(and please do not write in the comments "What is three-fourths divided by one-eighth?")
Our own Streebo is interviewing Fraction at next weekend's Heroes Convention.
Let's see if we can't come up with some good questions for him.
I often find that interviews with comics guys don't get much beyond "where do you get your ideas?" "what was the first comic book you ever read" and is working on X very different from working on Y" where X=the old book and Y=the new book. (What is with me and the math today?)
I always feel like I would be a very bad interviewer because I find coming up with questions -- new questions that the interviewee will not have pocket answers for -- difficult.
One thing I would ask is how the birth of his son has effected his comics work -- both in terms of finished products and also working habits.
Also, I would love to hear his opinion on recent comics like Final Crisis and the end of Astonishing X-Men -- and at least there you may have the virtue of a kind of new question, just because it could not have been asked before a few weeks ago.
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How about what does he find most appealing about the medium of comics itself and how does he use its unique features to his advantage?
Congrats Streebo!
I'm always interested in questions about process. Most interviews I find focus on content. How 'bout asking Fraction at what point in the scripting process he begins working with the artist? Does that change depending on the artist? How much collaboration occurs after the final script is handed off? Does he prefer more control over the final imagery or to let the artist sail the ship?
Hopefully the interview will exist in some way online. I'd love to see/hear/read it!
Why is music so, seemingly, important to your process?
How is the Lincoln election project coming along and are you working on anything else creator-owned?
Which comic book do you wish you'd written?
What was the defining moment that made you go "I want to write comics?"
Who is your favorite artist not working in comics?
What is your biggest fear? Personally and professionally.
And why is Colin Melloy so obsessed with underwear? (Alternatively, try getting him to go on one of his lovely rants regarding the Decemberists. Last time he did, he actually revealed quite a bit about his perception of his own work alongside it. Plus it was hilarious.)
(I was also Solario at his old board.)
And don't forget the standard questions like "What videogames are you playing at the moment?," "Which artist, that you haven't worked with yet, would you like to work with," "what, do you feel, is your biggest weakness?" etc.
Goeff, thanks so much for posting this.
Scott91777, brad thanks the great questions.
Just to clarify - I don't have an official agreement with Matt Fraction to let me interview him this weekend.
However - I do have permission to shoot vidcast interviews at the convention. Matt is #1 on my list of potential subjects.
I promise that the interviews will be posted on Youtube for everyone.
These questions are great. Thanks you for your help, everyone.
I know Fraction reads this blog. Sooooo... Mr. Fraction... if you're reading this now, let me say that it would be totally awesome of you to grant Streebo an interview. You rock! Thanks.
Here's a two-parter that I was going to ask Matt in an interview for my now-defunct blog.
I think it's a great question, but it's up to you Streebo:
Magic in comics. So at one end we have Grant Morrison and Alan Moore who have publicly declared themselves to be practicing magicians, and at the other end we have writers like Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman and others, who discuss “real” magic in their comics from a fictitious yet seemingly-knowledgeable point of view. Where do you fit in all this? Can we out you as a chaos magician?
Why do you think that comics lend themselves to magicians and magical discussions more so than other mediums?
I can never come up with questions. All I ever wanna know is "what do you like?"; I love hearing people talk about what comics/books/films/games they're into and why.
I love Fraction's answer for when he's asked "what other character(s) would you like to get your hands on" - he says he can't answer because either it's already being written and he risks insulting a friend/peer/colleague, or it's currently not being written and he reminds everyone else about obscure character X, and suddenly has competition for the pitch.
Christian: Thanks for all of the great questions. I'm sure Matt will have some fun with that.
corey waits: That's a great question. I've been curious as to Matt's interests in such things as well. Thank you.
james: That's one of the generic questions that I ask of all of my subjects. I call it the MVP Sixty Second Interview(c). It's finding and shooting interviews during busy conventions. All you ask for is 60 seconds of the person's time and it's really up to them as to how long it lasts.
I give them advance notice of the four questions to set them at ease:
1) What is your favorite comic/film/horror film?
2) What do you think of modern comics/horror/cinema?
3) What inspired you to start working in comics/film/horror?
4) What are you working on now? Or is there anything you want to tell everyone about?
That's it. It's simple and easy. I've been very surprised at how much people open up and have fun with the questions.
Thanks for your help, everyone.
I just returned from my weekend at the Heroes Con. I just wanted to let you all know that I accomplished my mission. I interviewed Matt Fraction today. The videos will be posted on Youtube later in the week. I will be sure to post the links here on Geoff's blog.
Thanks everyone!
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