The Mount - Old And New

This is the 12th issue of Fanzing to hold "The Mount". It's been a little over a year since I began writing this little column and so much has happened since then. I moved out of my parents house, spent a year in the big city I was born in, and spent my first year in a real college. I've learned a lot and changed a lot.

How ironic then that I find myself looking back on it all in the place where it all began. For reasons I won't detail, I am living with my parents for the summer and am back at my old room, at my old desk and with my old computer. I'm writing this in the place where the very first Mount was written, back in the town with the infamous "Comic Shop From Hell" detailed in Fanzing 26.

Even here, a year makes an amazing difference. In the time I've been gone the comic shop has undergone a Renaissance of sorts. I found out that it was bought by a young couple who has started fixing things up. The quarter bin is gone, replaced with a big rack dedicated to trade paperbacks and back issues of recent mini-series.

I was actually able to get a copy of Starman #80 (which, to digress briefly, was a great ending to the series). As I noted before, that was a virtual impossibility a year ago. They are even going as so far as to tidy up the interior. Already the old moldy blue carpet has been replaced with a tasteful, grass-like green. They told me they'll be painting the walls soon enough.

And perhaps the most startling change of all? The children. Everytime I stop by now, I see children there. Perhaps it is because the new owners are young parents themselves, but the store has become a makeshift daycare center. The store's backroom is devoted to Magic, D&D and other role-playing games, with a big table for Warhammer set up in the back right corner of the main room. Word is that many parents drop their kids off here while they shop elsewhere, and nobody minds so long as the kids don't cause trouble.

And why should they? Even if having all the games and such in the backroom weren't enough to make this new shop Nirvana, there is one new change in policy that the young and old alike enjoy. Namely, the comics are no longer bagged and sealed and put on the shelf. All the new books are left free and loose to be browsed. Very useful for the poor writer of an Internet comics magazine, who is far from his own shop and is unable to pay the massive shipping fees to have his entire monthly subscription airlifted a few hundred miles... or the kid with no allowance. And yes everyone, I did check before I started reading all my regular stuff in the store. He said it was okay.

Another birthday has come and gone and I've already finished all the books I got as gifts. Among them was the best book I have read in quite a while and possibly ever. It's American Gods by Neil Gaiman of The Sandman fame.

I will not attempt to review the book here nor summarize it. Why not? Well, I'd like to think my word about something being good would be enough for you all. I haven't steered you wrong yet, have I? ;)

But a quote from the book says it best...

"One best describes a tale by telling the tale. You see? The way one describes a story, to oneself or to the world, is by telling the story. It is a balancing act and it is a dream. The more accurate the map, the more it resembles the territory. The most accurate map possible would be the territory, and thus would be perfectly accurate and perfectly useless.

The tale is the map is the territory.

You must remember this."

I do remember this. I also know better than to try and tell a tale told by a storyteller like Neil Gaiman and try and break it down into an easy Cliff Notes version. It would be a waste of my time to do so and a horrible loss to you to read that instead of American Gods itself.

If you really must know something about the book, I will say that it is about a man, his loss, old gods fighting against the new and how they all tie in together. That is all you will learn reading the dust jacket. That's all you need to know going in.

And now I must be going out. See you all next time with a new column.

The Mount - Action Comics #775 Review - What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and The American Way?

I've had Superman on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it's because of the DVD edition of the movie that just came out. Maybe it's the interview I did with Jeph Loeb and the upcoming "Our Worlds at War" story this summer.

Or maybe it's because of an off-hand comment at my not-so usual comic store.

Under normal circumstances, I shop at a fairly well known shop. Unlike most comics/games stores... it seems to do pretty well. But occasionally, they sell out of some new hot issue that I wanted to take a look at. In this case, it happened with Superman #168... the first half of what has been cutely dubbed "The Lord of the Ring". When this happens, I am forced to turn to... the junk shop.

Now before I get accused of elitism and destroying the small comic shop business, let me emphasize that this place really is a junk shop. It's the kind of comic store that gives comic stores bad names. All the clerks are rude and snotty, ala the Comic Book Guy from "The Simpsons". The stock is about half manga comics with 7/8ths naked women on the cover and half American comics with 3/4ths naked women on the cover. The walls are covered with Vampirella posters. I feel dirty just setting foot inside there.

