A Conversation with Randy Stradley
By Mike Jozic
Randy Stradley’s first foray into the world of Star Wars was actually in the Marvel Comics incarnation of the license, with a story entitled “The Alderaan Factor” which appeared in the 86th issue of that series. He never wrote another published
Stradley was already working for Dark Horse on various projects before coming on the Star Wars books, having written the immensely popular, and first, Aliens vs. Predator mini series, which has become to many fans the blueprint for the survival of the two respective film franchises – whether 20th Century Fox is listening or not. While working on the Star Wars line he was also partly responsible for the popular Crimson Empire and its sequel, Crimson Empire II, satisfying Stradley’s long-time curiosity to explore the Emperor’s Imperial Guardsman after the fall of the Empire.
In 2002, Stradley stepped up and took hold of the entire line of books from then editor, Dave Land, who was moving on to launch the Rocket Comics imprint for Dark Horse. Since then, the Star Wars books have seen a few changes with the core title being split into two, and the line, as a whole, being streamlined and refitted to accomodate any story, during any era in the Star Wars timeline.
In the words of Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing."
As Week 4 of Star Wars Saturdays at SBC, Randy closes off our month-long extravaganza, and I couldn't think of a better way to bring it all to an end.
And now, Randy Stradley...
MIKE JOZIC: To start off with, I was curious why there was the switch over last year from previous Star Wars editor, Dave Land, to you?
RANDY STRADLEY: It was mostly a matter of the timing of our two workloads. Dave was gearing up to start a whole new line of books - see RocketComics.net - while, at the same time, a number of projects I'd been working on were coming to an end. Dave had been working full-time on Star Wars for two years, and I think he was looking for a new challenge. It just seemed like a good time to make the switch.
JOZIC: And what exactly would you say is your role as Group Editor of the Star Wars books?
STRADLEY: You mean besides making sure that my assistant, Jeremy Barlow, has done all of my work? Naps, mostly.
There are so many different aspects to what I do, I'm not sure I could list them all. Off the top of my head:
* I find the talent to work on the books, try to keep them motivated, make sure they meet their deadlines, make sure they get paid on time, and make sure they have all the reference materials they need.
* I work with the writers and the folks at LFL to steer the stories where we want them to go, keeping an eye on our long-term objectives for the characters and the series - as well as striving to tell exciting, compelling stories right now.
* I edit the scripts before LFL or the artists see them, then I edit them again when or if LFL asks for changes or raises potential concerns. Then I edit the dialogue yet again when I create the word balloon placement guide for the letterers.
* I help generate contracts for all of the people working on the books.
* I generate the work orders that provide our designers with the information they need to put together covers, collections, etc.
* I write solicitation copy, on-line copy for our website, and answers to questions like these...
But I couldn't do it without Jeremy's help. I sometimes make his life miserable, and I kid him mercilessly, but I depend on him daily.
Oh, yeah: and I argue endlessly with fans on the Dark Horse message board. Just kidding...sorta.
JOZIC: Since you took over, the Star Wars line has become more streamlined compared to a year or two ago. Why the decision to focus on the two main titles and drop the various minis and specials?
STRADLEY: Well, mainly to, uh, streamline our line. It seemed like everything we were publishing fell neatly into those two eras, so why not formalize it? Plus, by consolidating most of the stories into two ongoing series, it allows us the ability to tell one- or two-issue stories. I was beginning to feel like the fact that stories had to be four-issues in length was a limiting factor to what we were able to do.
JOZIC: The books have also, of late, gotten a reputation for being somewhat “delayed”. How long does it actually take to put together an issue from beginning to end?
STRADLEY: Obviously, longer than I think. And thanks for bringing this up, by the way. Grr...
JOZIC: Was the decision to dedicate a monthly to the Clone War made before or after the decision to split the core book into the two eras?
STRADLEY: After. I had already made the decision to consolidate the Prequel Era stories into the Republic series, and work was underway with the story for issues #46-48, when we held a conference with writers Scott Allie, Haden Blackman, and John Ostrander, and Chris Cerasi and Lucy Wilson from LFL. During the course of the three-day conference, Haden pushed for a jump into the time period between Episode II and Episode III, and Lucy agreed that it would be a good idea. The Clone Wars! Man, it was like a dream come true for us. We couldn't wait to start running off in all directions.
If Dark Horse hadn't already solicited issue #46 as the first issue of Republic, I would have postponed the transition, and probably have titled the new series The Clone Wars. As it is, though, I think it has all worked out. The "Republic" banner allows us some leeway to do stories that aren't directly involved with the war, if we want.
JOZIC: If you had to pick, what would be your favorite Star Wars era?
