Kenny Porter Interview - Archie Is Mr. Justice

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[00:01:44] And I am very excited to talk to today's guest. We are going to be talking about the four issue series Archie is Mr. Justice, which I think has been kind of fascinating. There's been a somewhat of a different creative team. I think the colorist and letterer for the most part has been the same, but a different creative team for four issues.

[00:02:04] And we might have some other guests join us tonight. I'm not sure. But for right now, I am so excited to talk to the man behind who has written issue number three, the Betty issue. Please welcome to the podcast, Kenny Porter. Kenny, how you doing tonight? I'm doing great, man. Thanks for having me.

[00:02:24] No, I'm excited. I talked to, I think, Mike Norton early on before, like right before issue one came out and then was excited kind of as I begin, as I continue to like dip my toe into Archie comics. I think I've said before on the podcast, like Archie was something I was always familiar with. It was always around, but just never really read too much of.

[00:02:48] And recently, thanks to the podcast and having folks on who are writing Archie comics, I've kind of, you know, been like I said, dip my toe into the the the huge world that is Archie comics and really enjoying it. What I what I what I think I really love about Archie is Mr. Justice as a whole is it really.

[00:03:15] If you had never read a superhero comic before, it really kind of gave you in four issues.

[00:03:24] The the highlights and kind of like the best of a real mix of traditional superhero storytelling with like this really modern, you know, sensibility, especially in terms of, you know, Archie going up against Mr. Lodge, who's kind of like taken over Riverdale and even the dynamics between, you know, Reggie and his dad. And then, you know, Betty in in your issue, who is kind of like.

[00:03:52] In earlier issues, for lack, you know, for lack of a better phrase, kind of like the damsel in distress and then kind of your issue, I think really focuses on not just her relationship with Archie and Mr. Justice, but also her finding her own agency within the story, which I thought.

[00:04:09] I wonderful, I think was, you know, probably my my my favorite issue, also because I was I first time I read it very quickly and I missed a bunch of I missed some things in the beginning because I read too fast and I always have to force myself to slow down and and go back and look at the art. And I was just like, oh, man, there were a couple of little things done in the beginning that I thought were just right. But I guess why don't we kind of start with like your relationship to Archie comic? Oh, yeah, totally.

[00:04:39] So, um, Archie, like you said, Archie's always been in the peripheral has always been around. I read a ton of like random single issues I found as a kid. And then there was always those really thick digests that were at the grocery store. And we would get those sometimes we're in the checkout line just because anything comics related, I would beg my mom to get it. So I was very familiar with Archie and Jughead and Betty and Veronica and Moose and all those guys.

[00:05:05] So when they reached out to me and asked me if I want to work on this project, I was really stoked because not only was I going to get to write Archie characters who are, you know, characters I grew up with, but also do a way different take on them. And then also work with a group of other creators in this kind of writer's room sort of style thing of all of us contributing to an ongoing story, which I thought was really fun.

[00:05:28] So for like putting this together, like, you know, with this this type of story, was it a situation where you guys like did get everyone did get together to kind of like break out the story or were you kind of given like a brief from editorial? We knew what the overall story was. So then it was a question of knowing what the shape of the story was. We're like, what do you want to which character would you like to take on and what would you like to contribute? So for me, I really wanted to do either Betty or Veronica.

[00:05:57] So like a classic Archie situation, I had to choose between the two. And I I eventually pitched a Betty story just because I thought I had a really good in with it with the approach where knowing what they had set up of what the the overall history was going to be for the characters.

[00:06:14] I wanted to do what you had mentioned, which was start her out as what we would know as the typical girlfriend of a superhero sort of thing and instead build agency to the point where she really has her own story. And her having dated him and knowing him is really inconsequential to her becoming a hero in her own right sort of thing.

[00:06:37] So I really wanted to do that. And I really kind of inspired the take on the original Ultimate Spider-Man comics and the relationship between Mary Jane and Peter and those where like she knows right away and they're trying to navigate their relationship with that. And I thought that there was really interesting stuff that could be done from Betty's point of view because she's such a strong willed character and so smart that, of course, she would want to help and he wouldn't want that.

[00:07:01] And in her own unique Betty Cooper way and said, like, then I'm going to do my own thing and help in my own way, whether you want my help or not. So I I've always loved Betty as a character. So being able to do that and throw a bunch of stuff at the wall was really exciting. And then they also just let me and the other approach I did to this was like the Jack Kirby sort of approach of old school superhero comics of like if you're only going to do one, put in every cool idea that you have.

[00:07:27] So that's why I was like, we're going to have a crazy like flame villain. We're going to do giant robot stuff. We're going to do some callbacks to some awesome original stories that feature like some of our favorite heroes and put an Archie spin on it. So I was very lucky that Maria, the the artist that I work with, who's incredible, does a really fantastic job with all the crazy stuff I asked her to draw, was down to do all of it and to give it 110 percent on each page.

