Friday, September 13, 2013

COMIC-CONVERSATION

While I was at the Baltimore Comic-Con, I had a lengthy and (I hope!) interesting conversation with Tiffany from Little House Online.  I've embedded the interview below for your listening and dancing pleasure.  Thanks to Tiffany and Little House head honcho Sal Crivelli for the thoughtful questions.  It was a pleasure.

50 comments:

  1. Great interview, JM! Loved listening and watching you and Tiffany go back and forth. I've posted a link to it on my facebook page and my writers group facebook page.

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  2. J.M. Dematteis... opinionated? Oh you do go on. I think that everyone who frequents Creation Point will be shocked to hear that old wish-washy Dematteis has strong views on things.

    Also, I didn't know you had an earring.

    Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
    Jack

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    1. I've had the earring for many years, Jack, but, like my beard, it mysteriously comes and goes. It apparently has a mind of its own.

      And that's no opinion: that's fact!

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    2. It can't come and go that much, otherwise it would have closed up right?

      I like to think that you got it in the late 80s-90s to get the alternative crowd. Wanting to really hook the disaffected youth of the era. I mean I know, and I mean KNOW, that isn'r the case, but I still like to think it.

      As for Bat-mite, like I always say, no one really likes Batman. I mean come on a whiney billionaire. Come on. (imagine GOB Bluth saying that last line if you are familiar) people really just want Bat-mite and Ace the Bat Hound. Those are the real stars.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    3. Just have to pop the earring in once in a while, Jack, and the whole hole remains. (That's a good name for band: the Whole Hole.)

      I'd write a monthly Batman comic that had Bat-Mite and Ace and all the other goofy Bat-tropes from the 50's and early 60's. But Batman has to have a REALLY square jaw.

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    4. I thought that they could only be out a few days. However, earrings are like tattoos to me, I don't have any real opinion on them as a group, but they aren't for me. So naturally I wouldn't know the rules.

      And... who needs batman? Bat-mite in his own adventures. Cross time-space-dimensioal mischief. And there is a really great story waiting to be told about Ace after Batman... something like the TZ episode "the Hunt" a classic.

      There was also a pretty interesting post-crisis Bat-mite story in the first volume of Legends of the Dark Knight. Number 38 according to cover browser. It was a strange story, certainly different in tone than the classic stories, but still enjoyable.

      The point is Bat-mite is never really THAT far from comic book consciousness.

      And one more thing. Back when the so-called last JLI story was published just before the New 52 I called it that we hadn't seen the last of it. And okay, so... it is different characters, but its the Justice League and I beleive with a lighter tone with Giffen. Are you willing to admit that I was at least right-adjacent when I said we hadn't seen the last of them?

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    5. You were sort of right, Jack. It's a different group of characters, in a very different universe (it's a pretty dark future) BUT the old character-based sense of humor will still be an essential part of the book. So, yeah I'll give you this one!

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    6. Like I said... "right adjacent." That seems about right.

      By the by, caught most of the PKD episode of "Prophets of Science Fiction" by chance today. It was pretty good. Especially for a total Dick-head. And I'm sure that it is on Youtube by now. just passing it along.

      Also, if you don't mind I have a question, it seems by in large comic readers buy comics these days because they do. For most of us there are at least a few books we'll read no matter what because we love the character, and we hope they will get better. And for many there is that mentality for all their books. Do you think that this has a negative impact on the industry either by having the big two sometimes take fewer risks than they may have years ago, or to the fans by not having them demand the highest possibly quality. ON one hand I do love that Phantom Stranger (and I am not just blowing smoke) largely because of the quality, but also because it is a different than most of the New 52 which is largely just "okay" to me. It seems that historically (een 15 years ago) comics seemed to represent a wider variety of stories. Even with in the major Superhero aspect. Spider-man WAS very different than Iron Man and there adventure would be as well. I wonder how much of it is just fans liking to complain (and there is that) and how much of it is them not showing there displeasure in monetary form.

