Will Pfeifer: Dial "P" For Pfeifer

By Mike Jozic

A few years ago, the name of Will Pfeifer might have prompted a mere, "Huh?" from the uninitiated, but with the upcoming release of his new series from DC, H-E-R-O, those days are sincerely numbered. The series is already creating quite a buzz among the internet crowd, with fan-favourite writer Geoff Johns offering a money-back guarantee for readers with the hope that it will increase awareness and interest in the quirky revival. And he isn't even a part of the creative team!

Cutting his teeth in the indie world, and "breaking-out" in 1999 with his and Jill Thompson's Finals, Pfeifer has spent the last few years writing shorts and features in various anthologies for both Marvel and DC. His recent Dazzler story in X-Men Unlimited got my attention last year, prompting my first interview with the man, and his work in DC's Secret Files and Origins is what eventually led to his getting the H-E-R-O assignment from then DC editor, Mike McAvennie.

An avowed movie and media buff, Pfeifer brings a pop-culture sensibility to his work, and an energy that keeps his stories fresh and interesting. For that matter, he does the same to his interviews, as anyone who has had the pleasure of chatting with him will probably tell you. Anyway, why take my word for it? Check it out for yourself!



MIKE JOZIC: First question I have to ask is, out of all the concepts one could resurrect, why Dial "H" For Hero?

WILL PFEIFER: Actually, the initial idea for a Dial "H" For Hero revival was DC's. I had done some stuff with editor Mike McAvennie for a DC Secret Files, and he was happy with the way I managed to stuff an entire year of confusing cosmic continuity into one short story, so he asked if I'd be interested in working up a proposal for a Dial "H" revival. I have a few tattered copies of the old '60s House Of Mystery comics where the series originally appeared, and was a regular reader of Adventure Comics in the '80s when that version was appearing. I actually had always meant to send in an idea for a hero so I could win one of those T-shirts, but being the teen-age procrastinator that I was, I never did. Now, strangely enough, I'm writing the whole book.

As a concept, I think it's one with a lot of potential. Average people getting super powers? There are lots of good stories lurking around that idea.

JOZIC: What will be different about your take on the H-Dial compared to past efforts?

PFEIFER: This time around, we're focusing on the people, not the powers. Each story arc, another person is going to get the device. And, each of them will react in a different way. Some will use them for good, some will use them for evil - and a group of goofball
teenagers, in the two-issue arc I'm writing right now - will use them to perform their own highly dangerous, incredibly destructive Jackass-type pranks.

In the first four issues, we meet Jerry Feldon - a down on his luck guy working a dead-end job in a dead-end town. You'd think that, for a guy like him, getting super powers would solve all his problems, but it doesn't. It gives him new ones - but it also gives him the means to change his life, just not instantly. H-E-R-O isn't endlessly grim and gritty - in fact, we try to inject some humor into the book fairly frequently - but we are trying to explore the real-life implications of super powers as much as we can.

JOZIC: Did you go back and look at any Dial "H" For Hero stories for reference, or are you starting off fresh with the concept?

PFEIFER: I looked at all the old issues I could find (most of mine are back in Ohio, in my parents' attic) and Mike sent me a big stack of photocopies of old issues. I read them all, and thought they were a lot of fun, but this version is going to be a completely different take on the concept. In the other versions, the comic was all about what powers the heroes would dial up. This time around, it's all about what they do with those powers - and what those powers do to them. It's much more character-based, which I hope makes it more interesting.

JOZIC: Will your characters run into a lot of DC guest stars to show the contrast between your "reality" and that of the DCU?

PFEIFER: H-E-R-O is set smack dab in the middle of the DC universe, but the heroes won't be running into the DC heroes very often. I'm treating the DC universe like our world - there are lots of famous people, but we almost never actually meet them. The people in H-E-R-O will be very aware of the big-name DC characters, mentioning them in conversation and keeping up with their exploits, but they'll rarely come face to face with them. In the first issue - in fact, on the first page - Jerry sees Superman, and the encounter changes him forever, and not necessarily for the better.

JOZIC: Will there be any attempt to show how the H-Dial ended up in your first issue from it's last appearance in the DCU, or are you starting completely from scratch with this one?

PFEIFER: It's pretty much from scratch, though I do have some nebulous ideas for what the heck happened to the dial since the last time we saw it (whenever that actually was) and even why it's a push-button device this time around, and not an actual dial.

