A selection of some of the funniest, most interesting and strangest quotes from the past week:
“[Gerard] grew frustrated at how insular [comics are] and hard to break into, so he went off and became this big rock star, which apparently is an easier gig to get.”
– Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, on Gerard Way’s winding road from DC Comics intern to My Chemical Romance frontman to comic-book writer
“His notes to me in this case were less intensive because obviously there was so much more script. In many cases, he said, ‘Have John come up with something cool here.’ [Laughs] Which is great as an artist because you get to do something fun. You’re not hamstringed by trying to follow some restrictive description.”
– artist John Van Fleet, on his picture-book collaboration with Grant Morrison and Todd Klein in Batman #663
“Being ‘comic book famous’ is not like being famous. There are few comic book creators whom anyone would recognize on the street. At comic conventions, Neil Gaiman gets mobbed if he ventures out of the safety of a booth, yes. However, when Neil was visiting San Jose State University a few months ago, I walked a few blocks through downtown San Jose and then stopped at a Starbucks with him, and I didn’t notice anyone giving the tousle-haired man in a leather jacket a second glance.
“And you, aspiring comic book creator, will probably never be as famous as Neil Gaiman.”
– Slave Labor Graphics Editor-in-Chief Jennifer de Guzman, offering wise words to aspiring creators
“… I’ve learned about what times of day I can and can’t work, and in what conditions, and where. I wrote an outline in the back of a car, in a New York loft, in my office, in terrible diners, in the emergency room. I’ve learned about the comics mainstream, the new underground and whatever lies between. I’ve learned how to keep a book running when there’s no money, no editorial, and no deadlines involved. I’ve learned how to work with a system of editors, how to stand up for your work and how to recognize losing fights. I’ve gotten at least competent with regards to writing pitches now. I’ve written and launched a book that’s practically as uncommercial as uncommercial can be, and watched it thrive. I’ve taken part in the biggest crossover even Marvel’s done in years, and launched a book in the middle of those waters. I’ve learned about what makes Marvel comics work vs. what makes something like Casanova work. I’ve made a fuckton of mistakes, and I hope I caught half of them and figured out why at least some of them happened. I hope I’m that smart, anyway.
“Most of all, I feel like I’ve learned that if you treat whatever readership you’re blessed with like co-conspirators, rather than passive consumers, rather than slack-jawed yokels aching for spoon after spoon of bloody obvious, you’ll find that almost all of them that bother to contact you — 95% of ‘em, at least — will love you for it. I’ve learned comics audiences are tired of being treated as if they put the low in lowest common denominator.”
– writer Matt Fraction, on what he learned in 2006
“… I like that crossovers now are all about selling the next crossover. Civil War breaks everything? Want to see how stuff gets fixed? That’ll be $20 starting in June with ____. Did you see — DC’s next big thing is just called Countdown? It Counts Down to the next time the fans have to give DC money!”
– Internet personality Abhay Khosla, on the current trend in event comics
