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Dealing Death with Joshua Ortega

Before I dive into my interview with Joshua Ortega, I’d like to explain the lateness of this column.  I thought the new comics would ship on Thursday of this week because of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday.  That usually pushes UPS’s Diamond shipment back to Thursday.  For some reason, the books shipped on Wednesday as they usually would.  Hence, the column arrives late with my sincere apologies.  As the holidays have finally ended, everything will run on time until the next three-day weekend.  Now, on with the show. 

Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer has long haunted our collective imagination as an icon of dark fantasy.  Lurking somewhere between Conan and Count Dracula, the character appeared in a series of paintings by Frazetta that jumped off the canvas and inspired innumerable fantasy artists.  A few writers have tried to tell the Death Dealer’s story in both comics and prose.  But in April, writer Joshua Ortega and artists Nat Jones and Jay Fotos will start over with a new series from Image, appropriately titled Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer.  For those in dire need of a summary, I quote from Image’s press release: 

“Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer is the story two warring kingdoms and a mythical order that seeks peace between them. Nine hundred years ago, the land of Iparsia was ravaged by war between the kingdoms of Oro and Edani. As battles raged out of control, a black rider began to appear laying waste to both sides of the conflict, killing the greatest warriors as easily as the untrained combatants. This unconquerable rider was known as the Death Dealer. The kings of Oro and Edani recognized that if they did not end this war, the black rider would destroy them all. A treaty was signed in blood and the Death Dealer disappeared into the primeval forest. 

“Legend says that as long as Oro and Edani are at peace, the black rider will sleep. However, after ages of peace, the specter of war has raised its bloody head once again, and the Death Dealer will not be far behind.” 

I spoke with Joshua about his work on the upcoming series and his love of all things Frazetta. 

Kurt Amacker: Okay, Death Dealer originates in a series of paintings by Frank Frazetta.  Since then, the character has appeared in pulp novels by Frazetta and James Silke, comic books by Simon Bisley and Glenn Danzig, and a million trading cards and other media.  I understand that your team is starting fresh with the character.  What are you going to bring that we haven't seen before? 

Joshua Ortega: Our main goal for this series all along has been to stay true to Frank Frazetta's vision for the character. There are certain story elements, certain themes, and levels of characterization that Frank wanted to be present in the series, so we've all worked very hard to make sure they're in there. Frank wanted an epic story that would stand the test of time, and we're doing our best to deliver on that.

KA: Okay, but Death Dealer is, on the surface, just a visual.  Without those other novels or comics, there’s no story. So, what do you think accounts for his longevity and popularity?  I don't mean that as a slight on Frazetta or your book, but what do you think draws people to a character with virtually no story and just a handful of admittedly compelling images? 

JO: No slight taken at all. It's a great question. I'd attribute it all to the power of Frazetta's art. As many people have noted before, his paintings all tell a story.  Hell, in many cases they tell more than one story.  With the Death Dealer, you arguably have Frank's most provocative piece ever. It's timeless, mysterious, haunting, and completely f—king cool.  You can't even really describe it with words. Once you see the image, you know its power. 

KA: I understand that Steve Niles was originally slated to write this series.  How did you come to work on it?  Was the transition between writers smooth? 

JO: A lot of synchronicity played into this one. Nat Jones and I have been friends for years, and had been looking for the right project to do together. Nat and I had a pitch in for Marvel's Son of Satan launch last year (with some killer concept art by Nat).  When Nat told me that Steve was a fan of Son of Satan too, that got Steve and I talking and we became friends as well. When Steve realized that his schedule was too packed to fit Death Dealer in and give it the proper treatment it deserves, he came to Nat and said, "I've got the perfect writer to take over the project." Lo and behold, Nat had the same idea and here we are.

KA: Obviously, Nat and Jay Fotos can more than meet the standard set by Frazetta in the art department, but how do you measure your faithfulness to a character that, with a clean slate that disregards previous incarnations, has only been seen in images? Do you feel like any of the other writers have set a standard you have to meet or exceed, or are previous narrative versions completely out of the equation? 

