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| << February11, 2006 - [ComicBookNetwork E-Mag] CBEM 562.03 |
February11, 2006 - [ComicBookNetwork E-Mag] CBEM 562.02 >> |
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----------------------------------------------------------------- [5] Interviews Richard Vasseur richardv@sympatico.ca Mark Poulton co-creator/writer, Stephen Sistilli co- creator/artist and Dexter Weeks co-creator/letterer on "Koni Waves" from Arcana Studios interviewed by Richard Vasseur www.jazmaonline.com Mark Poulton: Rich: How did all three of you get together to collaborate on "Koni Waves"? Mark: Dex and I were friends while Dex was interning for Steve. After Dex graduated from art school, he and Steve decided to open their own studio. I would hang out there and eventually worked there for a short time. That's when I pitched the idea of doing a comic book together. I was a huge comic fan. I had been collecting since I was 10. I was concentrating on my writing, hoping to be a screenwriter and thought here I was working with 2 great artists. I should definitely throw the idea of a comic book out there. Thats's when we came up with Koni Waves. Rich: Can you tell us about the main character what makes her special? Mark: Koni Kanawai (Koni Waves) is the main character. I think she's unique to today's comics in that she combines the spunky good girl comics of the '40s with the black and white horror magazines of the '70s. It's pulp meets horror. Plus, in the middle of all of these supernatural events is a person with real problems. She's a character who achieved her dream of being a police officier only to have it taken away. She doesn't always make the right choices. She stumbles along the way. Also, adding to the book's uniqueness would be our local, Hawaii. The place is gorgeous. Bikini clad babes, beautiful beaches, volcanoes, the whole tiki culture...it's something you don't see in the big city, superhero books. Rich: What inspires your writing? Mark: Just collaborating with great artists is inspiring. When we get together to brainstorm about the book it's amazing. I'm fortunate enough that I work with 3 great artists on the series. Steve is the regular artist, but Dex is a great artist himself and we have Mike Capprotti helping us out with covers and pin- ups. Rich: What genre is the comic? Mark: Pulp seems to be the response we're getting and that's fine with me. I saw it as a throwback to the non-superhero titles that DC was putting out in the '70s. But I can see why people are saying pulp. It definitely has a nastalgic feel to it. Rich: What aspect of writing attracts you? Mark: I love creating. That's the big thrill of writing. Dex and I were recently talking and we're both amazed how big our Konui Universe is getting in such a short time. Just getting together making new villians and stories is fun. I'm sure it's something every comic reader has thought about doing. I'm lucky enough to get the chance. Rich: Do you have any future projects? Mark: Well, I just finished writing the Koni Waves: Halloween Special. Plus we're talking about an art book called "Making Waves: The Art of Koni Waves." That's going to be a lot of fun, because I'm going to get the chance to do some pin-ups. Before wanting to be a writer, I wanted to be a comic book artist. Now, I'll get the opportunity. In addition, I dialogued a Bloodwulf short story that Arcade Comics is hopefully releasing this spring. I had the pleasure of working with an artist who goes by the name N8. I think a lot of people are going to dig his work. He has a style all his own. Rich: What advice do you have for new writers? Mark: Work with great artists.I know it's easier said than done, but it's the truth. I've been blessed with great artists. From Steve, Dex, and Mike on Koni Waves to N8 on Bloodwulf, I've just been very fortunate. Working with artists who really know their craft, brings a whole new level to your writing. Plus, I feel collaboration is the way to go for self-published or indy books. As a writer, I think it's easier to get a project off the ground if you are working with the artist from the beginning on something you both have a stake in. Rich: What comics do you read now? Mark: I love Spider-Man. I read Spidey books, New Avengers, JLA, JSA, Teen Titans, Flash, and GI Joe. Plus working for Arcana, I've been exposed to some great non-super hero books like Dead Men Tell No Tales and Sundown. Also, I'm always pulling out comics from my collection and re-reading them. I love everything Liefeld does. I'm always going through the old Extreme Universe stuff. It brings back some great memories. Who would have thought 10 years later I'd have the chance to dialogue one of Rob's characters or have Marat Mychaels provide the flip cover to Koni Waves # 1?! Rich: How can someone contact you? Mark: Hopefully, the Koni Waves (www.koniwaves.com) website will be up and running very soon. In the meantime, you can contact me through Arcana Studio's website (www.arcanastudio.com). I post on the Koni Waves' forum. Feel free to stop by and leave a message or you can email me at koniwaves@aol.com. Rich: Any last words of wisdom? Mark: Dream Big! Stephen Sistilli: Rich: How