'76 I: TALKING TO B. CLAY MOORE & ED TADEM

[MattBrady]

by Zack Smith

1976 was about more than disco fever and fancy-schmancy bicentennial quarters. It was a time when heroes walked across 110th Street like human tornados, throwing down, busting heads, breaking hearts, taking names, and gettin’ it on. Those days are back this January in ’76, a fly eight-issue miniseries from Image Comics so superbad you’re gonna go, “Damn, that’s funky!”

{ahem}

There’s so much action in this series that one storyline couldn’t contain it. Each issue offers a one-two punch of hardcore 1970s action.

First off, on the East Side, B. Clay Moore and Ed Tadem tell a tale of partners reunited in battle. Ten years back, Jackie Karma and his man Marcus King kept the streets of NYC clean Golden Lion-style. Times change, and now Jackie’s gone lawyer while Marcus is a community activist. But when a stone-cold pimp threatens to flood the streets with smack, Jackie and Marcus stop hitting the books and start hitting the bricks to save the city the only way they know how…with hot, bad-ass kung-fu fury.

Over on the West Side, Seth Peck and Tigh Walker spin you the story of two different partners. Leon Campbell and Pete Walker are Vietnam vets who earn their scratch tracking down fugitives in LA. Their latest case is their most outrageous yet, and things look rough. Things are spinning out of control, and the outcome’s in doubt. But if these bad-boy brothers from different mothers stick together to stay one step ahead of the game, they’ll show the world just why they’re…Cool.

We got both sets of creators on hand to guide us through this world. First up, B. Clay Moore and Ed Tadem tell us all you need to know about Jackie Karma. Chill yourself some Colt 45, grab some Isaac Hayes and Quincy Jones, and travel to the mean streets of ’76. CAN YOU DIG IT?

Sorry. Back to where we were.

Newsarama: Clay, tell us 'bout this bad dude Jackie Karma. What's his story?

B. Clay Moore: Jackie was raised under the watchful eye of the Order of the Golden Lion (hence the lion emblazoned on the back of his jacket). Learning an eclectic mix of martial arts, he soon became their prodigy and prized pupil. In the late sixties, he began to operate more and more on his own, eventually teaming up with street brawler Marcus King and judo expert Bobby Howler.

As his legend in New York City grew, he left the Order, causing much friction. At the end of the sixties, Bobby had left for Vietnam, and Marcus and Jackie retired from streetfighting. Jackie went into law.

NRAMA: So what brings Jackie back into the game, and how have things changed in his absence?

BCM: Bobby Howler, now living on the streets, is visited by a figure from their past, who just wants to warn Bobby and the boys that he's got plans, and they'd better stay retired. Obviously, this intrigues Jackie and Marcus.

New York City circa 1976 is a much rougher place than it was in the summer of love (1967, kids). Money is tight, the drugs are serious, and there's not a lot of hope out there.

NRAMA: Drop the dime on Marcus King. Who is he, and how is his life different from Jackie's?

BCM: In the late sixties, Marcus was a young black man when young black men were truly finding their voices in America. He went through different phases of activism, but ultimately found comfort cleaning up the streets with Jackie. When the duo retired from action, Marcus went into community activism, and in 1976, Jackie tracks him down in a library, researching law.

NRAMA: Jackie knows the ways of the Golden Lion. What are the secrets of this mysterious art?

BCM: They're called "secrets" for a reason, Zack. But it involves a lot of hitting and kicking.

NRAMA: If Jackie and Marcus threw down on Power Man and Iron Fist, who'd be left standing?

BCM: Power Man and who? Jackie and Marcus would probably just laugh at their crazy threads, slap some skin and head downtown to check out the Funkadelic show.

NRAMA: How did you and Seth hook up on this bad boy?

BCM: Honestly, we both had ideas set in the seventies, and I suggested we combine them into one book. Double the fun.

NRAMA: Why'd you decide to go the way of the double feature?

