Geek-Girl Interviews mash-up

With the new Variant Edition of Geek-Girl #0 and the Digital Edition of spin-off book Mr. Mash-Up #0 out now, I've been doing some interviews, and here's a mash-up (no pun intended) of some of the Q & A's from them. You can check out the full interviews by clicking on the names of the sites.

GeekSmash.com: How old were you when you first got into comic-books?

Sam: A little kid; then, as many do, I left them in my teen years, and then rediscovered them when something fresh caught my eye in the comic shop within London’s Virgin Megastore. That was Rob Liefeld’s run on New Mutants, which, as many are well aware, brought us the likes of Cable and Deadpool, and begat the original X-Force.

SpeakGeekyToMe.com: Tell us all a little about yourself and what got you into writing comics?

Sam: Well, I’m from London but I’ve lived in Sheffield, England since coming here to study a Masters degree in Creative Writing for Film & TV.

I was always interested in creative writing--and back when Wildstorm was an Image Comics studio, they ran a talent search contest wherein you’d submit story outlines featuring their characters. I did a couple for that, and then entered a couple of other talent searches and came joint-second in one Wizard comics mag was running with Malibu Comics, and by then I was hooked!

It took a lot of perseverance to break into comics, but since I did, about seven years ago, I’ve been getting stuff published every year, including a number of things featuring my Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman; and I had my first full color book, the Avengers-parodying The Almighties #1 out last year, which was well-received.

ReynardCity.com: Where did you get the idea for Geek-Girl?

Sam: Image studio Shadowline ran a ‘Who Wants to Create a Super-heroine?’ contest. I came up with a few ideas, and Ruby Kaye--the hot college chick who lands a pair of super-tech glasses that give her powers but, due to a glitch in them, also render her super-klutzy--was my favorite, and one I developed into what Geek-Girl is now.

Speak Geeky To Me: So for those who have read Geek-Girl #0, when can readers expect the next issue? And is there anything else already available with these characters?

Sam: Well, what’s just come out along with the Variant Edition [of Geek-Girl #0] is Mr. Mash-Up #0, which collects all of the appearances of Mash-Up outside of GG #0. This fella’ll also have an important role to play in the Geek-Girl mini-series; though right now I’m just trying-out artists for that.

GeekSmash: What are your top three favorite titles out right now?

Sam: Superior Spider-Man. It’s a bold thing they’ve done there, and a hell of a story we’re gonna see play out., I’d imagine. DC’s Dial H is a quirky little thing with offbeat protagonists and superheroes, which captures a little of the same kind of magic that Grant Morrison’s run on Doom Patrol had; which remains one of my biggest influences. Crazy ol’ Deadpool is always a character that interests me, and is a character I’m gunning to work on. I’ve got some ideas for the Merc with a Mouth and I have a pitch ready and waiting for the right time…

Reynard City: What advice would you have for people who want to start their own comic?

Sam: Well, with the internet what it is now and Print on Demand comic sites – and the market for Digital comics growing – there isn’t the financial risk there used to be in putting out a comic. Get a creative team together (forums like Penciljack and Digital Webbing are good places to find collaborators) and get it done!

GeekSmash: If you could ask anyone in history, alive or not, one question, who would it be and what would you ask?

Sam: Current Marvel Editor in Chief Axel Alonso: “Who do I need to bribe to get a gig writing Deadpool?

GeekSmash: What projects are you working on?

Sam: Geek-Girl and Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman’s respective mini-series. I’ve been doing various things the last few years, but I’ve realized it’s time to make these two lovely ladies my focus. Pablo Zambrano, who I worked with on The Almighties, has recently joined the art team for Cabra and is doing a great job – particularly as it’s a much darker style than he employed for The Almighties.

Speak Geeky To Me: Finally, where can fans expect the story of Ruby, Trevor [Goldstein; inventor of Geek-Girl's glasses], and the super powered glasses to take them?

Sam: Ruby lands these power-endowing glasses almost by accident--in a game of drunken Strip Poker with Trevor and his buddy Jeff; and she’s not ready for what’s coming her way as a result of owning them--which is going to involve her being thrown in at the deep end of the ‘tights ‘n’ capes’ world. Plus, the glasses will have effects on her that she hasn’t bargained for.

(Right-click on image and Open in New Tab to enlarge)
As for Trevor--he spent a lot of time and money working on the glasses, so perhaps once he’s sobered up, he may not be so willing to let them go…

Geek-Girl #0 is available in Regular, Variant, and Digital/Kindle editions, along with the Digital Edition of Mr. Mash-Up #0 [print edition coming later this month] at www.geekgirlcomics.com