PACESETTER: THE GEORGE PEREZ MAGAZINE #3 (Jan 2004) Tony Lorenz

PACESETTER, THE GEORGE PEREZ MAGAZINE #3 Jan 2004 $7.95 Tony Lorenz Productions Fanzine (88 pages) writers: Tony Lorenz/ES/Pedro Angosto/Gary Beck/Kirk Philbrick/Bobby Nash/Ilke Hincer/Michael Rudolph/Vu Nguyen/various pencilers: George Pérez/Oliver Isabedra/Mitch Ballard/Mike Grell/various inkers: George Perez/Oliver Isabedra/Mitch Ballard/Mike Grell/various editors: Marcus Mebes/Tony Lorenz

PACESETTER #3 was released last Wednesday. This is a solid issue, with the theme of JLA/AVENGERS.

The entire JLA/AVENGERS team, with the exception of the digital letterers of Comicraft and Dan Raspler, who was let go prior to the publication of JLA/AVENGERS #1, is interviewed for this issue. This kind of overshadowed Oliver Isabedra's interview, which I thought was a great interview.

Tom Brevoort, Kurt Busiek, Tom Smith, Mike Carlin, and, of course, George Pérez all have something interesting to say about working on this massive project.

Here is an excerpt from George's interview:

COMICS INTERVIEW #6 (Aug 1983) JLA/AVENGERS #3 PREVIEW ART (2003), art by Perez, colors by Tom Smith. Published in MARVEL PREVIEWS #1.

George Perez: Quite frankly, it did work out the best for me artistically. I wasn't a good enough inker in 1984 to really do my pencils justice, and while I have nothing but admiration and respect for Dick Giordano, I really do like to ink my own work whenever I can. I'm just too slow to do it on a regular basis. I've also matured as an artist, which I noticed especially on page 12 of issue 3 when I recreated the cover of COMICS INTERVIEW #6, the infamous JLA/AVENGERS issue that announced the troubles with the original crossover. I had to hold back from making too many corrections in the art in order to make the homage work, but there were some anatomical and proportional weakness that I had then which were a little unnerving to me now. Interestingly, there are some fans who actually preferred the older style - warts and all, as it were.

As far as the expanded format is concerned, it allowed Kurt Busiek to really make this story expansive. Structurally, the initial 64 page story is pretty similar to the plot of the first two issues of the current mini-series, but Kurt really had room to add a lot [more] characterization and subtlety than Gerry Conway had. Also, the 20 years of anticipation gave both Kurt and me something to really live up to. I don't think Gerry's heart was as into the story as Kurt. It was a gimmick story then. And, basically, pretty much that's what it is now, but Kurt has made it so much more. He could have made this a by-the-numbers adventure, but Kurt's too good a writer for that and he knew he had expectations to meet. In many cases I think he exceeded them.

PACESETTER #3 can be ordered from Tony Lorenz (email) for $7.95 US, $8.95 Canada, or $10.95 International. Please note that it is slightly cheaper to order directly from Tony and there may be a small fee if payments are received through Paypal.

COMICS INTERVIEW #6 (Aug 1983)

Another correction
posted 10/31/02 3:06 PM

Hi again:

I mentioned this in my panel at the Baltimore Comicon so I figure I should clarify something here as well since I noticed the same mistake in a recent update by Vu. The JLA/AVENGERS cover that appeared in COMICS INTERVIEW #6 and reprinted in other editions of the magazine was an original done specifically for that magazine. There is no JLA/AVENGERS cover that was drawn specifically for the crossover.

So, technically. it should be listed in all checklists as the cover of COMICS INTERVIEW #6 and any reprinting of it should refer to it as a reprint of the cover of CI#6, not JLA/AVENGERS #1.

I hope that's clear. I know how much the fans appreciate accuracy.

Take care,
GPz

Original Cover art JLA/AVENGERS
Thu, 31 Oct 2002 00:21:16 -0500

I found out from Mr. Perez at the JLA/Avengers panel in Baltimore that the comic cover drawn for the Comics Interview Magazine was never the cover to the actual project. It was just drawn for the magazine. Mr. Perez stated he never got a chance to do a cover before the project was stopped. Just thought that was interesting trivia that I never knew.