      PArt of what started this is that I have decided to re-read Man-thing, from my reprint of the origin in Monsters Unleashed to now. And that was a very different type of story telling, and so was much of that era... but so was Marvel age of the 60s and the 80s, and... never mind. I know that smaller press has cornered much of the non-super market, and everyone born after a certain point working in the industry wants to be the next Frank Miller, or is studying Watchmen carefully... but I can't beleive that is the only reason, nor an it be solely a movie-based comic book industry. I thijnk top some extent we fans don't fight hard enough for the off suff, or drop the thins we don't like or are sick of fast enough.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

      P.S. when I get to the Dematteis-era an-Thing, I'll let you know how it holds up in the grand scheme.

      P.P.S. in the spirit of telling the industry what we fans want.... MORE BAT_MITE!

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    7. As always, an interesting question, Jack.

      I think if you go back to the wild and wooly 70's, you'll absolutely a wider variety of approaches to the material. As we've often talked about, the most interesting books in the Marvel line weren't the super heroes, they were titles like MAN-THING and TOMB OF DRACULA, WARLOCK, HOWARD THE DUCK and MASTER OF KUNG FU. Over at DC you had SWAMP THING, the Kirby FOURTH WORLD books, etc.

      In the 80's, that experimental approach was evident more in the creator-owned arena, as folks (like yours truly) who felt straitjacketed by the Classic Heroes sailed off into uncharted waters by creating their own, very personal universes of Story.

      I think all of that is alive and well today. There are so many publishers, so much creator-owned material. There's probably more variety out there than ever before: you jut have to look for it.

      That said, the chances of coming across a Marvel or DC book that's as wildly experimental as Gerber's MAN-THING run are pretty slim. And THAT said, the approach to storytelling that's taken as common today owes so much to Lee, Kirby, Gerber and all the groundbreakers who came before us: it doesn't SEEM experimental because it's become the language of the form; you see it month after month in mainstream titles. What once seemed out of the box is now IN the box. We take it for granted.

      At least that's how I see it at 8 o'clock in the morning when I haven't quite rubbed the sleep from my eyes!

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    8. Actually, I would say that very little of the 0s aspects are incorporated into comics these days. LArgely because Frank Miller's Daredevil and Batman as well as Alan Moore's Watchmen made such a large splash (whether they are better than the 70s works of Starlin, Englehart, O'Neil, Wein, and Gerber is not the point)because of this it gravitated a generation, which is now working. the 70s inspiration had its time, and it was post crisis DC... but it seemed to fizzle a bit after that and the strangeness of the 90s caused that. Even the new 52 which is trying desperately to recapture that era misses it. Everyone working now wants to create the next Watchmen, or be the next Frank Miller. Because of this the early 2000s were all so very similar in tone at Marvel. And as a frequent purchaser of indie comics, I will say that there is variety... but not as much as one might think. Yes there is a lot, but that same wanna be Miller/Moore mentality is still VERY present in many small press books.


      However, none of this was my point...

      My point was less about experimentation as variety. IN the end Gerber's Man-thing wasn't REALLY that experimental. evolutionary? absolutely, but not really experimental. My bigger point is that the variety in tone and style, even types of adventures seems to be going. in the 70s, 80s, and even the 90s when there was so much editorial pressure, there was still a variety in good comics in these ways. Now it is so similar. That is Why David's X-Factor being cancelled was such a drag, it was different a well as good. Which is why I believe it is sort of a generational comic reader thing (and now we are back on the Miller/Moore thing). For almost a decade almost every Major Marvel book was written this way. Dr. Strange should not just be the guy on a street level avengers team that does little more than throw bolts at people, and want desperately to be a superhero. It isn't his character. There is not necessarily anything wrong with that character, but Doc was different. His adventures where, well... strange. To MArvel's credit they are starting to move past that and change things around and breed diversity in storytelling... even if it is a slower burn than many would like. Now it is DC's turn with the new 52. In the end, if it is about experimental, than it is a sad state in comics that deviating in tone and style is "experimental."

