A FISTFUL OF CONVENTION MOMENTS

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the originaldorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, choosing to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

This week is Comic-Con and all the Dorks—less Matt, the Omega Dork—are heading across the country to attend. 

[cue jealousy music]

During the run-up to this monumental task, the ITMODcast released their COMICCONcast , which was a great combination of reminiscences and advice (heavy on the reminiscences, which includes some great stories).  If you’re planning to attend any convention this year, or just want to experience it vicariously, you should check this episode out.  And, in honor of their recent episode, I’m sharing my own “Fistful of Convention Moments.”  They may not stack up to helping pull John Landis out of his rickshaw, but they’re pretty close, for me. 

In descending order: 

5.   Paul Pope recognizing me at MoCCA (2007)

MoCCA-fest 2007 took place in April of that year, in New York City’s Puck Building.  It was a great art comics fest, with a bunch of great creators.  One of those was Paul Pope.  I’d met  and spoken with him at the previous year’s SPX, held in Bethesda, Maryland in late September.  He’d had a bunch of his self-published books there—THB, Escapo, Buzz Buzz Comics Magazine—and I’d bought every one, since I’d never found any of those at my LCS.  Pope was generous with his time, speaking with me about comics and creating, and it made a great impression on me. 

That spring, I was now writing for the Pulse website, and I wanted to do an email interview with Pope for my column.  I got in line with Dan.  And when I stepped up to his table, Pope instantly recognized me and remembered our conversations from SPX.  Yeah, it was a “fanboy” moment, but it was pretty damn awesome too.  Oh, and I got to do that interview as well.  Check it here.

4.  Meeting Joe Hill at Baltimore (2013)

Brad, at the ITMODcast, will remember this one.  But first, preamble:

The first short prose story I sold was directly influenced by Joe Hill’s short story, “Abraham’s Boys.”  I’d been hearing about Hill from friends and decided to check out his 20^th Century Ghosts collection, to see what the fuss was about.  When I finished “Abraham’s Boys,” it was like Tetris blocks falling into place, for me.  I understood how he’d structured it, focusing on how Joe Hill managed to plant the “story turn” into the narrative without it being forced, and as I sat in the Borders café, I started building that first “successful” story of my own. 

So, fast-forward to Baltimore-Con, 2003.  Brad and I get in line to meet Joe Hill.  Brad has some of Hill’s work to be signed.  I have a copy of Warrior27 (my self-published comic, co-created with Dan) that featured Shane Leonard’s first photo-cover for a comic (Leonard is Hill’s best friend and did similar duty for some of the issues of Locke & Key).  I also had a copy of my chapbook, with that initial story inspired by “Abraham’s Boys.”  When we get up to Hill, I explain everything, tell him I wanted to thank him and share my story with him, and Hill, who is a generous person with fans, thanked me and asked me to sign the chapbook to him.  I didn’t notice, but Brad told me afterward, that the line started to hum, asking who I was and what was going on.  Brad shared the details—Warrior27 and all that—and I got big adrenaline boost for the rest of that day, at the con. 

3. In line for George Perez, Wizard World Chicago (2001)

2001 was the first year I hit a big comic convention.  A 19-hour drive from Maine to Chicago, and it was well worth it.  The highlight, for me, was getting to meet my all-time favorite superhero artist, George Perez.  This man is generous with his time and generous to his fans. 

Day one involved scoping out the convention hall.  Finding where creators were and making plans for attacking the floor the following days.  And it became obvious that I would need to head to Perez’s booth immediately, since the line was capped quite early.  So, Dan and I both did that. 

We were somewhere between 22^nd and 25^th in line for Perez.  I had my sketchbook, a few comics, and my Batman portfolio, which DC published in the late 80s.  We were in line for five hours.  And it was so worth it.  Perez would occasionally get up from the table, walk down the line, tell us how crazy we were with this huge smile, and then return to his fans.  And each one of us got time to talk with him.  He signed anything we wanted signed (I had decided which of the plates in the portfolio I’d have him sign, but he said, without hesitation, I’ll just sign them all).  And I got a free head sketch of my favorite superhero, the Flash—the Barry Allen version, which he inquired about, because Perez draws Barry differently (with a longer face) than the Wally West version (rounder, and looking a bit younger).  Definitely one of the big highlights of my convention-going.   

