(Read the full inteview between A.C. Hall and MONOLITH's Josh Dahl below which was originally found at Stumblebum Studios. Is now archived here to preserve and for everyone to read. Enjoy.)
A.C. HALL: Okay Josh, give us a quick overview of your comic project Rapid City.
JOSH DAHL: Rapid City is a bunch of different things. It is a super hero comic book. But, of course, I think it is a lot more than that. Though I don't expect anyone to believe me, it is actually an autobiography. It is the story of the town where I went to college, and the friends I made there, and how all of that still really effects me. It is the story of a small mid-western town's music scene, and how people relate to their scene. And it's all told with super-heroes.
A.C.: There are a lot of superhero comics on the market right now. Some people even go as far as saying that there are far too many. What consideration do you give to this, if any, as it pertains to working on Rapid City?
JOSH: I really like super-heroes. I think they are really cool, and a great way to tell stories. Are there too many? Personally, I don't think there is a number of super-heroes which equals 'too many'. Are there some out there that are not very good? Of course. Though I think super-heroes are great, it takes more than just tights and powers to make a good comic book. How does that relate to Rapid City? I have been trying to write this story for a few years now, and it only really clicked for me when I wrote it with superheroes. They really are the visual and metaphorical language in which I am most comfortable telling stories. Maybe this will seem like a new spin on super-heroes to some people. Maybe not. That is not really what I am out to do. The Authority has already been done. I really, really, am just trying to tell a story that is very important to me in the best way that I know.
A.C.: Can you describe your writing process for us? When/where do you write, how often, any particular music you listen to while writing, etc...
JOSH: Every Saturday my girlfriend and I go to a sandwich shop which still offers free coffee refills, we drink coffee and write. It is really cute. I carry a composition book with me everywhere I go. And I make notes in whatever random order they pop into my head. Very often they are in the form of questions. I will write “How can I build suspicion before the end of chapter one?” and then I do my best to answer it. But that is really the end of the process. I am a big believer in story structure. As I mentioned above, this story is autobiographical. So, there are certain real events I need to include. First thing I do is translate those events into super-hero stuff. But that doesn't always equal a good story. So, I rely on different story models to plug in the gaps. I do it like algebra. I plug in all of the variables that I have and then I use the formula to solve for X. The weird thing is that in almost every case, when I take a step back and look at it, the fiction version turns out just how it did in real life. Music? Yeah. This is nerdy, so don't laugh. One of the story structures I used to plot out the grand story arc was the progression I saw in the albums of one of my favorite bands. So, when I write, I am almost always listening to Rancid. If you pay attention, I am trying to work in clever little references to their songs. They provide some inspiration, as a lot of the real-life stories are about hanging out at punk shows, and the albums provide that algebraic structure I was talking about.
A.C.: The process of taking a comic book from words on a page to finished product can be a tough task. Share with us a bit about your collaboration process with the artist on Rapid City and just some of your experiences with the production aspect of comic creation in general.
JOSH: I really could not be happier with the guys I am working with on this book. Jason Krause and Micah Faulkner are amazingly talented, and they are both great friends of mine. I went to high school with these guys. I was actually the best man in Micah's wedding a few months ago. I completely trust them to create my vision. And it is a great feeling to know that they trust me to not make that vision a sucky one. But it is even better than that. Rapid City is very much about recapturing the purity and intensity of youth. Well, the three of us used to work together with comic companies called “Blue” and “Blink” back in the day. Then we all left and did our own stuff. And now it is like our powers have come back. Like all of that youthful enthusiasm and energy we had back then has come back, and is now forged and honed by the lives we have all lived since then. This is really a story about trusting your friends to do what they do, so working with two old friends who I trust completely is just perfect.
A.C.: What are some of your favorite comic books and what comics, if any, are you currently reading?
JOSH: I will read anything that Brian K. Vaughan does. Runaways blows me away every single time. Same goes for Brian Bendis. Warren Ellis is great. Desolation Jones is unbelievably good. That guy writes mean characters so well that his nice ones are just heart-breaking. And a lot of others. I drop about 20 bucks every single Wednesday at the comic shop.
A.C.: You've been handed the key to the city, so to speak. You can write any comic for any company. What would you choose and why?
JOSH: Really? Well, I was raised on Marvel comics. I have a few Daredevil stories rolling around in my head, but my dream book would probably be something like Nextwave. I'd love to dig some of my favorite underused characters up, and really let them shine. You know what? I actually really liked that book Slingers. I would probably try to bring that back, but I would sneak Speedball into it along with a few of my own guys. And their first big fight/team-up would be with Beta-Ray Bill. I am actually getting excited about that idea now.
A.C.: Along the lines of huge crossovers like House of M and Infinite Crisis, variant covers, and online scanning/piracy, are there any comics trends that you tend to have any strong views or opinions on that you'd like to share?
JOSH: The best trend of the past few years has been letting talented people do what they are good at. Trusting creators to create, and THEN worrying about selling. Sure, it's a business, so that process DOES get mucked up. But, really, mainstream comics are better now than I can ever remember them being. There are books out there that I don't like, but not a lot that really, really, suck. And there are gimmicks and sales plans, but it is not as transparent as it has been in the past. The internet has really leveled a lot of playing fields and I think it would be cool if that could finally be reflected on the shelves at the comic shop. Especially since my book is about to be one of those books.
A.C.: What advice would you give to aspiring creators and writers out there?
JOSH: Don't compare your work to other people's. Just do what turns you on. It always kills me at conventions when someone describes their own book as “It is like ______, but with ______.” I think that is a lot of what really hurt comics in the 90s, trying to do what the other guy is doing.
A.C.: Why did you guys decide to start the Rapid City blog and what do you hope it accomplishes?
JOSH: A few reasons. We wanted to start getting our name out there. Recognition is a really big deal. It can get someone to stop and pick up our book. On top of that, I really want to show people what we are doing and how we do it. Maybe seeing the process will let people get to know our book, our character, and us. And, hopefully, they will like us.
A.C.: Anything else you want to tell us about Rapid City or perhaps other projects you and the team are working on?
JOSH: Rapid City is my baby, and I love my baby. I want everyone to see my baby and love it as much as I do. What else is there to say? Please drop by the web page and check it out. Sign up for our mailing list. Tell a friend. And, please, send us any questions or comments you might have. Thank you very much.
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