Attention Deficit Delirium

Yes, it's true, Jim Salicrup is secretly Papa Smurf.

A legendary Marvel Comics editor, Jim Salicrup arrived during the famed company’s classic period, and his career has been going full steam ever since. He was only 15 years old when he began as a messenger there in 1972, and he worked his way up to editor and tackled such titanic titles as The Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, Mighty Avengers and Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man remake, not to mention writing for Transformers, Sledge Hammer!, The A-Team and others. In 1992 he left Marvel for a six-year tenure at Topps Comics, then spent two years at Stan Lee Media as senior writer/editor, even writing and voicing the Stan Lee’s Evil Clone cartoons, before joining Papercutz as editor-in-chief in 2002.

I first heard about Papercutz because they brought Tales From The Crypt back from the dead. I was skeptical at first because the original EC line was truly classic and special, and while I was expecting vintage style art, the modern approach to the title gradually won me over. I’ve bought many issues since. Then I learned that Papercutz was reviving many older comic book and literary franchises and updating them for a young, modern audience. With my interest piqued, I decided to interrogate Salicrup about his latest publishing venture, his career and the future of my beloved comic book medium.



One of the most famous Marvel titles edited by Salicrup: Spider-Man #1 by Todd McFarlane.

Can you give us the Cliff Notes version of how you came to Papercutz and how it has grown?
How about the Classics Illustrated version, Bryan? In a nutshell, Terry Nantier, pioneering NBM graphic novel publisher and I, got together and decided to start a new company that would create comics and graphic novels for all ages. We both grew up reading graphic novels such as Tintin by Hergé and thought there was a need for such material for today’s kids. So the basic concept was for us to get the rights to popular characters and create great comics and graphic novels for all ages.

As superhero comics still take up a lion’s share of the market, what challenges have you faced in resurrecting titles like Tales From The Crypt, Classics Illustrated and Nancy Drew?
I guess it depends on how you look at it. Superhero comics are really a market unto themselves. Manga is another, and graphic novels for kids is now emerging as the latest new market. Tales From The Crypt Graphic Novel #8, “Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid,” has become a surprise hit for Papercutz. It’s in its fourth printing already, and I suspect there will be many more printings to come. I believe it succeeded because we finally connected with the huge kid’s comics market out there, and they love the parodies we’re running of pop culture hits like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Twilight. Obviously, a book such as this isn’t competing directly with any superhero comics.

A page from "Classics Illustrated" issue #5.

You can call Jim Salicrup many things, but hatchet man is not one of them.

Even though the art is completely different, I am enjoying the new Tales From The Crypt. What was the inspiration for the reboot and how have people responded to it?
Thanks, Bryan. Terry suggested that we do a horror comic series, and I couldn’t resist reviving Tales From The Crypt. For folks who wanted a copy of the original series, they weren’t thrilled with the direction we went in. Some of the older fans forget that they were kids when they read Tales From The Crypt back in the Fifties, and we’re doing a Tales From The Crypt series to appeal to kids today, not from over 50 years ago. I mean, can you name another comic book that looks exactly as it did over 50 years ago? So we’re getting positive feedback from a new generation of readers, and that’s fantastic. We have eight volumes of Tales From The Crypt in stores now, and we tackle everything — reality TV, drugs, comic book fans, starving fashion models, virtual reality, suicide bombers. We’ve had some straight horror tales by Joe R. Lansdale and John L. Lansdale and plenty of twisted parodies. And there’s much more to come.

Cultural conservatives will never stop complaining.

The Sarah Palin cover was inspired. Do you see comic book censorship becoming an issue ever again like it was in the Fifties?
Well, we have to be very careful with what we do with Crypt and all our graphic novels because they’re all shelved in the kids sections of bookstores. That’s not a problem for us because our plan for Papercutz is to create comics and graphic novels for a young audience. Almost every comic book was suitable for kids when I was growing up in the Sixties, so I don’t have a problem with “censorship” per se. Nor do I have a problem with comics for adults. I just believe there should be comics for everyone, not just adults. What a radical concept, eh?

Despite the huge success of comic book movies, comic book sales are not on a major upswing. Do you see this changing in the near future? Or do you see the industry being driven more by graphic novels, reprint collections and back issue sales?
The reason for that, I believe, is distribution. We lost a lot of comic book stores in the last 20 years, and I believe that accounts for the loss in sales. It’s amazing how good sales are, with so few stores today. Add a few thousand comic book stores, and watch sales skyrocket! It’s great to see new stores opening that are embracing indie comics and graphic novels, and rejecting the old “Android Dungeon” model. These stores are far more inviting to potential new comics readers, and the more the better for everyone, even the superhero comics.





