Romita, Romita, and David at MegaCon 2001
John and John, Jr held a question and answer session with the guests at MegaCon I have to admit to you that I did not write down every question and answer, exactly as the Romitas said them, and I am going largely by memory. Please do not quote anything directly from this article - I just want to give you the context of what was talked about, not the specific quotes and phrases.
Question for John Jr on how he got into comics and if his father helped him.
John Jr - He (John) never forced me to do anything I didn't want to. I made the decision that this was what I wanted t do.
John - (on John Jr. getting into comics) I was terrified that he was not going to be able to make a living at it. If he was not good, people would say he was in it only because I brought him in. But that was not the case.
Question favorite issue for each.
John Jr. My favorite was the "Daredevil: Man without Fear" book. It started out as a one book special and expanded to five issues and 144 pages.
John: For me it was the Spider-Man story with Flash Thompson in Vietnam. (Amazing Spider-Man #108 and 109). The oriental guy in the story was my tribute to the oriental character from "Terry and the Pirates".
Question on why comic book readership is down
John - I think it is a viscious cycle. I am not sure which came first. The drop in readership or the decline in art and story quality. From the early 90's to 96 it was a question of trial and error. We (Marvel) were going to do a line of comics based on Harliquinn Romance novels. Unfortunately, if readership was not there, Marvel pulled the title quickly. I think DC has done a better job of supporting a title. I have been trying to come up with additional ways to increase readers. We even tried "Digest" comics to get them in supermarket counters.
John - I'd like to get "stories" back into comics. Comics were born because they needed to use up the "pulp" (wood shaving from manufacturing lumber). Now the pulp is used up. Simplicity is the best way to do comics.
What is wrong with the comic book industry
John - In the 1970's the conglomerates (corporations) got control of the comic book companies. We have been laboring under the assumption of making profits ever since. The mid 70's is the tlast time we had fun in comics. They (corporation) bought (what they thought was) the cash cow.
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