Writer Matt Wagner discusses The Spirit #1, on sale now!
BYRON BREWER: First, Matt, what does it mean to you as a writer to be a part of returning this iconic character to the printed page for Dynamite?
MATT WAGNER: I’ve been a fan of Will Eisner and The Spirit since I was in my early teens. I first discovered the character and his unique adventures via the over-sized B&W reprints of the early 1970s and I was blown away by the artistry of a true story-teller at the absolute peak of his powers and career. I never thought I’d ever contribute anything of my own to that legacy and, in fact, when Dynamite first approached me about this gig, my first response was to say “No.” I didn’t feel I could add anything to the already fantastic body of work that Eisner had created over the years.
But…Dynamite publisher Nick Barrucci and Editor-in-Chief Joe Rybandt were very persistent—“We think you’re perfect for this!” In the end, I came up with an approach and storyline that I feel adds something new to the existing canon of Spirit material. I’m thrilled and honored to be on board for this 12-issue arc.
BB: Tell us your perspective: Who is The Spirit?
MW: Well, initially at least, I go about examining that question and his persona via the thoughts, memories and actions of his familiar cast of supporting characters. He’s obviously had a huge effect not only on Central City, his main base of operations, but also those who know and love him.
The Spirit himself is a very kinetic character, always on the go and always thrusting himself into the jaws of danger almost without a thought for his own safety. He’s also got a real boyish element to his persona which makes him totally fun to write. And, of course, he’s an absolute magnet for the ladies…most of them from the wrong side of the law.
BB: Can you give us a non-spoilery hint at what your initial storyline involves?
MW: At the start of our tale, The Spirit has been missing in action and presumed dead for nearly two years. He just vanished without a trace and no one has a clue as to what happened to him. As I said earlier, the lead-in to our story focuses on the strip’s supporting cast of characters; Commissioner and Ellen Dolan, Ebony White, Officer Klink and Sammy. All of them have tried their best to move on with their lives in the face of this devastating loss but The Spirit’s presence still looms large in their rear-view mirrors. I don’t want to spoil too much by saying any more but that certainly provides a big mystery to be unraveled.
BB: Is there any extra difficulty in making these pulp characters with built-in fan bases palatable to new readers? How do you achieve that balance?
MW: This set-up gives me the opportunity to re-introduce not only The Spirit’s world and his pals but also a cross-section of the most infamous members of his rogue’s gallery. It is a bit of a balancing act, trying to write for longtime fans as well as new readers but, in the end, I just try to pen the sort of story that I’d want to read myself. If it’s not interesting to me first…I can’t make it interesting to my readers.
BB: How is it working with artist Dan Schkade? Why is he the right artist for The Spirit?
MW: We had quite a lengthy search for the perfect artist on this book. The Spirit stands as a classic example of comics noir and adventure but there was also a huge cartoony element that ran throughout the narrative. We found a lot of talented artists that could handle the former but fell flat in regards to the latter. My son, Brennan Wagner, was always on deck to color this project and he kept pushing me to consider Dan Schkade, who is a friend of his. The funny part is, I’d met Dan several years ago when he’d shown me some of his work at a convention, long before he and my son ever even met!
It turned out to be the right choice because Dan brings all this elements I mentioned to the drawing board while still injecting a healthy amount of his own sensibilities to the mix. His work is quite a bit different from the standard mainstream look-du-jour but I think that really makes it stand out. He’s a really enthusiastic collaborator and in fact, since he lives in the same area as I do, we get together once a week to go over his pages in person.
He’s super receptive to any guidance I might give him and is really giving this book his all. And his work combined with my son’s coloring is a real match made in heaven. Their styles blend seamlessly and the results are lush and evocative.
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