FCBD 2014 Interview with artist and co-creator Joe Mulvey, and writer Jason Ciaramella about SCAM #0

 

 

Artist and SCAM co-creator Joe Mulvey, and Eisner-nominated writer Jason Ciaramella talk about SCAM #0: Crosswords, a Teen and Up Free Comic Book Day offering from ComixTribe!

FCBD: For those who might be new to your comic book, give a quick rundown. What can we expect to see in terms of story and art?
Joe Mulvey (JM): "SCAM: CROSSWORDS #0 is a story about the rise of of the greatest super-villain the world has ever seen, Crosswords. He’s equal parts maniacal and methodical. Crosswords sets out to expand his criminal empire in a plot to exact revenge on a European businessman. But we’ll see that his former crew in Vegas that double-crossed him is never far from his mind. With a great, action-packed script by Jason “Bear-drop” Ciaramella, and art by me with colors by Marvel’s Chris Sotomayor, you can expect to pick up a billion dollar blockbuster for FREE on FCBD."  

FCBD: What has been your favorite part of book or character to tackle?
JM: "Actually, all of it. The action in this book goes all out!  I mean ALL OUT! Every scene ups the ante to the next. Watching Crosswords descend into madness while going after what he wants is going to be one of, if not THE best, stories available on FCBD 2014."

Jason Ciaramella (JC): "My goal is to entertain, and making sure I put out a story that's both fun and exciting is always my top priority. The process of of thinking up a story and working through it brings me a lot of joy. I hope that translates to the reader on Free Comic Book Day."

FCBD: Tell FCBD fans why they should pick your book first on Free Comic Book Day!
JC: "It's free! But seriously, the book is a heck of a lot of fun and will introduce fans to a new character who's just getting warmed up."

JM: "It's new material made SPECIFICALLY to get people unfamiliar with SCAM, ComixTribe and myself hooked on our books! Open up the book to any page, ANY PAGE I DARE YOU, and I promise you won’t put it down. That’s a Mulvey-Guarantee. (Trademark pending.)"

 

FCBD: What other titles would you associated with your FCBD book? “If a comic reader likes _______ , they should pick up my title"?
JM: "If you’re a fan of heist movies, like the Ocean’s Eleven series, or action shoot ‘em ups (anything by John Woo), you’re going to be glad you picked up SCAM."

JC: "If over-the-top action is your thing, you can't go wrong with this book. Also, probably all fans of Jason Statham will find a friend in Crosswords."

FCBD: What’s your favorite part about working in comics?
JC: "The collaboration. The give and take and working together to produce a quality product we're passionate about for fans. It's the best job in the world."

JM: "Seeing other people respond to your work in exactly the way you wanted them to. Knowing you can connect with readers is a pretty powerful pull."

FCBD: Many newcomers will pick up comics for the first time on FCBD—what was the first comic you remember reading?
JM: "An issue of "What If?" I believe it was “What if the X-Men had lost Inferno?” I had no idea who Inferno or the X-Men were. I just saw Ron Lim’s charred version of Wolverine on the cover and I had to check it out. By the time I finished that book, I was HOOKED."

JC: "The first comic I ever read is hanging in a frame on my bedroom wall. It's Cranky Crawly Creepy Things. I loved it, and I don't think it's any surprise that writing short comic stories with a twist is something I really enjoy doing. I owe that to reading CCCT about 1000 times between the ages of 8 and 11."

FCBD: Where will you be for this year’s FCBD? Do you have any annual FCBD traditions?
JC: "I'll probably be at a few places, but my favorite place to be is Rochester, NH at Jetpack Comics. They have the best FCBD celebration in the country and it just keeps getting better year after year."

JM: "I’m still finalizing my plans, but I’ll most likely be at Forbidden Planet NYC."

FCBD: Looking to the future of the book, is there anything you can tease about what's upcoming?
JM: "The SCAM Ultimate Collection [Diamond Order Code: FEB141122] is due out in May, so I’m hoping readers who pick up the FCBD issue will seek out the collected edition of the mini-series, which also features more than 100 pages of new stories by an awesome crew of comic talent, including Joe Eisma (Morning Glories), Nick Pitarra (The Manhattan Projects), Paul Allor (GI Joe), and many more. SCAM is set up as a trilogy, and this FCBD book ties into events in the mini-series, and shows exactly how far Crosswords is willing to go to get revenge against a stranger. So just imagine what he's going to do to the crew that conned him in the next mini-series!" 

FCBD: Tell us why everyone should read comic books?
JC: "There really is something for everyone, so I would ask "Why don't you read comics?" It's a great way to spend a few minutes and gives you something to look forward to each month. The community is great, and if you're lucky enough to have a good shop in your area, you can make some friends for life. Read comics. Do it. You'll love them."

JM: "What will be on your TV and in your movie theaters in five years is in your comic shop today. Comics are the most innovative and original form of popular entertainment. But bottom line, if you're not reading comics, then you're missing out."

 

To see more of Joe Mulvey's art, follow him on Twitter and check out his website at joemulveyart.com . 
You can also follow Jason Ciaramella on Twitter to see what comics he is working on as well. 

Find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com to celebrate Free Comic Book Day!