Anyway, "the junk shop" is located just off a major highway and is hidden away between a Cantonese restaurant and a Vietnamese restaurant. I save it as a last option whenever possible, simply because it is very difficult to get into. They had the comic I needed, and I commented about how lucky I must have been to have grabbed it. The clerk gave me an odd look and said "Are you kidding me? Nobody reads Superman."

It shocked me, but as I thought about it... I realized that he was right. I know quite a few comics fans and I only know one who actively reads everything Superman is in. Which is amazing when you consider that Superman is the most well known superhero in the real world.

I read a study once that tested young children on their knowledge of pop-culture icons. I forget who else came up in the top ten, but it's unimportant; Superman was up at the top. Superman T-shirts are popular even among non-comic readers. And Superman is alone in that more people can probably name all of his supporting cast than not. Lois Lane? Jimmy Olsen? Perry White? All vaguely familiar to most people.

All this... and yet there are a lot of people who don't read his books? I asked some fellow DC-philes and I got a lot of the same answers... all of them basically boiling down to one thing: nothing challenges him.

And they're right. It's like the song says. He is Superman. He can do anything. The problem with Superman is that he's an icon: he is the best that there is. Short of introducing big threat after big threat which IS supposed to be bigger and better than him, but ultimately isn't... there's not much to do with the character.

The heck there isn't!

The problem is that most people see Superman as a brick who punches his way through every conflict. And viewed in those terms, they're right... there's not much that you can do with him other than introduce a bigger punching bag. From the time of "The Death of Superman" until recently, that was the way Superman was handled... keep piling up the threats. Have more alien invaders ransacking Metropolis... bring Doomsday back with Brainiac's intelligence... and so on until you run out of big things to throw at him. So what do you do to challenge a man who can punch his way through anything? Simple...

You put him in places where he can't fight his way out of conflict.

This new attitude toward the Man of Steel has been shown throughout the writings of Jeph Loeb, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly and Mark Schultz in the last few months, with Superman having to face off of threats where it's a strong mind and a stronger heart that win the battles. But for my money, no story has better shown what Superman is really all about than Joe Kelly's Action Comics #775.

Lybia has just been attacked by a huge monster, and Superman is streaking across the Atlantic Ocean to save the day. He arrives to find that not only has the monster been crushed, but so has a large portion of the Lybian Army that was attempting to fight the monster. This turns out to be the work of a new superhero team called "The Elite".

Back in Metropolis, the staff of the Daily Planet are disgusted by the disregard for civilian life posed by "The Elite". Equally disgusted is Clark Kent, who is on the scene in Lybia along with Jack Ryder (occasionally "The Creeper"). The two reporters debate the methods of The Elite, Ryder mocking Superman when Clark says that Superman could have ended the conflict without death.

Much to Clark's dismay, The Elite become more popular in the public eye, uploading their manifesto on to every computer in the world. He and Steel are about to discuss Superman's place in the world when they receive word of a metahuman attack in Japan. Superman flies around the world, only to find The Elite already on the scene.

The Elite is made up of four heroes, all of them not-too-subtle caricatures and parodies of some of the more famed amoral "heroes" of comicdom. The lone female team member, Menagerie, wears a skimpy costume that is a living alien weapon (Witchblade, anyone?) and the team leader Manchester Black is a blatant male version of Jenny Sparks from "The Authority".

The Elite use their powers to hold Superman back while they slaughter the Japanese metahuman criminals. They then take Superman back to their base so that they can talk about their respective viewpoints. The argument is an old one, familiar to everyone who read Kingdom Come; there are some threats that are so big that the only solution is to destroy the threat. Superman argues that this is not so and that most conflicts can be dealt with non-violently. The argument builds until Manchester Black teleports Superman out of their base.

Clark goes to talk the situation over with Pa Kent, wondering why The Elite has built up such a following among the public. Pa says it's because people are scared of all the problems in the world and that they want fast solutions to those problems. Solutions that The Elite provide. Clark wonders out loud how he can fight people who have made violence a way of life. Pa says that Clark should just do as he's always done and live by example.

