Val Staples: I Have The Power
After years of participating in comics message board discussions I realized how much I hated all the fanboy bile spit on creators. I thought that if people could learn a little more about the personal lives of people behind the comic books, then maybe they’d think twice about their words. And so Those Questions was born.
Val Staples: I Have The Power
Although he’s still a young man, Val Staples is already a veteran of the comic book industry with the scars to prove it. In fact, I would go so far as to say he’s one of my heroes — someone whose passion and dedication has driven him to go the extra mile, even when the road has been difficult or painful. Case in point: in order to help pay for the cost of running his Website, http://www.he-man.org , Val sold his childhood collection of Masters of the Universe toys. As a collector myself, I honestly don’t know if I could ever do something like that, but I have an incredible amount of respect for the man who actually can.
You may know Val Staples as a colorist, or as a He-Man fan who helped bring the property back to comics, or maybe you just know him as one of the driving forces behind MVCreations. But there’s more to the man than power swords and big skull castles. With this interview I tried to delve a little bit deeper and find the real Val.
CHRIS J. THOMPSON: So, what’s the Val Staples’ story?VAL STAPLES: My story? There’s not a lot to tell without boring people to death. :-)
CJT: How old are you now?
VS: Too old to feel young and too young to be old.
CJT: Are you married with children (insert Al Bundy joke here) or a carefree bachelor with plenty of toys?
VS: I’m a carefree bachelor who is too poor to buy toys, or much of anything for that matter.
CJT: What sort of childhood did you have and what were you like as a kid growing up? I’m sure we’d all like to know.
VS: Pretty standard. Nothing special. I had both of my parents around and they are still together. They were pretty overprotective, so I didn’t get to do much with other children in the neighborhood. So, I spent most of my time around the house playing with my Masters of the Universe toys.
CJT: Which part of the States did you grow up in? And where do you reside now? Are you more a small-town boy or big-city kid?
VS: I grew up where I live now — around Lynchburg, Virginia. I’m definitely a small-town kind of person.
CJT: MVCreations has been around for a while now, but I think a lot of people still don’t know much about it. How did it originally come together and what form did it first take? Is MV mainly you, a set group of individuals or an organic group of people that come together as necessary?
VS: MV was started back around 1996, and started producing freelance work for clientele around 1998. It’s a studio collection of various artists, some in-house, most not.
CJT: You began as a colorist (from what I know) and still are to this day. How much of your work does it comprise now, and how would you like things to balance out? Do you see yourself more as a colorist, a writer, an artist or a manager?VS: I still color quite a bit, just not for comics. I wish I could color more comics, but it’s very competitive out there and there are some extremely talented colorists I have to battle against.
I don’t think there is enough time to balance out what I want to do. Administrative stuff eats up way too much time. Writing and coloring eats up the rest of the business hours and almost all of my free time.
CJT: It seems as though you’ve had to be something more of a businessman and a diplomat in regard to comic publishing and dealing with freelancers, publishers, media, etc. Is this a role you have been comfortable in or has it been one of the factors that drove you back to the Image fold again? Has it changed your view of comics or the process involved behind them at all?
VS: I’m probably a pretty crappy businessman. I’m just not cutthroat enough. I like to establish friendships along side my working relationships. I think, given the element of trust, that’s the healthiest approach to respectable work.
CJT: I imagine that you (and everyone else at MVCreations) have been through the wringer with the CrossGen situation and the struggles associated with self-publishing (as touched on above). In terms of making ends meet, is the work that MV does your only form of income? What do you (or would you) do if you’re not working on comics for a living?
VS: Comics make the studio very little money. Trades make some, but right now that goes to paying off artists who we owe thanks to outstanding debts from other companies. We make most of our money from freelance illustration, which we enjoy just as much as producing comics.
CJT: Continuing on from that, what jobs have you held in the past? Have you had a varied work history, or was it comics from the beginning? If you weren’t doing this then what would be your other dream job?VS: I’ve had a lot of different jobs over the years, but nothing noteworthy outside of my job at Virginia Tech. I don’t have any other job I’d rather be doing than this.
CJT: What influences do you have outside of comics? Where do you draw your major influences from, and can you give some examples of each?