But I want that sort of continuity to be the kind of thing that if you know the backstory, you can appreciate the reference, but if you don't, you won't miss a thing - or feel like you're missing out on something. H-E-R-O is designed so anyone can pick it up
and enjoy it without boning up on 75 years of DC continuity first. For instance, we're going to bring back Robby Reed, the original owner of the dial, but he'll be the sort of character you don't have to know anything about to find interesting. I want to make him fascinating to everyone - not just people who've read all those issues of House Of Secrets.

JOZIC: Are you going to bother exploring the origins of the device in the context of the new series?

PFEIFER: Eventually. Again, I have some nebulous ideas about where such a device might have originated, but I want to make sure that if and when we tell this story, it's interesting and powerful. I'll have to sort through the continuity, see what's worth keeping and what should be discarded. Like I said, H-E-R-O will reference earlier incarnations in the series, but in such a way that readers don't get lost - or frustrated.

JOZIC: Over in his column, One of the Good Ones, Geoff Johns is comparing H-E-R-O to Y: The Last Man, saying that it will be the next "sought-after" book. Does something like that add pressure on you guys, or is it just flattering?

PFEIFER: It's a little of both - but mostly, I'm just thankful to Geoff for doing so much to bring attention to the book. It's definitely flattering that Geoff, one of DC's top writers, believes in H-E-R-O so much that he's will to refund money of people who don't like it. Boy, I hope everyone out there likes it - and I think they will. The more attention that's on H-E-R-O, whether it's thanks to Geoff, or < a href="http://www.dccomics.com">DC's preview, or interviews on the Internet - like this one - the more pressure there is for the comic to actually be good, but that's the good kind of pressure. You want people to be expecting, hoping for - hell, demanding - an entertaining comic book. Then you get your chance to show them what you can do. (And after that little speech, H-E-R-O had better be good, right?)

JOZIC: DC has already put a bit of their promo power behind the book, what with the previews on the website, the mini-site and the inserts in the comics not too long ago. Do you think, with the interviews and the buzz that seems to be building, that H-E-R-O might be set for a big push if it performs well?

PFEIFER: Wouldn't that be nice? DC is doing everything it can to push the book, what with the preview they inserted a little while ago and that mini-site at www.dccomics.com. I hope all this buzz leads somewhere - people seem to be excited about it, and there have definitely been plenty of articles on the Web, this being, of course, one of them. Whether or not that translates into sales, you can never tell. I'd love for H-E-R-O to be one of those comic books that everyone wishes they had bought when they had the chance, like Y: The Last Man.

JOZIC: With the exception of Finals, you've done mostly shorter stories for anthology books, and projects like Secret Origins. Is it daunting to have to take on the responsibility for a monthly series, or is that part of the lure?

PFEIFER: It's a little of both. With the short stories, and even with Finals (which was four issues), I felt the crunch of space limitations. Sometimes, you get an idea you want to include, but there's no room for it in between all the plots, subplots and sub-subplots. It is a little daunting with H-E-R-O to know that month after month (and hopefully for many, many months) I have to keep coming up with new ideas and new stories, but there's also a certain luxury in having room to take a breath and add something to the story that hopefully will make it a richer experience.

JOZIC: Do you find that you have more freedom working on a lower tier book than say, something like Detective Comics might allow?

PFIEFFER: I guess so, though I have no idea what that sort of pressure is yet. I know that because H-E-R-O is sort of starting from scratch as a DC Universe title (though the dial itself has been around for awhile) that we don't have to make sure every story fits into 60-plus years of continuity - so that's nice. I like working with just one editor - first Mike McAvennie, and now Peter Tomasi - and knowing that if I have a question or concern, there's a person I can get in touch with. So far, the working experience has been great on H-E-R-O.

JOZIC: You lost your original editor, Mike McAvennie to DC cost-cutting. Was that a difficult transition for you?

PFEIFER: I wouldn't call the transition "difficult," because Peter Tomasi jumped right in and kept the momentum and the enthusiasm up. It was a stunner, though. Mike sent an e-mail to me and Kano, then called us soon afterward, telling us what the situation is and reassuring us that DC was still very much behind the book. It felt strange, because from the very beginning - even before I'd gotten the final OK as writer and Kano had been chosen as the artist - this was Mike's book. He told me about the idea, and helped me shape my proposal into what eventually became H-E-R-O. I hope he's doing well, and I hope he likes the book. It's as much his as anyone's.

