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Countdown to FCBD: Joshua Blaylock
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Location: Blogs Atomic FalloutAt the Core |
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| Posted by: Jake Bell |
Friday, April 20, 2007 12:24 PM |
 You wear a lot of hats at Devil's Due. What is a typical day like for you?
I'm on the phone a lot. I try to touch base with Editorial, Marketing, Accounting, and Publishing heads early in the day and put out any fires that may on the rise. I touch base with partners in other business ventures outside of comics and then get rolling on DDP related work.
The most glamorous work is probably discussing new story ideas and directions, and the marketing plans we're putting behind them. I'm also in talks constantly with our Hollywood agent and producers, keeping tabs on potential film developments. Then there's a huge amount of overseeing contracts for publishing deals, spreadsheet fun, and the other business stuff that doesn't make for as exciting of an interview.
What was your first paying gig in comics?
Ironically, I always joke that to this day no one has hired me. I had to build my own mini-empire and hire myself. My first professional art was actually for commercial art drawing posters for a small publisher, and cartoons for Proctor and Gamble.
You've written a series of books about self-publishing comics. What kind of advice can you give a guy who's in line at FCBD with an idea he thinks is the next big thing?
I wrote a How to Self-Publish Comics: Not Just Create Them that was later collected into one volume, and Tim Seeley wrote a companion piece on being an artist called How to Be a Comic Book Artist: Not Just How to Draw.
As far as someone with an idea - get out there and do your research. Find out what it takes to hack it in this industry, and if you think you do, then get out there and go for it!
 What's on the horizon for DD?
Lots of stuff. We've brought Sheena: Queen of the Jungle out of the rainforest and back into comics with a completely new modern day twist. We're working in conjunction with film producers Paul Aratow and Steve DeSouza on that project as well.
Storm Shadow, the notorious ninja from G.I. Joe gets his own series written by G.I. Joe Godfather Larry Hama--and damn is it cool. You'll forget you're reading a G.I. Joe book and think you're watching Oceans 11 or The Professional. It's just a great, action packed solo-character book.
Drafted is something special coming up in June with a 99¢ special. Imagine if we finally made extra terrestrial contact. They've arrived, and they come in peace to change the world... and they want you to fight. They want everyone to fight to defend our world from an oncoming invasion from aliens not as friendly as they. This sci-fi action drama is full of high concept ideas and reflections on modern day events.
And, in case you haven't checked out G.I. JOE: America's Elite, new writer Mark Powers is rockin' the shit on that book with his "Sins of the Mother" story featuring the Baroness on a rampage to find her child. The story leads up to a year long event entitled World War III.
 What's it like putting out a comic with the history of Sheena?
It's an honor, and I only hope do it justice. Sheena is the original. Okay, Tarzan jokes aside, before Shanna, before all others was Sheena. Her first series actually predates Wonder Woman's comic. DeSouza came to us with an amazing pitch for it; something that revitalizes the entire brand and brings it into the 21st century. It also explores the dichotomy in todays world between the extravagantly rich and 3rd world poor on a level you might not expect from such a scantily-clad jungle girl series.
What are you most looking forward to about FCBD?
The Atomic Comics experience. Mike Malve seems to know how to show everyone a good time, and how to extend that to his customers. I'm nothing but impressed with the Atomic empire so far, and want to see it up close.
It also doesn't hurt that I get to hang with twenty of comic's heavy hitters at the same time. Why do I predict slurred speech and hangovers in everyone's near future? |
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