by Ash Aiwase

Is Black Diamond #4 where all hell breaks loose?

Oh, yes. Actually, this one was pretty fun to do as it's what I like about comics as a form: that the words on their own can create a nice little story, and the pictures on their own can tell a tale... but put the two together and it's where comics shine.

Plus, in this one, everyone dies, with two more issues to go.

What's the process between you and Jon Proctor like? Is it collaborative or directive? How much back and forth goes into each issue of Black Diamond?

I just give Jon the script, and he works his magic. I've worked enough art director jobs and production management and paste-up stuff that the last thing I want to do is tell somebody how to be creative. I think in the whole six issues, I've only asked him to tweak two things. The art is all Jon... the way I figure it, he's not telling me how to write, so I'd be a chump if I told him how to draw.

Where did you find Proctor, anyway? I think the only thing I've seen him do was Gun Theory with Daniel Way.

Jon sent me an email with some sample pages, and I really responded to his illustration style. I like guys who don't look like anything else in comics, and ol' Jon sure is unique. Anyway, I sent him back an email that is basically the inside front cover narration and asked if that sounded like something he might like to help me bring into the world. He was pretty enthusiastic about it, and we started up.

From a publishing perspective, have you and Mimi noticed anything different about publishing a monthly or semi-monthly book?

As opposed to doing stand-alones? Sure, I'm a lot busier doing six ads and six covers and writing six solicitation copy slugs and doing all the attendant marketing. But there's also a steady cash-flow that has retailers ordering more of the backlist. So, it's a pain in the ass, but that's what the kids want. Now, sure, anecdotally, there'll be people who wait for the trade, but that's just a delivery option. And it's getting so the audience is about split in two. I'm telling you; there are folks who have picked up BLACK DIAMOND not even knowing who we are, and there are folks who have said to me to stop wasting time and just put the thing out as a trade. Well, from my perspective as a creator and a publisher, doing both allows us to reach both ends of the chain, you know?

The format of each Black Diamond issue - main story, plus text and back-up - was that influenced in any way by the "Fell" or "Slimline" format?

Not at all. If anything, it was influenced by the ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE floppies we originally produced, where we had main story, text pieces, and back-up stories; but back in 1999, in those halcyon days of yesteryear, we just called them “comic books.”

Where have you been finding all the guys for those back-ups, anyway?

Just as I find anyone; folks pitch me stuff, I want to work with them. Someone has a good idea for something and lets me know; someone just strikes us as if they know what they’re doing. People helped me get a leg up into comic books, and I like to do the same. Nothing makes me happier when someone who we’ve published makes a career out of it. They know who they have to thank when they put their head down on the pillow, and that’s awesome.

When is The Black Diamond trade coming out, anyway?

It's not on the schedule yet, but it's a good bet I can put one in your hands next summer at San Diego. Tentpole action at its finest, right?

Jon Proctor's cover aesthetic - not unlike Becky Cloonan's approach to the Demo covers - has given Black Diamond a unified look on the stands. Does Diamond's new barcode mandate change the approach that you and Jon are taking to covers?

Naw, all that did is make sure we don't do any more floppies. I think we'll see PREVIEWS getting thinner because of this, though, and more webcomics and POD things appearing.

Really? Why's that?

Well, because it costs so much more money to slap the UPCs on for monthlies. For us, why bother? Just do OGNs, as we already have the infrastructure in place.

Speaking of Demo, it was announced a few weeks ago that the publishing rights to Demo have reverted back to Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan, and the name "Vertigo" has been making it around the rumor mill. Any comment?

Nothing other than of course I wish B&B the very best of luck with it. They know no one other than Mimi and me would have greenlit that one, and they started a nice big avalanche with it. It's awesome.

People forget that the first graphic novel we published that I didn't write was NOBODY, an Oni book. And we did CHANNEL ZERO, an Image book, and SKY APE, a Slave Labor book. JOHNNY DYNAMITE was a Dark Horse book, and SHATTER was done originally by First. We'll have a former DC book out before the summer, if all the Is get dotted and Ts get crossed. These things all slide around for various reasons. Although I'm pretty sure if Karen Berger asked me to do ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE as a DC/Vertigo book, even I'd say yes. It's the difference between MLB and Triple A ball.

