Deep Discussions with Decapitated Dan: David Hine

Welcome back kiddies! This time we welcome into the dungeon one of my favorite writers and soon to be yours, David Hine. So sit there and pretend to enjoy it as much as I did, as he tells us all about his work and so much more.

Alright lets start out with a short answer section and get the usual out of the way.

Name:
David Hine

Age:
53

Married/Single/Dating/Other:
Other. Hah!

Pets:
Scruffy and Scrappy, plus cat fleas, mice, dead birds…

Highest Education Level:
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design at Exeter College of Art and Design.

High School Mascot: High school?
Mascot? You Americans are so quaint.

First Job:
Chopping wood, fetching water from the well. We were poor.

Favorite place let loose:
Torture Garden (but keep that to yourself).

Favorite Ice Cream toppings:
Toffee fudge with chocolate sauce, sprinkled with chocolate er… sprinkles?

Staying with short answers lets talk about what you do:

Comic(s) you created Before May 17, 1985 :
Primal Scream and Joe Public Comics (self-published),
The Man from 2000 (2000AD – story Oleh Stepaniuk),
Dead End and Riot (Knockabout Comics),
Zero Comix (weekly strip in Record Mirror),
Big Ben (Warrior – inks only).

May 18, 1985 - May 18, 1995:
Lots and lots of inks for Marvel UK,
True Romance (Renegade Romance - story and art),
Sticky Fingers (Crisis – story by Myra Hancock),
Tao de Moto (2000AD – story by Myra Hancock),
Up on the Roof and Worms (Crisis – story and art)
Martin (Revolver Horror Special - story and art),
Didn’t you love my Brother and Crisis in China (Crisis – both written by Tony Allen),
The Spider (2000AD Action Special – story by Mark Millar),
Maniac 5 (2000AD – story by Mark Millar),
Mambo (2000AD - story and art),
Judge Dredd: Blowout (2000AD – story by John Wagner),
Vector 13 (2000AD – story by Peter Hogan),
Strange Embrace (Atomeka - story and art) and various educational and advertising strips.

May 19, 1995 - Tomorrow:
Scripts For:
Marvel: District X, Mutopia X, Daredevil: Redemption, X-Men: Colossus Bloodline, Civil War: X-Men, X-Men: The 198, What If? Deadly Genesis, What If? Annihilation, Son of M, Inhumans: Silent War, Spider-Man Noir (2 series).
For DC: The Joker’s Asylum: Two-Face, The Brave and the Bold # 19 – 22, Faces of Evil: Deathstroke, Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum, Arkham Reborn.
For Radical Comics: FVZA, Ryder on The Storm.
For Tokyopop: Poison Candy (2nd volume in 2010 - co-creator Hanzo Steinbach).
For Image: Spawn # 150 – 184, The Bulletproof Coffin (6-issue mini series coming in 2010! Co-creator – Shaky Kane!)

On art:
Elephantmen # 6 (6 pages) and another entire issue of Elephantmen, story and art, coming in 2010.

Alright all that stuff aside lets get to the meat of the interview:
What do you do when not making comics?

Read and buy books, too many books; I buy new and secondhand, from bookshops and online. I borrow books. I steal books. I need a second home to store them all. Also watch lots of movies with my partner and son – going to the movies is our favourite thing.

Your iPod gets stuck on one band for 2 days. Who do you hope it is?

Well, I hope to God it’s not The Jesus and Mary Chain. I love them, but you know, two days of screaming feedback could drive me over the edge.

Your on a cruise when all of the sudden out of the water emerges the lost city of Atlantis. What do you hope to learn from these lost people?

There is a question that has been tormenting me since I wrote the Inhumans for Marvel, a question that has baffled the world’s greatest intellects, and the Atlanteans may just be the ones with the wisdom to finally give us the definitive answer. “Is Lockjaw a dog?”

When you were 10 and 30 what were you for Halloween?

Ah, more quaint American traditions. There were no Satanic Halloween celebrations here in England when I was a kid, but the degenerate influence of our former colonies has finally crept into our society, and I have to admit I have succumbed to the temptation to put on tacky make-up and a cheap costume to parade myself as one of the undead.

