Tag Archives: comic books

The People Behind the Puppets: Jake T. Forbes

Posted on by
3

After the success of the first volume of Fraggle Rock, we naturally began asking ourselves what we could do to make the second volume even better. One of the ideas we embraced was bringing on some talented writers and artists who had worked on other successful Jim Henson Company comics. Naturally, Jake T. Forbes was at the top of that select list.

Jake is the writer of Return to Labyrinth, the New York Times bestselling manga series that also serves as the official sequel to the seminal 1986 fantasy film. He’s also a respected expert on manga in the United States and an experienced video game designer. And yet, Jake still manages to keep a low profile, spending his time writing and cooking from his home in the Bay Area.

With a variety of projects in the works, we’ll see how long that low profile lasts…

Jake, when I first met you, you were one of the most respected editors over at Tokyopop, and I was a freelance copy editor just learning about manga. However, what astounded me was that you were a few years younger than me at the time. How did you manage to become one of the most widely respected manga editors and authorities at such a young age?

It largely boils down to being at the right place at the right time. When I applied at Tokyopop, fresh out of college, the company wasn’t well known as a book publisher. I didn’t even realize I was applying for a manga editing position until I was at the interview — I assumed it was a junior editor position at the magazine or website that I was applying for. When I got the job, I was excited to have a grown-up job in a real office — it was great. Tokyopop employed close to 100 people at that time, of whom only six people worked on manga. Everyone else was devoted to the magazine, the anime line, soundtracks, toy importing and, most of all, the website. The company wasn’t Tokyopop; it was Tokyopop.COM.

Prior to being hired, my knowledge of manga and otaku culture was pretty low. In high school and before, I had friends who were more engaged in that nascent scene and so I was familiar with Ranma, Evangelion, Akira and Lone Wolf and Cub, but I didn’t bring a lot of expertise to the table. What I did have, however, was enthusiasm and a deep respect for fan culture and I dug into the secret language of otakudom with relish. At first I was just trying to figure out what was popular with those ahead of the curve, but in time I started to understand why things were popular and form my own educated opinions as I fell in love with the stories and creators I was exposed to. I made a lot of mistakes that first year, but I learned a lot and made many friends and contacts in the fan community.

Less than a year after I started, the company underwent a major shift in focus. Most of the staff moved on as the company dropped the magazine and web content and focused on localization. Suddenly, with just one year of experience, I was the localized manga authority in the office and found myself promoted to Senior Editor. Yikes! Any “authority” I earned came from keeping my eyes and ears open and trying to do right by readers.

Through all the work you did at Tokyopop, on such series as Fruits Basket, Chobits, Priest, Samurai Deeper Kyo and Rave Master, just to name a few, was a goal of yours to eventually move into writing full-time? Why did you leave editing?

I was truly blessed to work on so many amazing and high-profile titles, and I really did enjoy the work, but increasingly, I found my desire to create stories wasn’t being satisfied by localization, where fidelity is the ultimate aim. I was also frustrated by my inability to make the books I was working on better. Part of this was due to cost-cutting measures that caused retouch, lettering and image reproduction quality to shift radically volume to volume, partly it was my butting heads with the zero-tolerance policy on retouching sound-fx, and, perhaps most of all, I was looking for change. The opportunity to write an original series definitely helped me commit to leaving, but I wasn’t completely sure if writing was what I wanted to do full time.

Some people would say you got out at just the right time. I’m not going to ask you to comment on Tokyopop’s current problems, but did you foresee the decline in manga’s popularity? Was that something you’d say was inevitable? And do you still read manga today?

I won’t claim to have predicted manga’s decline at the time. After all, shortly after I left, I went on to lead production at manga upstart GoComi. Part of that was me falling back into a comfort zone, and part of it was my pride compelling me to try and fix the issues I had with quality at Tokyopop. It wasn’t until about a year later that warning signs started going off for me; but by that time, there was already a fair amount of doomsaying. As for reading manga, I do pick up titles from the library, but mostly these days I just read the Viz Signature titles like Children of the Sea, DMC and Urasawa’s stuff, but I’ll pick up the occasional shonen or shojo title to see what’s popular.

You certainly chose an ambitious gig for your first comic book writing project: scripting the official comic book sequel to Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, a film with no shortage of opinionated fans. Was it intimidating?

At the time I suggested Tokyopop pursue that license, I knew that Labyrinth had fans, but I had no idea how opinionated the fans were. I considered myself about as hardcore as Labyrinth fans could get, but it was a personal obsession that I shared with friends and family only. I wasn’t aware of the size of the community who shared that passion. Any intimidation I felt — and there was a lot! — came from working for the Jim Henson Company, as Henson was and is one of the people I most admire. It wasn’t until Comic-Con, where the series was first previewed to a standing-room-only crowd of 200+ fans, that I knew just how big this was.

The cover to the first volume of Return to Labyrinth, beautifully painted by Kouyu Shurei.

How does one go about creating a sequel to such a beloved work of fantasy? Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted to do, or did the idea change and evolve as you went along?

The story definitely evolved as I went along. The initial outline was much heavier on action and adventure, but the more time I spent with it, the more the series shifted towards melodrama. If the volumes had been scheduled back-to-back, I probably would have stuck to a more action/comedy format, but with six months of downtime between volumes, I ended up getting very introspective and wanted to know more about the characters. I was also finding my voice as a writer.

Did you think about how long the project was when you started? I mean, you were working on it for nearly five years!

