Tom King and Dan Parent talk Archie: The Decision

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Your ears do not deceive you. You have just entered the Cryptid Creator Corner brought to you by your friends at Comic Book Yeti. So without further ado, let's get on to the interview

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[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_07]: Hello, and welcome to comic book Yeti's Cryptic Creator Quiner. I am one of your host, Jimmy Guest Barrow, and I have two very special guests with me today.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_07]: One, a returning guest. You might know him as the writer of Vision, Mr. Miracle, Helen of Windhorn. You also usually found lurking in Mitch Garrett's Nightmares.

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_07]: It's writer Tom King and also a first-time guest to the Cryptic Creator Quiner.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_07]: He graduated from the Kubert School and quickly joined Archie Comics where he's been for a couple of years.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Somewhat redefining the art of Archie Comics as we know it today, but please welcome to the podcast Dan Parent. Tom, Dan, how you doing tonight?

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_05]: Good.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_05]: What an absolute pleasure to be back here, Jimmy. I love your podcast. I love being honest. Thanks for having me.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_05]: Especially to talk Archie. Wow.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. You know, this is exciting for me because I've only recently gotten into Archie Comics.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_07]: It was like a big blind spot that I had for a long time. I think as a kid, I would see like those Archie Digests and pick one up occasionally.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_07]: I think I have a handful of them still around. But it really wasn't only until recently that I started to kind of really read more Archie Comics.

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_07]: So, I was excited to see Tom, I'd follow your work for a while to see that you are writing Archie the decision.

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm kind of curious. How did that come about? This is your first Archie Comics and I'm kind of curious as to you gotten involved in it.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_05]: It comes out for me a costing Dan at a con. I think my kids, I have a free children who you can find in the issue and they, you know, I write super hero comics, we're living my whole house is super hero comics.

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_05]: I have collected and loved them since I was a child. And if they wanted to save money, they could just read any of them and they've decided no, what they're going to be into is Archie Comics.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_05]: And when I say they are into them, I mean, capital I into them. My house is just full of Archie Comics. They are everywhere and my kids are horribly passionate.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_05]: And we'll talk for hours about, you know, Dilton and whether he's yeah, what we're older, better you Veronica or this one or any sort of aspect they go to anything.

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm going to the horror because it scares them that's the only place they don't go but they've read every Archie from 40s to now and can cite them religiously.

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_05]: And I was trying to impress them like every dumbass, dorky dad and so I was buying some original sketches and art from Dan to hang out in their room.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_05]: And I asked him if I could ever do an Archie with him. He's like, why not because he's the nicest I ever.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_05]: He was probably just a humory mean or to get him money, which I appreciate good salesmanship. You're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll do comics together. You have another page.

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_04]: I was a big Tom King fan. I was coming off human target and all those other million Mr. Miracle and all those other books so I'm a Tom fan too.

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_04]: So there's this the idea to be able to work with them was great.

[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_04]: And I think it really jails altogether last year at Trificon is when it all kind of came together.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_04]: It was Mike Pilarito is there. We all kind of had him, you know, we're all the same place. We were all but sort of able to kind of talk about it and make it happen. So I think that was like springboard was terrific on.

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I caught Mike is the president of Archie and I like in them.

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_05]: After part of the isters, I was lucky. I had an edit good year and I had some isters in my hands and I was like, and he was being from nice and congratulate me.

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_05]: I write Archie for the best time to ask an editor for something when you're holding two eyes.

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, that's a good idea.

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_07]: I think I'm coming to Tom and creators. You know, protein editor cold if you have eyes in your hands.

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean, Dan having been the artist at Archie for quite a while, you know, going, you know, all the way back to like love showdown in 94.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_07]: Do you get a protective at all about Archie when like a new writer comes in, like, you know, you said you were a fan of Tom but someone like Tom or someone else.

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_07]: So you ever like protective of what they might do in the Archie universe?

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, not really, you know, I mean, I write most of my own stuff anyway.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_04]: So what other writers come in is usually for other artists.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm not because I mean, everybody has their own interpretation of the characters. Some interpretations are a little bit different.

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_04]: So no, no, I don't, that isn't really bothered me.

