Chip Zdarsky’s had a very unique comic career. These days he’s known for his work on Batman, Daredevil and the currently ongoing Avengers: Twilight; but he’s also turned in some off-beat work such as the raunchy Sex Criminals with Matt Fraction and the like of Jughead. He’s also extremely funny – though, as he revealed in a panel at this year’s Emerald City Comic Con, he’s an introvert at heart. “Chip can go to these comic cons and sign comics and fellate microphones,” Zdarsky said during his spotlight panel on Friday night, which was moderated by Kieron Gillen (DIE, Immortal X-Men).
I say “moderated” in the loosest sense because the conversation between Zdarsky and Gillen felt less like a panel and more like two friends shooting the breeze. Take the opening, for example: when Gillen joked “didn’t we meet at your wedding?” Zdarksy shot back “It was New York Comic Con you limey bastard!” Gillen also discussed how Zdarsky tends to write more finite stories than other creators, leading to a joke about “medium length” and roars of laughter. This blue humor was perfectly suited to the late-night atmosphere, but it also made the panel feel unique.
Zdarsky was more than frank about his creative process, especially when discussing the wide variety of books he’s written. “I’m into a wide variety of things,” he said. He also discussed some of the themes behind his books. Daredevil was about cycles of violence, while Public Domain, his Image Comics series about the struggles between a comic creator and the company he works for, was about family. “I wrote about what I knew – “oh a comic guy writing a comic about comics, how on the nose” – but really it’s about this family.”
Zdarsky was (semi) serious about wanting to enjoy his assignments. “Some writers see these characters as trophies,” he said. “They move from character to character…I just want to go and write a character and enjoy myself.” He also held Fraction in high regard; when discussing how he wrote, Zdarsky said his comic book scripts were influenced by the Sex Criminals scripts Fraction would send him. Zdarsky also pointed out how Fraction’s run on Hawkeye was “a fun book” that shaped his approach to the creative process, including a life/work balance. “I stop thinking about this stuff at 5 pm,” he said.
Overall, it’s not hard to see why Chip Zdarsky connects with many readers. His versatility, humor, and creative spirit make for a rare combination in the industry – and for a unique comic book panel. He even encouraged Gillen and a few fans to hop over to the Image Comics panel next door to talk briefly about The Power Fantasy (which Gillen revealed in his spotlight panel on Friday morning).
Just be prepared for a lot of dirty jokes about microphones.
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