[00:07:54] Yeah. Yeah. The villain, the was it mad flame? Yeah. I look great. I know that was her design. She just she nailed it like one go. I think we like modified the face a little bit, but she was like, what about this? We're like, that's it. Like, that's what it is. Yeah. And it really it really looked great.

[00:08:12] Right. So just in terms of from like a writing perspective, not just having, you know, an idea of, you know, pitching the story and this is what you're going to tell, but also they all do kind of connect. So do you are you like writing this the same time as everybody else or do you have the benefit of seeing issues one and two going into three? Right. That's a great question. Yeah. So what we did was we we like I said, we knew the original launching points and we all went and wrote them at the same time.

[00:08:41] And then using each person's issue before before the last did revisions to make sure all the connected tissue was there. So like things that end up happening in one. Oh, we should connect that to these things in two. Oh, what happens? These things that popped up in two, we should connect to three and then so on. So it was like each it was like the exquisite corpse like drawing thing of like we knew the shape of the paper.

[00:09:07] But each time we unfold it, we're like, OK, this is where I left off. Let me add these to make it connect a little bit more. So for the most part, it was like just little details that ended up getting switched. All the big story stuff everybody got to keep as far as I know. Like we just change a little bit like, oh, we should change this line here to say this or maybe like throw this character in there. So it was really pretty seamless and really painless and kind of fun to be like, oh, so let me nudge this over here and do that.

[00:09:35] Which I've done some other superhero work before. But usually it's just like editorial stuff of, you know, so and so is going to be dead next month. So don't put that person in the background anymore. And this it was like, oh, you know, emotional things happened, you know, cascading changes affected this. So it was really fun to do to take that sort of thing that I've done like a DC and do that and Archie stuff. Okay.

[00:10:02] And so, you know, Betty goes through a somewhat of a change in terms of I know the issue's been out for a little bit, but for any listeners who haven't read it yet, I highly encourage it. I don't want to give like everything away if you haven't read it yet. I'm sure they're going to be collecting it in a trade. But was there, you know, kind of was there debate with you about this?

[00:10:25] Like, you know, because you could you can do, you know, whatever you want when you think like, how do I match up Betty to something that's going to make sense, but still have her be Betty? Did you go through a lot of kind of trial and error to figure out what that was going to be?

[00:10:39] Yeah, there was a lot of do I do I make her big moment happen within the vicinity of Archie's character or do I have her do her thing on her own? Well, he's off doing other stuff. And that was a big thing of it's it works either way, like emotionally, like if he's in the room and then sees her do it or if she does it on her if she does it on her own.

[00:11:08] Or like I said, I don't want to spoil what happens. Like you said, it's been out for a bit. We will leave some people like some surprises. So people go pick up the collection. But eventually I decided like, oh, her doing her own thing and having this moment for herself is way more important for a character and for the theme of the story than, you know, just making sure they're all in the same room together. So there was a lot of drafting of like what the last big set pieces were going to look like and stuff before the emotional ending.

[00:11:37] So I did have a lot of inner debate with myself walking in a circle, much like Scrooge McDuck and DuckTales in the same like circle over and over in his little dugout of just like, well, if I said or if I put it here, if I do this like sort of thing. So I definitely debated for a while of how it was going to go and what the events were going to be leading up to it.

[00:11:57] But I tried to I tried to incorporate as much classic feeling Archie stuff as possible to lead up to it so that by the time we got to the ultra fantastic on her side, it still felt emotionally connected. That's why I wanted to do like there's a scene in a movie drive in and stuff of like things that feel like classic Americana, like Archie sort of stuff. So I knew that doing that, it would pay it off for later.

[00:12:24] It's kind of so one of my favorite movies growing up is or was and still is the original Ghostbusters. And what's beautiful about that movie is that movie is a is a horror science fiction movie that at the beginning, very simple. They're just scientists. There's creepy ghosts by the end earns the fact that there's a giant marshmallow man like walking down the street like they've earned that for you.

[00:12:48] And I tried to put that same thought into this of like, I'm going to earn the marshmallow man moment by making you care about Betty and who she is and where she is as a character. So according to you, I pulled it off. So I'll let everybody else decide by going and picking up the issues of the trades. But yeah, it was very important to me to figure that out of what that last moment was going to look like so that it was one, like a big heroic moment to a big emotional light change for her. Right. Yeah. No, I think it totally works.

[00:13:18] It's interesting that comparison to Ghostbusters because, you know, I mean, I can't think of a time where I wasn't intimately familiar with with Ghostbusters. But when you take, you know, take a step back and like look at it, you know, as a film and yeah, the huge set piece is the end is a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. And they chalk it up to, you know, Ray. But it it really it comes off as terrifying.

