Hi Tom, thank you so much for this! Since discovering your work, you've changed the way I look at comics and it's really cool to hear your insights about all this stuff.
As for my question, I've noticed religion as a recurring theme in some of your works (Darkseid War GL, Omega Men and now with Dr Mid Nite in Human Target). I was wondering how religion has affected your life/upbringing and what you're trying to say about it in your books?
I was fascinated about this too, especially in the context of Darkseid War: GL and “Cold Days” from Batman with Lee Weeks. As such, I asked him about it during a WordBallon livestream back in June 2020. (Jon Siuntries & WordBalloon are wonderful; well worth listening.) Here’s Tom’s abridged response from that time below, fully acknowledging his views may have changed.
“Mother was a non-practicing Jewish woman, my father walked out on us. But I was raised by my fraternal grandmother (Nebraska Christian), so I had some exposure.
Never went to church never went to temple, never bar mitzvahed, never confirmed.
But when I was in college, I got really into exploring theology, so I read a lot of Aquinas, Augustine, Luther, etc.
——
My wife used to say that all my books are about guns and God.
——
I believe in the transcendent, but I don’t believe in anything specific. So writing Cold Days with and for Lee Weeks was a real balancing act in trying to get it just right (with respecting Lee’s beliefs).”
You’re welcome, Matt! I don’t wanna overstep Tom, but figured I could at least summarize the response I got when I asked. Hopefully he’ll chime in with a better answer in the next installment of Tom Talks!
Hello, Tom. Since DC’s “New Age of Heroes” included an attempt to publish a Fantastic Four for the DCU, The Terrifics, did you ever submit any pitches for that book or try to write them in other books? Or are you saving all of your FF ideas for the FF title proper?
Along this FF line of questions, when Marvel offered you the FF, Power Pack and one other book (???) after Vision against DC’s offer of Batman, were there any story constrains they put on your possible FF? Or did they offer you an artist with the books as well when they made the pitch?
Thank you for the update, Tom. Really enjoying BATMAN: KILLING TIME, and it's an interesting contrast to BAT/CAT.
Your comment about the 2nd issue of a series being tough to write surprised me a little. I had always assumed that the first issue was the one that really scrambled your brains - deciding how to introduce the characters, how much information to parcel out, finding the series' voice, etc.
As a James Joyce fan, it was nice to see someone (besides Peter Milligan!) give a shout-out to that crazy Irishman. The last page of "The Dead" is tied with the last page of THE GREAT GATSBY for my favorite ending in literature.
On a separate note - pun intended - what music do you like, and what music, if any, do you listen to when you write? I know that Neil Gaiman will listen to a lot of different types of music when he writes, from Greg Brown to the Magnetic Fields, while John Ostrander only listens to instrumentals - mainly soundtrack scores. (He finds himself distracted by lyrics when he's trying to write). What are your feelings?
First off, congrats on Love Everlasting, it's been great!
I'm just trying to get in your head a little like you do so well with your characters. I have found your series to go either of two ways for your storytelling; they'll rely heavily on internal monologue via narration boxes like Supergirl and Rorschach or they let the dialogue between the characters do the lion's share, as seen in Omega Men and Human Target (side note, I can't think of a better writer when it comes to dialogue than you).
Is this conscious for you or does it just sort of happen that way. When you're outlining and planning a series, is this something that comes up? Like ''ok, this one we'll be almost exclusively in this POV's head'' or something like that?
Cheers to you and Elsa, Happy Easter to you and your families!
Great question, I too wonder how he chooses the style of the books dialogue and narration. If it’s a conscious decision or just something that happens as he writes organically.
I would also like to know more about how Mr. Miracle works how dose the writing go with his setting? becuse you have those points that reality is breaking. What type of writing is that could you suggest more books or stories in that style?
Hey Tom, great stuff you have been writing lately, but it seems like it's been your whole career. I am looking forward to issuing 3. I would love some more Scripts. I love that behind the scenes, you keep giving. (Maybe some Super Girl script)or(Bat and Cat) also what are the types of notes your editor and artist give back to you? Best enjoy the month
If you were tasked with making a starting lineup for a baseball team consisting only of DC heroes, which heroes would you choose and what position would they play? This is a VERY serious question.
Hi Tom, thank you so much for this! Since discovering your work, you've changed the way I look at comics and it's really cool to hear your insights about all this stuff.
