Post by /\/\att on Nov 19, 2004 5:22:39 GMT -5
[shadow=green,left,300]The famed creator of Grendel and Mage...artist/writer on a number of Batman projects, including Faces, Trinity and Batman/Grendel.
Matt touches on future Grendel projects..the status of his fan-favorite Mage and goes in depth on his upcoming 12 issue Batman run titled 'Dark Moon Rising'!
Check out the interview here and post your comments/reactions and messages to Mr. Wagner here.
******************************
LoG: You're currently at work on a 12 issue Batman run titled 'Dark Moon Rising'...what, if anything, can you tell us about this work?
MW: Well, I jokingly refer to this project as Year 1.5. The storyline is set very early in Batman’s career and covers what I see as a crucial “missing stage” of his chronicled adventures. Up until now, his one-man crusade against crime has involved the sordid but mundane world of organized crime; gangsters, mob bosses, drug dealers and hit men. His dramatic disguise, designed to instill fear in the criminal mind and give him the necessary edge over his ruthless opponents, has done its job well and now the Gotham underworld sleeps uneasy at night knowing that something stalks them from the very shadows that
had once been their domain. My take on Bruce Wayne at this stage in his life is that he isn’t megalomaniacal enough to think that he can eradicate evil on a world-wide scale. His very practical mind is directed towards what he perceives as a very achievable goal—to clean up the city that both meant so much to and which ultimately claimed the lives of both his parents. Crime in Gotham is what created him and crime in Gotham is what he intends to conquer. And, so far, it seems to be working, almost better than expected. So much so, that Bruce has even gotten a bit cocky about the levels of his own success. He imagines that he will actually, eventually, win this war on crime and still be able to enjoy the trappings of a somewhat normal lifestyle. He even has a steady girlfriend. But problems (and the gist of my story) arise when he begins to encounter characters who AREN’T scared of his costume or persona and who, really, aren’t part of Gotham’s “ordinary” criminal society per se. My aim here is to capture some of the flavor of Batman’s original, golden-age adventures and to chronicle his first experiences with an ever-escalating cast of what will eventually be considered “super-villains”.
LoG: You've been doing a lot of DC comics work lately, with trinity, multiple Batman covers and this new 12 issue run...any plans to become a part of the regular Batman creative circle?
MW: Probably not. I certainly do have fun playing in the DC sandbox but I’ve still got my own creations to consider. Nonetheless, I can definitely say that this won’t be my last gig for the DCU.
LoG: Why do you think the Grendel mythos has inspired such a dedicated fan following?
MW: Grendel was one of the first comics that wasn’t afraid to boldly move ahead in regards to its narrative. I can’t think of another comic that so routinely kills off its main characters and, not only sticks to that outcome, but continues to move further and further ahead in time. As a result, I think readers really appreciate the fact that they never really know what’s coming next. This sense of suspense and anticipation, combined with Grendel’s long-established tradition of story-telling experimentation have generated quite a bit of loyalty amongst our readers. And, let’s face it, longevity is a factor here as well. Of the first wave of “indy” comics from the ‘80’s, Grendel’s one of the last men standing.
now some questions submitted by members of our forum:
A Fan asks: I really enjoyed Grendel Past Prime. Any chance of getting more Grendel stories like this? Have you looked into a series of Grendel novels?
MW: Yes, Greg Rucka’s currently under an exclusive contract with DC but we DO plan on doing at least two more novels together. The tentative working titles being; Present Prime and Future Prime. Like the first one, these would chronicle the lengthy adventures of Grendel Prime and his compatriot, the woman-warrior Susan Veraghen. It was revealed in the second Batman/Grendel crossover project that, unlike many or even most warriors, Susan ultimately dies of old age. So, there’s many years and many exploits we can explore between the two of them.
