With just one week before the release of THE FURY OF FIRESTORM #1, Ethan Van Sciver took time out of his busy schedule for a chat with FIRESTORM FAN!  Ethan is probably best known for his astonishingly detailed artwork on comics such as GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH, NEW X-MEN, and FLASH: REBIRTH.  He’s also building a reputation as an “idea guy”; as someone who goes above and beyond to fully explore the mythological depths of his characters.

BACKGROUND

FIRESTORM FAN: Where did you grow up and how did you first get interested in reading comics? What were some of your favorites?

ETHAN VAN SCIVER: I grew up in Southern New Jersey, and I’ve always loved superheroes. It wasn’t until I happened to buy a copy of John Byrne’s MAN OF STEEL #1 that I started to actually read comic books, instead of just looking at the pictures. And then I fell deeply in love with them. Oddly, I went from Superman straight over to Marvel. I was 12 or 13, and the grumpiness, the angst of Marvel characters appealed to me more at that age. My favorites were X-MEN and the FANTASTIC FOUR.

FF: What attracted you to drawing and what were some of your first paid jobs as an artist? Did you have any formal training?

EVS: I always drew, and I always drew superheroes. I used to take a sheet of paper and fold it 5 or 6 times, unfold it, and then draw a superhero in each of the little boxes that the folds made. Kind of like collecting all of the heroes I knew. Adults told me I drew wonderfully, and as a kid, we tend to do more of what we are praised for. So I believed I was a good artist, and kept at it.

My first paid job as an artist was probably at the mall as a caricature artist when I was a teenager. And then some children’s books I illustrated. No formal training, unfortunately. Everything happened very quickly, so I never got to go to Kubert School.

FF: How did you land the job at DC drawing Impulse?

EVS: My independent book, CYBERFROG, had reached a point where it was unsustainable. I kept getting eviction notices from my apartment, and it was hard to keep food in the fridge. So I realized that I had to let it go, and I had to make that leap into the Big Two, even though I didn’t feel ready. I thought IMPULSE looked like a good way to transition. It was cartoony, had a smaller audience, and for some reason, I thought I could do it. So I called the editor and faxed him a drawing of Bart Allen. And he gave me a fill in issue!

FF: As a fan, I gotta say your work on Green Lantern and Flash was breathtaking! What do you feel were your biggest contributions to the Green Lantern and Flash stories? What is it like seeing your contribution grow beyond your original involvement?

EVS: Thanks! I think my biggest contributions to GREEN LANTERN were a new understanding of who Sinestro is, and what he looks like. And then the Spectrum, which came directly after we figured out that there should be Yellow Lanterns. I don’t know what my lasting contributions to FLASH are, considering FLASHPOINT may have changed everything! But I still have concepts and notions for Flash that never got used. I’ll have a chance someday, I hope. Watching it grow now doesn’t feel like much of anything. I feel proud, I suppose. But it was never mine, and it still isn’t. Occasionally I let myself say, “I created that symbol!” Feels good.

FF: Who would win in a fight: Forbush Man or Ambush Bug?

EVS: Ambush Bug, of course!

FIRESTORM

FF: How did you get the Firestorm assignment?

EVS: I asked to be the cover artist, and Dan and Geoff suggested I do much more than that. At first, I wasn’t sure I had any ideas for it, but DC Characters are so rich…there’s so much potential and so many possibilities for them. It wasn’t long before I was babbling and excited.

FF: Gail Simone said you had to convince her to join you on Firestorm. How did you manage that?

EVS: By telling her those ideas!

FF: Have you always been a fan of Firestorm, or is this a more recent passion? Do you have any favorite issues, storylines, or characters?

EVS: I think I’ve always been a fan, but not in the sense that I read all of the books. I just like the character. I like the way he looks. He exists within my imagination, the way other characters I love do. Sinestro existed in my imagination in a way that never existed in any comic books. Jean Grey too. I just need to present these visions on paper.

FF: What can you tell us about the new storyline? With the title The Fury of Firestorm, should we expect to see some fury?

EVS: The new story is about two boys who get caught up in an enormous super-science conspiracy with global consequences. It’s about politics, it’s about our borders, it’s about the future. And it’s about anger and misunderstandings as well.

FF: Is your Firestorm a complete re-imagining, or is this an altered version of Firestorm picking up where Brightest Day left off?

EVS: It’s a complete re-imagining, but it’s linked to where Brightest Day left off.

FF: Should the fans expect to see any other classic characters, besides Ronnie and Jason?

EVS: Oh yes!

FF: You and Gail Simone are both very politically outspoken, often on different sides of the fence. As co-plotters, does that play out in the comic, such as differences between Ronnie and Jason?

EVS: Definitely. But Gail scripts everything, so she always gets the last word!

FF: How far along have you gotten on your plotting? Is Gail writing full-script or plot-first?

EVS: We plan out a handful of issues roughly, and then plot them together. I plotted issue #4 by myself, which was fun. And then Gail writes up a full script. We’re still finding our method.

FF: What’s it like being on the other side now, coming up with ideas for another artist to realize on the page? What do feel are some of Yildiray Cinar’s artistic strengths?

EVS: It feels fine. I’ve been an idea guy for most of my career. Having someone else draw up the stuff makes me feel a little bit incomplete, but at the same time, it’s Yildiray Cinar, and he’s marvelous. He’s a fantastic designer, and a great storyteller.

FF: Who redesigned the Firestorm costume(s)? What are some of the intentional differences from the classic suit?

EVS: Yildiray and I both kinda did. I had some initial ideas, that I think you posted on your website. Yildiray modernized it, cleaned it up a little. And then we talked about the four circles and what they mean. And that led to some minor adjustments.

FF: What would you say are some elements that make a story a “Firestorm story”, rather than just any other superhero story?

EVS: Our Firestorm is about conflict. Conflict and secrecy and anger, the things that stir in us and cause violence and fury. It’s about ideas sometimes being outside of our control, about the possibility that those ideas can become twisted and poisonous, and hurt people, sometimes those closest to us. But it’s also about trying to overcome those things and maintain friendships with people who you may have misunderstood.

And then it’s also about unimaginable power, collecting it, sharing it, and unleashing it.

FF: What aspects of Firestorm do you enjoy writing the most? What aspects do you find the most challenging to write?

EVS: Well, I enjoy doing what I was hired to do, which is to create the Firestorm Bible, explaining how the superpowers function within their little corner of the DCU. I enjoy helping Gail map out a slow reveal of these ideas and new characters. That’s what I love most. I do NOT love writing the personal stuff. The emotional beats. That’s what Gail does best!

FF: Should we expect to see Plastic Man appear soon in the pages of The Fury of Firestorm?

EVS: Possibly!

BEYOND FIRESTORM

FF: What is the best comic book movie of the year so far: Green Hornet, Thor, X-Men: First Class, or Green Lantern?

EVS: X-MEN FIRST CLASS.

FF: What did you think of the Green Lantern film? How did it feel seeing some of your ideas on the screen?

EVS: I’m still waiting to see it. I thought I’d wait for the dvd, honestly. I am happy that DC’s characters make it to the big screen, but I’m never all that eager to see superhero movies. I can’t explain that. It’s just a confession.

FF: As a collector of autographs, which autograph do you cherish the most?

EVS: I’m very happy with the note I got from Virginia Leith, who played Jan in the Pan in THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE. I love that movie. I saw it as a little boy, and it scared the heck out of me. Anyhow, she’s a recluse now, and doesn’t answer fan mail. But I wrote to her anyway to tell her I loved her work, and she very kindly wrote me back. And so I framed that letter and it’s hanging in my hallway.

FF: Looking back at the work you’ve amassed, what are you most proud of? What do you consider a high point both personally and creatively?

EVS: GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH is on it’s way to being a classic, and thank god I got one of those in my lifetime. Not every creator does, even the best. It’s a matter of luck.

FF: What comic books are you reading currently?

EVS: WALKING DEAD.

FF: Besides Firestorm, are there any other projects you are working on now?

EVS: Quite a few! But they’re secret!

FF: What would your dream comic book project be?

EVS: I’m working on my dream comic book project all the time! I don’t wait. I go after the projects that I want!

