Post by Lunacyde Prime on Oct 18, 2011 8:10:33 GMT -5
I just recently had the great fortune of scoring an interview with Chuck Dixon. Not only is he a great writer, but he really seems like a great guy as well and I'm very greatful he took the time to answer a number of questions for us. I hope you guys enjoy his insight as much as I did. Mr. Dixon one of the most prolific comic writers of all time, let alone today. He has written hundreds of stories for a plethora of different companies and publishers, utilizing thousands of different characters and locales.
Without further ado, or gilding the lily I present: An interview with Chuck Dixon. His responses are bolded.
#1. Drawing from your experience writing mainstream favorites like Batman and Punisher, how would you compare writing a G.I. Joe title? Do you take a different approach? Is the writing different in any major way?
It’s more of a war comic than anything else. There’s certainly science fiction elements to it but there’s also a lot of real-world military stuff as well. So, there’s plenty of research which I love to do anyway.
And Joe fans are the usual comic fan. There’s some overlap but an surprising number of our readers read ONLY Joe. They’re my number one priority. And many of them are serving military or vets. I have to get it right or I’ll hear about it.
The Joes are also unique in that the fans of the franchise were introduced to it at a very early age typically. They have a deep attachment to these character that I totally respect. I’m going to give them as exciting and as surprising stories as I can but I’m not out to revolutionize anything or break things. I want to meet and exceed the Joe fans expectations.
#2. Who are your five favorite Joes to write? What makes them interesting to write in your opinion?
Scarlett is the one I’ve grown most fond of. Not sure why she’s #1 but I’ve always had an affinity for the female heroes. Stong women are sexy. Strong and smart is devastating.
With Snake Eyes it’s a love/hate thing. He’s one of the coolest characters in comics and a lot of pressure comes with that. He doesn’t talk and everything he does has to be wow. That’s a tall order. But I love the challenge and try to raise the bar with each issue.
Flint. He’s just awesome and I can’t really explain why. But for me he’s the baddest badass in the Joes and he doesn’t really have to do much to prove that. I know there’s lots of Joe fans that agree with me. Mike Costa and I have formed our own cult of Flint and readers will be seeing LOTS more of him.
Mainframe is kind of the opposite of Flint. He’s smart and he’s tough in his own way. But he’s also a goofball sometimes. And who can’t sympathize with his hopeless attraction to Scarlett.
Helix is another favorite. She’s a whole different animal and I like how she turns what would be a weakness for anyone else into a strength. She is a high-functioning autistic and that’s a task to present sometimes. But she’s the only Joe who can keep up with Snake Eyes and that proximity makes her very, very cool.
#3. Do you find it difficult to write an Ongoing Series based around a mute title character? How do you get past his inability to speak and convey to your audience that what he is thinking and feeling?
The thing I fear most is repetition. I keep trying to come with ways to keep his silence and limited communication fresh. It’s a new challenge every month. But I’ve always believed we learn more about a character by what he does than what he says. Snake Eyes embodies that to the ultimate.
#4. Snake-Eyes and Agent Helix seem to represent the pinnacle of fighting ability for the Joes. How do you believe the characters would fit into the mainstream Marvel or DC Universe?
Snake Eyes is on par with Batman. He’ll never stop coming at you and he’ll figure a way to bring down his enemies no matter how powerful or how many. Helix would fit just fine. As a sort of real world mutant she could show those whiny nancies in the X-men a thing or two.
#5. With a character like Snake-Eyes there seems to be a balancing act between portraying him as this ultimate warrior on one hand, without portraying him so far beyond his fellow Joes that he doesn't seem to fit. There seems to be a thin line where fans want to see him in action doing all kinds of impressive things, but they don't want him to become this superhuman character who is just over the top with all his abilities. Have you noticed this, and how do you find the right balance when writing him as a character?
He’s not superhuman. At least, no more so than a Navy SEAL would be. And they are pretty darn superhuman, right? The real mystery about Snake Eyes is whether or not he’s a Joe because he wants to be or is he Joe because it allows him the support he needs for his own personal mission? So often, his missions and goals only seem to dovetail with Joe objectives by chance. Snake Eye’s success record is really the only thing that excuses his frequent AWOLs. How can you punish the guy who’s winning the war for you?
#6. You have written so many different stories of such diverse nature. Do you prefer writing mainstream stories with big name characters or do you prefer writing stories with original or lesser known characters?
It really doesn’t matter to me. I’ve found that I can invest myself emotionally and creatively into almost any set of characters or story. I just like making stuff up.
A few years ago I said in an interview that the one character I’d never want to write is Scooby Doo. Joan Hilty, the Scooby editor, retaliated (in a friendly way) by assigning me a Scooby story. I wound up writing maybe a half dozen of them and learned to love the series.
#7. Your role in the creation of Bane must be an important moment for you in comics. The character is a fan favorite, being ranked firmly at #34 on IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time. Bane is possibly the most significant addition to Batman's Rogues gallery since the 60's and has been portrayed in many different stories and media since then. Where did the inspiration for the character come from? What inspired his physical appearance, particularly the mask?
