What is your favorite class that you teach?
That’s a tough one. I love teaching Chaucer, but the last time I tried to run that class at Molloy it was cancelled. Any time I get to teach Beowulf is a good day, so I try my best to throw some medieval monster-killing in my various classes. On the other hand, I really do like teaching various comic-based courses (Superheroes 101, Scriptwriting the Graphic Novel, and Biff-Bam-Pow!: The History of Comics); I’ve been impressed by the interest among Molloy students for the medium.
Have you always been interested in comics? What is your favorite series?
For-ever. I’ve been collecting comics since I was a kid; the bulk of my collection—maybe 3000 comics?—currently resides in my brother’s bomb shelter, where (gods willing) they will outlive me. Over that time, I’ve had a bunch of favorites. Bob McLeod’s Hercules mini-series remains a sentimental favorite, alongside Keith Giffen’s early Ambush Bug minis. I adored a short series called Strikeback! and another called Nextwave: Agents of Hate. But Walt Simonson’s run on Thor (Frog-Thor! Beta Ray Bill! DOOM!) and Phil Foglio’s Girl Genius (Sparks! Clanks! Steampunk!) series are tops in my book. Oh—and Watchmen, because, well, it’s Watchmen.
We understand that you work with a comic book company, what is your position?
I’m a freelance writer: they ask for pitches, I send them pitches; they ask for scripts, I send them scripts.
What would your teenage self think about you working for Zenescope Entertainment?
“Squeeeeeee! We’re working in comics!”
What are your current projects?
My wife and I co-wrote a six-issue miniseries call Oz: Reign of the Witch Queen that wraps up in November (issue #5 drops this Wednesday, actually); it follows the adventures of an adult Dorothy Gale in a Land of Oz that JRR Tolkien would find familiar. I’m currently receiving inks and colors for two oversized one-shots for Zenescope—their “Realm Knights Annual” and “Giant-Sized Realm Knights” and have just submitted a script for another Oz one-shot (fingers crossed).
How did you get involved with this company?
Pat Shand! Pat is a former student of mine (Molloy Class of 2010), a fellow comics nerd, and an outstanding writer. He worked his way into the industry after graduation (the hard way), and once he became an editor at Zenescope, he offered me a short back-up story involving Dorothy’s pet wolf, Toto (presumably since I have a PhD in werewolves). Apparently his bosses thought it was okay, since they gave me a shot at writing a one-shot called “Oz: Age of Darkness” (in which I…er, a Big Bad…kills everyone in Oz) and a six-issue prequel called “Warlord of Oz.” I’ve been pitching ideas and writing for them ever since.
Where can we find these comics?
Midtown Comics carries the monthlies, as do many larger brick-and-mortar comics shops. They are also available online at https://shop.zenescope.com/. Amazon.com even carries my collected Oz works!
Do you have a dream comic you would love to write for?
Honestly, I’m just happy to have actually written comics before I died. That said, I would love to take a stab at a Beowulf comic someday.
If there was a superhero comic written about you, what would your super power be?
Necroglossia: the ability to speak dead languages. I’d probably get beat up a bunch.
Will you be attending New York Comic Con? Where can we find you?
Absolutely! I’ll be signing at the Zenescope Booth (#1906, I believe) on Thursday and Friday from 2-3. C’mon by! Free comics!