As for my question, I've noticed religion as a recurring theme in some of your works (Darkseid War GL, Omega Men and now with Dr Mid Nite in Human Target). I was wondering how religion has affected your life/upbringing and what you're trying to say about it in your books?
I was curious about this also!
I was fascinated about this too, especially in the context of Darkseid War: GL and “Cold Days” from Batman with Lee Weeks. As such, I asked him about it during a WordBallon livestream back in June 2020. (Jon Siuntries & WordBalloon are wonderful; well worth listening.) Here’s Tom’s abridged response from that time below, fully acknowledging his views may have changed.
“Mother was a non-practicing Jewish woman, my father walked out on us. But I was raised by my fraternal grandmother (Nebraska Christian), so I had some exposure.
Never went to church never went to temple, never bar mitzvahed, never confirmed.
But when I was in college, I got really into exploring theology, so I read a lot of Aquinas, Augustine, Luther, etc.
——
My wife used to say that all my books are about guns and God.
——
I believe in the transcendent, but I don’t believe in anything specific. So writing Cold Days with and for Lee Weeks was a real balancing act in trying to get it just right (with respecting Lee’s beliefs).”
That’s awesome, thanks for sharing Greg!
You’re welcome, Matt! I don’t wanna overstep Tom, but figured I could at least summarize the response I got when I asked. Hopefully he’ll chime in with a better answer in the next installment of Tom Talks!
Hello, Tom. Since DC’s “New Age of Heroes” included an attempt to publish a Fantastic Four for the DCU, The Terrifics, did you ever submit any pitches for that book or try to write them in other books? Or are you saving all of your FF ideas for the FF title proper?
Along this FF line of questions, when Marvel offered you the FF, Power Pack and one other book (???) after Vision against DC’s offer of Batman, were there any story constrains they put on your possible FF? Or did they offer you an artist with the books as well when they made the pitch?
Thank you for the update, Tom. Really enjoying BATMAN: KILLING TIME, and it's an interesting contrast to BAT/CAT.
Your comment about the 2nd issue of a series being tough to write surprised me a little. I had always assumed that the first issue was the one that really scrambled your brains - deciding how to introduce the characters, how much information to parcel out, finding the series' voice, etc.
As a James Joyce fan, it was nice to see someone (besides Peter Milligan!) give a shout-out to that crazy Irishman. The last page of "The Dead" is tied with the last page of THE GREAT GATSBY for my favorite ending in literature.
On a separate note - pun intended - what music do you like, and what music, if any, do you listen to when you write? I know that Neil Gaiman will listen to a lot of different types of music when he writes, from Greg Brown to the Magnetic Fields, while John Ostrander only listens to instrumentals - mainly soundtrack scores. (He finds himself distracted by lyrics when he's trying to write). What are your feelings?
First off, congrats on Love Everlasting, it's been great!
I'm just trying to get in your head a little like you do so well with your characters. I have found your series to go either of two ways for your storytelling; they'll rely heavily on internal monologue via narration boxes like Supergirl and Rorschach or they let the dialogue between the characters do the lion's share, as seen in Omega Men and Human Target (side note, I can't think of a better writer when it comes to dialogue than you).
Is this conscious for you or does it just sort of happen that way. When you're outlining and planning a series, is this something that comes up? Like ''ok, this one we'll be almost exclusively in this POV's head'' or something like that?
Cheers to you and Elsa, Happy Easter to you and your families!
Great question, I too wonder how he chooses the style of the books dialogue and narration. If it’s a conscious decision or just something that happens as he writes organically.
I would also like to know more about how Mr. Miracle works how dose the writing go with his setting? becuse you have those points that reality is breaking. What type of writing is that could you suggest more books or stories in that style?
Hey Tom, great stuff you have been writing lately, but it seems like it's been your whole career. I am looking forward to issuing 3. I would love some more Scripts. I love that behind the scenes, you keep giving. (Maybe some Super Girl script)or(Bat and Cat) also what are the types of notes your editor and artist give back to you? Best enjoy the month
If you were tasked with making a starting lineup for a baseball team consisting only of DC heroes, which heroes would you choose and what position would they play? This is a VERY serious question.
You can't write Fantastic Four! That's the book *I* want to write!
Actually, I really just want to write Ben Grimm...