[00:13:46] It totally works with in the film. It's all it also still has its comedic moments at the end. But the reason it isn't too schlocky or campy is because you care so much about these characters and all the things that happen. Yeah, that's that's I don't with some films, they get so ingrained. I forget that, you know, analysis of them. But yeah, definitely makes sense. And I I totally understand it. You know what you've said, you know, in terms of reading issue three.

[00:14:16] Because, yeah, the driving stuff, even the colors. Oh, yeah. The driving stuff is like a little sepia toned and it really feels like very Archie or at least what I think of when I think of Archie as someone who hasn't read a ton of it. And I love how Betty realizes that it's Archie. There's a great little moment, you know, with what happens at the driving as to why she realizes he's Mr. Justice.

[00:14:45] Yeah, but it it definitely that payoff at the end, though, makes sense. You don't you don't question it because of your you're already familiar with all those elements. Yeah, that makes sense. Totally. And there is an Easter egg in there that nobody's pointed out. So I'm going to point it out because Maria was nice enough to put it in there for me. The three hooligans who cause trouble at the drive in are wearing the three masks from Halloween three. The witch. The pumpkin in the skull. Yeah.

[00:15:14] Like that was that was my little like let's put in the silver shamrock like reference sort of thing for anybody. But nobody's brought it up. So I was like, well, I'm going to bring it up then because I love Halloween three. So I've been able to mention Ghostbusters and Halloween three in one podcast. So I feel like I've done my I've done my duty. Yeah, definitely. I feel like Halloween three is season of the witch. Right.

[00:15:41] I feel like that is because it's out of kind of sync with everything. I feel like it doesn't get the the credit it deserves. Yeah, it should just be like they should just change the title to just call it season of the witch at this point. Like, yeah, or do a version of it so that more people will go check it out because so many people don't check it out just because it's called Halloween three. They're like, but he's not like Michael Myers isn't in it. So, yeah, I think it would be unjustly maligned.

[00:16:09] Much like Betty's relationship with Archie. Way to connect it. I know we definitely I think would rather go up against Michael Myers, to be honest with you, than Halloween masks that turn like your face into bugs or whatever it is. Yeah. So bugs and snakes. Oh, yeah. See, I don't. Yeah. I don't do terrible. Yeah. Me neither. It's the only thing I have in common with Indiana Jones. Neither of us like snakes. And that's where the comparisons end.

[00:16:37] Uh, I mean, this is kind of like a maybe a too big of a question for a podcast on a Tuesday night. But what do you think is the lasting appeal of of Archie? Is it that it's people are so familiar with it? It's a generational thing. They like folks who read it want to pass it down. Or is it that these characters are so. Um.

[00:17:03] Have been around so long, but yet are still so adaptable to all of these different things where we have, you know, at least in the past 10, 15, 20 years, we have Archie doing horror. We have some more like adult themed with like Riverdale. We, you know, we now have Archie and all and them as like superheroes, the main characters themselves. Um, I don't know. What do you think it is? Um, I think it's a little bit of both of what you said.

[00:17:31] I think that a lot of it has to do like one. They've done a real good job of having the Archie characters just be around. Like in your peripheral growing up similar to like Mickey Mouse and everything like they're just around and they're a part of your childhood. Another reason is that they're very strong archetypal characters of what we visualize as like the American mythology of like going to high school and being a young person.

[00:17:59] And, you know, getting into dating and like making new friends and having like friction with other people as you're growing up. The archetypes of them are so strong that they're instantly identifiable. Even if you don't know somebody who wears a crown and eats hamburgers all the time, you have a weird friend who eats weird stuff all the time or is a little bit odd and dresses a little bit odd. Like you feel that and you connect with it.

[00:18:22] And that same sort of like strong definable character thing makes them really, really good for adapting into other stuff. If it's similar with like Batman of how Batman is such a strong archetypal character, you can put them in Victorian times and do Gotham by Gaslight. And it works just like you can take the Archie characters and put them in afterlife with Archie and have them go up against legions of the undead because you're connected to the archetypes of these characters and what they stand for and their history.

[00:18:51] And they're instantly identifiable no matter what situation you put them in. So I think that that kind of just speaks to their lasting power and their effectiveness in terms of it being a part of American comics culture. Just like I said, like representing the mythology of high school and what it's like to be in high school and the types of people that you meet things and how things change. Yeah. All right, everybody. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. Let's face it. The comics landscape is a mess right now.

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[00:22:17] So when you get tasked with doing something like this and you're working in with the team, have you gone through and looked at, even though you knew where the story was going, have you gone through and read everything else? Was there anything that you thought really stood out to you? They were like, oh, I didn't know I could have done that in my Archie story. Or do you really feel, I mean, because you do, you have a big robot. You got a guy who's like on fire. You, you know, have Betty as a hero.

