In times of crisis, different people react in different ways. Some might try to escape. Others might attempt to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm in a safe haven.
When I was younger, my goal in life was to work in special FX makeup. Liquid latex and fake blood! That was the dream!
Horror used to be one thing, and I think that's starting to broaden - there can have subgenres, and other things can be going on in a horror story. In comics, you'll never get the 'Boo' effect in a comic; you can go for mood, atmosphere and personal tragedy to build the horror elements and sense of dread.
I figure if someone calls something a 'Draugr,' people can figure out that it's a monster or some sort of mythic creature, and if they want to know more, there's plenty of information out there about those mythic creatures.
There was a time, as a young comic book reader, that I would have proclaimed 'Deadworld' my favorite series.
'Magneto' is a tragic figure. He is a man who has stared right into the face of ultimate evil... and he was broken into pieces by what he saw. When he healed, he healed stronger, but he also never fully recovered.
It's pretty simple, really: I love the X-Men. They were my favorite heroes when I was a kid. My dad and I collected X-Men comics together, and I know it would have made him proud to see me writing 'Uncanny X-Men.'
I've always liked telling stories. That probably came from my dad, who definitely had the gift of gab and who wove a kind of personal folklore about his youth - stories full of adventure and ghosts and wild antics.
I always liked 'Green Lantern,' but I wasn't necessarily a diehard fan. I read stories here and there when I came across them.
I sent in tons of submissions and proposals, and I collected my share of form rejection letters. Eventually, I found myself working at a comic book shop, where I met my future collaborator Brian Hurtt.
There are a lot of stories I remember with 'Wolverine.' 'Days of Future Past' is one that jumps out in my mind.
I think 'Magneto' is definitely an anti-hero. He's fighting for the right thing, but his methods are far too extreme. He's not above breaking the law, stretching the limits of what is moral and putting evil to work for good.
When I first started submitting my work professionally - and we're talking years and years ago - I had no patience for editorial response times. I hated waiting to hear back from people, hated waiting to see my work in print.
My first short story sale was to a magazine that sat on the story forever... and never did publish it.
I loved 'Lobo' in the '90s, but I think that character is hard to connect with, especially for new readers.
Reilly Brown is a master of balancing action, humor, and extreme violence, and his character designs for some of the alien races and technology that we encounter is just amazing.
I've been exposed to a ton of 'Magneto' stories over the years, and they all influence me.
'Magneto' believes that 'Cyclops' and 'Wolverine' both serve a good purpose. But he believes the help they provide only goes so far.
I definitely have a preference for writing anti-heroes and bad guys, especially when they have motivations that the average 'good' person can understand and get behind.
My hope is that each of the villains I write will have his or her own motivation that readers can understand, whether they agree or disagree.