BCM: Using two great young artists on two great ideas set in the same year, but on opposite coasts? Seemed like a no-brainer. Just like catching a kick-ass double feature at a seventies drive-in, baby.

NRAMA: Who were some of the inspirations for this character? I get a vibe
like the old Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu magazine off this one, and the design also reminds me of Jonny Double.

BCM: Jonny Double? Not an influence in any way, but a cool character. I just thought it would be fun to cram the elements of seventies pop culture and exploitation into a street level book. So the influences run the gamut from Bruce Lee to Gordon Parks to Tavares to Deadly Hands to Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.

The look of the character evolved from a sketch by artist Jason Latour, which Ed Tadem refined into what we see now.

NRAMA: Ed, how did you refine this look?

Ed Tadem: Jason's original idea has this very Chuck Norris vibe. When I jumped on the project and talked to Clay, I was vibing a Steve McQueen thing (in addition to the gentlemen Clay mentioned), which meant prettying Jackie up and snazzing up his threads.

NRAMA: How'd you guys hook up for this project?

BCM: I was familiar with Ed's work, and the aforementioned Jason Latour pushed me to contact Ed about doing the book. So I did. I'm not stupid.

Ed isn't one of these young guys who will one day develop into a terrific comic book artist. Ed is already better than most. He understands things about art that you don't learn just tracing photos or redrawing old Jim Lee comics. He's absolutely fearless with a brush, has nailed the character designs, nails the storytelling, and understands the importance of environment in comics.

He's made the book.

ET: I consider myself insanely lucky to be working with Clay on my first major comics foray. He's such a great writer to work with because he actually loves and understands the craft of comics, and the scripts I get for each issue make my job easy. It's given me the chance to grow as a storyteller first and foremost, and not worry about surface or polish too much. Clay knows what's what, and he's good at it too. Also, I get to draw mutton chops and bell bottoms on everyone, which I was doing before we started working together anyway.

NRAMA: When you're doing a story about a street fighter, what kind of research do you have to do?

BCM: I hung around on a lot of street corners at midnight, throwing burning cigarettes at passerby.

ET: There's this "club" where you "fight”...and...I think I've said too much.

NRAMA: You've let readers get a hands-on look at the making of this book on your blog. Why did you decide to go this route?

BCM: Honestly, just to get the word out to whatever small degree we could manage. We should update it more frequently, but there's still a lot of fun behind-the-scenes stuff there.

ET: I think it's always fun to see what kind of work goes into the making of a book. I love seeing roughs and early drafts of things, and the fun part of drawing any of these pages for me is always the roughing out stage, setting up scenes. The majority of real work gets done before even touching the final piece of Bristol board.

NRAMA: Do you have plans for more '76 after the initial miniseries?

BCM: Yep. I'd love to follow this up with Ed, doing more Jackie Karma stories. We've talked about doing a "flashback" story to the late sixties, too.

ET: Yes, please. If people respond to the book the way we hope, it should be a no-brainer.

NRAMA: Do you have ideas for other characters within this universe, or a crossover between your and Seth's characters?

BCM: There are a lot of characters in Jackie's universe, and I'd like to flesh them out some, probably through more Jackie stories to start with.

I think Seth's characters exist in the same universe, but I don't know where they'd cross paths.

NRAMA: Where were you in '76?

BCM: I actually met Peck in 1976. I was picking up extra cash, running Peruvian flake from Padre Island to Salt Lake City in a modified Econoline van, and picked Seth up somewhere in Arizona. He'd been hitching his way from Mexico to Canada, trying to stay one step ahead of some small town Sheriff who caught him teaching Spanish and Gordon Lightfoot songs to his beautiful teenaged daughters.

Recognizing a kindred spirit by the way he wore his leather cowboy hat and bell-bottoms, I invited him to join my commune in Golden, Colorado. That's where he fell in love with a Filipino runaway named Mae, who was dazzled by Seth's skills with a bullwhip. They left our happy home, headed for Canada, and we only recently hooked up again here in Kansas City.

