Post by Emmie on Sept 2, 2010 0:22:50 GMT -5
Hey, Buffy fans! I'm delighted to present to you an in-depth interview with Dark Horse editor, writer and gentleman extraordinaire, Scott Allie, also just in time to celebrate the release of "Last Gleaming Part I", scripted by Joss Whedon and pencilled by Georges Jeanty.
Hey Scott, thanks for taking the time to bare your soul to the public.
Before we get started, I feel the need to warn you that I am a Spike fan (to an exponentially prefixy degree) and by the end of this interview, I plan on killing you if I don't like your answers. You might be wondering how I'll attack since we're currently on opposite sides of the country, but I'll remind you that I am the most lethal breed of fan, the SpikenSpuffer, and I have magical powers which I'll use to punch through the internet. Cue the torture and the screaming and more really long questions because I’m overly verbose, but no pressure, man. Speak from the heart and know that I'm merciful every other day (wait, which day is today?). Okay! Let's go!
Well, if I don't like the book, I should really go delete my glowing review for this issue, but I think word's already out.
On Season 8
Some fans have voiced concern about Angel’s time travel in Season 8, feeling that it undercuts the story they’ve followed for three years (it’s not the real Angel, but future Angel). Can you talk about how Angel’s future world will impact the conclusion of Season 8? How about time travel in Season 8 in general?
Season 8 took Buffy to another level with its mature content rating for Issue 34 “Them F#©%ing”. The show has never been easily defined in terms of age appropriateness, but many fans began watching at a young age. Buffy has always had a huge appeal to a teen audience and as the Season 8 letter columns show, a youth audience remains. Is there a point when Buffy becomes exclusively for adults? How do you weigh the loss for young fans (some who see Buffy and the other characters as role models) if they’re not old enough to read the comic?
The TV series ended with a strong feminist message about empowering women. In the DVD commentary for “Chosen”, Whedon says “it was very important to me to say ‘Okay, it's great that you've worshipped this one iconic character: but find it in yourself.’” How do you see this extending to Season 8? Is Season 8 still telling a feminist story?
The lack of real-world creative-budget limitations has long been cited as a great strength for the comics—scenes that would’ve been impossible on the show (e.g. Buffy and Angel getting groiny in space or the Giant Dawn versus Mecha Dawn Tokyo showdown) became reality. Has this new creative freedom changed the series on a fundamental level?
Fans are looking forward to the deluxe hardcover edition of Season 8. Any update on the release date? What special features might it include? Is Dark Horse considering publishing a Jo Chen artbook?
Season 8 has been a controversial season eliciting intense and very vocal reactions across the board, so intense that some fans worry the critiques have affected creative direction. Do you think fan reaction has influenced the story? If yes, how so?
Earlier seasons often had a main theme or catchphrase. Season 7 was "It's about power", Season 6 was "Life is the Big Bad" and S5 was about Family (real or created). What would you say is the theme of Season 8, if you had to sum it up in a pithy sentence?
Spike’s return is a highly anticipated event, not only for the first on-screen reunion with Buffy since he died in the Hellmouth, but also with the entire cast. Will there be an opportunity for him to have significant interaction with other characters he has a long history with like Xander, Dawn, Giles, or Willow? How about a Spike and Satsu faceoff?
The decoy died in “The Chain” saying, “You don’t even know my name. But I do.” Since then we’ve had Harmony become famous and a hero of the media and Buffy’s become a god and a villain in humanity’s eyes. How would you characterize fame and heroism in the context of Season 8?
The introduction blurb for “Last Gleaming Part I” says, “Temperatures run high when Buffy and Angel reunite to fight all matter of evil things. Enter Spike—former vampire, former lover, latest prophecy keeper.” My question is—“former vampire”? Wait, now, back it up and explain, please.
How would you describe Angel’s role in Season 8—is he the hero, the Big Bad, or both?
When in the Twilight dimension, Angel fights to persuade Buffy to stay, even after he’s seen the decimation on Earth—it’s only when Buffy chooses to leave that he decides to go back and help save humanity. How do you reconcile Angel’s selfish desire for a romantic idyll in paradise as the world burns with his characterization in “Not Fade Away” when he tells Connor that it doesn’t matter if the Senior Partners kill him because “as long as you’re okay, they can’t [destroy me]”?
