by Rajan Khanna

Tad Williams is an enormously successful, bestselling fantasy author (Tailchaser's Song, Otherland, Shadowmarch) who recently made his foray into comics with a 6-issue miniseries for DC Comics, called "The Next". Issue 1 is on the stands now. We talked to Tad regarding this series and other upcoming comics work.

1. For those who haven't read the first issue yet, who are the Next and what are they the next of?

The Next are young people from our future (except a little sideways.) Maybe it's better to say they're from one possible future. They're running away from their rather oppressive government, the Iron Ring, but are forced to make an unplanned stop in our time and reality.

2. Old time members of your message board, Shadowmarch, recall that you grew up a fan of the Marvel Universe. What made you go to DC with this concept?

I approached DC originally with a radical re-launch of Captain Marvel Junior (because they own the Big Red Cheese) which didn't work out because of other things going on with the property. But it led to conversations and me sending other proposals. They liked THE NEXT so we went from there.

3. As a writer of large fantasy novels, how was it switching to comic
scripts? Was it something you enjoyed or was it challenging?

It's actually a relief to write short, and also to be able to leave
so much of the work to the talented people drawing the comics.

4. Do you think that prose writers are more or less suited to writing comics?

Well, as with anything else, it's how well you adapt to the change of
medium. I'm wordier than your average comic book writer because I'm a wordy writer in general. That may drive some comic readers crazy. Then again, you won't feel like you paid for a book that was all illustrations and only about three lines of dialogue that you finish in thirty seconds...

5. How was your experience working with artists, Dietrich Smith and Walden Wong?

Great. I only worked directly with Dietrich, who I thought did
really nifty work. As I'm looking at the proofs (I just proofed
number 3) I'm appreciating what he did more and more. You've
reminded me that I need to call him or drop him an email and tell him again what nice stuff he did. (He can pass along my similar
sentiments to Walden and Rob Leigh, the letterer, and Chris Chuckry, the colorist, who all did excellent work.)

6. Superman appears in this series, and is even featured on the cover of the first issue. Was it always your intention to set the mini in the DC universe or was that something that came about afterward?

No, that sprang from a concern on DC's part that they wouldn't be
able to sell the comic at all without someone recognizable in it, so
they asked me if I could put Superman in. I felt as though I was
being offered the keys to Dad's expensive car. Yeah, take the big
guy out for a test drive? Sure! I promise I won't scratch him up
too much.

7. Did you have to do any research into the DC Universe to prepare for this series?

Not this one so much, because it's fairly self-contained, but the
next project I'm working on (THE FACTORY) is chockablock with
connections into the mainstream DCU. Also, me being me, I'm looking into some of the more obscure corners of it, and resurrecting some of the more obscure characters.

8. Are there any other guest stars that we can expect to see?

I think the only "real" DCU characters in THE NEXT are Superman and Metron, but we will definitely see a great deal more of both of them.

9. The Next is a 6-issue series. Any plans to revisit the title if there is interest down the road? Or is this a self-contained idea?

I'd love it if there was interest in continuing THE NEXT. Although
the minseries has what I think is a quite satisfying conclusion, I've
left it so that it can go forward from there if anyone so desires.

10. Back in our first interview with you, you mentioned a second project with DC. Is that still progressing? Any information that you can share with us?

Yes, as described above, it's called THE FACTORY, and we're only
really trying to settle on how long it will be, six or twelve issues.
The basic premise is that it's the (secret) location where beginning
supervillains break in, where henchfolk are trained and hired, etc.
But if course the minseries will have its own very complex story
featuring some pretty well-known DCU characters and more than a few surprises. One in particular will answer a major fanboy question and -- I hope -- create a major villain for years to come.

11. Are there any established comic properties that you'd like to take a crack at? Any artists that you would love to work with in the future?

At DC, I'd love to have a shot at making Martian Manhunter something really interesting (to me.) I think I could do some interesting things with some Marvel characters as well -- Daredevil, Iron Man, Captain America -- but I also like to invent new characters, especially villains.

12. Any other plans to do more comic work, either directly written by you, or adapted from your fiction, like the Burning Man?

Other than THE FACTORY, and a one-shot IBIS story as part of DC's 52 (which I haven't started writing yet so I can't say anything intelligent about it), who knows? I still have all that other writing to do, too, which at last count was about four books in progress and two awaiting publication.

I tell my kids, "What do you mean, you're bored? I'd pay MONEY to be bored!"

Thank to Tad for this interview. I urge people to go out and pick up this series and give it a shot. You will certainly get your money's worth.

Check out our prior interview with Tad Williams.

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