Favorite comic character when you were 7, 17 and 27?

7: Dennis the Menace (the English version from the Beano comic – a real menace, not like your quaint American version).
17: Mr Natural
27: Alack Sinner

If while on a trip through the Andes Mountains you happen to find the Abominable Snowman , would you:
A. Take a picture with your camera to share with all your friends.
B. Go catch that big white bastard because you need a new trophy for your great room.
C. Crap your pants because you didn't think he was real, which for some odd reason proves that the child in you is dead and you need to get your imagination back.

Can I crap my pants, shoot the bastard, then take a picture of the corpse to share with my Facebook friends?

Back to comic stuff for now.

Knowing that Iceman is the greatest hero of all time, why do you think he is so underused?

Hey, I used him! But I have to admit I couldn't shake the urge to give him the "I'm so cool I pee ice-cubes" line.

Alright your making a comic about the workers of a box factory who are secretly planning on taking over the Arctic Ocean. Whats the name of the book and sell me on a quick pitch? Go!

It’s called ‘The Ice Box’. With global warming, some parts of the world will suffer from extreme drought, while simultaneously the ice caps will be melting. Our heroes travel to the Arctic where they set out to “Box That Ice!” before the big meltdown, and ship it to a secret location, to await the day when it will be worth more than gold. But Iceman has other ideas!

We all know your writing is amazing but what do you really want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a Smartass Journalist Assassin.

Where is the real money at in comic creating?

Being Mark Millar. (Bastard!)

When your making comics whats going on around you? Music, what kind? Silence? TV on?

Only movie theme music and classical stuff. No lyrics. I also like to write in cafes. The general background buzz of human activity is better than silence.

What do you know about the process of painting ones toenails?

I’ve seen Kubrick’s Lolita so I know you have to put bits of cotton wool between the toes before you start.

Alright we can finish up with a quick word association game. I will say a word, you give me a quick one sentence response.

FVZA?
Radical’s finest comic book.
Radical Publishing?
America’s finest, independent publisher (you see what I’m saying here?)

Horror Comics?
Eddie Izzard!

Marlon Brando?
The Horror! The Horror!

Batman?
Jingle Bells, Batman smells… I know, I know, but this is word association, it’s Christmas, what can I say?

Burger King?
I once went into a Burger King that had a glory hole in the lavatory. For some reason I find that very, very scary.

Thunderbirds Are Go?
Thunderbirds are gone.

Decapitated Dan?
Well I guess I don’t have to rip your head off to spit down your neck…

David Hine?
White Anglo Saxon Lapsed Protestant Middle-Class Male Writer Without a Cause.

Haha! Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us David.

I highly recommend checking out anything and everything that David works on. FVZA is an amazing story that is getting a lot of attention and you can find out more about it at radicalcomics.com

3 New Reviews for your reading pleasure!

Just posted 3 new reviews. The Ghoul #1, Punisher #12 and Orc Stain #1. Check em out!

Deep Discussions with Decapitated Dan: Angel Fuentes

Welcome back kiddies! This time we welcome Angel Fuentes into the dungeon. Sit back and relax as he tells us about who he is, what he does, and what we can expect from him in the future. Trust me, you will like what you read!

Decapitated Dan: Hey Angel. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me about Gunbreed and what else your working on.First of all let’s talk about you. Who are you and what do you do?

Angel Fuentes: I’m a writer born and raised in Puerto Rico. I’ve been writing comics since 1997. Most of my work has been self published locally. I’m currently finishing my masters’ degree in screenwriting. Some of my past works are Parallel Zero, Santa Cristal, and Gunbreed (the original 1999 version).

DD: How did you find yourself getting into making comics?

AF: I found my passion for comics by accident. When my first girlfriend left me, a friend gave me a comic to get my mind off her. That was Speedball number nine by Steve Ditko. It was a really cheesy story, but it opened my mind to what comics could be. After that, I quickly began to draw my own cheesy comics in construction paper, until I realized I suck at drawing. So I partnered up with some friends, real artists, and I wrote stories for them. The rest is history.

