About to plunge into the night shift. But if you have questions, I’ll try to answer!
As usual, I’ll just ask everyone to avoid spoilers and to please not pitch projects or stories – I can’t read or respond to those!
Also, life is short, so rudeness, nastiness or personal attacks against anyone automatically get deleted.
Thanks a ton, and fire away!
Three quick plugs:
- This Wednesday, “Justice League 23.1: Darkseid,” written by me with art by Paulo Siqueira hits stores. The book should be of particular interest to anyone who’s reading “Batman/Superman.” Ask your retailer to hold a copy for you!
- Right now Comixology has a 99¢ sale of many of the Hercules books Fred Van Lente and I wrote for Marvel.
- If you give to Mrs. Stow’s Donorschoose 4th grade book fund campaign, I’ll send you “Code Monkey Save World” stickers.
Darkside or Darkseed?
Ha! I actually said “Darkseed” as a kid. Still say it by accident five to seven percent of the time.
Ha! I’ve been saying Darkseed in my head, so good to know. Thanks, man.
Hello Greg! (First things first. I wanted to e-mail you so maybe you could explain as much as you wanted but I thought I’d shoot my question right here) There’s a question I’ve been having about comic book scripts, as regards the relationship between artist and writer. When *I* think of a story, most of the times I picture it graphically. Do you make notes for the artist and/or add super detailed panels for the artist to draw a panel as you would like to have it drawn? I’m currently working with a friend and I know *I* may suggest things but I wonder how’s the relationship with artists for hire. Thanks!
I break the script down into pages and panels and describe the action in each panel. When I first began, I totally over-described everything, and I apologize to all the artists who had to deal with those overwritten scripts. Over the years, I’ve been trying to be a little more minimalist in the panel descriptions. But yes, I’m still describing the important action in each panel and trying to give a sense of the emotional importance of the scene. And sometimes I have a specific visual effect I’m thinking about that I’ll describe. But I’m always open to artists coming back and suggesting other things — they’ll almost always make it better.
Incredible Hercules is my favorite Pak / Van Lente joint. How much of it is yours and how of it is Van Lente’s?
We were true co-writers on that. Totally equal distribution of credit. Each of us got our dirty little fingerprints on everything.