JOZIC: I've heard really good things from other creators about working with Peter Tomasi. Would you say that your experience mirrors that impression?

PFEIFER: Yeah, I'm having a good time working with Peter on this series. He was kind of thrown into the mix all of a sudden, and he's got a real enthusiasm for H-E-R-O that I think will translate on the page. I know anyone who gave me the go ahead on a super-powered Jackass story is all right in my book!

JOZIC: I was really impressed with Kano's ability to show the world from our point of view, and then shift to the super-heroic reality of the DCU. Was that something that grew out of working on the book, or was that a deliberate choice by the creative team early on?

PFEIFER: Right from the start, Kano and I knew this comic book would have an unusual balance of super-hero action and down-to-earth, more human stories. Kano captures this feeling perfectly in his art. The down-to-earth settings are beautifully detailed and thought out. It's easy to see that Jerry Feldon has a life of his own, and lives in a fully fleshed-out world. But when the device is activated, Kano is great at capturing the majesty and power of super-heroes - and H-E-R-O wouldn't work without those show stopping scenes.

JOZIC: Was Kano the first artist selected for H-E-R-O, or did you go through a list of candidates before finally deciding on him?

PFEIFER: Oh, it was Kano right from the start. Mike showed me some sketches he was working on in a looser style than his Superman work, and we both agreed he was perfect for H-E-R-O. As soon as Kano and I started swapping e-mails about H-E-R-O, I could see he was thinking along the same line as me as far as the themes of the book and how to make them come across visually.

JOZIC: DC has the first three covers for H-E-R-O up on the mini-site and they look fantastic. Will John Van Fleet be contributing all the covers for the series?

PFEIFER: As far as I know. I hope so - he really captures the spirit of the series. The first time I saw his cover for issue 1, with Jerry in the rain reaching for the device, while a super-hero was reflected in the puddle, I was stunned at how it seemed to sum up the entire first issue - and even first arc - in a single, powerful image. I also like how it doesn't look like just another super-hero book, because we're trying very hard to make H-E-R-O something different from all the other super-hero books. It's not a Vertigo comic, and it's not an alternative comic, but it's not your average DC Universe book, either. I haven't talked to John yet, so I'm not sure what his thinking is behind the covers, but damn, I sure like what he's doing.

JOZIC: Is H-E-R-O going to take place in one specific area of the DCU, or will it travel around quite a bit?

PFEIFER: We'll jump all over the place - but remain right here on Earth, at least for the foreseeable future. The first arc takes place in Heaton, Pa., which is a fictional city that virtually died when the auto plant closed. (I based it somewhat on Youngstown, Ohio, which is near where I grew up.) After that, we move to Cleveland, then to the Chicago suburbs - all cities that, fictional or not, are in the DCU. Before long, I'm planning to set some stories in the twin cities of the DCU - Gotham and Metropolis. That should be a lot of fun, to play off the personalities those locales have developed over the years.

JOZIC: Would you ever consider taking the H-Dial abroad? Considering the differences in cultures and background, it could lead to an interesting story?

PFEIFER: Definitely. Right after 9-11, Mike and I talked about putting the device in the hands of a potential terrorist, and see where that might lead, but I never got that story quite figured out in my head. Obviously, it'd be a touchy one to write, and would walk a very fine line. I'd like to do it one of these days, along with other stories set in foreign lands, but I want to make sure I do the research first - I don't want it coming across as naive or patronizing.

JOZIC: I read in another interview that you have no plans to treat H-E-R-O as a soapbox for social commentary, but you also seem dedicated to approaching the stories from a thematic angle. Do you find it at all difficult to draw a line between the two?

PFEIFER: It can be a tricky balancing act. I want to set the comic in something that at least resembles the "real world," and I want to address real world issues. I think the first arc has some things to say about desperation, hope, ambition and the bravery it takes
to get through the day. I just don't want H-E-R-O to be the sort of comic book where every issue is a "very special episode," dealing with the Big Issue of the week. You know that TV show Boston Public, where every episode focuses on whatever the hot topic happens to be? That's exactly what I don't want H-E-R-O to be.

JOZIC: Do you see yourself experimenting with the storytelling on H-E-R-O?

