What had you done before that?

I was an art teacher.

Stephen King once told a journalist he had learned a lot from you when submitting his first stories. How was working with him? What advice do you generally give to novice writers?

I don't think he meant he learned anything from me. I think he meant he liked the edits I did on his story, if he meant that at all. We didn't work together. I was given the story, edited it, and published it. Nothing more.

I thought the story was fun and considering it certainly was an early example of King's work, although he has, obviously, improved, about 1,000,000%.

More than ten years later, how do you like your recreation of DC’s Teen Titans? Would you go back to them?

I obviously liked what George and I did on re-creating the Titans. I knew we had great characters because I took a long time developing characters who could generate stories for years to come. I would come back to Starfire and Cyborg in an instant as well as Nightwing, but the editor of Nightwing has made it clear he prefers going with other people despite the fact that I created that version of the character and wrote it exclusively for 16 years.

Then there was the first NIGHT FORCE. Do you believe it was a series ahead of its time, I mean, it would not have such a short life if it were published now during the paranoid X-Files age?

Night Force was definitely ahead of its time. But I fear its time has still not come. Although we get great reviews, sales are poor. I have no idea how long it will last and the shame of it is writing Night Force is one of the best experiences I've had in comics in years. The editor, Dan Thorsland, is giving me the chance to do what I like. I just wish it sold better.

Are there any differences in approach between NIGHT FORCE series one and two?

There is more continuity in this series. I'm playing up stories affecting the Baron more, and I'm trying to create bad guys who can return so there is a sense of growth and change in the book rather than novel-like stories only.

Baron Winters is an atypical character in comics these days, the bastard we love to hate - a hero, anyway. Will he ever change his attitude?

I like Baron Winters as an SOB. He'll stay that way as long as I write him.

Surprisingly enough, DC didn’t put Night Force under its Vertigo imprint. Does it help you reach more readers?

Obviously not.

Thus far Night Force has dealt with possessed children, parricide, God and Devil and serial murders, but also real-life agenda like abortion and racism (and serial killers too). What can we expect for future visits to Wintersgate Manor?

The current storyline deals with a Cannibal killer. The next story is a crossover wit the rest of the 'Weirdoverse' but that's only for issue #8. After that we have a Baron Winters 3 parter which may be the best thing I've ever done.

Tomb of Dracula, Night Force, even New Teen Titans had a horror flavor. Is it the genre you like the most?

I like writing most genres. Tomb of Dracula and Night Force are obviously horror. Titans was super-hero and had elements of many other genres. I also write comedy and love that. I get bored doing any one thing too long.

Let’s talk about Wolfmill Entertainment. Could you talk about its first projects? Do you intend to get into live-action motion pictures in the near future too?

Wolfmill Entertainment is a company I've created with my partner, Craig Miller. We're working on a cartoon show series to premier next October called POCKET DRAGONS. This is a funny kid-oriented series with lots of weird humor, adventure, etc. We also have the rights for several other properties, but until they're placed we don't like to talk about them. Older comic fans may enjoy the humor of Pocket Dragons but the series is primarily aimed at kids 7-11. There's no violence in the series, just comedy and adventure.

Comic book industry has faced low sales since 1993. Major publishers went exclusive with Diamond or Capital. Marvel decided to set their own rules (Heroes World). Independents resist quite well. Consult your mystical forces and tell me: what can you see in the future? Is it still downhill?

The fans are shouting to the publishers (by not buying their books) that they don't want what the publishers keep dishing out. DC, to its credit, is trying all different kinds of comics besides Super-heroes. Its vital for the industry to follow this lead and keep trying new stuff. They also need to find a way to get kids involved with comics again, and I don't believe anyone is doing nearly enough in that direction. Having had been comics editor for Disney Adventures magazine for 4 years I have very specific ideas on how to create a brand-new line of kid-oriented comics, but, of course, I'd need financial backing to produce the books which I don't have.

The industry can be saved, but I sometimes get the feeling people are waiting for some miracle to happen from the outside to save the industry rather than do something revolutionary and take control of the change.

What’s good and bad in the industry as it is today? What should be changed?

What's bad: Editorial is basically the same on 99% of the comics. The material can't be read by people who aren't already fans. Non-fans can't find comics to buy them. What's good: There are some wonderful comics out there, perhaps some of the very best ever done. There are more genres than ever before. Unfortunately, they are all still being distributed to comic book shops which prevents most people from ever seeing them. If you can get the different books out there you will find the audience, but we're killing the audience by not making the books readily available. Of course ALL publishing suffers this, but I'm not interested in how TV Guide does. I am interested in comics.

Is censorship still a headache for writers?

No. We now do books for all audiences as well we should. Comics is merely art and story put together. It is not, by nature, for kids only.

Do you have any other comicbook projects?

I'm doing THE MAN CALLED AX for DC Comics to premiere sometimes this summer. I'm also doing a two-part DRACULA story with artist Gene Colan for Dark Horse. Other than that nothing.

What's A MAN CALLED AX about and who's going to be the artist for that?

The Man Called AX takes place in the last months of the 20th century. A man makes up in an alleyway in the City of Bedlam. The Police begin hunting him down and trying to exterminate him. He hears voices which tell him to destroy the criminal gangs who operate in Bedlam so the Gangs want him destroyed too. Trouble is he has no idea who he is. AX is about that man and his search for his own identity while he's being hunted by the Police, the Criminals, the Government and private citizens.

Ladies and Gentlemen... MARV WOLFMAN!!