BH: So far, Heroes For Hire features two new characters: Humbug and Tarantula. What goes into the overall design of a new character? Do you design characters around the plot or is it vice versa. And is there an approval process for introducing a new character?
JP: We have to get approval from our brilliant editor Mark Paniccia and then we write what we think the characters should look like and the artist, Billy Tucci this time, goes in and does up some rough ideas. We get to see them and give notes. It’s an easy and fun process really; when you have a good group of people working together. It’s not always the case.
BH: Let’s talk about Humbug; he puts a whole new spin on the phrase “fly on the wall.” Misty Knight describes him as “the poster child for all the guys picked last in gym class,” and yet he seems to have an ability that is not only creatively useful, but also dangerous! With all the powers and personalities to choose from, what thought process went into the design of Humbug? Should we take him and his bug-speak power seriously? How are you planning on keeping him from falling into the same “mocked by comic book fandom” status that Speedball did?
JP: A character like humbug is an underdog all the way, and when writing someone like him, its hard not to get excited about it. His abilities of speaking with insects and such are huge when you consider the amount of the little fellas that inhabit our planet…and I think the more you dwell on this idea- you start to realize how he may just be one of the most powerful characters in comics. What’s even more fun is he is a bit of a dweeb, so with such power and geekiness together, I think it makes for a far more interesting character than let’s say a Captain America or Iron Man. We are going to flush him out in the next year. Speedball, I really know nothing about him except he looks like he bought his costume at a 99 cent store.
BH: And now for Tarantula; with Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, Black Cat and Shang-Chi on the team, one more fighter seems a bit redundant (of course, don’t let that stop you from adding more leather clad gals into the mix). What can we expect of Tarantula that will distinguish her from the others?
JP: She is new to the superhero business and in a way- I think the reader can relate to her a bit more going in to the series. She is dangerous and unpredictable and doesn’t have the responsibilities the other characters have…and that’s just one part of her that makes her stand out from the crowd.
BH: In Daughters of the Dragon: Samurai Bullet you brought Misty Knight and Colleen Wing out from their longtime supporting character status and into the spotlight. Now you have added a niche character Shang-Chi into the mix. These characters were created and worked on by some the greats in the comic book industry such as Tony Isabella, Roy Thomas, Chris Claremont, Steve Englehart, Paul Gulacy and Doug Moench to name a few. Do you feel obligated to keep these characters as traditional as possible?
JP: Yes, totally. Justin and I are huge fans of these talents and their characters and really…if they read the books we are hoping they don’t want to kill us. We have remained very loyal to the original designs and personalities of them and will continue to do so. Why screw with something that works? These are a great group of characters created by brilliant talents that will live on after we are all gone.
BH: I look at your new Heroes for Hire and I see Kill Bill (and I love it); was this film an influence for the book?
JP: Not a bit. I have been doing this type of story before Kill Bill was around [see Beautiful Killer] and really, its taken from exploitation films in the 1970’s, and mixed in with today’s cultures. To say Kill Bill was original on any level would mean you haven’t seen many films. By the way, I loved Kill Bill as well.
BH:. Heroes For Hire #1 gets right to the point, starting out with a giant samurai on the first page and not stopping until the solicit for issue #2! The issue works out quite well for the gals and their pals, so it’s rather easy to surmise that things are going to go down hill pretty fast. Can you give us some insight into how down and how fast the story is headed?
JP: I hate answering this type of question because I am also not a fan of seeing movie trailers that give away any of the story. I will say that the action gets turned up a notch, the group gets in deeper to what’s going on around them, and that Humbug gets to show off a bit.
BH: Misty Knight pretty much lays down the logistics of why and how she will help Iron Man in support of the Super Human Registration Act; and as other characters come into play their stance on the SHRA makes perfect sense. Is there any character(s) that you wanted as a part of Heroes for Hire but couldn’t use because of their resistance to the Super Human Registration Act?
JP: Not because of the Act, just that we wanted Iron Fist…but he was being used elsewhere. The HFH team is a dream team and is perfect the way it is.
BH: And finally- Orka!?! You’re a genius! Are you going any where with this character? Should I be digging through back issues looking for his first appearance?
JP: Orka is all Justin, so props for him all the way. There are some great Orka moments coming up…especially one in the Hudson Bay…but really, each character will get their moment to shine. I would first go and pick up the trade for Daughters of the Dragon for some real Orka fun, then hunt down the tons of appearances in the marvel universe.
BH: Thanks, Jimmy!
