This week my co-host was Devon Sanders, whom you might recognize because of his contributions to Bleeding Cool. Additionally, during the first half we were joined by Mark Russell, writer of DC’s Prez, as well as God Is Disappointed in You. Topics of conversation included the insanity of the electoral cycle, Congressman John Lewis’s March & how everyone should read it, and the importance of trades & new voices in comics. Afterwards, Devon & I talked shop, and decided we should definitely do this again!
Pt. 1 – feat. Mark Russel
00:00:38 – Greetings, and a bit of conversation about time zones and what we all had for lunch.
00:02:58 – How Prez came to be. Who approached whom and how the pitch took shape. What it means for the title to be printed under the DC imprint, and the opportunity it presents. The twelve issues vs. six issues thing, and that ultimately DC is committed to doing the full run. Also, no one can imagine a better artistic pairing than Ben Caldwell.
00:12:19 – What Mark Russell wants us to take away from Prez, and how the comic is incredibly timely considering the current election cycle (via Deez Nuts).
00:15:20 – We talk about the other works of Mark Russell – God Is Disappointed in You alongside cartoonist Shannon Wheeler, and the upcoming follow-up Apocrypha Now. Including that he’s in discussions about something, which he can’t quite talk about yet!
00:20:30 – We discuss the value of newcomers to the field of comics. Also, everyone should read March by U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell.
00:22:10 – How do you develop & maintain a readership for new comics, when they don’t always get long runs – and how trades play into this. TL;DR buy the Prez trade when it comes out in February.
00:27:04 – What it’s felt like for Mark to see Prez debut, since it was his first comic-book. Also, the tonal change from the preview to the actual first issue, and the learning curve behind it all. Plus a bit more on trades, and the importance of stories with actual endings.
00:32:45 – What comics has Mark read and/or is reading. Shout-out to Saga & Lumberjanes! Also, the United States of America as a geopolitical superhero/anti-hero, which maybe fittingly connects to Superman.
00:35:35 – This brings us back to a discussion of power, and how Prez is about someone who is willing to make the decisions that now one else is willing to do, including the democratization of power.
00:44:05 – Finally, will Mark be at any upcoming conventions?
Pt. 2 – Talking Shop With Devon
00:46:07 – We start off with everything we dislike about the current direction of comics, including the lack of tonal diversity between most mainstream comics. Why Alan Moore’s For the Man Who Has Everything worked at the time, but now that kind of story, which is full of internal turmoil has become the norm.
00:49:19 – Why the Superman/Lois relationship works, but Superman/Wonder Woman does not – and how an over-insistence on shared universes tends to dilute individual characters and their identities. For instance, Gotham City used to convey a sense of character, which is no longer the case.
00:53:13 – Shifting the conversation to Spider-Man, and how his supporting cast has become increasingly muted, which is jarring considering that no other character has been defined more by his cast. Also, Mary Jane Watson moving to Iron Man.
00:56:48 – A bit of retread of our conversation with Mark Russell – the importance of actually having endings in your stories, rather than all events all the time. Which leads us back to the importance of having a book like Prez on the stands, but also how the onus really falls on DC and the comics media to shine a light on it, because it’s all to easy for it to fall between the cracks of the DC You initiative otherwise.
01:05:30 – What do we make of the split between Marvel Studios & Marvel Comics. Including a discussion of Marvel trying to push the Inhumans too hard.
01:13:30 – Quick mention/discussion of DC Comics pricing on the newsstand, pricing in general & the how comics used to be disposable, rather than collectible.
01:15:40 – The importance of new blood in comics, also the importance of writing a good story, rather than writing stories simply to keep them in print. How the New 52 was a big incentive for me to read non-big two, indie & alternative comics. Also the impact of Star Wars comics, and alternative covers.
01:25:02 – Are monthly comics the best vehicle for storytelling? Spoilers, not necessarily. Also, if not how do comics move in another direction, and how are retailers involved in this process. Example of how not to go about it – Before Watchmen.
