RICHARD: How do you feel Erik Larsen will run Image? Do you think you'd still have left if he'd been President then?
JOSH: While I think it will bring a lot of different creators in that may have not wanted to come in before, it doesn't matter WHO'S in charge unless there's a serious long term plan implemented. If they keep doing everything the same, it will fail, if they make some serious changes, it might take off - hopefully they're doing the latter. I've never worked with Erik - I've had a beer with him at a convention gathering before, and he's always been nice to us, but who am I to say how he'll run a company?

RICHARD: Another pattern of the franchise-studio seems to be that non-franchise projects will disappoint sales-wise, despite lower expectations. Is there any way you can see to successfully transfer readers from a franchise comic to a new comic?
JOSH: Well, it's hard, and that's why I've been taking it slow. We have a line of books we're working on, but I don't want to give it all away right now. Don't need any copy cats trying to move in and do the same thing. It's something I take very seriously, though. You have to do something that retailers are comfortable buying, first, and provide them with creators they know, WITHOUT breaking the bank. There's usually a part of that equation missing in most company launches.

We'll see if I have any idea what I'm talking about after I try to launch my own line in our new role as independent publisher.

 

COBRA: REBORN #1

RICHARD: I can hear the pitches being sharpened as we speak. Okay, now you don't almost come to the end of an interview and drop that kind of heavy hint. We want names, titles, creators, concepts. Tease the poor punters I've got wiggling on the end of the string. Tease them!
JOSH: Big names, cool characters, beautiful art, major promotion - tell your friends :)

RICHARD: Pathetic. And anyway, are you accepting pitches? There's a lot of submissions out there with your name on it... well, Epic's name actually, Tippexed out.
JOSH: I'm creating characters that Devil's Due will own - "I.P.s", to get technical, that can strengthen my company. I'll never get that way just by publishing other people's creations, and I don't think they all want to give up their creator rights. So there's not a major call for concept submissions. Artists are welcome to submit for work for hire, though - just check out the link on our website.

RICHARD: And another Marc Alessi is born. Joe Quesada is reputed to have turned down the possibility of pursuing the G.I.Joe license for Marvel, before you guys got the gig. Will you cop to any similar missed opportunities?
JOSH: Well, I'd have loved to have gotten Transformers, but that was only missed because we couldn't afford it after investing in the G.I.Joe brand. So it hasn't happened yet, but maybe when I pass on a Yu-Gi-Oh comic pitch in 20 years I'll kick myself for it. :)

RICHARD: So, since you're not looking for any more eighties revamps, what chance for my quite brilliant A-Team 2099 idea? Any room for a cyborg BA Baracus and a genetically engineered Face?

Josh?

Josh?

Damn.

Josh Blaylock published Devil's Due. Rich Johnston writes Lying In The Gutters and new comic book series Holed Up.

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The Waiting For Tommy Archive

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