He does just that in a situation later where he fights rogue DEO agents (in a scene parodying Men In Black) without any loss of life. The Elite show up, apparently having watched the scene and Manchester Black applauds Superman's skill, but explains that he hasn't really accomplished anything. He explains that the agents Superman has been fighting have been doing horrific, but revolutionary experiments on humans and aliens. If arrested and put on trial, they'll be quietly spirited away and given jobs doing the same thing on behalf of the government.

These scenes give us a lot to think about. Kelly seems to be mocking the popularity of amoral comic characters throughout most of the story, but here Manchester Black makes a valid point to justify his team's actions. This same point is often used to justify the increasing use of the death penalty in many states. After all, there's no guarantee that imprisoning someone will stop them from doing evil again. Black's words are eerily plausible considering that Nazis scientists were allowed to come into the USA if they agreed to work on secret US projects. Rapists and child molesters are released early on a truly scary rate around the country. Why not just kill them all?

Black orders the team to kill the agents, and Superman punches him. Calling the incident "just cause", Manchester Black says they will meet Superman to settle the score tomorrow.

That night, Clark lies in bed with Lois and tells her he plans to fight the Elite at dawn tomorrow. She asks why he has to fight them at all. Clark says simply that someone has to show the world that there is someone willing to die for it.

The fight takes place on one of Jupiter's moons, at Superman's request... with the fight being broadcast back on earth. The Elite appears to make fast work of Superman, leaving only a shredded cape behind. Manchester makes a funny comment about how no matter now badly you vaporize a superhero, something of them ALWAYS survives the attack...

As the Elite gets ready to celebrate their victory, they are all picked off by Superman, one at a time through a very ingenious use of his powers. I think creating a whirlwind so fast that it causes the air to blow past "The Hat" and makes him fall unconscious from lack of oxygen tops the list.

Manchester Black is the last of the team left, and he suddenly finds himself powerless. Superman tells him that he used his heat vision to focus a thin laser-sharp beam through Black's eyes and into his brain, cutting loose the nerves in the part of Black's brain that give him telekinesis. This enrages Black, who claims that doing such a thing on top of killing his team mates makes Superman no better than The Elite. Superman agrees... and then reveals the unconscious but otherwise unharmed Elite. He then explains that he lied to Black and that all he did was give him a very specific and very minor concussion that would keep him disabled until they can be taken into custody. Black threatens Superman, saying that he'll get his revenge someday. Superman only grins, and in an issue full of great lines, he gets the best one at the end.

"You know what Black? I wouldn't have it any other way. Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I swear until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share, I'll never stop fighting. Ever."

As I said, most of this issue seems to be a parody of the more recent, amoral superheroes who have no problems with killing. It is that, but it is also more. Kelly seems to be commenting on society as a whole and a fault that lies in the whole of humanity.

So many of us are obsessed with having things NOW. Society is fast-paced. Get on the fast track to success. And industry and politicians take advantage of this mindset.

Got to drive a fast car! Get a DSL line and buy the fastest computer! We'll give you a tax cut right now! Not two years from now if the economy is stable, but right now! The future waits for no one! Hurry, hurry, hurry before you get left behind by the Joneses!

The Elite represent this mindset and how we continually look for the fastest path and the easy way out.

Superman shows us that things are not always easy and that you have to work for your dreams and be willing to fight for your hopes. No matter what. This story is a tribute to the American Ideal that you can be anything if you're willing to work hard and dream.

It is also a tribute to Superman and it explains why he is the best superhero that there is. It is not because of all the things he can do. It is because of how he does them. Superman shows us that the future does wait.

And that it is only as far away as tomorrow.

The Mount - What Am I Reading?

No big unifying rants this month, folks. I've been too busy hurrying to get the Jeph Loeb interview ready along with my entry into the "Vile Vial" contest. It's just as well, because almost everything I have to say this time around ties into Issues Past.

Way back in Fanzing 31, I wrote down my complaints about the Birds of Prey book. I'm happy to report that most of my complaints have been addressed. The very month my article came out, we got what I asked for: an issue that was for the most part, Just Babs and Dinah hanging out. The next few issues after that dealt with a story (no spoilers) that was all about Dinah working alone with no Babs to help her.

