I recently had the privilege of interviewing local comic book author Bob Elinskas, who wrote the spectacular new series "15 Minutes." Hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to check out the first three issues of Bob's series; they're on sale now!
Webmaster: Can you tell me about your current series, "15 Minutes"?
Bob: Well, a few years ago, David Hedgecock (the series' penciller and a good buddy of mine), suggested we try to do a series together. His only stipulation was that we do shorter stories, so they would keep his attention (artists have notoriously short attention spans. Heh.) and have a superhero focus. Out of that very wide description we came up with "15 Minutes". Basically, the series takes a look at how superheroes, supervillains and the everyday people they run into handle their time in the spotlight. Not every hero is super and not every villain is all-powerful. There are plenty in the middle to explore.
W: What other comic books have you written in the past?
B: I've done small press comics for over 17 years now. I started writing comics in high school with a series called "Mister Mid-Nite". That series got me started writing and was really fun. The main character was a Batman-like character and he fought a number of colorful villains. The books were even sold in Ravenswood for awhile, too.
W: When did you start reading comics, and which title was your favorite?
B: I started reading comics back in 1984. It was a very long trip to camp and we had stopped off at a little gas station in the middle of the northern Adirondacks. A spinner rack of comics caught my eye - in particular, the cover to Green Lantern #181 - where Hal Jordan is slamming down his ring and quitting the Green Lantern Corps. I just had to read that story and find out why one of the biggest superheroes around was quitting.
W: Did you always want to be a comic book author?
B: Well, I've wanted to write comics for a long time. But, I don't think I have ever honestly wanted to do it for a living. I enjoy my current job a great deal and I like having an office to go to and a steady paycheck. But, I also love writing and I love comics, so I wouldn't mind submitting stories and telling tales, too. I just wouldn't count on it as my full time job.
W: What do you like most about your profession?
B: Well, while comic writing really isn't my main profession, it does make a darn cool side job. (Now, if only it would pay... Heh.) I love being able to tell stories - I think almost every writer would tell you that. It's great to be able to write the story and then see it brought to life through the artist. That much never stops amazing me every time I see one of my stories drawn out on paper. That is still magic in every sense.
W: What has been one of the most memorable experiences of your career?
B: I think being able to have the current series, 15 Minutes, published through Slave Labor and having exposure to a much larger audience because of it. It was a huge accomplishment to have a story published by another company - because it meant they thought there was enough of something there to spend their own money to make sure other people saw it and read it, too.
W: What do you have in the works for the future?
B: I'm working up a new series for Slave Labor along with David Hedgecock, though this one may not be as superhero-focused and will not be in an anthology format. I'm also working on doing some more writing for Ape Entertainment and some of their projects, possibly even reviving Mister Mid-Nite through them. So, there are always irons in the fire. Hopefully, everyone will stick around to see what happens.
I've also written some full size stuff, too. I was editing some books for my own publishing company, Allied Comics, around 1994 or so. I wrote some sci-fi comic stories for AmF Comics' anthology, "Cosmic Waves", and self-published the "Small Press Swimsuit Spectacular" benefit comic back in 1995. They were all good, learning experiences and lots of fun, too.
More recently, I had a prose story published in Ape Entertainment's "Atomic Age Pulp Action, Vol. 1" trade paperback. I'm hoping to have a story in their second volume, as well.
Before the end of that weekend, I had bought a copy of Detective Comics and DC Comics Presents, too. So, I was hooked on DC from the very beginning. I still read primarily DC Comics, but I also read lots of small press comics, too. There are tons of great independent comics being published now - it's just a matter of looking for them some.
I am always thrilled to see my name on any book. I'm proud of the work I do and I just hope everyone else enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. That's really the best type of payment you can ever have.
Thanks again, Bob, and good luck with everything!