Atomic Comics - The Joker may be the hottest, most tragic villain in all of villaindom. Now that you’ve signed on to provide the Kevin Smith take on the crazy guy, and after a few years off the comic writing crusade, are you worried about fan reaction?
Kevin Smith - Always. Even if I didn’t have a bad lateness track record to live down, I’d always sweat fan reaction. But not the reaction from fans of my flicks; I’m talking about the reaction of Bat-fans. That’s who you really want to please. They’ve read every Bat-story in the modern era (and maybe some Golden and Silver Age, too); they’ve read Bat stories by the absolute best creators in the field. And by choosing to write a Batman story, you’re unintentionally saying “I’m good enough to handle this legendary character.” But that’s never how I actually feel.
The good news is that I’ve been a comic reader longer than I’ve been a comics writer. As such, I’m gonna write a Batman story that, if nothing else, honors the character and the tone of what’s traditionally referred to as “a Batman book”. I’m not gonna have Batman chasing pussy or making crude comments (like “Hey, Robin! I’m chasing pussy!”). I’m writing a Batman story, not a Jay and Silent Bob story. Whether the story stinks or not, you can rest assured that at least it’ll stink in continuity, in a Batman Universe the reader can recognize.
That being said? As a longtime Batman reader/enthusiast? I dig the story I’m writing.
AC - Having an acclaimed film background, how much were you influenced by the Ledger portrayal of the Joker as you developed your own new take?
KS - As much as I loved that performance, I started writing the mini before I saw “Dark Knight”. But, ultimately, we’re all drawing on the same source, aren’t we? Joker writers just have it way easier than Joker actors because we never have to actually perform any Joker lines out loud.
AC - Are all three issues of Cacophony in the box already?
KS - Yeah. Issue Two ships this week. And Walt is on the last three pages of Issue Three’s pencils, so that’ll ship on time, too. I learned my lesson: no more lateness for me. No more announcements until at least 2/3 of the scripts are in.
AC - So it looks like you’re bringing fans a monster gang-war. Why choose, of all potential Batman villains, the two-bit Maxie Zues to face off with the Joker?
KS - I’ve just always kinda dug the lameness of Maxie Zeus; it’s not that far removed from King Tut of the old Adam West show. And Gotham, to me, is this city in which people deal with extreme stress and trauma, shall we say, untraditionally. The fragile minds of certain Gothamites have always kind of intrigued me, because who’s to say Maxie is any crazier than Bruce Wayne, in terms of how both deal with/dealt with trauma: both wrap themselves up in un-subtle garb and create completely separate identities. That’s the wonderful ying and yang of Batman and his rogue’s gallery: they create and recreate one another on a regular.
AC - That target mask guy in issue #1 (from your run on Green Arrow) sure doesn’t say much, though he does a masterful, autistic job at repeating sound effects. What’s up with this dude?
KS - I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: this is a character that could only work on a page. If someone had to give him voice, it would sound strange and dopey: a guy saying blam after you’ve just heard a gun shot is one thing, but a guy saying “Thwack” after getting struck with an arrow would take you right out of whatever you were watching, be it cartoon or live action. And if you have him mimicking the actual sound, then he comes across like the guy in the “Police Academy” flicks.
AC - Fans have been slinging poo that you chose the manager of your comic shop, Walt Flanagan, over a bigtime name for the art duties … I mean c’mon man, you have pick of the litter. Are you maybe scared to ask Jim Lee since word on the street is owe him 40 large from your weekly poker game? Or are you paying Walt in store credit? If so, Malve loves your management style!
KS - Walt’s the reason this project even exists. I just felt like it’d be nice to do a book with my artist friend who got me into comics back in the day. Twenty years ago, Walt was the guy I’d sit around and talk comics with, highlighting our favorite writers, artists, plots, splash pages, lines of dialogue. We’d muse about doing our own Batman book the way kids who like baseball muse about playing in the World Series. Then, years later, it occurred to me that I’m in a position now to make some attainable dreams come true for myself and the people I love. So I cold-called Dan DiDio and asked him if I could write a Batman mini that my friend could draw. Once Dan said yes, I called Walt out of the blue and asked “Would you like to draw a Batman book I write?” And it’s been bliss, man. We just fuel each other – which sounds vaguely (or blatantly) gay, I realize; but I mean it to say, we energize and are energized by each other’s passion for the characters, though never to the point of sucking one another off (yet).
Imagine one day having built up enough good will and solid sales under your belt that you could trade on it to recapture a time in your life when you used to dream the seemingly impossible? Folks can sling poo all they want, but they’d probably do the same thing in my shoes.
AC - Since this is supposed to be a real “interrogation”, we’re bringing in a guest inquisitor, Mr. Joey The Q:
Joe Quesada - So, Mr. Smith, where are my last Marvel scripts that were due while Clinton was still in office?
KS - I’m sorry – and you are…?
AC - It’s been well publicized that you wanted to get your hands on Batman or Superman.
KS - It has? Granted, I wrote a “Superman” script twelve years ago, but I never wanted to direct it. And I’ve never expressed interest in making a Batman movie; just watching them.
AC - Since those are a no-go, given carte blanche, what comic book character would you like to bring to the big screen?
KS - Given the opportunity, I doubt I’d choose any of the Big Guns from Marvel or DC. I think I’d look for an indie or small press book to adapt. Better chance of surprising people there.