Another of my complaints was that Nightwing and Nightwing storylines kept bleeding over into Birds of Prey to the point where you had to read both books to understand one. Granted, I don't think there's many of us who only get Nightwing OR Birds of Prey... but it is a sore point for new readers who are trying to catch up. But turnabout became fair play this month as Dinah Lance made an appearance in Nightwing, surprising Dick as he was getting out of the shower at Babs' place and working out with Barbara later in the same issue. Chuck, on behalf of Canary-lovers everywhere, thank you!

Speaking of Chuck Dixon, I'd like to ask you all to stop pestering him and me about the missing alternate script to Nightwing #47 that I mentioned in Fanzing #33.

It was a joke. The whole column was a joke in honor of April Fool's Day. So was our entire issue, in case you didn't notice. I even gave a subtle hint. If you go back and check my column in Fanzing 33, you'll find that if you take the first letter from each paragraph, it spells out "April Fools".

Perhaps more shocking than the fact that we had so many people fall for all of the various bits of misinformation in our last issue is the fact that many people said they would actually be interested in a special "sex-in-comics" issue of Fanzing. I have to admit to being a little surprised. Okay, so I've fantasized about Wonder Woman before; what heterosexual American male hasn't? That says, do we really need to devote an entire issue of what is a relatively family-friendly magazine towards the kind of thing that you have to pay 19.95 a month for on some special website?

I think not. And I think everyone on our staff agrees with me on that. Not that we're prudes in any way, but there are places for that kind of thing and that place ain't here, pepe.

Besides, it occurred to us that if we started asking for "romantic" fan-fics, we'd get flooded with hundreds of stories of Nightwing exploring just how much feeling Oracle still has below the waist. The thought of having to wade through more and more of those put Fiction Editor David Black into a frenzy, and we had to utilize escrima sticks and tasers to calm him down.

By the way, shame on all of you who just thought of an idea for a "romantic" story when you read the words "escrima stick".

Changing the subject, VERY quickly.... I've been asked "What comics do you get on a monthly basis?" by readers who wanted to know what I read, what I like the most and what I would recommend.

My favorite book changes from week to week, but right now it's a close contest between James Robinson's Starman and Mark Waid's JLA. Kevin Smith's Green Arrow is getting there, but since I've only seen two issues as of this writing, I'm giving it more time before I rank it.

I subscribe to most of the Batman core titles (Batman, Gotham Knights, Detective) and get a few of the other Bat-Titles (Nightwing and Birds of Prey obviously).

I always pick up Green Lantern. On a side note, I really like what Judd Winnick is doing with the title. He's managed to restore the human side of the book that has been missing for the last few years. The last issue he did (#137) was one of the best comics I'd read all month and it didn't have one fight scene!

On the supernatural side, I'm also getting the Spectre and I love the irony that Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen are both making their comebacks at the same time. How long until the inevitable Spectre/Green Arrow minseries? It's not quite core DC, but I'm also picking up Vertigo's "Lucifer", based upon the characters from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. It's a bit of an odd read, but I think it's one of the best books being published in the adult field. Clearly some people agree with me, as Lucifer is up for an Eisner in nearly every category this year.

I don't get much from the "Other Company", but I have been reading Daredevil steadfastly... even when it's schedule wasn't steady or fast.

I also belatedly jumped on the "Ultimate Spider-Man" bandwagon... just to see what all the hype was about. Turns out the book really IS as good as everyone says. Spider-Man hasn't been done this well in years.

I also subscribe to all of the "Knights of the Dinner Table" books; an indie series about role-players and comic fans. There's the main book, which shows the gamers sitting around the table playing and talking. There's 'KODT Illustrated" where the stories of the role-player's games are drawn in a fantastic style where we get to see the dungeons and monsters instead of the guys sitting around a table. Finally, there's "Hackmasters of Everknight" which is a sort of illustrated parody of all those Dragonlance books and other D&D based literature. Greg Rucka recently wrote an issue of this last one, so all you Detective fans might want to check it out to see how versatile one of your favorite writers is.

I hope that gives you all something to read until next time, because I am done for this month, folks.