 

2. Selling books all weekend at SPX (2006)

In 2005, Dan and I tabled at our first convention, Wizard World Chicago.  It was a frickin’ disaster—standing behind our table, selling no books, wondering what the hell we thought we were doing, just terrible.  But…it did teach us some valuable lessons à  see here, and here, and here.

So, when we decided to create a second issue of Warrior27 and exhibit at a convention, we chose more wisely and went where our audience (for a black and white book by anonymous creators that has no superheroes and some prose in it) would be—Bethesda, Maryland and SPX. 

That convention was awesome. We were selling books all weekend, and in half the time we sold dozens and dozens more books than we had in Chicago.  It made perfect sense, in hindsight.  Regardless, actually having readers interacting with us and paying real money for something we created, was an amazing experience.  And it kept us both going with this “writing thing.”  This is also the convention where I met some other great creators, like Mike LaRiccia and G.B. Tran and Justin Fox, who’ve gone on to do some great work.  Google those guys, you won’t be disappointed.

 

1. Meeting Harlan Ellison at Dragon-Con (2004)

Without a doubt, this is my ultimate convention experience.  Harlan Ellison is my favorite author, bar none (though Alan Moore, Hemingway, and David Mitchell certainly make a run for that title, depending on my mood) and he was going to be at Dragon-Con, 2004.  Coupled with the first stateside appearance of Warren Ellis in years, this convention was a no-brainer for myself, and Dan & Gibran. 

The interesting thing about Dragon-Con is that it is spread across three different venues (or it was a decade ago, when we drove to Atlanta).  And, as such, it can be difficult to figure out where creators are going to be (or it was for me).  When we finally moved out of the main convention hall, Dan and I had to walk a number of blocks to find the second hotel/conference center where guests were tabling.  And, without knowing, we stumbled upon Harlan Ellison’s table.  I started acting like a little kid. 

The line for Ellison was not that long.  Dan and I stepped up to the table.  And when we got up to Ellison, he regaled us with stories (of him marching in Louisiana during the Civil Rights movement and being imprisoned and beaten for that), told Dan he was a pussy when he tried to share his one time being accosted by the police (I kept my mouth shut, having only received a speeding ticket as my most heinous offense), shared the names of writers we should check out, like W.S. Merwin, and  generally was a gracious, outgoing, entertaining, pleasant, if foul-mouthed, host, at his table.  Great, great moment. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

•           Meeting and talking with Morgan Spurlock, as he was walking around the aforementioned MoCCA-fest, just checking things out with his partner and their child.   
•           Playing SPOT RICK at Wizard World – an inside joke that Dan and Gibran will get, and I’ll explain if you come up to the table at this year’s [2015] Baltimore-Con and ask nicely. 
•           Meeting the Beast Master at Dragon-Con and being swept into the conversation he was having with Dan.  That guy is still jacked and was super-enthusiastic to meet and talk with fans.  Totally cool time.
•           Meeting and talking to one of my favorite artists, Scott Morse, at SPX.  The guy is a phenomenal creator and super-nice (as most of the artists and writers I’ve had the pleasure of meeting tend to be)

So, there are my top 5 Con Moments.  What are yours? 

-chris

Back Matter #7 - Queen & Country and Escapo

With the “Back Matter” series of posts, I am reprinting my initial writings on comics from roughly 2006.  A more detailed explanation can be found here. 

