Random questions thread

[Winghead]

Hey Ron, I tried to log in to the top cow forum, because I know you post there, but it wont accept any of my e-mail addresses, so I wanted to start a general questions thread here.

1. Do you check this forum often?

2. I mentioned this in another post, but did you intentionally make Patrick Gleason similar to Kyle Rayner? When I first read him in your Witchblade it was almost like reading Kyle again the way I liked him written.

3. Doesn't it piss you the hell off when people still talk about you being a mysogynist because of that refrigerator thing? I honestly think thats one of the most unfair stigmas any writer has ever had to face. If anything I can see a real liberal slant in your writing. You write strong women, and you have deemphasized the T and A element of Witchblade which always made it hard for me to take seriously and turned it in to a fantastic character driven drama.

Just wanted to let you know that you are doing a band up job on the title. I would love to know what other stuff I have missed of yours after GL and aside from Witchblade. What will you be working on in the near future.

I know its a lot of questions but I love being able to talk to my favorite creators and you seem to have more patience than most.

[Ron Marz]

Sorry you couldn't log in over at the Cow. Dunno what's going on, but keep trying.

1. I try to check it once a day, depending on my workload.

2. Answered that in the other thread, and left of list of some recent projects. Go buy Samurai!

3. No, it doesn't piss me off. I don't agree with it, obviously, but people (especially those who come in with a pre-conceived stance) often see what they want to see.

[Winghead]

Thanks so much for your detailed response. Always cool to talk to creators that actually care about the readers.

So is Pantheon City an ongoing or a mini? When will Magdalena start, and will Artifacts be a 13 issue mini or a crossover with different series?

I will look for Samurai

Its cool that you have such an easy going attitude toward such obviously ludicrous claims.

[Ron Marz]

Pantheon City is a 4-issue mini. A teaser story already appeared in the FCBD issue from Dark Horse two years ago (the same one with the first Umbrella Academy story).

Magdalena #1 will be out in spring of 2010.

Artifacts will be a self-contained series of 13 issues.

[Winghead]

Is Magdalena considered a controversial character? Do you know if there has been any serious backlash from any religious organizations regarding the character a la DaVinci Code? (obviously that was far more mainstream, but just wondering?)

I'm not that familiar with the origins of the character, but why did she decide to stop aligning herself with the church?

I picked up all of your Witchblade trades and I'm wodering where broken trinity falls in the reading order. Is there a trade for it? Is it essential to the main story like first born? Your writing has really evolved. I also picked up the second Samurai volume and need to track down the first.


also...I'm not sure if you got my Private message or not, about the possibility of appearing at a Toronto Music and arts event I am putting together in early 2010 (not sure if it actually sent) could you confirm when you get a chance?

[Winghead]

I'm also wondering what your favorite indie comics are? Have you read Cerebus, Strangers In Paradise, Usagi Yojimbo? What do you think of them. I'm sorry I keep posting here. The Top Cow forum wont allow me to use gmail or hotmail and i cant get any other emails. I know you seem to be on there more often.

[Ron Marz]

Is Magdalena considered a controversial character? Do you know if there has been any serious backlash from any religious organizations regarding the character a la DaVinci Code? (obviously that was far more mainstream, but just wondering?)

I'm not that familiar with the origins of the character, but why did she decide to stop aligning herself with the church?

I picked up all of your Witchblade trades and I'm wodering where broken trinity falls in the reading order. Is there a trade for it? Is it essential to the main story like first born? Your writing has really evolved. I also picked up the second Samurai volume and need to track down the first.


also...I'm not sure if you got my Private message or not, about the possibility of appearing at a Toronto Music and arts event I am putting together in early 2010 (not sure if it actually sent) could you confirm when you get a chance?


I imagine somebody somewhere is bent out of shape over Magdalena, but I don't know of examples. If people got bent out of shape about a poorly-written piece of work like "The Da Vinci Code," Magdalena is likely to offend someone's delicate sensibilities too.

A bit of Magdalena's background is covered in the story Ryan Sook and I did in "First Born Aftermath." But you'll get everything you need to know in the new series.

Broken Trinity does not fall in a specific slot in terms of WB reading order. The collected edition is not out yet. It's not as essential as First Born, though there's some character stuff, especially in the Broken Trinity: Witchblade issue.

And thanks for picking up Samurai. Got your PM, will respond soon.

