Today I interview :

charlesx

Tonight's guest is from the great state of Maryland, and has been a member of HCrealms since 6/8/04.

When did you start reading comic books?

cx: I started reading comics at an early age. I remember being 2 and knowing who Batman was, but I took notice of comics probably in the 3rd grade. I was 8 years old at the time.

What or who got you started?

cx: I liked watching Saturday morning cartoons, which translated into my interest in comics. I had a friend who had lots of comics. I borrowed some of his and soon afterward started asking my parents to buy them for me.

What do you like most about comic books? Least?

Most - the imagination and sheer creativity that goes into them, the storytelling and the artwork. Comics are modern-day myths told in ways that can still amaze you, even after all the years that they've been around.

Least - the cost of staying in the hobby. When I was a kid, you could buy 5 comics for a dollar. Nowadays, your usual comic costs about $3 each, which makes it hard on the wallet.

What is your favorite title? Why?

cx: Currently, my favorite title is Justice Society of America. I enjoy Geoff Johns' writing and Dale Eaglesham's art. Also, JSA is a series that I have followed for a while and I like the fact that it features characters of the Golden Age. Finally, the book has a sense of legacy, of the torch being passed from the older generation of heroes to the new.

Who is your favorite/least favorite comic character? Why?

cx: Favorite hero - The Flash (Wally West). The idea of hyperspeed and being able to be anywhere in the blink of an eye is a great analogy to having total freedom. Plus, the cosmic treadmill allows you to travel through time - how cool is that?

Least favorite - X-23. I think that she is an unoriginal character (Wolverine rip-off) whose only function to get new, younger readers into comics.

If your favorite comic book character is a hero, who is your favorite villain? If it’s a villain, who’s your favorite hero? Why?

Favorite Villain - Darkseid. He's evil personified, always seeking the "Anti-Life Equation", and rules Apokolips with an iron fist. Darkseid is great in an operatic manner and represents a real threat to mankind.


What is your favorite/least favorite hero team? Villain team? Why?

cx: Favorite hero team - Justice Society of America, for the reasons listed above. They are a family, with the older generation of heroes mentoring the new and helping to come into their own.

Favorite villain team - The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, led by Magneto. They fight for a cause that to them is as just as the ones that their opponents defend.

Who is your favorite/least favorite comic writer? Why?

cx: Favorite writer - Stan Lee. He reinvented comics in the 1960's and brought humanity to characters who were presented as flat and 2-dimensional.

Least favorite writer - Brian Michael Bendis. He and his present crew at Marvel have pretty much thrown continuity out the door and show no respect to the work of writers that came before them.

Who is your favorite comic artist? Why?

cx: Favorite artist - Jack Kirby. He may not be the best draftsman ever, but comics today wouldn't exist without the energy and imagination that Kirby put into his creations. Besides, I grew up reading and enjoying the comics that he drew in the 70's.

How many comics do you read on a monthly basis?

cx: About 15 titles' worth, plus the occasional special and such.

How much do you spend on comics monthly?

cx: Close to $100.

About how many comic books do you own?

cx: Don't know exactly. At least 1000.

What is your favorite comic era- the Golden Age (1930’s-1950’s), the Silver Age (1950’s-1980’s), or the Bronze Age (1980’s to present)?

cx: I don't agree with your "ages", but of those listed above I prefer the Bronze Age.

What changes would you like to see in the comic book medium?

cx: Less filler, more substance. In other words, less X-titles and more books like JSoA. I'd rather have quality of titles than quantity of available titles.

What is more important to you: good stories or continuity? Why?

cx: It's hard to have one without the other, but continuity is the one that I'll pick. Continuity means that over time the character grows and evolves, and that his/her journey makes sense. Also, when writers follow the canon that has been laid down, they are showing respect for the work of their predecessors.

Do you only read comics from one company? If so which one and why?

cx: I read comics from many companies.

Pitch 5 comic series, Graphic Novels, or trades to members of HCrealms.

cx:

• Watchmen - greatest GN of all time that served to define the way modern comics are written.
  
• The Sandman (Neil Gaiman) - a milestone in comics, awesome on so many levels, a series that combines master storytelling and in many cases artwork that constantly delights.
  
• Conan (Dark Horse series) - currently one of the best written books out there, and very true to the spirit of the original Robert E. Howard books. If you like swords and sorcery, this is the series that brings you Conan like he should be written.
  
• Kingdom Come - one of the most beautifully rendered series of all time, and contains a message that is powerful and transcendent.
  
