***EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SIGMA SIX CREW***

[Phil Kost]

Today we have two very special guests with us, Andrew Dabb and Chris Lie, the new creative team for the GI Joe Sigma Six comic that was announced in the back of GI Joe America’s Elite #3.

Now, some of you may remember that Josh Blaylock first gave a hint that this might be coming last May in his interview with us. Well it is now a reality and today we will be asking Andrew (writer) and Chris (artist) some questions about the upcoming mini-series.

First, I want to thank you both for taking the time to answer these questions.

Phil Kost (PK): Did the two of you grow up with GI Joe?

Chris Lie (CL): I was a fan of the old TV show when I was a kid, but I just keep track again when Devils Due published the GI Joe comics.

Andrew Dabb (AD): Very much so. I watched the cartoon religiously as a kid, and discovered the Marvel GI Joe series a few years later (through another book Larry Hama was writing, Nth Man, which remains one of the weirder reading experiences of my childhood). I’ve done a fair amount of licensed work over my career thus far, and Hama’s Joe has always been sort of what I strived to emulate—stories that kept the core of what made the original property work, while at the same time adding depth to the characters.

PK: If so, how does it feel to now be working on the latest incarnation of the GI Joe mythos?

CL: It’s like a dream comes true, although I never dreamt about it. This comic is very special since it is related to the release of new Sigma Six toy line and TV show. It is full of awesome actions, ninjas and robots…what can you ask more???

AD: Honestly? It’s still a little surreal. I’m trying not to think about it too much because I’d just end up sitting in a corner repeating “I get to write a Snake Eyes story!” over and over again.

PK: How did the two of you end up working with Devil’s Due?

CL: I was an intern at Devils Due last year and they were so nice to offer me to work on GI Joe: Arashikage Showdown right after my internship. Devils Due crews are very cool guys, I’m very happy to work for them.

AD: I started writing books under the Devil’s Due banner with Megacity909 and MU (both of which were produced by a Korean company, Studio Ice, but published through DD in the states). Then when Devil’s Due got the Dungeons and Dragons license I was asked to come in and do some work for the company proper.

PK: How did y’all get the Sigma Six job?

CL: After I finished the Arashikage Showdown, Mark Powers gave me a hint about a new project that he thought will fit with my style. I knew nothing about the project at that time.

AD: Mark Powers e-mailed me and asked if I would be interested in writing a GI Joe mini-series. As soon as I regained consciousness, I agreed. Also, I think the fact that I look like a really, really, really out of shape Shipwreck helped.

PK: When did DD first approach you about the title?

CL: About three or four months ago Mark Powers emailed me and he offered me to work on Sigma Six comics. I immediately said yes.

AD: Late June.


PK: Will this is book be a standard size issue, or a digest size? Also will be a typical 32 page comic or a different length?

CL: I think Andrew can answer this question better.

AD: It will be standard comic size, with 22 pages of story per issue.

PK: For Andrew, will this comic be original stories or comic adaptations of the cartoon?

AD: They’ll be original stories. Each issue will be self-contained and focus on a pair Sigma Six characters, one Joe, one Cobra. In order, the match-ups will be: Duke/Destro, Spirit/Zartan, Tunnel Rat/Overkill, Scarlett/Baroness, Heavy Duty/Cobra Commander, and, of course, Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow.

PK: Who is your target audience? Will this be an “all-ages comic”?

AD: It is an all ages adventure comic book, with a slant toward a younger audience. Ideally, we want the kids who are watching the cartoon to be able to pick up the comic and enjoy it. That’s not to say if you’re over 12 there’ll be nothing here for you though, there are a number of things thrown into the mini-series that adults and longtime readers will enjoy. To be honest, a big reference for me as I write this are Pixar movies, specifically Toy Story and The Incredibles, which did an amazing job of being kid friendly, but not overly goofy or alienating to adults.


PK: Is there a possibility that this will become an ongoing series?

AD: That all depends on the sales. I’d certainly like to tell more Sigma Six stories, they’re a lot of fun.

PK: For Chris, you were one of the artists on Arashikage Showdown, how will this project differ from that one?

CL: In terms of drawing style, Arashikage Showdown tends towards manga style while Sigma Six will have an animated/anime flavor and full color. Since I have more time on this project, the readers will be able to see how I spent long hours working on the tech and other details.

PK: Also, looking over your portfolio on your web site (http://www.chriscomic.com/news/) you have such diverse abilities when it comes to art, what style are you going with for Sigma Six?

CL: It is going to be pretty close with the Sigma Six TV show and toys.

PK: For both of you, how far along are you in the series?

CL: Working on the first issue.

AD: I’m writing issue #3 at the moment.

PK: What other projects are the two of you working on right now? Anything special we should be on the look out for?

CL: Beside concentrating on this project right now, I’m in a preparation stage for another project and providing short stories of manga Josie and The Pussycats for Archie Comics.

AD: I’m currently adapting the Dragonlance: Chronicles and The Dark Elf Trilogy novels for Devil’s Due. I’m also writing Atomika for Mercury comics and Vaistron for Slave Labor Graphics, though I should point out those are mature readers books and nothing like what I’ll be doing in Sigma Six.


PK: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.

CL: Thanks for having us.


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