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You
were the artist for the Wrath of the Comet, which was supposed to
be released by DC/Impact Comics, but never was. Mark Waid
sent me a photocopy of the issue, and it looked pretty neat.
Yes, and I still
have the entire story art. Pencils only, but occasionally I
get a noodge to ink them (I probably won't--my inking isn't
considered commercially viable any more).
I was looking
forward to doing a new series again, and was very disappointed
that DC let the whole thing drop. Though, to tell you the
truth, my affection goes to the Simon and Kirby Shield (the
Double Life of Private Strong), the very first red-white-and-blue
hero I ever encountered. I would have loved having a chance
to do him.
Who
brought you to Impact, and did you lobby for it?
Frankly, I don't
remember. I got a call asking me if I was available.
I imagine it was whoever was editing the line.
What
kind of research did you do on the Comet before drawing the book?
Well, I had the
earlier Impact books, and I went back and read them to refresh my
memory.
Did
you ever draw issue 2 (or was it never written?)
No, I didn't draw
it, and if the plot or script had ever been written, I didn't
hear of it. I turned in the pencils of #1, and after some
length of time when I didn't hear anything else, I called DC and
was informed that the project was cancelled. I never knew
whether it was because they didn't like my art, or if there were
other reasons.
What
was your first introduction to the MLJ characters?
I'm older than most
of your readers, and my first introduction was to the Archie
Adventure Series titles, 'The Double Life of Private Strong'
(Simon & Kirby's version of the Shield) and 'The Adventures
of the Fly', back in the '50s. I still have the Shield's
two issues tucked away, and two or three early 'Flys' too.
S&K's Shield was the first red-white-and-blue superhero
I'd ever seen, and I was immediately hooked. I guess I just
missed the early '50s appearances of Captain America.
Anyway, I thought the Shield was terrific. I loved
the Fly, too. The early Fly was somewhat creepy, standing
out perpendicular on a wall, or upside down on the ceiling (this
was way before the birth of Spider-Man). Unfortunately, the
Shield's title only lasted two issues, and he turned up once
later on as a guest star in the Fly's book, but stripped of most
of his powers. Originally, he was invulnerable, he could
fly, and he could generate bio-electricity or some other such
force. His features resembled Clark Kent's, and he was
raised as a foundling by an elderly couple who lived on a farm.
I always suspected that DC (and possibly Marvel as well)
sued Archie over resemblances to Superman (and possibly Captain
America).
Were
you told to make your story shorter to make room for the Steel
Sterling back-up?
I didn't know there
was to be a Steel Sterling backup. That could well be.
They never told me much at DC. I know it was
shortened by one page because the whole line was to have a text
splash page which would tell the readers who the character was
and bring them up to speed on the storyline. Personally, I
thought it was a stupid waste of a splash page.
Would
you tackle any of the MLJ/Red Circle characters again if given
the chance?
Hell, yes! I'd
love to do the Lancelot Strong Shield or the Fly (that is, the
pre-Impact version). I never liked the original Shield, and
never had much interest in Steel Sterling one way or another.
visit Dave's website: http://www.DaveCockrum.com
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