"That's what I miss about those D.C. days that I wish there was more of in comics. There are no contracts. That's a 25-year plus handshake deal."
You’re probably already familiar with Steve Niles the horror writer, video gamer, and turtle enthusiast. Best known for the comic book 30 Days of Night and its two movie adaptations, he’s also penned titles such as Batman, Hellspawn, Cthulu Tales, and Mystery Society. Oh, and over-achiever that he is, Steve has written some novels, movie scripts, and video games, too.
Here’s what you might not know about Steve Niles: His roots are in the iconic Washington DC punk scene of the 1980s. Think Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Youth Brigade, and Fugazi. Steve played bass for Gray Matter and Three, whose albums are still available from Dischord Records. That experience continues to influence him 25+ years later, and holds a very special place for him.
So when my friend Janelle Hessig asked me for suggestions of who to include in the punk comics issue of Maximum Rocknroll that she was editing, I suggested Steve. Janelle had me do the interview – which was a great, new experience for me – and I eagerly turned it in at the beginning of October 2010. However, the Maximum Rocknroll board ultimately decided not to run the interview. They felt that because he has written for Marvel (Disney) and DC (Warner Bros.) in the past, it would conflict with their anti-corporate policies. For the most part, I understand their decision. It is frustrating nonetheless, especially given what Steve says in the interview.
But, I’m all about making lemonade out of lemons. Next stop, the exact opposite forum: MTV Geek! The folks I talked to there were very nice and wanted to run the interview, but that ended up being a bust as well for two reasons: 1) the amount of paperwork I had to fill out to get set-up in their freelancer system was prohibitive, and 2) the guy from Viacom’s HR department that I was dealing was a complete asshole. That was in January.
And here we are. It’s still a good interview, and luckily Steve suggested we just post it on his site. Red tape eliminated! I hope you enjoy learning more about the little punk…
-Branwyn
Branwyn: When you were touring around the country in what was probably a shitty Econoline with other stinky dudes, sleeping on people's floors, did you ever think that one day you'd be where you are today?
Steve: Now I get to hang out with stinky dudes at comic conventions, so not a lot has changed. Back then I was such a spaz, all I wanted to do was comics. Even when I was touring I would annoy the band with my stories or my publishing ideas. They were my only audience. It's nice to look back at projects like Cal McDonald (published as Criminal Macabre) and see that stories I wrote to make my friends laugh turned into shit they are now making into comics and movies.
Steve cont'd: Cal in particular reminds me of the old band days. The first novel is littered with D.C. references. I mean, he's a junkie detective, monster hunter whose favorite band is the Stooges. I miss those days. Not because of the scene or being young and shit, but I miss having those friends around. We were in a band because we were friends, not the other way around. We were always hanging out and cracking up, so why not make some music and annoy people?
Branwyn: Which was your first love, punk or horror? How did you transition from being a punk kid playing in bands to being a comic book writer?
First SDCC 1987
Steve: Horror and comics came to me at the same time. I was just a kid when I started reading comics so it beat out punk by a decade or so. I loved all the Marvel stuff and Creepy Eerie, some Batman. I know there was a gap in there when I didn't read as many comics and started being more interested in music and being a little dirtbag. I moved out of my parents’ house in Virginia when I was 17 and into D.C. I'd already started playing some music and we'd put out the first Gray Matter LP when I started reading comics again. I think what got me back in were books like Twisted Tales, Grim Jack and the Watchmen and Dark Knight.
Check out the Grimm Jack hat
Steve cont'd: Somewhere around there I got the comic-bug again, except this time I wanted to make them. I'd always been writing in some form or another so this gave it more focus. From there, with music and comics, it all just sort of snowballed. I wound up playing with 2 bands, Gray Matter and Three (Three was Gray Matter with Jeff -Minor Threat- Nelson on drums), and starting my own rink-dink publishing company at the same time. The company was called Arcane Comix. I managed to put out some Clive Barker prints and one anthology before I realized I hated business and just wanted to write.
Branwyn: How active of a role did you take in writing music and lyrics?
