A few months ago I had the privilege to interview the great comic mastermind, David Mack (HERE.) When we talked to each other we clicked and the interview went very well. So well, in fact that I was contacted to do a follow-up and here we are. I consider myself a very lucky Nerd to have the honor to interview such a comic genius not only once but twice. Without further ado, here is my follow-up interview with David Mack.
1. We first talked in March of 2013 and Daredevil : End of Days was a big focus. Now that the complete story is out there, and everyone knows what “Mapone” means, I am just curious on how you came up with the whole Mapone concept.
DM: It was good to discuss before. And now that the Hardcover collection came out, it is #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Very happy to the great reaction to the entire series and the hardcover collection and the extras inside it.
Those details of the story came organically from the process of the story. Brian Bendis and I just began the process talking aloud… and then writing. And then more talking aloud about the story and it just came out of that process… working with the characters, living with them in the writing, and then discussing it more.
2. End of Days, ended with a new start for the hero known as the Daredevil. Is there any chance, you will be writing a follow-up to this classic tale?
DM: There is a very good chance the entire creative team will collaborate on a follow up to this. It will probably star another character from this story, but we still hope to visit all of our characters from this story and see what happens to them next. I hope it happens. Brian and I loved working together, and loved working with this art team. We would all love working together again, and continuing right where the story left off.
3. I totally loved the End of Days, how did you feel about the responses you got back when it was completed?
DM: We were very satisfied with the response to it. All of us were happy that readers enjoyed it so much. We were very honored to have so many people saying they wanted to see more of it, even after the final reveals in the last issue.
4. Our fans also know you as the creator of Kabuki. What can we expect to see in the future as it relates to Kabuki?
DM: Next year marks the 20th anniversary of KABUKI being published. I began working on it in January of 1993, and it was first published in 1994. So there are some plans to celebrate that next year. And as you may have heard someone very special as signed on as executive producer to help bring KABUKI to the screen.
5. Are there any other projects that you are working on that you can possibly share a little taste of what is to come?
DM: Brian Bendis and I are creating a creator-owned project. And you may have heard that I just had a gallery show in Los Angeles this month, and in Chicago last month. In each show, my work was exhibited with the works of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. Different works of mine and theirs for both shows.
6. I have been enjoying the art you have been sharing via Facebook and tumblr, do you have any plans on making a book of just random art that you have created?
DM: The gallery CENTURY GUILD that exhibited my drawings in Los Angeles and Chicago, plans to create a new book of my drawings that should be available soon.
7. Is there anyone out there that you would love to write with that you haven’t worked with before?
DM: I’d love to work with Chuck Palahniuk. And Neil Gaiman.
8. Do you have a set way you need to write/create or can you just sit and begin?
DM: I’m typing this on an airplane. Which is where I type a lot of what I’m writing. But I write wherever I am, traveling in different countries, and wherever I’m set up, home, studio, at friends places, cafes, etc. I was writing on Daredevil: End of Days all over the place. Sometimes writing at Brian’s place in Portland, and I was staying at actor Thomas Jane’s place in Los Angeles for a while writing on the books, and I remember it occurring to me that I was writing these scenes of The Punisher in the story, at the home of the actor who played The Punisher. Also, I go for walks for bike rides, and process a lot of the ideas that I’m trying to type up, and then flesh them out while I’m exercising on the move, and type them up when I get back after thinking about them in a new way on a walk. That kind a thing is a regular part of the process for me.
I want to thank David for the follow-up interview and I hope to have another one in the near future. Especially since Kabuki may be on the screen in the near future. Until next time, Unleash your inner NERD!
