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I've been fortunate enough to have come into contact with several of the creators
of the early Valiant comics, and submitted a questionnaire to each of them.
They kindly answered my questions and I have posted their answers here for visitors
to read. Some very interesting things were revealed.
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JANET (JAYJAY) JACKSON
1. How are you doing?
JJ: As usual I'm tired. It's a permanent state of being. But it's a good tired.
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
JJ: I had worked with Jim Shooter for several years at Marvel and when he decided to start Valiant, he asked me to join him from the beginning. I do a lot of different things like design and production, aside from doing the coloring, so I was helpful in the start-up phase as well as later on.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
JJ: Jim and I got together and came up with a different way to color the comics and assembled a team of colorists (The Gradations) and trained them. I did a lot of the production. I sort of babysat the pages all through the separation and printing processes, too, working with all the different suppliers. I colored as much of the comics as I could and oversaw the coloring, even to the point of mixing up bottles of watercolor to try to keep the colors standard, even though several colorists were painting the same job. I still keep a bottle marked "Link Legs" as a reminder! Sometimes, if I wasn't happy with the color separations, I would work on the film to correct the colors or art. As time went on, I was managing the production more and more and doing less coloring, though. I also designed the company logo and some other logos as well as editorial pages, promotional materials and brochures.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
JJ: I think I worked a little bit on almost all of them, but I did lots of coloring for Super Mario Bros. stories, the realistic parts on the first Game Boy story, the first Zelda story, some Captain N and other stuff.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
JJ: I don't remember anything that didn't get published.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
JJ: Oh, so many! Hmm, I have to think of some I can actually repeat. We worked such long hours. But we used to get along so well. We used to have to come up with amusements to keep us going and John Cebollero was, and still is, the funniest guy I ever met. He was so funny he kept everybody's spirits up, even when he was dead tired, and he would bring in all sorts of odd music to amuse/torture us with. We would sometimes invent bizarre distractions like "special" holidays... we had a big party for "Jade Appreciation Day". We decorated the office with posters and flyers dedicated to our letterer, Jade, and things that he liked (like red Jell-O) and we had events to celebrate the occasion like a Nihilistic T-shirt contest and a Dead Baby competition. We had "Black Fredday" for Fred (The Axeman) Pierce. We had the "Tater Queen Day". Jim used to call me "The Tater Queen" (one of MANY annoying nicknames) and I came in one day to find a big banner saying "All Hail The Tater Queen" and many strange potato themed decorations with a special cake (that had a cartoon of me on it that Rodney Ramos had drawn) and many potato foods for lunch. About 6 months later a large bottle of Gatorade packed with potato chunks exploded on the shelf behind my desk. I guess we sort of forgot it might ferment or something. I still have the photographic evidence of all this insanity. It really was great. We had a video game console set up in the conference room and we would take video game breaks, complete with smelly Chinese food. Everybody had a different favorite. I think I could beat everyone at Tetris except Kingman Huie. Kingman was the Tetris master! Like a game playing machine, he was. Most other people were hooked on Mario Bros. Kat Bollinger loved The Legend of Zelda and she made a big map that she kept behind the door. Jim's favorite was Doctor Mario and for some reason it was always amusing to us to see him sitting there in his suit playing it. How weird is it that I can still remember what games everybody liked?
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
JJ: I developed my watercolor painting to a whole new level and I increased my knowledge of printing and separations. I got started learning computers and computer coloring. I also got to visit new and exciting places like Sparta, Illinois, Racine, Wisconsin and Cambridge, Maryland on business. I do like to travel!
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
JJ: I keep everything. I'm really the worst sort of pack rat imaginable. Not a good thing in a small NYC apartment. Jim is almost as bad as I am and we still share a storage space and it's almost impossible to get into, it's so jammed full.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
JJ: A lot of the projects I worked on at Valiant were amazing. I loved working with Barry Windsor-Smith on Solar. I also loved coloring the Warriors of Plasm comics at Defiant. I was very proud of that work. I'm happy with a lot of things I did at Marvel, too, like ads and posters and logo design. Jim gave me a chance to write and I loved doing that at Defiant and Broadway Comics. Since my comic book days, I've done some magazine illustration and some cool design for the recording and fashion industries.
