Boston Comic Con ’13: Creator Interviews, Part 1

Taking the Seaport World Trade Center by storm, Boston Comic Con returned triumphantly this weekend to bring thousands of fans together to meet their geeky heroes. The Quad had the fortunate opportunity to talk with some of the very talented creators in attendance at BCC, asking questions about future projects, diversity, and preferred onomatopoeias. Part 1 features interviews with Scott Snyder, Ming Doyle, and Agnes Garbowska.

Scott Snyder | Photo by Katy Meyer.
Scott Snyder | Photo by Katy Meyer.

 

Scott Snyder is currently the writer for DC Comics’ Batman, Superman Unchained, and Vertigo’s (DC’s adult imprint) marine horror story, The Wake and the American Vampire series which is currently on hiatus.

The Quad: With the announcement of the Batman/Superman movie and as the writer of Batman and Superman Unchained, what would you most like to see from the movie?

Scott Snyder: Oh man, I’m still kinda reeling from that announcement. I was surprised as everybody else, man. I love seeing Bruce and Clark meet as much as I love seeing Superman and Batman meet. So that part of the relationship is exactly what I’m most excited for. That moment where Clark sorta meets Bruce and they start to figure each other out as people beyond the cowl and cape.

So, for me, that’s stuff, if I could write anything in that sort of story, I would be thrilled to do. I love the characters without the masks.

Marguerite Bennett, a new writer making her debut at DC Comics this past week with the Batman Annual #2, was one of your students. What can we expect from her as her budding future takes off?

SS: Greatness! She was a student of mine years ago and she just kept sending me scripts and I really felt like she was ready to try some stuff out. She’s doing Lobo for DC coming up, which I’m really thrilled with.

Do me a favor, if you’re listening to this, [editor’s note: or reading it] support her! We need new voices and she’s growing really fast as a writer and she needs support. We need people to pick up new people.

What’s your favorite sound effect that you’ve ever written into a comic?

SS: Oh [laughs]. My favorite sound effect is probably…I’ve done so many at this point where you try to sneak things in like “BATHROOON!” and that kind of stuff, but I always love “KRAKOOM!” That’s my favorite, there’s no denying that kind of thunder crash.

Ming Doyle | Photo by Katy Meyer.
Ming Doyle | Photo by Katy Meyer.

 

Ming Doyle is the Boston-based artist for the critically acclaimed Mara miniseries from Image Comics. More of her artwork can be found regularly on her Tumblr.

The Quad: I saw you were on Chronicle the other day being interviewed about graphic novels, congratulations! How was that?

Ming Doyle: Thank you very much. It was great fun! I was referred to by another artist, Andy Fish, and I guess they just wanted to talk about graphic novels and it turns out the Boston area has quite a few resident artists working in comics and graphic novels. It was very copasetic!

During the interview you mentioned that you wanted to see more diversity in comics, i.e. more female characters and more people of color. What comics or graphic novels could you recommend that feature protagonists that are more diverse? In addition to Mara.

MD: iZombie, from Vertigo, which ended earlier last year, has quite a lot of diversity in gender and race. So I would recommend that.

Geez, you know, I’m blanking. Which just goes to show you what a problem it is! Of course, Jubilee, she’s my favorite. She’s great in the eponymous X-Men title right now. It’s really fun.

You know, if you find the characters, they are out there. So basically, the key is, just go to some comic shops, and if you see some faces that you like, follow them and support them in their stories by buying the comics so they can be represented more.

With Mara’s final issue in August, are you excited? Are you nervous? Sad?

MD: I’m all of those things! I’m everything above. I feel like, you know, that I’m buds with her now because I’ve been drawing her for so long. I’m definitely going to miss her face! It’s so sad, but I’m going to miss seeing her face and making her face.

But I’m excited also to have my first miniseries wrapped up and in the can and everything. I’m hoping that once it’s a trade, maybe more people will be able to pick it up and read it. Because I think it’s an interesting take, and working with Brian Wood is such a treat. So, I know that people will enjoy it. If they haven’t been able to read it so far, sitting down and reading it all in go will be nice for them.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can talk about? I saw that wonderful Red Sonja #4 cover.

MD: Thank you! I got the Red Sonja #4 cover, I’m doing an Adventure Time: Spooktacular piece–it’s Halloween-themed and that’s my favorite holiday. And I’ve got a couple smaller anthology pieces coming up for other companies which I don’t think I can get too much into right now. Stuff is on the horizon. I’m excited!

Agnes Garbowska | Photo by Katy Meyer
Agnes Garbowska | Photo by Katy Meyer

 

Agnes Garbowska is a freelance illustrator and popular cover and commission artist who has worked for Marvel Comics, IDW Publishing, and Dynamite Entertainment.

The Quad: In the past year, it feels like your name has been everywhere, from ComicVine’s Awesome Art Picks to a variety of covers you’ve been invited to draw, including BCC’s exclusive My Little Pony #6 cover and Red Sonja #1. How’s your year been?

Agnes Garbowska: It has been amazing so far, it’s just non-stop pony goodness, and now Red Sonja’s covers. I’m totally stoked and I hope this year continues the way that it’s going.

Last year we talked about all-ages comics and how there aren’t always enough in the comics industry. What are some all-ages comics you could recommend?

AG: My Little Pony! Of course, My Little Pony is actually really cool because it’s a great all-ages comic. Most people think it’s for girls, pick up and read it and you’ll find out that it’s a great adventure story, ‘not just ponies having tea parties,’ as Katie Cook likes to say. Adventure Time, of course. The neighbors next to me [Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb] are Adventure Time creators. I’d say those two are the big hits.

IDW [Publishing] did announce that they’re doing Powerpuff Girls, they’re bringing that back. I’m a huge fan of Powerpuff, so I’m already recommending that without reading it, and Samurai Jack! A good friend of mine is writing Samurai Jack and I know that’s going to be a good book as well.

You do a lot of commission artwork over the course of a year. What’s your favorite commission you’ve ever done? Or weirdest?

AG: Actually my recent favorite is a Game of Thrones one and it involves “someone” eating her dragons because she’s a zombie. I think you can put that one together. It was an interesting one to do.

 

About Jon Erik Christianson

Jon Christianson (COM/CAS '14) is the zany, misunderstood cousin of The Quad family. His superpowers include talking at the speed of light, tripping over walls, and defying ComiQuad deadlines with the greatest of ease. His lovely copyeditors don't appreciate that last one. If for some reason you hunger for more of his nonsense, follow him at @HonestlyJon on Twitter or contact him at jchristianson@buquad.com!

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