The series was originally contracted to be a trilogy. After volume 2, Tokyopop had a major wave of troubles that led to layoffs and the series’ fate was in limbo. I don’t think the executives at Tokyopop realized until after the fact that Return to Labyrinth had become one of the publisher’s best-selling titles! When we finally renewed the contract for volume 3, I convinced them to do another volume so that I could expand the story.

A spread from Return to Labyrinth Volume 1. Yes, that is Travelling Matt making a cameo appearance in the lower left, which technically makes Jake the very first Fraggle Rock comic book writer since the 1980s!

Are you pleased with how it turned out? Is there anything you would do differently?

I’m very pleased with the series as a whole. I hope that the original characters, like Skub, Moppet and Mizumi, will be remembered for years to come. Certainly, there are some things I would do differently in retrospect, and there were a few scenes that got trimmed that I wish could have stayed in for the final volume, but overall, I’m proud of the work that Chris [Lie, the illustrator] and I did. It’s a book created with enthusiasm and love, and I think that sincerity comes through. In my future work, I hope that passion continues, albeit with a little more discipline that comes from experience.

While I know that Return to Labyrinth has plenty of fans — some of them pretty obsessive, actually — not all of the fans of the movie have embraced it. Why do you think that is? Does it bother you?

When you’re working with beloved source material, opinions and emotions invariably and understandably run high with readers. I definitely don’t take it personally if there are Labyrinth fans who don’t embrace Return to Labyrinth.

A page from Return to Labyrinth Volume 4 featuring Moppet, one of the original characters created by Jake for the sequel comic.

At four pages, your Fraggle Rock story was one of the shortest in the book, and yet I felt it was paced perfectly. It didn’t feel like you were trying to cram in too much, which is a common problem with the shorter stories. Was it at all difficult to write something so short and concise after working on such a longer series?

It was tough! I had to trim and trim and trim to make it work. Having a song as the foundation helped, as it helped me focus on what was most important. While writing Return to Labyrinth, I had a tendency towards indulgent dialog. The Labyrinth books are very talky. In the script I’m writing now, I’m really trying to keep dialog short and sweet and less expositional.

Your short is one of the very few Fraggle Rock stories to attempt to incorporate music, which was such an important element of the TV show. For all its strengths, the comic book medium is not a very good one for music. How do you add an audial art form into a medium that’s entirely silent?

I agree, it’s tough to sell lyrics in the comics format. Nine times out of ten, when I read song lyrics in print, it doesn’t feel particularly musical. As a writer, when you put lyrics to the page, you’re counting on the reader being able to turn the text into a song, but for most readers, I have a feeling it’s looked upon as (bad) poetry and glossed over. In the case of Return to Labyrinth, I think the song worked because Bowie’s ballads are so ingrained in the readers’ minds that it’s not hard to imagine the words coming from Bowie cum Jareth. In the case of Fraggle Rock, it was a little easier as the song is more whimsical verse. Verse is a lot easier to sell in print, provided it’s in the right context.

Why did you focus your story on Boober? Can you relate to him?

I mentioned this in another interview, but I admire Boober more than I relate to him. The Fraggle I relate to most is Wembley. Wembley stories sort of stress me out, whereas Boober stories always make me smile.

A page from “Boober and the Ghastly Stain,” Jake’s Fraggle Rock short.

You’ve now written two projects for The Jim Henson Company. Do you see yourself working with the Henson Company again, or are you ready to move on to something else?

As I said up above, Henson is a true hero. My earliest TV memories are of watching Fraggle Rock on HBO. The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets Take Manhattan were favorite childhood films (for whatever reason, I didn’t get into the original Muppet Movie until adulthood). I loved both Storyteller series, the fantasy films, and any Creature Shop work in other movies. Being able to work with the Henson Company is a dream come true. Would I work with the Henson Company again? In a heartbeat, if there is an appropriate story that I felt needed to be told and the Henson Company wanted to share in its creation.

As you’ve been writing these projects, you’ve also had a successful career in video game development. Do you feel video games and comic books have much in common?

Console games and super-hero comics have much in common in that these aging, mostly male, communities of fans and creators are having to come to terms with their no longer being synonymous with their respective mediums. There’s a lot of overlap in terms of art styles, as many artists work in both industries or are inspired by the other. Both industries are going through major periods of adjustment, but I think games have a definite leg up there as activities monetize much better than content.

How difficult was making the transition from a full-time comic book professional to a full-time video game one?

Having published graphic novels to show at an interview was a big help. My first games job started shortly after Return to Labyrinth debuted, and if I didn’t have that book to supplement my resume, I don’t know that I could have scored a game writing job. To be honest, my games career had a rocky start after my first employer imploded and several contract jobs didn’t amount to much. In the console games space, what titles you’ve shipped and who you know makes all the difference in landing a good job. At this point though, the games industry is much more diverse, and there are more opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds. I’m finally on stable ground now, working with a new company that is getting ready to publish some great social games.

While the comic book influence can definitely be seen in today’s entertainment, it’s a very small industry and market compared to the number of game developers and players out there. Do you feel video games and other forms of interactive entertainment might ultimately be responsible for comic book readership’s erosion?

Comics are such an inefficient medium, taking hundreds of hours of an artist’s time for an experience that is consumed in a matter of minutes. As a means of expression, I have no doubt that comics will continue to thrive. As a serious business, I’m not bullish on the comics industry’s potential for growth, outside of perhaps kids’ comics. I’m not worried about comics — the creators and publishers who have comics in their blood, who create works that matter and resonate with readers, will keep on putting out amazing work. As for the explosion of fandom that continues to grow as children of the 80s and beyond grow up and exert their influence — that fandom we see at the madhouse that is Comic-Con — I don’t think it’s the comics industry that will ultimately benefit from that passion. Games, on the other hand, have huge growth potential as they evolve from $60 console experiences into a multitude of forms. I’m a book fetishist, so I still hope to publish a few more bound books before I give up on the medium, but as a storyteller, I expect I’ll reach a much bigger audience through games.

