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Interview with...
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CBI: Tell the readers a little about yourself…
Michael: My name is Mike Waggoner. I’m a writer, artist, editor, letterer, colorist, and publisher of comics and zines with over 30 years of experience. This obsession rest clearly on the shoulders of a certain middle school teacher, Chris Herrington, who took in a handful of comic book fans and taught them how to D.I.Y. produce their own comics. We felt like kings having our own comics.
CBI: At what age did you start writing?
Michael: I was probably 6 or 7 when I first started scribbling out my own comics on notebook paper with markers and color pencils. It wasn’t until my early teens, when I discovered the small press, APAs, and fanzines, that I got more serious about it.
CBI: Which authors have influenced your style or approach?
Michael: The biggest influence on me must be, Joe R. Lansdale. Joe was a local horror, western, and mystery writer, who became a good friend. He would come into the comic shop I worked at and I would pick his brain about writing as we sat around chatting. Before long he moved into comics, tv, animation, and movies. He frequently set his works in backwoods East Texas towns, which is where we lived, and frequently used elements of horror and the supernatural, my favorite subjects. His ability to give a unique voice to his character while making you feel that you already know them is something that I strive for. Neil Gaiman, H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Matheson, and Ardath Mayhar have also left their mark on my writing.
CBI: What characters/titles have you worked on?
Michael: There has been so many over the years, I can’t even imagine listing them all. Here is a small sample…El Diablo Azul, Legion of Justice, Cross Press Comics, Nerd Nation Presents, Labyrinth of Bones, Get in the Game, Tales of Wonder, Titans, APA-LSH, Klordy, Slim& Nun, Crom, and Marshal Grimm.
The Heap has been one of my favorite characters, ever since I discovered him in Eclipse’s Airboy run around 1986 or 1987. It was then that I learned about the Public Domain and how to apply them in my storytelling. Many creators have used him over the years, but I believe there are still plenty of stories to tell and more avenues to explore.
CBI: Is the Lucky Horror line a shared universe? Will the characters meet each other or team up?
Michael: For the most part Lucky Horror is a shared universe within itself and with the rest of the Lucky Universe. You never know when Beetle Girl, Flame Girl, or S.P.E.A.R. will pop in for a visit. Never limit yourself to a strict set of rules. Slim & Nun and Marshal Grimm both first appeared in Beetle Girl, so team ups are definite. The exception to the rule would be Unlucky Tales, which is an anthology of “one and done” horror and supernatural stories. Much like Twilight Zone and Outer Limits were.
CBI: Are you continuing from the previous storylines or is this a reboot?
Michael: Our story continues from the point where, Eric Von Emmelman aka The Heap, left Germany to look for his wife and child, who escaped to the US. Of course, this is nearly 80 years later. Over time he has mutated; regaining his ability to speak and restoring part of his intelligence. He never found his wife or child but has found his only surviving relative, his great-great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Marconi. He has vowed to be her protector.
CBI: When writing the character, what influences or research did you use to bring the Heap to life?
Michael: Thanks to the Comic Book Plus, I was able to go back and re-read all the Golden Age Heap appearances to get a better understanding of the character and his personality. I also read a bunch of Joe R. Lansdale books to get that swampy, mojo vibe. Joe really knows how to set the tone for a story and I’m trying my best to come close to that level of mastery.
CBI: What is in store for The Heap going forward?
Michael: More interplay about his relationship with Elizabeth, filling in the gaps of his journey between leaving Germany and finding Elizabeth, and maybe an Airboy appearance or two.
CBI: What was it like working on the Lucky Comics Holiday Special and including so many characters?
Michael: It was fun co-writing with John Helmer, we used Google Docs so that both of us could work on the same script simultaneously. It was wild watching him flesh out a page while I was working on another page…sparking ideas and feeding off each other. The tricky part was trying to work in as many characters as possible in only eight pages. Then again, with Oscar Suyama beautifully handling the art duties, not many will pay attention to the story.
CBI: What projects are you currently writing?
Michael: El Diablo Azul vs Jack the Ripper, BEATNIKS, Blood Truckers, Weird Visions, and Battle for Independents from Free Fall Press, a massive Public Domain project from Maple Punx Comics, Steel City Chronicles from Comics United, and a slew of titles from Lucky Comics; Heap, Holy Corps, Unlucky Tales, and Crom the Conqueror, which I will also be drawing. And that is just my writing, I’m also lettering, coloring, and editing quite a few stories and comics.
CBI: Any advice for new writers?
Michael: The old adage of “write what you know” is great but don’t limit yourself, seek out new information and work it into your writing. Don’t limit yourself to one genre, explore the vastness of the literary world. Find an editor that you trust to read and correct your errors. After spending hours on a script those typos and minor errors will start to look correct. Get a fresh set of eyes on it. Most of all, keep writing. You will constantly improve and evolve with each completed script.
Discovery Michael Waggoner's books here:
Lucky Comic Books...
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/345717/Crom-the-Conquerer-2a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/319293/Crom-the-Conquerer-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/369899/Marshal-Grimm-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379682/Lucky-Comics-Holiday-Special-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/338714/Lucky-Comics-Free-Comic-Book-Day-2020a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379157/The-Heap-1a
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/326484/Beetle-Girl-30a
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/250134/Slim--Nun-1a
Michael: My name is Mike Waggoner. I’m a writer, artist, editor, letterer, colorist, and publisher of comics and zines with over 30 years of experience. This obsession rest clearly on the shoulders of a certain middle school teacher, Chris Herrington, who took in a handful of comic book fans and taught them how to D.I.Y. produce their own comics. We felt like kings having our own comics.
