Al Ewing
The Whatever Comics Questionnaire
So who are you then and what do you do?
My name's Al Ewing and I write comics - notably reality-twisting shoot-fest Dead Signal in 2000AD, and breakneck martial arts freakout Tempest in Judge Dredd Megazine.
What have you done that we might recognize
I recently finished a Judge Dredd story, and there'll be more where that came from as I plan to milk that particular udder until it bleeds.
What have you done that we might not know about?
A vast raft of small press work in the mid-to-late nineties, before I got respectable and started asking for money. Some of the highlights can be found at
but one day all those old characters will come back, never fear...
What are you working on now that we should look out for?
A bundle of Judge Dredd stories and - if I can get it approved - a terrifyingly violent story involving space gods giving Earth a good kicking with their hob-nailed boots of beyond, provisionally titled Disaster 2010.
What piece of work are you most proud of and why?
Along with Ed Traquino, I invented The Destructivore, the ultraviolent Agent Of D.E.A.T.H. who romped around Solar Wind for a couple of issues. Death is his job - and he never takes the day off! Unless it's to kill someone! He doesn't even play by the rule that says there are no rules - so for him, there are even fewer rules! He's not so much a secret agent - more a secret breach of the Geneva Convention! Etc, etc... there's something about Jason Gritt that brings a tear of pride to the eye, and Ed's happy to do more. When we met up in New York we were talking about doing something with his American counterpart, the Destructivator, so hopefully a Destructivore one-off will be out before too long collecting all the stories.
If I could buy only one thing you have worked on what should it be?
Beatniks-A-Go-Go, my final excursion into the world of self-publishing, with me on both story and art, featuring the Cultural Hulk, Mightyman versus Blightyman and a particularly vicious attack on Spider-man.You can see the whole thing at the above-mentioned website if you have a look around.
What book would you have been proud to have worked on and why?
I've really wracked my brains on this one - probably the old sixties Marvel books, if I could slip Stan some sort of mickey and take over. I go on little fantasy trips when I read things like Essential Iron Man, inserting myself into the bullpen and driving all the serieses off to strange new places, apart from the ones Kirby was plotting obviously. On the Kirby books I'd endeavour to be the anti-Roy Thomas and cover as little of the gorgeous art as possible while staying true to the King's plots.
If you could work on any book / character in comics what would it be and why?
Inferior Five. I've got several great ideas for that title, from straight superhero satire to something a bit more like a punk Thunderbirds.
Who would you most like to collaborate with on an original story with and why?
Brendan McCarthy, because he is a magical land.
If you were allowed only five comics (does not have to be single issues a run counts as one) on a desert island (like Lost) what would they be?
Tough question! Off the top of my head...Morrison's Doom PatrolStrange Days, including Johnny Nemo magazine and the Paradax specialThe first Nemesis The Warlock phonebook.Peter Bagge's Hate!Evan Dorkin's Dork.
Do you have a website / blog where we can find out more?
I've got the old blog mentioned above, but I also have a blog at http://thealewingblog.blogspot.com/ which is rarely if ever updated, hence the name.
If you were a sandwich what would your filling be?
Spunk and Nut.
Chocolate or Chips?
Sashimi.
Judge Dredd or Batman?
Judge Dredd.
We'll have none of your weepy-weepy up-yourself emo here, Batman, you big pretentious stain of a man. Twatman more like - eh? EH? Although having said that his new cartoon with the Dick Sprang influences looks like it'll be ace fun for the kids, so welcome back to what you were actually created to do, Batman, you fat boring old tosser with your army of weeping spot-covered forty-year-old sexual perverts reading your horrible goth-fascist hate-pamphlets and masturbating like crazed baboons whenever you torture someone. Welcome back, you grotesque abomination, you.
I'm not a fan of Batman as he has become. I like what Morrison's done, though, and he seems to be driving the character back towards a mellower, smilier and happier bat-ethos like what Bob Haney did.
What word do you think is underused
Zarjaz.
Save the world or rule the galaxy?
Ruling the galaxy sounds too small for me. Nail me to the cross.
If you could be granted one superpower which would you chose?
The power to induce shame.
What is your ultimate "who'd win" in comics?
Adam West versus Batman and Adam West wins because HE SAVED BATMAN'S LIFE so Batman has to take the fall for the sake of honour. Booo Batman!
If you could be involved in telling a story featuring any two characters who would they be?
Reverse Aquaman and Skip, The Boy Who Molested Spider-Man.
What is the best and worst thing about working in comics?
The best thing is that you can theoretically do anything you like. The worst thing is that it's only theoretical.
Will you be so kind as to forward this to someone you know who works in comics.
Yeah, okay.
Any words of wisdom before you go?
Comics are great for kids but bad for adults, so careful with your comic habit or you'll get twisted up inside like the gnarled bark of an old tree.
Thank you and goodnight!
A thank you goes out to laurence for passing the questionnaire onto Al.