So what’s next for you?

I wish I had more details to share. Right now I’m working for a company called Making Fun, a new games division of Fox, working on a few games to debut this summer or fall. On the comics front, I’ve got an original graphic novel project with an amazing artist you’ll recognize that I’m looking for a publishing partner for. Check in with me in a month and hopefully I’ll have an update about that one!

And finally, I’ve heard rumors that you’re also a whiz at LEGO construction? Do I smell a potential third career path?

That was a path that I’ve long since diverged from. In college, a friend and I built LEGO displays for toy store windows. I probably have 200,000 bricks in storage right now, and every once in a while I start dreaming about undergoing a major building project again. It’s intimidating, though. Ten years ago, when I was last active, the “Adult Fan of LEGO” community was pretty scattered and the standards weren’t all that high. Since then, multiple LEGO communities have exploded online, and adult creators have shared techniques and refined building practices from the chunky styling I once knew to SNOT (studs-not-on-top) sleek designs. Instead of the eight main colors I knew, there are a good two dozen shades. It’s not that the bricks have gotten more specialized and dumbed down, as happened in the late 90s, but rather the standards are so much higher. It’s scary!

Actually, it’s a lot like the Magic the Gathering scene. Today’s cards are great, benefiting from 15 years of refinement, but for an “old-timer” like me, it’s a little intimidating to go back. I actually dipped my toes back into both LEGO and M:TG waters this past month, having bought the amazing Diagon Alley set to decorate my new desk and participated in a booster draft. If only I had more hours in the week to be a nerd! I’m having a hard enough time getting through my stack of games. And right now, everything takes a back seat to Dragon Age 2.

Well, LEGOs have proven to be a surprisingly fun subject for video games. Do you think there may be LEGO comics in the future?

I don’t see it. The main appeal of LEGO comes from their wonderfully tangible nature. The Traveler’s Tales games like LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Harry Potter do a great job of invoking the look, feel and sound of the bricks. The limitations imposed on their narrative by way of the bricks makes for great comedy in motion. I don’t think it would translate well to comics. Actually, that’s not quite true. The Brick Testament is amazing. For the most part, I think LEGO works best as vignettes and not as a medium for storytelling.

For more information on Jake and his projects, be sure to visit his website, www.gobblin.net.

And check back again soon for more Fraggle Rock creator interviews, including one with another Jim Henson manga creator!

The People Behind the Puppets: Heather Nuhfer

Posted on by
Reply

Considering she was one of the people responsible for launching the new Fraggle Rock comic, it seemed only natural that we should talk to Heather Nuhfer as part of our look behind the scenes of the comic. Heather Nuhfer (who was credited as Heather White in our book, but has since changed her last name) wrote our very first lead story. What that really means is that her 20-page story, “A Throne of my Own,” was the first new Fraggle Rock adventure to be released after a two decade hiatus.

Facing that sort of pressure would be a daunting task even for a seasoned comic book writer, which is why it’s all the more astonishing to learn that her Fraggle Rock story was Heather’s very first comic book project…ever. Not bad for someone brand new to the medium!

First off, Heather, is it Heather White or Heather Nuhfer? You were Heather White when we worked on Fraggle Rock together.

Tim, you can call me whatever you please! Though, please, call me Heather Nuhfer or I will hit you.

Okay, Ms. Nuhfer, I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve had a pretty diverse career that has taken you up and down the California coast and has included a stint at The Jim Henson Company. Now you’re living in LA. Do you think you’re going to stay here for a while?

I’m completely, 100% Los Angeles-based. You’re all totally stuck with me now! Sorry. It’s great to be here. Finally. I love being closer to my Los Angeles friends.

About when did you start writing? Initially, what was the reason for it?

Well, I started really writing around eleven or twelve. Mainly because I was obsessed with movies and wanted some of them to have sequels. I took it upon myself to write the sequels to many classic films that I deemed worthy, but would never be made. Well, with the exception of the new Lost Boys movies… they should never have been made. Actually, I think we all should forget they exist altogether. Anyway, I pretty much started with fan fiction, and went from there.

How exactly would you define yourself as a writer? You’ve worked in comics and as you pointed out, you’ve written some fan fiction, but you’ve also written screenplays.

Yeah, I really started out wanting to be a screenwriter. It’s something I would still love to do, but I also super duper love writing comics. I tend to think in screenplay format, in terms of ideas and how I visualize things, but comics, to me, are quite similar, since they are both really visual. I find writing for comics more challenging, but in a good way. There are so many little, but hugely important, elements–you know, deciding what the panels should look like, where your page breaks are in terms of telling the story better visually, keeping dialogue short enough, but still making sense–a lot of thinking has to be done. Screenplays are so much easier, technically. I have three…ish of them completed. I’m sure they are pretty awful.

I seriously doubt that! So you see screenwriting largely as a hobby, or do you plan on making a serious effort to develop as a screenwriter now that you’re in LA? And what sort of films interest you?

I’ll always be working on a screenplay. It’s like therapy for me, really. It doesn’t matter if anyone ever sees them, or if I ever try to sell one–though I probably should now that I am here! I love action movies and classics, to be honest, but I generally write dark comedies and quirky RomComs.

As far as writing goes, would you prefer to focus on one thing–like, say, building a comic book writing career–or do you prefer wearing many different hats?

