The best thing about being an editor in this business--aside from the limos, private planes, and supermodels--is getting the chance to work with people you really, really want to work with. Let's face it, work is work, and even though my office is in a place whose wise policies actually encourage Rosario Dawson Sin City screen savers, it's still, y'know, work. So, you do your best, try not to set the place on fire, and fight like hell to work with creators with the Right Stuff.
See, comic companies have specific personalities and talent that fits their personalities. There are Marvel and DC and Fantagraphics people. (I'm told there were Crossgen people but, sadly, they are all dead.) To me, Dark Horse people tend to be an odd lot, talented as all get-out, but not self-absorbed in that talent, capable of knocking your eyes out with their art or head-slapping you with their writing, but knowing that this ain't curing cancer. Swing for the fences, enjoy the game, be grateful you don't clean septic tanks.
But the toughest part about working with people you want to work with is, well, actually getting the chance to work with 'em. You've got nothing for them when they come knocking, they're committed when you're hat in hand. Which brings us to Sean Murphy.
I first saw Sean's stuff at a convention, and it floored me. He drew well--in spades--but he could tell a story. I could look at the pictures, loaded with dynamics and visual drama, and still actually tell what was going on. On top of that, he just plain got it. Definitely a Dark Horse guy. But we were never able to work together. I relentlessly pimped his work, which helped him snag a Dark Horse job (on Crush, a seriously under-appreciated book), but then he got sucked into other gigs at other publishing houses (some who openly swear allegiance to Satan), including a project he wrote and drew that was absolutely amazing that he never offered Dark Horse. I tried to kill him and failed, and told him I'd finish the job if he didn't bring me his next project.
So, one day out of the blue, Sean sends me the germ of this science-fiction action-comedy he's working on with Zach Howard, another kickass artist whose work, incredibly, shares the same sensibilities as Sean's. The project, Outer Orbit, featured gorgeous art and was gut-bustingly funny, ruder even than I am. Frankly, they had me at "space chicken truck" (probably because I couldn't figure whether this was a load of chickens in a space truck or a truck loaded with space chickens). And there's this preoccupation with thongs. On dudes. (Let us not speak of this again.) But I had to get Dark Horse on board, and somehow it happened. I'm not saying compromising photos of management were involved, but I'm not saying they weren't.
Anyway, finally got a chance to meet Zach at Comic-Con, and damned if he didn't have the Dark Horse mojo. He works for the check when he has to, but deep down, he's all about the thong. I should also mention writer of screen and funny-book Reed Buccholz, who was brought onto the project essentially to keep Zach and Sean from murdering each other. Somebody has to.
And so, my "plans" have come together as they usually do, magnificently, like garbage cans rolling down a hill. Hell, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
--Chris Warner, Señor Editor