      I was just wondering is that if this is caused by the collector mentality of readers now. Not wanting to miss issues of favorite characters, so they don't stop buying. An example is, that a few years ago there was a writer on X-men no one liked. No one. he hasn't had a job in mainstream comics since. But it was X-men and there are so many X-men fans who didn't want to disrupt their run he stayed on for a few years. But when he was put on the Avengers (this was after two well done runs, but before the movie) it tanked and he ws replaced after two story lines. Just wondering if we fans and our sometimes OCD like collecting breeds these types of problems


      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    9. oh, and here is the other thing I mentioned:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKExjoV6y2U

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    10. As usual, there's a lot to think about there, Jack. Especially your point about the OCD collecting mentality.

      I think it's time for others to chime in now. Let's look around the classroom. Hmmmm.
      In the back there. David...?

      (Ducks under his desk.)

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    11. Thanks so much for the PKD link, Jack: I can't wait to watch it!

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    12. Why does David have Howard and Daffy under the his desk?

      I hope others chiming in doesn't mean you don't have anything to say about either of my points.

      The PKD link is interesting. The guy who plays him looks less like Dick to me than he does a guy on the news in Iran. Its the beard. the actor really should have trimmed it. I would really like to hear back from you afterwards, there are some points in it I feel are worth discussing among Dick fans.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    13. I'm in a major deadline crunch right now, Jack, which is why I wasn't able to get into a lengthy response to your last post—and why I won't be able to watch the PKD show for a few days, at least. That said, I took a peek at the beginning and the first thing that struck me was the Weird Beard. What were they thinking?

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    14. Hey, hey calm down Dematteis. I understand... we all understand. These things happen. And in all honesty we are happy they do. More Dematteis goodness is coming down the road.

      Just. Don't. Forget.

      or do whatever.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    15. "Calm down"? Can't tell if that's a joke, Jack, or if you actually thought there was something edgy, or perhaps, rude in my response. If you felt that way, my apologies. There was nothing "un-calm" in my mind when I wrote it. Honest!

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    16. it was a joke.

      I've said multiple times that this isn't the best medium for such things, yet still I do it. Will I ever learn?

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    17. I was pretty sure it was, but I wanted to be certain. You've been following this blog pretty much since it existed. The last thing I'd want to do is insult you! : )

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    18. Well, its good that you have your priorities in order. However I have been following you since before this site. I date back to the Amazon postings.

      I look forward to hearing your thoughts on both when things clear up for you.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    19. When I said you were following the blog pretty much since it existed, I was referring to the bygone Amazon days.

      I watch the PKD show and found it very interesting. I would have preferred more PKD bio and a little less about current-day technologies.
      And a little less beard, too!

      I wonder if there are any other documentaries about PKD out there...?

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    20. Ah, those halcyon Amazon days... they really were simpler weren't they?

      I would have liked more bio too, but you take what you can get. I especially thought that it was odd that one person said they though Dick would be pleased to see things coming together. I mean, weren't a lot of the things he "predicted" not so good. weird.

      There is a book about PKD called"The Divine Invasions of Philip K,. Dick" (not to be confused with the PKD book the Divine Invasion), I have a copy of it, but it got water damaged before it got a chance to read it. There is also from thr BBC,"A day in the After Life of Philip K. Dick," there is also, "The Gospel according to Philip K. Dick," and "The penultimate Truth About Philip K. Dick." I think one of those is pending, if not there is one coming up that is narrated by Harvey Pekar Himself; Paul Giamatti. I have seen none of these. I do know Usula K. LeGuin is in one quite a bit though... did you know that they were in the same graduating class in High School?

      Now get to the collecting questions and lack of diversity chop-chop.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    21. I almost watched one of those Dick bios on Netflix streaming the other day, Jack—honestly, I forget which one—but the reviews indicated that it was lacking (to say the least), so I passed. I suspect the BBC did a good job with their piece: they always do.

