grinner
06-05-2004, 09:18 AM
GrimJack Is Back!
Superstars, Scoop, Friday, June 04, 2004
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/news_images/5397_14162_1.jpg
After long legal wrangling, the creative team of writer John Ostrander and artist Tim Truman recently announced that they had recovered the rights to GrimJack, who they created originally as a back-up feature in the pages of First Comics' Starslayer.
Now they, along with original series editor Mike Gold and original letterer John Workman, have landed GrimJack at IDW Publishing, where they will produce both new material and collections of the original stories beginning early next year.
The first collection will package the Ostrander/Truman backup stories that originally ran in Starslayer along with the book-length GrimJack/Starslayer crossover. Additionally the volume will include a new eight-page story by the duo.
The early issues of GrimJack, which debuted in 1984 and ran 81 issues (until 1991), will also be collected.
Although Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) and Watchmen (1986) are credited (or sometimes labeled) with starting the trend toward “dark and gritty” comics, GrimJack was well ahead of them, first appearing in 1983. It may be that GrimJack escapes those trappings, though, because it always managed to mix humor into bleak situations and somberness into humorous situations, helping it rise above regular labels.
It was an early fan favorite in what was usual called “independent comics,” which was a catch-all phrase generally used to describe anything that wasn't from Marvel or DC, but what made it so popular then, and popular enough that the creators would try it again now?
“Both John and Tim were big comics fans, but both brought in new influences,” said Mike Gold, who edited the original series at First Comics and who will also edit the new GrimJack adventures.
“Tim was big in the role playing games field as an artist for TSR; he's a gifted musician and he's heavily influenced by some of the great underground artists. John's an accomplished actor and playwright -- he even co-wrote a play performed by Joe Mantegna and Dennis Franz. When I put them together on Starslayer, I did so because I thought we all shared a common worldview and a similar approach to life. GrimJack is sort of this curious blend of The Who, Walter Hill movies, and the Firesign Theatre; influences that were common to all three of us,” Gold said.
GrimJack, as mentioned, was easily one of the most popular characters with fans during the early independent comics era, but what makes the creative team think there will still be an audience for it today?
“Fair question. In some ways, GrimJack was ahead of its time, with its gritty approach and its hard-ass, soiled heroes. It's actually more contemporary today than it was when we started,” Gold said. “We have television shows and movies like Deadwood and Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Kill Bill; they're just beginning to catch up to us. Of course, we're all more experienced as well, but we're not necessarily any more mature. We're going to continue to push that envelope. There're eight million stories in Cynosure, and we've got more than a few that've been percolating for a while now.”
IDW's Beau Smith echoed those sentiments.
“I think what made it such a bright spot in the '80s was the fact that it was an ass kickin' story that was way ahead of it's time. The original stories still stand up easy today. It was a great combo of all the genres and made good story telling sense,” Smith said. “It didn't hurt that the art was also a few levels above everyone else.”
In addition to the tough-as-nails title character and a host of supporting players, Cynosure, the pan-dimensional city where GrimJack's stories took place, and Munden's Bar, where GrimJack hung his hat, were themselves essential elements of the stories.
“Very, very important. Critical,” Gold said. “Munden's Bar and Cynosure are as important as GrimJack or BlacJacMac or Roscoe or Bob the Watch Lizard. Maybe even moreso. Both are the biggest, most fun sandbox you could ever play in.”
Since IDW has established themselves as a source from horror and crime comics, is GrimJack a natural fit for them? There are definitely horror elements in the series, but there's also a lot more. IDW's Smith said the company's only concern is quality, not genre.
“The best part about working at IDW Publishing is that we are not hindered by genre. There is nothing we won't do if it is a cool property or idea,” he said. “We have no fences.”
If we know GrimJack's past adventures, what's something fans should expect about the new material?
“We're all a lot more experienced,” Gold said. “We're better at what we do. Each and every one of us. And in many ways we're even more bizarre than we were back in the First days; that's what experience can do for you, if you encourage it to happen.”
Sometimes these sorts of reunions don't go well, but Gold, Smith and the rest of those involved in GrimJack have very positive expectations.
“It's like a family reunion, only good. John and Tim are more than collaborators and friends, they're my blood brothers. I've known John 33 years, I've known Tim for 22. I haven't been this happy since the day I got married. It's safe to say John and Tim are having a lot of fun as well. You ought to see our e-mails. I'd publish them in a book, if I wasn't afraid we'd be sent away someplace far away and weird,” Gold said with a laugh. “Like, you know, Munden's Bar.”