-Thanks

BACK MATTER #7

As a teenager Greg Rucka found himself floating free, unattached to any of the familiar high school cliques, and it was remarkably bad, as all who have traversed that gauntlet of adolescence know full well.  One bright light in that miasma of homework and locker combinations and pimples was a British television series his local PBS station was running, The Sandbaggers.  A severe take on the British Secret Service revolving around a small team of operatives and their controller, one of the few sandbaggers to survive long enough for such a promotion, it lasted for only twenty episodes spread out over three seasons.  Despite a lack of funding apparent in the cardboard sets and dated costumes, there was a passion and intelligence underlying the whole thing that shone through the meager trappings of the production.  The dialogue was witty, the plots complex, and it captivated Rucka from the opening scene. 

At this time, Rucka first began writing creatively and it was only natural for him to write a spy story.  Rucka continued to write, working at his craft, until he eventually sold his first novel, Keeper, starring private detective Atticus Kodiak.  He has since written a number of novels, including five more starring Kodiak.  This experience landed him work scripting his first comic series for Oni Press, Whiteout, illustrated by the talented Steve Lieber.  Things being cyclical, Rucka eventually made his way back to the inspiration that began this long trek of his and developed a series for Oni focusing on the British Secret Intelligence Service and its Special Section known as “minders,” Queen & Country.  Sound familiar?  Queen & Country is Rucka’s homage to the series that started him on the road he now walks, and walks quite well.  With the series making its return from a too-long hiatus, while Rucka worked on the two Queen & Country novels – A Gentleman’s Game and Private Wars – I thought it appropriate to go back and look at where it all began for the British SIS, the Minders, and the main focus of the series Tara Chace.

Former Russian General Igor Grigorivich Markovsky, now part of the Russian mob, is buying guns from the Kosovo Liberation Army and selling them to the Chechens.  As a favor to the CIA, and without proper authorization, Paul Crocker the Director of Operations who commands the Special Section has sent Minder Two, Tara Chace, into Kosovo to assassinate Markovsky.  She has one gun, one egress plan and no backup.  Simple. 

The intelligence business being what it is, it takes little time for Crocker’s superiors to get wind of what he is doing off the books.  D. Ops (Crocker) is upbraided by his immediate superior, Donald Weldon, as he attempts to explain the benefits for British intelligence, keyhole support and analysis from the CIA for Britain’s current operations in North Africa and Asia, not to mention the fact that the CIA will finally owe SIS a favor.  That gives little consolation to Weldon and will likely not appease those higher in the chain of command if things go badly. 

Back in Kosovo Chace makes the shot, taking down General Markovsky, but her egress does not go as smoothly.  With soldiers everywhere and Chace obviously not a native, she needs to move quickly.  Unfortunately, she does not move fast enough as a Croatian soldier comes across her on one of the many deserted streets and begins shouting, alerting others to her presence.  Chace runs but is clipped in the leg by a stray bullet.  Fortunately, she finds an area crowded with women and children doing laundry in the morning.  Losing herself in the crowd, Minder Two manages to procure an abaya, a traditional overgarment worn by some Muslim women, and makes her way through the streets to a parked car.  Hotwiring it she drives off just as a U.N. soldier, having noticed the blood at the base of her pants, attempts to stop her.  Now mobile, Chace manages to pass through a checkpoint – utilizing a well-placed nude photograph of herself within her forged passport – and makes her way to the British station in Istanbul where she is flown out of country.

For most comic stories that would be the end of it, but this only encompasses the first issue of the initial four-issue arc.  In the novels and comics written by Greg Rucka it is fairly common to find oneself reaching the climax for the initial impetus of the story at hand and realize that over half the book, or half the comic, is left to read.  With Tara Chace home, the real story begins as the Russian mob retaliate, firing a rocket at the fifth floor of the British SIS building.  The fifth floor houses the Foreign Office of British Intelligence, the one out of which the Special Section and Minder Two work.  The motive for the attack is obvious, and the stakes are raised when it is learned that a one million dollar bounty has been placed on the head of Tara Chace by the Russian mob.  Being a domestic affair, this is an investigation that falls under the purview of MI5 rather than MI6, where Crocker and his Minders reside.  Despite that fact, Crocker wants retaliation, swift and final.  He knows that David Kinney, the director of Security Services within the United Kingdom, will wish to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the attack.  That isn’t good enough.  He tells his Special Section as much and also relays his thoughts on the matter to his superiors – Weldon and the head of the SIS, Sir Wilson Stanton Davies.  They are surprised at Crocker’s apolitical stance and argue against his plan vehemently, telling Crocker to work with Kinney and allow MI5 to do its job. 