I think that is sort of the curse in comics–as much as most of us would like to have that be our only gig, finances rarely agree. Unless you’re at a major publisher, you have to be writing comics because you LOVE it, because for most of us it’ll never be very lucrative. Generally, I’m happy if I’m doing creative writing work. I’m not horribly concerned with what format it ends up being in. And I look good in all sorts of hats.

Now, all the writing that I’ve seen from you has been very all-ages and kid-friendly. Is that naturally what you’re drawn towards? Do you think you have an R-rated screenplay in you?

I’m a perpetual kid, so writing all-ages comes pretty naturally. I love how relatable those stories can be and the challenge of making them so that everyone can get something out of them. I really want my all-ages stories to have something not only for the kid, but also the adult who’s reading it with them. Alright, confession: I really have a soft spot for uber-violent, bloody movies. I can’t write them though! I wish I could!

A page from “A Throne of my Own,” Heather’s Fraggle Rock lead story.

You wrote the very first Fraggle Rock story in the very first Fraggle Rock comic for Archaia, and it also happened to be the very first comic book you had ever written. That’s a lot of firsts! Was it overwhelming?

It was! Jumping into it the way I did was really scary, but I tried my best to keep a healthy facade of confidence. I feel incredibly lucky that my first comic writing experience was guided by you and Joe LeFavi, and published by Archaia. The amount of support and the level of care that everyone put into it was the best introduction to how the process should go.

As a huge Fraggle Rock fan, how did it feel writing those characters? Was there a lot of pressure to get it right, or did you just have fun and go with it?

Honestly? I seriously stressed about it for a while. These characters have been part of my entire life, you know? Being able to put words in their mouths was a bit surreal, and it freaked me out. Then I realized my nerves were messing up my writing, so I started forcing myself to just have fun with it. I would drink as much caffeine as I could and eat tons of cookies to get all jacked up on sugar, so I could feel like a hyper little Fraggle. I like to think of it as method writing.

More art from “A Throne of my Own.”

There was a moment of panic when we were working on the first issue when you discovered that the idea you had originally pitched was actually used in an episode from the show. Care to elaborate?

Oh, gosh! Yeah… Worst. Day. Ever. I discovered my own foible, too, so I felt like a double idiot. Telling your editors that their lead story is unusable isn’t the greatest feeling. I was sure it was all over after that! You guys were awesome though and helped me work it out. I am eternally grateful! After that, Muppetwiki became my best friend! There were just SO many episodes of the show, dodging similar themes was tricky.

So now that you have that first comic book under your belt, what are your next steps? What are you looking to accomplish in 2011?

More comics! I would love to be writing for more properties and hopefully be able to pitch an original idea or two.

I’ve noticed something about you which is that the people you’ve worked with really seem to take to you. You’ve made a lot of really good friends in the industry in such a short amount of time. What do you think is the reason for that? Are you the nicest person in comics?

Oh, hush! I think I’ve bumbled my way into the lives of some truly amazing folks, and am waiting for them to realize I am not that interesting or cool! Until then, I will enjoy their company and try to be a good friend.

Along the same lines, one of our Fraggle Rock Vol. 2 writers–Katie Strickland–is someone you introduced us to. Did you expect that she’d be following in your footsteps as a Fraggle Rock writer? And what did you think of her story?

It’s awesome that Kate got on board, are you kidding me?! She’s been my best friend for twenty years! She is a glorious, supremely talented writer and I can’t wait to see what she does next. She did such a wonderful job with her Traveling Matt story–his voice is so hard to get right–I was really impressed. One of these days we’ll finish something we’ve started writing together! I have faith!

One of Heather’s recent creations–a fully knitted Wicket. Who says Ewoks aren’t cool?

You also knit and crochet fabulously geeky items like Ewoks, Cthulhus and Sandworms. How did that start? And why don’t you ever sell them? It seems like you could have a cool little side business selling knit items on Etsy.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I inherited TONS of knitting and crocheting supplies and taught myself how to do both. I like to knit more traditional things every once in a while, but it’s SO much more fun to work on my geeky projects. I actually used to have a little craft business called “Harpy” and did a lot of alternative craft fairs. It (like all of my endeavors) was never really cost effective, so I stopped making things to sell and have been creating stuff for my own enjoyment since. I do have an inkling to get some of my newer ideas made and put them on Etsy… well, at least until the licensing folks hunt me down.

Another of Heather’s knitting projects–a pair of Beetlejuice Sandworm mittens. Modeled along with her dog, Einstein.

Where would you like to be a year from now?

Hmmm. Drinking a mai tai, I guess. On my own private island. Possibly on the best terraformed section of Mars.

Okay, I just have to ask, when you were at The Jim Henson Company, did they ever have impromptu puppet shows at the office? Like, maybe between cubicles? It just seems like it would be in the spirit of the place.

HA! There were so many great things just sitting around, but you couldn’t touch any of them! It was torture! I ended up with about 50 action figures on my desk so I’d have something to distract me from the Skeksis or Rygel hanging out in the rafters…

And finally, as a huge Fraggle Rock fan, maybe you can answer this for me. With all the running around and acting crazy that the Fraggles did, do you think they ever accidentally stepped on some of the Doozers? I mean, the Doozers are pretty small and are always around, and the Fraggles don’t exactly look like they’re watching where they’re stepping…

They wear hardhats for a reason, Tim, and it ain’t because Doozer constructions are unsafe.

I’d like to thank Heather for taking a break from the LA sunshine to talk to us. Keep an eye out for some new comic book projects from her throughout the year. And check back again soon for some more Fraggle creator interviews!