Fans are making statements like “Angel is crazy” and “I don’t want to know this Buffy anymore”, as characters’ behavior in Season 8 has been complicated by the influence of possible future realities, a potentially mind-altering glow and a nameless Power that can possess people. Are Buffy and Angel’s actions and behavior true to who they are now or the result of an outside influence?
With the end of Season 8 in sight, which arc or issue do you think was most successful? Is there a storyline you wish had been executed differently?
There’s been a lot of fan controversy to wade through in reaction to Season 8—through the din of noise, have there been some critiques that hit home? Which ones?
The glow in the Twilight arc has been controversial for various reasons, most significantly because of issues of consent for both Buffy and Angel. What was the reasoning behind the glow originally, and to what degree should we take it as making Buffy and Angel’s decisions for them?
On Season 9 and other Future Projects
Excitement is all abuzz over Season 9. Can you share any more details? Have artists and writers already been chosen? Which characters will be getting their own books? Any hints? (Please!)
In 2006, Joss announced on Whedonesque that “in my world, heroes bugger each other senseless” in reaction to discussion of the sexual history of Angel and Spike. With the greater creative freedom of the comics, will we finally see an open gay male relationship become part of the story? Will we get to see the Buffyverse equivalent of Apollo/Midnighter?
In November 2009’s Wizard Magazine, Joss said he scrapped his original 4-issue arc planned for Season 8 after reading All Star Superman, realizing, “’Oh yeah, this is how it’s done.’ We’re working on a grander scale. I had been telling a very intimate little soap opera story. I should be thinking epic.” This is interesting and a bit odd as I personally found the strength of Buffy to be how it made epic stories out of intimate moments: Buffy having to kill Angel in order to save the world or sacrificing herself to save her sister and the world, Xander saving Willow and saving the world with his yellow crayon speech—these moments were made epic not just because of the apocalyptic stakes but because they were emotionally intimate. Will Season 9 continue on the epic scale of Season 8 or will it be a more intimate drama (and perhaps through this intimacy, be epic)?
Any hope for another fan contest like the incredibly rewarding one for “Anywhere But Here”?
The Ripper series and the Spike movie are two live action projects that never managed to get off the ground. Is there hope of seeing these stories in comic form?
Has any thought been given to doing a fully animated version of Buffy similar to what we saw with the Goon demo reel?
Brian Lynch is a fan favorite Angel comic writer for his collaboration with Joss in creating Angel: After the Fall. Is it possible we’ll see more stories from him when the Buffy and Angel titles are reunited at Dark Horse?
Let’s talk artists. John Cassaday worked with Joss both on the Astonishing X-Men and he also directed Dollhouse’s Season 2 episode “The Attic”—any chance we’ll see the Eisner award-winning artist and writer working with Joss again? Perhaps on Buffyor the future Dollhouse comic?
Brad Meltzer shared he’d suggested Joss get all the writers together in the same room to plot out Season 9 in order to provide more structure and consistency amongst the writers. As Season 9 will have several titles being published at the same time, continuity will become even more important. Are there plans for a writers’ room getaway to plot out Season 9? (If you’re looking for a retreat locale, Giles recommends the Cotswolds for its “horse riding and hiking and punting and lectures and discussions.”)
On the Creative Process
What was it like working with Joss on “Last Gleaming” and more directly contributing to the story? How would you describe your role in the writing process?
How do you connect to the creative process? Editing requires a certain degree of distance to see the big picture and which aspects of the story need tweaking, but in doing so, you run the risk of losing touch with the emotional thread of the story—how do you reconcile the two?
Joss has discussed Stephen Sondheim as a creative inspiration for him on numerous occasions. Who’s your creative inspiration?
Talk about a controversial answer! Why Roman Polanski?
Thank you, Scott! Your answers have pleased me and you may live to edit and write another day.
And there you have it, Season 8 fans. I hope you enjoyed! Until next time.
*** Special thanks to Maggie, ladyofthelog, stormwreath, AndrewCrossett, local_max, Shapinglight and Simon for their contributions and suggestions.
~ Within you'll find the usual spoilers for Season 8 so read with caution. ~
*
Hey Scott, thanks for taking the time to bare your soul to the public.
