What is your art background and what lead you to pursue a career in comics?

I drew constantly since second grade, when I realized I was getting the attention of other kids with my drawings. I was always reading comics of all types, and when I discovered Marvel comics, still in its' Silver Age glory, I began copying from them as best I could, I was interested in all types of art, but the art of comics and comic strips held my attention the most, and was what inspired me to the greatest degree.

I wanted to pursue an art career, and decided to go to art school to gain the discipline and skills I needed, and to figure out what kind of artist I'd be. After finishing 4 years at the Academy of Art College, I pursued a career as a commercial illustrator. I worked at this for a few years, never completely shaking off my comic book influences, then in a stroke of good luck, moved into a shared art-studio with some other comic book artists, notably Al Gordon and Steve Leialoha, later to be joined by Erik Larsen. All of these guys were getting work from Marvel and DC, already, so I benefitted greatly from just being in the same room with them, soaking up knowledge and helpful (though sometimes painful) criticism. I also got to know other movers and shakers in the comic world through these associations.

I still had to get in the hard way though, sending in samples to editors at Marvel, DC and elsewhere, and accumulating a healthy pile of rejection letters. Some of them encouraged me to keep trying, however, and eventually I began getting work, first with smaller publishers, and eventually getting my first big break at DC, drawing Wonder Woman, with Geoge Perez scripting!

I knew now that this was what I wanted to do and it didn't hurt that I was getting a much steadier paycheck than my commercial art jobs offered. So, I continued in that direction. The rest is history!

How did the Nova art assignment come about?

I got the Nova job thanks mainly to my editor on Spiderman, Danny Fingeroth, who was very supportive of me, and to whom I'll always be grateful. In addition to the Spiderman books Danny also was responsible for New Warriors, and had plans for Nova. He had me do a tryout on an issue of New Warriors and on a New Warriors Annual, both of which included Nova. Soon, with Fabian Nicieza's guarded approval, (I was still pretty green), and that of the new editor, Rob Tokar, I began work on the first issue of Nova.

When you took over the writing chores from Fabian Nicieza, how much of his subplots did you choose to continue and how did you revise them?

As I recall, when I took over the scripting, the only subplot of Fabian's that was really left dangling was the Nova 0:0 one. I didn't know how he wanted to resolve that, however, so I just winged it. I had a bible of his subplot ideas that went on well into the following year and beyond, and probably would have used some of them eventually, but I also had a bunch of ideas of my own that I wanted to develop. It was Fabian's idea to have Nova moonlight as a messenger service, and I carried that on a bit, as well as his idea of the Corruptor being a manipulator behind the scenes. Other than that, I just went in my own direction, and can't recall any other revisions on Fabian's plan's.

When you became both writer and artist on the Nova book, how did it affect your approach to the artwork?

Well, not a bit, really. I continued to evolve and refine my drawing always trying new approaches. I realized my limitations in time management, however, as I still wanted to spend as much time as possible on my art, coupled with the additional challenge of coming up with a coherent storyline and dialogue.

How did you coordinate your stories on the Nova series with Evan Skolnick who was writing the New Warriors series?

As I recall, I mainly coordinated the continuity with my editor, Rob Tokar who also handled New Warriors. I don't recall speaking with Skolnick re: Nova.

In Nova #10, you had Nova battle Diamondhead and began a subplot dealing with Nova's suppressed memories of an incident during the Skrull/Xandar War. All we got to see, at that point, was Nova fighting alongside the Nova Corps and a mysterious woman. Do you recall what the entire story of Epyrus 7 was about?

Unfortunately, that was one of those flashes of inspiration that begin with scenes like that flashback, the rest of which would be resolved as I went along. And that was as far as I got. I had intended to build on it more and more as the comic progressed, ultimately climaxing in a big kind of space opera climax, w/ major impact on the Nova Corps, and Nova himself. The name Epyrus 7 was inspired by the phrase "Pyrrhic victory", (a victory gained at too great a cost), by the Greek ruler Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, in NW Greece, and my story was going to revolve around that idea, of winning a battle, but the victory being an empty one, with many bad repercussions.I hadn't decided who the woman was, or her role in the story before the book was cancelled.

Was it always planned for Nova 0:0 to be killed or was it something that naturally evolved out of the Deathstorm story arc?

I think Fabian had planned for him to die originally. Can't have too many alternate Novas around, right? As I recall, the Deathstorm arc grew out of 0:0. I believe at that point, we knew the book was being dropped, and Rob wanted to wrap that storyline.

What storylines did you have planned for Nova had the series continued?

I'd hoped to explore and define Xandar and Nova's relationship w/the Xandarians and the Nova Corps; I had plans to deepen Rich's relationship with Namorita, and had hopes to do tie-ins with the New Warriors, or at least have them guest star more often.

I wanted the alien Aakon to continually be a source of conflict, both on-planet and off. I intended to continue what Fabian had begun with the Corruptor, to have him be a major player behind the scenes, gradually coming more into the foreground as a baddie of Kingpin or Lex Luthor proportions.

Beyond that, I just wanted it to be a fun book, with plenty of action, fight scenes, humor, and in general, just have a great time romping around in that playground known as the Marvel Universe!

What projects are you currently involved with?

Currently I'm pencilling and inking "Tales of the Champions" for Heroic Publications, as well as writing and doing art for other titles for Heroic, including Psyche, which is scripted by the renowned Frank Brunner. I'm also working up some other independent projects with writer Richard Rainey which I can clue you in on a little later.

It's been a pleasure! Thanks for checking in with me.