      LeGuin and Dick went to the same high school? Did they know each other? Were they friends? Fascinating!

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    22. If I remember correctly, it was only their senior year, which Dick missed much of due to illness. Although, if I remember correctly a young upstart comic writer wrote a story with a character or two with a combination of their names in a story very similar to one of their books

      However the book VALIS is seen as a sort of "autobiography" if Dick... its sort of complicated. However there was a comic that acted as at least part of a biography for him in by R. Crumb in WEIRDO. I do not own rthe comic, but I did read it all online once, I'll see if I can find it
      here we are: http://2010philipkdickfans.philipkdickfans.com/weirdo/weirdo1.htm

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    23. Whatever became of that young upstart writer, Jack? Oh, right: He became an older upstart writer!

      Thanks so much for the link to the Crumb story. Can't wait to read it!

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    24. I heard he had a weirdo creative epiphany a few years later, wrote for major characters, went mad with power, then eventually just started writing stories about ghost people, and teaming up for stories about orange powered space-muppets and spends his time on the inter-web chatting with his legion of nuso fans.

      Hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to read the comic story of PKD

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    25. I read it today and it rang a bell: I may have read it years ago.

      That said, it's fascinating and disturbing. There's a thin line between psychosis and spiritual revelation...and I think both can be happening simultaneously.

      Only a matter of time before someone makes PKD's life into a PKD-style movie.

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    26. Philip K. Dick was a weird guy... but also undeniably (even by those who may not like his work) a very intelligent man. He was also under quite a bit of stress at that point in his life. He chronicles it (in a way?) in VALIS.

      Through some of his drawings Crumb makes his views on the event rather clear. End of the day its a strange story, but regardless of what one believes happens, whether it was God revealing himself, insanity, or maybe one and them the other and then mixing, I think one thing can be assumed is that what ever transpired Christopher Dick (and certainly for that point at least his father) is glad that it did.

      By the way the, the lead character in VALIS is Horselover Fat; meaning Philip (in greek) Dick (in german) If you haven't read it.

      Wishing you nothing, but goodwill and hipness from here to the stars,
      Jack

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    27. I think we're all "weird guys" under the surface, Jack. I know I've had experiences in my life that some would call mystical and others might call crazy, so I certainly can't judge PKD! Whatever the root of his visions, they resulted in art that clearly still fascinates. In fact, it seems to grow in power over time.

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  3. I liked the interview, too. You come across the same as you do here.

    I can see why you like writing PS. His stories aren't necessarily about one person dropping a house on someone else. In fact, they're better when that's not the plot.

    Since you like to write about big things, have you ever considered a story involving Bat-Mite, and what must be his sense of abandonment by the Batman Family? The character was totally, emotionally dependent on his relationship with Batman while trying to do good, yet he was regularly dismissed as a "nuisance" and may have feelings of betrayal. Bat-Mite was also extremely powerful, could do enormous harm if he wanted to do so, and would have surviving, pre-Retcon memories. Throw in PS's feelings of guilt as a betrayer of JC, and you've got an interesting mix which could be played seriously or for some laughs. Rick

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    1. Phantom Stranger meets Bat-Mite? Now THERE'S something that would have never crossed my mind! I don't see it happening any time in the near future, Rick, but never say never. I may wake up one morning and decide that it must be done!

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    2. Let me recommend a day's fasting. All sorts of things cross one's mind. I also came up with a lovely mash-up: PS re-set into Fawcett's original Marvel Family. If you want a laugh, I'll send it.

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    3. As my wife will attest, Rick, I spend a good part of my time lost in an imaginal space where "all sorts of things" cross my mind, so I don't need to fast to get there! : )

      Re: your offer to send your Marvel Family idea along: sounds like fun, but, for legal reasons, I can't read it.

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    4. "but, for legal reasons, I can't read it."