10. What are your current projects?
JJ: Lately, I've been drawing and producing concert posters and t-shirts for rock bands. That's a lot of fun. I have done some nice album packaging and I've been designing web sites and doing Flash animation. You can see some of my work at: www.seriousdesign.com. I'm also working on a screenplay now.
MARK PACELLA
1. How are you doing?
MP: Excellent. You've found me on christmas day and the smell of the roasting pork is wafting through the house. My dog is asleep beside my drawing table and it's another excellent day on the oceanfront of southern California. I just came back in from a 2 mile beach run with several friends so this will be a good cool down period before I return to the drawing board for a few hours until the dinner is served. :)
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
MP: Jim Shooter had long been after me to come over to Valiant and help him with the direction of the books. I agreed to pencil a few shorts just to make my long time friend happy.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
MP: I worked mostly as a penciler/designer/think tank type creative guy I guess. Lot's of time spent in bull pen discussions and working over the shoulders of several new artists.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
MP: Ah, that's so far back, lol. I fully penciled only a couple but worked on redrawing or correcting about a dozen more.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
MP: I believe everything my pencil hit was inked and published.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
MP: Oh, so many great ones. Smoking cigerettes with Joe Quesada and late night chats with Art Nichols. Jim Shooter bringing me coffee and Vince Colletta always telling dirty jokes. Bob Layton always rubbing Don Perlins neck. :)
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
MP: I learned about the strength of comraderie and the power of one man's brilliant vision to see it through. Jim Shooter was an outstanding task master and friend. I miss those times and those people who became like family to me. I will bring those memories with me to the cold hard grave and beyond I'm sure.
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
MP: I believe I have several of my page layouts tucked away.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
MP: I enjoyed my time at the New York Times Book Review, drawing X-FORCE, and of course my winning of the Jack Kirby award in 1986.
10. What are your current projects?
MP: Currently I'm working on a book of film editing and producton and have just completed directing my third music video.
DAN DANGLO
1. How are you doing?
DD: I'm doing just fine... am busy turning out animation storyboards and gag cartoons.
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
DD: Somebody recommended me to.. I believe it was Laura Hitchcock (I may have her mixed up with some other project) who was working with Jim Shooter.. the rest is history.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
DD: I did penciling.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
DD: I lost track of how many I did... there were quite a few.. and I have photocopies of just about all of them. Some day I'll go through my archives and dig them out.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
DD: I have no idea, since I only have accessible issue #1 with my first story in it.. I'm sure I have additional ones in a file someplace.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
DD: My strongest impression is.. that when I walked in with the penciled pages I walked out with a check... and I got along very well with Jim Shooter.
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
DD: That it's a long cold walk from Penn station to 21 st.
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
DD: As I said, the photocopies of my penciled pages, at least one printed book, probably more, and a badly drawn Mario Bro. poster (Which I did not draw).
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
DD: They're all favorite when I'm working on them... mostly storyboards and comic book penciling for Felix comics, and storyboards for Warner Bros, H&B, and feature film Tubby the Tuba.. and many others.
10. What are your current projects?
DD: Just signed a contract with a syndicate to do gag cartoons.. and, working with Felix comics doing storyboards for a projected new TV animated series.
DON HUDSON
1. How are you doing?
DH: I'm feeling good!
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
DH: I'd been working at Marvel inking the Captain America Back-up. Also doing Backgrounds for a few artists. I was at the Marvel offices the day that Jim Shooter was fired, so I was excited to hear that he had a new company starting up. I ran into an old friend who told me he was coloring at Valiant and that they were on the look out for talent.
They had an office on the West side of Manhattan and he brought me over. I knew just about everyone there! Shooter and Janet Jackson from Marvel, Rod Ramos from high school, Bob Layton who I did backgrounds for and Art Nichols who eventually became my boss. I was hired that day and I became the Assistant Art Director making sure the characters were on spec and doing art corrections. We would move into a loft at West 26th St. I think.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
DH: In addition my staff work, I did freelance inking, pencils and Background work on some stories.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
DH: I don't know how many stories I worked on, but they were mostly Captain N stories. I think I penciled 2 stories.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
DH: No Unpublished Stories
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
DH: The standout memories were the way Shooter wanted the backgrounds done in a gray tone. We used light Grey pen Markers to outline everything but the figures. We used watercolors for a bright look. It was right before the Computer separation era and Jim knew that color was the way comics were heading.
