribution executive — before being hired by Mike Friedrich and quickly becoming Direct Sales Manager when Friedrich departed. She explains Marvel's multi-channel distribution strategy (direct market, newsstand via Curtis, and Marvel Books for chain stores), the co-op advertising and rack programs she created to support retailers, and the rationale behind the Waldenbooks deal as a tool for growing casual readers into committed direct-market customers. Kalish is candid that Marvel is not planning to become its own distributor, details the marketing logic behind launching the Star Comics kids' line despite thin margins, and argues that expanding the returnable marketplace is essential to the long-term health of the direct market.

DAK reflects on how modern technology — affordable tape recorders, photo-offset printing, laser color scanning, and computers — has made a monthly interview magazine like Comics Interview economically viable, arguing against the common narrative that technology is dehumanizing.