10 Questions With Chuck Dixon (12/1/2011)

[DarrickPatrick]

10 Questions With Chuck Dixon (by Darrick Patrick)

Chuck Dixon is a professional writer who has primarily worked within the comic book industry. He has written for titles such as Batman, Punisher War Journal, Detective Comics, G.I. Joe, The Simpsons, Marc Spector: Moon Knight, Robin, The 'Nam, Snake Eyes, Birds of Prey, Savage Sword of Conan, El Cazador, Alien Legion, Catwoman, Winterworld, Green Arrow, Team 7, Nightwing, and a plethora of numerous other projects.

Darrick: What was the journey that led you to writing professionally as a career?

Chuck: I really don’t have a talent for anything else. My main talent is strictly focused on writing stories told in a series of static pictures. There wasn’t a time I didn’t want to work in comics. Seriously. When I was six years old, I toyed with the idea of being either a milkman or a priest because the hours seemed cool. The milkman was done by ten in the morning and priests only work an hour a week, right?

Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?

Chuck: Obviously, my parents played a big part. My dad especially was a real role model for me. He was tough, but empathetic, and loved a good story. Teachers, not so much. I found most teachers were only a day ahead of me on any subject they were teaching. My uncle Bob influenced my sense of humor. He’s a true character who always seems to have a ready answer and can tell a great story himself.

Darrick: Do you have any words of advice for other individuals looking to make a career through their abilities in writing?

Chuck: Persistance. It’s a tough world out there for writers. You also need to be agile. A writer has to be able to seize on any opportunity in any genre and in any medium that comes up.

Darrick: How do you spend your time on a typical work day?

Chuck: I appear to be goofing off a lot. That’s the reason I always turn down requests from local schools that ask if students could spend a day with me watching me work. Somehow though, at the end of the day, pages have been completed and deadlines met. The toughest thing for me is being able to walk away. I’d write all day and all night if there weren’t meals to eat and chores to do.

Darrick: Your resume of work is highly extensive. For new readers who may not be familiar with your writing, what are a few projects of yours that you would recommend to begin with?

Chuck: Well, there’s eleven years of Batman-related work. Anyone can jump in there anywhere. I also did extensive runs on the various Punisher titles at Marvel. A career highlight would be Winterworld by me and Jorge Zaffino. It’s been recently collected by IDW. I also have two current monthlies featuring G.I. Joe and Snake Eyes.

Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the comics industry that you hold a high deal of respect for?

Chuck: Lots of the artists I work with. I’m in awe of so many of them and have no idea how they do what they do. I can picture the work in my head but they make it happen. Guys like Graham Nolan or Butch Guice, who can work magic on the page. Lots of others as well that would be too numerous to name.

I got to work with Stan Lee recently. I wish I had his energy now. He still has it, the passion and the craft. People say to me, “Stan’s showing his age though. He doesn’t remember people’s names anymore.” Stan never remembered people’s names. Why do you think he came up with “true believer” and “effendi”?

Darrick: Outside of constructing stories, what are your other interests?

Chuck: Since my profession is a geek fantasy come to life, my hobby needed to be even geekier. My second love in life is toy soldiers. I collect, paint, and customize them. The more obscure the period, the more I want to learn about it. People who visit my Facebook page know my secret obsession. I also go range shooting whenever I can.

Darrick: What is your oldest memory?

Chuck: Being bathed in the kitchen sink...way back.

Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don't know.

Chuck: I wrote my sixth grade play.

Darrick: If you had a working time machine, what are some of the points in history that you would visit?

Chuck: There would be lots of places. I’d love to visit America in the 1940s. Also, ancient Rome. I’d only go though if I was accompanied by an experienced dentist.

FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:

http://www.myspace.com/darrickpatrick/blog/343519835

You can also check out Chuck Dixon in the following places:

Official Chuck Dixon Website:

http://www.dixonverse.net

Official Chuck Dixon Facebook Site:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Dixon/762154843