From here the tension ratchets up exponentially.  The bounty on Chace’s head has the Russian mob stalking London, waiting for Chace to show herself so they can take her out permanently.  With that in mind, Crocker arms the Minders, something expressly forbidden by policy.  He is soon ordered by the Deputy Chief to have them return their weapons to materiel.  Crocker then goes to Angela Cheng, CIA liaison in London, looking for help.  Playing on any guilt she may have at initiating this whole debacle when she asked for help in getting at Markovsky he is disappointed with her response.  The international scandal that would come from a United States sanctioned assassination of Russians on UK soil would be nothing short of disastrous, whether done by CIA operatives or with CIA weapons.  Ultimately, Crocker arms his Minders with pellet guns picked up at a toy shop as Kinney orders Crocker to have Chace draw out the Russians.  But how can they hope to survive against armed thugs when all they have are toy guns?  And if they do survive, what will happen to the Russians?  The answers will surprise you.  Guaranteed.

Rucka is just a damn fine writer.  His characters are believable well-rounded people whose motivations and desires drive the narrative, and he is not afraid of putting them into impossible situations from which there can be no easy extraction.  A lesser writer would not take the chances Rucka does, and Queen & Country would be far less enjoyable for it.  The political machinations, two-timing, and backstabbing that everyone inherently knows goes on behind the scenes of our political world is front and center in this series, and the only status quo for Queen & Country is that there is no status quo.  In future collections people die - there have already been three or four agents in the position of Minder Three - people move on - Angela Cheng is no longer the CIA liaison in London - and decisions and actions have consequences, real consequences.  This is as intelligent a book as one can find on the comic stands today and the only negative aspect of this series is that it does not get published more often.  One never knows what problems will be lurking around the next corner for Tara Chace, nor what decisions she will be forced to make in the heat of battle.  Luckily for fans, they have Greg Rucka steering the ship, and a better captain would be hard to find.

Paul Pope is a creative genius, melding manga with contemporary sensibilities and a smooth, lush brushstroke reminiscent of the best of Will Eisner.  Pope was one of those critically-acclaimed comic artists whose short works would pop up in Negative Burn and other places, while fans awaited his longer works from Horse Press, a small press publisher that turned out to be Pope’s own self-publishing venture.  He didn’t want it to be widely known that he was utilizing the “vanity” press to get his work out there, and so named it Horse Press in an attempt to distance himself from any negative connotations that sometimes go along with that.  And luckily for comic fans Pope did do that, otherwise there would be no THB, no Ballad of Dr. Richardson, and no Escapo, which is the subject found in the dusty recesses of the vault this time out. 

Escapo tells the story of the book’s eponymous hero, a disfigured escape artist who is the star of the center ring.  In three tales readers are able to get a feeling of what this man, Vic, goes through in his life with the circus.  The first tale shows us the inner workings of the Pinceur, one of the death machines Vic and his partner have put together in order for Escapo to cheat death in front of crowds of awestruck spectators.  A complex contraption that includes razorz, long teethy spinning mouths, an intestinannilation and a final water trap in a series of oblong containers set one atop the other, Escapo must divest himself of a strait jacket while hanging upside down above the Pinceur before making his way through the six stages that will ultimately find him in the middle of the center ring once more.  Requiring agility, quick reflexes, acute timing, and a calm manner it would be impossible for anyone but Escapo to make their way down through the many traps to the exit below.  But in this instance Escapo finds himself lost when he reaches the water trap and is unable to unlock the escape hatch because the roaring water is overpowering the minute sounds of the tumblers.  There’s no other way out, and Escapo is certain to perish when an apparition, a skeleton, comes up to him and announces that it is finally time for Escapo to meet his maker.  But the escape artist is not finished.  He first pleads with Death to let him go – a letter for his sister sits in his coat pocket back in the trailer, sealed and with a stamp but lacking an address, and he needs to get out so that it will get to her – and offers to make a wager with the specter before chancing upon the apparition’s Achilles heel, its pride.  Escapo dares Death to let him to live and in return offers to allow Death to ride his back during the next performance.  Death accepts and gives Escapo a coin to hold onto until he comes back for him, and then gives him the combination of the lock just before the water womb fills up completely. 