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
DH: Art Nichols showed me some stuff he learned at Continuity. Quick Strokes and economy of line. He's a really great artist.
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
DH: I don't have any original art from my Valiant days. I wish I did.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
DH: I remember working on a Capt. N story. Backgrounds on a Ross Andru job and it was neat to see his stuff up close. My Marvel stuff? I loved inking Spider-Man and inking Silver Surfer over Scot Eaton!
10. What are your current projects?
DH: I am now working on a startup Magazine called Comiculture and it will be out in July! I hope you will follow our progress at www.comiculture.com. I'm also preparing another 4-issue series of my book, FOREVER AMBER!. I'm really enjoying that!
KINGMAN HUIE
1. How are you doing?
KH: Great! Thank You.
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
KH: A high school friend of mine who was already on board suggested I show my portfolio, and I was hired by a fellow named Art Nichols.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
KH: I was brought in as a colorist. I had no previous experience in the comics biz, but the look they were looking for was something beyond conventional comics. My colorful illustration work was just the sort of thing they were looking for.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
KH: I don't think I could give you a precise count, but I did work on Mario, Zelda, and Captain N. Mostly Mario, though.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
KH: Everything I worked on was published.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
KH: Well unlike Marvel & DC for instance, Valiant comics were pretty much made in-house. Except for the writers who worked on the stories at home, you could see the comics being created from scratch, because we were all in the same studio together. I got to meet and work with Marvel legends like Jim Shooter, Bob Layton, the late Vinnie Colletta, the late Gray Morrow, and a young turk named Joe Quesada. I appreciated the fact that there were no walls or cubicles at Valiant. Everyone was like, right there.
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
KH: I think I mostly learned the importance of having a plan. Jim Shooter's marching orders were for the Valiant comics to burst with color, like an animated cartoon on paper. They were using a high quality process on their everyday books that were usually reserved for graphic novels. A greater range of colors were now possible, and he wanted the books to have a unique look. He didn't want to dictate to the artists how that effect was to be achieved, so it was up to the artists to agree on a signature look. The process was slow in the beginning, but eventually we started to produce the artwork with regularity.
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
KH: Just some copies of the issues I worked on.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
KH: I remember doing a Mario story where Mario & Luigi are driving through the desert in a dune buggy. If I'm not mistaken, it was titled "Just Desserts", and had the sort of deep coloring that they were looking for. Shooter liked artists that used the whole spectrum of colors available. From deep dark, to soft and transparent. Things closer to the reader's eye would be dense and sharply focused, while things faraway would be colored in very light hues. This method of comic-book making was closer to children's book illustration than the science of making traditional comics. That was a fun story to work on, and Jim was very pleased with the way it turned out.
10. What are your current projects?
KH: Digital. I'm learning how to do everything I used to do, using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Painter. I still prefer to work with traditional materials like pencil, paper, brush, and old-fashioned paint, but working digital offers artists some amazing advantages. I hope to return to magazine illustration or photo retouching very very soon.
DAN PANOSIAN
1. How are you doing?
DP: I'm doing splendid. Thanks for asking!
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
DP: Mark Pacella had done some work for Art Nichols and I called him up. I met with Bob Layton and Jim Shooter and they gave me some inking to do.
3. What did you provide to the comics?
DP: Inking!
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
DP: A one pager by Bob Layton and an 8 pager penciled by Rodney Ramos. Maybe two others but I'm not sure...
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
DP: I believe they were all published.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
DP: Meeting Jim Shooter and Bob Layton in a professional capacity. That was nice. I had met both of them years before at a Creation Convention when I was 14. So it felt nice to actually work with them. Full circle sort of thing. Art Nichols was also very helpful and had some great tips. Joe Quesada was coloring stuff there at the time. A few months later I inked his first pencil work. Spelljammer at DC Comics. We became friends and had some fun times. I remember him telling me that he heard Jim and Bob talking about flying a helicopter from Manhattan to Atlantic City when [ Jim ] he was Editor in Chief at Marvel. Joe told me that one day he would be Editor in Chief and guess what...? Full circle again!
