The Ninth Draft

Man, what a week...interviews are supposed to be an hour long not all bloody day! ...which you probably don't give a damn about. OK...I'll start again:

Hello my name is Alan Donald and I'm your eternal host for the Final Draft, SBC's very groovy magazine insert. As always we've got the panel answering your questions and so much more (well not a huge amount more but you get the idea some weeks are fuller than others)...

Oh I'll shut up and let you get on:

The Panel

Nine very different people from different parts of the comicbook industry, with different experiences and ideas on the industry come together to answer your questions. Jock, the New Boy just breaking through internationally; Peter David, the Old Boy, he's been there and done that, a comicbook superstar; Evil Rick Shea, the Retailer, he's on the front line pushing comics, listening to fans; Rick Benjamin, the fan, he supplied this week's question; Shawna Ervin-Gore, the Editor, she's Dark Horse's newest Editor and the only woman on the panel (until I can persuade any of the Panel to have the op); Joe Quesada, the Publisher, he's the Daddy at Marvel; Lee Dawson, Dark Horse's Publicity guru; Craig Lemon, the Hack, SBC's second-in-command, he edits loads of columns and runs one of the most respected review sections in the industry; and me, The Columnist because I really ought to get involved lazy bugger that I am.

This week's question is:

"What comics do you read regularly on top of those you may have to in connection with your job and why do you read them?"

New Boy: "2000AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, Hellblazer, 100 Bullets, the Batman Black & Whites, Automatic Kafka- comics-wise, that's about it really. I'm in serious need of broadening my vocab!"

The Old Boy: " Fables, Y: The Next Man, Cerebus, Strangers in Paradise, Spider-Man (by JMS), The Crossovers, various others.

Why? Because I like them.

M-O-U-S-E."

The Editor: "A lot of the comics I like don't come out on a terribly regular schedule, but lately (meaning the last 18 months or so) I've been picking up Blue Monday, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, DC/Vertigo's POP titles (London and Tokyo), Kissing Chaos, and a few manga from Viz. I used to love Pulp ...Shonen Jump just isn't the same. But I'm a huge fan of Uzamaki and Short Cuts, which were both Pulp serials. More than titles, I tend to keep my eye on writers and artists, and I'm always looking for new stuff from Jim Woodring, Junko Mizuno, James Kolchaka, Usuamaru Furuya, Kia Asamiya, Los Bros. Hernandez, Paul Pope, Jill Thompson ... that's keeping it brief."

The Publisher: " Lately I haven't been able to read much from other publishers, just too busy at the office-- actually doing some artwork these days. I do get to skim through stuff but that's just to see what artist I can steal. A while ago when I had some free time I was reading a lot of Oni product, Powers and Kabuki when it came out and Y: The Last Man as well. "

The Publicist: "Let's see, a few of my non-company related titles that I am currently picking up are....Y-The Last Man, Batman, Lenore, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, X-Statix, Sleeper, Gotham Central and Astro City. There are probably a few more that I can't recall right now...Why do I read these titles? More and more in recent years I have always gravitated towards the writing in a book above all else. I think all these titles prove to be outstanding in that capacity. If the art is great too, then all the better! But just like the movies, it all starts with the written page."

The Retailer: "What comics do you read regularly on top of those you may have to in connection with your job and why do you read them?

I read about 150 comics or so a month as I always try to sample new books and get a feel for what succeeds and what doesn't. Although I sometimes miss the slower days where I could just sit around and read, I'm usually far too busy to read anything while I'm at the store. I usually take the preview stack home on Wednesday or Thursday night to read during the wee hours while my fiancee is sleeping and the rest of you are looking at porn. I'm such a fanboy.

I wouldn't be a comics retailer if I didn't love to read comics, so I'll throw down my absolute favorite books right now in no particular order: Y the Last Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Batman, Alias, Daredevil, Flash, Gotham Central, HERO, JSA, Negation, New X-Men, Powers, Sojourn, Stray Bullets, Ultimates, X-Statix and anything by James Kochalka. These are some of the books that will make me drop anything else the day they come out to see where these characters are headed next."

The Hack: " Powers - because it's great fun, because it has a superb letters page
Cerebus - because, if nothing else, it makes you think
Hellblazer - because I've been with it through thick and thin since issue one and it's finally got good again
Route 666 - because it's the best CG title by a mile and an excellent story to boot
Grendel - because it's Matt Wagner, baby
Blade of the Immortal - because it's the best currently published Manga book
The Devil's Footprints/The Blackburne Covenant - horror done very very well
Ult. Spider-Man/Daredevil/Alias - because they're Bendis
Other regulars - Berlin, Strangers in Paradise, Bone, Hellboy, Leave it to Chance, Strangehaven, Ultimates, christ there's loads of these.
...and a shedload of trades I buy each month."

