How did you break into the comics industry?

After having self-published three issues each of two titles, I submitted work to everyone I could think of. Revolutionary Comics and Calibre Press gave me my first jobs. From there I worked for Innovation and Marvel. In 1992 I visited a New York convention and showed my work to a DC editor who showed it to Neil Pozner, then manager of creative affairs and editor of Showcase. It resulted in pencilling a Martian Manhunter story in Showcase '93.

What are you currently working on?

Adventures #550, which is my last issue on that title, and issue #2 of 4 of the Inferno mini-series.

You are moving over from Adventures of Superman to Action Comics. When do you take over on Action?

Issue # 738.

I understand that you will be writing and drawing Action Comics. How did you get this assignment?

It was offered to me.

How do you feel about working with the entire Superman creative crew?

I really only have contact with everyone once a year at the summit. On a day-to-day basis, I talk with Karl and Joey.

Do you feel that you will be able to tell the stories that you want, while still being able to work within the overall Superman plotline and continuity?

I think I can tell good stories with the character that will fit within the structure of the current Superman stories. There are obviously stories I would like to tell that I will have to keep in reserve for another time and another character.

How much input will you have in the overall direction that the Superman titles will be taking?

As much as I had before. At the summits, everyone's voice is recognized and valued. For instance, before I was doing any writing for Superman, it was my idea to give Perry White cancer and introduce another female presence during Lois and Clark's breakup, who ended up being Lori Lemaris.

What do you think of the change in Superman's powers?

I think it's as good an idea as any other we've come up with, recognizing that at its core, it is a way to explore the adolescent stumblings of an "origin" of Superman, and to examine the idea that the heroic qualities of the character are internal rather than based on what his physical abilities are.

Do you feel that plotlines designed to increase sales, such as this one or the wedding, take away from the overall quality of storytelling going on?

They were not designed to increase sales. We don't sit around saying "what can we do to sell more books?" We want to tell good stories. In the case of the wedding, it was something which has been planned to be done for years but the control of the event was obviously taken out of our hands.

Can you tell us about the upcoming Inferno mini-series you will be working on? What exactly will you be doing on the series?

It's a four issue mini, taking place in the 20th century over the course of one day inside an American mega-mall. I will be writing and penciling the series.

Who will be inking the series?

Wade von Grawbadger will be the inker for the series. Wade inked the Superman and Toyman one-shot, as well as my pencils in the Starman "Night and Day" story arc, so he and I have worked together before.

That's all Stuart had time for. But you can find out oodles of info about his previous work, his upcoming projects, and you can see some of his artwork at: http://members.aol.com/Simmonen/index.htm