leonidas
former writer of batman, and many other big name comic titles. anyway, i came across the interview in my travels and thought it interesting. i always like to hear what those in the industry think about the characters. the bit about darkseid and etrigan is interesting . . . the first 2 or 3 questions don't mean much to me, but the middle and end of the interview are pretty interesting.
A few comments from Alan Grant on DC characters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope he doesn't mind me posting this, but Alan just got finished with his cool comics festival, and had some very interesting comments on some of his past DC work:
"> Jimmy--
here are some brief answers to your questions.
>
> 1. How exactly did Anarky get that technology to steal power from
> Darkseid
> and Etrigan?
>
The right and left hemispheres of his brain are fused. He can think 10
times faster/deeper than normal. I guess he created the technology.
> 2. When Etrigan used that restrainment thing on Blasfemy in Anarky's
> series, was it something he picked up on Earth, or something he
> created, and did he
> "remove" it when he teleportd Blasfemy, or did Blasfemy just break it?
Something he created. But Etrigan didn't remove it when he transported
Blasfemy; he "programmed" it so the effect would wear off when Anarky
entered his place.
>
> 3. Do you think you could maybe provide some background info on
> Blasfemy,
> or perhaps anything on his place and rank in Hell that wasn't shown
> blatantly
> as yet in the comics?
I thought no further on Blasfemy than was necessary. It's very
doubtful if I'll ever use the character again (DC seem to have some
sort of ban on employing me) so he's open for any other writer to
use/define.
>
>
> 4. How powerful is Blasfemy, BTW? I seem to recall he traded a few
> attacks
> with Etrigan before that thing restrained him. He didn't really seem
> to have
> much beyond blasts and strength, so it appeared to me that he wasn't as
> versatile as Etrigan. As far as strength and energy bast power levels
> are concerned,
> however, did you mean to show him as equl to, greater than, or leser
> than
> Etrigan in that aspect, and are the two close in these departments, or
> does one
> have a great advantage on the other in strength or energy blasts alone?
>
Blasfemy is not in the same demonic class as Etrigan, who is one of
Hell's elite. Anarky only summoned Blasfemy as a device for luring
Jason Blood to change to Etrigan.
No point in him summoning a stronger, darker demon--just in case it
beat Etrigan, leaving Anarky an even greater problem to deal with.
> 5. Remember that guy you had battle Etrigan and Batman in Detective
> Comics#600-something? The one who claimed to be hate brought to life?
> Was he ever
> given a specific origin, or was he a spur of the moment creation like
> Blasfemy
> seemingly was?
>
Without checking, the guy's name was something like Mahakala, the evil
aspect of a major Tibetan deity. He was conjured up by Tenzin Wyatt, a
half-Tibetan who had been schooled in the Himalayan occult. As far as I
recall, Wyatt's back story/origin was told in the Detective Comics
series (*601/2/3)...but as he later appeared in the Demon's own series,
it may have been told there.
> 6. Regarding Anarky and Darkseid's political debate, do you think
> Darkseid is really evil for the sake of evil, or do you go with the
> old thing about
> him looking on existence, seeing chaos, and wanting absolute order, ie.
> tyranny? Additionally, was he actually trying to say evil always preys
> on good, as
> Anarky assumed, or rather giving a message that those more powerful
> than he
> would prey on Anarky in particular for his attempts at saving Earth?
>
I don't believe in the objective existence of evil. Evil is
perpetrated by conscious beings who choose to subvert their humanity.
At the time of writing this story, I had a major argument with the
Darkseid editor, who insisted Darkseid was "the essence of evil". I
prefer to see darkseid as an amazingly powerful being who has chosen to
be evil. Tyranny is not a prerequisite for bringing order out of chaos.
And Darkseid was indeed saying that evil always preys on good.
> 7. How powerful do you view Darkseid, in his complete, non-avatar
> form, to
> be, BTW? Is he powerful enough to take Superman more often than not?
