as interviewed by Daisy Holzapfel
Geoff: You're right on-base. I always gravitated more towards the DC Universe. It's funny, I look back and a lot of the time I'm like "How in the hell did I get HERE?" The last few years are kind of a blur. Anyway, I feel at home at DC.
The people are terrific, supportive and creative. And the characters just have something in them that makes the Universe so cohesive. A historical sense, I guess. And I love history. The universe also seems a bit more on the fantastic side, and I enjoy that. You can do any kind of story from street crime to alternate dimensions to future tales. It's just a helluva lot of fun.
Daisy: Is the history and continuity of a character ever more important at times than the actual character? For example � if someone brought you sketches of the Justice Society now, without them having ever existed before, would there still be a high level of excitement or would you dismiss those same characters?
Geoff: The history is important only in the fact that I'm already familiar with the characters. But really, it doesn't make or break the character to me. Power Girl, for example, was someone I really didn't know anything about. She was a "new" character to me when I was on JSA but after writing her and checking her out, I grew really fond of the character. It wasn't because of the history, but because of her personality and attitude. Her ablities as a super-hero and her differences from everyone else. So, no, history and continuity isn't more important than the character but it does shape who they are personality wise. I've learned never to dismiss a character because they are new or old.
That said, of course there's something cool about working on characters like the Flash who you grew up reading.
Daisy: Right now, you�re working on the new Teen Titans. You are known for your ability to revamp old villains and make them cool again. Is it a particularly daunting task trying to make a cool villain for a bunch of teenage kids?
Geoff: You know what? It sure as hell is. Because they need to have something that resonates for these teenagers. The villain can't just be "I want to rule the world" or "I want to destroy the world" -- it's gotta be more specific than that. You need to create a threat that will really affect these kids, and that is large enough to challenge a group of some of the most powerful super-heroes in the DCU. The Titans have some good antagonists like Deathstoke, Brother Blood and Trigon, but you can only use them so many times -- and Trigon is a villain that we're going to probably stay away from because of that. So in this case, we are going to have to create new threats, and that is an important part of what this new book is. We need to work incredibly hard to come up with villains that will not only challenge them once, but be powerful and unique enough to become a known part of their rogues gallery. We need to create the next Brother Blood and Trigon and Fearsome Five for the Titans.
Daisy: You evidently have a pretty full career, but what other kinds of things do you do�you know�for fun?
Geoff: I enjoy hanging out with friends and having a few drinks. Just talking about whatever comes up. Working in a vacuum like writers do, I like to be around people outside of work. Hit movies, the gym, ride my bike, take my dog to the park and make him chase a rubber ball for a few hours, I really enjoy traveling too. One of the reasons I like Con season. Going to new cities is a blast.
Daisy: I�m still giggling about you calling Jack of Hearts a cock. Does your editor frequently wash your mouth out with soap? What�s your favorite cuss word?
Geoff: Well, Jack IS a cock. Nothing wrong with a super-hero being a dickhead. A lot of people are. Like cops. I'm sure everyone's met an asshole cop. Anyway, "fucking" is my favorite cuss word because it can be good or bad. You know, like "that fucking rocks" or "you fucking idiot." It kind of heightens the emphasis of what you're saying and it goes either way. I love that word.
As for swear words with editors, I remember one time when I couldn't get SUCKS in a comic and I was like "Well, that SUCKS!" so on the next script I had a character say FUCK on the second page and the editor called me and was like "What are you doing? You CAN'T do THAT!" So I was like, "Oh, sorry." And then he totally passed by the sucks on page 3! So, I got SUCKS in my book. That trick only worked once though! LOL
Daisy: There�s an old stigma attached to musicians that since they tour and stuff, they don�t make for good husbands or boyfriends (something about them being cheaters or some garbage) and I�ve met plenty of chicks who get all paranoid about their men touring and whatnot. You�re married though � does the same go for comic book men? Does it make your wife nervous when you start travelin� around? Are there a lot of unfaithful husbands in the biz?
Geoff: People's private lives usually stay private, so I can't tell you every detail -- though I have heard a few stories. [;)]
Honestly, I think girlfriends and wives would be more worried if more girls read comics. I mean, really it's like 98% guys. If you meet one girl at a con who actually reads a book and isn't dragged there by their significant other it's a small miracle. So I think it's probably actually safer for faithfulness and all that to be AT a comic book convention than anywhere else, save the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas. I don't like Star Trek, was dragged in saying "You'll like it after this." and I still don't. So, I don't think anyone's that nervous.
Daisy: What would you say is the most shared vice amongst comic book writers? Or even writers in general?
Geoff: Alcohol, followed by women. Or the other way around. Maybe a combination of them both. It's a deadly combination you know.
Daisy: Since you�re a writer of �team� books, I was just kinda wondering if you were a fan of any �team� sports or any particular teams.
Geoff: Love Hockey. I grew up in Detroit and the Red Wings have always kicked ass. They've had their ups and downs, but they're really fun to watch. I think if the Detroit Lions had been better during my High School years I would've been more of a football fan. Instead we just got berated by Packers fans. Hell, even the Bengals laughed at us.
Daisy: If you could assume the identity of any of the characters you write for, who would it be?
Geoff: The Flash. No question. Being in two places at once? Able to run from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in like a minute? I could have dinner with friends across the world on a nightly basis, take them to London to hang out for the weekend. Nothing much cooler than that. I could also write twenty books instead of nineteen.
Daisy: What should we be buying right now? What projects do you wanna give a little push to?
Geoff: I really think TEEN TITANS is going to kick major ass. Mike McKone is doing the best work of his career, and I think I am too. We're really thinking this book through, really trying to make it stand out among all the other super-hero books on the stands. And make the characters stand out as well.
You'll see a very different Robin in the Titans. One who is so damn cool it's frightening. That's the greatest thing about the Titans -- the characters. As teenagers they get to make mistakes. Like Pa Kent tells Superboy he can't play football with normal kids -- so Superboy says, "Okay, okay. I hear you." And then like ten minutes later he's playing football with normal kids and kicking their ass.
So yeah, check out Teen Titans #1 in July. And if you like mature books and horror check out The Possessed #1 in July from Wildstorm.