VS: My major artistic influences were Earl Norem and Norman Rockwell.
CJT: Masters of the Universe is one of the well known passions you’ve had since childhood — you were even running He-Man.org long before the comics appeared — but what other things really entranced you or held a special place in the heart of young Val Staples?
VS: I liked Boglins a lot. About five years ago I was tracking down a lot of them because I had pretty much completed my MotU collection. Since then I’ve sold almost everything I’ve owned over the years to pay for investments in publishing or He-Man.org . I held onto my childhood MotU collection as long as I could.
CJT: A lot of people have criticized or bemoaned the flock of “nostalgia” titles that seemed to come out around the same time as Masters of the Universe. Some have come and gone with mixed success (you’ve even experienced that yourself), but MotU is still here and still going. Do you see it as having some sort of “shelf-life” at all or is it something that you hope to continue with? Will it fade away like it did originally when the cartoons ended or can it be sustained this time by the hardcore fans?
VS: We will continue to produce the comic as long as we don’t lose money doing so. Since the comic doesn’t keep MV afloat, we can afford to work bare-bones in terms of production costs.
CJT: Aside from your own books, have there been any of the “nostalgia” books that have really stood out to you? Who do you think has done a really good job with one of the pre-existing properties? Personally, I really like what Dan Jolley and his crew have been achieving on Voltron since their comics work is probably surpassing the original show in my mind.
VS: To be honest, I haven’t had the time to read many comics since last summer (2003). I’ve kept up with a few Robert Kirkman titles and a few other books, but I’ve fallen behind on pretty much everything else. I check out the illustrations briefly, to see how things are being maintained.CJT: What do you think of the work that MVCreations have produced so far? Is it something that you are proud of, or are there certain things that make you look back and cringe?
VS: I cringe at my own writing. I like everything else we’ve done.
CJT: I know you’re writing Masters of the Universe, which seems to be something that’s very personal for you, but is writing a field that you want to explore further? Can you see yourself doing more writing than anything else, or is it more dependent on the subject matter that is put before you?
VS: I definitely plan to explore it further. I have several creator-owned series in the works for an early 2005 release.
CJT: How do you deal with the stories that have circulated about you, CrossGen and your own unpaid freelancer situation (particularly from the harsh and highly speculative online fan community)? You appear to have been very open in your responses and have tried not to demean anyone through all this, but how have you managed? Is it the support of family and friends, your own beliefs or something else that has supported you?
VS: I just keep going. It’s upsetting and overwhelming at times when you seem to get e-mails from desperate artists all at one time hoping for money that you can’t deliver quickly because someone else owes it to you. And who can blame them? I’d want my money too.
I just tell them what is going on and hope they will continue to bear with me as we slowly work off the debt other companies have created for us.
CJT: In light of recent events, what’s your advice to other comic creators (both current and upcoming) in terms of how they should approach such things? I read somewhere that you highly recommended the self-publishing experience (at least for a time). Could you elaborate on that idea at all?VS: Self publishing is the best way to learn a lot of the ins and outs of comics. You develop an understanding of the behind the scenes costs and production that other artists don’t understand. I see occasional artists in interviews who blame companies (major publishers) for things beyond the publisher’s control. I won’t talk specifics, but these are things they’d understand better if they had self published for a length of time.
It’s hard out there. And most comics do NOT make money, even from the big two. It’s the licensing of their recognized characters that makes the money, movies especially (if they are successful).
If you self publish, 99.99% of the time, you will lose money. But it’s worth it to understand your craft better, and to help you avoid potential pitfalls in this industry if you intend to turn this into your career. It should be viewed as an investment in yourself and those working with you rather than an effort to strike it rich.
CJT: Do comics still qualify as a hobby since it is also your livelihood? If so, then what are your favorites and what are you reading these days? If you could press one title upon everyone that reads this interview then what would it be?
VS: Comics are both a hobby and a livelihood. And if I had to pick one title everyone should read right now, besides Masters of the Universe, it should be The Walking Dead from Image Comics. Robert Kirkman is the next big writer in this industry.
CJT: Do you ever feel the need to just escape the world of comics for a while, so that you can relax? What is your chosen form of escape, and how often do you get to do it? In other words, what other hobbies do you have?
