18 Comments
Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Poor Jorge. Looks like u made him go through the ringer...meaning this is going to be beyond anything we can hope for. Thanks for cracking the whip with him.

So I’m glad to see your Canadian tour is going well. Quite a few left to go if ur chart is any indication. Hope it’s been a trip of a trip so far Chip. Now, when can we schedule you in stateside 😁?

Images, teasers of Batman 900 (cannot believe I’m typing that) have been circling on social, and I have to admit, I am anxiously excited to see what you and everyone have pulled together here with this mega anniversary sized issue.

One thing that’s been on my mind lately. Red Mask has been doing all this because he got a glimpse of the multiverse and has been trying to recreate what made his prime self into the Joker. If such a thing happened to him, do you think it’s possible the joker dreams Bruce has been having aren’t necessarily dreams, but signals beamed to him from the multiverse about what is drawing near?

And finally, can I ask you, honest, unencumbered opinion on something? So often when I ask writers/artists about what others are doing on other titles, especially major ips like Batman, Superman, Hulk, or Spider-Man, the usual answer is that they are loving what (insert name here) is doing. I can’t help but wonder if that is just the company line that they are suppose to say when asked these things.

Like take for example, Zeb Wells, great guy, very friendly and easy to get along with, excellent writer, has also been working on what some describe as a controversial spider-man run. Now no one knocks his skills as a writer, but his decisions story wise have raised the question of what he is trying to do (apparently he was told by nick lowe to quit social media and skip cons for a year or two after ASM #25-26 drop). If someone were to ask a pro like you your honest thoughts on another’s work, and the answer they get is, oh I love what he/she is doing over there, is that a sincere response, or just lingo for when asked these sorts of things? When you get asked this sort of thing, is ur answers the real deal, or professional courtesy as one of your fellow writers?

Apologies if that’s more than you wanna share, I just wished to hear ur thoughts on that matter because u always give a frank and honest response to most everything I ask.

Anyways, can’t wait for what u have coming out next month, and for DD this week! Gonna be fun times all around!

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author

Okay, first off: I know exactly what the three Jokers dream is about and soon YOU will too! Ha!

And second, if I didn't like a writer's work I just wouldn't talk about them. It's as simple as that. And really, there are only a handful of current writers whose work I can't get into. Marvel and DC don't tell us what to say (or not to say) about other creators, but I won't ever trash another creator in public because the reality is: making shit is HARD. Like, nobody is phoning it in. We all want to make great comics and give it our best shot.

Every month or so, I get access to PDFs of all the comics that Marvel puts out. I try to read as many as I can so I can keep up on what's happening. But the comic on the top of my to-read pile is always Zeb's ASM. I absolutely love it. It's exciting, tense, funny, and has me eagerly wanting to find out what happens next. I've literally sent him fan emails about it!

Though I agree with Nick Lowe that he should quit social media. But only because I think every comic creator should quit social media

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I know it probably doesn’t need to be said again, but I am sorry if I acted rude and disrespectful to Zeb or anyone who works in this field and does their best to tell the best stories they can.

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I have to admit, I find the idea that you guys get to send fan emails directly to each other to geek and fan out over how much u like each other’s works is kinda adorable and kinda awesome. I’m legit jealous of that level of access u guys get, 😝

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Soon eh? I like the sound of that.

And like I said, direct and honest, and I love that about u sir. I apologize if I was seeming to be picking on him. As I said before, he’s an exceptional individual, with the talent to back it up (see Hellions for reference). I was just curious because often I have seen kinda the same answer from others verbatim said to me, and was curious about your thoughts on it.

Please forgive me if I was making light of how hard it is for you guys to make what u do. I have always tried to be a level and fair observer, and fair critic (general policy is judge a writers work in comics by the complete story told, and not just parts cherry picked here and there), but I confess sometimes what I read can be striking and not sit well sometimes, and I can lose that objectivity I like to have. In my defense I’m on the autism spectrum so it’s a little harder for me sometimes, but I do endeavor to try my hardest.

Again thank you for your honest thoughts, and apologies again if I offended you for asking something like questioning another’s work.

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I don't think you're making light! Everyone has the right to feel however they want about creative works. Last year I was re-reading old Captain America comics and was struck by how angry the letters were about the "new Cap" storyline with John Walker. Just vicious and mean! And now everyone looks back on that story as one of the best Cap stories of all time. Consuming things in chapters with month long breaks is a hard way to read stories

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I agree. Hence why if I am not immediately hooked on a series I am a long time reader of when a new team comes on, I like to wait and judge by the fullness of the run, and not by the pieces that come out a month at a time. Tbf though, I immediately took to your Batman and Daredevil runs so it’s kinda hard to judge ur work when I was loving it from the start.

And u are right also about old runs, and looking back on them. There were events and series I did not care for at all, that now I look back and think, this wasn’t half bad tbh (see Secret Empire and Cap America Steve Rogers for reference). First blush may or may not be your thing at first, but when you look back at things, they seem different when you get to read it all through instead of, as u said, consume it month by month.

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Newburn! Hells yeah! Very excited about this. Going to re-read vol. 1 to get caught up. And Batman -- I can't say enough about Mike & Adriano's work. Good luck on the ChipTour!

(You just couldn't refuse a Jorge thirst trap...)

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I know what sells comics! JORGE! JORGE! JORGE!

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

Finally! Newburb returns!

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Apr 25, 2023Liked by Chip Zdarsky

I’m so excited that Newburn is back!! It’s easily my favourite of everything you write! I’m also counting down the days until you arrive in Edmonton cause I got a pile of comics for you to deface!!

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SWEET! Looking forward to it! The home of my BIRTH!!!

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founding

Oh no! The West End date is Saturday now?! Guess I’ll just have to enjoy recreating Prison Funnies at the Snail like every other Saturday. I do hope that the signing goes well, and you have a blast on this road trip. I’m just about to sit down and enjoy Daredevil #10 from this week. I’m curious, did you plot this storyline like Carl Barks? You know, coming up with the big moment and working backwards from there? This issue is wild!

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Yeah, sorry! I put the wrong date on the tour poster like a dummy!

And while EVERYONE calls me "the modern Carl Barks," I tend to treat stories like paintings, I think? Like, I block it all out roughly at first and, as I go, I refine and get tighter, adding colour, etc. Some things change as I go, some painting over parts, but I like to have those broad strokes down before I really get into it

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founding

When you tell people what you’re thinking, do they look at you like you’re crazy sometimes?

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founding

So I can wrap my head around plotting a single issue or two personally. But when it comes to something like your Daredevil run, how far ahead are you roughly blocking? I also assume that you continue to block ahead as you work.

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By the time I was writing issue one I had the first two arcs planned out pretty tightly, with looser plans for the following arcs. And as I go it got tighter. I had the ending for the whole run loose in my head by the end of the first arc, but it really existed in that loose state until I started on this relaunch. And things change! Elektra as Daredevil wasn't an idea until I was starting in on the second arc, and that changed a lot of story elements for the better

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When I just read this I had a what I thought was a funny comment but really can't fucking remember what it was. But I wanted you to know for whatever reason I get nervous when I'm in a sign line for creators whose comics I read so if you run across some weird sweaty peeps don't fear them unless they have a nagging uncontrollable cough

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