> What
> about the whole JLA? Beyond that, how would he stack up to Odin or
> Zeus? I'm just
> wondering where Darksedid's full-fledged, self-proclaimed "omnipotent"
> non-avatar form is under your pen, given you seemed to make even his
> avatar form
> look thoroughly impressive. I'm mainly just asking abut your views on
> Darkseid
> vs. Superman, as well as maybe could you list a handful or less of
> beings who
> you'd consider his rivals, just so I could have a feel for how tough
> "your"
> Darkseid is, as we never really got to see his entirety, but his
> lesser, avatar
> manifestation seemed to handle Blasfemy easier than Etrigan did.
>
I figure Darkseid is potent enough to take down Superman 9 times out
of 10. The JLA he could beat maybe 1 time out of 2. In my
opinion--which is not necessarily reflective of the DC view--Darkseid
is more powerful than Zeus or Odin. They're Gods, whose power
ultimately depends on the amount of belief invested in them. Darkseid
doesn't give a s*** whether anybody believes in him or not.
> 8. Additionally, just since it HAS to be asked, after all the times
> you
> had them scrap, who is stronger between Etrigan and Lobo? ^_^
>
Depends on the context. I have a sneaking preference for Lobo, but
that Etrigan is a devious bastich.
> 9. Regarding Etrigan's hellfire, do you favor the portrayal where it
> doesn't harm you physically, but rather hrms your soul, or do you
> prefer to write
> it as a physical blast?
>
I've generally used it as a physical blast--mainly because the whole
soul-damaging shtick gives rise to a new set of stories.
> 10. Did Etrigan have WW beaten in that WOTG Demon issue where he
> pinned
> her, or was Jason Blood simply freaking out, due to his intense hate
> and fear of
> Etrigan?
>
>
I wrote it. And I say Etrigan had Wonder Woman beaten. No doubt the DC
continuity people would strongly disagree. Just as they disagreed with
my assertion in Anarky that Anarky was the illegitimate son of the
Joker. They asked me to write a story showing Anarky WASN'T JOker's
son, but they fired me before I got round to writing it.
>
>
The replies are brief, but I hope sufficient to answer your questions.
Best wishes,
Alan"
__________________________________________________
____
thoughts?
A few comments from Alan Grant on DC characters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope he doesn't mind me posting this, but Alan just got finished with his cool comics festival, and had some very interesting comments on some of his past DC work:
"> Jimmy--
here are some brief answers to your questions.
>
> 1. How exactly did Anarky get that technology to steal power from
> Darkseid
> and Etrigan?
>
The right and left hemispheres of his brain are fused. He can think 10
times faster/deeper than normal. I guess he created the technology.
> 2. When Etrigan used that restrainment thing on Blasfemy in Anarky's
> series, was it something he picked up on Earth, or something he
> created, and did he
> "remove" it when he teleportd Blasfemy, or did Blasfemy just break it?
Something he created. But Etrigan didn't remove it when he transported
Blasfemy; he "programmed" it so the effect would wear off when Anarky
entered his place.
>
> 3. Do you think you could maybe provide some background info on
> Blasfemy,
> or perhaps anything on his place and rank in Hell that wasn't shown
> blatantly
> as yet in the comics?
I thought no further on Blasfemy than was necessary. It's very
doubtful if I'll ever use the character again (DC seem to have some
sort of ban on employing me) so he's open for any other writer to
use/define.
>
>
> 4. How powerful is Blasfemy, BTW? I seem to recall he traded a few
> attacks
> with Etrigan before that thing restrained him. He didn't really seem
> to have
> much beyond blasts and strength, so it appeared to me that he wasn't as
> versatile as Etrigan. As far as strength and energy bast power levels
> are concerned,
> however, did you mean to show him as equl to, greater than, or leser
> than
> Etrigan in that aspect, and are the two close in these departments, or
> does one
> have a great advantage on the other in strength or energy blasts alone?
>
Blasfemy is not in the same demonic class as Etrigan, who is one of
Hell's elite. Anarky only summoned Blasfemy as a device for luring
Jason Blood to change to Etrigan.