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Is I sent me with our artists to artists and I have their own interpretation of how to work on the characters.

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, I just do my thing.

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Like when they had the realistic style became popular a few years ago when Riverdale started and they kind of wanted me to work a little bit on the realistic style.

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_04]: And I just always, I have no, I'm comfortable with what I'm doing.

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, I just like to do it and then I enjoy seeing the other other people's interpretations.

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I enjoy the horror comics.

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_04]: I enjoy the different styles.

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_04]: I like to see that but I have my own little avenue that I like work on.

[00:08:16] [SPEAKER_07]: Tom, did you have to deal with any, like, were there any nerves?

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean, you've done so many comics. But now something your kids love something that has such, you know, a legacy, 80, 84 years coming in and trying to put your stamp on Archie.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_05]: Yes, yeah, I was very nervous. I was my, my, my, my, for for what, Dan just like normally when I do characters, I make them sad. I'm pretty good at that. I can do that. I can take, you know, any, any, you know, I can take kiteman to make him suicidal.

[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_05]: And put it in the book. I, that's kind of like my calling card.

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_07]: And I was upset there was no like just jug head stare, not of a, yeah, I mean, terrible.

[00:09:01] [SPEAKER_05]: Uh, uh, I don't, I know that it, it texted me when it's done as at least there was one church of guard quotes when you, there was, there's a, it's like, new, was you writing.

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER_05]: And I had no, I just, I had no desire to deconstruct Archie. Like I didn't, first of all, Brubak, already did it like he did that version. He did sort of the Archie Watchman over in criminal.

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_05]: Um, and, and, and second of all, like, like, I just in having all these Archies lying around my house, you know, I gravitated towards sort of the best of him.

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_05]: I gravitated towards the 60s and 70s and just these gag comics, which I just, I fell for and I love them because I grew up before I had comics. I read comic strips and I was huge into Bloom County and Calvin Hobbs and peanuts and, and sort of that's, that's where my love of comics came out of and it brought me right back to that.

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_05]: And that, that's what I just wanted to do. I wanted to do silly gag comics.

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_05]: And, and, and, and, and it is fantastic right. But one of the things he does incredibly well is just incredibly fantastic gag comics, which is just as legitimate and high in art form in comics as doing sad suicide or comic.

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_05]: So it was, it was trying to go a little outside my comfort.

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, I mean, I, like I said, I'm just kind of getting into, you know, Archie comics and it being a bit of a blind spot. But I didn't know what to expect but I was familiar with Tom's work.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_07]: And, and it's to me, it just felt like like a love letter to Archie comics, like there were characters that even not being very familiar that I, that I recognize that I knew, you know, the kind of they all kind of start to start to gather

[00:10:43] [SPEAKER_07]: as the comic goes on. And I mean, some of the sight gags and the art Dan, it's just absolutely fantastic. Like the moments that you can capture are just so alive and so bright and so fun.

[00:10:59] [SPEAKER_07]: And I mean, it was just like a, a ralicking good time is how it was.

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_04]: It's never a little bit of a bargain. It was definitely a party atmosphere in that story and, and the more characters the better we got pretty much everybody in there.

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, there's probably one or two that someone will point out that weren't in there but we really got 99% of the Archie person there.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, it was just fun. I mean, I love stories like that. I love those stories that just celebrate the whole Archieverse and that definitely was one.

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_04]: And you know, the story was fun. It was really funny. Everybody's really enjoying it. I mean, I mean, I mean, I'm really getting super, it responds at conventions.

[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I was, you know, at a show a couple of weeks ago when the book came out and just the, the response is just great people just love people love seeing all all like all the old characters like will even look little jinks and little Archie pop up and, you know,

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_04]: even though how could the large early pop up when I think Archie's in the story, but that doesn't matter.

[00:12:03] [SPEAKER_05]: Right. I think it happened. Archie or what's right? That's right.

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. No, I mean, it really had such like a nod to what I remember of Archie comics. Like Tom said there's kind of like silly, a little bit like, you know, wholesomely gag comics, but yeah, seeing everybody in it and seeing the story and

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_07]: I really enjoyed it. I did in preparing for this interview, I had gone and read like a couple other interviews I could find and I thought one thing was there was one interview.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_07]: I can't remember what outlet it was with the Tom you kept saying like you're not really going to do each use.