An Interview With Jeph Loeb

With An Assist From Patrick Gerard

Mr. Loeb, thank you very much for agreeing to do this interview. I imagine that you are very busy with all of the projects going on right now (DAREDEVIL: YELLOW, FANTASTIC FOUR, and SUPERMAN to name three) and we truly appreciate you granting us a brief bit of time. Our questions come to you today from the diverse melting pot of fandom that is the Fanzing staff.

Fanzing: What do you have coming out in the immediate future? Most of our readership is familiar with your recent work with Batman and Superman, but are somewhat less familiar with your past projects and work done for other companies (Vertigo, Marvel, etc.).

Jeph Loeb: Well, that's really two questions at once. Some of my readers only know me from my "Marvel" days when I was writing Cable, X-Force, Wolverine/Gambit (with Tim Sale) and co-created and did the first year of X-Man with Steve Skroce. Over at Vertigo, the only thing I've done is the creator owned THE WITCHING HOUR with Chris "Steampunk" Bachalo -- it's now collected in hardback and it's really one of my favorite things.

That all being said, I've got three responsibilities right now. The first is, of course, Superman, monthly with the remarkable Ed McGuinness on the artwork. Then, I have a six issue Daredevil mini series through Marvel Knights with Tim Sale called Daredevil: Yellow. And lastly, I script over Carlos Pacheco's stunning artwork on the Fantastic Four.

Of course, the next question is who died and made me so lucky?

2. How did you break into comic book writing?

I was working on a movie adaptation of THE FLASH and met Jenette Kahn (Publisher at DC). She had heard about my love of comics (I've been a collector since... well, since there was paper!) and asked if I wanted to write one for DC?! Well, it was like Santa asking if I wanted a ride in his sleigh. I couldn't believe it. And that wound up being (very long story short) The Challengers of the Unknown mini-series. That's how I met Tim Sale, as well.

3. Do you have any special affinity for the Challengers of the Unknown? We know that your biggest and best known work is with Batman and Superman, but if I'm not mistaken your first work for DC was a Challengers mini series.

It was what was offered. It was a very good lesson in breaking in. I wanted to do Superman and Batman, but I was politely laughed at. They wanted me someplace where I couldn't get into any trouble and there hadn't been a Challs book in about 20 years or something. I didn't know them at all. I bought a huge box of Challs and read them all. It was pretty clear that Kirby had respectfully borrowed some of those ideas in the creation of the Fantastic Four (as was his right, GO JACK!) and that part is what truly inspired me. I always have wanted to write the Fantastic Four.

4. Was that your first collaboration with Tim Sale? How did the two of you meet? Do the two of you have anything definite planned for upcoming collaborations?

Yes, it is where we met. Barbara then Randall, now Kesel "introduced" us by showing me his work on a graphic novel called "Thieves World". I was really taken with his style since it wasn't "pretty" and dark comics were very much in vogue then. Since then Tim has grown into one of the "prettiest" illustrators and that's why I think he's done so well -- the ability to change and learn from the times. Remarkable.

We have no immediate plans after DDY, but we will always work together. It's just one of those things.

5. (If you've read it) What did you think of the last series of CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN, which used a much more "X-Files" like approach? (Ironically enough, this was created for a TV show tie-in that never materialized. Ever have any similar experiences of your own?)

I never really read it. I like Jean Paul Leon's stuff. I think Challs would make a great TV series and someday probably will.

6. Steven Grant wrote the revamped CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN which you had previously worked on. He also revamped X-Man which you created. Have you ever had the chance to work with the guy or is this just one of those eerie coincidences?

I usually get asked why am I always following Frank Miller around... (except now on Superman and F.F.!) No, I've never met Steve nor have I read his stuff. I tend to leave a book behind. It's like ex-wives or ex-girlfriends. Some things are better left as fine memories, not somebody else's problem!

7. Did you and Tim Sale have any trouble convincing DC to do Long Halloween as a 13 part mini-series rather than the usual 12 issues?

It was Tim's agent's idea, Mike Friedrich. Mike has written his share of big hits in comics and he thought this idea would work. He was right and really earned his 10% that day!

8. Which do you find more fun and/or challenging to write; supernatural stories such as Vertigo's "The Witching Hour" or the more mainstream superheroic fair like "Superman"?

