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 GRIFFIN: Hey. The name’s Griffin. My old man’s the Greek god of death. Why in Hades should anyone care what you guys have to say? PB: Look, Griffin, it’s not my fault your mom went to Hades to be with your dad and left you all alone in the world of the living. Okay, as the book’s writer maybe it is my fault, so I’ll answer your question. When it comes to comics, manga or otherwise, I come from a truly global perspective. I grew up reading American comics but got my start as a comic book professional working with European books like Italy’s DYLAN DOG and NATHAN NEVER. I even developed the pitch that got J. Michael Straczynski interested in making Belgium’s JEREMIAH into a TV show. I was also Managing Editor at Humanoids Publishing, bringing French titles like THE METABARONS to America and creating partnerships between European and American comic book creators such as Fabien Nury and John Cassaday’s I AM LEGION. I loved manga and anime as much as any sci-fi/fantasy/comics geek should, but I was never as big a fan as some of my friends who learned Japanese so that they could read books that hadn’t been translated. I’ve been reading a lot of manga since I started talking to TOKYOPOP about PANTHEON HIGH about a year and a half ago. I can only hope that my unique perspective will give y’all some pleasure in reading this column. Oh, and I live in Texas now, so y’all is a perfectly legitimate noun as far as I’m concerned. SC: I think Winston Churchill said "y’all" too. That's more for your European connection, Paul. As for myself, I discovered American comics at the same time I found Japanese ones and from a very early age I was hooked on manga. That's not to say I didn't like American comics. I was an avid X-fan who enjoyed the occasional foray into Batman's Gotham. But manga had a special appeal to me that to this day pretty much dictates what I read. I liked manga so much that when I went to college to study languages and linguistics, a desire to master Japanese eventually saw me in Japan for college and grad school. In Japan I was conveniently close to the source of my love for manga and my artistic training there resulted in a strong Japanese influence in my art. An even stronger desire to work in comics saw me back in America about four years later and working with DC Comics. I have since then worked on some great American classic titles like Batman: LOTDK and Excalibur as well as taking a side trip into Europe to work on the third volume of Army of Angels with Humanoids. Without a doubt, though, going with Paul and the pitch for PANTHEON HIGH to TOKYOPOP led to the most fun and fulfilling work I have had in my short career. I love getting up every morning and putting the art skills I learned in Japan to use (some of which can probably only be learned there) and I hope that everyone who does us the favor of taking the time to pick up a copy of the book will get the same feeling of satisfaction reading it that I got working on it. PB: So check us out every few weeks for all things manga and to hear more about PANTHEON HIGH.  DAPHNE: Forsooth, my father Apollo sends a vision of the future! In two weeks Steven and Paul will share their holiday shopping guide, complete with reviews of Manga and other gifts that will make your friends and family love you even more! : : |
7 May 2008 30 April 2008 23 April 2008 16 April 2008
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