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_07]: Oh my god. Yes, which I didn't expect you would and I just kind of but I love the kind of the gag of it.

[00:12:52] [SPEAKER_07]: And then you mentioned it already and I was going to mention as well that little nod to like jugg head puts carecagard.

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_07]: Which for anyone who is not up on there, you know, philosophers, cure cagard kind of famously said that our decisions lead to our actions and our actions and form our lives which I feel was like Tom's like maybe a little Tom is him into there into the into Archie.

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, I mean, yeah, I know.

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_05]: Pina's is my all-time favorite comic of any form and it makes me laugh but there's something behind it that's you know obviously very deep and existential and I feel like

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_05]: a shults was kind of he would pour his his hot his fears and tears into this comic strip about these little kids doing little things and you can you know I mean the death hours in books have been read about it but there's like a ton of deep philosophical and religious questions address and peanuts

[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_05]: But all under the guys of there's a joke at the end of the fourth panel.

[00:13:58] [SPEAKER_05]: And and so yes, so I got pretentious at the end and there is something to me deep and and and an amazing about Archie in the fact that here's a guy who.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_05]: You know has to make a decision and he knows he'll never make that decision and next time he won't make it again and he'll give and he'll fumble it again and every time he makes a plan he but he's going to get it.

[00:14:19] [SPEAKER_05]: There is a waiting for good do quality about 80 years of doing the same thing over and over again that I find to be.

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_05]: To have some level of deepness that we didn't have to get into but I wanted to just hint at it there's there's something profound.

[00:14:34] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, no, I mean I get it you know when you're kind of doing that same gag and that's also hinted at a little bit like in the the dialogue itself early on with with with Jugg had an Archie.

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, Dan when you know are you having done this are you amazed when all the different stories that are still coming out of you know the out of Archie comics and the lunchevity of it does that ever surprise you or.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_04]: I think I'm going to run out of ideas and I thought I was you know it's like 20 years ago I thought you know, I so I'm going to run out of ideas soon this this we're rehashing the same.

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_04]: I love trying to go to the store and all the time but it hasn't happened.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_04]: There were there was still new story ideas coming out I've never never had writers block.

[00:15:35] [SPEAKER_04]: I've had more of an artist block I'm just like when I'm drawing I get I kind of stall out sometimes.

[00:15:40] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm trying to figure out how to lay out a page differently the story thing isn't happened which is really unusual a lot of other artists are archie writers that I know.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_04]: I've had block but I haven't whatever reason.

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_05]: It's legit hard like I'm working on it like that trying to pitch some next Archie's now and just because so many stories have written so I go to my kids and I was like I want to do something where jugg heads on a diet I had this great idea and my kids like are like well here the top one he died jugg heads on a diet story.

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER_05]: I was like there's 20 of them it's like oh no these are just our favorites there's like 50 jugg heads on a diet and I'm like alright I'm starting over you got to go the other way jugg heads all the junk head ball jugg head gets swollen or you know jugg heads get ripped you have to go the other way.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't think it's a ton of Betty and Veronica dieting stories in the 60s.

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah yeah they kind of can't do it don't do it this much anymore I think these dieting is a little more sensitive thing now but there was all these stories there's like one of our member where Veronica was like working out constantly like.

[00:16:51] [SPEAKER_04]: You know like back in the days and those girls are going to know like the belts that they would wear to reduce.

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_04]: They would like you know shake them up you know Veronica is the whole five pages is just working out and Betty's just watching her why are you doing this.

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_04]: It's because I lost two pounds that she goes to pop tastes just as she can eat this you mongous Sunday is she's going to gain two pounds from the Sunday.

[00:17:12] [SPEAKER_04]: The entire story she's with and I know that's probably like it's like an easy disorder story beginning there too.

[00:17:18] [SPEAKER_04]: The story is funny.

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah they they I could see why they probably wouldn't do that now.

[00:17:26] [SPEAKER_04]: Right right I don't I'm sure if they re-created it but I know I have it in a Betty and Veronica spectacular.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know if they're going to be a better idea because just just the idea that you know she's killing herself just because you want to see it this Sunday.

