INTERVIEW WITH Dan McDaid of Jersey Gods.

by Isaac Dilbert

I was never a fan of Jack Kirby (oh here comes the hate email (Tax1463@aol.com send it here), but Jersey Gods a title from Image comics has recently gotten me to expand my view of other comics. With an interesting story and amazing art, that of Mr Brunswick and Dan McDaid respectively, this edition of Nerdy Wordy, Mr McDaid takes time out from his gods to lend the good word.

 DILBERT:Where are you originally from?  

McDAID : I hail from Cornwall, in the SouthWest of England. It's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. I'm kidding - you don't even want to visit. No, I'm kidding - it's lovely. But you wouldn't want to live there. What was the question again?  

DILBERT:How do you find the comic response is in the UK opposed to the US?  

 McDAID : Muted, to be honest. I was talking about the British Comic Book Industry the other day and stopped myself when I realised I was talking about a more or less notional concept. There isn't really much of a comic book scene over here. 2000AD, DC Thomson, some underground stuff... that's about it. Which is sad - and weird, considering how many Brit talents are working on US stuff. I could talk about this stuff for hours, with particular emphasis on how negligent comics publisher DC Thomson are, but this isn't the time or the place. Anyway, my friends and family are pleased that I'm doing well, even though they don't entirely understand what I'm actually doing. I get a lot of "where can I buy your book?" And I don't really know how to answer that question. My local comic store is an absolute horror, so I can't send them there. That said, those people who do find the comic, really seem to dig it. We have a few British fans.  

DILBERT:What is Jersey Gods about?  

McDAID : That's an interesting question. I think the answer to that has changed a bit since we started the book - it was kind of a small thing to start with, really focused in on a Kirby style God getting stuck in Jersey and how he deals with domestic life - all that cute stuff. But it's grown into something different, with a much larger scope. I don't know if it's better this way... it's definitely more fun to draw. Every issue is packed with adventure, excitement, laughs... screwing. Not the last one. Maybe if the sales really start to dip.  

DILBERT:Where do you see Jersey gods going?

McDAID : Who knows? The sky's the limit. We have some big shocks coming up in the next few months. There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I promise you. It's the sort of stuff that's either going to take the book interstellar... or kill us dead. Either way, you are going to shit.  

DILBERT: Do you have any other projects you are working on?

McDAID : Yes, but they're all at that early, very tentative stage. They need careful nurturing before they can be exposed to the glare of public scrutiny. Glen and I are talking about some cool stuff, and I have a couple of things brewing with Oni, who I just adore. I'd like to do more writing.

DILBERT: Are there any Genres of comic you would like to work on?

McDAID : Western, Noir, Horror. I'll actually work on anything. I love comics.

DILBERT: Whats the hardest part of writing to you?  

McDAID : Every damn bit of it. The pitching is hard, the plotting is hard, the scripting is hard, the rewrites are hard... But sometimes you hit a really sweet spot, where the plot and the characters and everything starts to pull in the same direction, and that makes it all worthwhile. Nice reviews help, as well.  

DILBERT: If Jersey gods was going to crossover with another image comic which would you like to see?  

McDAID : Invincible, Elephantmen, Savage Dragon... And it couldn't hurt to cross over with Chew, could it?

LINKS

http://danmcdaid.blogspot.com

http://www.imagecomics.com

Also be sure to check out Michael Smith's Turnpike Chatter for more Jersey Gods goodness right here on the Comic Addiction.com!