What do you miss most about your days at Marvel and Topps Comics?
Other than the people, nothing! I’m hoping I can apply whatever I learned during my 20 years at Marvel to building Papercutz into a successful comics and graphic novel publisher. I’m still working with some of the greatest writers and artists in comics. Artists like Christian Zanier, Stuart Sayger, Sho Murase, Paulo Henrique, Steven Mannion and the rest are simply awesome. I’ll put ‘em up against the best any of the big guys have to offer — they’re all that good. In fact, that’s part of what’s really exciting about editing comics — seeing such incredible new talents come along. So I’m having as much fun now, if not more, at Papercutz as I’ve had at anywhere in the past.

Salicrup (left) with "DieLite" artist Miran Kim and "Stinky Dead Kid" writer Stefan Petrucha.

It has been argued that the comics industry is starting to go back to the collector’s edition chicanery of the early ’90s, when multiple covers and editions of issues made people think they were investing in something that would be worth more later. Do you see this as being the case?
So far, we’ve only done one alternate cover: the Sarah Palin Tales From The Crypt comic book cover you called inspired. It’s possible we may do more in the future, but generally we want it to be really special and not just a sales gimmick.  You know, I doubt if most comic book store customers are even aware of what we’re publishing at Papercutz. The customers at most comic book stores are just too old. Mostly we’re focused on our titles such as Bionicle, which is based on the hit LEGO toys. I believe these are the Transformers of today’s kids. Every 10 year-old boy knows about Bionicle, but most adults, unless they have kids, are unaware of this huge property. Another good example: Geronimo Stilton. There are about 35 Geronimo Stilton books out there that have sold an average of 185,000 copies each! That outsells virtually every comic book published today. So it’s no surprise that we’re going back to press, yet again, on our Geronimo Stilton graphic novels. As you can tell, most of our sales come from booksellers, schools and libraries. Comic book stores that wish to attract kids as customers, which can be their future customers, can simply order our books, rather than support more of the same old stuff from the same old comics publishers.

These aren't your dad's "Hardy Boys".

What do you think are your most underrated stories as a writer?
Probably the A-Team and Sledge Hammer comics I wrote for Marvel. They were a lot of fun. I don’t really have time to write that much anymore, but I do enjoy writing the intro pages for Tales From The Crypt featuring The Old Witch, The Vault-Keeper and The Crypt-Keeper. Ricko “the Sicko” Parker draws ‘em, and it’s always fun to work with Rick. These days, if I come up with an idea, it’s easier to assign it to a writer. But that happens rarely, and these writers all have brilliant ideas of their own anyway. It’s great working with Stefan Petrucha, Sarah Kinney, Scott Lobdell, Greg Farshtey, Fred Van Lente, Rob Vollmar and so many others.

What is in the future for you and Papercutz?
We’ll be publishing a series of graphic novels based on one of Disney’s hottest and most beloved properties — Disney Fairies starring Tinker Bell — and I can’t tell you how excited I am about that. We’re also planning to publish another huge property in the fall of 2010, but that’s still a big secret, so I can’t say anymore about that.

What does being a trustee at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art entail?
MoCCA was founded by Lawrence Klein, and he asked me to help out in any way I could. Since I love comics, New York City and museums, I couldn’t possibly resist since those are all things I love. Chairman/President Ellen Abramowitz and Director Karl Erickson are doing an unbelievable job of running MoCCA these days, and I still basically help in any way I can. Mainly I simply offer my advice and try to answer any questions that come up. Most importantly, a non-profit comic art museum needs as much support as possible just to survive. The annual MoCCA Art Fest is our major fund-raiser, but in these tough times we need more help than ever before. People can help by becoming a volunteer, becoming a member of the museum, or by donating money. For more information go to www.moccany.org. With so many museums in New York City, how could they not have one devoted to comic art and animation?

Jim Salicrup (center) and "Stinky Dead Kid" artist Rick Parker (right).

