If you look at the common denominator of all the comics who have had big success, it's being true to their nature... that's what takes a long time to learn.
There's a lot of comics writers out there whose work I appreciate and who are nice guys. I really want to work with guys I really respect and enjoy.
I didn't read comic books, growing up. I was more of a science fiction/fantasy novel guy. I loved reading Edgar Rice Burroughs' 'Tarzan' and that kind of stuff.
I certainly did feel inferior. Because of class. Because of strength. Because of height. I guess if I'd been able to hit somebody in the nose, I wouldn't have been a comic.
Comics is still my first love. But I always did other kinds of writing, too, so I think of myself as a writer first.
I was never really a nerd. I'm not really into comic books or Dungeons and Dragons or any of that kind of stuff. I was in drama class, and I'm a big movie and music buff. And I'm into sports.
That's the biggest part of doing comics: You have to create stuff that makes you want to get out of bed every morning and get to work.
I often get sent scripts about little men in big situations. There's a comic element to it, which is forces stacked against this little guy, and how is he going to defeat them?
I think if you do something effectively whether you're the lover or the comic or the action guy or the villain like I play; movies are very expensive to make. Chances are you'll get asked to play that part again.
I've always felt that the comic strip medium stands equally beside all the other story telling mediums: novels, movies, stage plays, opera, you know, you name it.
I'm passionate about fantasy movies. I'm passionate about comic book movies. I'm passionate about superheroes. And movies about vengeance. And all of that - the stuff that I grew up reading.
I grew up as a huge comic fan and a huge Batman & Robin fan. I watched all the TV shows, went to all the movies - I even had the lunch box; man, I was in!
I think that comics can do things movies can't and vice versa. In my opinion, you only expose their weaknesses if you try too hard at making one exactly like the other.
Human beings need stories, and we're looking for them in all kinds of places; whether it's television, whether it's comic books or movies, radio plays, whatever form, people are hungry for stories.
I get frustrated by the fact that comics go on stage with some kind of agenda beyond comedy - I'm not sure it should be about that.
You know, I've never been a comic book person, just because that's not my gig and I don't have a television.
I didn't follow the whole 'X-Men' story because it got too complicated. I'd pick up a comic book and have no idea what was going on.
As you get older you're told to be sensible, but it's important for writing if you're a comic that you're able to still access that childlike thing.
As an adolescent I wrote comic books, because I read lots of them, and fantasy novels set in Malaysia and Central Africa.
I just try to keep myself a traditionalist. I liked being an underground comic doing my thing. I want to maintain that. I just do.
I'm still awaiting the idea of drawing comics for a living being a reality. I feel like I've been dodging work for 20 years, and at some point, I'll have to get a real job.
