Hey folks! As a special bonus this month, I was enlisted to
wrangle an interview from another poor person, and chose comics
writer, whom Wizard has hailed as the next Kurt Busiek, Joe Casey!
I figured this would be an easy interview, since according to the
revised continuity, we both went to high school together...
Bourgeois:
Speaking of continuity, why did you decide to take such liberties
with the established X-Men origins?
Casey:
Because the original origin stories are horribly outdated and
really have no relevance as far as how they relate to modern readers.
We wanted to do a story that cut through the crap and got to the real
essence of what the X-Men concept is all about. Retelling and
reconfiguring the origin seemed like a logical way to do that, since
starting at the beginning requires no real exposition. A reader can
pick up COTA without ever having HEARD of the X-Men, and by the time
it's over, they can go and pick up just about any other X-Book and
at least have some idea of what the central themes are.
Bourgeois:
What's it like working with Steve Rude?
Casey:
An amazing experience. Steve has showed me what dedication and
commitment to your art is all about.
Bourgeois:
Are there any particular projects you would like to do, with any
particular creators?
Casey:
I tend to concentrate more on the work I have in front of me.
If I ever get an itch to do something different, I tend to try
to make it happen, if I can. Nothing in mind at the moment. I'm
pretty lucky in the projects I work on, and the co-creators I
work with.
Bourgeois:
I'm not a big fan of the Wildstorm books, and have yet to pick
up an issue of Mr. Majestic. Could you tell us a little bit
about the book, and what we can expect in the future?
Casey:
MR. MAJESTIC is a book meant to blow your mind, to show you
exactly what comics can do better than any other medium in
existence. Unlike movies, there's no special effects budget in
comics_ if you can dream it, and you can draw it, then you can
show it. MR. MAJESTIC is the epitome of this ideal.
Bourgeois:
To be fair, some people are probably not reading Children of
the Atom either. Why should they, and what can we expect to
see there?
Casey:
The origin of the X-Men drawn by Steve Rude. What else does a
person need to know?
Bourgeois:
Also, you write a new monthly for Marvel, Deathlok. What's the deal?
Casey:
I do indeed write DEATHLOK. The main objective with the book
is to be as experimental as we can get away with. Subversion
is the key, and I don't think Marvel's published a book like
this for a long time.
Bourgeois:
What made you decide to do something as risky in the current
market as not having the main character in an issue of his own
series, of what is seen as a "struggling" comic?
Casey:
Exactly because it would be perceived, as you pointed out, as
"risky". That, to me, is as valid a reason to do anything in today's
conservative market. Also, I do have a grand scheme in mind, and
things that I'm setting up now will certainly have ramifications
later in the series.
Bourgeois:
You recently left Marvel's Cable. If you could write one last story
with him in it, what would it be?
Casey:
Honestly, this is something I have never considered. Since Cable is
a Marvel character, ideally there will never BE a "last story".
Bourgeois:
What are some of your writing influences? From comics, and literature?
Casey:
Shane Black, Elmore Leonard, Robert E. Howard (his non-Conan stuff),
Stanley Kubrick, Mike Baron, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Howard Chaykin,
David Micheline, Keith Giffen.
Bourgeois:
Any advice for aspiring writers?
Casey:
Yes - always write well, and from the heart. Always be yourself - it's
probably your strongest selling point.
Bourgeois:
You seemed to catch a rather lucky break to get in to the comics biz.
Would you say who you know is as important, if not more, to breaking in?
Casey:
Luck is the most important factor_ but knowing what to do with that
luck is also a hidden skill. And, let's face facts, "who you know" is
always important when it comes to getting into ANY aspect of the
entertainment industry.
Bourgeois:
You had worked some Thunderbolts references into your Cable run,
as well as writing a fill in issue to give Kurt Busiek some time to
catch up on things. Sounds like your a fan. Do you hope to do
more stories with them, someday?
Casey:
I think the book is in very capable hands. Besides, I much prefer
to write villains who ARE villains.
Bourgeois:
Speaking of being a fan... What comics do you regularly read?
Casey:
Not as many as I'd like. Time constraints, you know . . .
Bourgeois:
Got any juicy stuff coming up in the future you can share with
us right now?
Casey:
All my juice is currently hitting the stands every month,
with much more to come next year. I'm sharing everything
I've got with my readers.