A Fan asks: I have read that you are not satisfied with your earlier work and are reluctant to release any kind of "collected" work for the Grendel anniversary. I think that there is an untapped market in today's comic readers, that have not had the opportunity to experience the first Grendel, in all his glory. For those that have been able to, it has been rather expensive to collect those works and this would allow an inexpensive (or maybe less expensive is a better phrase) way to read those issues. Have you considered going back to the drawing board for those
earlier issues?
MW: Sheesh, I don’t know how I always get quoted as being “unsatisfied” with the early Grendel stuff. I’ve gone on record time and time again as to exactly why I see no reason for reprinting those early—and admittedly crude—B&W issues. So, once again…here’s why. The story begun in those fledgling efforts was later reimagined and represented as DEVIL BY THE DEED. More importantly, the story was FINISHED in that format. I’m not in any way “ashamed” of those early issues as I fully realize that life and all creative effort is a journey. I wasn’t as developed back then but that’s like being ashamed of the fact that I was once a teenager. I simply feel like I’m still too young of an artist (although that fact is certainly debatable these days) to have my earliest INCOMPLETE work reprinted for the sake of a buck. I’m a storyteller, first and foremost, and the fact that the story presented in those early books was unfinished is the most mitigating factor in why I don’t see much reason for reprinting. Maybe someday when I’m old and grey (okay, grey-ER) and there’s a need for a complete retrospective of my work. In the meantime, I’m content to let those books remain the collectors-item rarities that they are. If you’re an utter Grendel completeist, then—sorry--you’re stuck having to pony up for those puppies as is. If, on the other hand, you’re just an ordinary reader who wants to experience the Hunter-Rose-as-Grendel narrative as a complete story, then there’s really no reason to lay out the excessive prices for the original run. Again, it stops mid-story.
A Fan asks: Last question - if I brought my son (Hunter) to a convention, would you sign him for me? I promise to bag and board him afterward!
MW: Heh. Believe it or not, I HAVE signed my share of living flesh. And you wouldn’t believe the number of Grendel tattoos I’ve seen!
Christopher Jones (batman artist) asks: You've written projects that you've drawn yourself, and others that were drawn by other artists. How do you approach the writing differently depending on whether or not you will be drawing the story?
MW: Its not a science with me. I write many different ways for many different artists. This was particularly true of the two Grendel, B,W&R series. I’ve pretty much always worked plot and dialogue fashion though and so I certainly hope that at some time in the future we can publish a volume of my various plots that I write for my artists. This is an aspect of my writing the general reading public never gets to see. Something like this might actually come to pass in 2007. We have a lot special projects in the works for that year as it’ll be—y’ready for this?—Grendel’s 25th anniversary!!
LoG: Lets wrap this up with the question on every Wagner fan's mind...and that we don't honestly think
you'll answer....where's the last chapter of Mage?
MW: Oh, I’ll answer that one honestly…I honestly don’t know! Mage is unlike any other creative effort I undertake. I don’t have much control when it comes to Mage. IT makes all the decisions. Since Mage is an allegory of my own life, I find I can’t approach it with the same sense of control that I exercise with my other work. Instead, I almost need to strip myself naked of all preconceived notions and just venture into the magical void. This was part of why Mage II took so long to see fruition. Artistically, for me, the time to do that story just wasn’t right for soooo long. And then, suddenly…it just was. Mage is also all-consuming for me. I find that when I’m in “Mage-mode”, I don’t have the energy to focus on much of anything else. This zen-like process even applies to how I actually write and draw the book as well. Even though I DO have vague notions of how and where I’d like the story to go, I work with no script or plot outline. I don’t even “thumnail” or lay-out my pages. I simply sit down with blank boards and start drawing, letting the story and the journey of creation take me where it will. In a sense, Mage creates me. Not the other way around. So, when the time is right…I’ll know it.
And us Grendel fanatics are looking forward to that 25th anniversary in 2007! We've heard many a good thing will be coming our way! Batman fans will be pleased with all the details on 'Dark Moon Rising' coming mid-2005!