JO: In this case, the previous versions are completely out of the equation. Frank and Ellie, his wife, specifically asked us to start anew.  They wanted this to be the defining Death Dealer story and the start of a whole new era. It’s funny, because I actually hadn't read the other Death Dealer books or comics, so it wasn't hard for me to start anew.

KA: How involved has Frazetta been in the creative process?  Have you had the opportunity to work much with him, or has he just given his blessing? 

JO: Frank and Ellie have been very involved, especially on a meta-level, and they've provided us with a lot of guidance and suggestions as far as tone and feel of the series. Story-wise, they've really let us do our thing, and they've approved everything each step of the way. From concept, to outline, to each script, Frank knows what's going on and gives feedback when he feels it's necessary. It really makes the series that much more rewarding to work on.  Frank knows what he likes, so getting the "thumbs-up" from him really means a lot!

KA: Tell me about your creative process.  Do you give Nat and Jay full scripts or plot summaries?  How much of your personal vision would you say makes it on to the page in Death Dealer?  Or, do you feel like you're mostly contributing the dialogue and some general ideas while letting your artistic team express their particular vision? 

JO: Nat and I work on the story together, and we co-plot each issue. I do all of the script, the dialogue, the naming of the places and characters, but Nat's very involved in the story process.  He's actually the one who came up with the "skeleton" of the story way back when, when Steve was involved. After we've outlined an issue, I'll write the full script then send it to Nat and Jay.  For the most part, Nat sticks to the script, though he has my full blessing to change things if he thinks it's appropriate. It's really a pleasure working with Nat, and I think we click in much the same way that Francis Manapul and I did on The Necromaner. It's a very smooth and natural collaboration.

KA: Given that no comic or work of art exists in a vacuum, what influences from comics or other media inspired you when writing Death Dealer?  Obviously, the Frazetta paintings had to be the primary influence, but were you rocking out to Slayer or rereading old Conan stories while you wrote this or anything? 

JO: Molly Hatchet, man, of course! Seriously though, there hasn't really been one media or story that's influenced my writing on this book. I've really tried to approach this as an original dark fantasy story that has a classic feel and an epic scope. In that sense, genre has influenced the book – it has elements of both fantasy and horror – but not really any one work in particular.

KA: Yes, but Tolkienesque swords-and-sorcery stuff has been done to death in popular fiction, though less so in comics. The Death Dealer is certainly darker than your average Dragonlance novel, but what new ground will you break (or decimate) in the genre to separate it from the 8 million Conan and Tolkien clones populating bookstore shelves?  Do you even want to associate it with high fantasy, or do you see it as a horror series with a fantasy backdrop? 

JO: It’s dark fantasy all the way. There will be horrific elements to the series, as well as the fantastic. I've tried to make sure the characters are very strong and distinct, and not just cut-and-paste caricatures. There are also a lot surprises and mysteries during the series, and I think jaded readers will appreciate that quite a bit. Also, I always write in layers and tend to embed quite a bit of metaphor in everything I write. I want readers to be able to just appreciate the story for what it is on the surface, but those who want to dig deeper can find lots of interesting things bubbling beneath the crust.

KA: Well, what does the future hold for Death Dealer?  Do you see this as the first miniseries of many, or are you waiting to see how things pan out? 

JO: Ultimately, we want this series to be able to stand alone as a complete story that "requires" no sequels or prequels to finish the story. Looking forward, however, we do see this book as the first chapter in a whole new era, and we're creating a world in which you can tell a lot of cool stories. Whether the next book ends up being a miniseries, ongoing series, or a spin-off, we'll have to see. Of course, much of this will depend on the market and fan response, but if readers want to see more of the Death Dealer, then Nat, Jay, and I are all excited to expand and continue the story! 

KA: For what it’s worth, I’m excited.  Is there anything else you'd like to add?  Go nuts. 

JO: Sure, just one thing: I'll be an official guest of the New York Comic-Con next month, so readers who are interested in Death Dealer should definitely come on by and say hello (or que pasa, up yours, whatever their preference is). I'll be there all three days, signing at the Image booth for Death Dealer, where we'll have some cool promo stuff there.  I’ll also be at the Top Cow booth for Necromancer and at the NYCC guest booths as well. In other words, it shouldn't be too hard to track me down! 