PFEIFER: Oh yeah. To me, the most fun in comics comes from playing with the format and the conventions of the form. I like to experiment with pacing, cross-cutting and the combination of words and visuals. That's where I get my kicks, as the kids used to say.

JOZIC: Can you give an example of something you have done, or might do, to shake up the narrative?

PFEIFER: Well, in issue two, we learn that Jerry Feldon, the guy with the H-E-R-O device, is, in reality, A MUTANT!

Just kidding. I don't know if I can think of any examples of shaking up the narrative off the top of my head, and though I've definitely got some plot twists coming up, I don't want to spoil the surprise just yet.

JOZIC: What influences outside of comics do you draw on for inspiration?

PFEIFER: I don't think it's any secret that I'm a huge movie fan - I write a weekly film column for the Register Star here in Rockford, Illinois, and when I'm not reading comics or writing comics, I'm probably watching a movie. I find it fascinating to watch a movie - even one I've seen several times - and look at it with the idea of taking it apart to see how it's put together. Comics are not movies, but there are things we can learn from cinema that can be applied to comic books - scene construction, editing, pacing - even
lighting and sound effects. If you're stumped for how to make a scene in a comic book work, stick Goodfellas, Brazil, or A Clockwork Orange in your DVD player. If you can't get rid of your writer's block then, you're not really trying.

Along the same lines, I read a lot of screenplays, both for pleasure (what a film geek I am, eh?) and to see how the writer structured his story. Just got Adaptation, and I can't wait to give this movie a closer look.

JOZIC: So you're still working for the Rockford Register Star?

PFEIFER: I'm still working at the Register Star, as an assistant features editor and film columnist. I'd like to do comic books full-time, but I'm not ready to make that leap just yet. There's something to be said for job security and a health plan. One of these days, though, if H-E-R-O sells well and a couple more projects get going…

JOZIC: When did you actually start writing? What was the trigger that led you down this path?

PFEIFER: I've been writing since I was a little kid, and doing my own comics for almost as long. When I was young, I created more than 60 issues of a comic book called Frog, which was basically my excuse to rip off every bit of pop culture that interested me from those days - The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Wars, Kirby comics, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, Byrne's X-Men, James Bond movies, you name it. After that, I did a self-published mini-comic during college called Violent Man that I sold through the usual small press circles, and which developed a miniscule but devoted following of its own.

I'm not sure what the trigger was that led me down this sordid path of writing, but I guess I've always been interested in telling stories with words (and pictures). It's always been one of my favorite things to do, and the fact that I'm now doing it for real - and for money - is nothing short of amazing to me. Believe me, I'm damn grateful it worked out this way.

JOZIC: How far ahead of your deadlines do you usually work when you write?

PFEIFER: Pretty far. I've had the first issue of H-E-R-O written since last summer, and though the window has gotten a little tighter since then, I'm still several issues ahead of the game. Right now, I'm working on issue 6 (It's Feb. 4 as I sit here typing) but I've already written and turned in issue 7. I know DC likes to make sure we've got several issues in the can so the comics can come out on schedule month after month, which is fine with me. I mean, Planetary is a great comic, but when did the last issue come out? The mid '70s?

JOZIC: I know you were approached to do the mutant work over at Marvel, and you were also approached to do H-E-R-O as well. Did you have to put on the hard-sell for any of your work? Finals, perhaps?

PFEIFER: Finals was definitely a hard sell. Jill Thompson and I thought because she had done plenty of Sandman work for Vertigo, it would sail right through the approval process, but nope, we had to wait months and months just for someone to read the proposal. Then we waited more months as Joan Hilty, who liked the idea a lot, helped us get it into shape. There were plenty of times we thought it would never see print, and I've still got a rejection letter from Dark Horse when the project was called Terminal State University (its original title).

JOZIC: Did Dark Horse receive a box load of Finals from a mysterious benefactor after that?

PFEIFER: [laughs] Naw, I never actually even talked with anyone at Dark Horse about them not wanting to do Finals. I can't remember which companies we sent it to, but you can't really blame anyone for sticking it in the reject pile. Sometimes, I'm still amazed that Vertigo agreed to publish it. I'm very proud of Finals, and I know it has some dedicated fans out there, but those four issues didn't exactly light the comic book industry on fire, saleswise. I can't imagine anyone at Dark Horse is kicking themselves for not publishing it when they had the chance. Heck, I love Dark Horse - and I'm doing some work for them now. I wrote the intro for their new collection of Craig Russell's short stories (which is a great book, and which everyone should go buy) and I'm doing a Hellboy short story with Craig, too.

