Comics Interview — Issue #051

Dutch-born brothers Jacob and Arnold Pander describe their background in film, fashion illustration, and fine art, and how a chance encounter with Matt Wagner on tour led to their landing the Grendel art assignment. They discuss their collaborative process — Jacob handling design and layout, Arnold stronger on figure work — and how the two complement each other without ego conflict. Publisher Phil LaSorda explains Comico's creator-first philosophy, the censorship dilemma that led to altering a love scene in Grendel #11 for newsstand distribution, and upcoming titles including Max Headroom (3-D one-shot), Rocketeer Adventure Magazine, and Maze Agency. The Panders also reveal they are developing a short independent film and have pencilled the first issue of the Ginger Fox mini-series with writer Mike Baron.

Editor-in-Chief Diana Schutz and Administrative Director Bob Schreck discuss Comico's editorial philosophy in depth: a strict hands-off creator-ownership policy, careful audience targeting across its line (from Robotech for younger readers to Grendel for adults), and Comico's decision to use "Parental Guidance Suggested" labels rather than censor content outright. Schutz explains how Howard the Duck brought her back to comics, her brief four-day stint at Marvel, and her background running the Telegraph Wire newsletter at Comics and Comix in Berkeley. Schreck recounts his path from film buff to convention promoter to Comico, and explains how he secured the Max Headroom license. Both also praise Matt Wagner's writing and Bill Willingham's Elementals as genuine social commentary.

Comico co-founder and publisher Gerry Giovinco and Art Director/Production Manager Geraldine Pecht reflect on the company's five-year journey from crude black-and-white self-published books through Black September to its current position as a quality color publisher competing with Marvel and DC on the newsstand. Giovinco attributes survival of Black September to lucky timing — no product in the pipeline meant no capital exposure — and credits Diana Schutz's production scheduling with Comico's 100% on-time delivery record since February 1985. Both discuss ambitions to move beyond the direct-sales market into bookstores, K-Mart, and educational institutions.

DAK recalls first encountering Comico in their early black-and-white days, comparing their scrappy energy to early Marvel, conducting their first-ever interview in CI #5, and framing this special issue as a personal celebration of the company's fifth anniversary.

Reader T.M. Maple praises the diversity of issue #45 and playfully riffs on being compared to Bob Rozakis; reader Frank Bonilla argues against comics censorship, contending that rating systems produce bland work and that the best response to objectionable material is simply not to buy it.