Back Issue, TwoMorrows’ newest bimonthly periodical, released its first issue today. The new periodical’s mission statement is fairly straightforward: “BACK ISSUE celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through a variety of recurring (and rotating) departments.” SBC recently caught up with editor Michael Eury to find out his plans for the periodical. Eury is a certifiable veteran of the industry, having served as an editor for Comico the Comic Company, DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics--as well as writing comic books and cartoon scripts for those publishers (and many more). Most recently, Eury wrote 2003’s Dick Giordano: Changing Comics, One Day at a Time (also for TwoMorrows), a book that SBC plans to interview him about in a separate upcoming Q&A.
Tim O’Shea: What makes Back Issue distinctly different from TwoMorrows’ former magazine, Comic Book Artist (now over at Top Shelf)?
Michael Eury: First, Back Issue’s design is very graphics-heavy and reader-friendly in a hip, contemporary package.
Second, our unique Pro2Pro interviews present a dialogue between professionals, revealing the thinking behind their comics and the methods behind their collaborations.
Third, our recurring departments provide editorial stability to Back Issue.
And fourth, almost all of our features include insiders’ perspectives to comics, usually through quotes from professionals.
TO: You have a great number of pros writing for and interviewing each other in Back Issue. In your mind, what has been the biggest “name” or best content you've garnered for the magazine to date?
ME: While I won’t choose faves, we’ve got Pro2Pro interviews between Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Matt Wagner and Diana Schutz, and Mike W. Barr and Adam Hughes in issues #1 and #2, plus editorials by Carmine Infantino and Mike Barr. And we’re just getting started!
TO: That being said, I was curious if you had a dream list of folks you’d love to interview that have eluded you so far?
ME: I’m currently in the process of assigning to writers a number of Pro2Pro interviews for upcoming features, but people I’m interested in for Back Issue include Frank Miller, John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Michael Golden, and Neil Gaiman, to name but a few.
TO: On a semi-related note, do you think some industry pros might shy away from writing in Off My Chest (the guest editorial department)—or shy away from being interviewed—for fear of burning bridges?
ME: Great question! Don’t take the Off My Chest title too literally: It’s not a rant column. Off My Chest is a forum allowing 1970s’ and 1980s’ creators to voice their opinions on and recollections of the topics of their choice. Granted, some creators may have controversial viewpoints, but they must be presented professionally and diplomatically.
The editorial goal of Back Issue is to enlighten and entertain, not to enrage or titillate. Tabloid journalism and backstabbing diatribes have no place in Back Issue.
TO: Given that Back Issue covers “1970s, 1980s, and today” in terms of comics—for you, is there one decade in particular that you enjoy more than others? If the subject matter warrants, might the editorial content delve into the 1960s or earlier?
ME: Emotionally, I favor the 1970s (and the late 1960s) because of my attachment to the comics favorites of my youth, but intellectually, I prefer the 1980s, because that’s when content began to challenge the reader.
The comics industry reinvented itself during the 1970s and 1980s, offering Back Issue a wealth of ground to cover.
When TwoMorrows publisher John Morrow first approached me about editing Back Issue and mentioned the 1970s/1980s focus, a little voice in the back of my head peeped, “But what about the ’60s?” I kept that to myself, though, and am glad I did. The Golden and Silver Ages receive ample coverage elsewhere. Back Issue might mention pre-1970 material in a historical context, but we have no plans to cover it.
TO: With this magazine as a forum, do you hope to bring attention to overlooked series of the past, which you think should have garnered more praise and attention than they did when originally released? If so, can you provide an example?
ME: Yes, “overlooked” series will occasionally be featured. As an example: Beyond Capes in Back Issue #2 examines Bruce Jones’ Twisted Tales and Alien Worlds. These were amazing series, and we’re lucky have acquired from Dave Stevens and Bill Wray some unpublished artwork intended for those titles.
TO: How did the feature Greatest Stories Never Told get developed? How about Beyond Capes?
ME: TwoMorrows’ fearless leader John Morrow pitched both to me during our earlier brainstorming (what a guy, that John!), ideas he had been thinking about for some time.
Greatest Stories Never Told presents to readers series that were planned for publication but never made it into print. Beyond Capes is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. It covers non-super-hero material, with interviews with creators and, when possible, unpublished artwork. Planned for the future are Conan, Godzilla, Star Trek, Masters of the Universe and Thundercats, KISS, jungle women, Marvel’s Hanna-Barbera line, and Star Wars.
TO: In addition to being a nostalgic romp for some, do you think to a certain extent some of these articles can be a lesson-learned experience for folks just entering the industry as professionals? History often repeats itself after all, as the cliché goes...
ME: Yes, the professional experiences of interviewees in Back Issue can be educational to readers. The Wolfman/Pérez Pro2Pro in issue #1 is very inspirational. The comics market and printing techniques may have changed since the “era” of Back Issue, but the basic tenets of success still hold true: work hard, listen to guidance, believe in yourself, and don’t give up.
TO: Is there anything you'd like to tell folks about Back Issue that has not been addressed?
ME: Back Issue is a “welcome wagon” to comics readers old and new.
For long-time comics fans, including those who feel disenfranchised, Back Issue celebrates what they loved about comics and alerts them to some new or reprinted material that might be of interest to them.
For newer or younger readers, Back Issue is a fun and informative history lesson.
And finally, we’re always on the lookout for rare art—sketches, models sheets, original pages, photocopies of un-inked penciled pages—from artists of the 1970s and 1980s. I can be contacted via email at euryman@msn.com . Thanks!