The People Behind the Puppets: Grace Randolph

Posted on by
2

One of the best things about editing the Fraggle Rock comic is that as an anthology, there’s quite a lot of talent that has contributed to it. Its success can’t be pinned on one or two people, but rather a collection of writers and artists who have a clear understanding and love for the property and the skill necessary to create new Fraggle Rock stories that feel as fresh and as “Fraggley” as the original show. As the comic’s editor, I work closely with each and every one of these creators from their story’s inception all the way to print, and it pleases me to say that I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. This is a fun crew. Some of the most talented and thoughtful people in the business. The problem is that outside of the Fraggle Rock team, not many people realize this. While a few contributors have had some success in the indie comics realm, many made their comic book debut on Fraggle Rock while others have been working steadily under the radar in comics for years.

In short, these are people that everyone in comics should know about, but not everyone does. So, to celebrate the ongoing release of Fraggle Rock Vol. 2, I thought I’d conduct a few interviews with some of the Fraggle Rock creators. These are the people who brought Jim Henson’s classic creation back to life for a new generation of readers, and will likely be making quite a name for themselves in the years ahead. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them. I’m hoping that all of you will as well.

Let’s start with Grace Randolph. Grace wrote the lead story in the first issue of Fraggle Rock Vol. 2, but that’s hardly the only thing she’s written. She’s worked for both of the Big Two publishers, Marvel and DC, and has recently written comics for Tokyopop and BOOM! as well. And we’re not talking about obscure stuff that came and went, she’s worked on some of the big ones. Justice League Unlimited, Warcraft, StarCraft, the Muppets… And all this while also juggling an entirely separate career as a successful web content writer, producer and on-camera host.

Hi Grace, I hope 2011 is off to a good start for you. It seems like a pretty big year for you, isn’t it? Are you feeling good about it so far?

Yes, I’m very excited about 2011! I’ve been working really hard for a few years now and so of course I’m thrilled to see my career moving forward. But it can also move backward, so I’ll continue to work hard!

Grace, I remember when I first met you. It was at New York Comic-Con, probably around 2007, and I think the thing I remember most about it is that you had been bitten by some bug or something and were having an allergic reaction to it. Probably not the best first impression! Do you remember that?

I sure do! I was watching the Tokyopop Cosplay Fashion Show with my editor at the time and I felt my leg get itchy! Well it turns out that a mosquito had gotten up my pant leg and bit me several times! That’s what I get for wearing long pants to a convention in the spring. Anyway, I’m very allergic to bug bites and so in just a matter of minutes, the bites were all red and swollen! So I took an antihistamine and it made me super drowsy! Fun times… 🙂

The first comic book project I think I saw of yours was a pilot we did at TOKYOPOP called Nemesis: Who Me?. If memory serves, it was actually one of the more popular pilots we ever ran. Then after that, you did a bunch of Warcraft and StarCraft comics for us, something I find interesting because I know you’re not really a gamer. Were those projects a challenge?

Yes, Nemesis: Who Me? — last time I checked — was the most viewed of all the pilots. I was very proud of how it turned out and had been fortunate enough to be paired with a great artist, Elisa Kwon. Sadly the Pilot Program didn’t work out overall, so we weren’t able to move forward despite the good response. As for the Warcraft and StarCraft comics I wrote, I’d say the most challenging aspect was researching the games as I’d never played them before! As someone really into comics and movies myself, I know how important it is to get a world’s mythology right when adding to it. So I was very happy that the stories were well-received.

One of them, “Last Call,” is one of the best comics I think you’ve written. I really love how it takes such good advantage of the comic book medium. I don’t think that story would be as effective as a film or TV episode. Where did you come up with that idea?

My first thought when coming up with a pitch for StarCraft was that I wanted to write something sexy. I think it’s important for a writer to show that they have range. On top of that, I learned about Zerg parasites and how they control their hosts — I felt the idea of a person being forced to spy against her will would be very interesting. That’s where I got the idea to write a traditional espionage drama with a sci-fi twist!

After that, you began writing comics for a variety of publishers including BOOM!, Archaia and now Marvel. Most of what you’ve written has been all-ages. Do you like writing comics for younger readers?

Well, to be totally honest, I must point out that all-ages books are where new writers break in. That said, I certainly enjoy writing all ages books and I try to make them just that — something anyone would enjoy. I feel that writing something specifically for “kids” tends not to work out as you just end up talking down to them. When I was a kid, it was the sophisticated stories that appealed to me the most, and I assume it’s the same way with other kids.

Yeah, that’s something that’s a little different with comic books than with other mediums. It’s hard for a kid’s book to be successful entirely on its own. Most publishers want their books to be all-ages. Is writing for such a wide audience a challenge?

Not at all! As I said above, that’s the audience I want to write for anyway with an all-ages book. It’s like writing a PG or PG-13 movie, and adults love those too!

It seems like most people who know your work, know you from your Muppet miniseries. Why do you think that out of everything you’ve written so far, it’s Muppet Peter Pan that people seem to really respond to? What do you think of your work on that project?

I think Muppet Peter Pan stands out for three reasons. First, because the properties are so well known and loved. Second, BOOM! Studios did a wonderful job getting the word out on that book. Third, I like to think that my pairing of the two brands was a good idea and that I did it well. And since the response to the book was great, and continues to be great, hopefully that is indeed the case.

Your lead Fraggle Rock story, “Wembley and the Great Dream-Capade,” is one of the more daring stories in our collection. It’s flat-out surreal in places. I don’t think of you as the sort of writer that naturally enjoys creating WTF moments, yet your story has a few of them and you absolutely NAILED them. Where did you get the idea? Was it inspired strictly by Fraggle Rock or did it have other inspirations?

