IDW Publishing has graciously interviewed the creative teams behind Godzilla Legends on Toho Kingdom's behalf. Below is the fifth and final session in a five part series where the publisher asks the creative team of the five comics the same ten questions to compare their responses and answers. This column tackles the creative team behind Godzilla Legends #5.
BOBBY CURNOW (Writer: Legends #5/Editor: Legends)
1.) If you had the chance, what Godzilla movie would you remake and why?
Bobby Curnow: Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) sounded like the greatest thing ever before I saw it. Then I saw it, and well, while it has some fun stuff, I thought it had some problems. So yeah, it'd be great to get a huge 'tons of monsters included' event like that perfect. Though, Destroy All Monsters (1968) DID get it right, so at least we have that!
2.) Godzilla has died. Who do you think should take his place as "King of the Monsters?"
Curnow: Minilla. Duh.
3.) What was the first Godzilla product you owned and do you still have it?
Curnow: I had some generic Godzilla action figure way back when. He would plague my Lego constructions. Gone long ago.
4.) Godzilla should return to (blank).
Curnow: Monster Island, ideally. Get out of our hair, Godzilla!
5.) What fiction-turned-reality terrifies you more, giant monsters or zombies?
Curnow: Zombie Sasquatch. Or giant leprechauns. Seriously, I think my pants would be more soiled by giant monsters... it would really trigger that animal instinct of pure terror.
6.) What was the most challenging aspect of creating your issue of 'Legends'?
Curnow: Finding interesting wrinkles in what could be a one note, solitary story. Verdict is out on whether I succeeded.
7.) What was the most fun part of the process for you?
Curnow: Imagining myself in the role of the protagonist, doing something extraordinary that no one has done before.
8.) Is there anything you wish you could have done differently?
Curnow: Once I finish a story I tend to be done with it completely. I don't have many emotions towards it one way or another. If I open that door, it will never close. Ask me in a year!
9.) What do YOU want to see from future Godzilla comics? From the upcoming new movie?
Curnow: This is a tricky question for me, as I have a notable say in what happens in the comics... I'd like a lot of things to happen. There should be interesting human characters who develop and change over the course of the story. The monsters should be used in a unique way that play to their individual strengths... they need to be understood as characters as well, and given the corresponding respect. Too often I hear people talk about Godzilla as just dumb action, or silly B-movies. There's a rich, imaginative world to be explored in the Toho-verse. Hopefully you'll see some of these things in Legends, and will continue to in other Godzilla books I edit. I doubt we'll get everything right, but we'll try like heck.
For the movie, beyond anything else, I want something that instills a sense of terror and wonder in me, something completely suspends disbelief. And, you know, an awesome suit!
10.) Who's your favorite monster?
Curnow: Amazingly, as we haven't seen him in any of our comic stories yet... GIGAN!
DEAN HASPIEL (artist: Legends #5)
1.) If you had the chance, what Godzilla movie would you remake and why?
Dean Haspiel: I'd remake Destroy All Monsters (1968) because I'd like to see an updated version.
2.) Godzilla has died. Who do you think should take his place as "King of the Monsters?"
Haspiel: King Kong!
3.) What was the first Godzilla product you owned and do you still have it?
Haspiel: Marvel Comics' Godzilla #1 from 1977 and, yes, I still have it.
5.) What fiction-turned-reality terrifies you more, giant monsters or zombies?
Haspiel: Zombies want to eat your brains and are more terrifying. Monsters are, most often, tragic, romantic, and misunderstood.
6.) What was the most challenging aspect of creating your issue of 'Legends'?
Haspiel: Figuring out how to draw a giant old lady with thyroid problems and the face of a dog mixed with a cat and make it look like Godzilla was a mesmerizing challenge.
7.) What was the most fun part of the process for you?
Haspiel: My favorite part of drawing "From a Great Height," was designing an old daredevil who was inspired by Jacques Cousteau and Evel Knievel, and show him climbing Godzilla's back, from tail to head, while witnessing mutated life, the destruction of a small village, and a giant monster battle with Kumonga.
9.) What do YOU want to see from future Godzilla comics? From the upcoming new movie?
Haspiel: I love what editor Bobby Curnow and IDW has done, so far, with GODZILLA - the comic book series, and I'd like to read more. As for the GODZILLA - the movie, I'd like to see the big nuclear radiated lizard played by a man in a rubber suit over CGI because that's what makes GODZILLA real to me.
10.) Who's your favorite monster?
Haspiel: Frankenstein's Monster. |
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PERSON DETAILS
BOBBY CURNOW AND
DEAN HASPIEL
The creative team behind Godzilla Legends #5. Bobby Curnow has been the editor at IDW Publishing for many of their licensed properties, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jurassic Park. Beyond writing the fifth issue, Curnow also edited for the entire Legends and Gangsters & Goliaths Godzilla series.
Emmy award winning artist, Dean Haspiel, created the Eisner Award nominated, "Billy Dogma," and illustrated for HBO's "Bored To Death." Dean has drawn many superhero and semi-autobiographical comic books and graphic novels for major publishers and won the 6th Anniversary Literary Death Match in NYC with his "brute charisma." Dean creates & curates cool multimedia projects at TripCity.net, a Brooklyn-filtered literary arts salon.
Date: |
03/12/2012 |
Interviewer: |
IDW Publishing |
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