Interviews

Today's slam dunk interview is Alex Dueben's chat with Fantagraphics' publisher Gary Groth, probably just because on the internet a frank discussion with a knowledgeable comics publishing figure is about as common as a humble moment from LeBron. Throw in that he has stellar vocabulary skills, and you have a winner.

By Chris Sotomayor -- I’ve been a fan of Reilly’s since I first noticed his work on Cable & Deadpool, a few years back. One of the great things about following an artist from the beginning of his career, is that you can see glimmers of greatness, and Reilly is no exception. Reilly is a student of storytelling, and he gets straight A’s every time, always adding a new layer with every project. Plus, he’s just such a personable and easy-going guy.

[Chris Sotomayor is a successful and well known colorist for Marvel and other publishers. Recently he began a series of interviews he called "The Dirty Dozen" where he asks industry figures questions about their careers from a business standpoint. The themes are among those that we've recently been exploring here at The Beat as the career paths for cartoonists become more tangled -- here is more opportunity than ever, but the way to get there is not always clear. Although the interviews appear first at his site, Chris has graciously allowed The Beat to reprint them. Up this time, writer/artist Jimmy Palmiotti.]

ColoristChris Sotomayor has just begun a new series of interviews on his website, where he asks subjects a series of pointed questions regarding the state of the industry. First up, writer Kurt Busiek, whom you may remember from such hits as MARVELS, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY, ASTRO CITY, and that post here at the Beat where he made a really great point. The whole thing comprises only a dozen questions but covers Busiek's break into comics, followed by a swift break out of comics, and years working at Burger King to break in again, and also one of the double-edged swords that we all live with:

On the occasion of the German edition of Chew, which recently debuted from Cross Cult Verlag, I had the opportunity to talk to Layman about the series, his prospects in the comics industry and his experiences at WildStorm. An abbreviated and translated version of the interview, which was conducted via e-mail over the course of several weeks, appears in Chew – Bulle mit Biss 1: Leichenschmaus. The book can be purchased here, here or here, among other places. (Disclosure: I’m the translator.)

Wizard-watchers will find mostly familiar territory in the ICv2 interview with Wizard's CEO Gareb Shamus. Key words: "exciing" and "incredible." But it does include what may be the most awesome interview question ever:

In as unstable job market as we have today, three men have decided to give their art their full time attention, their all. Writer and artist of Let's Be Friends Again!, Curt Franklin and Chris Haley respectively started their witty webcomic on the print comic world and what it means to really be friends in 2008. Eugene Ahn aka nerd rapper Adam WarRock quit his career as an attorney in 2010 in order to follow his heart and let his mouth fly. Today they announced the joining of their two ventures into LBFA!, Inc.

With all the changes at Wizard over the last year or so, CEO Gareb Shamus has been a tough interview to nail. Our own requests have gone unfulfilled for months, although everyone involved -- including Shamus himself -- has been friendly and professional about the matter. Thus it's a great get for Valerie D'Orazio at MTV Geek to finally sit him down for a chat that covers the positives and negatives of recent Wizard moves. The entire interview is recommended but many observers are unlikely to be swayed by these kinds of statements:

ICv2 has started its annual round of CEo chats and kicks off with IDW's Ted Adams in three parts.. Adam sis a good choice because IDW has made significant recent gains as the first new front-of-thebook publishers since exclusives were invented, and he doesn't give you a lot of double speak. A few excerpts: On pricing (IDW has always been $3.99):

[Yesterday we chatted with one half of the Bonfire Agency, Ed Catto. Today we grill Steve Rotterdam on the nerd marketing equation, Bonfire's research and consulting activities, and whether Patton Oswalt was right about too much geek being a bad thing. Steve Rotterdam served as partner and Chief Creative Officer at the East West Agency before joining DC Comics as Sr. VP Sales and Marketing for three years. His background gives his take on the comics industry and where it is going an informed and unique perspective.]

The Bonfire Agency is a new entity that is looking to do a lot with the nerd world. Co-founder Ed Catto talks about what he;s learned on the way and what Bonfire can do in this exclusive interview.

Ever since their autumnal launch of Law and the Multiverse, James Daily and Ryan Davidson, two stalwart attorneys licensed to practice law in Missouri and Indiana respectively, have used not a brush or nib...