It is all different. Like with kids, you learn something different from each. When I stop learning, I leave. I never want to stay too long at the party. Two-three years 24 -36 stories -- that's a lot. That doesn't mean I wouldn't come back someday, but I can tell when it's time to go. Mostly, I stay for the People I work with. McGuinness really recruited me for Superman Year 3 -- he just said we hadn't done enough and he was going to stay and I darn well wasn't go to let Joe Kelly have him! (He should be so lucky!)

9. How did Dark Victory come about? Did the editor call you up and say "Long Halloween is doing really well... can you write us a sequel?" or was the inkling of a second story there before Long Halloween became a hit?

I had always wanted to do a Batman and Robin story. Tim did NOT. He likes Batman as the solitary figure. Certainly, when Archie Goodwin died it seemed very unlikely that we'd ever go back. But, there were certain questions which remained open and I never saw it as a sequel, but rather a continuation of the story. When it was nearly finished, Richard Starkings, the brilliant graphics designer and letterer told me he thought of The Long Halloween as the Prequel to Dark Victory. Mark Chiarello stepped into Archie's role and that made a huge difference in the decision since Mark really got Tim jazzed. The rest was a role of the dice. We had no idea if anyone was going to respond, but the story really resonated. I have no idea why or why not whenever we start something.

10. Is it difficult to write a character with so much history and expectations as Superman? How carefully do you have to watch continuity so as not to contradict previous issues? How does writing an established character compare to a project that is all your own, say relaunching the Challengers of the Unknown?

It is always a, ahem, challenge. I just try and write the best stories I can. I love the characters and would never intentionally do something that would hurt the iconic nature of them. But, times change and heroes do to. That make Superman worth reading. He was the first, the best, and all else comes from him. It's a blast. Eddie Berganza helps make it that way. If Eddie left, I'd be so gone you wouldn't even see the blur.

11. For that matter, some astute readers have noticed that you seem to be building towards something in the Superman books. There are a lot of dangling plot threads that haven't been resolved yet. Is this just a case of having so many fresh ideas that the other plots have been resigned to the back burner or, in fact, have you been planning for some of these plot threads to brew into something much bigger?

Oh, no. We actually have a plan -- for a gang that can't shoot straight! Most of it is building to this summer's big crossover, event, whatever you call it. We just are telling a big cool story called OUR WORLDS AT WAR. At its heart it is a Superman story where we test the moral fabric of our hero. It's not going to be pretty.

12. One of the biggest things drawing attention to your writing recently was the decision to make Lex Luthor President of the United States in all of the DC comics. How did the idea come about to do this? Was there any resistance from the Powers That Be? If so, how hard was it to sell the idea?

I threw it into a subplot in Superman #155. We had been looking for a motive that Luthor had gone into Gotham City during No Man's Land and this seemed to fit the groove. He is always 6 steps ahead of the game which is why he is such a great villain. Eddie read the scene and asked if I was going where he thought I was going and we both laughed. He took it to The Powers That Be and they really dug it -- but only if Luthor won -- because why else tell the story. The rest, as they say, is history.

13. Some have suggested that the Luthor story is going to be used as a subtle way of criticizing politicians in general and the former and/or current President in specific. What's your comment on this? Is the story going to be independent of any real life political struggles? Or are going to have a sudden revelation of Luthor having paid cops in Metropolis to set up barricades on the roads to the Suicide Slum polling places in a few months?

No. Art imitates Life, not the other way around (at least in my brain). What they find out about Luthor though ... that remains to be seen.

And for that matter... Are you now or have you ever been a member of Lex Luthor's Tomorrow Party?

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds I might incriminate myself.

14. When writing Superman, do you come up with a large single plot and then break it down into individual stories? Or do you do it one issue at a time and let the last story determine where the next one will flow? Some writers have been known to develop special outlining techniques for story construction. Is there a "Loeb Formula"?

Gawd, I hope there isn't a formula -- it would get to be formulaic then! I start out thinking of scenes and emotions. Where I want the CHARACTER to be. Some of it is just -- wouldn't it be cool if..." kind of stuff -- real fanboy stuff. For example, before I die I will write this Thing vs. Hulk story because it's just too much fun. But it always stems from character. Then, depending on the artist, the editor and the amount of time I have, that will determine the length of the tale. I don't think I've ever worked on something I thought was too long, but there were times at Marvel that the EDITORIAL STAFF would shorten what I had going and that would just upset the heck out of me. Doesn't happen much anymore. Life is good.