I’m so glad you think I got the story right! 🙂 And actually, I love writing surreal WTF moments — you just don’t get a lot of opportunities to do that with all-ages books. But I must admit, Fraggle Rock was the hardest writing assignment I’ve ever had. As I’ve said here, I view all-ages books as just that. However Fraggle Rock has a definite young readers vibe. So I had to find a way to walk that fine line between a story for pre-schoolers — an important message — and one that adults would enjoy — a great story. For the message, I wanted to teach kids how to play and use their imaginations. For the story, I liked the idea of dream-sharing and the freedom it gave me as a writer (i.e. getting out of Fraggle Rock). After fleshing out the structure of the story a little more with you and the Henson team, I was able to run from there. As for the WTF moments, those were actually the first elements of the story I came up with when I sat down to write. I come from a comedy background and, with such a short story, I wanted each dream to focus on a joke that not only was funny but crystallized the personality of the dreamer. Again, I’m glad you liked it and I hope others do too!

Your most high profile comic book lately is probably Marvel Her-Oes. I really enjoyed it, but if I had one disappointment, it would be that it seems to be the latest in a line of girl-oriented superhero books written by female writers that seem to exist in part because the Big Two are utterly clueless when it comes to female talent and fans. Most girls I know who like superheroes and comics are more than happy to read The Avengers, Fantastic Four, Batman, Spider-Man and all the other superhero comics that their male counterparts read. They don’t need books aimed at them. And the girls who DON’T read comics probably don’t read them because they have no interest in superheroes, so a new superhero comic isn’t going to interest them even if it was written for girls. Plus, I think it does a disservice to writers like you who are more than capable of writing regular superhero comics. So why do things like Her-Oes? Do you think there’s a real need for them? I worry that they may turn off male readers, and be ignored by female ones who feel like they’re possibly being pandered to.

Hmm, well this topic is certainly a hot one in the comics community — how to get more women to read comics. I think Her-Oes was a great idea, and I’ve actually had a number of people come up to me at conventions and tell me how much they’ve enjoyed it. One person even said he felt it would make a great animated series. Also, I heard from a friend who works at a comic book store that a little girl came to buy it and jumped up and down when he handed it to her! So I think Her-Oes is a great first superhero comic for young girls — they just don’t know about it. And a lot of that has to do with the reluctance of the comic book audience to let in new demographics. I was told that a lot of comic book stores didn’t even bother to buy the book to put on their shelves. That’s a shame. And a male reviewer dismissed it as “Archie crossed with Super Heroes” and, sadly, made fun of his young daughter’s taste when she told him she liked it. That’s wrong on so many levels I don’t know where to start, so let’s just move on.

Okay, one of the coolest things about you is that outside comics, you have this entire different career as a web host, writer and producer. Can you tell us about that?

I love it, and it’s also a lot of work! But the internet community is really fabulous and it’s great interacting with them on a weekly basis via my two shows, Facebook, etc.

Check out what moviegoers have to say about the new Anthony Hopkins film, The Rite, in a recent episode of Beyond The Trailer, Grace’s web series that lets movie fans have the final say!

How did you get started doing it?

I was doing live improv and sketch comedy at The Comedy Cellar in NYC when I got the chance to pitch a web show. I felt nobody was covering movies in the manner I thought they should, so I decided to give it a go myself!

You’re doing two shows now. Can you tell us about them?

Sure! The first is Beyond The Trailer which I created in 2007 as RevYOU and then in its current format as a Next New Creators program in 2008. It’s a movie news and review show with new episodes every week that I host, write, edit and produce. In January, I’m happy to say BTT got 4.3 million views on YouTube — its best month yet! I also am the new host and writer of Marvel.com’s The Watcher, debuting in November 2010. So far it’s been great and the response from Marvel viewers has been very supportive.

I’d imagine landing that Watcher gig must’ve been a real thrill for a comic book fan like you. How did you get it? Did they approach you or did you approach them?

It was indeed a thrill — and a huge honor!! I originally approached Marvel Digital about a writing gig, and also mentioned that I had some ideas for a comic book web show. They checked out Beyond The Trailer and thought I’d be a good fit to take over The Watcher as the original host was moving out of town. I am having so much fun making the show and still feel like a kid in a candy shop every week when I go over to the Marvel offices to shoot!

How much of The Watcher do you write yourself? Does Marvel have to approve everything? What’s that process like?

I write the entire show, and yes, of course Marvel has to approve everything. I submit a proposed outline the week before for approval, and sometimes Marvel will let me know if there’s something specific they think might interest viewers. Then I write up the script, make any changes that Marvel requests, and we shoot! The entire Marvel Digital team is wonderful to work with, as is Marvel in general. I do a segment called Marvel Fact Hunter where I interview members of the editorial team and everyone is so nice and eager to talk shop! It’s great!

Are you watching The Watcher? You should be! Check out Grace’s latest episode…

Do you know if any of your fans have followed you from one show to the other, or do they tend to stick with one? Do you think one of the shows has won you more fans than the other?

Yes, I’ve had a few viewers crossover from The Watcher to BTT and vice versa, which is great. As for which show might have won me more fans, what I’m most concerned about is creating great content. That’s the most important thing. I think if someone is focused on simply getting fans, they aren’t in this business for the right reasons.

What are your goals for this year and next? And is there anything brewing with either your web productions or your comic book writing that you can tell us about?