Steve: Geoff Turner handled all the lyric writing. There were a couple of cases where me, Mark or Dante would throw in some lines, but really it was Geoff behind all the singing stuff. I contributed more in riffs and shit like that, a lot of the songs on Take it Back were "written" by me. And by writing, I mean I made something up and showed the other guys. Not like I was writing music.
Branwyn: Have you brought anything from your Gray Matter and Three days to your current work? Either in terms of how you approach the work, collaborate with others, or whether or not it serves as inspiration.
Double-Single cover by Jon J Muth
Steve: I point to my experience with music as to why I love collaboration so much. I like to collaborate with writers and not just artists. I hope I've brought other things with me from those days, the spirit of DIY, and also doing business without having to step over other people, things like that. I'd like to think I've managed to work outside the system somewhat. That might be bending it a bit because I couldn’t get DC or Marvel to hire me for a long time. I was sort of forced to go at it alone and find other ways to get published. Now I obviously do a lot of DC stuff, less now than a few years ago.
With John Bolton 1988
Branwyn: How do you feel about your creator-owned work, versus what you've done for Marvel, DC, video games, that sort of thing? Do you approach the process differently for each? I'm obviously biased towards the creator-owned model, but a lot of great work has come from the big boys, and the opportunity for financial stability is greater.
Steve: I agree a 100%. I wanted to work at Marvel because I loved the characters, but my preference is to do creator-owned books. Mostly that's what I have done. DC was a bit different. They offered me a lot of freedom. With Simon Dark, Scott and I actually owned the character, but he lived in Gotham. I thought that was very cool of them to try.
Steve cont'd: Starting with Templesmith, I've always split my rights with artists, not something everybody did at the time. In some ways, getting creator-owned books done is like forming a band, and then breaking up after 4 issues because the drummer wants to go solo. At the end of the day I like owning and sharing my rights, but it's fun to play with those big 2 characters now and then.
Branwyn: Other than occasionally getting on stage & playing with TOOL, are you still active in music?
Steve: I wasn't actually playing that night. It was a gag. I had the guitar on stage but Adam was backstage playing. I'm a shitty little punk rock bass player. I could never play like Jones, not in my wildest dreams. That was sort of a gift from Jones. He wanted me to see what it felt like to stand in front of 60k people. I goof off with music. Gray Matter had a 25th anniversary a few years back. That was fun.
Branwyn: Gray Matter's albums were reissued last year, and now Three's is going to be also. How’s that going?
Steve: We sold a song to Tony Hawk for a videogame. That was just surreal. I'm 45 now, selling songs we recorded in high school. I was really happy Dischord released all the Gray Matter and Three stuff. It still sells and because Dischord is just plain awesome I get a little check now and then. That's what I miss about those D.C. days that I wish there was more of in comics. There are no contracts. That's a 25-year plus handshake deal. That's the way it should be. There's way too much infighting and petty gossipy backstabbing in comics. And people are fighting over pennies and 2 seconds in the limelight. It's sad.
Branwyn: Are you still in touch with your former bandmates and label? How have they reacted to your current success?
Steve: We touch base whenever we can. I think they think my success is hilarious because they know better than anybody this is what I did then for free, and I'd still be doing it now regardless of the level of success. I leave zillions of Easter eggs in my projects for them all the time. I think I've killed Geoff in comics four times now, Dante is in Criminal Macabre, and Mark IS Fused.
Branwyn: Do you encounter many people (creators or attendees) at comic book conventions and store signings who were fans of your music before your writing?
Steve: Only cool creators like Rick Remender and Phil Noto. Kidding. Yeah, every once in a while somebody comes up who knows the music. It's always cool when they ask me to sign a CD or something. It's great they remember.
Branwyn: Of everything that you’ve done, what are you most proud of?
Steve: No one project or anything. I think that I've tried really hard to bring some of that D.C. spirit, as I felt it, to everything I do. High School didn't mean shit to me. I learned most of what I carry today from those days in D.C.
Branwyn Bigglestone is Accounts Manager for Image Comics and does freelance comic book editing. She spent her formative years in the 1990s Bay Area punk scene, and was Head Coordinator for legendary club 924 Gilman Street from 1993-1994. www.twitter.com/Biggletron.