FF: With all this newfound experience plotting comics, should we expect you to write and draw CYBERFROG: REBIRTH anytime soon?

EVS: Maybe, but let’s make FIRESTORM into a hit series first, okay?

—————

My thanks to Ethan Van Sciver for generously donating his time to this interview!  I’ve always been impressed with how accessible Ethan is to the fans. If you’re ever at a convention featuring Ethan, be sure to stop by and visit his table. I met him a few years back at DragonCon and he was incredibly friendly and approachable. I think it adds so much to the enjoyment of a comic when a creator is as open and energized as Ethan! To keep up with Ethan, be sure to follow him on Facebook.

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #1 goes on sale September 28!  Only one more week and our long wait will be over!  If you haven’t already, be sure to reserve a copy now with your local comic shop!  For more on THE FURY OF FIRESTORM, click here for a FIRESTORM FAN interview with Gail Simone!  For all the latest on Firestorm, be sure to come back here to FIRESTORM FAN, follow us on Twitter, or like our Facebook page!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the interview!

Support Firestorm (and Ethan Van Sciver)! Fan the flame!

That’s right!  Gail Simone took time out of her very busy schedule for a brief chat with FIRESTORM FAN!  In addition to her work on THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN, Gail also wrote the sold-out BATGIRL #1!  Simone is on fire right now (pun intended) and she’s bringing her star power to our favorite nuclear hero!

FIRESTORM FAN: What can you tell us about the new series and how familiar were you with Firestorm beforehand?

GAIL SIMONE: I’ve always loved Firestorm, really. I loved his visual, and I thought he was convincing as a teenager in a way many such attempts at youthful heroes were not. But I’ve always loved his visual, in particular. Over time these things get adjusted, but I think Ronnie’s original costume is one of the best superhero designs ever, and they even improved some elements for Jason’s version.

Love the character, always wanted to work on him. I had a pitch in at one time that promoted the idea that Firestorm was a secret legacy character going back to the pulp age. He’s a great visual and tremendous fun.

FF: Is this a complete re-imagining, or is this an altered version of Firestorm picking up where Brightest Day left off? Should the fans expect to see any other classic characters besides Ronnie and Jason?

GS: It’s very much a re-imagining. As you know, the hardcore fan base of Firestorm is hugely loyal, but it’s a bit of a cult audience and many feel the backstory is a little complex at this point. So we have to give a concise version of his story.

Additionally, the very nature of nuclear power has changed, and the way science in comics is portrayed has changed, we need to reflect that, I think.

LOTS of familiar, but different, characters coming up. And dozens of new ones!

FF: What aspects of Firestorm do you enjoy writing the most? What aspects do you find the most challenging to write?

GS: I’m enjoying the relationship between the three teens in the book the most, I find it a very interesting mix, there’s a lot of tension there right now. And the most challenging part is probably avoiding just doing page after page of cool shots showing Firestorm using his powers, because the art, by Yildiray Cinar, is so gorgeous!

And working with Yildiray and Ethan is a blast, I love it.

FF: What would you say are some elements that make a story a “Firestorm story”, rather than just any other superhero story?

GS: There’s got to be some science, and the fear of science gone wrong, when implanted on an unstable personality. There should be some spectacular visuals. And there should be a human being holding all of this amazing power, not just a construct.

FF: You and Ethan Van Sciver are both very politically outspoken, often on different sides of the fence. As co-plotters, how does that play out in the comic?

GS: We’re deliberately playing with that. Ethan and I are best friends, but we disagree on everything politically, essentially. So part of the book is about that, can two people of good conscience, with diametrically opposed viewpoints, disagree and still cooperate? Because if you only go by pundits and message boards, the answer is no, you can’t.

But neither of us believe that’s the case in the real world…we both believe you can respect and admire someone who votes differently. That’s something Ronnie and Jason have yet to learn.

FF: Who would win in a fight: Lady Shiva or Hong Kong Phooey?

GS: Well, Shiva. Hong Kong Phooey is the number one superGUY, but Shiva is a girl. Automatic win.

Thanks everyone, for the support–hope you enjoy where we are headed!

—————

My thanks to Gail Simone for donating her time to this interview!  Gail has been very supportive of FIRESTORM FAN.  In fact, she contacted me offering this interview because she appreciates the positive support from the Firestorm fans!  Keep it up, match-heads!

THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #1 goes on sale September 28!  Only two more weeks and our long wait will be over!  If you haven’t already, be sure to reserve a copy now with your local comic shop!

Support Firestorm (and Gail Simone)! Fan the flame!

Stuart Moore wrote FIRESTORM vol III for 19 issues from 2005 through 2007.  Thanks to the length of his run, Stuart has written Jason Rusch more than any other writer.  Stuart’s run brought dramatic changes for the FIRESTORM title, including: the return of Professor Martin Stein and Mikhail Arkadin, Firehawk joined the Firestorm matrix, incredible growth in Jason’s character, the introduction of Gehenna, and much more!

Stuart Moore has been a writer, a book editor, and an award-winning comics editor. He’s written many titles, such as: NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT, CLOAK & DAGGER, WOLVERINE NOIR, THE 99, DETECTIVE COMICS, EARTHLIGHT, PARA, SHADRACH STONE, and much more!  Before turning to writing, Stuart was a book editor at St. Martin’s Press, publishing a wide variety of science fiction and pop culture books. More recently he served as editor of the Virgin Comics / SciFi Channel comics line, and of the bestselling Marvel Knights imprint, where his credits included Brian Michael Bendis’s ALIAS and DAREDEVIL and the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon PUNISHER. At DC Comics, Stuart was a founding editor of the acclaimed Vertigo imprint, where he won the Will Eisner award for Best Editor 1996 and the Don Thompson Award for Favorite Editor 1999. His editorial credits there include PREACHER, THE INVISIBLES, SWAMP THING, HELLBLAZER, THE BOOKS OF MAGIC, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, and too many others to mention.

Stuart was kind enough to spend some time discussing his run on Firestorm with FIRESTORM FAN.

BACKGROUND

FIRESTORM FAN: How did you first get interested in reading comics and what were some of your favorites?

STUART MOORE: Most people I know either liked DC or Marvel growing up…I have a slightly different story. When I was young, I only read DC Comics; I think I still have a copy of ACTION from when I was five years old. Then, when I was in high school, a friend sat me down with huge piles of Marvel comics — this was before trade paperbacks, but it was the same effect, just enormously long, sprawling runs of stories. And it completely changed me, opened up my mind to all this great, crazy stuff. So to me, DC Comics are the books I loved as a kid, but Marvel are the really exciting, dangerous ones.

FF: What attracted you to writing comics and how did you break into the business?

SM: I’d always done some writing, but I started out as a book editor, then a comics editor. When I was at DC/Vertigo, DC wasn’t really encouraging staff people to write anymore, which I understood — there’s a lot of potential for conflicts of interest there. Though I’ve come around a bit to thinking it can be managed, and that some of the best work of the ’70s and ’80s was done by writer/editors.

Anyway, I left DC in 1999 and had a short stint at Marvel Knights, then started writing full time. I wrote everything — indy stuff, my own work, short stories for anthologies. I still do, actually. Jumping around between genres, styles, and companies keeps me fresh.

FF: What do you find are the major influences on your work?

SM: There are a hell of a lot of them, actually. In comics: Alan Moore, Steve Gerber, Howard Chaykin. In books: Philip K. Dick, Charles Willeford, Cordwainer Smith, recently Rick Moody. A lot of film, too, particularly the work of Alex Cox.

FF: Who would win in a fight – Willie Lumpkin or Doiby Dickles?

SM: Bet on the mailman. He’s got all the keys.

FIRESTORM

FF: How did you get the Firestorm assignment?

SM: I’d written some JLA ADVENTURES stories for Steve Wacker, who fled to Marvel after almost a year editing the monstrous 52. At that time, Steve had recently inherited FIRESTORM, which was going through a gradual but full creative team changeover. Steve knew I had a background in science fiction and thought that would work for the character.

FF: You incorporated lots of Firestorm history into your run (i.e. Firehawk, Pozhar, Tokamak).Were you familiar with the character before taking the job? If so, do you have any favorite issues, storylines, or characters?