KA: Thanks, Joshua. 

Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer comes out on April 11^th.  Anyone that wants to order it can do so with Diamond order code FEB071876. 

The Spinner Rack 
By Al Brown and Kurt Amacker

This week: somebody dies! Probably. Somewhere. Also: Detective Chimp, Chris Claremont returns, and Modok. 

DARK HORSE COMICS 

Blade O/t Immortal Shortcut Vol 16 TP (MR) $16.95 

Conan #36 (MR) $2.99 

Conan & The Midnight God #1 (of 5) $2.99 
Al: Josh Dysart and Will Conrad. 

Ghost In The Shell 1.5 Human Error Processor #4 (of 8) $2.99 

Jack Hightower TP (RES) $14.95 

Satsuma Gishiden Vol 2 TP $14.95 

Shaman Warrior Vol 1 TP $12.95 

Trigun Maximum Vol 11 TP $9.95

Kurt: Dark Horse loves them some Manga. 

DC COMICS 

52 Week #37 $2.50

Aquaman Sword Of Atlantis #48 (RES) $2.99 

Batman Year One Hundred TP $19.99 
Al: With hindsight, I guess this book didn't blow me away quite as much as I was hoping it would. But that's mostly because my expectations were extremely high. It's still a really entertaining, crazy read. Just not, like, earth-shattering.

Kurt: I thought it was a bit pedantic in its approach, but I enjoyed it.  It’s not the second coming of Year One or The Dark Knight Returns, but it’s worth reading. 

Birds Of Prey #102 $2.99 

Catwoman #63 $2.99 

Green Lantern #16 (RES) $2.99 

Green Lantern Archives Vol 6 HC $49.99 

Helmet Of Fate Detective Chimp #1 $2.99 
Al: Bill Willingham's man-crush on Detective Chimp is the DC equivalent of Bendis's crush on Luke Cage.

Kurt: I’m just not going to touch this one.  Bad, bad things will happen if I start cracking jokes. 

JLA Classified #32 $3.99 

Kikaider Code 02 Vol 6 (MR) $9.99 

Mad Classics #13 $4.99 

Mad Magazine #474 $3.99 

Omega Men #4 (of 6) $2.99 

Recipe For Gertrude Vol 3 $9.99

Kurt: I was just thinking that I wanted to get some Gertrude to go earlier today.  Now, I can just make it at home! 

Red Menace #3 (of 6) $2.99 

Sandman Mystery Theatre Sleep Of Reason #2 (of 5) (MR) $2.99 

Scooby Doo #116 $2.25 

Shadowpact #9 $2.99 
Al: Well, it was only a matter of time before Etrigan showed up in this book.

Kurt: If DC gave a fig for continuity or consistency, John Constantine would’ve showed up ages ago.  Oh well. 

Skye Runner #6 $2.99 
Al: Final issue. 

Spirit #2 $2.99 
Al: A really fun book can only get better with the introduction of P'Gell, "quite possibly the sexiest seductress in comics history." Clearly, they have not seen all those pictures I drew of myself in slinky evening wear.

Kurt: Why is it that Dr. Dastardly seems to be the only one that can get these pictures of you, Al? 

Superman Emperor Joker TP $14.99

Kurt: All right, black metal inside joke of the week: check out Anthems to the Joker at Dusk or Joker: The Discipline of Laughter and Demise.  That will probably make sense to about three of you, but I’m comfortable with that. 

Testament #14 (MR) $2.99 

Testament Vol 2 West Of Eden TP (MR) $12.99 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre #3 (MR) $2.99 

Y The Last Man #53 (MR) $2.99 
Al: That supermodel trash collector from way, way back in like the first arc reappears. God, I love this series.

Kurt: And soon, it will be over.  There’s no justice in the universe. 