• The Dark Knight Returns - another series that served to bring comics into the Modern Age. Frank Miller's best attempt to get into Batman's mind and tell a story of a future where there are no heroes left.

What is your favorite comic-related movie to date?

cx: Spider-Man 2.

If you watch comic-related cartoons, which has been your favorite?

cx: Justice League Unlimited.

What do you like about the comic forums of HCrealms? What do you dislike?

cx: I don't read enough in the comic forums to have strong likes and dislikes. However, the DC versus Marvel arguments get real old, very fast.

How can HCrealms improve the comic forums, to better suit the needs of the comic book readers who used the site?

cx: I don't have any input at this time.

What would you like HCrealms comic readers to know about you, in regards to you as a comic reader/collector?

cx: I am interested in sharing my love of comics and the knowledge that I have of them. I managed a comic book store while I attended college. I think that we should all serve as comic book resources for one another, and engage more in useful conversation than in petty arguments.


Thanks charlesx!

Be back soon for another look at one of the comic reading denziens of HCrealms.

really nice interview like always!

Thanks to Darth Sabre for putting together these series of interviews. I appreciate the time and effort that goes into publishing them.

Just to clarify my comment about the comic book ages, I understand them to be as follows:

Golden Age - 1930's to mid-1950's
Silver Age - late-1950's to late-1960's
Bronze Age - early-1970's to mid-1980's
Modern Age - mid-1980's to Present Day

Of these, I still prefer the Bronze Age because those are the comics I grew up reading, but the Modern Age is probably the best of all. We are living in a time when the comic book industry really has come into its own. Just observe the number of films, toys, books, and video games based on comics. Just attend a convention and see how many people from all walks of life are true-blue fans! On that note, if anyone is going to WWE in Philly this year, I hope to meet you and share an excellent time in comic-geek nirvana (with Heroclix included, naturally.)

and still, nothing to stir up a controversy.

Darth keeps leaving out the question on their favourite baby topping. I enjoy mine with ketchup, but I know the paprika people are really passionate about only having that on.

Nice choice on Wally man, very nice choice.

I suppose at some point I should clarify why I chose to do it this way, despite having a similar view. Now appears to be as good a time as any.

It's interesting to me how people view the different ages and when they came into being. I think intentionally squishing them all into one, brings about a bit of discussion, though up to this point it really hasn't in these interviews. You aren't the first one to have disagreed with the way I stated that question, though the other person chose not to have their interview posted.

Also, I don't go through and read these until after I've posted them. So it's possible that the 13 or so other interviews may have similar opinions. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Thanks for the participation.

One more thing:

IMO these are how the ages break down:

Golden: Action Comics #1
Silver: The appearance of Barry Allen
Bronze: The Death of Gwen Stacy
Modern: COIE

Thank you, Biz. Barry Allen was the Flash that I knew best as a kid. I hated the fact that he died in the COIE, but was willing to give Wally West a chance as his successor. However, it wasn't until after Mark Waid took up the reins of Wally's book that I grew to really love the character.

Between Waid, Grant Morrison, and finally Geoff Johns, they made the Flash into the kind of hero that I wanted him to be. The fact that Wally was the Flash on the JLU animated series was icing on the cake. As mentioned, super speed is probably my favorite power in comics, so it's been easy to be a Wally fan.

Now there I think we are in agreement, Darth. I would define the ages based on those same milestones. Some people feel that the first Silver Age hero was Martian Manhunter, rather than the Flash. However, given that Barry Allen served to re-introduce comic readers to a role previously held by Jay Garrick (a Golden Age hero), I have to go with Showcase #4 as being the official kickstart of the Silver Age.

COIE=Crisis on Infinite Earths?

Yes, No, Maybe so?

You got it right, sir!

Thats' disgusting.
Everyone knows one should use mustard on babies. And MAYBE a bit of sweet dill relish.
Personally, I like to blend in a little horsradish for some tanginess.

Excellent choice. This book is so good already and it's only been out for what, 4 issues? Johns has a great grasp on how to write a team book and he obviously has a love of these characters.

Darkseid is so much fun for exactly the reason you specified. He is just so over the top evil that it's fun to watch him work.

Jack Kirby is still an inspiration to me when I'm working on my less than stellar art. The dynamism that exists in his work is amazing.

AH HA!!! Now, from reading those words, the truth is exposed. Granite Moose and Charlesx are one in the same person. They just don't know it yet. A clear case of multipule personality disorder and gamma radiation mix if ever there is one.
The moral of the story here kids is, if you have mental problems, maybe you shouldn't be playing with gamma bombs.