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah probably probably would feed into something.

[00:17:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Unfortunately nowadays but.

[00:17:45] [SPEAKER_07]: I laugh about it but today I skipped breakfast and lunch because I was going to have a double cheese burger for dinner so I'm sitting here like they can't do that Dan.

[00:17:53] [SPEAKER_07]: And it's 20 24 they can't do their stories and me a 45 year old man was like Jim you did that today.

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_05]: See our detox truth the power.

[00:18:04] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah he does.

[00:18:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Alright let's take a quick break.

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[00:19:37] [SPEAKER_02]: Let's get back to the show.

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER_07]: One of the things I was curious about you know Dan you haven't written and drawn these stories time you coming in like what what do you think makes a great art history like if you had to like tell someone what is a do you think if you could boil it down to something for both of you what is like the quintessential art history.

[00:19:58] [SPEAKER_04]: Then you go first that's I would say a little bit of slapstick.

[00:20:04] [SPEAKER_04]: A little bit of an emotional connection like a beddy in Veronica friendship thing always is always is good and a good ending.

[00:20:13] [SPEAKER_04]: A good ending and it's you know five page stories are tough because you essentially if you get all that did in a five page or.

[00:20:20] [SPEAKER_04]: But like for like me like my my go to for like an easy story.

[00:20:26] [SPEAKER_04]: Like a quick story that always works is always the junk head versus Veronica dynamic.

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Is there totally opposite and they're always like are good at insulting each other so I know I'll get like a comedic story there you know with it with those two going at it.

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_04]: And a lot of times like each I she I always know that I want the end to be I always want to know how like the look kind of like a a serenere scenario or gag I want at the end so I like the story around that.

[00:20:52] [SPEAKER_07]: So that so the I go ending I go backwards sometimes okay the Tom has like a as a reader and watching your your you know your kids read them what do you think makes the.

[00:21:05] [SPEAKER_05]: And so I went to central art history.

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I think with dance talk about writing it backwards like famously early bush Miller did Nancy he which is all gags he knew it was like there's no story and Nancy at all.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_05]: And he he would write the last panel first and then he'd be like okay here's the gag and I just got to write the lead up to it.

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm some level art cheese like that like you have to have the twist but it seems to me I think that they at least in reading a top art is the key to art is like.

[00:21:33] [SPEAKER_05]: 90% of the five eight five probably 98% are about one of the characters has a plan it can be read you very Veronica whatever and by page five that plan is interrupted.

[00:21:46] [SPEAKER_05]: And and in sort of a silly and silly way and sometimes they reverse that formula where that character has a plan and it seems like it's going to be interrupted and then it's not so that's like basically that's the two versions of an oven art stories someone has a plan and by the end.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_05]: Again, going into the deep it's like any time you art is about testing the faith any time beddies like I have a perfect way to defeat Veronica it's not going to work me time art is like I know exactly how I know exactly the outfit I'm going to wear the dance not going to be going to go wrong so it's it's all about.

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_05]: Didn't having the confidence to challenge the faith and the fate saying.

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, that's true.

[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_06]: No, I appreciate that.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_07]: And I also, when I said I mentioned I you know kind of just kind of getting into art now I really appreciated that the end of the decision has.

[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, Tom's picks and and dance picks both of your picks for like the 10 Archie stories you'd recommend so I instantly already have a new reading list that I can make my way through.

[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_07]: As soon as you know because I'm going to Baltimore Comic Con zoo because I know both of you'll be there I'll be there walking around with my brother Bobby Friday and Saturday, but I think I guess I should start with trying to track down Mr and Furno from 1962 that is the only one on both of your.

[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_07]: I saw that we have 10 list so what is it.

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, both of you could just kind of speak to an age at a little blurb in the back of and the back of the decision but I just was kind of curious a little bit more.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_07]: It just sounds like it's just insane that from 1962 they published this Mr and Furno story who's literally supposed to be the devil.

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, I actually were reading it back when I was in Cuba at school.

