Statistics:
Full name: Leanne Marie Richer
Age: 32 (January 2001)
Occupation: Web Development

What web sites do you currently maintain?
Fusion Comix - The Best Of Comic Book Fandom
The Richer Family Tree
The rest of my web sites are not offically launched yet.

Favorite Website?
Favorite search engine: about.com
Favorite site (image category): giger.com

Serious Questions:
Jesse: Leanne why comics? Why make a comic book web page? Why not desert the cause and work on your business pages?
Leanne: To me Fusion Comix is not any different from any of my other sites, even the business ones. What I mean by that is designing, developing and maintaining a site is pretty much the same kind of work for all sites, no matter what the sites are about. I don't have plans to desert any of my sites. I think carefully of what kind of topics will interest me and net surfers for years to come and then I commit to the project for the long haul. People will be reading comic books years from now so it's a good subject for a site and it hasn't bored me yet. Fusion Comix points to my business site Richer New Media and it's good web site to show people what I am capable of as a designer. It's part of my portfolio and it might land me a client. Besides Fusion Comix has the potential to turn into it's own business in the future. A Fusion staffer might be selling comic books and merchandise from the site one day. You just never know...

Jesse: Fusion Comix has been on the net for almost 2 years, was there ever a point where you just didn’t want to do it any more?
Leanne: This is an incriminating question... but I must admit that I get fed up all the time. I am only human and human beings were not made to sit at machines all day. If I knew how much work web development was I would have reconsidered becoming a professional designer. It's taken a personal toll. Some days I just wanna take the day off but when I do I feel quilty because I am not updating sites and answering email etc. I have no time to take care of my other responsibilities and just enjoy life. To quote the television show Kids In The Hall "You know those mornings where you wanna watch TV, eat corn chips and masturbate". Web designers can't do that. They are too busy.

Jesse: Fusion Comix has become a professional looking page. Did you ever think when you started Fusion Comix it would ever be this well done / professional?
Leanne: I knew my comic book site would one day have a professional image because I spent the time at the computer studying design to the point of exhaustion. I watched my sites grow and my skills grow at the same time, so yeah I knew.

Jesse: Why the name Esberet?
Leanne: One night I was watching the movie "The Arrival" starring Charlie Sheen. When the credits were rolling by I thought I saw the name "Esberet" in the movie credits. Months later I needed a nickname to get web space at Geocities. I remembered "Esberet" for some reason and I have been using it as a internet name ever since.

Jesse: You have taken quite a few long breaks from Fusion Comix in the past, why?
Leanne: There are many reasons for my temporary "breaks" from Fusion Comix. Health problems, computer crashes, unreliable web servers, I'm working on other sites instead...these are among the reasons. I am on doctor's orders to spend a few hours maximum on the computer everyday and now I take weekends off too. With so little computer time Fusion Comix is sometimes a low priority for the day's work. Alot of what I am trying to develop for Fusion Comix makes it appear like I am not around. For example, tonight I spent a couple of hours trying to set up my microphone and sound recording software so I could make some sound files for the site. Also I still maintain a life without the PC.

Jesse: You don’t read a lot of current comics, why?
Leanne: Money!! I used to spend my pay check on comic books but now I am spending money on my computer and my office. My financial priorities switched is all. Now I search out second hand bins for comics, find them for really cheap and enjoy them just as much. I do not have the time to read comics anymore anyways. I bought a stack of comics, about three feet high, and they are still sitting there in the shopping bags collecting dust. I hope I have time to read comics again one day. *sigh*

Jesse: You recently hinted at a possible move off of Geocities, anything more on that?
Leanne: If Fusion Comix ever moves it will probably be to it's own domain name: http://www.fusioncomix.com. Who is going to pay for that I just do not know. In the meantime, Fusion will stay at Geocities where it's free and everyone knows where to find us.

Jesse: What is your favorite work that you have done on the site so far?
Leanne: My favorite work that I have done for Fusion Comix has to be the concept. I am proud of the unique and revolutionary things the concept allows us to do. For instance, I have not seen a comic book site put together anime and other types of comic book styles together in one site. There are so many comic books on the site it's amazing! From the concept comes the image ideas and all the other good stuff I do and will do for Fusion.

Jesse: "Leanne Richer's Web Comix" changed to "Fusion Comix", what prompted this?
Leanne: I never liked the name "Leanne Richer's Web Comix" but I needed one so I just named the site after myself. When the staff writers and contributors came onboard I realized that I needed to think up a new name. Keeping my name as the site's name would seem like I was taking credit for everything and that it was some amateur web page. The name Fusion symbolizes the unity of us comic book fans making a site together and the diversity of all the comic books we try to pay homage to.