Thanks to Matt for taking the time out of his VERY busy schedule to chat with the fans here at Legions Of Gotham!
Matt touches on future Grendel projects..the status of his fan-favorite Mage and goes in depth on his upcoming 12 issue Batman run titled 'Dark Moon Rising'!
Check out the interview here and post your comments/reactions and messages to Mr. Wagner here.
******************************
LoG: You're currently at work on a 12 issue Batman run titled 'Dark Moon Rising'...what, if anything, can you tell us about this work?
MW: Well, I jokingly refer to this project as Year 1.5. The storyline is set very early in Batman’s career and covers what I see as a crucial “missing stage” of his chronicled adventures. Up until now, his one-man crusade against crime has involved the sordid but mundane world of organized crime; gangsters, mob bosses, drug dealers and hit men. His dramatic disguise, designed to instill fear in the criminal mind and give him the necessary edge over his ruthless opponents, has done its job well and now the Gotham underworld sleeps uneasy at night knowing that something stalks them from the very shadows that
had once been their domain. My take on Bruce Wayne at this stage in his life is that he isn’t megalomaniacal enough to think that he can eradicate evil on a world-wide scale. His very practical mind is directed towards what he perceives as a very achievable goal—to clean up the city that both meant so much to and which ultimately claimed the lives of both his parents. Crime in Gotham is what created him and crime in Gotham is what he intends to conquer. And, so far, it seems to be working, almost better than expected. So much so, that Bruce has even gotten a bit cocky about the levels of his own success. He imagines that he will actually, eventually, win this war on crime and still be able to enjoy the trappings of a somewhat normal lifestyle. He even has a steady girlfriend. But problems (and the gist of my story) arise when he begins to encounter characters who AREN’T scared of his costume or persona and who, really, aren’t part of Gotham’s “ordinary” criminal society per se. My aim here is to capture some of the flavor of Batman’s original, golden-age adventures and to chronicle his first experiences with an ever-escalating cast of what will eventually be considered “super-villains”.
LoG: You've been doing a lot of DC comics work lately, with trinity, multiple Batman covers and this new 12 issue run...any plans to become a part of the regular Batman creative circle?
MW: Probably not. I certainly do have fun playing in the DC sandbox but I’ve still got my own creations to consider. Nonetheless, I can definitely say that this won’t be my last gig for the DCU.
LoG: Why do you think the Grendel mythos has inspired such a dedicated fan following?
MW: Grendel was one of the first comics that wasn’t afraid to boldly move ahead in regards to its narrative. I can’t think of another comic that so routinely kills off its main characters and, not only sticks to that outcome, but continues to move further and further ahead in time. As a result, I think readers really appreciate the fact that they never really know what’s coming next. This sense of suspense and anticipation, combined with Grendel’s long-established tradition of story-telling experimentation have generated quite a bit of loyalty amongst our readers. And, let’s face it, longevity is a factor here as well. Of the first wave of “indy” comics from the ‘80’s, Grendel’s one of the last men standing.
now some questions submitted by members of our forum:
A Fan asks: I really enjoyed Grendel Past Prime. Any chance of getting more Grendel stories like this? Have you looked into a series of Grendel novels?
MW: Yes, Greg Rucka’s currently under an exclusive contract with DC but we DO plan on doing at least two more novels together. The tentative working titles being; Present Prime and Future Prime. Like the first one, these would chronicle the lengthy adventures of Grendel Prime and his compatriot, the woman-warrior Susan Veraghen. It was revealed in the second Batman/Grendel crossover project that, unlike many or even most warriors, Susan ultimately dies of old age. So, there’s many years and many exploits we can explore between the two of them.
A Fan asks: I have read that you are not satisfied with your earlier work and are reluctant to release any kind of "collected" work for the Grendel anniversary. I think that there is an untapped market in today's comic readers, that have not had the opportunity to experience the first Grendel, in all his glory. For those that have been able to, it has been rather expensive to collect those works and this would allow an inexpensive (or maybe less expensive is a better phrase) way to read those issues. Have you considered going back to the drawing board for those
earlier issues?