DD: So what can you tell me about Gunbreed?

AF: Gunbreed is a supernatural western tale about a sheriff in the old west who witnesses the killing of his son and the people he protects at the hands of a gang of crooks that have become involved with magic.

DD: Who are the main characters?

AF: Sheriff William “Powder” Cain is the main character. He gets dragged into this supernatural world and comes back from the dead to avenge his son.

Henry “Black Cloud” Stevens is the leader of the gang. He’s a vicious violent man. He makes a deal to sacrifice Powder Cain’s town in order to resurrect his dead girlfriend.

Samuel is a wizard with his own plans and agenda. He uses the gang to take control of the town.

DD: Where did this idea come from?

AF: My inspirations for Gunbreed are more western than horror. This particular story is very much influenced by Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven and some of the old spaghetti westerns. The supernatural twist is something was not done much at the time (this was back in 1998-99). The new version of the story, Ghost Town Resurrected, is a darker take. AC_Osorio provided art and colors on it and Carlos Mangual did the lettering.

DD: What are you hoping readers can take away from this story?

AF: I mostly hope people get entertained by it and come back for more. It’s a supernatural western tale with lots of flying limbs and exploding corpses. And the art is awesome!

DD: Can we expect more in the near future?

AF: We will publish Gunbreed as a series of self-contained one-shot comics for now. Ghost Town Resurrected was the first. The next one will be Haunted Guns that should come out by January 2010. There is also a Gunbreed short story in the first issue of our anthology book RBA Presents, available right now through our website www.razorbladeaple.com.

DD: So let’s change subjects a little here. What can you tell me about Razor Blade Apple Studios?

AF: RBA Studios was founded in late 2006 by artist Ozzy Fernandez and myself. Our Marketing Director is Rikky Carrion, and AC_Osorio is our Art Director. We also have Denise Fernandez as Editor and Ivonne Falcon as Assistant Art Director. So far we’re working with over 22 artists and writers from PR and several parts of the US.

Our stories explore genres such as Supernatural, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. We produce and distribute our comics locally in Puerto Rico, but are attempting to conquer the American market through conventions in Orlando and New York. However, we do have all our comics for sale online at our website’s store.

DD: What kinds of titles have you put out so far?

AF: We currently have two titles being published: RBA Presents, an anthology book by various artists and writers that features original Supernatural, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy stories, currently up to issue #3; and Leviathans, an action adventure book written by myself with art by Ana Bruno, about a reality show on dragon hunting. We recently published issue 2 of Leviathans and a complementary one-shot special called Belly of the Beast.

Then we have the Gunbreed: Ghost Town Resurrected one-shot. Hopefully people will show enough interest to turn our zombie cowboy into a series.

In addition, we have published two adult oriented one-shot comics called You Complete Me and Survival Guide to a Slasher Movie. You Complete Me, by artist Guillermo Martinez and myself, is an anthology of short social satires, some with surreal twists, which was recently debuted at the Alternative Press Expo (APE) in San Francisco. Survival Guide to a Slasher Movie is the brainchild of artist/writer Joey Rodriguez, is a comedy with graphic violence and nudity about a serial killer that takes you on a tour through a classic horror/slasher flick.

DD: What can we look forward to seeing from Razor Blade Apple?

AF: As I said before, Gunbreed: Haunted Guns is just around the corner in January. We are planning on putting out at least two or three more Gunbreed one-shot specials throughout 2010.

Also coming up in issues #4 and 5 of RBA Presents: more short stories, more new concepts.

Leviathans issue 3 will come out by the first quarter of 2010. I can’t wait for people to read the crazy stuff we have planned for this title.

Other one-shot-specials and miniseries are in the works, but nothing I can talk about now.

Did I mention that all these comics will be available for purchase at www.razorbladeapple.com?

DD: What is the fan base like for Razor Blade Apple?

