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with Brian Michael Bendis
Interview
with: Troy
Brownfield
Perhaps one of the best purveyors of crime comics today, our
newest guest to the Big Question captured popular attention
and enormous critical acclaim with work like Fire, Goldfish
and Jinx. He's taken on historical noir in his Torso series.
He's poked fun at himself while lacerating his Hollywood experiences
in Fortune and Glory. He writes Sam and Twitch, and pretty
soon he'll be doing a stint on Daredevil with David Mack.
As if that wasn't enough, he'll be debuting a new series at
Image called Powers. And there just might be more coming.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Big Q welcomes Brian Michael
Bendis . . .
THE BIG Q&A
Q1.  "Fortune
And Glory" is great on any number of levels. One of the sequences
I found to be most effective and entertaining was where you
describe exactly what an "alternative" comic personality is
and does. Why do you think that small press and black & white
books seem to carry a stigma even among comics fans?
A1.
Thanks. If I knew that I would be so goddamn rich that
you would never get me to do this interview..:) but it does
exist. Many feel black and white is incomplete or some such
thing. black and white is beautiful and immediate. David Lynch
said it is an immediate abstract way to see the world.
Q2.
Another "Fortune & Glory" comment you made was that video
games may be cutting into comic fandom. You said that was
a rant for another time. Please consider this another time.
A2.
Well, it certainly isn't my original theory. And its more
fact than theory.
Comics,
beyond the aesthetic artform, have always been an entertainment.
an escapism.
Well,
video games are of such high quality and they fill the same
need, only better. Why read Spiderman if you could be him?
and I mean this from a kids perspective, not as an adult one.
And the funny thing is, comics sold the video games. You open
up a mainstream comic? what do you see? ads for cool video
games.
So, the
youth market is gone. Disappeared but the adult audience is
still there. they just need to be spoken too. And I can't
do it alone..:)
Q3.
Much of your work carries that heavy noir ambiance. What were
your earliest storytelling influences in that regard?
A3.
Well, earliest, it is hard to say. But strongest are Mamet,
Richard Price, Jim Thompson, Jon Alton. Steranko.
Q4.
Do you follow much of the comics mainstream?
A4.
Sure. I hate to break it to you, but as much as I see myself
as an indy comics guy- and it is my deep roots- I am writing
two spawn books, daredevil, a smidge of Batman and my creator
owned book this year POWERS is a full color book. so...
Q5.
What do you find to be particularly compelling among the "big
companies" right now?
A5.
Well, the icons are there. And the industry is so lost, the
opportunity to do something new and bold is out there.
Q6.
You've been doing the Spawn spin-off "Sam & Twitch". Is it
hard to convince readers to try a crime book with that Spawn
connection?
A6.
Well, yes. So you give them one for free. read it! It
is apparent in two seconds how legit the book is. I love the
book. its a dream job. Great art, freedom to express myself.
 Q7.
"Powers" looks to be a fresh and entertaining concept. Could
you explain its genesis, and how other creators are being
involved?
A7.
Its a crime concept I've been developing with Mike Oeming
for a couple of years and the first issue looks fantastic.
Michael
Avon Oeming has worked for every major publisher of comics.
He is best known for the two graphic novels of his space opera
Ship Of Fools and the multi-award winning Foot Soldiers. His
recent credits include The Spirit, and the new Supermans Pal,
Jimmy Olson and Young Justice for DC Comics.
For Powers,
Mike will be using an art deco mixture of Bruce Timm and Alex
Toth. This style compliments both the dark cinematic quality
needed for crime fiction, and the iconography needed for super
people.
The concept of Powers?
Detective Christian Walker is a special homicide officer in
charge of cases that involve Powers. What is a cops job like
in a world where powers are par for the course? And what kind
of cop is given the assignment? Find out in the gritty, new
crime comic book series Powers.
Powers
takes place in a large unnamed metropolitan city. It will
feel and breathe like a crime fiction drama but its backdrop
will be littered with brand new original and mysterious hero
and villain icons created especially for this series. These
characters will strictly remain in supporting roles and cameos.
We will rely on the simple shared popular notions of comic
book characters and not on elaborate continuities and origins
Cheshire, Retro Girl, Blast, Lizzie Bordon, Fury, Diamond,
The Sift, Elemental, Shotgun, Johnny Royalle, And The Fat
Fish Gang are just some of the supporting characters that
litter this special comic. See a peak of some of them in the
enclosed artwork.
The First
storyline: Who killed Retro Girl?
Detective Christian Walker has to investigate the shocking
murder of one of the most popular superheroes the world has
ever known: Retro Girl.
As the
female ex-counterpart of one of the world's most famous and
beloved superheroes, Retro Girl had it all, and she used it
to help people who couldn't help themselves. with a spunky
verve, a killer smile, and an innocence that harkened back
to a simpler time, retro girl stole the hearts of everyone.
But now her mutilated corpse is found butchered in a dark
and dirty alley. walker is teamed up with spunky rookie Detective
Deena Pilgrim, and the murder investigation takes them from
the seediest underbelly a city has to offer, to the gleaming
towers that are home to immortal beings.
As shocking
twisted hidden truths about Retro Girl come to light, Walker
finds that to solve this crime, he might have to reveal his
own dark secret.
Though
a majority of the character creations for this comic will
be done by the series creators, one of the bold ideas behind
this new comic book world will be asking well known comic
book creator friends of ours to lend us brand new super hero
and villain creations to fill our cityscape. This will be
an extra layer of fun for the readers. Many big name talents,
talents people don't usually think of in this genre, have
already committed.
So far
the A-list includes David Mack, Joe Quesada, Paul Jenkins,
Bob Gale, Phil Jimenez, Mike Allred, Ashley Wood, Brian Holguin,
Jim Valentino, Steve Lieber, Ed Brubaker, Dan Brereton, Mark
Crilley, Judd Widnick, Jim Krueger, Dave Walker, Phil Hester
some real surprises to come
Q7.
At this point, where do your potential films stand?
A7.
Torso is in active development. Torso is currently in
development at Dimension films with producer Todd McFarlane
and Terry Fitzgerald with a screenplay by Bendis and Andreyko
The other
stuff are in limbo or haven't been shopped yet. But there's
always a couple things cooking over here.
We'd like to thank Brian Michael Bendis for taking time from
his obviously busy schedule to answer ALL of our questions.
If you're smart, track down his work! Just about everything
is available through the site www.jinxworld.com.
It's a killer site; check it out.
As always,
if you'd like to see a question asked or any interviewee discovered,
email Troy at psikotyk@aol.com.
He'll try to oblige.
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