The mask comes from his Latino origins. What better than a luchador mask?
The first requirement for the guy that breaks Batman was that he not be a one-off loser. This is Batman he’s beating! So, we need a guy who was the intellectual and physical equal of Batman and with as bizarre an origin as Batman. I wanted his story to begin in his childhood just like Bruce Wayne’s. I don’t recall why I thought of having him born to a life sentence in a hellhole prison but that led to the Man in the Iron Mask aspect of his story. You can’t go wrong with Dumas.
The rest, his tragic upbringing, his gang of three, the teddy bear, juts came along organically as I wrote the first special he appeared in.
#8. What do you consider your greatest piece of work? What piece in the entire impressive body of work stands out to you as your favorite or most important?
Winterworld by me and Jorge Zaffino stands out. Also Detective Annual #7 (the pirate one) with Quique Alcatena was a real highlight. My Detective run with Graham Nolan was solid gold as well as the run on Green Arrow with Rodolfo Damaggio followed by Wil Rosado. The Superman/Tarzan cross over I did with Carlos Megila was a complete blast as well. I’ve been a very lucky guy. I’ve worked with so many of the greats and continue to work with a bunch of talented artists.
#9. What are your five favorite DC characters to write? What are your five favorite Marvel characters to write? Why do you find these particular characters interesting or enjoyable to write?
Many of the DC characters don’t exist anymore, right? Well, Batman is #1. Then Batgirl, the Riddler, Robin and Nightwing.
I didn’t get to work as broadly at Marvel but Punisher tops them all on my list. He’s my favorite character to write. An amoral force of nature with a twisted sense of humor that he’s not even aware of.
#10.You've been in the comics business for a long time. In spite of your voluminous work are there any characters or titles that you would want to write that you haven't had the chance to yet?
I’d love to do a long run on The Fatntastic Four. Two years at least.
#11. Are there any other writers (comic or non-comic) who inspire you, or that you greatly enjoy reading?
There’s new ones all the time. My longtime favorite is Donald E. Westlake and I’ve been reading lots of P.G.Wodehouse lately. And with all the incredible reprint volumes out there I’m developing a whole new appreciation for Milton Caniff and Leonard Starr.
#12. What are your views on the recent overhaul at DC. Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? What does it mean to comic book readers?
I think it’ll mean a lot to their fourth quarter. But what will they do NEXT year? I don’t think comic readers were every part of the equation. This was about market share.
I know I've said it a million times, but thank you for taking the time for this interview. I'm a huge fan and I look to more work from you in the future, particularly in the G.I. Joe and Snake-Eyes series'. I apologize if there were too many questions, feel free to answer them at your discretion.
Thank YOU! Great questions!
Feel free to visit Chuck at his own website/message boards at:
Visit my website at www.dixonverse.net!
And come see me at www.comicspace.com/chuckdixon/
Without further ado, or gilding the lily I present: An interview with Chuck Dixon. His responses are bolded.
#1. Drawing from your experience writing mainstream favorites like Batman and Punisher, how would you compare writing a G.I. Joe title? Do you take a different approach? Is the writing different in any major way?
It’s more of a war comic than anything else. There’s certainly science fiction elements to it but there’s also a lot of real-world military stuff as well. So, there’s plenty of research which I love to do anyway.
And Joe fans are the usual comic fan. There’s some overlap but an surprising number of our readers read ONLY Joe. They’re my number one priority. And many of them are serving military or vets. I have to get it right or I’ll hear about it.
The Joes are also unique in that the fans of the franchise were introduced to it at a very early age typically. They have a deep attachment to these character that I totally respect. I’m going to give them as exciting and as surprising stories as I can but I’m not out to revolutionize anything or break things. I want to meet and exceed the Joe fans expectations.
#2. Who are your five favorite Joes to write? What makes them interesting to write in your opinion?
Scarlett is the one I’ve grown most fond of. Not sure why she’s #1 but I’ve always had an affinity for the female heroes. Stong women are sexy. Strong and smart is devastating.
With Snake Eyes it’s a love/hate thing. He’s one of the coolest characters in comics and a lot of pressure comes with that. He doesn’t talk and everything he does has to be wow. That’s a tall order. But I love the challenge and try to raise the bar with each issue.
Flint. He’s just awesome and I can’t really explain why. But for me he’s the baddest badass in the Joes and he doesn’t really have to do much to prove that. I know there’s lots of Joe fans that agree with me. Mike Costa and I have formed our own cult of Flint and readers will be seeing LOTS more of him.
Mainframe is kind of the opposite of Flint. He’s smart and he’s tough in his own way. But he’s also a goofball sometimes. And who can’t sympathize with his hopeless attraction to Scarlett.
Helix is another favorite. She’s a whole different animal and I like how she turns what would be a weakness for anyone else into a strength. She is a high-functioning autistic and that’s a task to present sometimes. But she’s the only Joe who can keep up with Snake Eyes and that proximity makes her very, very cool.
#3. Do you find it difficult to write an Ongoing Series based around a mute title character? How do you get past his inability to speak and convey to your audience that what he is thinking and feeling?