STRADLEY: You love the tough questions, don't you? The period during the Original Trilogy is my first love, but the new films have really brought home how much unexplored territory there is in the galaxy. I don't really know if I have a favorite era, but I sure have some favorite worlds. I love Tatooine and, if I could send the Ewoks packing, Endor - or is it the "moon of Endor"?
I guess what I love most are all of the wild places in Star Wars. My dad would take us kids deer hunting every year in Eastern Oregon - and we still go on annual archery hunts there - and any high desert or montane forest setting automatically gets my blood racing.
JOZIC: You obviously deal with them on a regular basis, but just how involved is LFL with the books you guys put out?
STRADLEY: They see everything, at every step of production.
One of the great things about having been publishing Star Wars for so long is the level of trust that has developed between Dark Horse and the folks at LFL. They trust that we won't just churn out "assembly line" comics, and we trust them to help steer us away from danger.
As the Expanded Universe has grown, it has become impossible to expect writers - and editors! - to keep up with every development. But Lucy Wilson, Chris Cerasi - who recently left LFL to return to his native New York - and now Sue Rostoni keep us from making fools of ourselves. I should also mention Leland Chee - he's a walking encyclopedia of EU information. They've all been great to work with.
Which is not to say Chris and I didn't have our disagreements. Ooh, we had some major battles - hi, Chris! - but each of us always knew that the other was just striving to make the comics the best they could be. After working together, Chris and I became great pals, so the disagreements were never personal.
JOZIC: In my other interviews, a recurring answer regarding who picks the teams for the books has been, "That was Randy's job." How do you go about finding and putting together the creative teams for the various titles?
STRADLEY: I close my eyes, open the phone book, and take a stab.
No? Okay, I have to admit to having a spectacular run of luck. Of course, I inherited stalwarts like Jan Duursema and Davidé Fabbri from editor Dave Land's tenure on the line. Then, at Comic-Con International - in San Diego - last year, I was approached by a bunch of artists who expressed a desire to draw Star Wars stories. Plus, I had spoken to Doug Wheatley - who's drawing Empire #8-9, 12-13 - some years ago, and knew he was interested. It was just a matter of finding time in his schedule. Now, I think we have him hooked!
On the writing front, John Ostrander and Haden Blackman were already in the pool. But I was able to persuade Paul Chadwick to jump in. I think Paul was a bit surprised that I didn't ask him to draw some issues, but there's time for that in the future. Right now he's doing a great job of approaching Star Wars from a fresh perspective.
I guess, to get back to the question, I just rely on my own tastes and instincts. I really want writers and artists who can bring something fresh to the line. Hopefully the fans are enjoying it.
JOZIC: If you could get anyone to do a Star Wars story - writing and/or art - who would your dream team be?
STRADLEY: Paul Chadwick writing, with Doug Wheatley drawing. Oh, wait, I already have that...
This is a tough one. I mean, I currently have so many talented writers and artists enslaved, uh, er, working on the books, I don't see how I could wish for more.
JOZIC: You actually started out writing Star Wars at Marvel, do you see it as poetic that you're in the position you're in now?
STRADLEY: Sure. Either that, or it was some Lucasfilm plot from the beginning to hook me and keep me on the line.
You know, it's very weird. I wrote that first Star Wars story in no time flat - a day or so, at most. After that, I couldn't get anything past Marvel or Lucasfilm - assuming Marvel was even showing my proposals to LFL. And I'm not blaming Marvel. The truth is, I just couldn't see where I could take the characters - at least within the parameters that Marvel had given me. Now I can't see anything but opportunities.
For some reason, there seems to be a stigma in the comics industry regarding working on "licensed" books. As if working on Star Wars, which is owned by Lucasfilm, is somehow less desirable than, for instance, working on Spider-Man - which is owned by Marvel. I can't really see the distinction. All I know is that I'm having a ball playing in George's universe!
JOZIC: Have you ever had the opportunity to meet George in person?
STRADLEY: No. And I'm not sure what I would say to him if I did. I'm no good at meeting famous people. I'm all like, "Uh, nice weather, huh?" I once was close enough to Steve Martin that I could have slugged him in the gut, but I didn't say anything. And I didn't slug him, either. So there was a missed opportunity...
On the other hand, some years ago, Mike Richarson and I got to hang with director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert for a weekend. Two of the greatest guys you could ever hope to meet. Who knows? Maybe George and I would hit it off, too.
JOZIC: You’ve been Group Editor now for about a year, do you ever wish you could do more writing?