SM: I love the character…I actually got hooked in the first few issues of the very first run, when it was abruptly canceled in the middle of a storyline. It was the purest example of a Marvel-style character in the middle of the DC Universe, which was pretty cool at the time. Firestorm also had a great rogues’ gallery, and Firehawk was a volatile, exciting supporting character.

FF: What aspects of Firestorm did you enjoy writing the most? What aspects did you find the most challenging to write?

SM: I really liked Jason, the character. It was very important to me to deal with his relationship with his father and his mother, whom I introduced. The stuff with the father was tricky because the book had been written into a corner: In the very first issue, before I came onboard, we’d seen Jason’s father hitting him. To my mind, once you do that, the character either has to fight back directly or else he has to roll out a series of complex, difficult distancing techniques, which people in abusive relationships do all the time. I worked pretty hard on that aspect of the story.

The pseudo-science was fun too. And the racial undertones, which were mostly in the background but very, very important to who the character was.

The challenging part was that the editorial mandates about the character changed frequently. That’s part of working on a company-owned book, and I think we rolled with it all pretty gracefully.

FF: Were there any situations where editorial or company-wide events impacted your plans? Did the Infinite Crisis, Villains United, and OMAC Project tie-in stories come naturally or did they create challenges for you?

SM: Oh, that was part of the game from day one. FIRESTORM was a borderline-selling book when I came on; we knew we had to take every opportunity offered to keep sales up. And I liked the idea of Jason, who had just graduated from high school, being the young guy thrown into the middle of the DCU, almost like an identification character for the reader. “That’s Donna Troy! She looks like a goddess!” That sort of thing.

FF: What would you say are some elements that make a story a “Firestorm story”, rather than just any other superhero story?

SM: There have been several different takes on the character, so I don’t know if you can generalize too much. But to me, it’s the interplay between the two people making up the persona. We dealt with that in a lot of different combinations. I initially resisted bringing Professor Stein back into the book, but I will say that once it was him and Jason, the character just MOVED. It shows that Gerry Conway knew what he was doing — the young kid, all energy and impulse, combined with the older man who knew the science. They’re doing a variant on that now, with Jason as the science-savvy half.

FF: While working on Firestorm, you had the opportunity to work with Jamal Igle on interiors, and Matt Haley & Brian Stelfreeze on covers. What were some characteristics these artists brought to your stories? Did you write full-script or plot-first, and how collaborative were your relationships?

SM: Full script, as I write just about everything. Jamal was a great collaborator…he’s very underrated; he can draw anything, and when you give him a little room, there’s an amazing power to his action sequences. I had a storyline in mind that we didn’t get to, a racially sensitive story about Jason’s mother, and I probably would have asked Jamal to be a more active co-plotter on that.

As for the covers, both artists were just great. I didn’t have much direct interaction with Matt or Brian, but they did superlative work.

FF: You created some interesting supporting characters for the Firestorm title. Were there any you enjoyed writing more than others?

SM: Gehenna was a lot of fun…her directness, her lack of tact. I thought Professor Stein would be a drag, but I kind of liked him as the shell-shocked older guy among all these young people. And Lorraine, Firehawk, was great to write. I loved that she had a whole career, a calling that was important to her and that had nothing to do with being a superhero. Sometimes she seemed like the only adult in the whole book.

FF: Just to satisfy my fanboy curiosity, I always had the sense you were leading up to Jason and Doctor Otaki merging to become Firestorm. Was that ever part of your plans?

SM: No, that was never the plan. I can’t remember exactly how she fit in…I think she was just there as one of Jason’s many mentors, somebody who’d been through real bad shit on a level he’d hopefully never know.

FF: Any thoughts about what happened to Gehenna after your Firestorm run and in Blackest Night?

SM: It wasn’t what I’d have done, but that’s fine. When you create characters for company-owned books, they always live on (or die, in this case) after you’re done with them.

FF: In the climatic battle with Tokamak, he said to Jason, “I know why you’re Firestorm”. Jason never uncovered what that meant. Can you tell us anything about that cryptic message?

SM: I did have something in mind for that…after all, it was never really explained why the Firestorm energy chose Jason when Ron Raymond died, though the Earth-8 thing provides a certain justification, now. Anyway, I had an idea for an extended story involving Jason’s ancestry and the origins of life on Earth, little stuff like that. I’m sure there are notes for it around somewhere, which I’ll use for something else. But I deliberately wrote the ending so it could also be read just as Tokamak screwing with him, giving him one final jab.

FF: Why did you leave the Firestorm book?

SM: I left because it was canceled. Then they decided to extend it for three more issues, tying it heavily into some New Gods continuity, and they brought the late, much-missed Dwayne McDuffie on to do those. But the book was already dead.

AFTER YOUR FIRESTORM RUN

FF: You recently had the opportunity to write the Ronnie Raymond/Jason Rusch incarnation of Firestorm in JLA/The 99. What differences did you find writing Firestorm for that mini-series versus your previous Firestorm experience?

SM: I originally thought I’d stay away from that character, leaving those scenes to Fabian (my cowriter), precisely because it WAS so different from the character I’d written. But through circumstance, I wound up writing a lot of those scenes, and I really enjoyed it. Firestorm’s role in JLA/99 kept growing because of his powers — he’s a great team-up player because he’s very mobile, and because he can actually draw members of the other team inside himself.

FF: You’ve written more Jason Rusch stories than any other writer. Any words of advice for Gail Simone, Ethan Van Sciver, and Yildiray Cinar as they relaunch Firestorm?

SM: Oh god, I wouldn’t presume to give advice. Those guys know what they’re doing. The initial graphics look fantastic.

FF: What comic books are you reading nowadays?

SM: Most of my mainstream work is at Marvel these days, and I read basically everything there by Bendis, Fraction, Millar, lots of other guys I don’t want to offend by forgetting to mention. I’ll read anything by Grant Morrison, whom I’ve known forever. I’ve recently been catching up on SCALPED, THE BOYS, and SCOTT PILGRIM, all of which are absolutely amazing in completely different ways. But I read a lot more prose these days.

FF: Looking back at all the work you’ve amassed during your career, what are you most proud of? What do you consider a high point both personally and creatively?

SM: FIRESTORM is the longest run I’ve had on a company-owned book, and I’m still proud of the character work in particular on that book. My original graphic novels PARA and EARTHLIGHT are both very personal works that I like quite a bit. I also really like the Wolverine stories I’ve written, particularly WOLVERINE #41 (“The Package”), WOLVERINE NOIR, and the UNDER THE BOARDWALK special. But the answer to that question changes every day. I wrote some STARGATE ATLANTIS comics that absolutely no one read — I have scientific proof — but that came out really nicely.

FF: Are there any projects you are currently working on or have coming up?

SM: I’ve just finished up NAMOR at Marvel, which finished off pretty strong, I think. Since then I’ve written a bit of SPIDER-MAN and I’m currently adapting the upcoming JOHN CARTER film into a young adult novel for Disney. In July, I had a WOLVERINE/DEADPOOL: THE DECOY one-shot,  from Marvel, and a sort-of adaptation of the new CONAN film, THE MASK OF ACHERON, from Dark Horse. I have a few original comics projects in development, and I also run a small graphic-novel packaging partnership called Botfriend. I like to keep busy.

FF: What would your dream comic book project be?

SM: I don’t think in terms of ultimates and dreams; but a long-form, creator-owned monthly would be great. Other than that, I’m happy bouncing around.

Thanks to Stuart Moore for generously donating his time to this interview! To keep up with Stuart, check out on his blog, Pensive Mischief, and follow him on Twitter. Be sure to tell him FIRESTORM FAN sent you!  For more on Stuart’s era of Firestorm, click here for a FIRESTORM FAN interview with artist Jamal Igle!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the interview!

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

Back in 1977, Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom created the character of Firestorm the Nuclear Man.  Now seemed the ideal time to sit down with Gerry and Al as the Firestorm: The Nuclear Man trade paperback is due in stores on August 3rd.  For the first time, the stories that introduced Firestorm are collected from issues #1-5 of his own 1970s series, plus the Firestorm back-up stories from The Flash #289-293. As you’ll hear in this interview, perhaps some more items will find their way into the collection as well.