The thing I fear most is repetition. I keep trying to come with ways to keep his silence and limited communication fresh. It’s a new challenge every month. But I’ve always believed we learn more about a character by what he does than what he says. Snake Eyes embodies that to the ultimate.
#4. Snake-Eyes and Agent Helix seem to represent the pinnacle of fighting ability for the Joes. How do you believe the characters would fit into the mainstream Marvel or DC Universe?
Snake Eyes is on par with Batman. He’ll never stop coming at you and he’ll figure a way to bring down his enemies no matter how powerful or how many. Helix would fit just fine. As a sort of real world mutant she could show those whiny nancies in the X-men a thing or two.
#5. With a character like Snake-Eyes there seems to be a balancing act between portraying him as this ultimate warrior on one hand, without portraying him so far beyond his fellow Joes that he doesn't seem to fit. There seems to be a thin line where fans want to see him in action doing all kinds of impressive things, but they don't want him to become this superhuman character who is just over the top with all his abilities. Have you noticed this, and how do you find the right balance when writing him as a character?
He’s not superhuman. At least, no more so than a Navy SEAL would be. And they are pretty darn superhuman, right? The real mystery about Snake Eyes is whether or not he’s a Joe because he wants to be or is he Joe because it allows him the support he needs for his own personal mission? So often, his missions and goals only seem to dovetail with Joe objectives by chance. Snake Eye’s success record is really the only thing that excuses his frequent AWOLs. How can you punish the guy who’s winning the war for you?
#6. You have written so many different stories of such diverse nature. Do you prefer writing mainstream stories with big name characters or do you prefer writing stories with original or lesser known characters?
It really doesn’t matter to me. I’ve found that I can invest myself emotionally and creatively into almost any set of characters or story. I just like making stuff up.
A few years ago I said in an interview that the one character I’d never want to write is Scooby Doo. Joan Hilty, the Scooby editor, retaliated (in a friendly way) by assigning me a Scooby story. I wound up writing maybe a half dozen of them and learned to love the series.
#7. Your role in the creation of Bane must be an important moment for you in comics. The character is a fan favorite, being ranked firmly at #34 on IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time. Bane is possibly the most significant addition to Batman's Rogues gallery since the 60's and has been portrayed in many different stories and media since then. Where did the inspiration for the character come from? What inspired his physical appearance, particularly the mask?
The mask comes from his Latino origins. What better than a luchador mask?
The first requirement for the guy that breaks Batman was that he not be a one-off loser. This is Batman he’s beating! So, we need a guy who was the intellectual and physical equal of Batman and with as bizarre an origin as Batman. I wanted his story to begin in his childhood just like Bruce Wayne’s. I don’t recall why I thought of having him born to a life sentence in a hellhole prison but that led to the Man in the Iron Mask aspect of his story. You can’t go wrong with Dumas.
The rest, his tragic upbringing, his gang of three, the teddy bear, juts came along organically as I wrote the first special he appeared in.
#8. What do you consider your greatest piece of work? What piece in the entire impressive body of work stands out to you as your favorite or most important?
Winterworld by me and Jorge Zaffino stands out. Also Detective Annual #7 (the pirate one) with Quique Alcatena was a real highlight. My Detective run with Graham Nolan was solid gold as well as the run on Green Arrow with Rodolfo Damaggio followed by Wil Rosado. The Superman/Tarzan cross over I did with Carlos Megila was a complete blast as well. I’ve been a very lucky guy. I’ve worked with so many of the greats and continue to work with a bunch of talented artists.
#9. What are your five favorite DC characters to write? What are your five favorite Marvel characters to write? Why do you find these particular characters interesting or enjoyable to write?
Many of the DC characters don’t exist anymore, right? Well, Batman is #1. Then Batgirl, the Riddler, Robin and Nightwing.
I didn’t get to work as broadly at Marvel but Punisher tops them all on my list. He’s my favorite character to write. An amoral force of nature with a twisted sense of humor that he’s not even aware of.
#10.You've been in the comics business for a long time. In spite of your voluminous work are there any characters or titles that you would want to write that you haven't had the chance to yet?
I’d love to do a long run on The Fatntastic Four. Two years at least.
#11. Are there any other writers (comic or non-comic) who inspire you, or that you greatly enjoy reading?
There’s new ones all the time. My longtime favorite is Donald E. Westlake and I’ve been reading lots of P.G.Wodehouse lately. And with all the incredible reprint volumes out there I’m developing a whole new appreciation for Milton Caniff and Leonard Starr.
#12. What are your views on the recent overhaul at DC. Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? What does it mean to comic book readers?
I think it’ll mean a lot to their fourth quarter. But what will they do NEXT year? I don’t think comic readers were every part of the equation. This was about market share.
I know I've said it a million times, but thank you for taking the time for this interview. I'm a huge fan and I look to more work from you in the future, particularly in the G.I. Joe and Snake-Eyes series'. I apologize if there were too many questions, feel free to answer them at your discretion.
Thank YOU! Great questions!
Feel free to visit Chuck at his own website/message boards at:
Visit my website at www.dixonverse.net!
And come see me at www.comicspace.com/chuckdixon/