IMAGE COMICS 

Angry Christ Comix TP (MR) $16.99 

Darkness Vol 5 Demon Inside TP $19.99 

Girls #21 (MR) $2.99 

Iron Ghost Geist Reich TP $15.99

Kurt: This started okay, but I never got a chance to finish it.  If anyone wants to recommend it or suggest that I stay the hell away, feel free to e-mail me. 

Liberty Meadows Vol 4 Cold Cold Heart TP $14.99 

Mike Careys One Sided Bargains (one Shot) (MR) $5.99 

Silencers TP $14.99 

MARVEL COMICS 

Avengers Assemble Vol 4 HC $34.99 

Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes Ii #5 (of 8) $3.99 

Cable Deadpool #36 $2.99 

Cable Deadpool Vol 2 Burnt Offering TP (o/a) (feb051953) $14.99 

Daily Bugle February Newspaper PI 

Essential X-Factor Vol 2 TP $16.99 
Al: Some of those crazy old stories from the early days of X-Factor by the Simonsons, where basically all the original X-Men took turns going insane. I loved these.

Kurt: Next time we hang out, we should take turns going insane.  It’ll rule. 

Exiles #90 $2.99 
Al: Chris Claremont takes over. Of course, he brings Psylocke with him.

Kurt: Woohoo!  This means another year of excessive boob jokes! 

Fantastic Four #542 Cw $2.99 
Al: Remember when She-Hulk joined for a while? That didn't really work either.

Kurt: Lord, what’ve they done now?  Wait, let me guess – the new member is Rom, Space Knight! 

Ghost Rider #7 $2.99

Kurt: I don’t care if no one else likes Daniel Way.  I think he’s super-cool. 

Marvel Adventures Avengers #9 $2.99 
Al: Modok! Modok! Modok! 

Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #20 $2.99 

Marvel Adventures Spider-Man Vol 5 Digest TP $6.99 

Marvel Select Flip Magazine #21 $4.99 

Marvel Tales Flip Magazine #20 $4.99 

Marvel Visionaries John Buscema HC $34.99 

Newuniversal 2nd Ptg Ribic Var #1 (PP #747) $2.99

Kurt: Ack!  Algebra attacks! 

Sensational Spider-Man #34 $2.99 
Al: Black Cat and Puma vs. Rhino. Animals are cuddly!

Kurt: Wow, it’s a furry and plushy wet dream. 

She-Hulk 2 #15 $2.99 

Spider-Man Reign #2 (of 4) $3.99 
Al: I have mixed feelings about this. Yes, it's a truly pathetic and obvious Dark Knight Returns rip-off. But on its own terms, it's not off to a bad start. The question is, do you want to see a rip-off of DKR starring Spider-Man? If you do, then you might as well buy this. I kinda don't. 

Spider-Man Reign 2nd Ptg Andrews Var #1 (of 4) $3.99 

Storm Premiere HC $19.99 
Al: Collecting the Storm miniseries, a fairly game effort at a ludicrous story. 

Storm Premiere HC Var ED $19.99 

Ultimate Power #1 Directors Cut $3.99 
Al: Do not ever buy the "Director's Cut" of a comic book. Don't do it. Don't even think about it.

Kurt: Okay, comics don’t even have directors.  They have writers, artists, and editors.  Why don’t they just call them the Please Buy This Again Edition?  I mean, if a comic I liked came out and they were like, “We screwed up the first issue.  This is really the story we meant to tell and it’s much better.” then I might buy it.  I buy director’s cuts of movies all the time because they, in theory, offer something better and more substantial than the original version.  These things from Marvel are the same issue with some sketches and stuff in the back, which take all of three minutes to look through – crapper reading, at best. 

Ultimate Spider-Man #104 $3.99 
Al: The Clone Saga finally wraps things up. 

Ultimate X-Men #78 $2.99 
Al: Ultimate Cable kills somebody, or something.

Kurt: When is Cable not killing something? 

Wisdom #2 (of 6) (MR) $3.99 
Al: Sorta more fun than it ought to be.

Kurt: Wow, that’s a ringing endorsement.  I can imagine that splashed across the cover of the trade paperback. 

X-Men First Class #5 (of 8) $2.99 
Al: The young X-Men take on the Norse Gods in this perfectly entertaining little series.