PROFILE: CHRIS WARNER, EDITOR

Though best known for his kick-ass art on books like Black Cross and Barb Wire: Ace of Spades, and his crackling smart scripts for the same, Chris Warner is also one heck of a fine editor (which he proved during his first stint at Dark Horse, 1989-'93). Recently, Dark Horse was lucky enough to lure Warner back to a staff position with promises of a huge salary and numerous perks -- including unlimited use of the company Lear jet -- and then locking the door behind him before he realized it was all a trick. Resigned to his fate, Warner has taken on the task of overseeing the publication of Dark Horse's growing list of books, graphic novels, and collections.

Among his lasting contributions to the art of editing is his insistence that the editor be "stupider" than the material he or she is editing. For instance, when a new character appears in a story, the editor should ask him or herself the questions, "Who is this? Where did he come from?" and then make sure the script and the art answer those questions. If a script states, say, that an M1 tank weighs 63 tons, the editor should ask, "Is that right?" (it is, by the way) and then find out. In other words, question everything and don't accept the creator's word for it. A simple concept, but one that is often overlooked in comics (to say nothing of movies and television).

However, Warner wasn't always the comic-book Jack-of-all-trades he is today. Along the way he managed several record stores (back when they sold records), played guitar and sang with punk bands (first The Cleavers, later The Oily Bloodmen), edited special education text books, and spent God only knows how many hours watching television. He was a member of the now-infamous Apa-5 back when the roster included such developing talents as Mark Verheiden, Frank Miller, and Paul Chadwick, and returned to bludgeon the membership with his indefatigable wit and logic during its second heyday in the early '80s. He has drawn comics for Marvel, DC, WildStorm, and Dark Horse (including the lead feature in Dark Horse's very first comic, Dark Horse Presents #1), slaved for a year over a Black Cross screenplay with co-writer Steve Perry, is currently writing an Aliens Graphic Story AlbumTM and the monthly adventures of Ghost, and has watched God only knows how many more hours of television.

If a person can be said to be the culmination of all their experiences, it's no wonder Warner possesses the kind of eye for detail and encyclopedic knowledge that makes artists and writers check their work three times before delivering it to him. He may be stupider than the material, but he's probably smarter than you.

Nickname: Hammerhead, "Step away from the car, sir!"

Favorite comics: Acme Novelty Library, Concrete, Black Hole, Jeremiah, Eightball, Akira, Steve Ditko-era Spider-man, anything by Kirby, Wood, Caniff, Toth, Moebius, Niño.

Favorite books: Blood Meridian by Cormac McArthy, The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Raw Talent by Jerry Butler

Favorite movies: Apocalypse Now, Glengarry Glen Ross, Raw Talent

Favorite music: Poison Idea, The Mermen, Pink Floyd, Black Flag, Wes Montgomery, Joe Satriani, True Believers, The Smithereens, Sonny Rollins, Monster Magnet, Cowboy Junkies, The Dictators, Tony Bennett, Judas Priest, Jeff Beck, Los Lobos, The Stooges, Dexter Gordon, Kiss, Bill Evans...

Favorite food: Lemon scallops from the Panda Inn in San Diego

Favorite drink: 18-year Macallan

Comics project I'd most like to work on: movie adaptation of Black Cross (which would assume the filming of the movie, get it?)

Career highlight: Editing Jack Pollock's Devil Chef.

Quote: "Ow, ow, ow!"