      Okay. I wasn't offering it as a viable publication suggestion with any potential ownership claim. [If you wanted, I could always draft and sign a release. I'm a licensed NJ and NY lawyer. If you don't want to post this, or want to edit this comment for some reason, I'm okay with that, too]

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    5. I know you weren't offering it for publication, Rick. I've just learned over the years that it's generally best if I don't read these things. Absolutely nothing personal, so I hope you don't take offense.

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    6. I don't take any offense. Heck, I've got a pretty thick skin and don't get offended by much of anything.

      But, what do you do about the posts that are sent to you? Don't they sometimes have things which you shouldn't read? Once you've read it, you can't undo it.

      Intellectual property is not my field, but perhaps you ought to consult with an attorney. I have no idea if the following thought is a good one or not, but perhaps he might suggest that you should post a notice on your blog about your right to freely use any submissions. By the way, that's just "for informational purposes" and should not be construed as legal advice (and now you know how we lawyers get to express our views with the understanding that we are not creating an attorney-client relationship).

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    7. Honestly, most folks don't write to the blog with ideas. They come here to discuss my stories in particular or the comic book business in general. But some kind of notice might be useful.

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    8. About that Bat-Mite idea, I hadn't been thinking about a team-up so much as an intercession along the lines of the GL/GA "save Speedy from heroin" meeting. It's cute when a kid engages in hero worship, but Bat-Mite is an adult. If he were human, he would be exhibiting the signs of a serious co-dependency problem, as well as stalking. Considering PS's character, I think it fits better than betraying Jack Ryder to a monster (that story bothered me). Anyway, just saying.

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    9. We've got a good year's worth of PS stories mapped out, Rick, but, hey, you never know what the future will bring!

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  4. Bat-Mite is currently preoccupied with raging against Ben Affleck!--David

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    1. Tell him to leave poor Ben alone, David!

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    2. Looks like Bat-Mite's got a lot of fans.

      If DC runs out of possibilities for the New 52, how about the Bat-Mite Family!

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    3. That's a decision for Dan Didio—but if Bat-Mite shows up in a future issue of PS or JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK—I'll have all of you to thank! (Or maybe blame!) : )

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    4. Heh. Bat-mite is one of those 'swing for the fences' kind of characters. When he shows up you're either going to strike out or hit a home run but there's not a lot of middle ground. So I definitely wouldn't plot a five year mega-epic around him if I were you, JMD! But hey, I'm the guy who wants to see Daffy Duck involved, so take EVERYTHING I say with a grain of salt. :)

      And I like your idea, Jack. Sounds like fun. If memory serves, there was a TEEN TITANS episode where Bat-Mite idolized Robin instead, and a BATMAN: BRAVE AND THE BOLD ep where he made Green Arrow his hero.

      --David

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    5. Wait. I shouldn't plot a five year Bat-Mite mega-epic? But what do I do with all these notes for the big JL DARK/JL 3000/PHANTOM STRANGER/LARFLEEZE Bat-Mite crossover?!
      (Larfleeze meets Bat-Mite? Hmmmmm.)

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    6. Since you've got JL Dark, maybe a visit to the Fifth Dimension, with Bat-Mite and Mr. M?

      The character has so much oddball potential, you could probably do to Ba-Mite what's been done to Animal Man.



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    7. With all this Bat-Mite love here, I may have to do something down the line! Has the character appeared yet in the New 52?

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  5. Just curious, but where did the name "Nightmare Nurse" come from? I came up with a shortlist of possibilities, but I could be wrong.

    (a) She's a Hep C carrier;

    (b) On her off-days, she takes care of Casper's ghost horse);

    (c) She likes to leave air bubbles in intravenous tubes; or

    (d) She's a really bad mother-in law.

    Am I close?

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    1. All of the above?

      The name came from Dan Didio...but she's got other names, as well. NN will be popping up regularly in JL DARK and I'm looking forward to exploring her back story and defining her character.

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