Have you spoken with Stan Lee lately?
December 28th was Stan’s Birthday, and I wished him a happy 87th birthday. The man is my hero and a true living legend. He’s also my biggest inspiration. Every day at Papercutz we’re doing our best to create the very best comics we possibly can. Stan always respected the intelligence of his audience, and never wrote down to them. That certainly holds true at Papercutz — comics for kids shouldn’t be watered-down versions of comics for adults. Stan created comics that were acceptable for kids, but still sophisticated enough for college students and adults. As Stan would say, Excelsior!



A cheerful Herb Trimpe at Big Apple Con 2008. (Photo Credit: Luigi Novi.)

One of Marvel Comics’ premiere artists, Herb Trimpe became renowned in the Seventies for drawing The Incredible Hulk. While Jack Kirby co-created the big green goliath, it was Trimpe who gave him his greatest, most memorable form. Through his distinct visual style, he effectively brought out both the menace and sadness in the hounded alter ego of scientist Bruce Banner.

As a result of tackling the Hulk from the late Sixties through the first half of the Seventies, Trimpe was the first artist to draw Wolverine, who later became the most popular character in the famed X-Men franchise. His considerable talents also landed him work on The Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor, G.I. Joe, Marvel Team-Up and numerous other Marvel titles into the mid-Nineties. Trimpe’s name and work are legendary to life-long comics readers such as myself, and his work is inspiring younger artists as well.

I met Trimpe briefly at this year’s New York Comic Con and really wanted to have him draw my portrait. But I was on assignment and had limited time, plus there were always admirers at his table wanting a word, a portrait or simply a chance to watch a master in action. So a few months later I contacted him directly through his website. Taking a break from his busy activity, Trimpe conducted an interview with A.D.D. to fill us in on his recent activities, his thoughts on the Hulk’s evolution over the years, the Marvel movies and much, much more.

Next time you’re in NYC, Herb, I’m getting that portrait!

What was it like working with Mike Mignola on BPRD: War On Frogs last year? Did you make any conscious attempts to emulate his style at all, or did you just interpret the characters as you saw fit?
Very easy, low key. When we communicated, it was via e-mail.  Not being that familiar with the characters, I tried to keep them true to the originals.

How did the process of working on that series differ from the classic Marvel Comics you worked on?
Stan [Lee] never worked with scripts — at least not by the time I got there. The Marvel way, Stan’s way, had the artist visualize the pictures from brief plot lines. The script followed for the letterer’s benefit. On BPRD, I worked from a full script, but with leeway as to input I felt strongly about. It’s actually harder to work from a full script because you are looking at the story through the writer’s eyes, and it needs to be interpreted so it works for you, the penciler.

Trimpe penciled last year's BPRD: War On Frogs mini-series. ©2008 Dark Horse Comics.

What do you think of the way comic book art has become more digital in its creation?
I hadn’t noticed except for the coloring.  That’s fine, but I like hand-lettering more than lettering programs, no matter how clever they are. The one thing that’s fantastic about comics is the original art is produced the way it was 70 or 80 years ago — hand-drawn with a pencil and eraser and finished with pens, brushes, India ink and nowadays, markers.

What has been your favorite comic book and comic character to draw out of your entire career and why?
Probably the Hulk. We had a lot of fun on that one, and it was early enough on that the corporate sharks hadn’t eaten the company alive yet.

I noticed that when you worked with inker Jack Abel, such as on Iron Man, that your art took on a more Kirby-esque style. Was that conscious?
If true, it’s a coincidence. What you see is probably what Jack Abel’s contribution brought to the strip.

Are there any villains that you’d like to see in future Iron Man movies? I think Commander Kraken the pirate could be a fun one.
Not any I can think of. Iron Man was the best movie of the superhero lot, in my opinion. It was mature and intelligently presented with a nice touch of humor, appealing not just to comic fans. You have to be careful not to select a silly villain. The X-Men were good, but most of the villains that appear in movies come off as pretty silly. You’ve got to be careful who you choose.

The Hulk at the mercy of the Sandman on the cover of The Incredible Hulk #113, March 1969.

You worked on The Incredible Hulk for several years and were its best artist. What did you like most about working on that series?
Thanks for the compliment. On the Hulk, the stories were varied and fun. Each writer involved got into the character and basically, we had a ball. In comics, fun is the operative word. If it ain’t that, it ain’t comics. There came a time when a lot of people in the business started taking themselves too seriously, both in management and on the creative end. If you’re not having a good time, what’s the point?