AF: I think fans have responded positively to our efforts to provide a high quality product in terms of art and stories. Sometimes we take a little longer than we expect to produce the comics, but in the end, the fans are there and they see that the extra-work we put in our comics. That said, I want to make clear that we are also working on having our comics out on time.

So far, RBA fans are Gunbreed fans, horror and zombie fans, or western fans that are interested in the horror twist. Hopefully we’ll be able to cater more stories in that same vein for them.

To all our fans: RBA is still trying to find its unique voice, and we’re experimenting with different types of stories. So this is the time to write us and give us your feedback on our works. What you want to see more and what you want to see less of. Feel free to write us at angel@razorbladeapple.com with your comments.

DD: Can we expect more from you horror comic wise in the future?

AF: You can definitely expect more Gunbreed in 2010, and I also recommend checking RBA Presents: for some new horror concepts we want to test out there. I can mention two shorts with horror elements: Mercy (issue #2) and Vanity (issue #3). Please stay tuned for issue 5 for an interesting take on a Latin folklore horror tale. If people like Survival Guide to a Slasher Movie, they can definitely expect sequels. Besides those projects, we’ll sure keep everyone updated as we get ready to announce them.

DD: What was it that got you interested in horror comics?

AF: My first horror comics were the reprints of Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror. Fifties horror kicks ass! I’ve always been into Marvel’s Ghost Rider because my brother is such a huge fan and I read them all from him. The Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, and Brian Azarello Hellblazer tales are also really cool. And Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing just blew my mind away the first time I read them.

DD: Can you talk a bit about your experiences so far with working in comics?

AF: Just that I’m proud and lucky to be writing comics. Everything my partners and I’ve done has been out of our love for the comics medium. We take seriously every criticism seriously and are very grateful for the immense support we’ve gotten at conventions and signings. We’re just getting started.

Oh, and at conventions, it’s hard to sell comics to cosplayers. They don’t seem to have pockets on their costumes.

DD: What comics are you currently reading?

AF: I’m a hardcore Batman fan, so I read everything bat-related. That’s about twelve titles right there. Besides that, I’m into Vertigo stuff such as Sandman related projects, Hellblazer, Madame Xanadu, Unwritten, and House of Mystery. Looking forward to American Vampires. From Marvel I buy Stephen King’s the Stand and Dark Tower.

DD: So in summary give me a quick recap on Gunbreed and why fans should give it a try.

AF: How about this: Besides getting a supernatural horror western tale with all the excitement it entails and getting great art from some the best artists RBA can provide, I will let fans in on a little secret. Gunbreed is the first wave of what may become a supernatural horror comics universe. Check for hints in our next Gunbreed special, Haunted Guns, as well as in short stories we publish in RBA Presents.

DD: Thanks so much Angel. I hope people can jump on board and check out all your projects. I know from what I have read, I love them all already.

If you want to check out more work by Angel and Razor Blade Apple please go to www.razorbladeapple.com

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Deep Discussions with Decapitated Dan: Gabe Rodriguez

Welcome back kiddies! This time we welcome into the dungeon one of my favorite artists and soon to be your, Gabe Rodriguez. So sit there and pretend to enjoy it as much as I did, as he tells us all about his work, his pet monster and a little turtle who sells lemonade.

Alright lets start out with a short answer section and get the usual out of the way.

Name:
Gabriel Rodríguez

Age:
35 (but looking WAY younger.....)

Married/Single/Dating/Other:
So happily married...

Pets:
No pets, YET (planning some surprise for my older kid next Christmas...)

Highest Education Level:
Architect, with Master Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

High School Mascot:
My CDs...

First Job:
I painted a replica of the cover of Rush album Hemispheres for a friend from the school, that was my very first paid job...

Favorite place to hangout with friends:
As soon as I have a minute to hangout with anybody... ANY place....

Staying with short answers lets talk about what you do:

Comic(s) you created Before 1999:
Just one: a 24 page issue of a self written comic named Urban Myths, just done to test myself, to know if I was able to write and draw a complete comic issue.