The Fan: "I read Ultimate X-Men, Ultimates, Buffy and Star Wars."

The Columnist: "Um...too many but a fraction of what I did when I had a shop is the easy answer. I'll keep it as succinct as I can:

The Bat titles - Everyone has a weak spot, Mr Wayne and his extended family are mine.
The Super titles - I usually say that it's because Dawn insists but I kinda enjoy them too.
The Spider titles - They all have different takes on an excellent character.
Fables - Fantastic.
2000AD/Megazine - THRILLPOWER!!!!
New X-Men - It took me a while to get into the new style but now I'm there I can't get out.
Daredevil - BENDIS!
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - "Candles, Romance..." Heheheh
Dogwitch - Try it and see.
The Filth - I haven't a clue what it is all about but that doesn't matter.
Star Wars Tales - Incredible, funny and original.
Strangers in Paradise - Need I explain?
Paradise Too - Heheheheh.
And...oh bloody hell there's loads more but it's late at night and I haven't got a pile of them near me at the minute. Needless to say there's more nonspandex titles too and more from smaller companies."

This Week

Well only a week after putting this section on hiatus it returns thanks to a bit of 'news' forwarded to me...

"NEWSARAMA: WIZARDWORLD EAST'S VERTIGO PANEL RECAP

"The Losers: Andy Diggle and Jock. Beyond the basic press already out, it was revealed that "Jock" is a term for a drinker, rather than an athlete as it is stateside. On the other side of the pond, though, it seems drinking is a sport, so they estimated Steve Dillon was the one who was nearly inhuman at drinking, Ennis as well in his own league, then Jock, then any Americans.""

In reply Jock had this to say:

"What the f... ?"

And I'll add for the hard of thinking...'Jock' is a term that is globally recognised as a generic term for those of Scottish origin. All Scots (not Scotch, that's a drink) are Jocks, all Americans are termed 'Yanks' (despite it only, strictly, refering to half the country) in the UK, Brits are 'Limeys' in the US (a term derived from the fact that British sailors used to eat limes as a way of avoiding scurvy on long voyages, exchange Limey for 'Pom' in Australia, I dunno why), Australians are Ozzies, New Zealanders are Kiwis and so on. I'm glad that's cleared up. Oh incidentally 'Jock' as in the US term for athlete isn't exactly a complementary term as it's a contraction for the bollock crushing underwear, popular amongst athletes, known as a jockstrap.

From what I hear, though…Ennis would drink Dillon under the table. As for Jock, I'll tell you first hand after the UK's Winter Festival when I'm planning on catching up with him for a jug of Guinness or five.

Personally I'm not sure if this is a lazy piece of journalism or an attempt to be funny. As a Jock I'm inclined to think it's a Sassanach plot to subvert the global perception of my race and to reduce us to being a byword for alcoholism. Putting aside the enormous contribution the Scots have had on the word (Wha's Like Us? A little in joke for those in the know, head down to the very bottom of the column to see what the Hell I'm on about if you don't already know) we don't need any help in that regard, thank you.

Ten (mostly) silly questions

Take a comic pro, lull them into a false sense of security with a few jokey questions then hit 'em with a few serious ones. That's the plan anyway. In the hotseat this week is Losers’ and Judge Dredd artist (as well as Final Draft panelist), Jock.

So here we go:

1) When did you last get so drunk you can't remember all of the night before?

"I ALWAYS remember the night before.... though Bristol came pretty close to forgetting some details."

2) What's your real name - and why Jock?

"Why Jock? just because I'm scots..."

3) Kylie or Madonna (purely sexual not the music)?

"Kylie.... ever since seeing her in the flesh- i was backstage with her at a radio 1 gig I did. Sad to admit it, but she looked amazing in real life."

4) What really annoys you?

"Control"

5) How'd you get your big break (UK and US)?

"UK? showed my stuff to Andy Diggle who was sub editor at 2000AD at the time. US? Andy Diggle introduced me to Karen Berger.... hmmm, I'm seeing a theme here."

6) Chinese, Indian or Fish and Chips?

"Indian- though chinese is a close second."

7) Why should people read the Losers?

"hopefully it'll be a fresh take on things... and because Andy writes a cracking script."

8) Got any dirt you'd like to share on any comic's pros?

"sorry"

9) Who'd win in a fight Alan Moore or Todd McFarlane?

"Alan would so whip Todd's media ass."

10) Who are you?

"..."

Digging Deeper

This is an occasional column where I dig a little deeper into a story from the last month or so.