[Ron Marz]

I'm also wondering what your favorite indie comics are? Have you read Cerebus, Strangers In Paradise, Usagi Yojimbo? What do you think of them. I'm sorry I keep posting here. The Top Cow forum wont allow me to use gmail or hotmail and i cant get any other emails. I know you seem to be on there more often.


Read all of those, like all of those. Some of my favorites are older series like American Flagg!, Grendel and Nexus, as well as stuff like Hellboy, BPRD, From Hell, Queen & Country, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

[Winghead]

Samurai was awesome. Do you ever know how to pick artists. I'm not surprised this is your personal favorite. I would be very proud.

[Winghead]

Are you a Kevin Smith fan? The movies more than the comics. Some of the dialogue in WB reminds me of his stuff which is a complement considering he's my favorite current indie film director.

Be honest did you really make it to the end of Cerebus?

[Winghead]

Where did you get the idea to do a story on the Chabad Labavich Jews of crown heights?

Pretty accurate from your end. The only criticism I have is with the editorial. I'm almost positive that they only try to convert secular Jews to become religious. The editorial says they try to convert gentiles as well which I think is a common misconception.

Great story though and I was really impressed with the obvious research that was done

[Ron Marz]

Are you a Kevin Smith fan? The movies more than the comics. Some of the dialogue in WB reminds me of his stuff which is a complement considering he's my favorite current indie film director.

Be honest did you really make it to the end of Cerebus?


Nope, didn't make it to the end of Cerebus. Maybe someday.

More a fan of Kevin Smith's writing than his direction. I feel like as a director he doesn't know where to put his camera.

[Ron Marz]

Where did you get the idea to do a story on the Chabad Labavich Jews of crown heights?

Pretty accurate from your end. The only criticism I have is with the editorial. I'm almost positive that they only try to convert secular Jews to become religious. The editorial says they try to convert gentiles as well which I think is a common misconception.

Great story though and I was really impressed with the obvious research that was done


I had read a National Geographic article on the Lubavichers a number of years ago, and tucked the information away in the back of my head. A more recent NY Times photo essay also played a part. But I've always found that kind of society, living within a larger society but very much apart in terms of dress, culture, etc., to be pretty fascinating.

[Winghead]

What are Top Cow's sales expectations for Witchblade? How are sales measured at TC in comparison to Marvel/DC. Are they happy with the current sales.

The reason I ask is I look at the charts at it looks to be selling fairly well for a smaller publisher, but where I live (Toronto), it is very hard to find at even the large well known comic shops, and many say they only order a couple of copies a month. Other titles like The Darkness are not even ordered by most of our stores, yet pretty much every store carries Savage Dragon, which sells almost a third of what WB sells.

[Winghead]

How did you get involved with Deepak Chopra and all of those Indian themed books from Virgin?

[Winghead]

What did you think about Gerard Jones GL titles before you came on board. He definitely had a different style and that was the GL I remember as a kid. I Actually abandoned comics completely right at around #45 and I only discovered Kyle and your run in the last few years when I got into comics again. Hard to believe how close I got to everything changing.

What is Gerard doing now? I haven't really heard much about him and there is very little information

[Winghead]

What did you think about Gerard Jones GL titles before you came on board. He definitely had a different style and that was the GL I remember as a kid. I Actually abandoned comics completely right at around #45 and I only discovered Kyle and your run in the last few years when I got into comics again. Hard to believe how close I got to everything changing.

What is Gerard doing now? I haven't really heard much about him and there is very little information

[Winghead]

Sorry about the double post my blackberry froze

[Ron Marz]

What are Top Cow's sales expectations for Witchblade? How are sales measured at TC in comparison to Marvel/DC. Are they happy with the current sales.

The reason I ask is I look at the charts at it looks to be selling fairly well for a smaller publisher, but where I live (Toronto), it is very hard to find at even the large well known comic shops, and many say they only order a couple of copies a month. Other titles like The Darkness are not even ordered by most of our stores, yet pretty much every store carries Savage Dragon, which sells almost a third of what WB sells.


Obviously Top Cow is a much smaller operation than Marvel or DC, so they have a lot less overhead to deal with, and therefore are profitable at much lower sales thresholds. I'm can't say what their specific sales expectations are, though you always want to sell more copies than you're selling.

The unfortunate truth is that a lot of stores order the usual Marvel and DC stuff and don't bother with much of anything else. In other words, they provide the same audience with the same product, instead of trying to attract new customers by adding other offerings.

[Ron Marz]

How did you get involved with Deepak Chopra and all of those Indian themed books from Virgin?