[00:22:48] You got everything in there, but I didn't know if there was anything else just, you know, looking at the series as a whole. Yeah. So what I did to just like get in the, the mind frame is I went back and I read, I read the ones that I'd read recently that I still really liked. So I read Mark Wayne's take that he did. I can't remember how many years ago that was just like an Archie number one. And he did his own like updated series. I read some of Chip Zdarsky stuff that he did because I thought that was really fun.

[00:23:15] And, and then for the, for the doing a different take on it stuff, I read, like I said, I went back and read some of those early issues of ultimate Spider-Man to like kind of capture the tone I wanted in the dynamic between them. To evolve that in like a Peter Parker, Mary Jane sort of situation. Uh, and then I also just looked at some of my other favorite alternate versions of stuff just to see, like, just to get a feel for how I could take them different directions.

[00:23:44] Whether it was the afterlife of Archie stuff or the Vampironica or the chilling adventures of Sabrina stuff. Um, I just took a look at it and was like, okay, this is where they zigged instead of zagged. Like I should get myself in the same mind frame of like, what characters can I pull in? Like Dilton Doily and stuff, uh, just randomly to be like, who's somebody that if, if this happened, then it trickles down and affects the universe. Who's going to be brought in, who lives in town? So that's like something that I always, um, I always do.

[00:24:14] I kind of, I just like approached it as an Elseworlds. Like I've, like I've done, like I did a DC, like I did a series over there called DC Mech, which was like a whole alternate universe thing. And it was just like the, the ripple in the pond of like, if this happens, what affects everything afterwards? And so that's how I approached it. I was like, Archie's a superhero and he's dating Betty. How does that ripple? How does that change everything?

[00:24:38] All the different relationships who she ends up talking to afterwards, if she wants to make a change, who does she go to? Um, so that's kind of how I approached it. Like I read whatever I could get my hands on of Archie stuff, stuff that I liked recently. Some of the cool different takes and then some of that ultimate Spider-Man stuff to just like get in the mind frame of the superhero relationship comic type stuff. Because that's something that, um, that I wanted to pull in because I think the original, um, like I, I think the new run of ultimate Spider-Man is great too.

[00:25:08] But the, the thing that differentiates it from the original one is that the newer one, uh, by Hickman and Chichetto is, um, you know, it's about adults. We're like, we're dealing with teenagers and young people. So that's why I went back to the old original one because so much of that comic is just like relationship stuff between, uh, Peter and Mary Jane, which is great. Cause they do that in the new one too, where they're adults.

[00:25:31] Um, so I wanted to bring that same sort of thing in and be like, let's, let's pull in the romance comic sort of stuff that Stan brought to the original Marvel stuff and put it here in the Archie stuff. People forget that Stan wrote like a ton of romance comics too. Yeah. Which we don't have a lot of anymore. Uh, you know, but every once in a while, I feel like someone tries to bring them back or put their stamp on, on some romance comics.

[00:25:58] But, um, I really thought the, especially, you know, the end of your issue number three, I, you know, I always thought there was like this impression that I had maybe wrongly that like, you know, a lot of Archie comics were a little old fashioned or maybe like hokey or corny. And the more I, I, I read, the more I find out that that was just a false, you know, impression that I had.

[00:26:22] I mean, there certainly are, are some that are just like there are in, in any comics that were written in the silver age. But, um, I really felt that the language, the conversations between, you know, Archie and Betty in issue number three in particular were, um, were very mature.

[00:26:40] Sure. And I, I, I'm not in like old for their years, but I, I sounded more authentic than I, I, I guess I, I thought it would initially. I don't, I don't know why I thought that I thought, oh, you know, we're, we're focusing on Archie as a superhero.

[00:26:57] And, um, it would be a little more, uh, not, not generic or tropey, but it would be just kind of be like, um, like standard superhero, humane characters talking. And that was like, not the case at all.

[00:27:14] I was like, oh, this is, this is like delightfully, like a, like a, like a wonderfully, uh, interesting, mature, like emotional conversation that I am, am totally as a 46 year old man drawn into. Dude, thank you so much. That's a huge compliment because I try, I try very hard to make those sort of things like mature and relevant for people with like, no matter what age they are and stuff that.

[00:27:42] But if, you know, by maturity, meaning that it feels like it's authentic to what they would be saying if they were trying to be real with each other at that age, like the best they could. And I didn't want to, I didn't want to, they luckily let me end it. Uh, they let me end it the way I wanted to, where I didn't have like a nice little, you know, silver age bow on the end of it of like, everybody's great. And stuff afterwards, it was like people we moved on and we're better for it, but I'm not going to say.