Before we get started, I feel the need to warn you that I am a Spike fan (to an exponentially prefixy degree) and by the end of this interview, I plan on killing you if I don't like your answers. You might be wondering how I'll attack since we're currently on opposite sides of the country, but I'll remind you that I am the most lethal breed of fan, the SpikenSpuffer, and I have magical powers which I'll use to punch through the internet. Cue the torture and the screaming and more really long questions because I’m overly verbose, but no pressure, man. Speak from the heart and know that I'm merciful every other day (wait, which day is today?). Okay! Let's go!
SCOTT: Well, the minute you announced I was doing this interview, I was getting warnings that you’d attack, but I haven’t felt the pain yet. I’m told you don’t like the book, so maybe my decision to do the interview was as weird as some readers seem to think. But I figure I have nothing to lose, right?[/b]
Well, if I don't like the book, I should really go delete my glowing review for this issue, but I think word's already out.
On Season 8
Some fans have voiced concern about Angel’s time travel in Season 8, feeling that it undercuts the story they’ve followed for three years (it’s not the real Angel, but future Angel). Can you talk about how Angel’s future world will impact the conclusion of Season 8? How about time travel in Season 8 in general?
SCOTT: Time travel is a big pain in the butt, it’s been in a bunch of my comics the last few years, but I don’t know what you mean about Angel. He didn’t time travel to get here. Is that what fans are thinking? I think I might not understand the question.[/b]
Season 8 took Buffy to another level with its mature content rating for Issue 34 “Them F#©%ing”. The show has never been easily defined in terms of age appropriateness, but many fans began watching at a young age. Buffy has always had a huge appeal to a teen audience and as the Season 8 letter columns show, a youth audience remains. Is there a point when Buffy becomes exclusively for adults? How do you weigh the loss for young fans (some who see Buffy and the other characters as role models) if they’re not old enough to read the comic?
SCOTT: I didn’t get complaints from parents or retailers about the contents of Buffy #34, so I don’t know how much of an issue that last aspect of your comment is. As role models all these characters are pretty imperfect, and having sex, in space or otherwise, is not the worst thing about them. We pushed that imagery in #34 pretty hard, indeed. For me, if I compare #34 to some Buffy/Spike stuff in the show, I feel like it’s simply the difference between having to deal with actors and TV—Joss got away with some intense stuff on television, and we got pretty extreme in the comic. I know that I don’t have a very sensitive gauge on these things, myself. I let some things into the Conan book that I thought were okay in context, and retailers freaked out. Joss and I were talking about this sort of thing, the other day, not in terms of Buffy, but our own kids, and what is okay for them to watch. We both think we know, but when it comes right down to it, how can you be sure? As with so many things, we rely on the kids’ moms to know better. It’s so hard to know what’s right in terms of mature content—the Star Wars movies are supposed to be pretty all ages, but they get pretty violent. Anyway, yes, Buffy #34 might be too racy for a fourteen year old, but there were some bits in Season 6 that’d pose problems too. So I know it pushed it, but I didn’t think it was wildly inconsistent.[/b]
The TV series ended with a strong feminist message about empowering women. In the DVD commentary for “Chosen”, Whedon says “it was very important to me to say ‘Okay, it's great that you've worshipped this one iconic character: but find it in yourself.’” How do you see this extending to Season 8? Is Season 8 still telling a feminist story?
SCOTT: Sierra made a comment to me, when someone wrote in to tell us that Angel had raped Buffy in #34. I think her point was basically that while we can argue about how predestination conflicts with free will, Buffy very clearly CHOSE to have sex with Angel, even if it was a bad choice. We can make bad choices, and people certainly do. But we make them. I’ve seen people say that Dollhouse is anti-feminist, because the characters are turned into prostitutes. If you make a film that involves racism, and you fail to explain clearly in the text that RACISM IS WRONG, it’s not that you’ve promoted racism, or turned your back on equality; it’s just that you’ve failed to make a piece of propaganda. Buffy Season 7 left us with this wonderful female power in the world—Season 8 turned that into an army, and that army has been far from perfect. I don’t think that’s a poke in the eye to feminism. I hope that Buffy’s continued complex romantic decisions don’t ruin her as an example of female empowerment. That thread about the Slayer army, the shared power, which began in Season 7, will continue to evolve in Season 9, and that extension will likely be viewed as more clearly supportive of feminism.[/b]
The lack of real-world creative-budget limitations has long been cited as a great strength for the comics—scenes that would’ve been impossible on the show (e.g. Buffy and Angel getting groiny in space or the Giant Dawn versus Mecha Dawn Tokyo showdown) became reality. Has this new creative freedom changed the series on a fundamental level?