[00:23:34] [SPEAKER_04]: And I heard about it is I was looking at the buyers guy would like to know the comment buyers are the price guide where you look at all the comics and what they're worth and they said like devil issue betting in Veronica what is this and it was like worth so much more than the other titles.

[00:23:47] [SPEAKER_04]: So I actually like went up a comic shop and thought I used copy of it and then that had the devil story in it.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_04]: And I just thought it was so cool because you know basically this story is basically implying the reason Veronica is successful in any levels because she's involved with saying.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_04]: And a whimsical way.

[00:24:06] [SPEAKER_04]: So and from what I understand from a Victor Gorilla like I told me that it did get a little bit of it was a little controversial at the time.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_04]: Like they did have a little bit of like like a, you know, they did get some bad response from like, I guess from like the south.

[00:24:19] [SPEAKER_04]: So from religious people saying like, this isn't cool you're having Veronica.

[00:24:25] [SPEAKER_04]: Hey, you know, you know, could do the link with Satan but, you know, that's why it's a cool story.

[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_05]: And I read it to straight up not knowing in some best of Dan Dan to color right.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm a, or is it Harry?

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_05]: I don't know.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_05]: In some bet best.

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_05]: We need to color.

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, it was a Frank Doyle wrote it.

[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I said in a best of Dan to Carlo volume, whatever.

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_05]: And I just and I just the idea Veronica would sell her soul to get Archie.

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_05]: I've become odd.

[00:24:56] [SPEAKER_05]: It's it's like right at a constant scene.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_05]: It's right out of hell, plays and then the gag at the end that you know, Betty would also sell her.

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_05]: I mean, it's just it's like it.

[00:25:05] [SPEAKER_05]: I just struck is a brilliant story.

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_05]: I started laughing and my kids and then later on I read that it was controversial and and it was like a well known art.

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_05]: I just used to, I had no idea when I read it.

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_05]: I just thought, but that I mean, that that it's you know, that's why Archie works because those are the stakes for these kids like that the decision to.

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_05]: Whether Archie chooses Betty of Veronica is life on death in this universe and then that makes a cool that makes it funny.

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_07]: Oh yeah.

[00:25:37] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm absolutely, but just the idea that yeah, I want to get my hands on that so I can actually track it down and read it for my.

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_07]: I think I'll I'll start there before I move on to some of the others, but I really appreciated that.

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_07]: I thought that was a really kind of a cool thing especially if somebody's picking up you know, a once the one shot like the decision who you know like me,

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_07]: who maybe hasn't read a bunch of Archie and then like right there, you now have you know, especially if you you like the issue,

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_07]: you now have the the writer and artist kind of given you their like top 10 of stories or or trades to check out.

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_07]: So I have my work cut out for me, but I was I really appreciated that they did that I cheated with mine because I think like three of them are from my wall.

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER_05]: So I was just there things that I pass every day that I'm like, I like that story because I just read 3000 times because when I brush my teeth, I'm looking.

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_04]: You were honest about that and also two of the ones that were occur early on my mind like on my mind that I could drum up.

[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_04]: I could go back and like look through my old issues and say, oh, I should have chosen this one. So you know nothing's nothing's not set and still.

[00:26:41] [SPEAKER_07]: Right, but I mean in terms of a representative example, both of you have stories in there, you know, from from the 60s from, you know, the I think that 70s 80s early 2000s.

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_07]: You know, there's you have all this history and all these years and you know, you both had stories from kind of you know representative of all the different hours of archie.

[00:27:05] [SPEAKER_07]: So that's the that's the good thing about it.

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_07]: Given, given folks of you know a starting point or a recommendation to check out, I always you know, I always like that so I appreciated that that they did that.

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_03]: That was fun.

[00:27:22] [SPEAKER_07]: I wanted to talk, I guess just a little bit because I had mentioned Baltimore that I know this episode will come out right after Baltimore Comic Con.

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm a huge fan I was telling Tom before we started recording Dan, I'm a big fan of a Baltimore Comic Con and I saw that you know both of you are going this year you've been on are going to be on a couple of panels.

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_07]: Do you both like enjoy the convention scene or is it just like part of part of the gig.

[00:27:54] [SPEAKER_05]: Well, Dan is the convention king like among the conventioners he is legendary as being of all you know there's there's like a thousand of us that go to these conventions and Dan goes to the most.