I’m a big believer in jinxes, so nope! 🙂

And finally, tell us something about you that you think may surprise us…

I broke my left-elbow when I was four years old impersonating Tarzan and almost lost my arm! Yikes! Don’t jump off furniture, kids…

I’d like to thank Grace for taking the time out of her very busy schedule to talk to us. (It is Oscar season after all, and Beyond The Trailer covers the entire race!) If you’re interested in her work, you can visit her website at www.gracerandolph.com.

Or check out her two web shows:

BEYOND THE TRAILER
http://www.youtube.com/beyondthetrailer

THE WATCHER
http://www.youtube.com/user/MARVEL#grid/user/83F1D8F581552723

Manga is not a dirty word…

Posted on by
117

I don’t think I fully realized how big a hole Tokyopop blew in the comic book horizon when they shuttered their original manga program until recently. Say what you will about Tokyopop as a company, it’s hard to argue that for a few years, they created a lot of opportunity for a lot of artists. Thanks to Tokyopop, thousands were exposed to the work of Felipe Smith, Rivkah and M. Alice LeGrow. Popular indie artists like Becky Cloonan, Ross Campbell and Brandon Graham got a boost to their careers, and dozens of unpublished creators received their first break through the Rising Stars of Manga contest.

But more than any of that, Tokyopop embraced a style of art that most other publishers wouldn’t touch—the manga-influenced one. An entire generation of young comic book artists had grown up reading the books that Tokyopop, Viz and Dark Horse had helped bring to the United States and wanted to draw in that sort of style, and for a few years, it actually seemed like they may be able to make a little money doing so.

Then Tokyopop ran into trouble, and the rest of the manga industry soon followed suit. Yen Press has scaled back their original manga plans, Del Rey Manga no longer exists and Viz, if they ever intended to publish original content created in the United States, seemed to have a change of heart. Of course, in so doing, the options for manga-influenced artists were gutted, leaving most to look to web-publishing and self-publishing for getting their comics out there.

Now, I’m not knocking self-publishing or webcomics. If done well, they can pay off handsomely for a talented creator. But they shouldn’t be the only options out there for talented artists. Yet the unfortunate truth is that the majority of western comic book publishers really have no interest in publishing manga-style comic art. And you know what? I really don’t blame the publishers. They aren’t interested in publishing that style of art because it doesn’t sell for them. Of course, the reason it doesn’t sell is entirely due to us, the fans.

Why are we so limited in what we’ll read? I’ve already written about our reluctance to sample anything not published by the Big Two, but we also need to really ask ourselves why we’re so biased against manga-influenced art. I understand why much of the Japanese manga that gets published out here may not be of interest to a reader who isn’t interested in interpreting another culture’s mores and sense of humor just so they can enjoy a comic book. But we’re not talking about Japanese manga here. We’re talking about American comics that just happen to be drawn in a style that’s influenced by Japanese sequential art.

Before I go any further, I should probably make it clear that I’m writing this as someone who was once ridiculously biased against manga. I started at Tokyopop with an inherent love for superheroes and a complete lack of interest in Japanese graphic novels. Had I not landed my job there, it’s unlikely I’d even know what a tankoubon was, let alone actually sat down and read them. It’s also worth mentioning that since leaving Tokyopop, the amount of manga that I’ve read has seriously decreased. There are titles that I enjoy, but when I compare the amount of manga I read each year with the number of western comics, western comics win by a mile.

But I still read Bizenghast. I still read Nightschool. I read Re:Play through to its conclusion (and not just because I was the editor of that series for a while). If I have any interest in the subject matter of a comic, I’ll read it, regardless of the style. So why is it that comics drawn by manga-influenced artists (other than Adam Warren) seem to always struggle to find an audience in the United States?

Unfortunately, I still think there’s a lot of misunderstanding among both readers and publishers. They hear manga and they instantly think of big eyes and flowery backgrounds. The problem is that far too many people still cling to the idea that manga is a style. Manga is not a style. It’s a format, and even within that format there’s a lot of diversity. To say someone is a manga artist is no different than to say they’re a comic book artist. And just like with comic book artists, manga artists can draw in vastly different styles.

Svetlana Chmakova’s manga art is very different from Nam Kim’s. Christy Lijewski’s art looks nothing like Rem’s. All of them are manga-influenced, and not one of them draws characters that look like Sailor Moon. Sure, it’s possible they could adapt their art, make it look more western. Being stylistically diverse isn’t a bad thing, especially if it can get them more paying work. But why should they have to do that if they don’t want to? Why should any talented artist have to?

I should mention that there ARE publishers out there who seem more than happy to hire gifted, unique artists regardless of their style and influence. Thank goodness for Oni Press, First Second and traditional publishers like Penguin. We need more of them. But for that to happen, we first need to be willing to prove to publishers that comics drawn by manga-influenced artists can sell, and that means recognizing that manga isn’t this evil, threatening entity that we must destroy before it absorbs all the shelves at our local comic book shops, but part of the family. Don’t roll your eyes when you hear someone call themselves a manga artist—look at their art. Really look at it. It won’t hurt you, and if you keep an open mind, I can guarantee that there are quite a few manga-influenced artists that you’re going to love.

At New York Comic-Con last month, I was introduced to a ridiculously talented manga-influenced artist. She showed me her latest comic (which she had self-published), and after seeing how skilled she is, I thought about a few of the projects I’m working on that are in need of artists. I asked her if she only drew in a manga style, and she said yes. It was the only way of drawing that she really felt passionate about. I remember looking down at some of the comics in front of me, shaking my head, and telling her that unfortunately, I didn’t have any opportunities for her right now. None of the publishers I’m working with are interested in publishing comics drawn in a manga-influenced style. She smiled and said she understood, and that it’s something she’s heard before.