Gerry Conway was one of the most prolific comic book writers of the 1970s and 80s. His writing credits go on for miles! He’s probably best known for co-creating the Punisher and Firestorm, as well as scripting the death of Gwen Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man. He also wrote for and produced such TV series as Law & Order and Diagnosis Murder. Gerry recently returned to comics after an almost 20 year absence. He wrote the insightful mini-series The Last Days of Animal Man, and has a one-shot coming this August entitled DC Retroactive: Justice League of America – The ’80s.

Allen “Al” Milgrom is a man who has worn many hats. Al has worked as a comic book penciller, inker, writer and editor since the 1970s.  He’s been extraordinarily prolific, working on many books including most of the Marvel Comics’ line at one point or another. He’s well known for his ten-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciller, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West Coast Avengers penciller; and his long stint as the inker of X-Factor.  More recently Al has been inking for Archie comics.

Gerry and Al were extraordinarily generous with their time sitting down with me for over two and a half hours (that’s right, 2 1/2 hours)!  Surprisingly, this interview was the first time Gerry and Al had verbally chatted in about 30 years.  It was a real thrill listening to them catch-up and reminisce.  Topics covered include: discovering comics as a child; breaking into the business; working together on different projects; several editors, writers, and artists from the Silver and Bronze Ages; the creation of Firestorm; the DC Implosion; favorite Firestorm characters; changes in the comic industry; and much, much more!  Ever wonder why Firestorm has puffy sleeves?  Find out in this interview!

You may play the interview right here on the FIRESTORM FAN site with the handy-dandy player below! I apologize for not offering the interview in text format, but transcribing an interview that long would have taken months.

Alternatively, you may download the file and listen to it on an MP3 player or your computer. You may download the interview by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (114 MB).

My thanks to both Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom for being so generous with their time!

To keep up with Gerry, follow him on Twitter and Facebook. If you’re interested in hearing more from Gerry, I’ve interviewed him on two previous occasions.  Click here for an interview with Gerry specifically about Firestorm.  Click here for an interview with Gerry about his careers in comics and television.

If you’re interested in original artwork, Al does some great commissions.  I’ll always treasure the sketch I commissioned from Al of Firestorm.  One of the cool things Al offers are commissions inside your trade paperbacks.  He can draw them either on the blank pages in the back, or on a separate sheet of paper which could be attached inside the cover.  To get in touch with Al, drop him an e-mail at: allenmilgrom@gmail.com.

Don’t forget, pick up your copy of the Firestorm: The Nuclear Man trade paperback on August 3rd!

Support Firestorm!  It’s not just a slogan!  Seriously, SUPPORT FIRESTORM by buying this trade paperback! Fan the Flame!

After reading the news on Bleeding Cool, I got in touch with Brian and he agreed to be interviewed for FIRESTORM FAN.  Brian was incredibly nice and extremely generous with his time. The following interview was conducted on Wednesday morning, prior to Thursday’s announcement about the new Firestorm series by Van Sciver, Simone and Cinar.

It’s darn near impossible to find a picture of Brian where he isn’t doing something hilarious!

BACKGROUND

FIRESTORM FAN: How did you first get interested in reading comics and what were some of your favorites? What attracted you to writing comics?

BRIAN CLEVINGER: The first comic I remember buying was GI Joe vs Transformers #2. I later found some Indiana Jones and Star Wars comics that predated that one, but I don’t remember buying or reading them. But I still remember seeing GI Joe and the Transformers battling it out on a cover on a spinner rack at the 7/11. How could eight year old me resist that?!

I’m not sure what got me into writing comics. I kind of fell into it by accident and haven’t been able to stop!

FF: One of your best known creations is the webcomic 8-Bit Theater. What spawned your humorous take on Final Fantasy, and how did the popularity of 8-Bit Theater shape your career?

BC: I never played the original Final Fantasy until something like 1998. So, it was this weird and dated experience with characters who never spoke on a world-spanning quest that is hardly defined but appears to involve saving the world and maybe time travel.

So, y’know, as I’m playing the game I’ve got this on-going narrative about it in my head. Y’know, the faceless characters with no lines of dialog that you play, you can’t help but project personalities on them based on their performances, abilities, etc. It was just this weird personal story that stuck with me.

Then in 2001 I took an independent study course at the University of Florida. The basic idea was to make a comic book to test a variety of academic analyses of comics pages. The basic idea being: what was the thought process behind different elements of the page. Was it for “art” or was it to meet the practical realities of the page? Was it both? That kind of thing.

Only problem: I can’t draw. Like, you know how little kids can’t draw? I’m worse.

But then I remembered I just happened to have downloaded most of the images from Final Fantasy. I’d found them online somewhere or another over the years. So, what the hell, right? Just use those images. I only needed stand-ins so you’d know the difference between Character #1 and Character #2, etc.

And then I made it kinda funny just to keep my interest in it. And then I put it online because my professor was terrible at keeping track of his emails. And then people found it. No idea how. A few thousand at first, then tens of thousands and it peaked somewhere in the hundred thousands.

Like I said, it was accident!

But a happy one. 8BT gave me the platform, experience, and confidence to launch Atomic Robo years later.

FF: Another of your popular creations is Atomic Robo, a robot invented by Nikola Tesla in the 1920s. Who doesn’t love a fighting robot!?!?! Would you tell us a little about the challenges you had developing the character and getting him published? Will we see more of his adventures soon? Also, I’ve always wondered, is “Red 5 Comics” a nod to Star Wars or something else?

BC: Oh, yes. Red 5′s co-founders are fairly steeped in Star Wars. One of them ran Lucasfilm Online and the other was heavily involved in Star Wars media reviews — the prequels, comics, that sort of thing.

But, yeah. Robo! That was an idea that’d been percolating in the back of my mind since around 1996 or ’97. I finally got serious about making it into a printed comic book in 2006. After a few months of getting nowhere, I found Scott Wegener and brought him on as an artist. Scott quickly demonstrated that he was THE artist for this project, dropped a ton of great ideas at my feet, made Robo cooler, and basically became co-creator within a week.

Of course, neither of us had worked on a full print comic before, so we had no idea what we were doing. But, hell, if no one did crazy stuff without having a clue what was going on we’d still be trying to lockdown that whole “fire” thing. So, we just started making issues. We were nearly done with the first mini-series when Red 5 came along and decided to publish us.

You will definitely see more of Robo. Our fifth trade paperback will be released in July and our sixth volume of stories will begin in August. Perhaps the best thing about Robo, though, is that you can start anywhere. If you never read a single Robo comic before, start with Volume 6. If you like it, go back and read the rest in whatever order you can find them. Every volume stands alone even while building a more complete picture of Robo and his world.

As well, at some point this Fall we’ll begin releasing a “secondary” series of short stories. Basically, we have a ton of cool stories and characters that wouldn’t fit in the “main” series. This is our way of sharing that material without delaying the other Robo stuff we’re working on.

FF: Avengers & the Infinity Gauntlet… how much fun was that?!?! Having the opportunity to re-imagine the Infinity Gauntlet must have been wonderful and terrifying at the same time. What was your favorite part of working on that project, and do you have any advice for other people re-imagining previously told stories?

BC: Wonderful and terrifying. That’s exactly what it was. The original Infinity Gauntlet was The Big Thing going on in comics when I was first getting interested in them as a kid. So, y’know, some fairly big shoes to fill!

I think the best part of the project was getting to work with almost all of my favorite Marvel characters at once.

They gave me so much freedom on that project, it was ridiculous. But it’s exactly what the project needed. Y’know? It wasn’t meant as a retcon or replacement or anything like that. It was meant to be a fun and accessible take on an iconic piece of Marvel history. They said I could stick as close to the original as I liked, but I was worried that would rub fans the wrong way. If it’s almost exactly like the original, then why bother? Y’know? So, I figured, we should go as far off the rails as possible. Take it as far from the original as we can while retaining the core of the story — Thanos, Gauntlet, desperate battle for the fate of the universe.

I wouldn’t say that’s good advice for re-imagining in general, but it’s what made sense for that title.