[00:28:12] They were, all of it was happy. Like what happened? So I really appreciate that you, that you got that out of it. Um, and that me toiling over the dialogue like eight times worked and making sure that it, that it spoke true to the characters. Uh, what was, what do you, what did you have the most fun, uh, doing during this? Was it kind of plotting out and getting to use, you know, doing the Jack Kirby of it all and throwing whatever it was you could?

[00:28:41] Or do you re, do you enjoy kind of re re re reworking that dialogue? I do enjoy reworking the dialogue and stuff. I'm just trying to find the absolute best way to say stuff and like cut it down to the bone and make it most impactful. I will, the most fun though, was just being like, Oh, and then I can bring in this character and then I can do this. And I was like, and I can bring the mad flame back, but I'm like, ah, no, no, no, we'll do a robot instead. We'll do, we'll do that.

[00:29:08] So then Betty's involved with it so that it's kind of her fault that it goes on a rampage because she invested time in it. And then that speaks to her, you know, having her heroic moment and stuff. So I have a lot of fun with that when I'm just sitting like playing what if back and forth, uh, with myself. I always kind of like joke that I have like an inner person that I like throw ideas at and he smokes for some reason, but I don't. And so I'm just like, yeah, what, what if it was this? He's like, like that.

[00:29:38] I'm just like, what was that? He's like, it's pretty cool. I just see him as a very relaxed dude on a couch, different version of me. Uh, it was like pretty, it's pretty dope, man. So if he likes it, then I know I must be on the right path to whatever inner Kenny that is that hangs out in my mind palace. Right. That's elseworld Kenny. Yes, exactly. From Earth too, that I, uh, that I commune with to ask like, is this something? He's like, ah, do it again. Yeah. Takes a big, takes a big drag.

[00:30:08] Do you think all, I think, I think writers would have to have that. Like, uh, you know, so I, I, I don't, I don't know how, how people can write like in a, in a vacuum without talking things out or, you know. I will say I do have human friends that I talk to and throw ideas at as well, but in a pinch when it's late at night and I need to talk to myself, I have to, I've just given a name and a face to the inner monologue that most people have. All right.

[00:30:37] Kenny's giving out good writing advice. Let me write this down. I have friends is the first thing that I want you to write down. I'm leaving a note. I'm, I'm, I'm making a note for myself and get human friends. Yes. Get human friends to justify the imaginary friend from Earth too that you'll commune with. Oh, that's, that's great. Um, well, you know, one of the things, uh, I try and do here with the cryptid creator corner.

[00:31:05] And, uh, I, I always like to talk about how folks, you know, who have their first time on, on the podcast, um, you know, to talk about how they kind of got into comics. Uh, like why they want to tell stories and why, why comics, like whether or not you have a lifelong love of comics or you just needed to pay the bills and thought this, this is something I can do. Um, kind of, what was kind of your relationship to comics like growing up? Were you, were you a fan growing up? Oh yeah. I was a big fan.

[00:31:33] I was a little kid during the, like the huge nineties boom. So, uh, X-Men, Spider-Man, all that stuff, all the image books that were coming out that I could get my hands on because I was little. So I couldn't get, you know, couldn't get everything that McFarlane and stuff was putting out at the time, but, uh, got what I could. Um, I lived really close to a comic shop. I would run down. There was like a couple blocks away.

[00:31:57] Uh, when like, when kids could just leave the house, like by themselves and go blocks away to a store and buy stuff, I would just throw whatever change I could get to buy stuff. And I didn't have a lot of money. So like the main Spider-Man book I could afford was untold tales of Spider-Man because it was always cheaper. So I read a lot of like Kirk U6 Spider-Man and stuff or whatever I could get out of the back issue bins. Uh, I remember once, um, I usually tell the story, there was an issue of aliens that I wanted really bad from dark horse.

[00:32:27] That was the most expensive comic I'd ever seen at that point. I think it was like four or five bucks. And I'd never spent that much on a comic before. And I was running from the store back home to just grab as many pennies and dimes as I could running back and throwing them on the counter without counting them. And I did it like four times. She was like, if you want it that bad, you can just have it because I'm not counting pennies anymore. So she let me take it, uh, the owner of the shop, uh, and absolutely loved it. So I've always loved comics.

[00:32:55] I've loved art and stories, whether it's movies and TV or comic books. Like I love art and stories. I really liked telling my own stories. They had us do like mini comics in elementary school every week. They weren't, they weren't that they were just like illustrate and tell a story, like fold these pieces of paper in half and, you know, staple it and draw on everything. And so I was essentially making mini comics every week of stuff.

