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Mark Waid is known for many successful comics including Flash, Kingdom
Come, Captain America and more. In the future he will be taking over DC
Comics top comic, JLA and is starting up a new imprint with Kurt Busiek
called Gorilla Comic. This month we were able to get plenty of information
about Gorilla Comics and his new series EMPIRE! Plus we get some answers
about JLA, Flash, Impulse, his short Avengers run, Hypertime and how much
money he makes.
Coville:
When I heard the rumors about the Gorilla imprint, it seemed a forgone
conclusion that it would be done through Image Comics. What took so long
to finally get the deal through?
Waid:
It never seemed like a foregone conclusion to US. We had companies vying for
the rights to distribute what we published almost from the get-go, and it
took us a while to winnow our choices down to the best--the fine folks at
Image, who'll back us all the way.
Coville:
The Gorilla line has been called Comics worst kept secret for several
months now. Did the news/rumor leaks through Rich Rumblings website bother
you in any way?
Waid:
Nah. That's not to say I haven't been pissed off by a thousand OTHER things
Rich has reported, but this isn't one of 'em. Besides, it was fun to see all
the misinformation fly ("Bulldog" Comics?)
Coville:
There was a rumor of an editor, specifically Matt Idelson, helping
oversee the Gorilla imprint. If there is an editor helping out the imprint
can you tell us who s/he is?
Waid:
We are in the process of hiring a coordinating editor, but please, no resumes
-- we've already set our sights and are in preliminary negotiations.
Coville:
Is the editor you have your sights set on currently working at Marvel or DC?
Waid:
Coville:
What books will be coming out through the Gorilla imprint and what are
they about? Can you give us details about the book(s) you and your
collaborators will be working on?
Waid:
By now, you know about Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen's SHOCKROCKETS; I can't
at this stage really give much information about my own launch the following
month other than to say that, yes, it's the long-promised EMPIRE, by myself
and Barry Kitson.
Coville:
What is EMPIRE? What's it about, the characters, setting, etc.. I want
to know everything!
Waid:
Bone-chilling action coupled with satanic soap opera. EMPIRE is the
near-future story of Golgoth, the first super-villain to actually WIN and
conquer the Earth. Unfortunately, winning the crown and keeping it are two
different things altogether. Now Golgoth must constantly watch out for
traitors, for terrorists, even for extraterrestrials who were biding their
time until he gathered all the reins of power. It's also the story of his
Cabinet of Ministers--evil and twisted all--and how they interact and scheme
to gain the Empire themselves. This is not a bright, happy super-hero story.
There are no heroes in EMPIRE. Only villains. Monthly beginning in May
from myself, Barry Kitson, and colorist Chris Sotomayor.
Coville:
Will the Gorilla line be superhero comics only?
Waid:
Hell, no. We're building a home where we can publish whatever the market
will bear, and while I'll probably never get tired of writing super-hero
comics, I've always made an effort to write other genres--I loved writing the
few Archie stories I had a hand in, and to me, IMPULSE was never a super-hero
comic but rather a sitcom on paper.
Coville:
Will Gorilla comics be available on the newsstand market?
Waid:
No immediate plans, but we'd sure love to get there sooner than later.
Coville:
Will anybody be allowed to join the Imprint at a future date or just big
name comic professionals?
Waid:
Who knows? Let's just get off the ground first and see what the future
holds. There's no official membership "cap," though a partnership of 27
isn't exactly gonna be a Swiss watch.
Coville:
Don't you find it ironic that an "Hot writer" based line is being
publishing through a company founded by "Hot Artists"? Especially when
some of which didn't put quality writing as a priority in their own comics?
Waid:
Oh, I guess, but to be honest, I haven't really thought about it much. The
broader commonality is that none of us wanted/want to spend forever in
work-for-hireland.
Coville:
Creator owned comics have a bad reputation for blowing deadlines. Can you
give us any assurances that Gorilla books will come out on time?
Waid:
Without a crystal ball at my side, no--all I can assure you is that, if you
look at our roster, Gorilla is clearly made up of industry professionals
who've been hard at work for anywhere from five to (hi, George!) twenty-five
years. We know what deadlines are, and we know how important they are.
Coville:
You and Kurt Busiek are DC and Marvel fans respectively. Will your
Gorilla comics have homage's from those universes?
Waid:
Can't speak for Kurt, but mine won't; with all due respect to the many
talented people who've headed that way in recent years with some fun and
excellent product, if I read another "homage" series, I'm gonna go postal.
If I wanted to write Superman, I'd write Superman. If I wanted to write Dial
H for Hero, I'd write Dial H for Hero. If I want to write something NEW, I
go to Gorilla.
Coville:
Do you have any new work lined up with other publishers?
Waid:
Other than Black Bull's GATECRASHER, nothing at the moment.
Coville:
I hear there will be some changes to the JLA lineup when you take over as
the titles writer. Can you tell us what the changes are, why you want them
and what characters will be in the new lineup?
Waid:
I've made no secret of the fact that I can't juggle 14 JLAers without having
an embolism. The core seven are what everyone expects, and I think Plas is
iconic enough to have earned a slot beside them. That said, expect plenty of
guest-shots, as needed, from everyone from Steel to Atom.
Coville:
Grant Morrison had a philosophy of JLA being something like The 12
Knights of the Round Table. How you do see the team?
Waid:
Like an All-Star baseball team.
Coville:
What would you have done with Avengers if your run lasted longer than 3
issues?
Waid:
Demanded an artist who could tell a story.
Coville:
During the 3 issues you introduced MASQUE and BENEDICT, two plot lines
that are still left dangling. Who were these characters and what were they
to do or become?
Waid:
Hell if I know. Don't you know the Marvel Marching Drill by now? "I was
just following orders." Jesus, even I don't remember someone named
"Benedict"...guess it's time to crack open the back issues...
Coville:
Do you have any consultation or input in Impulse's own title or his use
in Young Justice?
Waid:
In his own title, yes; each month, editor L.A. Williams extends me the
unheard-of courtesy of sending me black-and-white advances for my comments,
and I'd like to give him his public props for that. I don't, however, have
much TO say--writer Todd DeZago, besides being a good friend of mine, has a
terrific handle on the character.
And with YOUNG JUSTICE, I trust Peter.
Coville:
Some people reading your and Brian Augustyn current Flash now assume
Hypertime's purpose is to write stories that don't have to adhere to
continuity. Is that Hypertime's purpose?
Waid:
No. Hypertime has no "purpose" any more than the color red has a "purpose."
Hypertime was introduced both as a way of expanding the ever-shrinking,
ever-regulated, ever-constricting DCU and as a way of tipping the hat to
old-time readers who are tired of being told the stories they read and loved
"never happened." It was introduced to remind people that comics aren't
about rules, they're about flying. And don't draw ANY conclusions from the
current FLASH run yet--there ARE purposes to the STORY, and only Brian and
Grant and I as yet know what they are....
Coville:
You have been one of the writers credited with digging comic books out of
the Grim and Gritty heroes. Then you and Brian write a Flash who is very
grim and gritty. Why?
Waid:
Just pitching a change-up, man. Gotta stay versatile. Gotta keep you on
your toes.
Coville:
Hey, last year you made around $400,000! Did you make that kind of money
again this year?
Waid:
My accountant would be stunned to hear that. If by "around," you mean "way,
way, way, way less than," then I guess so. Believe me, I NEVER made 400
grand in a year, not even close. I did have a couple or three really good
years for which I'm really grateful, but salaries and royalties across the
board have been a lot more realistic for quite a while, my friend....
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