FF: Who would win in a fight – Rick Jones or Snapper Carr?

BC: Rick! He’s had nearly every superpower known to man for at least three minutes. C’mon. No question.

FIRESTORM

FF: How did you get the Firestorm assignment?

BC: DC called me up one day and offered it to me! They said they were looking for “a voice from outside of DC” to launch “a fun and accessible Firestorm book.” If Atomic Robo is anything, it’s wall-to-wall fun and accessible. Lots of banter, lots of sci-fi, lots of action. Sounds like a pretty good mix for Firestorm!

FF: Were you familiar with the character before taking the job? If so, do you have any favorite issues, storylines, or characters?

BC: I was familiar with him in general. I knew the basic nature of his powers, about Ronnie and Martin Stein, Ronnie’s death, Jason Rusch, and Ronnie’s resurrection. But I wasn’t familiar with the character specifically.

FF: There are a lot of strong opinions among fans regarding Ronnie Raymond versus Jason Rusch as Firestorm. Were you aware of some fans concerns surrounding who should be in charge of Firestorm? If so, did this affect the way you approached the storytelling?

BC: Very early on I was an advocate of getting Firestorm down to one dude. Or lady! DC emphasized they wanted this series to be fun and accessible, and I posited that the whole “merging” thing confuses people to whom we want the book to be accessible. I had some very loose plans for Ronnie, Jason, Stein, or Loraine (!!!) to be the “lone” Firestorm. But DC insisted that it had to be Jason and Ronnie and that their relationship would be the crux of the series.

So, okay. What do you do with that? “Who” gets to be Firestorm? There’s a good case for Ronnie, he’s the archetypal Firestorm guy after all. But there’s a good case for Jason too: he hardly had a chance and he did some pretty cool stuff as Firestorm. So, my approach was that they’d both get to be Firestorm. Both of them could use the full suite of powers, but Ronnie was a little better about the “physical” powers, i.e. flight, strength, durability, blasting, while Jason would be a little better about the “cerebral” powers, i.e. the matter and energy manipulation.

This would tie in with their conflicting personalities. Just as they’re different people, they’re slightly different Firestorms, and their approaches to problems in both their real lives and superhero lives would reflect that.

I didn’t want either of them to have the spotlight, per se, because both of them deserve it. The first storyline seemed to focus a bit more on Jason, at least when out of costume, out of necessity. Ronnie’s personal arc would be more sympathetic and interesting if the reader was watching it from another character’s perspective, so naturally Jason. I had plans in place to balance that out by making Jason’s personal arc in the second storyline more sympathetic and interesting if the reader viewed it from Ronnie’s perspective.

Balance and dualities kept coming up as themes. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but it’s natural with a character like Firestorm.

FF: Brightest Day laid a lot of groundwork for the Ronnie/Jason incarnation of Firestorm. Was your plan to use Firestorm as established in Brightest Day, or were you going to take the character in another direction?

BC: Brightest Day put down the foundation and I was given a fair amount of freedom to explore the implications from there.

FF: Firestorm has had several incarnations (i.e. the original Firestorm, the “blank slate” incarnation, the fire elemental, Jason/Gehenna, etc). Were you planning to incorporate aspects of previous incarnations, or were your stories going to be more forward-looking?

BC: Definitely forward-looking, but with an eye to what came before. I have no interest in “putting my mark” on a character or franchise. When I’m brought on to a corporate book, all I want is what’s best for those characters. We would’ve done some new things with Ronnie, Jason, and Firestorm, but it would have been informed by their histories. You can’t move a character forward in a compelling and genuine way without respecting where he or she came from.

FF: How far along had you gotten on your Firestorm scripts? Did you write full-script or plot-first? Had you seen any artwork yet?

BC: I had a detailed outline for five issues with six options for where to take the sixth issue to lead in to the next storyline along with notes on how each of those options could tie into the others to create about two years worth of story lines.

I finished the full script for the first issue and the outline for the second by the time I got the news that the book was given to someone else. No artwork was completed.

FF: Can you tell us anything about the plots for your stories? Were you planning to use any of the classic characters or create some of your own? Thinking long-term, what stories or topics were you hoping to tackle in your Firestorm run?

BC: There’s not much I can say, really. Ronnie and Jason were always going to be central to what I was doing though.

FF: What aspects of Firestorm did you enjoy writing the most? What aspects did you find the most challenging to write?

BC: Even though I lobbied hard against it, I came to really enjoy the merging dynamic. It’s so weird and comic booky and it allowed for a lot fun interaction between the guys. The most challenging part has been giving it up. I got really attached to the guys and the idea of helping to bring them new fans.

FF: Can you tell us why you won’t be writing Firestorm?

BC: I honestly don’t know.

CAREER

FF: Looking back at the work you’ve amassed, what are you most proud of? What do you consider a high point both personally and creatively?

BC: Atomic Robo, without question. It’s everything I love about comics and storytelling wrapped up into one package.

FF: What comic books are you reading currently?

BC: Random selections from the first three Essential Captain America volumes, oddly enough. Every page of those things is filled with so much enthusiasm, sincerity, and crazy ideas. It can take a little getting used to, but once you’ve acquired the taste there’s nothing else quite like it.

FF: What projects are you working on now?

BC: More Robo! Volume 6 starts in August and I’m already writing Volume 7, plotting Volume 8, and wrapping up the scripts for the anthology.

FF: What would your dream comic book project be?

BC: Well, technically Atomic Robo is the dream project. But I assume you mean something from the Big Two.

Right now? I don’t have an answer. I’ve been given an on-going by Marvel and DC only to lose both of them due to byzantine business decisions before either series started. It’s burned me out on corporate work and I just can’t think about it constructively.

—————

My thanks to Brian Clevinger for generously donating his time to this interview.  While I’m excited for DC’s newly-solicited Firestorm series, I also would have loved to have seen Brian’s vision.

Be sure to pick up Atomic Robo as well as other works from Brian Clevinger.  To keep up with Brian, check him out on Twitter and his website Nuklear Power.

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

John Ostrander wrote 45 issues of FIRESTORM vol II from 1987 through 1990.   Besides Firestorm co-creator Gerry Conway, Ostrander has written the character more than any other author.   The dramatic changes Ostrander introduced to Firestorm generated lots of positive buzz.  Thanks to Ostrander’s bold new direction and creativity, change has become an integral part of the Firestorm character.

John Ostrander started in the comic book business in 1983 and was incredibly successful.  By 1987 he was writing five different monthly titles!  He is best known for his work on SUICIDE SQUAD, GRIMJACK, THE SPECTRE, and STAR WARS: LEGACY.  Ostrander has written hundreds of fantastic comics and was nominated for the Comics Buyer’s Guide Award for Favorite Writer in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.  Probably his most lasting contribution to the DC Universe was the recasting of the former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, into the information and computer specialist Oracle.  Currently he is working on STAR WARS LEGACY: WAR from Dark Horse Comics.

John was kind enough to spend some time discussing his run on Firestorm with FIRESTORM FAN.

THE EARLY YEARS

FIRESTORM FAN: John, how did you first get interested in reading comics and what were some of your favorites?

JOHN OSTRANDER: Well, my boyhood was during the Fifties and my mother was convinced, thanks to Doctor Wertham and the article Seduction of the Innocent, that comic books were quite bad for you so, of course, I had to find them and read all of them that I could. I was in Catholic school and they did have a monthly comic book there called TREASURE CHEST, that was approved and there actually were some good stories in it and which I still remember. Of the forbidden fruit, I remember liking the BLACKHAWKS a lot and BATMAN. Real keen on CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN, which I still think is a GREAT title for a comic. I later discovered Marvel with issue 49 of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and read all of those that I could. Loved and learned a lot from Kirby and Lee, especially on the FANTASTIC FOUR. Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams on GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW was a revelation to me in college. More realistic art and the stories wove social issues into dynamic superhero action.

FF: You started your career at First Comics in 1983 writing books such as WARP, STARSLAYER, and GRIMJACK. Within just a few years, you were working for major publishers writing as many as five monthly comics all at the same time. What attracted you to writing comics and how would you describe your early experiences?