VS: Sleep is my only escape at the moment.
CJT: Is there a particular motto or maxim that you live by? What is it, and has it changed over time?VS: “Do unto others as you want done unto yourself.” I don’t think it can get any simpler than that. Unless you are a masochist or a sadist with a masochistic subconscious, it’s a simple rule for everyone to live by.
CJT: What is the legacy that you want to leave behind? I don’t mean as a creator, but as a man. If comics are the primary thing then fine, but how do you want to be remembered? How do you want Val Staples to be viewed when people look back?
VS: My big dream is to create a property that has a huge impact on children, and will be revered as a tool for moral teachings until the end of time. I know I will write stories that don’t mesh with this goal and I will be criticized for that. But expressions of the mind don’t always make sense.. thus is the somewhat unpredictable nature of human emotion.
CJT: Being topical, have you seen Mel Gibson’s recent film The Passion of the Christ? If so, what did you think of it?
VS: No, I have not seen that movie. I would like to, but it’s a matter of it coming to DVD, and then finding the time to rent it. I’m interested to see how it handles the historical studies of that time in comparison to the story from the Christian bible.
CJT: What is a typical day like for Val Staples? Are you an early riser or a night-owl? When do you do most of your work, and what do you do when you’re not working?
VS: I’m generally an early riser and definitely a morning person. But I am often forced to work late.
CJT: For the technically inclined, what sort of computer equipment and software do you use for your coloring? Are you a Mac man?
VS: PC preferred, but I will use a Mac if need be. Adobe Photoshop all the way for coloring.
CJT: Finally, how much time do you spend on coloring an average page?VS: That depends completely on the complexity of the page and the rendering style being used.
CJT: Is there any such thing as an average page for you, or does it vary a lot?
VS: It varies a great deal.
CJT: What is your favorite title to color, and who is your favorite artist to work with?
VS: I don’t have a favorite title or artist to work with. Every title and artist is a new and welcome challenge. People that stand out immediately are people I’ve developed friendships with over time, and have had the luxury of working with them more intimately. That would be Emiliano Santalucia, Enza Fontana, Matt Tyree, Frank Quitely, Mike Wieringo, Randy Green.. oh man, the list just doesn’t end.
DROP & GIVE ME 20
1. What is Val short for, and did you get teased at school for having a girl’s name: Not really. I guess since I didn’t care, no one persisted.
2. Your middle name: Val.
3. Your shoe size: 10 ½.
4. Boxers or briefs: This is getting a bit personal, don’t ya think?
5. First car: An old Chrysler New Yorker. I still remember “A door is ajar.”
6. Favorite color: Black, which is not regarded as a color by some.
7. Favorite food: All of it, except for melons.
8. Favorite film: Don’t have one.
9. Favorite TV show: Don’t have one.
10. Favorite music: Don’t have any.
11. Favorite holiday destination: Don’t go on vacation.
12. First ever comics work: Can’t remember. :-(
13. Favorite comic character: Too many to narrow down.
14. Thing you love most about your job: Being able to wear jogging pants and no shoes.
15. Thing you hate most about your job: Wearing jogging pants and no shoes because that’s all I can afford.
16. Thing that gives you the most pleasure in life: Beautiful women.
17. Thing that annoys you the most in life: Matt Tyree.. nah, it’s really Robert Kirkman. Well, maybe it’s Matt Tyree.
18. Thing your proudest of: Being a part of the >b>Masters of the Universe world.
19. Thing you wish everyone would learn: To get along with one another.
20. Thing you would like everyone who reads this interview to know and understand: People are not inherently evil. Meaning, people aren’t usually out to do you harm. Unless they are under the influence of something that has damaged their self control, most of the time it’s a misunderstanding or simple miscommunication. If everyone could swallow their pride and learn to say, “I’m sorry,” and accept our differences and realize the world won’t end because someone is different than you, then the world might be a lot happier.
Well, you’ve read it. Now get out there and buy some of those great Masters of the Universe books! And while you’re at it, pick up the trade for Robert Kirkman’s Tales of the Realm. You’ll thank me. Til next time, I remain Chris J. Thompson.
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