You mentioned Johnny Dynamite - what's this about a Dick Wolf (Law & Order)-produced television show? There's a pilot being shot, and it's going to be all greenscreen?

Pretty cool, huh?

There's also a Couriers movie in production, right? I remember hearing that things were moving forward during San Diego Comicon, are there any new updates on the status of the movie?

If you read my interview on Ain’t It Cool News:

…you’d see we don’t like talking about this stuff until it’s all in the hopper. I’d hate to be saying this is shooting before the strike and then end up like Eddie Murphy in STAR TREK IV. Sometimes shit just doesn’t happen, and you look silly talking about stuff before it’s a done deal.

It's been five years since True Facts. How do you feel about the way the landscape of self-publishing and promotion has changed with the rise of the webcomic, social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and DC's new Zudacomics line? Were you to write the same book today, what would be different?

Even though it's our fourth best-selling book, I'm not sure there'd be a need for that kind of thing, today. As you note, all the information and access to a potential audience is out there already and in use by folks in their regular day-to-day. If I were to tackle such a thing, I think instead of telling everyone where the signposts are to get them from on step to the next and encourage 'em along, I'd probably start further along the process and instead of devoting a chapter on how to write press releases and where to send 'em, say, I'd probably start off assuming the reader was hip to that or at least knew how to use google, and spend more attention on stuff like hand-selling and such.

Is it true that Jason Aaron originally pitched The Other Side to AiT/Planet Lar?

I seem to remember our former creative exec Ryan Yount bringing me the paper pitch on Aaron’s Viet Nam tale, but it’s not exactly an AiT book, is it? And, c’mon, this sort of stuff happens all the time, people bringing projects around to likely candidates to see who will bite. I know [artist Cameron Stewart] wasn’t involved at the point we saw it, because I’d have a clearer memory for it…

I haven’t seen the Vertigo version, but I’m sure it’s excellent, with Cameron involved.

So how's Walker? What's parenthood been like for you and Mimi, and do you see it changing the way y'all do business at all?

Man, he’s the coolest. Being a dad really agrees with me. It doesn’t really change our way of doing business so much as making us more efficient, you know? I have to schedule my time a little better now that there’s a little dude counting on my attentions. And it certainly has made my idea of what a Big Deal is change dramatically. Dealing in funny books, there’s a whole lot of prima donnas and people with inflated senses of entitlement and whatnot. Not everyone, mind you; not even most. But there’s a whole lot more than you run into in the granite-cutting trade, say. And, I gotta admit, when I was a younger man, I’d ride a few horses and put ‘em away wet, if you know what I mean, and because you’re from Austin and have drunk a lotta Lone Star, I know that you do.

But, now? I gotta kid, man. Somebody has some crazy-ass demand or pitches a fit about something? No problem. I can deal with whatever you wanna throw, as long as my kid is still breathing, you know? My kid is happy, and healthy, and drawing breath? Everything else is dealable. No worries.

 

What's next on the AiT roster? What books are coming out after The Black Diamond?

Well, I hate talking about stuff that’s not signed, but we’ve contracted for Tony Lee and Paul Peart-Smith’s next, DODGE AND TWIST, which is OCEAN’S 11-meets-OLIVER TWIST, and the GEARHEAD guys, Dennis Hopeless and Kevin Mellon’s next, CUPID. We’ve got two books by Shannon Denton and one by Omaha Perez in the hopper, I think, although anything can happen as we haven’t signed paper yet, and of course the four books I’m working on. Those aren’t ready to announce, but I think it’s safe to say Josh Boulet, the artist on the BLACK DIAMOND #4 back-up will be drawing one. He’s a hot talent, man, and I’m gonna make him famous.

What's the status on the Astronauts in Trouble movie?

There's always something going on with the astronauts. Who doesn't think embedded reporters on mankind's return to the moon isn't a
going concern? The thing's been optioned three times, and I'm sure it's out there in the consciousness. I sure do get a lot of atta-boys
on that subject. Meetings are being held; the moon is being discussed.

Did I hear you say something about Roger Corman?

I'm not sure I can talk in public about that. Meetings are being held; emails are being exchanged. PROOF OF CONCEPT is being looked at
by interested parties. My MTV STAR TREK special is being screened. Love is all around.

Thanks for your time, Lar. Happy Birthday from all of us at Your Mom's Basement!