SCOTT: The move to comics changed the series in a lot of ways. I don’t feel they’re fundamental ways, but until there’s an agreed-upon list of the fundamentals of Buffy, we can’t say for sure. The things we would agree on as fundamental are unchanged. I don’t think the ability to make Dawn giant is a fundamental change. I’m pretty sure that was something Joss wanted to do on the show, and they decided they couldn’t pull it off with the budget. So is it a fundamental change that he now can pull it off? I’d be a lot more worried if Buffy started dressing like Lara Croft. Then, I think something fundamental would have changed. On the other hand, you could say that it’s a fundamental change moving from TV to comics. That’s not what I see as fundamental to the story, but I couldn’t convince someone else to see it the way I do.[/b]
Fans are looking forward to the deluxe hardcover edition of Season 8. Any update on the release date? What special features might it include? Is Dark Horse considering publishing a Jo Chen artbook?
SCOTT: No updates. We’re doing that Tales hardcover first, to sort of warm up to it. Got the cover from Jo today and it’s amazing. We’ve got to put some thought into special features for the Season 8 hardcovers, though. There just hasn’t been the volume of supplemental material that some series generate. Comics sometimes are just designed on the page, a lot is worked out on the comics page itself, so there’s not the great behind-the-scenes stuff you get in other media. But of course we want to do something special, so we’re not rushing into getting them made until we can put our heads together. Right now our heads are very much focused on wrapping up Season 8.[/b]
Season 8 has been a controversial season eliciting intense and very vocal reactions across the board, so intense that some fans worry the critiques have affected creative direction. Do you think fan reaction has influenced the story? If yes, how so?
SCOTT: We’ve corrected mistakes we’ve made that readers pointed out. We’ve tried to answer the questions that have perplexed readers the most, unless we wanted them to go unanswered, or felt that taking the time to answer them would detract too much from the focus. Those are the main ways in which readers have influenced the story. We wouldn’t have done the Riley oneshot, I don’t think, if it weren’t for questions from readers. There’ve been things we thought were covered in the story that we heard loud and clear were not, and so sometimes we’ve made efforts to handle it differently.[/b]
Earlier seasons often had a main theme or catchphrase. Season 7 was "It's about power", Season 6 was "Life is the Big Bad" and S5 was about Family (real or created). What would you say is the theme of Season 8, if you had to sum it up in a pithy sentence?
SCOTT: Ask me after #39 comes out. I’ve been holding back from answering this question till then. I’ll tell you a funny anecdote, the reason why I’m afraid to answer the question before you see where it’s all going.[/b]
Spike’s return is a highly anticipated event, not only for the first on-screen reunion with Buffy since he died in the Hellmouth, but also with the entire cast. Will there be an opportunity for him to have significant interaction with other characters he has a long history with like Xander, Dawn, Giles, or Willow? How about a Spike and Satsu faceoff?
SCOTT: Not as much as anyone would like, especially me, as co-writer. Spike shows up, saves the day with his weird bug-operated ship and his useful knowledge of the situation, and from that point, it’s fast-paced action to save the day. The character moments that we take the time for are those essential to getting the story through the climax—mostly between him and Buffy. Definitely some interaction between him and the others, but as with Angel, there just doesn’t wind up being the time for it. I wish we could stop it for all of that, each of the characters you mention, particularly Xander and Dawn. But it’d stop the momentum of the climax dead, and there is not that much of that. Spike and Angel basically showed up for the climax—if it were a three-act film, Spike walked in a little ways into the final act.[/b]
The decoy died in “The Chain” saying, “You don’t even know my name. But I do.” Since then we’ve had Harmony become famous and a hero of the media and Buffy’s become a god and a villain in humanity’s eyes. How would you characterize fame and heroism in the context of Season 8?
