For those of you that know me or have been reading the site, you’re probably aware of my affinity for comics. And one of the writers whose works I’ve picked up on a regular basis is Joe Casey. He’s worked on a myriad of titles in the industry, from mainstream comics like Uncanny X-men, and Adventures of Superman to more independent fare like Godland and Automatic Kafka (as well as two of my favorites: Mr. Majestic and Wildcats Version 3.0). I may not always enjoy his work, but he always gives the readers and fans something new and different with each title that he does. And it’s that uniqueness that I (as well as other comic fans) find appealing about his work.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be granted an interview with Mr. Casey. So without further ado I present that interview to you, our loyal Genrebusters readers (and any Joe Casey fans out there as well). Enjoy.
Steve Magnum
SM: What did you like to read while you were growing up (both in terms of comics and non-graphic literature)? Which writers (if any) did you dig the most? What was it about them and their styles that appealed to you? What other influences (outside of comics and literature) have inspired/influenced your writing style?
JC: I read a lot of comicbooks. Literally, a ton of ‘em. My favorite writers, some of which I’ve only realized were favorites in hindsight, included David Michelinie, Steve Englehart, Mike Baron, Howard Chaykin, Keith Giffen and Frank Miller. As for what it was/is about them appealed to me… simply put, they were consistently good and they each had their own voice.
SM: You’re currently writing “G.I. JOE: America’s Elite”. What is it about G.I. JOE that made you want to come write for the title? Do you have a long-term plan for the story or is it loose enough that you can adjust the narrative as needed? Do you see yourself writing this title for the foreseeable future or are you looking to bring your run to a close anytime soon?
JC: G.I. JOE was and is a narrative challenge in the same way taking on any long-running franchise is. I have a general direction for the series but, yeah, I try to keep things loose and open for any inspiration that hits along the way. So far, I’ve got a pretty good relationship with the fine folks at Devil’s Due Publishing so, for now, it looks like I’m on the book for the duration.
SM: I loved your “Mr. Majestic” series. You really seemed to have a lot of fun writing it and as a result the stories seemed that much more enjoyable. You showed readers what Superman could do if the writers were allowed, while making him distinctively different from the Man of Steel. That said, when you were brought onboard to write “Adventures of Superman”, were you restricted in the stories that you could tell, or did the powers that be give you free reign? Was there a Superman story that you always wanted to tell, but were never allowed?
JC: My final year on ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN was the most fun for me, clear of crossovers and I was able to tell the kind of Superman stories that I wanted to read myself. True, there was more freedom on the MR. MAJESTIC series (which co-writer Brian Holguin and I took full advantage of) but there’s definitely something great about writing Superman comicbooks.
SM: It’s no secret that “Wildcats Version 3.0” was canceled before the story that you and Dustin Nguyen were telling was completed. I was one of the few who really enjoyed it and was sad to see it go. (I say “few” because the title was supposedly cancelled due to “low” sales.) I especially liked how you let the characters evolve and in some cases even leave the title all together (like Pris & Jeremy). Can you elaborate on what you had in mind after issue 24? Had the series not been cancelled, would there still have been a crossover with “The Intimates”? Did you have a specific ending in mind for 3.0? And did you have an idea for a fourth volume of Wildcats?
JC: I did have an ending in mind for VERSION 3.0, one that might not have flown with Wildstorm editorial. It was fairly radical in its ideas and scope but I’d rather not reveal actual story points here (although it was all worked out). It gives me something to talk about at conventions. Letting the characters evolve in various ways was a major theme of the series, considering that these are not overly popular characters in the sense that franchise characters like Superman and Spider-Man are. Frankly, I found that to be a plus.
SM: “Godland” seems to be the little title that could. I hear nothing but praise for it. What do you think is the reason for its success? Tom Scioli’s Kirby-inspired art? The nostalgic feel of the world and characters? Your skilled writing? All of the above?
JC: Hopefully, it’s all of the above. Tom and I are having a blast on the book and I think our readers pick up on that. As far as its “success”, I think that’s a relative term. We’re doing fine, but we’d love to double our readership. Maybe by this time next year…
SM: How long do you see yourself working on “Godland”? Do you think you could still be working on this title up till the day that you retire? And if so, would you ever hand the reigns over to anyone else?
JC: GODLAND will continue for as long as Tom and I want to do it. We own the book, so it’s entirely up to us how many issues are published. Image Comics has been incredibly supportive of what we’re doing so I think we’ll just keep going. To answer your last question… I can say unequivocally that no one but Tom and I will ever take the reigns on GODLAND.
SM: In your comic, “Automatic Kafka”, you favored a gradual approach in the narrative, offering only bits and pieces of the story in a deliberate fashion. Unfortunately, AK lost its backing before you were able to finish this decidedly intriguing story. Do you think that the major publishers are making any effort to accommodate this type of pacing? Have you considered publishing AK under a smaller, less restrictive label?
JC: We’re in a very conservative time right now. The experimentation that existed at the major publishers even just a few years ago has given way to huge company-wide crossovers and editorial driven stories. Cycles come and cycles go. I’m happy as hell that we got out nine issues of AUTOMATIC KAFKA out there and there are more than a few readers who remember the series fondly. It was by far the most subversive comicbook I’ve ever been a part of.
SM: While we're on the topic, do you think that the traditional twenty-two page format is a workable medium for this type of storytelling? If you could do away with it, how would you approach a story like “Automatic Kafka”, or “Wildcats 3.0”?
JC: I like the serialized nature of monthly comicbooks. I don’t think I’d want to change them, aside from maybe more stories per issue at a better price. But, then again, that’s theoretically what a trade paperback collection should be. I’m a firm believer in giving people more bang for their buck. But, as a writer, monthly comicbook stories are a lot of fun and I wouldn’t want to see them go away any time soon.
SM: Final question: Is there anything that you want to have accomplished by the time you retire (if ever) that you’ll be able to look at proudly and tell others “I did that”?
JC: The fact that I’m a professional comicbook writer, going on ten years now, is already a huge accomplishment for me.
