Frankly, he takes a nap. Not the smartest career move, maybe, but after the last couple of years, the need to recharge my batteries is strong. Beyond that, it’s simply a matter of doing the projects that I find fun and interesting and challenging. I can’t worry too much about career-building moves; that way madness lies. I just have to stay interested and stay honest.

How is the ongoing series KINGDOM taking shape? Can you give us a few details about it?

Would that I could, but it’s taking longer to build than I’d figured. In the long run, that’s good; it’s turning out quite well and has a lot of texture. More details to come . . .

When you took over THE FLASH a few years ago with the “Born to Run” storyline, what did you see as your mission with the title? In other words, what did you feel you could do for THE FLASH?

Easy. Make Wally a likeable guy. Bill Loebs, my predecessor, had done a lot of important work in that direction, but I wanted to put the focus even more strongly on Wally. Clearly, I identify heavily with the character, so it was no hard task to infuse him almost completely with my personality. In a lot of ways, his life over the last six years has been a voyage of discovery for us both.

What went into your decision to take a year’s leave of absence from THE FLASH?

Realizing that, after “Race Against Time,” we had no direction, no place to take Wally as a character after six years of steady progression. Spelling ourselves for a year will give us time to reflect on the next stage of Wally’s development. As I’ve said elsewhere, I plan on shepherding the character for years to come, but I need some perspective.

Will your stepping away from THE FLASH for awhile have any impact on IMPULSE?

Not at present.

How did you and Brian Augustyn arrive at the choice of the team of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar as your temporary replacements on THE FLASH?

We knew we could count on Grant and mark to bring new ideas to the book . . . new toys for us to play with, not just in terms of character bits, but new applications of Flash’s powers, new bits of business. The ultimate goal is to introduce the same kind of imaginative wonderland to FLASH that made the pre-Crisis Superman so magical.

Of course, everyone knows that Brian Augustyn was your editor on THE FLASH, and now he’s your writing partner; can you describe your working relationship in developing stories?

It varies. We always talk through our stories in-depth and fire drafts back and forth via e-mail. At this stage, he does most of the page-by-page breakdown, while I do the lion’s share of the dialogue. Sometimes Brian does more work, sometimes I do; it just depends on how many other plates the other is juggling at any given time.

A lot of comics readers consider you to be one of the best writers in comics right now. Which comics writers, past and present, do you admire?

I’m sure I’ll leave some people out, but . . . Bill Messner-Loebs, who writes ordinary people better than anyone. Robert Loren Fleming, who taught me how crucial heart and emotion were to a story. Grant Morrison, whose imagination outstrips mine a thousandfold. Steve Gerber, who wrote my all-time favorite Marvel series, OMEGA THE UNKNOWN, and taught me not to be afraid to bring myself into the work.

What comics are you reading these days?

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, ASTRO CITY, QUANTUM AND WOODY, MAGNUS, DAREDEVIL, HATE . . . and, again, I know I’m leaving things off the list . . . apologies to my friends!

Currently, you’re writing THE FLASH, IMPULSE, and X-O MANOWAR, with KINGDOM, KA-ZAR, JLA: YEAR ONE, and six issues of ASH on the horizon. How do you maintain this sort of workload? Are you vying for the title of “The Hardest Working Man in Comics?”

Vying? I’m the current title holder, aren’t I? Actually, I have to find a way to cut down, since the way I maintain it is by having no shred of social life, and that sucks.

How did you get into comics as a professional?

I wrote for fanzines like THE COMICS BUYER’S GUIDE and AMAZING HEROES (the WIZARD of its day). That allowed me to interview editors and fellow writers, so when I walked into Superman editor Julie Schwartz’s office in 1984 with a story pitch, he knew of me and was willing to listen. In 1987, I came aboard DC as an editor for two years, and by the time I went freelance, I’d made all the important connections I’d ever need.

What sorts of things will you be doing with Marvel’s KA-ZAR? How will you make him appealing to today’s readers?

We call the series “Savage About You.” I can’t worry about making him appeal to today’s readers as much as I can worry about making him appeal to me, writing the kind of comic I would want to read, and hope that others will find it enjoyable. Anyway, the heart of it is the relationship between Ka-Zar and his wife, Shanna--their sophisticated Nick and Nora Charles bantering in the thick of the jungle brush. “Mad About You” with dinosaurs, coupled with the same kind of non-stop John Woo action I was able to bring to CAPTAIN AMERICA.

What comics characters that you haven’t worked on would you like a shot at doing? Why?

Let me preface this by saying that I’d never advocate shoving someone else off a book so I could write it. The fellas who are doing my favorite characters are doing well, in my eyes. That said, I’d like to handle DC’s Captain Marvel and, of course, Superman. And dabble again with the Legion someday.

Can you give the DC FANZINE a scoop for this little Q & A? Is there some bit of information about an upcoming project you can tell us--exclusively--about? We’d be thrilled to break a story!

Oh, jeez. I would if I could, I swear, but I have nothing to offer that’s not already out there. Wait. yes, I do. Brian Augustyn, Mike Wieringo, several other artists, and I are collaborating to bring Iris Allen’s THE LIFE STORY OF THE FLASH to fans next Christmas as a 100-plus page hardcover book. Howzat?

How’s that? Pretty incredible, if you ask me, Mark. Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.