[00:28:07] [SPEAKER_04]: There was a couple people that go probably more than me, but I do have a problem saying no.

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_04]: So I actually had been saying no this year actually because last year was I didn't unless I go getting burned out so I'm a bit better this year actually.

[00:28:25] [SPEAKER_04]: But I really enjoy doing the shows I really do I wouldn't go if I did because they're they're exhausting can be really exhausting so you have to really enjoy it so.

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_04]: So, do you don't want to get burned out so yeah so.

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_04]: So having said that I'm going to Africa next week to a convention but.

[00:28:43] [SPEAKER_05]: Every weekend with them is an Africa is in India is in Asia is in Antarctica.

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm telling like four scientists up up up in Africa who work in our huge Veronica fans and they're like, bring out the.

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah well, I wasn't bent there yet so.

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_07]: And then the fifth scientist to just walks past your table and looks at a couple of things and we'll.

[00:29:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, when that's a little bit back later.

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_04]: That old song and dance.

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_07]: You did Dan that writing your own stories drawing these stories.

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_07]: Is there like anything in particular about all the you know the stuff that you've done you know I mentioned going back to love showed out in 94 the creation of Kevin Keller.

[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_07]: Is there anything that like when folks look at archie that you're like, I hope this is what they remember that Dan parent left his mark on archie.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm probably Kevin Keller will probably be the the the the thing I remembered for most just because it was such a I don't want to say groundbreaking but just just you is just such a.

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_04]: A big deal at the time, you know to introduce the gay character and that's probably just what I'll be remembered for love showdown is another thing to like love showdown was like the first event we ever had.

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_04]: And we didn't plan it and it was also like really the beginning of the internet is like 1994 so people were not social media or anything like that.

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_04]: So it was like organic just to fact that she was going to dump Betty and Veronica for someone else just the just caught the attention to everybody and then like all of a sudden like you know.

[00:30:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Good morning America the today show and all these like TV shows are talking about it and I'm like, you know, like.

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_04]: TV shows and stuff just talking about that and Veronica just a story we hit.

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll say if we came up with and.

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, so love showdown will you know it was that was unique in that way.

[00:30:53] [SPEAKER_04]: But yeah, I'm just happy to have been able to write you know and and you know create stuff that I enjoy and you know.

[00:31:02] [SPEAKER_04]: I was a huge you know Harry Lucy Dan de Carlo fan got to work with Dan de Carlo which was great.

[00:31:11] [SPEAKER_04]: Just just the games that go in and and you know do my thing with these great characters was you know everything I could have wanted.

[00:31:22] [SPEAKER_04]: And the fact that I'm still there, I mean I figured 20 years would be a miracle you know if I could be there 20 years that would be like amazing you know like.

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_04]: That would be like a career high you know and then you're talking like 40 almost at 40 years.

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_04]: This is like really crazy like why haven't they fired me.

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_04]: That's a lot we're all here today Dan.

[00:31:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm alive like it's I've had.

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_05]: Because you draw good man he's he's being so modest.

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_05]: I mean yeah Kevin Caler's been with what what Dan's Dan has been for a generation the RGR is he's a platonic ideal for for four years he said.

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_05]: He's still said and I feel like that's.

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_05]: He's he's this company wouldn't work with that and then there wouldn't be R to without them.

[00:32:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, I don't know if it would that far but I will say I really still love doing it because I wouldn't do it if I did and I could do other stuff I wanted to at this point but I just I really like it.

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_04]: I again I thought 20 years had been done but I'm not so when I when.

[00:32:34] [SPEAKER_04]: When it happens all all like you know.

[00:32:38] [SPEAKER_05]: Well don't don't retire yet Dan because I'm pitching a story to Mike this weekend.

[00:32:42] [SPEAKER_05]: I know I know I'm not going to find a way to get you to draw out.

[00:32:45] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm already on board for that don't worry.

[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm on the board for that for sure.

[00:32:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm on board for that.

[00:32:52] [SPEAKER_04]: I was going back to talking a drawing time story first of all it's really it was you wrote it like you had been there for 20 years yourself you know just how without how fluid the story was and I was selling Mike Calerita go really.

