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Interview with...
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JMH: Where were you born and raised?
Gene: I was born in Nyack, New York and moved upstate to Middletown early on. It was a small farming and hunting town.
JMH: Tell CBI about yourself...
Gene: I am a single dad raising my 14-year-old son named Parker. I love comics, horror and science fiction...I tend to talk before I think and use humor to break tension.
JMH: Have you had any formal training in writing?
Gene: Not at all.
JMH: Who are your writing influences?
Gene: There are so many. Peter David, Paul Jenkins, Roger Stern. Alan Dean Foster. Stephen King. Elmore Leonard. Those are just a few.
JMH: How did you break into writing comic books?
Gene: I always wanted to write comics but felt that I was not talented enough. Moving to Florida in 2000 introduced me to a thriving indy comics scene. I knew it was time. In 2014, I wrote and raised funds to release my first book, Gateway Runners.
JMH: What is the first comic that you remember reading?
Gene: A Superman comic given to me by a teacher: Superman’s Day of Truth in Superman 176.
JMH: Do you read any of the new comic books that are being published today?
Gene: Absolutely. I'm enjoying reading as much as possible.
JMH: Print versus Digital. Your thoughts...
Gene: I'm a print guy but, I certainly understand the appeal of digital space wise.
JMH: Writer’s block. How do you get around that creature?
Gene: Short answer? I don't. With my myriad of medical issues, I get blocked at times. I ride it out until it goes away.
JMH: What is your current project?
Gene: I'm working on a horror story with a guy named Shaun Barbour that I can't say much about yet. Dulce is on issue 3 (soon) and of course Aquarius Defense Force 5.
JMH: What is Aquarius Defense Force 5?
Gene: My homage to giant monsters and robots! I wanted a fun story that evoked all of the classic tropes of the Kaiju genre with a modern twist. If you love Godzilla, Gforce or Voltron, this book is for you. I am having so much fun working on this book.
JMH: What are your future plans for the series?
Gene: I want to utilize more public domain monsters and develop our team more. I also hope to introduce other crews who also fight the good fight. The world of Aquarius Defense Force 5 has potential to be huge. Issues 2 and 3 will be self contained stories that happen to take place at the same time. I hope to do solo stories with crew members and team ups with other Defense Forces. The sky is the limit with this book. Big fights, big action...and maybe even some romance.
JMH: Do you research your story ideas? If so, how?
Gene: Sometimes I research too much. I love that part of writing because I want authentic stories for those reading
JMH: What is your writing process like?
Gene: I make sure that I know how things end before I start. How that end comes to be can change as I go. I like silence and solitude when I write. I rarely even listen to music.
JMH: Do your stories carry a message?
Gene: Sometimes. Gateway Runners alludes to a brighter future for mankind while Labyrinth of Bones is about vengeance vs justice.
JMH: Do you feel more comfortable with writing prose or comic book sequential storytelling?
Gene: Sequential for sure. I struggle with confidence.
JMH: What are your thoughts on DC and Marvel rebooting their universes and starting over with #1 issues every few years?
Gene: I dislike the practice very much. I don't believe it's needed, and it can turn off long time readers.
JMH: If you could write a book from one of the big two (Marvel or DC), which character/s and why?
Gene: Spider-man would be first. I have a deep connection to Peter Parker. My son is even named Parker.
JMH: What future projects are in the works?
Gene: I have several stories in one level of completion or another. I wrote a few stories recreating the public domain character, The Mask, that I hope to get out next year. Nerd Nation Presents is my ongoing anthology book.
JMH: Where can readers get a hold of your books?
Gene: I don't currently have a website up but I hope to change that in 2022.
JMH: How can fans and publishers contact you?
Email or Facebook is best. My email is [email protected]
JMH: Anything else you'd like to mention that we haven't covered yet?
Gene: Not that I can think of. Thank you for talking with me.
CBI: Gene, thank you for your time.
Gene: Thank you.
Discovery Gene's books here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/338840/Aquarius-Defense-Force-5-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.amazon.com/Dulce-New-Guy-Eric-Cockrell-ebook/dp/B07FMBW7SZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_62?crid=4B39WK5ZN5JZ&keywords=dulce%20comic&qid=1638496203&sprefix=dulce%20comic%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-62&fbclid=IwAR0ur4A26imQAJsLA3wVsDqZEgIirw_sedK-3uNCZMo5LyjIV1ngPFdws90
Gene: I was born in Nyack, New York and moved upstate to Middletown early on. It was a small farming and hunting town.