Superstars, Scoop, Friday, June 04, 2004
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/news_images/5397_14162_1.jpg
After long legal wrangling, the creative team of writer John Ostrander and artist Tim Truman recently announced that they had recovered the rights to GrimJack, who they created originally as a back-up feature in the pages of First Comics' Starslayer.
Now they, along with original series editor Mike Gold and original letterer John Workman, have landed GrimJack at IDW Publishing, where they will produce both new material and collections of the original stories beginning early next year.
The first collection will package the Ostrander/Truman backup stories that originally ran in Starslayer along with the book-length GrimJack/Starslayer crossover. Additionally the volume will include a new eight-page story by the duo.
The early issues of GrimJack, which debuted in 1984 and ran 81 issues (until 1991), will also be collected.
Although Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) and Watchmen (1986) are credited (or sometimes labeled) with starting the trend toward “dark and gritty” comics, GrimJack was well ahead of them, first appearing in 1983. It may be that GrimJack escapes those trappings, though, because it always managed to mix humor into bleak situations and somberness into humorous situations, helping it rise above regular labels.
It was an early fan favorite in what was usual called “independent comics,” which was a catch-all phrase generally used to describe anything that wasn't from Marvel or DC, but what made it so popular then, and popular enough that the creators would try it again now?
“Both John and Tim were big comics fans, but both brought in new influences,” said Mike Gold, who edited the original series at First Comics and who will also edit the new GrimJack adventures.
“Tim was big in the role playing games field as an artist for TSR; he's a gifted musician and he's heavily influenced by some of the great underground artists. John's an accomplished actor and playwright -- he even co-wrote a play performed by Joe Mantegna and Dennis Franz. When I put them together on Starslayer, I did so because I thought we all shared a common worldview and a similar approach to life. GrimJack is sort of this curious blend of The Who, Walter Hill movies, and the Firesign Theatre; influences that were common to all three of us,” Gold said.
GrimJack, as mentioned, was easily one of the most popular characters with fans during the early independent comics era, but what makes the creative team think there will still be an audience for it today?
“Fair question. In some ways, GrimJack was ahead of its time, with its gritty approach and its hard-ass, soiled heroes. It's actually more contemporary today than it was when we started,” Gold said. “We have television shows and movies like Deadwood and Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Kill Bill; they're just beginning to catch up to us. Of course, we're all more experienced as well, but we're not necessarily any more mature. We're going to continue to push that envelope. There're eight million stories in Cynosure, and we've got more than a few that've been percolating for a while now.”
IDW's Beau Smith echoed those sentiments.
“I think what made it such a bright spot in the '80s was the fact that it was an ass kickin' story that was way ahead of it's time. The original stories still stand up easy today. It was a great combo of all the genres and made good story telling sense,” Smith said. “It didn't hurt that the art was also a few levels above everyone else.”
In addition to the tough-as-nails title character and a host of supporting players, Cynosure, the pan-dimensional city where GrimJack's stories took place, and Munden's Bar, where GrimJack hung his hat, were themselves essential elements of the stories.
“Very, very important. Critical,” Gold said. “Munden's Bar and Cynosure are as important as GrimJack or BlacJacMac or Roscoe or Bob the Watch Lizard. Maybe even moreso. Both are the biggest, most fun sandbox you could ever play in.”
Since IDW has established themselves as a source from horror and crime comics, is GrimJack a natural fit for them? There are definitely horror elements in the series, but there's also a lot more. IDW's Smith said the company's only concern is quality, not genre.
“The best part about working at IDW Publishing is that we are not hindered by genre. There is nothing we won't do if it is a cool property or idea,” he said. “We have no fences.”
If we know GrimJack's past adventures, what's something fans should expect about the new material?
“We're all a lot more experienced,” Gold said. “We're better at what we do. Each and every one of us. And in many ways we're even more bizarre than we were back in the First days; that's what experience can do for you, if you encourage it to happen.”
Sometimes these sorts of reunions don't go well, but Gold, Smith and the rest of those involved in GrimJack have very positive expectations.
“It's like a family reunion, only good. John and Tim are more than collaborators and friends, they're my blood brothers. I've known John 33 years, I've known Tim for 22. I haven't been this happy since the day I got married. It's safe to say John and Tim are having a lot of fun as well. You ought to see our e-mails. I'd publish them in a book, if I wasn't afraid we'd be sent away someplace far away and weird,” Gold said with a laugh. “Like, you know, Munden's Bar.”