15. What, if any, comics do you read on a monthly basis?

What don't I read? The usual stuff. I usually follow certain creators. Anything by Rucka. Millar's stuff. Frank Quietly. The Kuberts. Most of the Marvel Knights stuff. The Batman books, JLA -- I really like what Geoff Johns is doing with The Flash. Orion cause I dig Walt Simonson. I could go on all afternoon. I tend to read superheroes. There. That says it.

16. Are their any other comic artists whom you'd like to work with someday?

Oh, sure. Frank Quietly. The Kuberts. (sounds like my other list!). Alex Ross. Jim Lee. Bryan Hitch. I'm working with Ron Garney right now for the first time on The JLA Worlds At War Special #1 -- he really rocks the house.

17. What do you use to inspire your writing? Do you listen to any kind of music while writing, read anything before hand, etc?

Movies help a lot. I tend to listen to big band jazz. Sinatra all the time. But, I really work in silence very often. My mind wanders too easily.

18. What do you think your biggest strengths and weaknesses are as a writer?

On the plus side, I try and do two things: (1) Write dialogue that an actor would read as opposed to a comic book character and (2) write to the strengths of an artist -- not impose MY vision on their work. They are my partner, not my builder. It's very much the writer/director relationship.

As far as weaknesses go, if I don't "get" an artist -- forget it. I can't make that work. That's why my fill-ins tend to be flat. They are written for the regular artists and I can't adapt UNLESS it is someone who really jazzes me which DOES happen from time to time. It's why I enjoy working with Tim. No fill ins. We really get each other!

19. Your work, especially lately, has been cited for its blockbuster appeal. What are your favorite action movies of all time (not counting Commando, of course)

Oh, there's T2 and then there's everything else. All action movies fall short of T2. Aliens comes close. Cameron is the man.

20. What is your favorite color?

That blue that is in most of T2. If I could do an entire book in that color -- =sigh= someday. Daredevil: Blue! (You heard it here first! LOL!)

21. Are you working on any screenplays right now? (No specifics needed, just wondering if you are still doing any film work.) Any television work?

Yes. And Yes. For something completely different, I've spent the last year working with Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) and his partner John Carls on my first animated series called 7 Little Monsters. It is on PBS on Saturday mornings at 8:15 am (don't ask). It's a great deal of fun -- but for a much younger audience than comics. But, I've learned SOOO much about animation that other things are happening in that field that I'm VERY excited about.

22. If you could have any one of your comic works made into a movie, with budget as no object, which one would it be and why?

Oh, I'd love to see a Superman For All Seasons -- but I don't think anyone would go! Witching Hour IS a movie and I am writing the script for that as we speak. I'd personally bonk somebody on the nose if I could write the F.F. movie they have going at Fox. So... yeah... everything. How about that?

23. Finally, do you have any advice for a writer wanting to break into the business?

Write. Every day. At least one page. Never stop. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do it. Just do it. Work for anyone. Start low, aim high. Never write down to your audience. Listen to the criticism and try and make your work better -- don't defend it -- just make it work better. Or at least, try. And mostly, HAVE FUN! When it's not fun, pack it in.

The Mount - Lost Comic Treasures!

All righty everyone. Unca Stars isn't just going to entertain and inform you youguns about some obscure bit of comics trivia this month. He's also going to give you a chance to earn big money. Well, maybe not money. Unca Stars has that student loan to worry about. But you might have a chance to win anything of your choosing from his Magical Box of Comics for Sale. Sound good so far, kiddies? Then read on!

Perhaps not all of you out there know about the infamous "lost comics" of DC Comics. For those of you who don't, let me bring you up to speed. A lost comic is a comic that, for one reason or another, was never meant to be released to the public. Lost comics tend to be very rare occurrences, since editors usually catch any problems before an issue is sent to print. In most cases, these lost comics are shredded... hence the name of lost comics. But sometimes... some of these lost comics get loose. And they can prove quite valuable.