SCOTT: I’d characterize fame as silly—it gets in the way, it services the villains more than the heroes. Heroism, I’d say, is compromised. I think that’s true of everything Joss does. He doesn’t believe in Superman. I wonder what he’s gonna do with Captain America? But I’d say our heroes are not perfect, and fame is a distraction and hindrance. In the comic. In real life it makes you beautiful and better than other people.[/b]
The introduction blurb for “Last Gleaming Part I” says, “Temperatures run high when Buffy and Angel reunite to fight all matter of evil things. Enter Spike—former vampire, former lover, latest prophecy keeper.” My question is—“former vampire”? Wait, now, back it up and explain, please.
SCOTT: See, that’s that sort of thing that when a reader calls it out, we go and fix. Buffyfest called us on that. Lame excuse, like all my excuses, but that kind of marketing copy sometimes gets written by committee, sort of with too much back and forth, and you lose sight. That line used to make sense, then was edited until it didn’t, and went to print not making sense. Sorry about that. Will fix, hopefully in time for #37.[/b]
How would you describe Angel’s role in Season 8—is he the hero, the Big Bad, or both?
SCOTT: Gotta see the end. Or at least #39. Ask me then.[/b]
When in the Twilight dimension, Angel fights to persuade Buffy to stay, even after he’s seen the decimation on Earth—it’s only when Buffy chooses to leave that he decides to go back and help save humanity. How do you reconcile Angel’s selfish desire for a romantic idyll in paradise as the world burns with his characterization in “Not Fade Away” when he tells Connor that it doesn’t matter if the Senior Partners kill him because “as long as you’re okay, they can’t [destroy me]”?
SCOTT: He believed this was the inevitable evolution of the world and reality and all things great and small. He was letting the world end, but none of that had to do with him being destroyed or not destroyed. His own life is not the point—he didn’t bring Twilight about because someone threatened him, so while I think his motivation deserves scrutiny, I don’t know that that line to Connor is the point. No, in the end, Connor would not be okay—but whether Angel himself is destroyed or not wasn’t the question. Angel has shown his willingness to sacrifice for the greater good, and he’s shown his imperfection at identifying that greater good.[/b]
Fans are making statements like “Angel is crazy” and “I don’t want to know this Buffy anymore”, as characters’ behavior in Season 8 has been complicated by the influence of possible future realities, a potentially mind-altering glow and a nameless Power that can possess people. Are Buffy and Angel’s actions and behavior true to who they are now or the result of an outside influence?
SCOTT: Both. The outside influence of Twilight has been a big factor, for sure.[/b]
With the end of Season 8 in sight, which arc or issue do you think was most successful? Is there a storyline you wish had been executed differently?
SCOTT: The fourth arc might’ve been my favorite. When I answer questions like this, I don’t take it that seriously, I guess. If you ask me tomorrow I might say the one I cowrote, or the first one, or Goddard’s … Changes a lot. I loved Brad’s arc, because the writing was really fun, and it really upset people, but what worked best about it was more oblique, intangible, and he did the best job we’d seen in a while of moving the Season 8 plot and thematic stuff forward. He had the toughest arc to handle, and there were things he really got about it, and about Joss. In the sixth arc, I wish we handled the massive level of conflict differently. It’s a logistical issue, to some degree. Jane gets the characters so right, but comics is not always the best medium for dealing with an army.[/b]
There’s been a lot of fan controversy to wade through in reaction to Season 8—through the din of noise, have there been some critiques that hit home? Which ones?
SCOTT: The bit where Bill Willingham called me and Joss repugnant liars. I think he hit the nail on the head. No, there are really fair criticisms out there, but they do tend to get swallowed up in the din. Season 9 will be 25 instead of 40 issues. We’re leaning toward one writer per title, rather than a new body every arc. We want to stay closer on core characters, in each title. Less global, more personal, but still use the visuals in the way that comics allows.[/b]
The glow in the Twilight arc has been controversial for various reasons, most significantly because of issues of consent for both Buffy and Angel. What was the reasoning behind the glow originally, and to what degree should we take it as making Buffy and Angel’s decisions for them?
SCOTT: We wanted a visual representation of what was going on, the way they were infused. But you should not let the characters off the hook completely for their actions. It worked like a drug, clouding your judgment, but you’re still you. You should not abandon responsibility for your actions, even if you might have acted differently if not under the influence.[/b]
On Season 9 and other Future Projects
Excitement is all abuzz over Season 9. Can you share any more details? Have artists and writers already been chosen? Which characters will be getting their own books? Any hints? (Please!)
