Adam Gallardo: How did you first get into comics?
Joe Casey: I was determined to create comics, and determined to get into print. I did a few no-money, black & white books with artists that were also looking to get their work out there. At the same time, I met and became friends with a few professional mainstream writers here in L.A., most notably James Robinson, Steve Seagle and Brian Holguin. James, in particular, saw how serious I was. So when he was leaving a monthly gig at Marvel, the X-Men spin-off series, Cable, he was able to pull a few strings and get me in. I never looked back.
AG: How important do you think having contacts in the comics business are to finding work there? Do you think you'd have made it without those contacts, or would it just have taken a little longer?
JC: Well, in retrospect, it was pretty important. It's rare that someone breaks into this business with zero connections. I honestly don't know if I would've gotten in at all without the particular contacts I had. I can only say this because I'm now on this side of the fence... getting in was tough, but staying in has been the real challenge.
AG: I know that you work on both creator-owned and company-owned comics.
Further, you work on projects outside of comics. How do you balance all of these separate concerns?
JC: I just keep writing, no matter what it is. I don't like to have my momentum slow down for any reason, so for the most part -- where the actual mechanics of writing is concerned -- I don't think much about the circumstances of the projects I'm working on. I just keep my head down and keep plowing forward.
AG: What's your work routine? Do you work every day for a certain number of hours? Always work in the same place, etc?
JC: Quite honestly, it feels like I'm working all the time, every waking moment. A writer is always thinking about stuff, even when you're not sitting at the keyboard.
AG: In your story in Reveal, "Autopilot", you seem to take a dim view of the company-owned comics you've written. Do you see this kind of work
as a necessary evil which allows you to work on books like Automatic Kafka?
JC: I wouldn't say it was a "dim" view, because writing company-owned comics can be a lot of fun if it's the right property and you're working with good people. I just have a different perspective on those gigs than I did five years ago, a more realistic perspective.
AG: Would you talk a little more about what that perspective shift has entailed? What was it before, what is it now?
JC: It's one thing to dream about something, and it's an entirely different thing to actually do it. Before, I was simply naive. Now I've been around the block a few times. That will inevitably change your point of view about things. I've written characters I never thought in my wildest imagination I'd have a shot at writing. But the reality of a gig like writing the X-Men or Superman is much more sobering than you might think, especially if you hadn't spent any time in the belly of either of those particular beasts.
AG: How far along in your career were you before you started pitching creator-owned projects? How successful were those initial pitches and has it become easier as you garner more of a "name" in the industry?
JC: Well, my first project was a b&w creator-owned book for Caliber Comics, called The Harvest King. But, for the bigger publishers, it was about two or three years. It's never easy to convince editors to get behind a brand new idea that they've never heard of before. And my "name" barely means anything since I'm not a big fan favorite by any stretch of the imagination. At this point, I think my behind-the-scenes reputation carries more weight, in terms of my professionalism, since I've been around and working constantly for the past six years.
AG: How do you go about drumming up work?
JC: Sometimes a gig falls into my lap, sometimes I pitch things. It really varies, which is the way I like it. I like the variety.
AG: Comics seems to be an industry that is very artist-or artist/writer-centric and that tends to forget about the writer. As someone who is not an artist, how have you worked around that to make a name for yourself?
JC: I'm pretty picky about the artists I've formed long-term collaborations with, and their styles have helped define how people view my work. Ladronn, Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, Ash Wood. These guys have very specific art styles that have, in turn, informed both my work and my perception in the industry.
AG: Are there any projects or themes you've wanted to explore that you haven't yet been able to?
JC: It's more of a discovery process. Each new gig allows for new frontiers to explore. I rarely start with theme first, because comics is a business of ideas. Once the idea is there, the theme tends to present itself organically. I've always tried to infuse my work with emotions and ideas that seemed relevant to my life at the time, so that's a constant evolution.
AG: What advice would you give to anyone looking to break into comics?
JC: Make comics whether you're getting paid or not. Just keep doing it. Keep honing your craft, even if no one ever sees it. When opportunity knocks, you want to be ready.
AG: Could you give us a brief rundown of the various projects you're working on at the moment?
JC: Wilcats Version 3.0, monthly from DC/Wildstorm, Adventures of Superman, monthly from DC, and The Milkman Murders upcoming creator-owned horror mini-series from Dark Horse
AG: Since we're addressing people here who are interested in working in comics, could you maybe talk a little bit about how you go about doing a pitch? Maybe let us know what you think editors are looking for?
JC: The only thing I can say with any certainty is that editors want something that 1) makes their lives easier, 2) makes them look good to their bosses, and 3) allows them to keep their jobs. You can make their lives easier by writing a pitch that's short, to the point, and easy to understand. We seem to be in a strange time, where the emphasis is on the packaging, rather than the merit of the idea. But, when you're brand new to the business, and you've just gotten that first foot in the door, you've got a clean record. Use that to your advantage.