It’s a conversation I hope to never have again.

Not Waiting for Superman…

Posted on by
Reply

I spent last Sunday at the West Hollywood Book Fair, which felt like a real accomplishment this year considering the temperature was well into the triple digits. It was the sort of heat where everyone stops worrying about their appearance and just accepts the fact that they look like they decided to take a shower without soap and without bothering to take off their clothes. The heat was a real problem because not only did it negatively impact attendance, but it also affected the mood of those who did show up. Most people weren’t in the state of mind to leisurely peruse the fair, talking to authors and picking up a book or two if any caught their eye.

This was definitely unfortunate and my sympathy goes to the vendors and authors who experienced less than stellar sales. I just hope they realize that the problem was the heat and not the actual event. And I hope the event organizers realize that the heat is a problem and consider pushing next year’s book fair back a month or two.

And yet, my experience at the fair was largely positive. Yes, I went through about eight bottles of water and looked a complete mess, but I had a chance to catch up with some friends, meet some cool people, have Hope Larson sign my copy of Mercury, and moderate a pretty thorough panel on comic books outside the “Big Three” (though we could never really agree on who the third big publisher was, so we stuck to Marvel and DC). I was actually very pleased with how the panel went, and much gratitude must be extended to my four panelists: Joshua Hale Fialkov, Richard Starkings, Renae Geerlings and Raphael Navarro. Each contributed a fair amount to the discussion and each brought vastly different experiences to the table, which resulted in a really comprehensive discussion on the subject of publishing comics outside the Big Two. There were a few disagreements and differences of opinion, but there was certainly one thing that came up several times. Comic book fans really need to start buying stuff other than Big Two superhero books.

You know, I’m a lifelong superhero fan, and that’s never going to change. I’ve seen just about every superhero movie opening week in the movie theater and that will probably continue until my dying day. I still enjoy a great superhero story and although it seems to be a losing battle, I really do try to keep up with most of the Batman titles. But I reached a point in my life when I’d had enough and stopped buying 98% of the superhero titles that I had been buying. The reason for my decision was a key point in our discussion on Sunday: Marvel and DC no longer care about doing what’s creatively best for their properties. Instead, their interest is in leveraging them for all they’re worth. All the major characters (including my boy Bruce Wayne) have numerous monthly titles, along with multiple miniseries, one-shots and crossovers that come out each year. Forget about whether people actually want that much Aquaman in their lives, it’s there, spread across comic shop shelves and crowding out smaller independent and creator-owned titles. But that’s not even my point here. Let’s look at what such a glut does to the character.

Look at the recent YA fiction trend. Do you want to know why series like Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games are going to be read decades from now? And why books like Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Ender’s Game and His Dark Materials continue to be read by readers of all ages years after their publication? It’s because all of those series were limited. The authors had a clear story in mind, and they stuck to that. And from the very start, I can guarantee you that they knew their story had an end.

Could J.K. Rowling have added to her already ridiculous fortune by franchising Harry Potter and cranking out volume after volume of it? Would a “Tales of the Mockingjay” comic book “written” by Suzanne Collins and scripted by some unknown comic book writer (who actually does all of the work, but shares credit with Collins since her name is the one that will move copies) sell like cupcakes? Does Haymitch like his drink?

There’s no doubt the above projects would sell, but the true cost would be the value of the original source material. And yes, this is coming from a guy who edits Fraggle Rock comics. (Which I don’t feel makes my statement at all hypocritical. Fraggle Rock was a TV show. It’s designed to be episodic. Most fiction isn’t and I think it loses much of its relevance when it’s designed to be.)

We can argue that properties can be put through a lot before they lose their literary significance. Certainly Sherlock Holmes remains as important a literary figure as ever, despite having survived not only four novels and 56 short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but countless film and TV adaptations. But even the strongest characters—and the most iconic superheroes are as strong as they come—can only withstand so much. Superman will celebrate his 80th Anniversary in two years. That’s 80 years of continuous publication, not to mention the radio and movie serials, the numerous TV shows and movies and quite a few novelizations. How many stories can there really be to tell with the character? And more to the point, would DC honestly let them be told? Only if whatever impact they may have on the universe can be reversible or described away by some space-time anomaly or reality-altering superweapon or some other convenient plot device created to maintain the status quo. Anyone who reads comic books for any length of time knows that nothing really changes in them. Not for long. Eventually, the dead are brought back and the supervillains are released from prison.

That, my friends, is the very essence of disposable entertainment, and that’s why comics and graphic novels as a medium continue to be so readily dismissed by so many adult readers. Ask yourself, how the prose novel would look if its flagship titles were The Babysitters Club, the ongoing work of V.C. Andrews and ever popular Star Wars and Star Trek novelizations? There are many readers who look at comics much the same way, and while it would be easy to dismiss them as ignorant (an assessment that isn’t without some truth), it’s an ignorance that we helped perpetuate.

Look, I’m not saying we should stop publishing all superhero books. There are some good ones out there. Let’s just stick to publishing those ones. The truly good ones. The Batman and Robins. The Invincibles. The ones that really stand out and get people talking. And when the writers of the projects decide they’re done, end the fucking things. Keep Batman on ice until another brilliant idea comes around.

There’s nothing wrong with disposable entertainment. But when it gets to the point that it’s defining a whole medium and quality projects are suffering and struggling to find an audience as a result, then it’s getting a little out of hand. And I’m afraid that’s where we are right now.

And for once, it’s not going to take a superhero to save us.