SCOTT: Nope, no details. I ‘m extremely excited about Season 9, but focused on Season 8, and you guys should focus on Season 8, and the wrap up over at IDW. Big things happening across the board.[/b]
In 2006, Joss announced on Whedonesque that “in my world, heroes bugger each other senseless” in reaction to discussion of the sexual history of Angel and Spike. With the greater creative freedom of the comics, will we finally see an open gay male relationship become part of the story? Will we get to see the Buffyverse equivalent of Apollo/Midnighter?
SCOTT: This is very much on my mind as we start planning Season 9. If we do it, it won’t be anything in the vein of Apollo and Midnighter, I don’t think. Wasn’t that stuff sort of shock value? It was a great moment for me when we had Willow and Tara kiss in the comic for the first time, way back before Season 8—in part because I feel like we sort of treated it like no big deal. I’d want a gay male relationship handled the same way.[/b]
In November 2009’s Wizard Magazine, Joss said he scrapped his original 4-issue arc planned for Season 8 after reading All Star Superman, realizing, “’Oh yeah, this is how it’s done.’ We’re working on a grander scale. I had been telling a very intimate little soap opera story. I should be thinking epic.” This is interesting and a bit odd as I personally found the strength of Buffy to be how it made epic stories out of intimate moments: Buffy having to kill Angel in order to save the world or sacrificing herself to save her sister and the world, Xander saving Willow and saving the world with his yellow crayon speech—these moments were made epic not just because of the apocalyptic stakes but because they were emotionally intimate. Will Season 9 continue on the epic scale of Season 8 or will it be a more intimate drama (and perhaps through this intimacy, be epic)?
SCOTT: It’ll be different in many ways. We’ll make more room for the intimacy, because the plot ate up a lot of room that got us away from that stuff in Season 8.[/b]
Any hope for another fan contest like the incredibly rewarding one for “Anywhere But Here”?
SCOTT: Yeah, we should do something like that again, certainly. Plenty of time to plan for it at this point.[/b]
The Ripper series and the Spike movie are two live action projects that never managed to get off the ground. Is there hope of seeing these stories in comic form?
SCOTT: We’re not talking about either of those at this point. Maybe someday, but we’ll be totally focused on Season 9 once we wrap up Season 8. If there’s a way to do Ripper that hits at the heart of Season 9, we could do that, but I don’t think that’s the road to go.[/b]
Has any thought been given to doing a fully animated version of Buffy similar to what we saw with the Goon demo reel?
SCOTT: That’d be a Fox thing. We have Goon film rights, but Fox owns Buffy, and we just license the comics rights. We can’t even do … oh wait, was that a trick to get me to comment on the Buffy motion comics?[/b]
Brian Lynch is a fan favorite Angel comic writer for his collaboration with Joss in creating Angel: After the Fall. Is it possible we’ll see more stories from him when the Buffy and Angel titles are reunited at Dark Horse?
SCOTT: When I talk to Brian, I talk about his Spike monthly at IDW. He’s very loyal to Chris Ryall.[/b]
Let’s talk artists. John Cassaday worked with Joss both on the Astonishing X-Men and he also directed Dollhouse’s Season 2 episode “The Attic”—any chance we’ll see the Eisner award-winning artist and writer working with Joss again? Perhaps on Buffyor the future Dollhouse comic?
SCOTT: We’ve definitely talked about it. I’m friends with John, would love to get him back at Dark Horse, but he is a very busy guy with a lot of his own irons in the fires. Joss loves Cassaday SO MUCH. I know they want to do more comics together.[/b]
Brad Meltzer shared he’d suggested Joss get all the writers together in the same room to plot out Season 9 in order to provide more structure and consistency amongst the writers. As Season 9 will have several titles being published at the same time, continuity will become even more important. Are there plans for a writers’ room getaway to plot out Season 9? (If you’re looking for a retreat locale, Giles recommends the Cotswolds for its “horse riding and hiking and punting and lectures and discussions.”)
SCOTT: It’s not on the schedule yet, but we keep talking about getting it going.[/b]
On the Creative Process
What was it like working with Joss on “Last Gleaming” and more directly contributing to the story? How would you describe your role in the writing process?