Escapo escapes yet again.  But this time it’s more than he is accustomed to.  The incident puts a scare into Escapo and he begs off his act for days, claiming to be sick, before his partner finally convinces him to get back on his horse, pointing out that if he does not do at least five shows a month the circus has the right to throw him to the curb.  Choosing to do an escape other than the Pinceur, Vic finds himself back in the center ring and repossessing a bit of his confidence that had been lost.  This renewed confidence also allows him to finally approach the tight rope girl, Aerobella, with whom he has become infatuated.  Writing her love poems and love letters Escapo goes to her trailer late one night to find out if she feels the same way about him.  She tells him that she needs more time and will have an answer for him in the morning.  His romanticism getting in the way, Escapo tells her that tomorrow when he does his act he will look for her on the sidelines.  If she is wearing a white scarf then it will mean yes, but if she is wearing a black scarf, no.  She agrees and he goes off, feeling confident that Aerobella will be wearing a white scarf the next day.  But will it be white, and if so will it be true?  Aerobella knows the fragile nature of Escapo’s psyche, and the guilt of saying no to someone just before they enter a death trap could be too much for one girl to bear.  The confusion is obvious on her face as she tells Escapo to go to bed, and one can imagine that she has no clue as to how she will respond.  And if that response is in the negative, how will Escapo handle it?

Pope’s characters in Escapo are very real, and very true.  Vic is not the bigger than life hero that was so casually paraded about in the Barnum and Bailey Circus of the early twentieth century, and Aerobella is a girl like any other with feelings and desires that anybody can understand.  The brilliance of this book is how Pope allows us into their minds, most especially into Escapo’s, and lets us see the human fragility that is lying there right under the surface, a human fragility that many of us are all too familiar with.  We know what it is like to be afraid, and we understand Escapo’s heartache when he confesses how he feels about the tight rope girl.  We also hurt for him when the clowns ridicule his longing for such a beautiful young girl. 

“Why’d a girl like that shower attentions on an ugly mug like you?”  “Why, a girl like that wants a boy who’s clean, an’ who looks the same on both sides!” 

Readers don’t need to be told how he feels at these insults; it is evident on his face.  Pope masterfully allows the expressions on his characters to tell the story, and refuses to beat his audience over the head with the details.  It’s these unstated sentiments, produced through his brilliant brushwork, that make Pope’s works worth seeking out.  He is a cutting edge cartoonist who is looking to create the comics of the future, and he is doing it right now.  

FYC Replay: Paul Pope's Escapo

Another one for the archives. When Paul Pope agreed to be interviewed, it was a big thrill. And he did not disappoint. This was one of the best-received columns I did for the Pulse. Many people, including a lot of comic artists, were interested in what Pope had to say.
Enjoy.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: PAUL POPE'S ESCAPO
BY CHRIS BECKETT


The 411:
Escapo
Written and Drawn by Paul Pope
112 pages, b/w with some color
HC: $19.95, SC: $9.95
Horse Press, 1999
OOP



What It Is (with apologies to Dave the Thune):

Paul Pope is a creative genius, melding manga with contemporary sensibilities and a smooth, lush brushstroke reminiscent of Will Eisner. Pope is one of those critically-acclaimed comic artists whose short works would pop up in Negative Burn and other places, while fans awaited his longer works from Horse Press, his own publishing imprint. Through his self-publishing venture, Pope has released such classic works as THB, and The Ballad of Dr. Richardson, while recently, he has made his mark with works like Batman Year 100 for DC Comics and Pulphope, his artistic manifesto, from AdHouse. But one of my favorites is his classic tale of a lovelorn escape artist, Escapo.