November 21, 2005:
Diablo (a chilean super hero, just one issue that was published but never distributed), about 25 illustrations for a fantasy card game named Myths and Legends, and with IDW, as a real professional since 2002: 26 issues of CSI comics (5 miniseries plus a 48 page special), and the adaptations of George Romero's Land Of The Dead, and Clive Barker's The Great And Secret Show.

November 22, 2005 - December 21, 2012:
Still with IDW, the adaptation of Robert Zemeckis' Beowulf, covers for Transformers, Astroboy and Angel, and since late 2007, and probably until 2011 at least, Locke & Key with Joe Hill...

Alright all that stuff aside lets get to the meat of the interview:

What do you do when not making comics?
If possible, sleep... also, taking care of my kids, from time to time going out with my wife, and once or twice a year, going to a concert or something like that...

Favorite sports teams to watch?
The Chilean Fútbol Team (soccer for you, guys), getting ready for the South African World Championship next year!!

You take a trip to the North Pole and get stranded for 1 year. What do you do to pass the time?
Hunt polar bears with my bare hands....

When you were 15 what were you for Halloween?
We didn't celebrate Halloween in Chile until about 10 years ago (y'know, globalization...).... so I was 25.

Favorite comic character when you were 15 and now?
Then: Batman.
Now: The Locke family.

If you had to dance to one song for the rest of the day. What would it be?
"Persiana Americana", by Soda Stereo (rock band from Argentina)

Back to comic stuff for now.

Knowing that Iceman is the greatest hero of all time, why do you think he is so underused?
His manager knows that getting overexposed kills your credibility in comics...(ask Wolverine...)

Alright your making a comic about a turtle who sells lemonade to rich fish, what would his name be and sell me on a quick pitch? Go!
The comic would be named Squeezed, and would be about this little turtle who would raise their fellow juice sellers against the fish mobster syndicate that controls the juice market, but everything get's complicated when he fell in love with the Catfish Boss' daughter.... A cross between the Godfather, Animal Farm and Meet the Feebles...

We all know you are a master with the pencil, so where did it all begin and how can I be more like you when I decide to grow up?
You need to start before growing up. My first memory about myself is drawing, should be from when I was 4... didn't stop since then.

Where is the real money at in comic creating?
There's NO real money, that' why it's still such a lovely business to dedicate your life to...

When your making comics whats going on around you? Music, what kind? Silence? TV on?
Mainly music, from progressive rock to electronic and movie soundtracks, and occasionally some TV and my older son asking things...

10 years from now. Where do you see yourself?
Just as now, sharing with my family, doing what I love and enjoying every second of the day....

If I sent my ninja to your house to steal Locke & Key sketches how would you stop him?
I would let my pet monster to come out from under the bed to eat him....

Alright we can finish up with a quick word association game. I will say a word, you give me a quick one sentence response.

Joe Hill?
The Heart of a Kid combined with the Mind of a Genius.

Zombies?
Shopping mall.

Horror Comics?
Sometimes uncompromised creativity, sometimes popcorn show.

Bananas?
Apples.

Godfather 1 and 2?
Perfect and "no-perfect-but-better".

DC Comics?
Mythology.

Nachos?
Burritos.

Decapitated Dan?
Not yet.

Gabriel Rodriguez?
Yes!

Awesome! Thanks so much Gabe!

If you want to learn more about Gabe and how awesome his work is go to http://www2.gr.cl/

Deep Discussions with Decapitated Dan: Ken Meyer Jr.

Welcome back kiddies! This time we welcome Ken Meyer Jr. into the dungeon. Sit back and relax as he tells us about who he is, what he does, and what we can expect from him in the future. Trust me, you will like what you read!

Alright lets start out with a short answer section and get the usual out of the way.

Name:
Ken Meyer Jr.

Age:
52 (and yes, that sounds just as old to me as it does to you)

Married/Single/Dating/Other:
Married with two daughters (9 and 15)

Pets:
Two cats I don't like much (Tybee and Talia) because they seem to pee wherever the hell they please, and a dog that is ok (London)...oh, and a ball python named Erwin

Highest Education Level:
MFA recently from the Savannah College of Art and Design (Sequential Art)

High School Mascot:
Uhhh, they were the Lancers, so I think it was a Knight.