[00:33:21] And so even though I don't draw anymore, I used to want to be a comic artist that I would draw all the time. And then I kind of leaned into one set over the other. I realized I was like a motor mouth, the same, the same in my head of like, just wanting to write it all down and then move on to the next thing. So I probably should have stayed with drawing. I should probably pick it back up. But from there, I kept writing my own stories. I got real into like making short films and everything and writing scripts there.

[00:33:48] And as I got older, I realized like, Hey, I like writing scripts and everything. And I love comics. I should write my own comics and make them. So I started finding artists to work with, like did a black and white one shot. That was like a crime story to start. And then kept making my own books. I did a Kickstarter for an adventure comic called Barnstormers that I did with an artist over in Italy who usually does like the Disney comics. I did that. And then I did a book with Scholastic that was really fun.

[00:34:18] And from there, I did stuff with DC and then Image and a bunch of other publishers like Archie, some other ones coming up, but can't say yet. But I just always love comics and I love art like as much as I love the writing side of it. Like I love buying artist editions and everything and pouring over every tiny little decision somebody made in a panel or get to see where they put the little white out to modify something or cover something up or all the coffee stains. Like absolutely, absolutely love art.

[00:34:47] So I've always been drawn to the medium. I think it's a magical sort of thing that straddles the line between like, you know, just pure artwork and then also a story. Like there's really nothing else like it. And I love the unique storytelling things you can do in comics that you can't do in a movie because a movie moves for you or you can't do in a book because a book has no visuals. Like it's my favorite way to tell a story.

[00:35:12] Like I've written prose and I've like published short stories and everything, but at the end of the day, like I love making comics and telling stories that way. It's just immediately where my brain goes. That's awesome. And so with your work for DC, you know, you, I mean, you've, you've worked on a number of different series, a number of different characters.

[00:35:35] Who was, uh, the stuff you worked on, what was the most challenging to kind of like, like figure out how to break the story? Ooh. Um, oh, the most, I think the most challenging thing was I, when I did my first event book, which was, they did that, um, that event a couple of years ago called Night Terrors, which is like the big DC horror event. I did the Robin series for that, which was a team up between, uh, Tim Drake and Jason Todd.

[00:36:04] So, uh, similar to this, like there was a story frame in place already. And I had to come up with a compelling, unique story set within the rules of this giant horror arc that was going on. So that was a big challenge to one, make sure it made sense in the larger sort of story that Joshua Williamson was telling in the main book. And then two, tell an emotional, complete story in a few issues with Tim and Jason and basically do what I've always wanted them to talk about.

[00:36:34] Like when they're, when they're in the same room together. So that was really challenging to do. Cause it was like, um, I can't completely remember, but I feel like it was a tighter turnaround time because like everybody, it wasn't that they needed, nobody rushed the art or anything. It was just, we needed to make sure all the story stuff worked and everybody had all the reference for everything.

[00:36:55] So we just had to make sure everybody was kind of working ahead so that there was a lot of extra time for the whole DC team to review it and everything, which was fine because like, you want to make sure that it's right. And it fits. If it's going to be part of an event and you don't want them to get abducted by the bad guy, the bad guy looks completely different than what he looks like in the main book. You're like, who the hell is that? Like this, uh, this guy did not have a mustache and he's got a mustache. Now there's no truth to this art.

[00:37:22] Uh, so, um, so yeah, I, it was a real big challenge to be able to, to do that, but it was similar. It was fun to do it because it was like, Oh, I have to think in the bigger, broader scheme of this event. And then also tell the story that I want to tell. Um, and it's kind of similar to what I did with the Archie thing. So I think that's probably the most challenging thing that I, that I've done over there so far. Okay. Yeah. That's kind of, yeah.

[00:37:47] I, I, I have to imagine anyone that comes in to kind of fit in like with an event book has to be tough, but especially if you have characters that have such a, you know, such a history, like, uh, Jason Todd and, and Tim Drake, that's gotta be like another added level. To it, you know? Mm-hmm. Yeah.

[00:38:09] And that was my approach, but it was, uh, it, it was definitely think of cool, big visuals, but it was also the crux of this because we have so little time has to be, Oh crap. How are these two going to deal with it being stuck in this situation together? Uh, so that's, so I was like, as long as I have a good thrust with that, like I completely, I can put them in really cool situations and then have emotionally had to pay it off afterwards. Yeah. Um, but it was fun. It was a fun challenge.

[00:38:36] Like they asked me if I wanted to do it and I jumped at the chance cause I, I am a masochist and I wanted to challenge myself with a different type of storytelling. I was like, I've never done an event story before. This will be really fun. Yeah. I, all, all, all those stories turned out really well. I liked the, like, I liked the Night Terror one. I mean, I've always been a, a DC fan. Like when I was a kid, DC was the, the, the listeners heard, I've heard it a million times, but I, DC is the reason I got back into reading comics. Oh, awesome.