Deepak's Chopra's son Gotham was a fan of my writing, and a mutual friend put us in touch with each other. We worked out an agreement for me to do some editing and writing for Virgin, working with (and teaching, to a certain extent) a lot of their India-based talent. I enjoyed the experience, especially adapting Deepak's screenplay "Beyond" into comic form.

Virgin has morphed into Liquid Comics, and I'm doing a bit of writing for them now.

[Ron Marz]

What did you think about Gerard Jones GL titles before you came on board. He definitely had a different style and that was the GL I remember as a kid. I Actually abandoned comics completely right at around #45 and I only discovered Kyle and your run in the last few years when I got into comics again. Hard to believe how close I got to everything changing.

What is Gerard doing now? I haven't really heard much about him and there is very little information

I had read the first few issues of the new GL series (volume 3), and then lost track of it after that, so I didn't actually read much of Gerry's stuff until I took over the book. At that point, I went back and read everything, but that's a different process than just reading for enjoyment.

As far as I know, Gerry isn't working in comics anymore, but is concentrating on books. But he did release the very fine "Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book" a few years back.

[Winghead]

Just going back to earlier question, are you saying that Top Cow is satisfied with sales of Witchblade? I hope they are because its the best its ever been right now.

Stjepan must be the best artist in the business right now. Every issue is a work of art. And your storytelling is always awesome!

[ScottyQuick]

3. Doesn't it piss you the hell off when people still talk about you being a mysogynist because of that refrigerator thing? I honestly think thats one of the most unfair stigmas any writer has ever had to face. If anything I can see a real liberal slant in your writing. You write strong women, and you have deemphasized the T and A element of Witchblade which always made it hard for me to take seriously and turned it in to a fantastic character driven drama.

Who on Earth called Mr. Marz a misogynist?

[Ron Marz]

Just going back to earlier question, are you saying that Top Cow is satisfied with sales of Witchblade? I hope they are because its the best its ever been right now.

Stjepan must be the best artist in the business right now. Every issue is a work of art. And your storytelling is always awesome!

I would assume not satisfied, since you always want to sell more of the book, no matter what it's selling.

And for what it's worth, sales and quality often have very little to do with one another for any company's books.

[Ron Marz]

Who on Earth called Mr. Marz a misogynist?


A lot of people who couldn't spell it properly.

[Winghead]

Hey Ron, I know you're busy but did you get my second pm regarding the event I'm putting together. I gave you more details in it.

[ScottyQuick]

A lot of people who couldn't spell it properly.

Was it because of the whole Alex DeWitt thing?

[Ron Marz]

Was it because of the whole Alex DeWitt thing?

Yup.

Apparently, some people don't realize that evil characters are prone to doing evil things.

[The Gunslinger]

Is The Magdalena a actual descended of Christ, or a title the church passed down to who they choose to be the next Magdalena?

[Ron Marz]

Is The Magdalena a actual descended of Christ, or a title the church passed down to who they choose to be the next Magdalena?


According to what has been established previously, an actual descendent of Christ and Mary Magdalene.

[David Walton]

Who's your favorite Star Wars character? (Assuming you have one.)

[Ron Marz]

Who's your favorite Star Wars character? (Assuming you have one.)


Probably Han Solo.

But in terms of writing a SW character, I enjoyed Vader the most.

[David Walton]

Probably Han Solo.

But in terms of writing a SW character, I enjoyed Vader the most.

What's your favorite SW story you wrote?

And a second question. You had a GL issue which I can't remember the number (my apologies) with an interesting narrative device. You had a panel at the bottom of every page that we eventually learned was Donna waiting for Kyle to arrive at the beach, but it was fairly effective at building tension.

Had you seen that technique before? And did you ever use it again?

[Ron Marz]

What's your favorite SW story you wrote?

And a second question. You had a GL issue which I can't remember the number (my apologies) with an interesting narrative device. You had a panel at the bottom of every page that we eventually learned was Donna waiting for Kyle to arrive at the beach, but it was fairly effective at building tension.

Had you seen that technique before? And did you ever use it again?

Either the Darth Vader story from Star Wars Tales (the TPB version, not the single-issue version, which had some mistaken dialogue in it), or the Vader vs. Maul story from Star Wars Tales.

And I'm sure I had seen that technique before, though probably not in quite that way. It was likely inspired by Simonson's "coming of Surtur/DOOM!" pages from his initial Thor arc, though that was pages over a number of issues, rather than panels within an issue.

Don't think I ever used it again. I try not to repeat myself.