Seven old questions I once asked Peter David

January 20, 2005

By Avi Green

I once asked these to Peter David on his weblog during 2003. I found them recently among all my old stuff and belongings, and thought to myself, why not post them here, since they could be of interest?

So here they are for now, and I hope you'll enjoy what's in store here.

Avi Green: If DC gave you the job of writing Jessie Quick, the fastest femme alive in the DCU, would you want to write a series or miniseries for her?

Peter A. David: Nah. Speedsters make me nervous, because if you play them accurately, they're impossible to beat. I could deal with Impulse because he was easily distracted.

AG: If Marvel gave you the job of writing the X-books and gave you the proper freedom in writing it, would you be in favor of working on it?

PAD: I have real trouble believing that such a situation could occur.

AG: What's your opinion on comics coverage in the mainstream media? Do you think it's too, ummm, sugarcoated? And that it cares more about what's hyped outrageously than about what's really got class?

PAD: My only opinion of comics coverage is that there isn't enough of it. As for the media caring more about what's hyped outrageously than what's really class...that may be true, but that's hardly limited to comics.

AG: Do you agree that if there's any minorities that should really be featured in comics, it's ones from such backgrounds as Swedish, Danish, Armenian, Dutch, Lebanese Christian, Druse,* Corsican, Fijian, Bulgarian, Czech, and Macedonian? The readership does deserve to get to know about such nationalities and their cultures and customs too, don't they?

PAD: Yeah, but as a write you have to be willing to do the research to make it accurate. Otherwise, next thing you know, you're hearing from angry Swedes, etc., complaining that you're doing them an injustice. So as a writer who's just trying to hit his deadlines, you have to decide whether it's worth the...wait. Druse? What the hell is Druse...?

AG: If there's any CrossGen titles that you'd like to write if offered a job by them, which would it/they be?

PAD: Truthfully, I don't know the CG titles well enough to say I'd be interested in any of them.

AG: What places have you travelled to abroad? Have you ever visited Israel too?

PAD: Yes. I've been to Israel. I've seen London, I've seen France, although I have not seen your underpants. I've been to Germany, Romania, Portugal, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Canada, Ireland, Scotland. And yet, I've never been to me.

AG: What computer games do you like to play? Do they include "real time strategy" games?

PAD: I don't really play any computer games, aside from an occasional bout of Solitaire or Bejeweled.

* On the part about the Druse, I explained that to him in an e-mail, that they're an Arab community whose culture and style is almost like that of Judaica:

Dear PAD, (Sept 8, 2003)

Hello. In the topic from last week, you said you didn't know who or what Druse are, so let me explain: It's an Arab sect that's said to be descended from Islam but it's followers are more identified with the Jewish faith, in a manner of speaking. There are a lot of Arabs of Druse backgrounds who live in the Galilee in Northern Israel, and the comics colorist Michael Netzer's (who called himself Mike Nasser in the 70's) father was from such a background. I understand you may not have travelled to the Galilee when you visited Israel years ago, but if you did, you'd probably meet some people of the Druse background there.

Thanks for the replies to my questions from last week too.

best,
Avi Green

Hunh. How about that. I didn't know that. Bet my parents did, though.

PAD

So there you have it, everybody. And there are even a few things to learn from it too.

Copyright 2005 Avi Green. All rights reserved.

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