[00:39:05] Was it a certain era or a certain book or anything that got you back in or? It was Blackest Night. I had, I had, I hadn't read a comic in years and went to, I, I, Wizard World. I don't, I don't think they have them anymore. I think it's called like Fan Expo or something. Oh yeah. The Wizard World. And I just went to Philly with my wife and I went just for something to do. It was like, oh, there's this comics and, you know, media people and, and whatever.

[00:39:33] So we went to that and there was all these posters and everything advertising Blackest Night. I was like, oh, it seems neat. And, um, so I got, you know, some of the, some of the books and then I think I had to read it with like a Wikipedia open. Cause I didn't know who anybody was anymore. Sure. Um, but you know, but then I got kind of back into reading comics and then I got into indie comics and now I just read a lot of, a lot of different stuff all over the place.

[00:40:03] But, um. And what's great about it now is that you have Wikipedia that if you decide to jump in the middle of something, you can just, I always tell people that they're like, where do I start? I was like, you can start anywhere because like we didn't have Wikipedia. You had to just like ask people like, who's this guy? Who's that guy? Like who's, what's her deal? Um, and now you just look it up, but a lot of people, it's, it's a big cultural moment of like the Green Lantern books of that era, bringing people back in.

[00:40:27] Cause that's what brought me back into monthly superhero comics was, uh, um, John's brawn on Green Lantern, which eventually dovetailed into the brightest. I mean, not brightest say that was afterwards, the Blackest Night. Blackest Night. Oh yeah. When, when, uh, when they brought Hal back. Yeah. Um, like, yeah, so like that whole era brought a ton of people back to superhero comics. Um, so whenever I hear people bad mouth Green Lantern, I'm like, you stay away from my voice.

[00:40:55] Like, uh, like don't, don't be talking bad about the core. One of my favorite corners of a comic book of any comic book universe, like love everything they've done recently, especially with like, I like Joe Mullen a lot. She's an awesome new lantern. Jessica Cruz is really, really cool. Um, she's getting her own cartoon too, which is awesome. Like, I just want more people to be excited about Green Lantern stuff.

[00:41:20] So I hope that like that new TV show and stuff does well, which like I'm not even involved in and I'm just like super pumped for, uh, because I just want more people to be aware of how awesome the lanterns are. No, I'm the same way. Like I always liked, I liked Green Lantern as a kid. I have no idea why. I just, I think because Hal Jordan was probably about as far away from my personality as you could get. Oh, totally. Yeah.

[00:41:44] You know, um, uh, and also my brother, Bobby, I'll shout out my brother, Bobby. Bobby now who's the cryptic creator corner. Number one, most dedicated fan. Bobby listens to all my episodes. Bobby was always a huge fan of the flash. Like he has. Oh yeah. Barry Allen, the flash. So, um, uh, but yeah, when I got back in, I read blackest night and then I, I really liked it.

[00:42:10] And then I went back and I read, um, you know, rebirth and started reading, you know, all the green lanterns through and, and out of all the DC stuff stayed with, you know, stayed with green lantern. Through new 52 through new, I mean, probably out of all DC in the past. I don't know. Uh, when was, when was, uh, rebirth like 05, 06? That's like 20 years. Yeah.

[00:42:40] So probably in, yeah, in, in 20 years, I think I've read the most, if not every green lantern, you know, the main green lantern title. I just, I love, I just, I love the lanterns. I love that world. I love the storytelling. Um, I love the, the artists that they, that, that have brought those characters to life. Uh, I will say, I do think Jessica Cruz has replaced Hal as my favorite green lantern. Um, so you got swagger. She's cool, man. Yeah.

[00:43:10] Um, but yeah, um, I, I liked all the, all the different lanterns they brought in. I love all, I just, I just really love all that, all that stuff. So you're in good company. Cause I feel the same way. So, yeah, I can, I can, I can get down. I can get down with the, uh, with, with the lantern love. I, I just think it's great. It's what, you know, I, you know, I, I do this podcast now and, uh, all because, uh, I, you know, I picked up blackest night all those years ago.

[00:43:39] So, heck yeah. That's where it started. Um, uh, what we've touched on a number of not just comics and Archie and, and other fun, nerdy things like Ghostbusters and, um, season of the witch. Um, I wanted to ask because I was, I think was looking at your website.

[00:44:01] Um, you have a Douglas Adams quote and I am such, I didn't know if that was just a quote that you like, which is fine, but I'm like such a huge Douglas Adams fan. Whenever I get an opportunity to talk about Douglas Adams, I mean, there are sentences that I read in Hitchhiker's Guide. I, I, I'm, I'm all that I've been quoting for years. I'm almost afraid to look, but like the Vogon ships hung in the air and much the same way that bricks don't.