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
DP: Comics are hard work. Like any job. Seeing the work printed is very satisfying though!
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
DP: Just a collected copy of a bunch of stories they sent me years ago.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
DP: I love comics. Virtually every experience has been special for me. Spiderman, the Hulk, Spawn, Captain America and of course the X-Men! I love it!
10. What are your current projects?
DP: Currently I'm inking The Order for Marvel. It was originally the Defenders.
BILL VALLELY
1. How are you doing?
BV: Pretty good, thanks.
2. How did you become involved with the early Valiant Nintendo comic books?
3. What did you provide to the comics?
BV: Mark McClellan and I were a writer team.
4. About how many stories did you work on pertaining to the Nintendo line, and what were they?
BV: Dozens and dozens. I wrote the good ones. Other people wrote the stinky ones.
5. What stories that you worked on in this line were never published, if any?
BV: Oh, that's easy. The Gameboy series ended just when it was getting very interesting. Gameboy was the story of the biggest loser in the world who discovers that the characters inside his Gameboy were real, and were trying to take over the world. The "hero" of the series, Herman, wanted nothing to do with the situation, and would have been perfectly happy to let the world end if his comfort was assured. I guess it's unlikely that we're going to finish the series, so I'll let you in on what the big surprise was. There was no Mario, Princess Daisy or Tatanga. Herman was insane, and the world's greatest telekinetic. HE was causing all the strange things to happen. I'm sorry this was never revealed -- it would have been fun.
6. What memories about this time stick in your mind?
BV: Jim Shooter and Bob Layton getting dressed up as "The Blues Brothers". That, and losing a friend after he found out how little work I did in a day.
7. What did you learn while working on these comics?
BV: How to write comics. I met Jim Shooter when he was Editor In Chief at Marvel, where he declared me "the single craziest guy who ever walked through these doors." Considering the competition I went up against at Marvel, I was honored.
I worked at Marvel as an artist, not a writer. However, I would get bored, and pitch the worst story ideas I could dream up to the editors, just to get thrown out of their offices. Of course, almost all the ideas were far to vulgar to share here, but one was an idea for a "split book." (A "split book" is a comic which has two separate stories featuring a different character. For instance, Captain America and Iron Man shared a title for years.) I suggested that we do a split book where we tell on story on the left side of the page, and the second story on the right. To my amazement and horror, I sold the story.
I continued to sell odd stories until I left Marvel. Jim Shooter, when he started Valiant, called me up, flew me out and made me a writer. There Jim taught me the basics of comic book writing. I copied his notes in detail in a filofax, which I have to this day. Every New Year's Day, I reread those notes from start to finish.
8. Do you still have anything relating to the Valiant Nintendo line?
BV: Just a few dog-eared copies of the books.
9. What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on in the past?
BV: I wrote tons of "Yogi Bear" comics for Sid Jacobson, the most underrated editor in the comic book industry. Sid ran Harvey Comics for decades, and created "Richie Rich," "Hot Stuff" and is responsible for making the "Casper the Friendly Ghost" we know today.
Along with Mark, I was a staff writer for the sitcom "Brotherly Love", and even had a character based on me: "Lloyd". Oh, I also wrote the story for an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager." It was a very silly tale of the holograph writing a program which allows him to daydream. Meanwhile, evil space pirates (who belong to a corporation) tap into his mind to use him as a spy. Sadly, they tap into his daydreams, and plot military operations based on his fantasies. It was called "Tinker, Tenor, Taylor, Spy" and I'm very proud of that.
10. What are your current projects?
BV: I've learned PhotoShop, Illustrator, Poser, Bryce, Quark and several other programs that I'm putting together to create comic book art. Once again, I've got my fingers involved in the creation of another comic book company, but I'm really not supposed to talk about it. I've written a cartoon version of "The Pirates of Penzance", and I'm animating a three minute sample cartoon to help sell the project. I'm also animating a TV pilot sample, but that's a secret too.
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