did you arrive at the name "Koni Waves"? Atephen: We kicked around names that could double as both a dancer name as well as the lead character until we arrived at something that sounded both Hawaiian and catchy. Rich: Would you describe your art style as sexy when women are the subject of it? Stephen: I always liked the realistic black and white style of syndicated comic strips and I try to keep that look even down to a woman's curves or the villian's eyeballs. Rich: Have you had any formal training? Stephen: No formal training but I've worked doing comps, illustrations and T.V. storyboards for 25 years so that's been my on the job art education. Rich: How do the Shockini action figures look? Stephen: Dexter did a great job on depicting each character and their likeness. One of the characters "PUEA" is very cool and should be pretty popular amongst collectors. Rich: What was your first art you had published? Stephen: One of my first big national jobs was all the artwork for the AND 1 t-shirts line. Rich: If you could draw any super hero comic which one would it be? Stephen: I'm not much into super hero stuff. I prefer the action/horror world Koni lives in. Rich: What artists do you admire? Stephen: I like the comic strip stuff of Neal Adams, Al Williamson, Alex Raymond and Jim Holdaway from Modesty Blaze. As far as comics I always admired John Romita Sr. and Jose Gonzalez from Vampirella. Rich: What do you do with any free time you have? Stephen: I like to paint goache illustrations in the style of my heroes, Bob McGinniss and Frank McCarthy. Rich: Why should someone buy "Koni Waves"? Stephen: If you want to see an interesting sexy character in a tropical place, ass kicking bad guys and exotic monsters in cool retro black and white, then belly up to the tiki bar and check out the Waves...KONI WAVES! Rich: What advice would you give to new artists? Stephen: DRAW, DRAW, DRAW. Get your anatomy down, your perspective straight, and don't be afraid to use photos for reference because all your competitors do. Dexter Weeks: Rich: Can you tell us what the story is about? Dexter: Koni Waves is a Hawaiian Female Detective who investigates supernatural occurences that no one else believes, so she takes on the bad guys herself and takes no prisoners. Rich: Why is lettering important to a comic? What does it add besides just words? Dexter: Not only does it tell the story, it helps the images flow together into a cohesive whole, which makes the story interesting and easy to read. Rich: What is the Black Bear Clan? Dexter: The Black Bear Clan are ancient vampire surfers who were formed in the late 19th century by a European Countess. Rich: Have you worked on any other comics? Dexter: No, but I dcefinitely would like to. Rich: Would you like to try your hand at any other part of the comic business? Dexter: Yes, I would like to get involved in the toy industry mainly Action Figures. Rich: How did you come to work at Arcana? Dexter: Mark Poulton contacted many comic studios and we were very fortunate to have ARCANA take us under their wings. Rich: What type of movies do you like to watch? Dexter: Horror, Sci-Fi, and James Cameron's "ALIENS" Rich: What would you like to be doing in 5 years career wise? Dexter: In 5 years, I would like to be standing on the set of the KONI WAVES MOVIE. Rich: Any parting words for fans of "Koni Waves"? Dexter: Be prepared to ride the perfect wave, it only gets better ***** Tyler Mane "Sabretooth" from the X-Men movie interviewed by Richard Vasseur www.jazmaonline.com Rich: What did it feel like to play a homicidal maniac with claws? Tyler: Well, for starters, I only killed a COUPLE people so I wasn't quite a MANIAC. As Ian McKellan said, I was really his "sidekick". I'd love to have another go at it and get a chance to don the claws again. I still have a set of them, so I'm ready! Rich: Would you play Sabretooth agan if you were offered it? Tyler: Of course I would. In fact, I recently recorded the character of Sabretooth for the XMen III video game. Victor Creed has so many possibilities as a character that I would love to explore if given the opportunity. Rich: What do you remember about some of your fellow cast members in X-Men? Tyler: Halle Berry = most beautiful woman alive in or out of makeup. Period. Hugh Jackman is honestly one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He really deserves all the success he's achieved. (You go, man!) Ian and Patrick were both inspiring just to be around. It was an honor to work with them. Rich: Who is your all time favorite movie villian? Tyler: Uh.Sabretooth. Rich: Do you prefer playing the hero or villian in movies? Tyler: Dunno. I've never played a hero. But I do know the bad guys have more fun! Rich: Did you have any training in acting before beginning your acting career? Tyler: Yes, I trained at Julliard where I received accolades for my performance as Juliet. Rich: Were you involved in sports in school? Tyler: I was on the basketball team where I played the position of bench due to my "attitude problem". I don't really know if you could call that playing sports but I did get a few splinters. And a jacket. Other than that, I was involved in martial arts for several years. Rich: What was it like wrestling in the UXF and WCW? Tyler: I had the opportunity to travel all over the world, but what people don't understand is that it's 10 minutes of fame and 23 hours and 50 minutes of total boredom. Rich: Why did you leave wrestling? Would you ever go back to it? Tyler: Waking up in the morning wondering what city I was in and what color car I was driving, along with all the bumps and bruises, took its toll on me. You can think what you like about wrestling, but it wreaks havoc on your body. Would I go back to it? It was a stepping stone and I've stepped off that stone. So no, I don't think I would. Rich: What is Renae Geerlings Editor at Top Cow really like? Tyler: Well, I'm trusting her to help me raise my two children, so I must think pretty highly of her! And I think it's cool that she isn't at all bothered by me saying Halle Berry is beautiful. She knows I wouldn't trade her for anything. She's a great lady and I love her to death. But I would DEFINITELY not want to miss one of her deadlines. Rich: What do you spend any free time doing? Tyler: Golf, motorcycle riding, playing Mr. Mom. Rich: What are you doing career wise now? Tyler: I'm acting still, of course, and just did an episode of MONK. I'm also writing a book about my arduous custody battle. It was a long and tough process but I was finally able to win full custody of my two kids. Every guy I've talked to has either been involved in a process like this, or knows someone who has. I'm hoping that my story will inspire others to stand up and fight for their rights as a parent, even in the face of a system that is potentially biased against them. A lot of men won't even attempt to gain custody. They just assume that it's a losing battle. I believe that every case is different and the mother is not ALWAYS the most appropriate choice as primary custodian. It's also essentially my memoirs, so there are stories from my childhood and experiences in the industry throughout. Rich: Do you read any comic books now? And did you as a kid? Tyler: Renae keeps bringing them home, but those damn bubbles.balloons.what do you call them? I just can't follow them. I did read some for researching the film, but not so much anymore. I should have lied, right? Rich: Any advice for would be wrestlers/actors? Tyler: Stay away from managers, they just take your money. I guess I should just share the advice that Ian gave me: Less is more and make sure you don't have any boogers because on the big screen that's a big booger. Best advice I ever got. ****** Debbie Bishop and Darren G. Davis co-creators on "Atlas School for Superheroes" from Angel Gate Press interviewed by Richard Vasseur www.jazmaonline.com RV: Why use a character like Atlas to star in this book? Darren: Atlas is the most innocent and kind person in my universe of characters. Debbie: He's sweet, funny, not too violent. He's a hero that children can relate to. He is learning about life here just as they are. Darren: There is something so simple to him that kids like. RV: Is this book only for children or could adults find something of interest in it to? Darren: I wrote it for parents to read to their kids. Debbie: The books are cleverly written for adults to enjoy as they read to their little ones. We want the parents to have fun with it as much as the kids. RV: What educational benefits does the book provide? Darren: Kids get to learn some things about the solar system as well as learn their ABC's. Debbie: There are three books in the series ATLAS: SCHOOL FOR SUPERHEROES ABC's, 123's and GUIDE TO THE PLANETS. The board books teach pre-school level language, math and science with a humorous flair. RV: Who are the artists on this book? Darren: Nadir Balan, Mark Brooks, Ken Lashley and newcomer Thomas Daniel. RV: What will children like about the book? Darren: The vibrant colors and that we don't talk down to he kids in the book. Debbie: The humor, too. Kids and adults love the humor. The entertaining style of the art and lessons make reading them---and learning from them---fun. RV: How did you get together with Debbie Bishop on this project? Darren: I have been friends with Debbie for over 10 years. She pushed me to put a book like this together. She has always been an inspiration to me. She has a vision for ATLAS outside of the comic book market, so I listened and we now have 3 books out. RV: Debbie, how did you get together with Darren G. Davis on this project? Debbie: Darren and I have been friends for years. He got me into comics with my comic book, Black Tide---originally published by Image. Darren is one of the best creators I know. He has a great sense of characters, and art, and stories readers relate to. I love his character, Atlas, and I thought he'd be great in a series of books for the under-6 set. There weren't any comic related board books for pre-schoolers before Atlas. My publishing company, Angel Gate, focuses on family entertainment and bringing something unique to the children's book market. At the time we created the Atlas series for kids, there were no other books teaching ABC's, Numbers or anything else with the comic book art style. We thought it would be a great way to teach children and hopefully help to spark