[00:33:08] [SPEAKER_04]: It really has that Frank Doyle feel had a classic feel to the story with that the course of the modern you know modern elements of it but.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_04]: It was really it really.

[00:33:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I did I was I was like depressed when it was the story was over like I wanted to draw more.

[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_04]: So that's a good song I guess that I brought my story is I'm really it.

[00:33:31] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm going to walk right through but I did I try to do it in.

[00:33:40] [SPEAKER_05]: It's a very mathematical issue is what I get nervous I put math and it thinks and so it's all done in that old RG style it's done with.

[00:33:49] [SPEAKER_05]: It's it's it's five it just it's 20 pages so we did five yeah basically five gag comics each one with the you know 90% of our Gs open with a two third splash and then two small panels at the bottom which you know dance and master up and then and then you get six panel pages after that five or six.

[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_05]: And so we did all that and you know and and then just to make.

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_05]: You know we did RG and Jug had in the first the first one the second one was was betting Veronica the third one was the build up of all the characters you know starting almost an order their importance you know we did juicy and then we did Sabrina and we did the others and.

[00:34:26] [SPEAKER_05]: And then the fifth one is just the gap is where the fourth one was the gag twist so.

[00:34:30] [SPEAKER_05]: It was all very it was for me like and hopefully.

[00:34:33] [SPEAKER_05]: It was using the bar of the art you formula to be formulated.

[00:34:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, you know the classic the classic approach but it and I got a felt very fresh.

[00:34:45] [SPEAKER_04]: Very fresh and new.

[00:34:47] [SPEAKER_07]: Dan was there any character in particular we talked about trying to get the whole gang in there but was there anybody in particular that you were like really excited to sneak in there.

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, any any of those characters that I never get to draw me I put the shield in there.

[00:35:02] [SPEAKER_04]: There's somewhere.

[00:35:05] [SPEAKER_04]: I shouldn't put the fly in there probably could have thrown him and but well you know.

[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_04]: I just like I like like little jinx a little arty.

[00:35:15] [SPEAKER_04]: You know and I just like you know I always like I like the death a lot.

[00:35:19] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm a big apple fan.

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_04]: I like they the old big apple back in the like the 60s been nature so hideously ugly that like.

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_04]: You just repeat your teeth or like you know.

[00:35:34] [SPEAKER_04]: And then the 80s they were like we have to like you know.

[00:35:38] [SPEAKER_04]: We interrupt a little bit.

[00:35:44] [SPEAKER_04]: But.

[00:35:45] [SPEAKER_04]: And then I think I'm going to put in there and I like I can.

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_04]: And it will tell me talk suggest a lot of them too.

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_07]: And then they do a few that I just could throw in there I did so yeah I wanted to ask us I was trying to go through and I like to you know.

[00:36:02] [SPEAKER_07]: You're trying to figure out who everybody is especially.

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_07]: Just like I said not having the biggest and cyclopedic knowledge of arty but who is.

[00:36:11] [SPEAKER_07]: I typically wouldn't do this but I just was very curious who's the the Josie and the pussy cat's fan who is standing there after they rush off the stage is that was that arches dad.

[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh no that's it's like this is like the height this is like the best part of the story that is.

[00:36:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Others.

[00:36:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Okay Veronica's Butler.

[00:36:32] [SPEAKER_04]: Tom has unleashed an entire backstory for some others.

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_04]: I couldn't I just couldn't figure out who that was this is like my favorite part of the story that said like you brought that up.

[00:36:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Okay, I want to worry it's a fantastic visual.

[00:36:48] [SPEAKER_04]: Well because Smithers is the uptight Butler of Veronica.

[00:36:52] [SPEAKER_04]: So the fact that he's like a Josie fan wearing the ears there is a backstory that we could go crazy with.

[00:37:01] [SPEAKER_07]: But don't say it it's probably Tom's next pit.

[00:37:03] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm ready to go.

[00:37:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Smithers epic you've never known you needed.

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_04]: I see him in a very colorful backlight.

[00:37:17] [SPEAKER_07]: That is fantastic.