Bill Rosemann's interview concludes next week (give the guy a break I asked him loads of questions and he's just had a con to do and loads of promotional stuff for CrossGen...).

Why Aren't You Reading...Update

Just finished 'Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman'. I will post a full review somewhere on SBC in the near future but I promised Smoky and Gary that I'd give you all my final verdict when I'd finished it.

Fan-bloody-tastic

The book is crammed full of stories, anecdotes, cartoons and more all very neatly put together (there's some great editing in there). The book stays compelling throughout and despite it all you still feel that Alan Moore is an enigma, just as he should be.

Cool Sites

This is an infrequent feature where I look at the cool websites you've sent into me. Email me on AlanWJDonald@aol.com with your suggestions.

Here's one from column Editor, Craig Lemon:

http://www.thesite.org/magazine/dodgy.html

Basically it's a questionnaire to find out just how dodgy you are as a person. It's based on the UK but there's plenty of global info too (let's just say I'm glad I don't live in some US states).

Craig got 31.5 years in prison and a potential fine of Ł7000, I'm not even in his league with a mere 5.5 years in prison and a Ł2000 fine (and most of that was bashing someone on the Rugby pitch), how did you do?

Noticeboard

Remember I need you to be sending in your announcements, signings, events and such like to pin up on the Board. Meanwhile you should check out previous week's Notice Board as many of the announcements on there will still be current.

Only thing on the board this week is from Kev F, the co-organiser of the UK Comicbook festival:

"Winter Fest: Consensus … is that Nov 1st at Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury is a good idea and will go ahead as long as I can secure sufficient support from publishers and comics industry. Looking good. I'm told there are two Holiday Inn Bloomsburys - which you'd think Holiday Inn might have mentioned! So, it's the one on Coram St, as used for DreddCon and UKCACs of old."

Anyone wanting more details or to book a table/panel should email me at: AlanWJDonald@aol.com. It's the same address to get stuff put on the Noticeboard and you really should get off your arses and do it, surely there are Cons, signings etc that could do with more publicity?

Ug. Long week more to go...withdrawal from Comicbook Festival wasn't easy, a one day high following the Festival which I spent reading everything I'd bought/been given followed by a solid low as I haven't been able to get to the comicbook shop. It's a hard life (and that's without all day long interviews to try and get onto a one-year teaching course at University...).

TTFN - Alan Donald signing off from Sassanachland.

The Final Draft, its contents, its style and the concept in general even the bits stolen from elsewhere are the intellectual property of Alan Donald. All contributions remain the property of the contributors who have given Alan Donald permission to use them in this format except for those who haven’t. The views expressed herein by contributors are theirs alone and not necessarily those of SBC nor the columnist. Conversely the views expressed by the columnist’s dog are not necessarily shared by the contributors, SBC or even the columnist himself.

To redress the balance following the scandalous slur perpetrated by Newsarama here's the complete text of Wha's Like Us so that all those of Scottish blood can feel proud:

Wha's Like Us? - Damn Few And They're A' Died!
The average Englishman in the home he call his castle slips into his national costume, a shabby raincoat, patented by Chemist Charles Macintosh from Glascow, Scotland.
En-route to his office he strides along the English lane, surfaced by John Macadam of Ayr, Scotland.
He drives an English car fitted with tyres invented by John Boyd Dunlop, Veterinary Surgeon of Dreghorn, Scotland.
At the office he receives the mail bearing adhesive stamps invented by John Chalmers, Bookseller and Printer of Dundee, Scotland.
During the day he uses the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell, born in Edinburgh, Scotland. At home in the evening his daughter pedals her bicycle invented by Kirkpatrick Macmillan, Blacksmith of Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
He watches the news on television, an invention of John Logie Baird of Helensburgh, Scotland, and hears an item about the U.S. Navy founded by John Paul Jones of Kirkbean, Scotland.
Nowhere can an Englishman turn to escape the ingenuity of the Scots.
He has by now been reminded too much of Scotland and in desperation he picks up the Bible, only to find that the first man mentioned in the good book is a Scot, King James VI, who authorized its translation.
He could take to drink but the Scots make the best in the world.
He could take a rifle and end it all, but the breech-loading rifle was invented by Captain Patrick Ferguson of Pitfours, Scotland.
If he escaped death, he could find himself on an operating table injected with penicillin, discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming of Darvel, Scotland, and given chloroform, an anesthetic discovered by Sir James Young Simpson, Obstetrician and Gynecologist of Bathgate, Scotland.
Out of the anesthetic he would find no comfort in learning that he was as safe as the Bank of England founded by William Paterson of Dumfries, Scotland.
Perhaps his only remaining hope would be to get a transfusion of guid Scottish blood which would entitle him to ask:
"Wha's Like Us?"