[00:44:28] Well, you know how many times I think about that and have thought about that for like the past 30 years? It's such a good line. And I think about that all the time about how great it is, but yeah, dude, I'm a huge Douglas Adams fan. I have a, I have a sketch of him on my wall that Ramon Perez did. Oh wow. Just like, uh, that I had. And it was so funny because I'd waited in line and everything. And he was like, so what would you like your schedule? It was like Douglas Adams. And they, and he, and his art rep were like, I'm sorry, what? I was like, yes, the, I want you to draw.

[00:44:57] I think you do a really, he has a really unique face. I think you do a great job. Um, I'll take a picture of it and send it to you later. Oh, please. That's awesome. Yeah. It's on my wall. I love it. He did a fantastic job on it. But yeah, I love Douglas Adams. Um, is it the quote on my website is the, the one about in the beginning, the universe was created. Yeah. Yeah. In the beginning, the universe is created.

[00:45:19] This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move, uh, is one of my favorite, just like quotes about philosophy and religion and stuff. Um, but yeah, I love. Yeah. Douglas Adams, everything he ever wrote, even his essays and stuff are just really funny and witty. And he had a really great way of like writing a fish out of water story that I don't think anybody else ever has. I've read the hitchhiker's books like a few times over and over and they make me laugh every single time I read them. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I'm a huge fan of Douglas Adams.

[00:45:49] Oh, that's awesome. I just pulled it up to see the, yeah, the quote you have is the, um, uh, there's a theory that states if, uh, ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here. Uh, yeah, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There's another theory which states that this has already happened.

[00:46:12] Yeah, I, uh, I, I actually, I haven't read, it's been a while since I read them and I was just about to get, um, the, uh, my, my library or, uh, Hoopla Libby, whichever, whatever the service is through the library has the audio books that Stephen Fry narrates. Oh yeah. Those are great. Yeah. I'm, I'm, I'm just about to start those to, to go through it again. So it's very prescient. But it's awesome, man.

[00:46:42] Yeah. Any, any Douglas Adams that I could take, I'll, I'll, I'll read it. So big dirt gently fan and stuff too. So I'm very, I'm very happy that you're going to go back through the stories again because they're very, they're, they're so funny every time we go through them. And Stephen Fry's voice lends a lot to the, the audio adaptation. Uh, yeah, I, uh, I can't wait.

[00:47:02] I mean, I just think he has such a particular way of, um, uh, of writing, uh, you know, just his, even just like his, his sentence structure, the way he raises things. I just get, you know, such a kick out of not just like his stories also are like unbelievably well told, very interesting characters. Um, he, you know, uh, but yeah, big Douglas Adams fan as well. So. Awesome. Wanted to bring it up.

[00:47:30] Um, but yeah, uh, Kenny, I thank you so much for, for, for coming on the podcast. This has just been, uh, a delightful chat for a Tuesday night after, uh, a particularly stressful couple of days at work. So I really enjoy how easy you've made it. And I absolutely love to have done it. I absolutely loved Archie is, is Mr. Justice. And I thought your Betty issue, which is issue number three was fantastic.

[00:47:58] So, um, really, really well done. And, and yeah, I'll put links to everything, you know, for your website, social media, and also that folks can make sure they let their local comic shop know that, um, they want Archie as Mr. Justice. Uh, I'll see if you can still get the four issues. I would definitely do it.

[00:48:18] Um, I hope they collect all the other back matter in the trade as well, because everybody, uh, I think the editors did a little thing where they put like a playlist at the back of the issues, which I thought was kind of fun for, for each issue. Um, but yeah, it, it just really fantastic. Really.

[00:48:36] It has the best of what you think of when you think of classic superhero stories, but with a very modern, um, sensibility that I, I thought just read really well, was very interesting and very engaging. Well, thank you so much, man. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me on. It's been a pleasure. I'm happy to have lightened up your week, uh, to make it, to make it easy to make it a good time. Anytime you want to have me back on for anything, just let me know.

[00:49:05] Um, and I'm so glad you enjoy this story and I hope everybody else who goes out and checks it out, whether it's in issues or in the eventual collection, uh, had some good time reading all the different stories that we put together.

[00:49:43] Yeah. And I'm so glad you're doing this time as well. So, um, so Kenny, again, thank you very much. Um, listeners rate, review us, do all that stuff. They tell you about podcasts. Let me know what it is you're reading. You find me on blue sky and, and tick tock. Um, and, uh, yeah, uh, thanks for listening. This is Byron O'Neill, one of your hosts of the Cryptid Creator Corner brought to you by Comic Book Yeti. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of our podcast.

[00:50:10] Please rate, review, subscribe, all that good stuff. It lets us know how we're doing and more importantly, how we can improve. Thanks for listening.