Jesse: If you could go back and change anything you’ve done on "Leanne Richer's Web Comix" what would it be?
Leanne: If I could go back I would have named it Fusion Comix in the first place. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I had not made Fusion Comix a kid friendly site. I tested the site with kids aged 5 to 11 and there was no problem with it. I just wonder if any kids visit us at all and if the kid safe rating is even worth it.

Jesse: Why did you start Fusion Comix?
Leanne: I wanted to design web sites and comic books just seemed the obvious choice for a topic. I had a bunch of comic book drawings I thought I would publish on the net and it's grown into many ideas from there. When I didn't have fan art submissions pouring in, I realized I would have to add other things to make it a good comic book site. I was hoping it would get me back into reading comics and drawing as well.

Jesse: What is your current connection to Fusion Staffer Brendan O’Grady? How did you two meet?
Leanne: My sister went to high school with Brendan and they became pals. One day when Brendan phoned my sister she was busy so I talked to him instead. We found out that we both liked Xmen and a friendship was born. Here we are 15 years later, more or less, still harassing each other.

Jesse: What are you hoping to do with Fusion Comix in the future? Any plans?
Leanne: One sneak peek with no promises... I want to develop some sound files for Fusion Comix. For example, I want a sound file that says "Welcome to Fusion Comix" when you click a link on the index page. A tattoo section is in the works for the near future. I don't make plans or promises I just try to do things day by day.

Fun Stuff:
Jesse: What was the last comic you read?
Leanne: I re-read my series of "Area 88"... an anime comic put out by VIZ with a great story but the art sucks.

Jesse: Favorite Comic Series ever?
Leanne: Love And Rockets

Jesse: Favorite Character?
Leanne Spiderman. Typical I know but I can't help it. He is so easy to relate to.

Jesse: Favorite Band?
Leanne: "Metallica" And "Dead Can Dance"

Jesse: Favorite Movie?
Leanne: Recent favorite is "The Gladiator". Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance is on the soundtrack which made it even better. Mostly I dig martial arts and sword fighting movies. I can't stand love stories.

Jesse: Favorite TV Show?
Leanne: 'Weird Homes", a show about strange dwellings people live in

Jesse: What kind of music is Leanne listening to these days?
Leanne: African, calypso, dance hall, reggae, alternative, punk, ska, ambient, celtic, new age, Pagan, Arabic, Hindi, country, big band, jazz, mambo, swing, blues, German cabaret, cajun, metal, rap and the list goes on and on. Everything basically.

Jesse: What have you been reading lately (comic books or otherwise)?
Leanne: Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazines and a wide variety of computer text books

Goofy Stuff and Timeless Debates
Jesse: N’Sync or The Backstreet Boys?
Leanne: Backstreet Boys are much better, N'Sync can't sing.

Jesse: Britany or Christina?
Leanne: Britany for looks but Christina wins hands down for singing ability

Jesse: If you could be saved by any one comic hero, who would it be?
Leanne: Very good question! Hmmm... how about Tank Girl. After she saved me we could hang out and be best buds.

Jesse: Marvel or DC comics?
Leanne: Sorry I can't decide!

Jesse: Coke or Pepsi?
Leanne: Either... don't believe the hype!

Jesse: If you could make one thing true, what would it be?
Leanne: That unnecessary fear would disappear from the planet and would never return.

Jesse: What superpower would you want if you had to choose?
Leanne: I think it would have the power to control the elements like Storm and a Catwoman whip for kicks. As far as superhero lairs go give me Batman's anyday! I think bats are cool. It's hard for me to imagine myself as a superhero though because I am extremely afraid of heights!

Word Association:
Jesse: Fusion Comix
Leanne: unity diversity tights blammo!

Jesse: Future of the comic book industry?
Leanne: Returning to ideas that were popular years ago to maintain freshness

Jesse: Geocities?
Leanne: free

Jesse: Augie680 (me)?
Leanne: sweetie helpful tireless energy optimistic morals impatient manners Deadpool

Jesse: Brendan O’Grady?
Leanne: friend sentimental supportive nuturing insecure protective scattered Wolverine

Jesse: Web design?
Leanne: work amazement exhaustion

Jesse: Today’s comics?
Leanne: sophisticated

Jesse: Esberet?
Leanne: internet geek me Spiderman

Final Question:
Jesse: What’s next for you Leanne?
Leanne: Many more hours spent in front of my computer. Ah yes, this is the life!