Waiting For Tommy XXIX
By Richard Johnston |
RICHARD:
Maybe that exploring could get you in trouble... the sexually
active website you helped start, Brooklyn Bizarro, seems to
be still going strong. Do you ever find any conflict between
your name being attached to that project, and some of the
simpler, more innocent comics work you do? Is this like Hugh
Hefner writing Powerpuff Girls?
JIMMY:
Not at all. It is for adults, my friends, and immature individuals.
Hell, The Pro was probably more brutal than some of the stuff
on the site, but who really cares. The day when my credits
include " Jimmy [Brooklyn Bizarro] Palmiotti" is the day I
get more hits on the site, LOL. I do not write articles on
the site. It's all fun and games, for adults. It's a side
project, like my script writing and TV and film work. We do
not make a dime on the site; we just break even and have fun
seeing our t-shirts on famous people. It's just a silly kick.
The site
is the baby of my two friends Buddy and Joe Delfini. They
both have a bit more to do with the content than I do. I shot
some of the girl's photos on the site, but nothing X rated,
just topless sexy stuff. There are parts of the site I have
never visited... I am not into the gore. I like fun links,
silly photos, reviews and all the party pictures. I really
think everyone over 18 should go take a look... and remember,
we post almost anything people send in. It's like a bulletin
board in a friends basement that his mom and dad will never
see.
RICHARD:
You mentioned your friends in high places. Let's look at a
few... Dan Didio. He's a mate of yours. What makes him tick,
and is he your ticket to high profile DC gigs?
SUPERBOY
#100 - SIGNED VERSION |
JIMMY:
I have known Dan Didio since I first got into comics.
He lived next door to me in Brooklyn with his family.
We became friends and stayed friends and wrote together.
Now he is a big shot at DC and nothing has changed except
that we now have more in common than ever. We have helped
each other on so many projects over the years, from
writing together on Superboy,
to working on Gatecrasher and developing it for MTV
and Fox, and to helping Amanda and I pitch and sell
Surf & Turf for animation.
So now he is at DC. Before he was there, I was working
on 4 books for them, now that he is there; I am working
on 4 books for them. Is it to my advantage to know Dan?
Hell... it has been to my advantage since the first
time we met. and I am sure he would say the same to
me. Friends look out for friends and I would never use
that to pressure him for anything... ever. |
Remember,
the first thing he did when he got at DC was cancel Superboy,
the book we were writing together. Now Resistance is canned...
and so on. I understand the business and do not pull favors
from people. I bring in projects that I think will benefit
the company and create steady work gigs for myself as well.
When
was the last time you have ever seen me not have work?
As far
as what makes Dan tick... well, we both share the same energy
about everything and we both grew up in Brooklyn, so the attitude
is there as well. Dan loves what he does for a living and
loves his family. It's the best of both worlds for him, and
I personally think having that harmony in your life makes
everything else goes smoother. The other thing that Dan has
is that people meet him for 2 minutes and not only like him,
but trust him as well. He gives off a confidence and humility
at the same time. He will make the most of his new job for
sure. DC will benefit tremendously from having Dan in their
court.
RICHARD:
Your co-collaborator on Pro, Punisher and others, Garth Ennis,
says he hates superheroes - and his work certainly supports
that. What's your take?
JIMMY:
Garth grew up reading war comics and 2000AD. Real world stories
and hardcore science fiction. He simply cannot relate to superheroes
and sticks to what he knows best. Punisher... A guy with a
gun? Easy to understand and run with. Just
a Pilgrim... guy with a bigger gun...easy as well. You
do not see Garth writing anything that doesn't interest him
and I respect him for that totally. The Pro was his answer
to fans asking him to write superheroes and he said all he
wants to say on that subject, that's why The Pro is and will
always be a brilliant one shot comic. He really is one of
my best friends and a real influence on my work. He is one
of the few people I trust the opinion of besides Amanda.
RICHARD:
And your co-collaborator on Vampirella
and Reload, Warren
Ellis... has he, as he put it recently, lost his shit?
JIMMY:
Ha! Well...Warren is the wonderful enigma that we need more
of. Someone who speaks his or her mind and is a friggin talented
motherf***er to boot. I currently have two Warren projects
in my studio as we speak, and they couldn't be further from
each other in concept. I think I have spent a total of 15
minutes in Warren's presence over the years, but have worked
on and off with him so many times. The work speaks for itself
and to tell the truth, I don't read everything that is written
on line, so you definitely might know a lot more about Warren
losing his shit, and really... it's better to lose shit than
find shit somewhere we didn't want it to be.
RICHARD:
And finally Bill
Jemas vs Nick Barrucci in an arm-wrestle. Who wins?
