Comics Interview — Issue #037

Gerber describes his experience as story editor of the G.I. Joe animated series in 1985, explaining how he recruited comic-book writers to raise the standard of animation writing and push the show toward more complex, character-driven storytelling. He discusses several standout episodes, including a biting satire of Saturday-morning pro-social programming called "The Wrong Stuff." He also reveals that he and Frank Miller had pitched a far more radical Superman revamp to DC before the Byrne version was chosen, and that the deal fell through over the "Superman bake-off" concept and DC's refusal to grant them a creator share in a new Supergirl character.

Hama recounts how he was brought in at the inception of the relaunched G.I. Joe toy line to create dossiers, character bios, and the concept of Cobra (which Archie Goodwin named). He explains the storytelling philosophy behind the book's most popular characters — Snake-Eyes' power lies in his deliberate blankness as a projection surface — and defends the title against dismissive fan reaction, arguing that the fans "take it too damn seriously." He traces his artistic education from high school through working at Wally Wood's studio and meeting Neal Adams, and notes that he receives roughly 1,200 letters a week, many from women and girls who appreciate that the female characters are treated as full team members.

Dixon traces his animation career from Filmation through Ruby-Spears (Thundarr the Barbarian) and Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Mighty Orbots) to his role as story editor for the 1986 G.I. Joe season and story consultant on the G.I. Joe animated feature film. He explains how he devised the film's redemption-arc structure and created Serpentor's origin after being blindsided by Hasbro's introduction of the character mid-production, including two competing backstories that Hasbro wanted merged. He offers pointed commentary on network censorship versus syndication freedom, the hypocrisy of professional critics like Peggy Charren, and the misuse of the "gratuitous violence" argument.

Concluding a two-part conversation, Rubinstein discusses the difference between technically proficient and genuinely artistic inkers, citing Klaus Janson as the most innovative in the field, and his ongoing debate with Bill Sienkiewicz over the tension between expressionism and serving the source material. He defends Jim Shooter against industry criticism, describing Shooter's genuine care for quality and his personal role in negotiating favorable deals for creators. He also explains his decision to ink Don Newton's final DC job as an act of mourning, and talks about burnout, business pressures, and his assistant Kyle Baker's habit of hiding Bullwinkle in background panels.

DAK reflects on the love-hate relationship between publishers and distributors, noting that while some distributors actively support publications and pay promptly, others fail to even list titles and delay payments for years.

A letter from Italian editor Nino Bernazzali invites contributors to the renamed international magazine The Cartoonist, which will publish in three languages. A reader requests Stephen Bissette's opinion of the Swamp Thing film.