MW: Sheesh, I don’t know how I always get quoted as being “unsatisfied” with the early Grendel stuff. I’ve gone on record time and time again as to exactly why I see no reason for reprinting those early—and admittedly crude—B&W issues. So, once again…here’s why. The story begun in those fledgling efforts was later reimagined and represented as DEVIL BY THE DEED. More importantly, the story was FINISHED in that format. I’m not in any way “ashamed” of those early issues as I fully realize that life and all creative effort is a journey. I wasn’t as developed back then but that’s like being ashamed of the fact that I was once a teenager. I simply feel like I’m still too young of an artist (although that fact is certainly debatable these days) to have my earliest INCOMPLETE work reprinted for the sake of a buck. I’m a storyteller, first and foremost, and the fact that the story presented in those early books was unfinished is the most mitigating factor in why I don’t see much reason for reprinting. Maybe someday when I’m old and grey (okay, grey-ER) and there’s a need for a complete retrospective of my work. In the meantime, I’m content to let those books remain the collectors-item rarities that they are. If you’re an utter Grendel completeist, then—sorry--you’re stuck having to pony up for those puppies as is. If, on the other hand, you’re just an ordinary reader who wants to experience the Hunter-Rose-as-Grendel narrative as a complete story, then there’s really no reason to lay out the excessive prices for the original run. Again, it stops mid-story.
A Fan asks: Last question - if I brought my son (Hunter) to a convention, would you sign him for me? I promise to bag and board him afterward!
MW: Heh. Believe it or not, I HAVE signed my share of living flesh. And you wouldn’t believe the number of Grendel tattoos I’ve seen!
Christopher Jones (batman artist) asks: You've written projects that you've drawn yourself, and others that were drawn by other artists. How do you approach the writing differently depending on whether or not you will be drawing the story?
MW: Its not a science with me. I write many different ways for many different artists. This was particularly true of the two Grendel, B,W&R series. I’ve pretty much always worked plot and dialogue fashion though and so I certainly hope that at some time in the future we can publish a volume of my various plots that I write for my artists. This is an aspect of my writing the general reading public never gets to see. Something like this might actually come to pass in 2007. We have a lot special projects in the works for that year as it’ll be—y’ready for this?—Grendel’s 25th anniversary!!
LoG: Lets wrap this up with the question on every Wagner fan's mind...and that we don't honestly think
you'll answer....where's the last chapter of Mage?
MW: Oh, I’ll answer that one honestly…I honestly don’t know! Mage is unlike any other creative effort I undertake. I don’t have much control when it comes to Mage. IT makes all the decisions. Since Mage is an allegory of my own life, I find I can’t approach it with the same sense of control that I exercise with my other work. Instead, I almost need to strip myself naked of all preconceived notions and just venture into the magical void. This was part of why Mage II took so long to see fruition. Artistically, for me, the time to do that story just wasn’t right for soooo long. And then, suddenly…it just was. Mage is also all-consuming for me. I find that when I’m in “Mage-mode”, I don’t have the energy to focus on much of anything else. This zen-like process even applies to how I actually write and draw the book as well. Even though I DO have vague notions of how and where I’d like the story to go, I work with no script or plot outline. I don’t even “thumnail” or lay-out my pages. I simply sit down with blank boards and start drawing, letting the story and the journey of creation take me where it will. In a sense, Mage creates me. Not the other way around. So, when the time is right…I’ll know it.
And us Grendel fanatics are looking forward to that 25th anniversary in 2007! We've heard many a good thing will be coming our way! Batman fans will be pleased with all the details on 'Dark Moon Rising' coming mid-2005!
Thanks to Matt for taking the time out of his VERY busy schedule to chat with the fans here at Legions Of Gotham!