Questionable Comics is a series where Dan Hill surveys professionals from every corner of the comics industry about their methods and experience. Ed Brisson is one of comics’ top neo-noirists, with a history of excellent gritty writing on series like The Violent, The Mantle and The Field for Image, as well as credits on more action oriented fare at DC and Boom. He was recently announced as the writer of a Bullseye series at Marvel, due out early next year.
What current projects are you working on?
The Violent (Image Comics) and Bullseye (Marvel), coming in February.
Use one word to describe how you work.
Messy.
What’s your workspace like?
Kinda messy. I work in a basement office that doubles as storage room. So, it’s too cold during the winter and is always cluttered with boxes.
My actual computer set up is a PC, running Windows 10, with dual monitors. The dual monitors is primarily because of lettering work that I do, but is something that I find handy when writing — I have my outline up on the right monitor and write in the left.
What do you listen to when you work?
Soundtracks and other instrumental music. A lot of Cliff Martinez, Atticus Ross, Disasterpeace, John Carpenter, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, Shane Carruth, Tangerine Dream, etc.
Sometimes, to switch things up, I’ll go and find a yoga mix online and just throw that on so that I can get into that relaxed mindset.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
When I was at university, studying fine arts — I’d originally wanted to be a comic book artist — I had a teacher tell me that I should stop reading and drawing comics for a year. That I should study other forms of storytelling and art and then bring those influences back into the comic work I wanted to do. I didn’t buy into it at the time, but later came to appreciate it.
Another bit of advice that you see lobbed around a lot is: “Create the comics you want to read”, which is something I think is very important. I didn’t start to get interest from publishers until I stopped trying to create something that I thought they wanted and focused only on creating books that I would read.
A gruesome page from Ed Brisson and Lisandro Estherren’s Boom comic The Last Contract
How do you get into writing mode?
I try to write on a somewhat regular schedule, which helps me get into work mode.
My typical day goes like so:
7:45am – wake up, have a coffee/breakfast, etc.
8:30am – walk my daughter to school
8:50am – go for a 6 km run
9:30am – shower, get dressed for the day
9:50am – start writing
12:30pm – lunch
1pm – more writing
2:30pm – leave to pick my kid up from school
3:30-4pm – home. More writing while my daughter does her homework
5:30pm – start cooking dinner.
6-7pm – dinner, spend time with family
7-8:30 – last work stretch of day
That puts me at about 7 hrs of writing per day, but as you can see, I’ve also got other responsibilities throughout the day too.
Running is something that I only started doing toward the end of 2014. I’ve never been much of a fitness guy, but the benefits to running before working have been pretty incredible. I find that I sit down at the computer much more focussed and ready to go. That first 2.5 our stretch is usually where I get about 50% of my daily writing done.
Full script or Marvel Method?
Full script.
What’s the one thing you wish you could improve about your work?
I do tend to get distracted easily, especially by social media. That’s something I’ve been giving a lot of thought to cutting out completely.
When’s the best time to work?
Well, my current schedule is mostly out of necessity. As it stands, the best time for me to work in the morning, after my run.
HOWEVER, in the past, I’ve found that the best time for me to work is between midnight and four in the morning. Unfortunately, it’s not possible for me to do that and still tackle all my other responsibilities during the day.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
It’s a long and eclectic mix. I have a lot of respect for David Lapham. Stray Bullets is an all-time favorite series and I love that he did everything on that book for the longest time – writing, drawing, lettering, etc. Brian Michael Bendis drew me back into mainstreams comics at a time where I was drifting away. Ed Brubaker, Jason Aaron, Greg Rucka, Brian Azzarello, Rick Remender are all writers that I think no one will be surprised to hear I’m a big fan of. Gippi. Chester Brown, Dave Cooper, Daniel Clowes are all creators who I keep coming back to over and over
Chris Lewis hit the comics scene with his surreal political satire Drones and earlier this year wrapped up the quirky action mini Karma Police, which is in the process of being reissued at Vault Comics.
What current projects are you working on?
I recently wrapped up a 4-issue mini-series called Karma Police with Tony Gregori, Jasen Smith, and Nic Shaw. All four issues are on comiXology and we Kickstarted a trade paperback. Vault Comics is also rereleasing single issues in 2017. Other than that I’ve been putting together a bunch of pitches over the course of the last year for a couple publishers. Nothing has been picked up yet, and I’m realizing that pitching is a real drain on one’s life force. But I’ll keep at it. I also have two projects in the development phase with some fantastic artists. Can’t wait to show what we’re up to. Until then…tease.
Use one word to describe how you work.
Sporadic, unfortunately.
What’s your workspace like?
Lately I’ve been forced into stealing 30 minutes in my lunch break, huddled over a notebook, sketching out ideas to discuss with my collaborators. This workspace is littered with someone else’s garbage, with one leg shorter than the others, so that the table wobbles and my coffee spills when I sit down.
What do you listen to when you work?
Jazz usually. Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Flying Lotus. No lyrics. Unless it’s time for Kool Keith. Then things get spacey. Sometimes I try listening to Clint Mansell’s soundtracks, but my sobbing is entirely unconducive to writing.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Write the kind of books you want to read.
A page from Chris Lewis and Tony Gregori’s Karma Police, which will be reissued by Vault in February
How do you get into writing mode?
For me, getting into “writing mode” is the same as getting into “day job mode,” in that I just have to bite the bullet and do it. While I wish I could say that I sit down every night, happily plugging away while one story after the next flows across my keyboard and into the hard drive, the reality is that it’s rarely an enjoyable process. The results, however, are quite fulfilling.
Full script or Marvel Method?
Full script. Would love to mind-meld with a collaborator and try out the Marvel Method at some point, though.
What’s the one thing you wish you could improve about your work?
The quiet moments.
When’s the best time to work?
Also the quiet moments. Mornings are the best, but that only happens on the rare weekend.
Who do you consider to be inspirational creators in your field (classic and modern)?
Joe Casey, Gail Simone, Alex de Campi, Roger Langridge, David Lapham, Steve Gerber, Rick Remender. Si Spurrier. And the most imaginative force in comics right now – Tom Scioli.
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