SCOTT: It’s been awesome. First sitting there and plotting it with him, that was great. Seeing what was important to him, seeing how to turn something around a character, in a more intimate way than I’d ever done with him, that was a real education. And then to find out I’d be cowriting with him, that was exciting, intimidating. As an editor, I like being hands on with notes to the writer. I’m a very hands on editor. So I’ve always felt it’d be pretty lame of me to be resistant to notes from an editor when I’m writing. But getting notes from Joss on the script has been amazing. I’ve really studied his writing, tried to see what makes it tick, and tried to use my position to get that insight. But this has been the best opportunity for that. None of these scripts went to Georges after one or two drafts, there was a lot of conversation, a lot of talk, and then even after they went to Georges, Joss came in before lettering to rewrite significant chunks of dialogue. And every little thing he changed, I tried to learn something from it. I will say that #39 went through much less rewriting than the previous two.[/b]
How do you connect to the creative process? Editing requires a certain degree of distance to see the big picture and which aspects of the story need tweaking, but in doing so, you run the risk of losing touch with the emotional thread of the story—how do you reconcile the two?
SCOTT: With both editing and writing, you need a certain amount of distance, I think, in that you need to be able to go in and out. You need to be right in the thick of things to understand it from the inside, and you need to go out on the edge so you can appreciate how the ideal reader would see it. As editor, you spend more time out on the edge, and as the writer, more time on the inside. I’ve always seen editing as an aspect of the creative process, the way writing, drawing, coloring, and lettering are—you’re in the middle, on the inside, but you have certain different responsibilities. I see a book I’m writing and a book I’m editing as occupying different spots on a single continuum. For instance, when I edit Hellboy, it’s different than when I edit Umbrella Academy, and different from when I edit Groo. I’ve moved away from the books at the far end of the continuum, like Groo, where I’m mainly an outside observer to the creative process. The opposite end of that continuum is when I write the book, like Exurbia. But for editing, I prefer the books where I’m closer to the core. It’s more fun, and it suits me better. When I went to LA to work out the plot for the final arc, my job shifted on the continuum, a little further away from Groo. Then when he said I was cowriting, it just moved a little further, closer to Exurbia. It still doesn’t compare to Exurbia, really, because I’m just writing what Joss tells me to write, and then changing anything he asks me to. But what I’m saying is that it’s not entire apples and oranges, from my point of view, editing and writing.[/b]
Joss has discussed Stephen Sondheim as a creative inspiration for him on numerous occasions. Who’s your creative inspiration?
SCOTT: It changes. Bob Dylan’s probably the most consistent, but sometimes Carson McCullers, sometimes Alan Moore or Roman Polanski. And quite often it’s Mike Mignola or Joss. But that gets weird. Too close.[/b]
Talk about a controversial answer! Why Roman Polanski?
SCOTT: I just love his movies. Aesthetically, no filmmaker has done it as consistently for me as him. I love Lynch, Kubrick, Hitchcock, Scorsese, but something about Polanski's work takes it to a higher level for me. He's a storyteller possessed of incredible technical skill, which I can't help but envy, and a great vision, which I happen to identify with a lot. It speaks to me. There's no more accomplished filmmaker/craftsman than, say, Speilberg or Cameron, but their work doesn't speak to me. So, Polanski. It's not so much that I separate the art from the person—I know the art as intimately as one is meant to; I don't fool myself that I know the person. When you know them, it changes it. I know Joss, and it makes me like his stuff even more. I don't separate the person from the art there, which is what I meant by it getting complicated, when my inspiration comes from Joss or Mike. Because there are personal feelings there that make it different. There are comics guys I've met, where meeting them has cost me the love of their work, and others who I didn't like, but it doesn't overshadow the work. But I'm perfectly happy that I don't know Bob Dylan, and judge him, or consider him, rather, only based on his work.[/b]
Thank you, Scott! Your answers have pleased me and you may live to edit and write another day.
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And there you have it, Season 8 fans. I hope you enjoyed! Until next time.
*** Special thanks to Maggie, ladyofthelog, stormwreath, AndrewCrossett, local_max, Shapinglight and Simon for their contributions and suggestions.