JO: Oh, I had long wanted to write comics. I’d been in theater and had already written a few plays. I’d been a great reader and I wanted to give back to that from which I had gotten so much pleasure. Making a living from it was just astounding to me. The early experiences were learning ones. Mike Gold, my old friend and the editor in chief at First Comics called me up one day and asked me if I’d like to try and write an 8 page backup for the adaptation of the play WARP that they were going to do. I was a big fan of the play so I submitted things and Mike kept correcting it and sending it back to be re-worked until, finally, he announced that my story was going to be in the back of their first issue of WARP. “Oh,” I said, “that’s cool. Ummmm, do I get PAID for it?” Mike told me I was an idiot and YES, I was going to be paid. Thus began my career.

FF: Your first work at DC was in 1986 writing a major company crossover entitled LEGENDS. What brought you to DC and such a high profile assignment?

JO: Again, it was Mike Gold. He had gone to DC and one of his first projects was a follow-up to CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. He wanted a new voice to add something to the project and I got coupled with a DC heavy, Len Wein, on the project. From that followed my DC career. Including Firestorm.

FIRESTORM YEARS

FF: How did you get the Firestorm assignment?

JO: Gerry Conway, the creator, didn’t want to do the tie-ins with LEGENDS that the book was going to have so it was suggested that, since I knew what was going on in LEGENDS, that I write them. Afterwards, Gerry came back for a few issues but decided it was time to move on. Denny O’Neil, who was now the editor of the book, liked my fill-ins and turned the book over to me. So started my Firestorm run.

FF: Your Firestorm adventures took the character in a very different direction than the previous writer. Was the change in direction intentional or was it simply a by-product of the stories you wanted to tell?

JO: I think that if you switch the writer, the new one SHOULD take the character in a different direction of some kind, inject some fresh ideas and fresh energy into the book. There should be respect for the continuity but one shouldn’t be chained to it. The book wasn’t doing especially well in sales at the time and I was given six months to boost its numbers. We did well enough to keep running for a while.

FF: What aspects of Firestorm did you enjoy writing the most? What aspects did you find the most challenging to write?

JO: What annoyed me to start was how Ronnie jerked around Martin’s life. Martin didn’t know he was part of the Firestorm matrix and when Ronnie formed Firestorm, Martin had no memory of it. He thought it was blackouts or something. It wrecked his career and much of his life. So that was a challenge that had to be addressed. I liked the concept of Firestorm, however – two separate beings combining to become one superhero – and the fact that Firestorm could manipulate energy. That was always interesting to play with. And I liked several of the supporting cast members as well.

FF: You introduced a lot of interesting supporting characters to the Firestorm title. Folks like Mikhail Arkadin, the kids of Soyuz, the Institute for Metahuman Studies, the Captains of Industry, Rasputin, Shadowstorm, the Black Gods, and many more. Were there any of them you enjoyed writing more than others?

JO: Mikhail Arkadin really shook up the status quo on the book and that was great. I liked Soyuz a lot. I’d always wanted to play with the Black Gods (a result of my reading African mythology and folk tales). The Captains of Industry was an interesting idea, I think, but I don’t think my execution was all it might have been. Not really well thought out.

FF: Were there any characters you discovered you didn’t really care for?

JO: A lot of the older villains didn’t do much for me which is why I didn’t use a lot of them.

FF: On several occasions, supporting characters from one of your books would crossover into another of your books. For example, Doctor Simon LaGrieve was a regular in both FIRESTORM and SUICIDE SQUAD. Many of the Suicide Squad members were originally Firestorm villains. It’s almost like you had your own cool little corner of the DC universe. Was there any motivating reason you kept your books so inter-connected? Did breaking into DC with Legends influence you to produce crossovers more regularly?

JO: I liked universes that had characters from one book crossing into another even on an informal basis. I always thought that was a good idea and more fun for the reader. Also, in Suicide Squad, we had a tendency to kill of baddies now and then. You couldn’t always go to another book’s writer or editor and say, “I’d like to use so and so and kill them off. Do you mind?” Whereas on Firestorm, I controlled that book. And if I wasn’t willing to kill off some of my cast, why would anyone else let me do it?

FF: While working on the Firestorm character, you had the opportunity to work with some great artists like Joe Brozowski, Ross Andru, Tom Grindberg, and Tom Mandrake. Each artist had their own distinctive look. What were some characteristics that different artists brought to your Firestorm stories? Did you write full-script or plot-first, and how collaborative were your relationships with the artists?

JO: As I recall, it was generally plot-first. I might consult with the artist if there was a big change or some new character. If they had some thoughts, I was willing to listen to them and incorporate those ideas if I felt I could. Mostly, however, I wrote and they drew. As you said, each artist brought something unique to the work and I enjoyed working with them all. Mandrake is also a great friend and I enjoyed working with him a lot. I always do.

FF: Do you have any favorite issues or storylines from your time on Firestorm?

JO: I really enjoyed the storyline leading up to the “death” of Martin Stein and our first revamped visual on Firestorm which wound up in the Annual that year. Martin’s later return was also a favorite of mine. The Black Gods story. I haven’t read the books in a long time so it’s a little hard to pick out others.

FF: Your run on Firestorm can be divided into the “Blank Slate” era and the “Elemental” era. Do you feel a stronger connection to one or the other? Is one Firestorm more “your” character than the other?

JO: Not really. It was a means of evolving the character. The “elemental” Firestorm gave me a look I preferred.

FF: You inherited from the previous writer the subplot of Professor Stein dying from cancer. Was it decided from the start to let the cancer storyline run its course, or were there discussions on how to “cure” Stein?

JO: No. Gerry Conway and I never had a conversation as to where he was headed with that subplot. I decided that if it was a given that Stein had brain cancer and it was inoperable, that we should just follow that to its logical conclusion. At the time, I had no intentions of bringing Martin Stein back.

FF: Leading up to the introduction of the Blank Slate Firestorm, editor Denny O’Neil made several references in the letter columns to your master plan to transform Firestorm. When you developed this storyline, was it planned all along for the Blank Slate Firestorm to eventually become the Elemental, or did that idea come about later?

JO: The Elemental Firestorm came later. The blank slate was what Denny was referring to.

FF: What was the inspiration for the Elemental Firestorm? And what input did you have on character design?

JO: At the time, Swamp Thing had developed into the Earth Elemental. In mythology, the elements were defined as Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. I think they had already decided that Red Tornado was actually the Wind Elemental so it seemed logical (to me at least) that Firestorm was the Fire Elemental. Tom and I had conversations, as I recall, about the new look. Guilty confession – while I liked Firestorm having fire for hair, I felt the original look made him look like a Bunsen Burner. The flowing fiery mane was a lot cooler, IMO. I also liked bare feet – it made him look more primitive, more “elemental”.

FF: On more than one occasion, your Firestorm stories included elements of African culture – The Eden storyline and the Black Gods storyline. What spawned your interest in African culture?

JO: As I said earlier, I’d read lots of African mythology as well as other mythologies around the world. I was always struck by how powerful the stories were. There were pantheons and gods as interesting and varied as the Norse or Celtic and yet very few people had heard of them. I tweaked it a bit for the comics medium, yeah, but the characters and some of the stories are real close to what I had read and learned.

FF: The character of Rasputin was one of your more enigmatic supporting characters. He went on to appear in your Captain Atom issues after the Firestorm series ended. Just to satisfy my fanboy curiosity, did you envision him as the original Grigori Rasputin that advised the Romanov dynasty or was he something else all together?

JO: Good question. Let’s just leave it enigmatic.

FF: There was a noticeable level of maturity displayed within your Firestorm run. While most series in the late 80s featured a villain-of-the-month, Firestorm was regularly tackling socially relevant subjects. Some of the letter writers published compared the Elemental run of Firestorm to mature reader titles such as Sandman, Animal Man, Green Arrow, and The Question. What feedback did you receive at the time about the maturity of these storylines? And was there any consideration given towards making Firestorm a mature reader title back then?