an interest in comics. RV: Why do you enjoy creating children's books? Darren: I learned how to read through comic books. When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life---it was either get into comics or become a child psychologist. I took the thing that took less schooling! Also at the time when I was creating these books, I wanted to write something my nephew could enjoy. Debbie: Children see the world through "new eyes". Every day is a fresh and wondrous experience. It is amazing to see their faces light up when they read a book they like---and it's fun to create stories from their viewpoint that come to life when amazing artists illustrate the books. RV: You have created other books as well can you tell us about some of them? Darren: Besides the comic books at Blue Water, I have a line of Young Adult novels I wrote published through Angel Gate. Debbie: Black Tide, comic books and young adult novels with art by Andy Park, Mike S. Miller, Norm Breyfogle. The Fairies of Bladderwhack Pond, a modern-day fairy tale with art by Andy Park. Martha's Got Nothin' On Me, a humorous cookbook (illustrated by me, which is why I'm a writer). Coming soon: Mystery of the Lost Shadow Boys. RV: Do you have any favorite artists? Darren: Randy Green is still my all time favorite artist. I am also a big fan of Norm Breyfogle from his days on Batman. Debbie: Andy Park, Randy Green, Norm Brefogle, Mike S. Miller, Mark Brooks. RV: What other comic books would you recommend for children and books? Darren: The line of comics that DC puts out for kids. Teen Titans GO and the Batman Strikes are good ones to get kids started. Debbie: Herobear and the kid. RV: What future projects do you have planned? Darren: I am developing a line of kids books called the Myth Adventures of the Muses. Also we have another ATLAS book in the works about geography. On top of that I am still creating 10th Muse, ISIS and VSS monthly. Debbie: Angel Gate has several new comic books debuting in 2006. The Gifted by Chad Du Lac; Rusty Gulch from creator Darrell Hardy; Giant of Killarney by creator Wil Radcliffe; Zevon 7 by creator/writer Quenton Shaw with art by Camilla d'Errico and Black Tide will return with a climatic story arc. We also have more books coming from the Atlas series and some exciting surprises. RV: What do you do with any free time you have? Darren: Create more projects!!!! Debbie: Play. RV: How can someone contact you? Darren: Darrengd@aol.com Debbie: debbie@angelgatepress.com or visit the www.angelgatepress.com RV: Any parting words of wisdom? Darren: I am just your average schmo---and if you want it bad enough you can make anything happen in your world! Also get out there and NETWORK!!!! _________________________________________________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- COMICS OBSCURA Mike Curtis shandafa@cyberback.com [COMICS OBSCURA are facts Mike Curtis has dug out during his 30 years of collecting Superman and writing about comics. His website for his comic imprint is www.shandafantasyarts.net ] A BUNCH OF SWELL GUYS YOU NEVER HEARD OF In the 1960's everyone wanted to get on the superhero bandwagon started by BATMAN on TV. FAWCETT GOLD MEDAL paperbacks found a cheap source of costumed hero reprint material in an unlikely place: College newspapers and magazines. Most of this underground precursor material was anti-establishment and the superheroes humorous (and very amateurish). Still, the paperback WONDER WART-HOG, CAPTAIN CRUD AND OTHER SUPER STUFF is hard to find today. It featured the first (and many times, ONLY) appearances of FRATMAN, Wonder Wart Hog's group THE SECRET SEVEN, and an early Vaughn Bode creation THE MASKED LIZARD. One of the better-scripted episodes featured BATSPY against his arch nemesis JOKER THUNDERBALL. _________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the Comic Book Network Electronic Magazine (CBEM) --------------------------->Disclaimer<--------------------------- This is an ANNOUNCE only mailing list, only the Editor can send messages to the list. No one else has access to the subscriber list. Replies to these messages will be received by the Editor ONLY, so you must CC: individual contributors if you want them to get your E-Mail. The E-mail to the E-mag MAY be used in future issues at the Editor's discretion UNLESS you specifically request that they not be. It is our policy to withhold names and/or Addresses, by request only, from letters of comment. All contributors are required to use their real name and have a valid Email address for their columns to be published. Send Email comments to: ComicBkNet@aol.com Material for inclusion in the Emag - press releases, solicitations, column submissions, Letters to the Editor, guesses for the trivia contest should be sent to ComicBkNet@aol.com The EDITOR, not the submitter, has final approval and edit rights on ALL material. Printed comic books and advanced copies for review in the Emag should be sent via US Mail or UPS to David L. 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| << February11, 2006 - [ComicBookNetwork E-Mag] CBEM 562.03 |
February11, 2006 - [ComicBookNetwork E-Mag] CBEM 562.02 >> |
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