Comics Interview — Issue #039

Part two of a multi-issue interview covering DeMatteis's Marvel career: his struggles finding his voice on Defenders, Marvel Team-Up, and Captain America, and his eventual creative breakthrough with the Gargoyle limited series and the Epic series Moonshadow. He discusses the controversy over Moonshadow being labeled potentially pornographic, argues passionately that the future of comics lies in creator-owned work outside the mainstream superhero square, and singles out Frank Miller, Alan Moore, and Steve Gerber as exemplars of the driven, personal vision that makes great comics. He also previews an upcoming Doctor Fate project with Keith Giffen at DC.

A joint interview conducted over sushi in Toronto, connecting Darrigo (writer of Renegade Press's Wordsmith, a love letter to 1930s pulp fiction) and Ross (artist newly assigned to Alpha Flight for Marvel). Darrigo explains that Wordsmith originated as a novel concept exploring the contrast between Depression-era pulp writers' comfortable incomes and mass poverty, and worries the series may pigeonhole him as unsuitable for mainstream work. Ross discusses his aspirations for Alpha Flight — moving the book away from constant internal character crises toward stories that use the team's powers in outward-facing adventures.

The husband-and-wife team discuss their collaboration on X-Factor and the logistics of coordinating the sprawling Mutant Massacre crossover with Claremont, Nocenti, and others. Louise explains her plans to reveal that the original X-Men are dangerously underpowered relative to modern threats, detailing the deliberate destruction of Angel's wings and wealth as a character-study exercise, and previews Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen as upcoming antagonists. Walt announces he is stepping down as Thor writer after nearly four years and intends to take a break before embarking on a graphic novel based on Russian folk and fairy tales.

The "invisible editor" of X-Men and New Mutants reflects on the editorial philosophy behind the Mutant Massacre, arguing the paranoid witch-hunt storyline had to escalate to a full combat footing or risk becoming repetitive. She articulates the thematic difference between the X-Men (graduates, day-to-day combat leaders) and the New Mutants (kids who screw up), describes efforts to separate the two books' universes and ground the New Mutants in age-appropriate activities, and credits Chris Claremont as the primary story architect.

The award-winning Canadian art director and record-jacket designer (credits include Billy Joel, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Loverboy) recounts his path from fine arts through commercial design and founding Modern Imageworks. He tells the full origin story of Mister X — developed privately for over a year, visualized first with Paul Rivoche, then handed to the Hernandez Brothers, and now scripted by Motter himself with art by the mysterious "Seth" — and discusses the surrealist noir concept of Somnamopolis and two film-option offers already turned down in search of a visually committed director.

The managing editor muses on how the definition of heroism changes with cultural context, comparing the gentle heroes of the 1930s pulp era to today's darker figures like Wolverine, and expresses a longing for heroes who possess genuine humanity rather than mere super-power.

Includes a substantial letter from Richard S. McEnroe rebutting charges of "elitism" leveled at Gary Groth and the Comics Journal; a critical letter from George Ross objecting to what he calls puffery on Comics Interview's cover; and a brief note from Dave Sim (Cerebus) clarifying that casting Archie Goodwin as a character in Cerebus #82 was Gerhard's idea, not a deliberate satirical attack.