JO: I don’t think there was a necessity then or now for it to be labeled “mature readers”. The label usual meant nudity, profanity, or extreme violence and Firestorm didn’t have any of that. I wrote on topics that interested me, that I thought would make good stories. It harkened back to Denny O’Neil’s run on GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW which fused social consciousness with great superhero stories. Denny, as editor, later advised me that our first job was telling a good story. We can say anything we want but first we have to tell a good story. That’s what the folks pay their money for. I wasn’t looking to be “relevant”, I was looking to make the stories more interesting, to relate it to the world around us, to what was happening at the time. All because I felt it would make a better STORY.

FF: What non-comic material were you reading back then? How did you stay current on the social issues you addressed in your books?

JO: I’m an avid reader. I still read at least one newspaper every day, plus magazines, and, these days, news blogs. I listen to news on the radio. I’ve read history and biography and, if a topic interests me enough to do a story with it, I’ll do some research. Same was true back then. Read, see what catches my eye, look into it a bit.

FF: The villain Brimstone appeared in your very first Firestorm story as well as your last. Did you choose him intentionally for your final issue to serve as a sort of bookend?

JO: I honestly don’t remember. It’s not unlikely but I just can’t swear that was consciously in my mind.

FF: FIRESTORM #100 was your final issue. You wrote a very nice letter in the back explaining your reasons. Quoting from that letter, “I really feel I’ve written all the Firestorm stories that are currently in me to write.” Were there any regrets leaving the book? Did you later find other Firestorm stories inside of you? Given the chance, would you make the same decision again?

JO: Yes, I would make the same decision again. It was the right one to make. If you’re feeling stale, it’s time to go. I have no regrets about doing Firestorm or leaving when I did. And I still don’t think I have any Firestorm stories in me. OTOH, if the editor was to call me and ask if I do an issue or two – well, never say never.

AFTER FIRESTORM

FF: Have you kept up with the changes Firestorm has been through? If so, any thoughts on that direction?

JO: I know OF them but I really haven’t been keeping track. When I walk away from something I try not to look back.

FF: I’ve always been impressed with your ear for dialogue. You are always spot-on, regardless of whether it’s a god or a regular person. Do you ever struggle with dialogue? How do you find the right voice?

JO: I was in theater for many years before I became a comic-book writer. As part of that, I studied Improvisation with Del Close. Plus I have a fair ear for mimicry. I “hear” the characters in my head as I write them so that helps a lot. I wrote plays before I wrote comics so that taught me how to write character into the dialogue. A lot of it is finding a cadence for a character – that reads well on the page. People may not be aware of it but they notice it. Another trick is to “cast” your character’s voice – they don’t have to match physically but they should vocally. It’s as if you were casting an animated version of the characters. It doesn’t just have to be actors, either. You could use a friend or relative’s voice just as easily. They don’t have to be alive, either. Just a voice you can “hear” in your head and then assign it to a character. That can really help.

FF: If you had the ability to change one thing about the comic book industry, what would it be?

JO: I’d make sure I had more work to begin with.   Seriously – a lot of people in the industry suffer without health care. I’d love to see the industry find a way to let freelancers buy into corporate health insurance at reasonable rates.

FF: Yourself excluded, are there any contemporary writers that are carrying your torch?

JO: I don’t know if they are necessarily carrying my torch but there are a slew of REALLY good writers in the industry today, people whose work I admire. Gail Simone, Geoff Johns, Brian Michael Bendis, Peter Tomasi, Grant Morrison (IMO, his Ultimate Superman was the QUINTESSENTIAL Superman) Kurt Busiek (loves me that ASTRO CITY), J. Michael Straczynski. Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Mike Mignola, Joss Whedon and so many others. Anyone I’ve neglected to mention, please forgive me. I recently collaborated with Rick Remender, Stuart Moore, and Rob Williams on a miniseries over at Marvel called ONE MONTH TO LIVE. Really collaborative and all the guys (and the editor, Steve Wacker, and his assistant, Alejandro Arbona) really worked well together and made the series, for me, very memorable.

FF: Looking back at the work you’ve amassed, what are you most proud of? What do you consider a high point both personally and creatively?

JO: Beside FIRESTORM? GRIMJACK, SUICIDE SQUAD, WASTELAND, THE KENTS, BLAZE OF GLORY and APACHE SKIES (two Westerns I did at Marvel), THE SPECTRE, HEROES FOR HIRE, my STAR WARS work, BATMAN: GOTHAM NIGHTS, BATMAN: SEDUCTION OF THE GUN, the BLACKHAWKS SPECIAL I did, MARTIAN MANHUNTER, and HAWKWORLD. I don’t think I could pick among them.

FF: What would be your dream comic book project?

JO: Every project is my dream project.

FF: Finally, what are you working on now?

JO: For almost the past decade, I’ve been doing STAR WARS comics with Jan Duursema. In particular, the past few years we’ve been doing STAR WARS: LEGACY which jumps everything down the time line about 140 years from the end of A NEW HOPE (the original Star Wars movie for those who need clarifying). We’ve been dealing with Luke Skywalker’s descendant, Cade Skywalker, a different Empire and lots of new Sith. We’re now winding it up with a six issue miniseries – STAR WARS LEGACY: WAR – which has just started. These are just good comics, whether you’re into Star Wars or not. Great characters, great art, lots of action, and tricksy plotting. I think all the back issues are now available in TPB format. After that, Jan and I have another Star Wars project in the works. In the past year, I’ve done some SUICIDE SQUAD/SECRET SIX work with my pal, Gail Simone and, as I mentioned above, ONE MONTH TO LIVE over at Marvel which will be released in hardcover in January and in TPB format sometime later. Some of my GRIMJACK stuff is available in TPB format as well. And I’m always working on new pitches so we’ll see what happens in 2011.

Thanks to John Ostrander for generously donating his time to this interview!  Be sure to pick up STAR WARS LEGACY: WAR (issue #2 is on stands now!) as well as other collected works from John Ostrander.  To keep up with John, check him out on his message board at the World Famous Comics Community and Facebook.  Be sure to visit and tell him FIRESTORM FAN sent you!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the interview!

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]]> http://firestormfan.com/2011/01/28/john-ostrander-interview/feed/ 14 http://firestormfan.com/2010/04/26/gerry-conway-interview-on-comics-and-tv-career/ http://firestormfan.com/2010/04/26/gerry-conway-interview-on-comics-and-tv-career/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:30:19 +0000 Shag http://firestormfan.com/?p=1823 I recently had another opportunity to interview Gerry Conway, co-creator of Firestorm and comics legend!  This time Michael Bailey (from the Views from the Longbox podcast) and I interviewed Gerry together.  Gerry was extraordinarily generous with his time sitting down with us for about two hours.  What a great guy!  Previously I interviewed Gerry specifically about Firestorm, whom he co-created with Al Milgrom.   This time we tackled his entire comics and TV career, yet only scratched the surface of his body of work.

Gerry Conway was one of the most prolific comic book writers of the 1970s and 80s.  His writing credits go on for miles! He’s probably best known for co-creating the Punisher and Firestorm, as well as scripting the death of Gwen Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man.  He also wrote for and produced such TV series as Law & Order and Diagnosis Murder.  Gerry recently returned to comics after an almost 20 year absence with the insightful mini-series, The Last Days of Animal Man.

As always, Gerry was a true joy to talk with. During our two hours together, we discussed how Gerry started in comics, his work on Firestorm, Steel: The Indestructible Man, Justice League Detroit, the Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man crossover, Iron Man, DC during the Explosion and Implosion, covered questions from the DC Comics Firestorm Message Board, and much, much more.  We even get to talk some Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Be sure to head over to VIEWS FROM THE LONGBOX.com and listen to our interview with comic book legend Gerry Conway.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the interview. To keep up with Gerry, be sure to check him out on Twitter and Facebook.

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If you haven’t listened to part one of the interview, please click here.  As I mentioned the other day, Gerry was absolutely wonderful to talk with. I really appreciate how generous he was with his time. We talked for roughly 80 minutes about Firestorm’s creation, artists, the writing process, creator rights, the DC Implosion, merchandise, where the character has journeyed since his involvement, and much more!

Gerry and I spoke so long, I had to break the interview into two parts. The first part ran about 50 minutes long, while this second part runs about 30 minutes.

You may play part two of the interview right here on the FIRESTORM FAN site with the handy-dandy player below! I apologize for not offering the interview in text format, but transcribing an interview that long would have taken months.