Image from DC Fanpage: JLA/Avengers

I am going to start a new feature here called Spotlight. I am basically going to revisit old Perez-related comics and hopefully bring some forgotten (or unheard of) information to your attention.

This was triggered when I went to DC Fanpage's JLA/Avengers Page and saw that they have several scans of the original first JLA/AVENGERS cover COMICS INTERVIEW #6 (see Comics Interview Cover), but with new colors. The two other cover scans are from different sources and (in my opinion) weren't as good as I would like to see it. So I've decided to re-scan the cover to DAVID ANTHONY KRAFT'S COMICS INTERVIEW SPECIAL EDITION: JLA/AVENGERS (can they think of a longer name?). Also note that the cover was colored by Bill Chadwick, who also hand separated the colors.

This book is printed on nice white sturdy paper and the entire magazine is squarebound, so it resemble a book with a cardstock cover (rather than their normal staple magazine format). This Special Edition was a reprint from DAVID ANTHONY KRAFT'S COMICS INTERVIEW #6 (new scan as well).

I remember the first time I saw this book, it was at (the now-closed) comic store called Sierra's Comics and Book Store in Clovis, California. I picked up the reprinted magazine and I asked the store clerk about it and he told me that it was a reprint and that the JLA/AVENGERS comics was cancelled! I was about 16 years old at the time!

Here is an excerpt from the article:

David Anthony Kraft: Well, gee, all the questions I had prepared no longer seemed to apply. Here we are, having waited to the last minute --- and yet, as we go to press, it's not even certain whether there'll actually be a JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA/AVENGERS book!
George Pérez: Every since I agreed to do this JLA/AVENGERS crossover, I've been very excited about it. I even jokingly threatened anyone else with a letter-bomb who even tried to get the assignment! I first asked for a plot all the way back as far as November or December of 1981, so I could have it really ahead of schedule, since it was scheduled for a summer 1983 release. Gerry Conway was working on other things, so he got it to me later than I would have wanted --- but a very, very good plot, although it seemed to have a hell of a lot of plot holes.

DAK: What was the original plot?
GPz: It was a time story, wherein Kang the Conqueror and the Lord of Time somehow dislodge and chase after some kind of stone that represents total power accumulation at the end of time. It's bouncing backwards through Time and Space, and the villains use the JLA and the Avengers respectively to go against each other, at different points in time, obviously with a different pairings of characters, to try to stop the others from getting the stone. The exact motivation was never clearly given in the plot. There was a motivation that was agreed upon between Gerry and myself, but it was never written down in the plot. It probably would have turned up in the writing. Roy Thomas was supposed to do the scripting based on Gerry's plot. The plot was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but strictly as a visual story it had a hell of a lot of potential. When I was told that Jim Shooter had turned it down, it distressed me, but it was understandable.

COMICS INTERVIEW last published issue is #143 as far as I know.
Here is a complete George Pérez appearances in COMICS INTERVIEW:

DAVID ANTHONY KRAFT'S COMICS INTERVIEW

Comics Interview #3 (IA)

Comics Interview #6 (CA, IA; int)

Comics Interview #9 (IA)

Comics Interview #13 (IA)

Comics Interview #20 (IA)

Comics Interview #26 (CP)

Comics Interview #50 (CA, IA; int)

Comics Interview #78 (IA)

Comics Interview #94 (CA, IA; int)

Comics Interview #104 (IA; int)

Comics Interview: JLA-Avengers Special Edition (CA; int, rep #6)

Comics Interview: Masters of Marvel (CA, IA; int, rep #50)

Comics Interview: Cosmic Crossover (CA, IA; rep #6, #26, #50, and #94)

Special thanks and acknowledgement to Andy Mangels's PEREZ ARCHIVES #1, Joe Koch's Avalanche Of Wonder, Mile High Comics, Pérez Art Gallery, David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview Group, and Comic Books Circus.