Escapo relates the story of the book’s eponymous hero, a disfigured escape artist who is the star of the center ring. In three tales, readers are able to get a feeling of what this man, Vic, goes through in his life with the circus. The first tale shows us the inner workings of the Pinceur™, one of the death machines Vic and his partner have built for his alter-ego to cheat death in front of crowds of awestruck spectators.

Hanging upside down above the Pinceur™ – a complex contraption that includes razorz™, long teethy spinning mouths™, an intestinannilation™, and a final water trap all set in a series of oblong containers one atop the other – Escapo must divest himself of a strait jacket before making his way through the six stages that will ultimately find him standing in the center ring again. Requiring agility, quick reflexes, acute timing, and a calm manner, it would be impossible for anyone but Escapo to make their way down through the many traps to the exit below, and usually it goes smoothly for the escape artist. But this time, Escapo finds himself lost when he reaches the water trap and cannot unlock the escape hatch as roaring water overpowers the minute sounds of the tumblers.

There’s no other way out, and Escapo is certain to perish when an apparition, a skeleton, comes up to him and announces that it is finally time for Escapo to meet his maker, a fate to which the escape artist objects. Vic first pleads with Death to let him go – a letter for his sister sits in his coat pocket back in the trailer, sealed and with a stamp but lacking an address, and he needs to get out so that it will get to her – and offers to make a wager with the specter before chancing upon the apparition’s Achilles heel, its pride. Escapo dares Death to let him live, and in return offers Death the opportunity to ride his back during the next performance. Death accepts and gives Escapo a coin to keep until its return before sharing the combination of the lock just as Escapo is completely submerged.

And Escapo escapes yet again. But this incident puts a scare into Escapo and he begs off his act for days, claiming illness. His partner finally convinces him to get back on his horse, pointing out that if he does not do at least five shows a month the circus has the right to throw him to the curb. Choosing to do an escape other than the Pinceur, Vic finds himself back in the center ring, repossessing a bit of his confidence.

This renewed confidence also allows Vic to approach the tight rope girl, Aerobella, with whom he has become infatuated. Writing her love poems, Escapo goes to her trailer late one night to find out if she feels the same way about him. Aerobella tells him that she needs more time and will have an answer for him in the morning. His romanticism getting in the way, Escapo tells her that when he does his act the following day, he will look for her on the sidelines. If she is wearing a white scarf it will mean yes, but a black scarf will be no. Aerobella agrees, but the confusion is obvious on her face as she tells Escapo to go to bed, and one can imagine that she has no clue as to how she will respond. And if that response is in the negative, how will Escapo handle it?


Pope’s characters in Escapo are genuine and react in a very human manner. Vic is not the bigger than life hero so casually paraded about in the Barnum and Bailey Circus of the early twentieth century, and Aerobella is a girl like any other with feelings and desires to which anyone can relate. The brilliance of this book is how Pope allows us into their minds, most especially into Escapo’s, and lets us see the human frailty lying just beneath the surface, a frailty with which most of us are all too familiar.

We know what it is like to be afraid, and we understand Escapo’s heartache when he confesses how he feels about Aerobella. We also hurt for him when the clowns ridicule his longing for such a beautiful young girl. “Why’d a girl like that shower attentions on an ugly mug like you?” “Why, a girl like that wants a boy who’s clean, an’ who looks the same on both sides!” Readers don’t need to be told how Vic feels at these insults; it is evident on his face. Pope masterfully allows the expressions on his characters to tell the story, and refuses to beat his audience over the head with the details. It’s these unstated sentiments, produced through his evocative brushwork, that make Pope’s works worth seeking out. He is a cutting edge cartoonist who is looking to create the comics of the future, and he is doing it right now.