Running down the list of the more famous lost comics, I realize that I cannot continue without mentioning the most famous of the lost comics; Elseworlds 80 Page Giant and the original version of League of Extraordinary Gentleman #5. The Elseworlds 80 Page Giant was pulled at the last minute, due to a classic Superbaby story showing little Clark Kent getting into all kinds of trouble... including one scene where he somehow gets inside a running microwave oven. DC, apparently fearing the PR scandals and potential for lawsuits, had all the issues of the comics shredded, except for a few issues that were delivered to the UK. Similarly, LOEG #5 was pulled because of an authentic period advertisement placed in the book. LOEG long made a habit of having real Victorian-era ads in their book in order to create the illusion of the book being a classic serial novel. The problem with LOEG #5 was that one of their more prominent ads was for a feminine hygiene product manufactured by the "Marvel" company. Again, worried over the idea that a certain competitor might be offended, DC shredded almost all of the original issues. And again, a few managed to get out. Now you all might ask... what does this have to do with your free comics?

I'm trying to track down some of these lost comics. Issues that while not as famous as the Elseworlds or LOEG #5 are still of interest to me as a fan and collector.

Lucky you! You all get to help me look. Here's how it works. In the following paragraphs, I'm going to describe the lost comics I'm looking for. If you can find a sign of where I can get that comic or if you have that issue yourself and are interested in trading it, write me and give me the relevant information, including websites and or/prices. If you tell me where I can get the comic, and I get it from there, you get a number of comics equal in value to whatever I pay for the lost comic. You'll get the list of what I have as soon as I confirm a sale. Or, if you have one of the following, I can just trade you straight value; my comics for yours... whatever I have that you want is yours.

First, there is the Wonder Woman Hentai special; Wonder Woman Against the Octoprobes of Gamsaro. Released in Japan only, this comic detailed Wonder Woman's fighting against a gruesome race of alien invaders, the eight-tentacled Octoprobes. It was shredded by DC due to the rather graphic artwork of famed Japanese comic artist Hujiro Teep Whing. It is valued at being worth 70 dollars in mint condition.

One of the most infamous of lost comics is the extremely rare Watchmen #13. It's existence is denied to this very day by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and DC Comics itself. Regardless, it is out there somewhere... and it completes the story that was cut off with what supposed to be an open ending to the whole story. It's all there... did Rorschach's journal get printed? Did it expose Ozymandias' plans to the world? Did it have any effect? At all? All is answered in this lost comic, worth $750 in mint condition.

Originally printed to keep Mark Waid from signing an exclusive contract with CrossGen Comics and leaving DC, this next comic was printed when DC offered Waid a chance to do a revitalization of any classic character he wanted to. Not surprisingly, the master of comics trivia chose a popular but obscure and often ignored hero for this rare privilege. Sadly, the marketing department quickly realized that the market for The New Adventures of Silent Majority was very small. In fact, they pinpointed it being made up of 17 people, one of those being Mark Waid and the other sixteen being die hard fans of The Force of July and/or Fanzing writers. Still, some copies were printed and are now worth 240 dollars to the right collector.

Lastly, there is a copy of the original print to Nightwing #47. Written during a week-long period, shortly after a camping trip where Chuck Dixon was accidentally struck in the head with a canoe paddle, this issue differs dramatically from the eventually published version. So illusive is this comic, in fact, that nobody is quite sure what is different about it. The rumors persist though.

Some say that Dick Grayson, tired of the corruption of the Bludhaven PD and his discovery that his newly adopted sidekick Tad is a murderer, gives up his career as a vigilante. Some say he outs himself to Bruce and Barbara. Others say that he moves to New York to begin a new life as a dancer on Broadway. On an interesting note, it is also rumored that about this time, Dixon also submitted a proposal to DC to bring back More Romance Comics.

Further, it is rumored that several members of the Dixonverse discussion boards got wind of this, traveled to Dixon's home and set about a brief period of therapy involving repeated watchings of True Grit with John Wayne, a strict diet of raw steak and schnapps and repeated blows to the head with a croquet mallet. Regardless, a week later a new Nightwing #47 script was submitted after a few of the mystery issue were already printed. This comic, which Dixon has no memory of writing, is valued at $450.