[00:37:20] [SPEAKER_07]: Alright well I I it's getting late here on the the East Coast so I don't want to keep you gentlemen.

[00:37:28] [SPEAKER_05]: Let me show them my bike on the good.

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_05]: I bought yes I bought this rant random page because it's the death of Jughead.

[00:37:35] [SPEAKER_05]: I love it so much for some it's that the gag is that Jughead's playing a game where he balances from a trampoline into a pool and then the Swiss of course is at the pool is empty and they just show dead Jughead on the last panel.

[00:37:48] [SPEAKER_05]: Is that a one page or it's a one page or yeah, that's the gag you just like.

[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_04]: And that looks like.

[00:37:54] [SPEAKER_05]: I think no no I mean I know I think it's like random art you are just I think it wasn't even listen.

[00:38:00] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah I think it's a Tom more.

[00:38:03] [SPEAKER_05]: There you go he's Tom or art you 120.

[00:38:06] [SPEAKER_05]: It's over so awesome.

[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_05]: That's awesome.

[00:38:11] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah I thought it was maybe just maybe laugh if they feel randomly killed off Jughead in a.

[00:38:20] [SPEAKER_07]: I can't thank you enough both of you Tom King.

[00:38:23] [SPEAKER_07]: I'm going to thank you.

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_07]: I mean you can go get it your local comic book shop wherever you get your comics it's fantastic.

[00:38:34] [SPEAKER_07]: It's just a it's just to me I read it like a love letter to Archie comics and it's really great.

[00:38:41] [SPEAKER_04]: Tom is in work weekend and Baltimore so yeah.

[00:38:46] [SPEAKER_04]: I was wondering if you're having half of Baltimore so that's doing anyway but it's okay.

[00:38:49] [SPEAKER_04]: But they're time machines out there somewhere.

[00:38:53] [SPEAKER_07]: I also wanted to mention I just so I'm not I don't forget but it's also Bob Smith, Rosario Tita Pania and Jack Morelli.

[00:39:01] [SPEAKER_07]: It's just fantastic work on the on art you the decision.

[00:39:05] [SPEAKER_05]: So then my kids were mad at me about one panel in the book and I will I because they're insane.

[00:39:12] [SPEAKER_05]: They were mad because that Wilkins boy had the wrong color hair.

[00:39:16] [SPEAKER_05]: I didn't actually gave me slack.

[00:39:18] [SPEAKER_05]: Where am I kids were?

[00:39:21] [SPEAKER_05]: Did they didn't color it brown?

[00:39:23] [SPEAKER_05]: I don't know what it was they just said that's not his hair color they got me was it off brown or I did look I don't even know off hand.

[00:39:31] [SPEAKER_05]: That ain't all right so that's the one I gave this well like here's this book I did it just for you to impress you know like what is this is just one color.

[00:39:39] [SPEAKER_05]: It's like oh, it's a one they were super have danger my kids into the book and they look that's awesome that's that's kind of a forever thing.

[00:39:52] [SPEAKER_07]: That is awesome well again thank you both and yeah this is airing after Baltimore but I I'll be there so I will I heard the Baltimore thing is going to have a.

[00:40:02] [SPEAKER_07]: Steve Conley exclusive cover for Archie the decision so yeah so I'll probably pick that up and then try and track the the three of you down to get it signed and.

[00:40:12] [SPEAKER_07]: Byron the other host is sending me some some stuff that he wants me to get signed and convention so I'm happy to do that form because he has to listen to my voice and edit all the episodes so.

[00:40:23] [SPEAKER_07]: Thanks Byron but my brother Bobby and I who's the crypt creator corner's number one most dedicated fan Bobby listens to all my episodes and we go to Baltimore and.

[00:40:32] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah we'll probably pop by and say hi to both of you but again, Archie the decision it's out now thank you both very much for coming on the podcast.

[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_07]: Thank you.

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_05]: Have a good night guys tonight.

[00:40:44] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh yeah see this is Byron O'Neal one of your hosts the crypt creator corner brought to you by comic book get it.

[00:40:52] [SPEAKER_02]: We hope you've enjoyed this episode of our podcast.

[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_02]: Please rate reviews subscribe all that good stuff.

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