NETWORK www.mightycrusaders.net

Rik Offenberger, swapping his Archie Comics PR hat for the interview hat, has been kind enough to supply CBO with a creator interview!

THANKS Rik!

CBO: Who are the Scrapyard Detectives?

Bill Galvan: The Scrapyard Detectives are three kids who solve mysteries in their community. The series is a throwback to the retro mystery stories that I grew up reading, like Encyclopedia Brown and Scooby Doo.

CBO: What is The Diversity Foundation and why do they publish comics?

Bill Galvan: The Diversity Foundation is a non profit organization whose mission is to educate children about teamwork and acceptance. We do this by publishing comic books with characters that kids can relate to. The Scrapyard Detectives don’t have super powers, they’re just regular kids who look out for one another.

CBO: If you give away the comics for free, how do you cover your costs?

Bill Galvan: The series is supported by The Diversity Foundation, which was founded by Dr. Dan Fischer, a dentist in Utah. Dr. Fischer is the President of Ultradent Products, Inc. and wanted to get a message to kids that being different is good, and that we are all stronger because of our own different strengths. The Foundation is supported through donations and by Ultradent.

CBO: JM, How did you get involved with this project?

J.M. DeMatteis: I became aware of Bill’s work with SCRAPYARD DETECTIVES a few years ago and was really delighted by what he was doing. I ended up writing the introduction to the SCRAPYARD trade paperback and, not long after, Bill asked me if I’d be interested in writing an issue. It didn’t take me long to say yes.

CBO: Had you read the comic prior too agreeing to work on this issue?

J.M. DeMatteis: Absolutely. I’d read them all and was very impressed.

CBO: Bill how did JM’s interpretation of your characters match up with vision of these characters?

Bill Galvan: J.M. did an amazing job with the characters, he really keyed into their unique personalities with this script. I’ve always been a big fan of J.M.’s work and it was really exciting to read the script for the first time. Especially his inclusion of Lisan from the first issue, and the introduction of Raymond’s cousin Katie. He has a great mix of humor and emotion in the story.

CBO: Who’s idea was it to add Katie to the group?

J.M. DeMatteis: Katie was a character I cooked up.

Bill Galvan: J.M. created the character of Katie.

CBO: What does she add to the group?

J.M. DeMatteis: The main story in this issue is a somewhat heavy one and I wanted some contrast, a fun character who could bring some lighter energy. Bill Galvan: Katie brings a lot of energy to the story, and she’s really integral to the resolution of the plot. Plus, she’s a great detective in her own right!

CBO: Jinn is going through a pretty difficult time in her life through out the story. Do either of you have personal experiences you drew from to relate to her struggle?

Bill Galvan: I’ve never been challenged as much as Jinn has in this story, but I know friends who have. One friend told me that the key to his recovery was to keep a positive attitude. I feel in this story, that Jinn’s recovery is made even more possible when she rids herself of bad feelings.

J.M. DeMatteis: We all have pain in our lives and we all have struggles. I think it’s natural that we bring those experiences to bear when we’re writing. I also have old and dear friends whose son was run down in a way very similar to what happened to Jinn. I wasn’t consciously thinking about him at first but realized, when the story was done, that his struggles certainly became part of Jinn’s. CBO: Is David a brave character or coward? J.M. DeMatteis: I see him as extremely brave.

Bill Galvan: I think that David is a brave character, and definitely noble enough to be troubled by his conscience. He feels bad for what happened, and seeks Jinn out to ask for her forgiveness. I think that takes a lot of courage.

CBO: Is there something going on between David and Jinn, or is this that last we are going to see of him?

J.M. DeMatteis: That’s up to Bill!

Bill Galvan: There isn’t anything going on between David and Jinn, because their age differences are too great (she’s 12, he’s 19). However, it isn’t too hard to see that Raymond is carrying something of a torch for her. He’s definitely more protective of her than we’ve ever seen him before. We might see David in the future sometime, but that’s up to future creators that work on the series.

CBO: This comic is available free to schools and libraries. Does that include schools and libraries in Europe?

Bill Galvan: If there’s any schools or libraries in Europe that want the books, they are welcome to contact me and maybe we can work something out.

CBO: What else are you working on this year?

Bill Galvan: After wrapping up Archie: Freshman Year, which was a lot of fun, I recently had the pleasure of drawing a two part Archies vs. Josie battle of the bands in Archie and Friends #130-131. Drawing Josie and the Pussycats was really a great time, she’s one of the Archie characters that is an icon in her own right. I also found time to draw a 10-page story for Marvel Comics’ The Age of the Sentry #5 in a silver age Curt Swan style. The story was written by Paul Tobin, who did a great job capturing the style of those stories of the time.

J.M. DeMatteis: Right now I’m incredibly busy. I’m finishing up a novel, tentatively titled IMAGINALIS, that will be out from HarperCollins next year. Writing for the BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD animated series. Developing a top-secret TV movie (that I’m not allowed to talk about yet). And lots of comic book work, including THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SAVIOR 28 for IDW, METAL MEN for DC and my work as editor-in-chief of Ardden Entertainment, publishers of the monthly FLASH GORDON and my upcoming min-series THE MERLIN PROPHECIES. And that’s just some of what’s on my plate right now!