The Incredibles #1 came out yesterday. Artist Marcio Takara made me look good. As usual. And I’m pleased that it seems well-received. I mention this not to plug my own work (though nothing makes Ross happier), but to brag about how I am roiling with only a little bit of bitter jealousy that The Muppet Show seems to be getting even more acclaim and praise.
I also ought to take a moment to apologize to Muppet writer/artist Roger Langridge. I did a live-audience NYC podcast on Wednesday called The Comic Book Club, which I would gladly link to if they weren’t so inexplicably hard to find on the web, and I described Roger’s natural fit for the Muppets and their world by saying, “It’s like he was born with a hand up his ass.” I perhaps could have chosen my words more judiciously.
Back to Incredibles. To me, the best and most surprising part of the gig so far has been how easy it’s been. As a general rule, doing comics that have to be approved by licensors is generally like talking to Bill O’Reilly–you walk in full of energy and with the best of intentions, you die the death of a thousand soul-crushing stupid comments, and you slink out praying for the sweet release of death and, extra added bonus, you now hate the very thing you once loved. Early on in my career, I stuck my face in that blender more than once and never benefitted.
So when Ross cornered me about doing The Incredibles, I was gunshy. But I gotta say, so far, the licensor has been an utter joy to deal with, and I have nothing but praise for Tishana, Jesse, Ivonne, Guido, Kathleen, and Kelly for letting us do what we do.
Dear God, don’t let me have just jinxed it.