No point in him summoning a stronger, darker demon--just in case it
beat Etrigan, leaving Anarky an even greater problem to deal with.
> 5. Remember that guy you had battle Etrigan and Batman in Detective
> Comics#600-something? The one who claimed to be hate brought to life?
> Was he ever
> given a specific origin, or was he a spur of the moment creation like
> Blasfemy
> seemingly was?
>
Without checking, the guy's name was something like Mahakala, the evil
aspect of a major Tibetan deity. He was conjured up by Tenzin Wyatt, a
half-Tibetan who had been schooled in the Himalayan occult. As far as I
recall, Wyatt's back story/origin was told in the Detective Comics
series (*601/2/3)...but as he later appeared in the Demon's own series,
it may have been told there.
> 6. Regarding Anarky and Darkseid's political debate, do you think
> Darkseid is really evil for the sake of evil, or do you go with the
> old thing about
> him looking on existence, seeing chaos, and wanting absolute order, ie.
> tyranny? Additionally, was he actually trying to say evil always preys
> on good, as
> Anarky assumed, or rather giving a message that those more powerful
> than he
> would prey on Anarky in particular for his attempts at saving Earth?
>
I don't believe in the objective existence of evil. Evil is
perpetrated by conscious beings who choose to subvert their humanity.
At the time of writing this story, I had a major argument with the
Darkseid editor, who insisted Darkseid was "the essence of evil". I
prefer to see darkseid as an amazingly powerful being who has chosen to
be evil. Tyranny is not a prerequisite for bringing order out of chaos.
And Darkseid was indeed saying that evil always preys on good.
> 7. How powerful do you view Darkseid, in his complete, non-avatar
> form, to
> be, BTW? Is he powerful enough to take Superman more often than not?
> What
> about the whole JLA? Beyond that, how would he stack up to Odin or
> Zeus? I'm just
> wondering where Darksedid's full-fledged, self-proclaimed "omnipotent"
> non-avatar form is under your pen, given you seemed to make even his
> avatar form
> look thoroughly impressive. I'm mainly just asking abut your views on
> Darkseid
> vs. Superman, as well as maybe could you list a handful or less of
> beings who
> you'd consider his rivals, just so I could have a feel for how tough
> "your"
> Darkseid is, as we never really got to see his entirety, but his
> lesser, avatar
> manifestation seemed to handle Blasfemy easier than Etrigan did.
>
I figure Darkseid is potent enough to take down Superman 9 times out
of 10. The JLA he could beat maybe 1 time out of 2. In my
opinion--which is not necessarily reflective of the DC view--Darkseid
is more powerful than Zeus or Odin. They're Gods, whose power
ultimately depends on the amount of belief invested in them. Darkseid
doesn't give a s*** whether anybody believes in him or not.
> 8. Additionally, just since it HAS to be asked, after all the times
> you
> had them scrap, who is stronger between Etrigan and Lobo? ^_^
>
Depends on the context. I have a sneaking preference for Lobo, but
that Etrigan is a devious bastich.
> 9. Regarding Etrigan's hellfire, do you favor the portrayal where it
> doesn't harm you physically, but rather hrms your soul, or do you
> prefer to write
> it as a physical blast?
>
I've generally used it as a physical blast--mainly because the whole
soul-damaging shtick gives rise to a new set of stories.
> 10. Did Etrigan have WW beaten in that WOTG Demon issue where he
> pinned
> her, or was Jason Blood simply freaking out, due to his intense hate
> and fear of
> Etrigan?
>
>
I wrote it. And I say Etrigan had Wonder Woman beaten. No doubt the DC
continuity people would strongly disagree. Just as they disagreed with
my assertion in Anarky that Anarky was the illegitimate son of the
Joker. They asked me to write a story showing Anarky WASN'T JOker's
son, but they fired me before I got round to writing it.
>
>
The replies are brief, but I hope sufficient to answer your questions.
Best wishes,
Alan"
__________________________________________________
____
thoughts?