An Interview with Paul Pope

CHRIS BECKETT: Why comics?

PAUL POPE: I've always loved them, since before I can remember.

BECKETT: What was it that attracted you to this storytelling medium?

PAUL POPE: The ability to apply one's imagination without restrictions or constraints, outside of your abilities. Practically speaking, it is also very craft-oriented, and when I was looking to apply my talents professionally, that appealed to me a lot.

BECKETT: Your comics are not only entertaining stories, but also beautifully designed books as well. What influences have led to your unique design sense and how do you go about developing the design of each book?


PAUL POPE: I've been influenced by Milton Glaser and the Push-Pin, by Tadanori Yokoo, by the British design team Hypgnosis (now defunct, they worked in the 70s)...I love the ideals of the Werner-Werkstatte, the Austrian Secession movement of the turn of last century. I also look to music for inspiration-- I approach a story as if it were a song, a book as if it were an album. I think a lot about package design.

BECKETT: I know that manga has influenced you greatly as a creator. What is it, for you, that is so appealing about manga and how have you incorporated it into your work?

PAUL POPE: I think manga-- the best of it-- tries to really describe and elucidate psychological states rather than merely tell a story. And as with old newspaper cartoons, I think there are many fertile suggestions and hints in the best of manga, it is a universe of its own.

BECKETT: Many newer artists are also trying to incorporate aspects of manga into their own work, but only seem able to apply the surface elements of this style.

PAUL POPE: The difference is that I worked for Japan's largest manga publisher for 5 years even though little of the material saw print, and I have read and looked at manga seriously for years and years, looking at the floor plan and trying to build my own buildings from the ground up using their architecture.

BECKETT: What underlying aspects of manga are they overlooking that could help to push their artwork, and the medium, forward?

PAUL POPE: That's a big question, it'd take awhile to unfold it. And I'm not one who likes to give critiques or instruction, really talented and passionate artists figure it all out for themselves eventually. In general though, I guess I'd say to the young ones, try to look past the big eyes and the speedlines. Look for the ghosts in the machine of manga, don't just try to copy the shiny chrome and painted patinas. Look at how the stories are structured and paced, don't think that if you do a 200 page book with big eyes and speedlines, that’s somehow manga.

BECKETT: One thing about your work that I enjoy is the fact that you choose atypical settings for your stories.


PAUL POPE: I think that comes from looking around and seeing nothing but bitter contrasts and confusion in the world. I tend to notice the atypical and I celebrate the rare. I have great sympathy for freaks and outcasts and the weak.

BECKETT: As a reader, having an escape artist in a circus eluding death while trapped by the love of the aerialist seems obvious, but what was the genesis of this story and how did you know it would work?

PAUL POPE: When I approached Escapo, I told myself it was time to do a great story. I was 26 years old, I had published a few things that were OK and a few that were so-so and a few that were not so good. By the time Nick Cave was 26, he'd already penned masterworks, and I felt my own body of work was a bit thin, a bit flat. I searched for the best story I could come up with and I tried to do it the best I could. I love the circus and I see it as a metaphor or a microcosm of the world. I probably also knew some girls who were like tightrope walkers-- not deciding one way or the other. Post-adolescent romances gone awry, being sincere and hopeful in matters of love. I thought it was something other people could relate to if told well in the form of a story.

BECKETT: What other projects are you working on that you would like to tell readers about?

PAUL POPE: I am doing more work in fashion and more silkscreen prints in 2008, stuff which will be announced when the time comes. But THB and Battling Boy are my main concerns in comics now. I think I have about 2 years of work to finish both. Everything I'm doing in my life now is in service of that goal. I've gone through a very visible season of touring and events. It is like being in a band after all, waking up in a hotel and not remembering right off where you are. Room service at 3 in the morning, different airports, all that. I'm very grateful for the awards and the reviews. I'm at a point like when I was 26 and starting Escapo. I knew that was a good story and I thought I could tell a good short story in comics at that time. Now it is time to tell a good long story in comics.