JOZIC: I actually just saw that intro this past weekend while looking thorugh Craig's trade. I thought, there's a bit of synchronicity for ya. How did you get roped into doing that, and does it have any connection to the Hellboy story you're doing?

PFEIFER: I wrote the intro because (a) I think Dark Horse needed someone who could turn something around pretty fast because the deadline was a matter of days, and (b) I've been friends with Craig since my days at Kent State University (Craig lives in Kent,
Ohio) and I'm a big fan of his work, too. He's one of the best in the business, if you ask me. The fast that the collection and the Hellboy story are coming out at almost the same time is a pure coincidence, I think - though I liked working with Dark Horse.

JOZIC: That Hellboy story, will it be appearing in the new Weird Tales series?

PFEIFER: The Hellboy story is in the Weird Tales series, but I'm not exactly sure what issue it's going to be in. I saw Craig Russell's layouts for it when I was in Ohio right before Christmas, but I'm not sure if he's finished it yet. Should be pretty cool - Hellboy goes to the Grand Guignol Theatre in Paris and (naturally) discovers a horrifying secret about the place.

JOZIC: Do you think there is s possibility of revisiting the Finals series in your future? For that matter, would you even be interested in doing another Finals series?

PFEIFER: I don't know how likely a Finals revival is, but I do know that Jill and I would love to do one. We both had a great time working on the original, and have actually worked out a second plot involving younger students this time, so we could travel inside the freshman dorms and see the unspeakable horrors that exist there. Of course, virtually every character from the original mini-series was dead by the last page, so we'd have to meet some new students - and naturally, not all of them would live to see the "THE END" in the last issue. Maybe if H-E-R-O really takes off, another Finals could get approved. I'd sure like to see it happen.

JOZIC: You said that your Dial "H" For Hero comics were in your mother's attic in Ohio, which is where you said your Dazzler's were when I interviewed you last. What other strange treasures do you have up there, and why are you storing all your comics in Ohio!?!

PFEIFER: That attic is full of all sorts of debris from my childhood - some Fisher Price toys, my beer can collection and all the comic books I didn't bring with me out to Rockford after college. I know mom would like that junk out of the house - especially all those worthless, smelly old beer cans, and now that I've finally got a house (with a big basement of its own) I figure I'll have to drag them out here one of these days. I've got plenty of comics out here already - just ask my wife - but I didn't bring out all of them. I
mean, c'mon…would you bring your copies of Dazzler across 3 states?

JOZIC: Now that you're writing the series for them, do you think DC will give you an honorary H-E-R-O T-Shirt?

PFEIFER: One night, while surfing around the Web, I actually checked eBay to see if they had any of those old "I DIALED H FOR HERO" T-shirts, but no one had one for sale. I guess anyone who managed to stick a hero in that '80s version and nabbed a free shirt considered it a prized possession. Either that, or they all fell apart years ago. I'd sure like one, though - just as a weird souvenir.

JOZIC: And lastly, despite some intense web searching, I could not find any official, or unofficial, Will Pfeifer sites. Is there anywhere that curious fans can find you on the web?

PFEIFER: I can be found haunting the message boards at www.lurid.com, which is a fine site put together by my good friend, Web master and indy director Wayne Harold (Townies, Killer Nerd). The site features sections devoted to comic book artists Craig Russell, Jay Geldhof, Mark Ricketts, Rob Ullman and actor Toby Radloff, as well as Wayne himself. There's a lively message board section that already has a thread devoted to H-E-R-O, as well as other fascinating topics. Anyone who wants to reach me can post something there, and I'll be sure to see it. And, if I ever get my act together, Wayne promises to put up a section on Lurid for me.

Have a question of your own you'd like to ask Will? Head over to the Feature Fiends Forum and post a query or two in the Questions for the Will Pfeifer Feature/Forum Project thread.

	Mike Jozic has spent the last several years interviewing comic book creators and other entertainment related personalities for various publications. He has been published both online and in print, with his work appearing in The Comics Journal, FearsMag.com and Silver Bullet Comicbooks. He maintains his own website at www.meanwhile.net and currently serves as the Features Editor for SBC.

Discuss this interview on the Feature Fiends Forum!