What do you think of the more oversized and grotesque depictions of the Hulk since the late Eighties?
Stupid.  It’s become homogenized. There was a time when there was no doubt who did the art.  You had an Everett or a Romita, or a Buscema, Ditko or Kirby — very distinct styles. I think the Japanese influence on American comics has been detrimental — manga and so forth.  Modern-day comic books are distinctly an American cultural thing, in my opinion, like rock ‘n roll or baseball.  We do it best.  The more distinct the artists’ styles are, the more fun.  Again, fun is the point.

Are you not a fan of any manga?
It was somewhat attractive at first, but I got bored with it.

What do you think of the two theatrical Hulk films? Why do you think they failed to catch on in the way that the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises have?
They weren’t good. The Hulk is nothing without Banner. You’ve got to play the Hulk as a victimized Bruce Banner — that he’s a beast, but he’s also human. This is basically the human condition. It’s the pathos of playing the two manifestations against each other. The story of the Hulk is a sad story first, not a violent one. His violence is the result of his condition, like Frankenstein’s monster. I think these are the elements that made the character successful in the comics.

Metal on metal: Iron Man and Commander Kraken battle it out in Iron Man #94, January 1977.

One can buy the entire run of The Incredible Hulk and other classic series on CD-ROM. How do you feel about people looking at comics on their computer?
Pretty good. I am working on a computer comic with a couple of other people as we speak.

Comic book movies and television shows are huge, but that does not seem to be affecting the sale of comic books. Why do you think that is, and do you think we’ll see an upswing in sales in the future?
Whatever comic sales are now, they were a whole lot better thirty years ago in terms of individual titles, even though the characters were generally less known — Batman and Superman being the exception. I think the movies and TV shows have had a very positive effect on overall comic sales. Hulk had a TV show and that probably helped sales back then. Nowadays, sales are split between so many titles that individual titles don’t sell as well as they used to. If anything, the movies have brought the characters to more people, probably creating a greater, broad-based interest.  The hope is this will continue to build the print readership.

How did the Marvel Comics bankruptcy in the mid-1990s affect you?
I got fired. Actually, “terminated” was the word. There wasn’t any more work to be had, at least for me. We all saw it coming, those of us who were let go, and for me, it was basically a salaried position that I was let go from. In all fairness, I was totally free to seek work on a freelance basis, but call it what you like, if there ain’t no work, there ain’t no work. That said, I was affected in a very positive way. I was forced to move on. I hadn’t been having a whole lot of fun drawing comics, and had realized for several months, if not years previously, it was time to go. I just needed a shove.

With the help of Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards, Bruce Banner not only gains control over his transformation into the Hulk, but he can also retain control of his mind in his bulked up state. The Incredible Hulk #123, January 1970.

Have you stayed in touch with Stan Lee?
No.  I hear he’s still an energetic whirlwind of activity.  God bless him.

After your departure from Marvel, how did teaching aspiring artists for two years change your life? What is the best advice you can give to students?
Practice. Something I had no patience for. It kept me from being the complete comic book artist — but I was/am a very good storyteller and that came naturally. I don’t like to do things I have to work at. Teaching was a tough job.  Much tougher than comics. All teachers should get the civilian version of the Medal of Honor. Outsiders don’t have a clue as to what really goes on, and teachers tend to keep that kind of thing inside the loop.

A dramatic and colorful Trimpe cover featuring Killraven. Amazing Adventures #20, September 1973.

When did you become an ordained deacon, and why did you choose to write The Power of Angels?
I was ordained a deacon by the Episcopal Diocese in New York in 1991.  The book was a compilation of material that was journaled during the 9/11 recovery process at Ground Zero in New York in order to process the events that took place while I was volunteering there.  It helped to put things in order.  The distilled version of the journal became the book, and the book was mainly published for friends and family so they could get an idea of what went on there.  If there was any money to be made, which there wasn’t, it was to go to a charity to be designated by me.

Which comic story are you most proud of having written?
I didn’t write many, but the ones I wrote were good.  My favorites were the ones for the [G.I.] Joe books.

What projects are you working on and do you have coming up?
Mostly commissions.  Redrawing the same old stuff.  Not creative, but it supplements Social Security nicely.  Plus, a comic story for a West Coast rock band [Orphaned To Hatred] as a promotional piece.  And, as I mentioned before, the online comic.  Very top secret, but violence and blood are notched-up several levels.  And the story, not mine, is excellent.