STRADLEY: Absolutely. I feel guilty when I want to jump in and write a story myself - though, sometimes, like with Empire #5-6, the deadlines don't give me a choice - instead of hiring a "real" writer. But I started out in comics as a writer. It's gratifying to know that the fans don't think my work sucks.
I plan to do more - I have some Empire stories in the works, including one that I proposed several years ago that Doug Wheatley is going to draw.
JOZIC: What sorts of things do you have in the works?
STRADLEY: You mean besides the Luke and Leia love story that LFL keeps rejecting?
I'd love to shoot off my mouth - as long as everybody understands that there are not yet firm plans that I will be writing all of these stories.
I'm working on an outline now for an issue of Empire that will show the repercussions of events that occur in issues of Republic. Star Wars has always had that epic sweep, where the past has its fingers in the future, and characters must wrestle not only with their own decisions, but those of their predecessors, as well. I mean, look at Anakin/Vader and Luke. Luke wouldn't be who he is if his father wasn't who he was - and without his son, Vader would never have been redeemed. There. I guess that's vague enough to leave everyone wondering. I don't want to say too much about that particular issue.
I'm also toying with some ideas for events shortly after the Battle of Yavin, where Luke was flying with Rogue Squadron. It seems to me that after the destruction of the Death Star, the Empire would come down hard(er) on any hint of rebellion. There's probably a lot of work for the Rogues, defending the victims of Imperial oppression.
I'd also like to resurrect a Han and Chewie story that I had proposed to Marvel years ago. Then-Marvel editor Ann Nocenti had rejected it as being "too dramatic" - a comment that has puzzled me for twenty years. How can a story - especially a Star Wars story - be too dramatic? It's a story that examines Chewie's view of his place within the group dynamics of Han, Leia, Luke, etc. And it has Chewie duking it out with a big, creepy monster.
Finally, Doug Wheatley and I have plans for a story entitled "Against the Empire" that would show the Alliance-Empire conflict from the point of view of a rebel soldier on the front lines. This guy would be just a grunt, a regular Joe, and we'd see how he views characters like Leia, Luke, Vader, and the others. It will, I hope, show the principals in a new light - or at least further demonstrate why Leia is a leader, why Luke is a hero, and why Vader scares everybody so.
Hopefully, nobody will notice that I didn't mention Crimson Empire III.
JOZIC: How long will the Clone Wars storyline in Republic run?
STRADLEY: At least until the release of Episode III.
JOZIC: Can you give a teaser of what readers can expect to see from the books leading up to Episode III?
STRADLEY: We'll work in as many lead-in characters and situations as we're allowed. I've been told I'll be able to read the screenplay this summer, and I expect that will change our direction - or at least narrow our focus. For the time being, we're concentrating on the Clone Wars and how it affects the galaxy. We're even going to show how events in the Clone Wars affect the time period of the Original Trilogy.
JOZIC: It’s probably too early to be asking this, but has there been any talk of what to do with the line after Episode III comes out?
STRADLEY: We have some thoughts, but it is too early to talk about them. We actually have a meeting next month with LFL to talk about how - and when, or if - to proceed.
JOZIC: Will we ever see a regular creative team on either of the monthlies, or will story arcs by different writers and artists be the status quo?
STRADLEY: I wouldn't rule out the possibility, but having different creators rotate through the two series helps to keep things fresh. I've seen firsthand how the rigors of producing a comic month in and month out can wear on a writer and an artist. More importantly, rotating creators allows me to feature artists who may not be able to produce a monthly book.
I've always felt that, no matter how good something might be, a steady diet of anything will grow boring after awhile.
JOZIC: You recently posted on the DHC boards that the Jedi specials will be going beyond the originally planned 4 issues.
STRADLEY: Well, Jedi was never really intended to be only four issues - we just didn't want to plan beyond four specific stories before we knew more about events in Episode III. We've actually added a fifth issue, inserting a Dooku story in between two of the previously planned issues. Sometimes - and most writers have experienced this - characters will take control of events and require you to change your plans. Let's just say the Clone Wars is proving to be harder on some characters than on others, and their stories needed a place to be told.
JOZIC: DHC has a reputation for slipping in juicy extras into their trade collections, but I’ve noticed that the first few trades seem to be straight reprints of the monthlies. Are there any plans to spruce up future collections?
STRADLEY: We don't have a specific policy regarding what goes into the collections. Often the contents are dictated by how much space is available or, more importantly, whether "extra" material even exists.
JOZIC: Speaking of trades, I was also curious about the Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... collection. What prompted the move to reprint old Marvel stories, and how difficult was that to arrange?
