Mike Carlin
Executive Editor, DC Comics
Working on: Zero Hour crossover, Zero Month line-wide relaunch
KC Carlson
Editor, DC Comics
Working on: Zero Hour crossover, Legion of Super-Heroes, Primal Force, R.E.B.E.L.S. '94
DC executive editor Mike Carlin and Zero Hour editor KC Carlson discuss the Zero Hour crossover and the line-wide "Zero Month" relaunch, explaining how the event resolves long-standing continuity contradictions by making them story points caused by a time-travel villain. They detail new and relaunched titles spinning out of the event — including Starman, Fate, Manhunter, Primal Force, R.E.B.E.L.S. '94, and Xenobrood — and emphasize the goal of creating accessible jump-on points for new readers.
Jack C. Harris
Writer, Freelance (Marvel / DC)
Working on: Spider-Man: Web of Doom, Annex mini-series, Castle of the Bat (DC Elseworlds GN)
Harris recounts his return to comics after years writing licensed children's books, tracing the path from a Dragonlance backup story through creating The Ray for DC (with artist Joe Quesada) and then writing two Marvel Spider-Man projects — the Annex mini-series (featuring a Desert Storm veteran with downloadable armor) and Web of Doom. He also discusses his DC Elseworlds graphic novel Castle of the Bat, painted by Bo Hampton, which reimagines Bruce Wayne as Dr. Frankenstein.
Don Markstein
Writer / Editor, Freelance (Hamilton / Gladstone)
Working on: Hot Tips from Top Comics Creators (book), Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Hamilton)
Markstein discusses his long career as fan, convention organizer, typesetter, editor, and writer, centering on his recently published Hot Tips from Top Comics Creators — a compilation of career advice distilled from 132 issues of Comics Interview — and his upcoming Mighty Morphin Power Rangers scripts for Hamilton Comics (drawn by Gray Morrow). He also covers his work on Comics Revue and rewriting of European Uncle Scrooge stories for Gladstone.
Dan Adkins
Artist / Inker, Freelance
Working on: Returning to pencilling
Part two of the Adkins interview covers his early Warren work for Archie Goodwin on Creepy and Eerie, his transition to Marvel where he pencilled and inked Doctor Strange, and his long career as an inker on Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, and other titles alongside John Buscema, Jack Kirby, and Gene Colan. Adkins also recalls mentoring a string of future professionals — Craig Russell, Val Mayerik, Paul Gulacy, and Jerry Bingham — and expresses his desire to return to pencilling.
DAK's editorial uses the metaphor of a superhuman intellect forced to deal with slower minds, exploring the frustration of being far ahead of those around you and pondering whether the only viable outcomes are self-limitation, isolation, or exploitation of others' ignorance.
Reader Jim Bridges praises issue #134 (the distribution-crisis issue) as possibly the best issue ever; Larry Leroux praises coverage of Lois & Clark; DAK responds explaining the Brian Morris/Brian Murray name error in issue #134's credits.