CBI: At what age did you start writing?
Michael: I was probably 6 or 7 when I first started scribbling out my own comics on notebook paper with markers and color pencils. It wasn’t until my early teens, when I discovered the small press, APAs, and fanzines, that I got more serious about it.
CBI: Which authors have influenced your style or approach?
Michael: The biggest influence on me must be, Joe R. Lansdale. Joe was a local horror, western, and mystery writer, who became a good friend. He would come into the comic shop I worked at and I would pick his brain about writing as we sat around chatting. Before long he moved into comics, tv, animation, and movies. He frequently set his works in backwoods East Texas towns, which is where we lived, and frequently used elements of horror and the supernatural, my favorite subjects. His ability to give a unique voice to his character while making you feel that you already know them is something that I strive for. Neil Gaiman, H.P. Lovecraft, Richard Matheson, and Ardath Mayhar have also left their mark on my writing.
CBI: What characters/titles have you worked on?
Michael: There has been so many over the years, I can’t even imagine listing them all. Here is a small sample…El Diablo Azul, Legion of Justice, Cross Press Comics, Nerd Nation Presents, Labyrinth of Bones, Get in the Game, Tales of Wonder, Titans, APA-LSH, Klordy, Slim& Nun, Crom, and Marshal Grimm.
The Heap has been one of my favorite characters, ever since I discovered him in Eclipse’s Airboy run around 1986 or 1987. It was then that I learned about the Public Domain and how to apply them in my storytelling. Many creators have used him over the years, but I believe there are still plenty of stories to tell and more avenues to explore.
CBI: Is the Lucky Horror line a shared universe? Will the characters meet each other or team up?
Michael: For the most part Lucky Horror is a shared universe within itself and with the rest of the Lucky Universe. You never know when Beetle Girl, Flame Girl, or S.P.E.A.R. will pop in for a visit. Never limit yourself to a strict set of rules. Slim & Nun and Marshal Grimm both first appeared in Beetle Girl, so team ups are definite. The exception to the rule would be Unlucky Tales, which is an anthology of “one and done” horror and supernatural stories. Much like Twilight Zone and Outer Limits were.
CBI: Are you continuing from the previous storylines or is this a reboot?
Michael: Our story continues from the point where, Eric Von Emmelman aka The Heap, left Germany to look for his wife and child, who escaped to the US. Of course, this is nearly 80 years later. Over time he has mutated; regaining his ability to speak and restoring part of his intelligence. He never found his wife or child but has found his only surviving relative, his great-great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Marconi. He has vowed to be her protector.
CBI: When writing the character, what influences or research did you use to bring the Heap to life?
Michael: Thanks to the Comic Book Plus, I was able to go back and re-read all the Golden Age Heap appearances to get a better understanding of the character and his personality. I also read a bunch of Joe R. Lansdale books to get that swampy, mojo vibe. Joe really knows how to set the tone for a story and I’m trying my best to come close to that level of mastery.
CBI: What is in store for The Heap going forward?
Michael: More interplay about his relationship with Elizabeth, filling in the gaps of his journey between leaving Germany and finding Elizabeth, and maybe an Airboy appearance or two.
CBI: What was it like working on the Lucky Comics Holiday Special and including so many characters?
Michael: It was fun co-writing with John Helmer, we used Google Docs so that both of us could work on the same script simultaneously. It was wild watching him flesh out a page while I was working on another page…sparking ideas and feeding off each other. The tricky part was trying to work in as many characters as possible in only eight pages. Then again, with Oscar Suyama beautifully handling the art duties, not many will pay attention to the story.
CBI: What projects are you currently writing?
Michael: El Diablo Azul vs Jack the Ripper, BEATNIKS, Blood Truckers, Weird Visions, and Battle for Independents from Free Fall Press, a massive Public Domain project from Maple Punx Comics, Steel City Chronicles from Comics United, and a slew of titles from Lucky Comics; Heap, Holy Corps, Unlucky Tales, and Crom the Conqueror, which I will also be drawing. And that is just my writing, I’m also lettering, coloring, and editing quite a few stories and comics.
CBI: Any advice for new writers?
Michael: The old adage of “write what you know” is great but don’t limit yourself, seek out new information and work it into your writing. Don’t limit yourself to one genre, explore the vastness of the literary world. Find an editor that you trust to read and correct your errors. After spending hours on a script those typos and minor errors will start to look correct. Get a fresh set of eyes on it. Most of all, keep writing. You will constantly improve and evolve with each completed script.
Discovery Michael Waggoner's books here:
Lucky Comic Books...
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/345717/Crom-the-Conquerer-2a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/319293/Crom-the-Conquerer-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/369899/Marshal-Grimm-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379682/Lucky-Comics-Holiday-Special-1a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/338714/Lucky-Comics-Free-Comic-Book-Day-2020a?manufacturers_id=7565
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/379157/The-Heap-1a
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/326484/Beetle-Girl-30a
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/250134/Slim--Nun-1a
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