STRADLEY: I wasn't directly involved in any of that, but I don't think it was too difficult. While Marvel owned the film for the comics, Lucasfilm owned the copyright. It was no problem to buy the film from Marvel.
JOZIC: Having worked for both companies on the same property, how would you compare the two experiences of doing Star Wars at Marvel and Star Wars at DHC?
STRADLEY: I can only speak for myself, but I find that working for me is much easier than working for my old editor at Marvel.
Seriously, I don't think my one-issue experience at Marvel is really a good basis from which to make that kind of assessment.
JOZIC: What would you say is the coolest part of your job? What has been the best perk, so far?
STRADLEY: You know, it's gotta be the women. Chicks are pushovers for the "Hey, baby, how'd you like to be in comics?" line - if only!
The coolest part of working on Star Wars has been getting the inside scoop on the films way before the rest of the world.
JOZIC: And on the flipside, what would you say is the hardest part of your job?
STRADLEY: Getting the inside scoop on the films way before the rest of the world - and not being able to tell anybody!
JOZIC: Do you guys get to screen the films earlier than the general public, or do you just have access to the scripts?
STRADLEY: We've gotten to see the films about a week earlier than the rest of the world - not really enough in advance for it to shape our work in the comics.
But, like I said, we see the scripts well ahead of time, and photo reference as it becomes available. One of the hard parts with producing the comic adaptations of the latest films has been obtaining the reference in time for the artists to draw it into the comics. So many of the backgrounds - and even some of the characters - are computer generated, that visuals for them don't even exist until after the date that the comics have to be completed! I guess if you were going to give artist Jan Duursema credit for anything - and she deserves credit for a lot! - it would be her ability to extrapolate what she knows, or intuitively grasps, about the Star Wars universe and turn it into visuals that work - even if they don't look exactly like the images in the film.
JOZIC: You maintain a steady on-line presence, which is pretty cool for someone as busy as yourself. Do you find it difficult to do so on a regular basis?
STRADLEY: I am pretty cool, aren't I?
I actually have a good time with the folks on the message board. Some of them drive me crazy at times, but I'm sure they'd say the same about me. I think it's a healthy give-and-take relationship - but you'll have to ask them about what they think!
JOZIC: What kind of Star Wars paraphernalia surrounds your workspace?
STRADLEY: Other than the shelves of reference books, none. In fact, almost all of my toys - mostly Godzillas and dinosaurs - are now at home. I'd like to have some of the model kits on display, but there just hasn't been time - or the space - since I took over Star Wars.
At home, I have the models that I scratch-built for some of the ships in Crimson Empire II - Grappa's ship and the D'Astan fighters - as well as the model of Kir Kanos' heavily armored and altered X-Wing. It's a secret thrill of mine to own the only existing models of ships that have actually been incorporated into the Star Wars universe.
JOZIC: Which Star Wars film is your favourite and why?
STRADLEY: The Empire Strikes Back. In my opinion, it offers the most of any of the films. Things happen during the course of the film that really affect the characters. Plus, you've got the Imperial Walkers, Luke learning how to use the Force, Yoda, Boba Fett, some great space battles, etc. My one wish is that it had a real ending – but that's just me and my crazy desire for resolution.
JOZIC: Until recently you guys were mostly publishing stories that took place after the fall of the Empire. Do you have any plans to go back and pursue New Jedi Order stories or anything like that?
STRADLEY: It's an area that a lot of the fans are asking about, but I don't currently have plans for anything during that time. Not that we'll never go there, we just don't have anything. Right now, there is so much to explore with the Clone Wars and the Prequel Era - and, as we learn more about that time period, it has sparked ideas for stories that take place during the time of the Original Trilogy.
There's only so much one editor can do, you know?
JOZIC: Lastly, if you could give one Star Wars character their own monthly series, who would it be? Which one do you think could sustain a regular series?
STRADLEY: My dream series would be to show Obi-Wan's adventures after Episode III. I can't believe he just sits in a cave on Tatooine for seventeen years or whatever, waiting for Luke to grow up. It would be cool to show how Obi goes from being the earnest, but somewhat restrained Jedi we've seen in episodes I and II, to the wise, sly, completely-in-control guy we saw in “A New Hope”. I'm sure he must have had some interesting times - and a lot of adventures where he would have to survive by his wits without revealing that he was a Jedi.
Mike Jozic has spent the last several years interviewing comic book creators and other entertainment related personalities for various publications. He has been published both online and in print, with his work appearing in The Comics Journal, FearsMag.com and Silver Bullet Comicbooks. He maintains his own website at www.meanwhile.net and currently serves as the Features Editor for SBC. After organising this event, he agrees with the assertion that there's only so much one editor can do. 
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