Film and comics writer Glen Brunswick has an impressive resume that includes creating comics as well as writing for Hollywood. Currently working on the live-action film adaptation of acclaimed comics writer Brian K. Vaughn's super hero series Ex Machina for New Line Cinema as well as prepping the June trade paperback compilation of Killing Girl, his new action adventure series for Image comics, PW Comics Week asked the writer about his unique career path and the growing intersections between the worlds of film and comics.
PWCW: How did you get started in Hollywood?
Glen Brunswick: I started out in Hollywood as a literary agent for screenwriters. I had this one writer in particular who was a real talent, but who was unwilling to hear any serious criticism. My solution was to get him to take a writing class with me—the end result being a script that we would both co-author. But I actually discovered that I didn’t stink, as much as I thought I did, as a writer anyway. The next script we wrote together we sold to Universal. This was an adaptation of a terrific little book entitled Last Days of Summer by my writing partner, Steve Kluger. We’ve been waiting over ten years now for Universal to make that movie. The book has gone on to seven or eight editions and is a must read in many libraries and high schools across the nation.
PWCW: How did you make the transition to comics?
GB: You can blame John Romita Jr. for my start in comics. It’s all his fault! He asked me to work with him, and I couldn’t refuse. John’s Italian and he has people who wound you if you refuse. John, if you’re reading this—I’m kidding! Please, don’t hurt me. In 2007, I had the good fortune to adapt Brian Vaughan’s critically acclaimed Ex Machina comic book series into a live action screenplay for New Line Cinema. I fell in love with that book off Brian’s brilliant first issue. It’s been a real thrill to work on, what I consider to be, one of the truly great contemporary comic book properties.
PWCW: How did you manage to hook up with John Romita Jr.?
GB: Believe it or not, I met John Romita Jr. at a Hollywood premiere in December of 2001. He was standing with his wife on the other side of the room. I mentioned this fact to my wife, and she absolutely insisted that I go talk to him. Years of listening to my inane fanboy stories made her realize that this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I introduced myself to John, making sure to let him know what an honor it was to meet him. His response was, “Oh yeah, Sean Penn is over here, Michelle Pfeiffer is over there…And you want to talk to me? That makes sense.” He asked me why I was at the premiere. I explained that I had co-written the story to a New Line Cinema film called Frequency, and that when they couldn’t fill the room they occasionally invited me to their parties. Apparently John really loved that movie, because about five minutes later he was pitching me an idea that was the basis for what became my first book, The Gray Area.
PWCW: Can you describe you latest project Killing Girl, from genesis to the upcoming collection?
GB: My initial thought was just to combine my love of a good Mafia story with an elite female assassin—but as I began to get into the story, I quickly realized that I wanted more of a unique spin. So I developed this idea that the Mafia not only has its own secret service, but that it was a major sub-contractor of black operatives to the CIA. One of the biggest challenges I had to face was creating a dark protagonist who remains empathetic enough that we still want to take her journey with her. The five issues we did definitely exceeded my expectations for the series. The first issue went to a second printing, and the retailers with whom I’ve been able to connect all told me that they couldn’t keep the book in their stores. It’s all been very exciting. For the trade paperback, we’ve added a ten page art section that has unseen work from both of the book’s artists, Frank Espinosa and Toby Cypress. Mark Waid, a personal writing hero of mine, was actually kind enough to agree to write the introduction.
PWCW: Can you describe your creative process?
GB: I think it’s important, at the very least, to write a little bit each day. It’s kind of like exercising—if you stop for too long it becomes much more difficult that first day back. I try to make sure that I write every day, even if it’s only for an hour, then I feel like my current projects stay fresh in my mind.
PWCW: Who do you admire in film and in comics?
GB: In film, a few of the screenwriters I currently admire are Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, and Scott Frank. Frank also wrote Out of Sight, one of my favorite films by one of my favorite directors, Steven Soderbergh. I also dig most of the films directed by Michael Mann. The writers in comics I consistently follow are Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison and Brian Vaughan.
PWCW: What's your take on the current state of comics?
GB: I feel we are in a golden age of comics today in terms of the quality being produced. And some of the most talented creators seem to be doing their best work in the creator-owned arena. I eagerly seek out the new creator stuff with the same boyish enthusiasm I had for the super-hero books that I read as a kid. I think we’re on a real upswing!
PWCW: What books are you looking forward to reading?
GB: I just picked up a couple of books that I haven’t had the time to get to yet. The first is the Pulitzer Prize winner The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, and the other is The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson. In comics, I’ve recently been impressed with Jonathan Hickman’s Pax Romana, The Twelve by J. Michael Straczynski, and Scalped by Jason Aaron. Oh, and Brubaker’s Captain America and Criminal always blow me away.
PWCW: What are your upcoming projects?
GB: I’ve been running around Hollywood with a brilliant comic book project by Phil Hester and John McCrea entitled The Atheist. Sam Jackson recently agreed to play the lead. We plan on shopping this to studios shortly now that the strike has finally ended. I also have a graphic novel called Dead Girlfriend. It’s about a guy who winds up being haunted by his dead ex-girlfriend because she wants him to begin living his life again. I’m also planning a new ongoing series called Jersey Gods about a God of War who hooks up with a girl of privilege from South Jersey. He falls deeply in love and wants to marry her. But she will only agree to be his if he’s willing to buy a home a few houses down from her parents. He becomes South Jersey’s champion on the days he doesn’t have to do the chores or deal with his meddlesome in-laws. The series is being drawn by the Dynamic Dan McDaid. Dan’s style is a delightfully exciting cross between Darwyn Cooke and Jack Kirby.
PWCW: Do you foresee more crossover from the world of Hollywood to the world of comics?
GB: I think a number of Hollywood writers got a taste for comics during the recent Hollywood writer’s strike. Also, the immediacy of the comic book form is very compelling. A lot of writers that have been waiting many years for their passion projects to get made may discover comics as a wonderful creative outlet. And as the graphic novel market continues to expand, and continues to be the jumping off point for some pretty terrific films, I think we’ll see many more writers crossover.
PWCW: What are you most proud of that your work in comics?
GB: I’ve been very fortunate to work with some extremely talented artists on all of my comic projects. It’s just impossible for me to pick a favorite book. The most exciting thing for me is when the art comes in and it totally exceeds my expectations. Working in comics is the most fun I’ve had, creatively. I hope to continue doing it for quite a while.