JMH: Tell CBI about yourself...
Gene: I am a single dad raising my 14-year-old son named Parker. I love comics, horror and science fiction...I tend to talk before I think and use humor to break tension.
JMH: Have you had any formal training in writing?
Gene: Not at all.
JMH: Who are your writing influences?
Gene: There are so many. Peter David, Paul Jenkins, Roger Stern. Alan Dean Foster. Stephen King. Elmore Leonard. Those are just a few.
JMH: How did you break into writing comic books?
Gene: I always wanted to write comics but felt that I was not talented enough. Moving to Florida in 2000 introduced me to a thriving indy comics scene. I knew it was time. In 2014, I wrote and raised funds to release my first book, Gateway Runners.
JMH: What is the first comic that you remember reading?
Gene: A Superman comic given to me by a teacher: Superman’s Day of Truth in Superman 176.
JMH: Do you read any of the new comic books that are being published today?
Gene: Absolutely. I'm enjoying reading as much as possible.
JMH: Print versus Digital. Your thoughts...
Gene: I'm a print guy but, I certainly understand the appeal of digital space wise.
JMH: Writer’s block. How do you get around that creature?
Gene: Short answer? I don't. With my myriad of medical issues, I get blocked at times. I ride it out until it goes away.
JMH: What is your current project?
Gene: I'm working on a horror story with a guy named Shaun Barbour that I can't say much about yet. Dulce is on issue 3 (soon) and of course Aquarius Defense Force 5.
JMH: What is Aquarius Defense Force 5?
Gene: My homage to giant monsters and robots! I wanted a fun story that evoked all of the classic tropes of the Kaiju genre with a modern twist. If you love Godzilla, Gforce or Voltron, this book is for you. I am having so much fun working on this book.
JMH: What are your future plans for the series?
Gene: I want to utilize more public domain monsters and develop our team more. I also hope to introduce other crews who also fight the good fight. The world of Aquarius Defense Force 5 has potential to be huge. Issues 2 and 3 will be self contained stories that happen to take place at the same time. I hope to do solo stories with crew members and team ups with other Defense Forces. The sky is the limit with this book. Big fights, big action...and maybe even some romance.
JMH: Do you research your story ideas? If so, how?
Gene: Sometimes I research too much. I love that part of writing because I want authentic stories for those reading
JMH: What is your writing process like?
Gene: I make sure that I know how things end before I start. How that end comes to be can change as I go. I like silence and solitude when I write. I rarely even listen to music.
JMH: Do your stories carry a message?
Gene: Sometimes. Gateway Runners alludes to a brighter future for mankind while Labyrinth of Bones is about vengeance vs justice.
JMH: Do you feel more comfortable with writing prose or comic book sequential storytelling?
Gene: Sequential for sure. I struggle with confidence.
JMH: What are your thoughts on DC and Marvel rebooting their universes and starting over with #1 issues every few years?
Gene: I dislike the practice very much. I don't believe it's needed, and it can turn off long time readers.
JMH: If you could write a book from one of the big two (Marvel or DC), which character/s and why?
Gene: Spider-man would be first. I have a deep connection to Peter Parker. My son is even named Parker.
JMH: What future projects are in the works?
Gene: I have several stories in one level of completion or another. I wrote a few stories recreating the public domain character, The Mask, that I hope to get out next year. Nerd Nation Presents is my ongoing anthology book.
JMH: Where can readers get a hold of your books?
Gene: I don't currently have a website up but I hope to change that in 2022.
JMH: How can fans and publishers contact you?
Email or Facebook is best. My email is [email protected]
JMH: Anything else you'd like to mention that we haven't covered yet?
Gene: Not that I can think of. Thank you for talking with me.
CBI: Gene, thank you for your time.
Gene: Thank you.
Discovery Gene's books here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/338840/Aquarius-Defense-Force-5-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.amazon.com/Dulce-New-Guy-Eric-Cockrell-ebook/dp/B07FMBW7SZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_62?crid=4B39WK5ZN5JZ&keywords=dulce%20comic&qid=1638496203&sprefix=dulce%20comic%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-62&fbclid=IwAR0ur4A26imQAJsLA3wVsDqZEgIirw_sedK-3uNCZMo5LyjIV1ngPFdws90
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