First Job:
I think it detasseling corn in Minnesota when I was probably 13 or so.

Favorite place to do the Safety Dance:
Far far away from any human beings (that can see).

Staying with short answers lets talk about what you do:

Comic(s) you created Before 1999:
I created a Wolverine/Daredevil homage (or rip off, depending on your preference) called Feral way back in '81. I also worked on the Adolescent Radioactive Hamster spin off, Clint, a bunch of Caliber titles (Kilroy, Negative Burn, etc), a few Marvel painted projects, a lot of Revolutionary Comics covers and a bunch of other small press things.

January 1, 2000 - January 2, 2003:
If by, 'created,' it can mean 'drew or painted,' then I continued doing stuff for Caliber/Desperado, covers for small press comics, but I had drifted more into gaming work in the mid nineties. I also did a graphic novel for NBM called Gustav P.I.

January 3, 2003 - Today:
Mostly gaming work, mainstream commercial work, and the odd cover or Negative Burn story.

Alright all that stuff aside lets get to the meat of the interview:

What do you do when not making comics?
I listen to way too much music, drink way too much Dr. Pepper, try to play tennis whenever I can fit it in, watch too much tv, blah blah blah.

White Hen or 7-11?
Since I have no clue what White Hen is (unless I am in KFC), I will say 7-11...I think I worked there at some point early in life.

Your in bed, when BOOM! Nuclear plant blows. Your hit with radiation and now have a super power and a weakness. What are they?
My super power would be the ability to remotely correct your spelling of 'your' to 'you're' and my weakness would be the inability to not correct people's spelling mistakes.

When you were 7 what were you for Halloween?
Oh man, that was too long ago to even have a ghost of chance to remember...maybe I was a ghost!

Favorite comic character(s) when you were 10, 20 and 30?
I will say Challengers of the Unknown, Killraven, and Nexus.

If you got served, what would you do?
I would tip, but not too graciously...I am a starving artist, after all.

Back to comic stuff for now.

Knowing that Iceman is the greatest hero of all time, why do you think he is so underused?
Because comic book artists like nice bright saturated color and Iceman is a boring white!

Alright your making a comic about a team of women who go out and fight the evils of dirty clothes. If they see a spot they have to clean it. Whats the name of the book and sell me on a quick pitch? Go!
It would be called Gutter Sluts. The gimmick is, they are totally naked until they actually get around to cleaning those dirty clothes to get them on...for some reason, the clothes never end up clean enough in their minds to actually put on.

We all know how good you can draw but what do you really want to be when you grow up?
I want to be either an XM DJ or a pro tennis player.

Where is the real money at in comic creating?
Leaving and going into Games.

When your making comics whats going on around you? Music, what kind? Silence? TV on?
Music....all the time, all the time.

10 years from now. Where do you see yourself?
I am so old, I won't be able to see myself by that time.

What do you know about the process of making twinkies?
I know that I don't want to be there to hear the sound of that junk getting squirted in there.

Alright we can finish up with a quick word association game. I will say a word, you give me a quick one sentence response.

Kilroy?
Maybe made into a movie soon!

Magic: The Gathering?
Too big to hire me anymore...write letters!

Horror Comics?
Something I am good at. So, where is the work?

Betty Boop?
A waist to die for...unless you really want to die, in which case, get a waist like that!

Barry Manilow?
He writes the songs only blue haired women in Vegas want to sing.

Brussel Sprouts?
Nahhhh...but Prefab Sprout, I love them.

Papaphobia (Fear of the Pope)?
I thought that was a fear of Pap Smears? Maybe it's a fear of the Pope handling your Pap Smear?

Decapitated Dan?
I hear he does good Pap Smears.

Ken Meyer Jr.?
No, I do not do Pap Smears!

Thanks so much Ken!

To Check out what Ken is up to and to see his work please go to http://www.kenmeyerjr.com

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