JIMMY:
Nick, because he cannot be beaten ever. He is smarter than
most people think he is and has better connections to the
underworld. He will be here longer than Marvel and DC comics
and will have corpses signing books if he could figure out
a way to re-animate them. Trust me, he is the PT Barnum of
comics. You got to love that crazy man!
RICHARD:
Well, I have to right now, as this is the eighth Waiting For
Tommy interview. The challenge has been completed... and Nick
Barrucci now has to fly me out to some US convention of other.
I'm sure he'll be along with the details any second now. Nick?
[ED.
NOTE: Nick's trying to get in to see Jemas about the arm wrestling
thing, but he has to go a round with Willie Lumpkin first,
and that's proving to more difficult than it sounds]
As for
the future of Waiting For Tommy... well, it looks like you
could be getting double helpings every week soon. One day
a piece on the comics industry, such as the planned "How To
Get Distributed By Diamond" and a few days later a new interview.
Possibly shorter and punchier because time and tide wait for
no Tommy.
Let's
see what happens next week.
Jimmy
Palmiotti's work can be seen most prominently in 21 Down and
The Resistance from Wildstorm. Rich Johnston's comics gossip
and rumour column, Lying
In The Gutters appears every Monday.
1
| 2 | 3
The
Waiting For Tommy Archive |
- WFT
Edition on October 13, 2004
- WFT
Edition on July 30, 2004
- WFT
Edition on June 23, 2004
- WFT
Edition on June 16, 2004
- WFT
Edition on June 9, 2004
- WFT
Edition on May 26, 2004
- WFT
Edition on May 5, 2004
- WFT
Edition on April 6, 2004
- WFT
Edition on March 31, 2004
- WFT
Edition on March 17, 2004
- WFT
Edition on March 10, 2004
- WFT
Edition on March 3, 2004
- WFT
Edition on February 25, 2004
- WFT
Edition on February 19, 2004
- WFT
Edition on February 12, 2004
- WFT
Edition on February 5, 2004
- WFT
Edition on January 28, 2004
- WFT
Edition on January 21, 2004
- WFT
Edition on January 14, 2004
- WFT
Edition on December 31, 2003
- WFT
Edition on December 24, 2003
- WFT
Edition on December 17, 2003
- WFT
Edition on December 10, 2003
- WFT
Edition on December 3, 2003
- WFT
Edition on November 26, 2003
- WFT
Edition on November 19, 2003
- WFT
Edition on November 12, 2003
- WFT
Edition on November 5, 2003
- WFT
Edition on October 30, 2003
- WFT
Edition on October 23, 2003
- WFT
Edition on October 16, 2003
- WFT
Edition on September 17, 2003
- WFT
Edition on September 3, 2003
- WFT
Edition on August 27, 2003
- WFT
Edition on August 20, 2003
- WFT
Edition on August 13, 2003
- WFT
Edition on August 6, 2003
- WFT
Edition on July 31, 2003
- WFT
Edition on July 24, 2003
- WFT
Edition on July 17, 2003
- WFT
Edition on July 10, 2003
|
- WFT
Edition on July 2, 2003
- WFT
Edition on June 25, 2003
- WFT
Edition on June 18, 2003
- WFT
Edition on June 11, 2003
- WFT
Edition on June 4, 2003
- WFT
Edition on May 28, 2003
- WFT
Edition on May 21, 2003
- WFT
Edition on May 14, 2003
- WFT
Edition on May 7, 2003
- WFT
Edition on April 30, 2003
- WFT
Edition on April 23, 2003
- WFT
Edition on April 9, 2003
- WFT
Edition on April 3, 2003
- WFT
Edition on March 26, 2003
- WFT
Edition on March 19, 2003
- WFT
Edition on March 12, 2003
- WFT
Edition on March 5, 2003
- WFT
Edition on February 26, 2003
- WFT
Edition on February 19, 2003
- WFT
Edition on February 12, 2003
- WFT
Edition on February 5, 2003
- WFT
Edition on January 29, 2003
- WFT
Edition on January 22, 2003
- WFT
Edition on January 15, 2003
- WFT
Edition on January 8, 2003
- WFT
Edition on January 1, 2003
- WFT
Edition on December 25, 2002
- WFT
Edition on December 17, 2002
- WFT
Edition on December 11, 2002
- WFT
Edition on December 4, 2002
- WFT
Edition on November 20, 2002
- WFT
Edition on November 13, 2002
- WFT
Edition on November 6, 2002
- WFT
Edition on October 30, 2002
- WFT
Edition on October 23, 2002
- WFT
Edition on October 16, 2002
- WFT
Edition on October 9,
2002
- WFT
Edition on October 2, 2002
- WFT
Edition on September 25 , 2002
- WFT
Edition on September 18 , 2002
- WFT
Edition on September 11 , 2002
- WFT
Edition on August 30, 2002
- WFT
Edition on August 23, 2002
- WFT
Edition on August 17, 2002
|
|
|
|
|
|