Bill Nichols’ Prescription:
Comics 10ccs of the Process with
Dan Johnson

Once upon a time, I was feeling a bit inspired and said on Facebook I was ready to build a comic book empire, who was with me? One of those that spoke up was Dan Johnson who, with some other talents, formed Empire Comics Lab. I have to say I’m very proud of these folks personally for continuing to put out new books. And I have humbled that they name me the founder and mentor, their “Stan Lee”.

-Bill

 

What inspires you to create and keeps you going?

I bought my first comic books when I was seven years old and I fell in love with the medium then and there. I have never wanted to do anything else but be a part of this world. Comic books helped to keep me company when I was a lonely and painfully shy kid and they helped me get through some bad times in my life, like when my dad died when I was 13. Like everyone else, I wonder sometimes if maybe I should be doing something else with my life, but then I remember what comics have meant to me and I tell myself, “Stop the crazy talk! There is no way you’re walking away from this!” So, a love of comics, and the belief in what they can do to inspire, to motivate and even just see people through the darker times in their lives is what keeps me going.

 

Do you have a set routine?

Not really. I try to sit down and write at my computer every day for a little while. Normally, because of my day job, there are sometimes limits to how long I get to do that. That isn’t to say I don’t create every day. I always have a notebook with me that I am always jotting down ideas in. Plus, I tend to do a page by page layout of most of my comic book stories in these notebooks. That is how I plot them out and this also allows me to get a sense of the story’s pacing.

Currently, with everyone staying at home because of COVID-19, I am getting a  lot of work done. Right now, I will usually work at night and sometimes won’t go to bed until maybe three or four in the morning. In the very beginning, it felt like I was writing around the clock for a week or so.

 

What kind of output do you try to achieve?

As much as possible. I tend to run on deadlines, so my goal is to meet each of them and to turn in the best work that I can to whomever I am writing for. I do comic book scripts, cartoon gags, magazine articles, film scripting and I am starting to branch out to doing more prose fiction. Each one of these takes a different amount of time to write. For example, a comic script is easier and faster to write than a film script. And an essay is easier and faster to write than an interview.

The key thing for me is knowing when I have to have something in. When the pressure is on to get something done, I pour on more steam until it is finished. And I think that leads to better writing. When that happens, you get the first instincts kicking in and you go with your gut more. You don’t have time to sit there and overthink the writing and you don’t have the time to go back and change things unless you absolutely need to do so. For me, that is when what I write sounds the most real.

 

What inspires you WHEN you create? Music? Noise? Silence?

When I write, I usually have complete silence. I need it to focus on the work. But when I am jotting down notes or sketching a page layout, I will listen to music. I love soundtracks to movies like Star Wars and The Last Starfighter. Also, I dig bands like Queen and KISS. And there are times when I might try to get in a mood to write something and a certain song will just set the tone for me.

 

Who was the first comic book creator that influenced you to pursue this?

That would be Cary Bates. I loved The Flash when I was a kid and Cary  was the first creator whose name I took the time to get to know when I began to buy comic books. I would buy anything with his name on it.

 

When did you realize you could follow this path yourself?

When I was 23 and got my first article accepted by a national publication, Scary Monsters Magazine. When that happened, I knew writing for a living could be more than just a dream for me.

 

What do you find to be a challenge in creating?

The biggest challenge is time, usually. Again, since my state of North Carolina implemented the stay at home order, it seems like all I do is write. That is how I am keeping my sanity! But normally I also have to juggle my writing career with the day job. And again, this is why I keep notebooks with me at all time. Sometimes you have to steal a couple minutes now and then to write down an idea here or a bit of dialogue there.

 

What else do you have to learn?

Everything! You never stop learning, or at least I feel like you should never stop trying to learn. I still try to seek out new authors and new books. I also like to read about history and art when I have some free time. And I try to keep up with current events and what is happening in science. When you create stories, you never know what could spark your imagination. So, each and every day, I say confess your ignorance and go out into the world and see what is new and different.

 

What keeps you motivated to get better?

My past work. I always want to be better today than I was yesterday. I can stand someone saying that I didn’t tell a good story or maybe an article I wrote was so-so at best, but I can’t stand anyone thinking I half-assed any assignment.

 

Can you turn your brain (creativity) off (and on)?

Never. My imagination goes 25 hours a day, eight days a week!

 

Booster Shots

What advice do you have for aspiring creators?

I have quite a bit of advice if you will indulge me.

First: Don’t let fear rule you. If you want to write, write. If you want to draw, draw. Don’t be afraid of what other people will say about your work. If you are happy with it, that is what matters most. And along with that, write and draw what you want to write and draw. If you put your heart and soul into your work, your audience will find you.

Second: Everyone gets rejections. Don’t let that discourage you and don’t think that makes you a bad writer or artist if an editor doesn’t want to buy your work. Different people have different tastes, and that is what makes the world go round.Not everyone will like your work. If your work doesn’t appeal to one specific editor, find someone else to pitch ideas too.

There is a wonderful story I tell all aspiring writers. It is the story of John W. Campbell, the prolific science fiction writer who wrote the story, “Who Goes There?,” which became the basis for both film versions of The Thing. Campbell was also the editor of Astounding Science Fiction for 30 years. In the pantheon of grand masters of science fiction, he is considered a god by many, even today.

Now, legend has it that Campbell kept getting submissions from this one writer that he grew to hate. This writer not only sent in one story at a time, he would send in envelopes with as many as three or four stories. Campbell, as the editor, was obliged to read everything that came in to see if there was something in the submissions pile worth printing. As time went on, he grew to despise this writer. He thought this writer had no talent whatsoever and he sure didn’t create the kind of hard science fiction Campbell was selling.

So one day, after getting a large envelope from this writer, Campbell sends him a note and acknowledges receiving the latest round of submissions. He then went on to tell the writer that he didn’t like his writing at all and he felt he was wasting both their times. He then asked the writer to send his work elsewhere from then on, because as long as Campbell was editor, it would be a cold day in July before this writer saw his byline in the pages of Astounding Science Fiction. He let this writer know then and there that he would never publish his work. The writer complied and started sending his stories elsewhere and eventually was met with some success.

So. John W. Campbell. Legendary science fiction writer. Editor extraordinaire who shaped the genre for three decades. Giant in the world of science fiction who is revered to this day.

Still, even with all those honors to his name, to me  he will forever be the man who refused to publish Ray Bradbury.

Again, everyone has different tastes. Always remember that.

 

Do you ever worry about running out of ideas?

Oh, heck no! I have been making up stories since I was a kid. My imagination runs wild all the time.

 

How do you handle the slow times?

Thankfully, slow times are something I rarely deal with. There may be times when I don’t have pressing deadlines, but there is something I could always be working on.

 

How do you feel about the industry?

That is a tough question. I think the industry, especially in the wake of COVID-19, got a huge wake-up call. The over-dependence on one distributor to get books out to a limited number of shops is coming back to  bite some people in the hindquarters.  Now is the time to explore new outlets and 110% of those need to focus on getting comics into the hands of kids. That was the other mistake publishers have made. They forgot that comics were supposed to be aimed at kids primarily and they focused on their existing customers only. No industry can thrive if it is doing stupid things that keep new fans from coming in and discovering their product. So, to that end, we need more kid friendly books on the market. 

 

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by the above creator are theirs. This interview may not 

be reprinted or reposted without permission.