Alternatively, you may download the file and listen to it on an MP3 player or your computer. You may download part two of the interview by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (28.5 MB).

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the interview. To keep up with Gerry, be sure to check him out on Twitter and Facebook.

If that’s still not enough Gerry Conway Firestorm action for you, then check out Back Issue Magazine.  Gerry along with several others did a fantastic interview about Firestorm for Back Issue magazine three years ago. If you haven’t read it, issue #20 of Back Issue is available as a digital download from TwoMorrows Publishing. The PDF is only $2.95, so go check it out!

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

Gerry Conway was one of the most prolific comic book writers of the 1970s and 80s.  His writing credits go on for miles! He’s probably best known for co-creating the Punisher and scripting the death of Gwen Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man.  He also wrote for and produced such TV series as Law & Order and Diagnosis Murder.  Back in 1977, Gerry created Firestorm the Nuclear Man along with artist Al Milgrom.  Gerry continued to write the character of Firestorm for about nine years.  Gerry recently returned to comics after an almost 20 year absence with the insightful mini-series, The Last Days of Animal Man.

Gerry is a true professional and a joy to talk with. I really appreciate how generous he was with his time. We talked for roughly 80 minutes about Firestorm’s creation, artists, the writing process, creator rights, the DC Implosion, merchandise, where the character has journeyed since his involvement, and much more!

Given that we talked for so long, I’ve opted to break the interview into two parts.  The first part runs about 50 minutes long, while the second part runs about 30 minutes and will be available here later this week (UPDATE – part two is available now by clicking here).

You may play part one of the interview right here on the FIRESTORM FAN site with the handy-dandy player below! I apologize for not offering the interview in text format, but transcribing an interview that long would have taken months.

Alternatively, you may download the file and listen to it on an MP3 player or your computer. You may download part one of the interview by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (48.6 MB).

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the interview. To keep up with Gerry, be sure to check him out on Twitter and Facebook.

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

Jamal was kind enough to spend some time discussing his run on Firestorm with FIRESTORM FAN.

Firestorm Fan: How did you get the Firestorm assignment and were you familiar with the character before taking the job?

Jamal Igle: Well, I was actually approached on two different occasions, once by Dan Jolley and later by Peter Tomasi, who was the editor at the time. I turned Dan down initially because although I did want to do it I was otherwise committed. The second time I was still working on one project full time and doing a fill in on Marvel Age Spider-Man when Pete asked me if i was available to do a fill in on the series and I turned him down again. I thought that would be the end of it, but Pete called the next day and offered me the series.

I said no again, hung up the phone and walked about 3 feet before screaming out loud “WHAT ARE YOU DOING???”. So I called Pete back and took the job.

I was of course very familiar with Ronnie Raymond, having grown up reading the Fury of Firestorm and watching him on the Superfriends. At one point Jay Faeber and I had pitched a Ronnie-centric Firestorm series to DC that went pretty far before ultimately being killed.

FF: You worked with both Dan Jolley and Stuart Moore on Firestorm. What were some of the differences in their writing styles? Were they full-script or plot-first? How collaborative were your relationships with them?

JI: They were both full script writers and that made it very easy for me. Style wise they were very similar but tonally very different. Dan, by the time I came on the book, was trying to right the sinking ship I guess. DC had asked him to make the series very Vertigoesque in tone but there was a bit of a backlash, not just from the book but the revelation of Ronnie’s death in Identity Crisis. So, he and the editors decided to bring in more aspects from the original series and give Ronnie a proper heroic send off. Stuart was much more about incorporating as much real science into the stories but making them more fun.

FF: Do you have any favorite issues or storylines from your time on Firestorm? Or from any other era of Firestorm?

JI: Wow, well issue 17 is one of my favorites,which had Jason taking on the Secret society. issues 24 and 25 were fun because it was the first time that I got to draw both Mr. Freeze and Batman.

FF: You designed a fantastic new costume for Jason Rusch. How did you go about creating the redesign? Were you provided any input, or was it solely your design?

JI: It was my design. We were given the go ahead to design a new suit actually around issue #14 , where we have what I like to call the proto-costume. We wanted the change in costume to coincide with Martin Stein’s return but One Year Later was put in place when we make the jump in issue #23 you see Jason’s current costume.

FF: Your new costume for Jason has appeared on two action figures (with a third coming out this year), numerous comics, and is set to appear in the Batman: Brave and the Bold cartoon. What is it like seeing something you designed grow beyond your original involvement?

JI: It’s pretty cool actually, you don’t really get used to it. I’ve designed a few other characters like the new Vigilante and Dreadbolt from Terror Titans.  I have to admit I get a little upset when I see other artists drawing the costume wrong, LOL.

FF: You had the opportunity to redesign several classic characters (Firehawk, Pozhar, Multiplex) as well as design some new ones yourself (Pupil, The Pionic Man, DOLLIES). Were there any you enjoyed more than the others?

JI: There were designs that never saw print that I loved but were cut for space and time issues. The Pupil is one of my favorites , I modeled him after a caricature of Peter Lorre from an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. He was just so creepy.

FF: You took over the Firestorm book with issue #8. This issue started the return of Ronnie Raymond storyline. Were you aware of some fans concerns surrounding Jason replacing Ronnie? If so, did this affect the way you approached the storytelling?

JI: I did, but I try not to think about those things. The truth is, if I let people getting upset about creative decisions bother, I wouldn’t get anything done. I don’t draw to please fans necessarily. Everyone has an opinion about what you should and shouldn’t do. I have to please myself as an artist, and be satisfied with the work first before anyone else sees it. I don’t want to sound like a tool or conceited but you can’t serve so many masters. I’m just happy that other people seem to like my work.

FF: You are truly an amazing storyteller, from action sequences to subtle facial expressions. You can do it all. Once you get the script/plot from the writer, how do you tackle it?

JI: Usually I read a script two or three times to get comfortable with the story and then I thumbnail the entire story over the course of a day, working out the major beats and getting the general layout down. I really prefer working from a full script because the dialog allows me to think about the acting each character does and staging. Depending on the script and what’s required it’s the hunt for reference. After that I take the first day of the week and layout that weeks pages. So I layout 5- 6 pages in one day and then I spend the rest of the week penciling.

FF: You’ve worked with a few different inkers, each bringing their own distinctive feel to the art. What are some characteristics that different inkers bring out in your pencils?

JI: Well, let’s concentrate with the three guys I had the longest collaborations. Rob Stull has a very graphic drawing style. Sharp angles and a very slick stylization. Keith Champagne’s work was equally as fluid but Keith in many ways was far more faithful to my line. I always liked Keith’s work because he was a brush inker like myself and inked me in a similar way that I inked my own work. Jon Sibal is phenomenal as well. His style actually brings a rougher quality than I normally have but for some reason it works so well.

FF: I understand you’ve lectured for the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art and the Art Students League of New York. Would you tell us a little more about your involvement?

JI: Well I was involved with MOCCA very early on but it wasn’t in an artistic manner. In a former life I worked in public relations so I was assisting them with their PR and marketing. I lectured a few times afterward. the League was my first actual teaching experience. I taught there for two semesters, starting their comics program.

FF:  Looking back at all the work you’ve amassed, what are you most proud of? What do you consider a high point both personally and creatively?

JI: I don’t know. I haven’t done it yet. I’m a work in progress, I feel like my work is getting better with each issue so the next project is the one I’ll be proudest of.

FF: Your work on Supergirl is awesome and has been very well-received. Are there any other projects you are currently working on or have coming up?

JI: I’ll be penciling World’s Finest #3 but it’ll be Supergirl for the next year.

FF: What would your dream comic book project be?

JI: I still haven’t done my Superman run.

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Thanks again to Jamal Igle for generously donating his time to this interview.  Be sure to visit Jamal Igle’s blog by clicking here. Jamal’s blog features amazing artwork, updates on current projects, and his convention schedule.  Be sure to stop by and tell him FIRESTORM FAN sent you!

Also, be sure to support Jamal’s current work on Supergirl.  Supergirl #45 is on stands now – check it out!

Support Firestorm (and Supergirl)!  Fan the flame!