Also...Ed is Filipino and Tigh is Canadian. So you do the math.

ET: Tigh's Canadian?

NRAMA: And finally: What's your favorite piece of '76 street slang?

BCM: People don't use "foxy" enough these days...

ET: If I had a dime for every time I call someone a "jive turkey"...well I wouldn't be drawing comics. I'd be out there calling everyone a jive turkey, I guess.

[J. Torres]

First post!

(And good luck with this, Clay you foxy jive turkey you!)

[Blackbeard]

Excellent interview! Really looking forward to it, Clay.

[Cicero]

1970s?

Well, darn.

[Midas]

I really hate buying miniseries in single-issue format but this seems too awesome to pass up. Really looking forward to this and am also looking forward to the ongoing Hawaiian Dick series. B. Clay---please do everything you can to keep them both shipping on time! Love your stuff man.

[Skinshark]

That cover kicks butt!

=s=

[BClayMoore]

Originally Posted by Midas

I really hate buying miniseries in single-issue format but this seems too awesome to pass up. Really looking forward to this and am also looking forward to the ongoing Hawaiian Dick series. B. Clay---please do everything you can to keep them both shipping on time! Love your stuff man.

In the case of '76, we've got four of the eight issues in the can. We've been working on the book for almost two years already, to make sure we're on track, and don't get struck by the myriad disasters that have always plagued HAWAIIAN DICK (the first issue of which just received a rave review on Newsarama).

We're gold with this one.

Thanks a ton for the support.

(Make sure you pester your retailer for my upcoming DC books, too!)

-BCM

[BClayMoore]

I think my favorite cover is the third:



I should mention that HAWAIIAN DICK's Steven Griffin designed the logo

-BCM

[Midas]

Originally Posted by BClayMoore

In the case of '76, we've got four of the eight issues in the can. We've been working on the book for almost two years already, to make sure we're on track, and don't get struck by the myriad disasters that have always plagued HAWAIIAN DICK (the first issue of which just received a rave review on Newsarama).

We're gold with this one.

Thanks a ton for the support.

(Make sure you pester your retailer for my upcoming DC books, too!)

-BCM

Well, a three-issue Superman Confidential arc with art by Phil Hester and Andy Parks and purporting to feature luchadores? I'm already there!

[Duke Jupiter]

For a new guy, Ed Tadem already has his storytelling chops down pat. I'm impressed.

However, I'm hoping his drawing speed is better than what B. Clay Moore is suggesting - four issues in almost two years is not a very quick turnaround.

- DJ

[BClayMoore]

Originally Posted by Duke Jupiter

For a new guy, Ed Tadem already has his storytelling chops down pat. I'm impressed.

However, I'm hoping his drawing speed is better than what B. Clay Moore is suggesting - four issues in almost two years is not a very quick turnaround.

- DJ

I don't mean to imply Ed and Tigh have been drawing the book at top speed for two years.

That includes conception, plotting, scripting, character design and studies, general designwork, and, yes, penciling and inking.

The point is we wanted to have half the book done before soliciting the first issue. We should have five done by the time number one ships.

As for his storytelling, he's only gotten better since these pages (in every facet of his work).

-BCM

[Shanobi]

"There’s so much action in this series that one storyline couldn’t contain it."

There's so much action, that none of these pages contain it. What action?

Looks like more Bendis talking head ____.

[Derek Ruiz]

Finally...I've been waiting on this since Clay announced it many moons ago.

[GeorgeG]

Is that the Daughters of the Dragon on the third cover?

[BClayMoore]

Originally Posted by GeorgeG

Is that the Daughters of the Dragon on the third cover?

No. Those are characters from two different stories. The one in front is Sam(antha) Jones, private eye, from Jackie Karma. The one in back is Cherry Baum, stripper on the run, from Cool.

Sam is the spiritual descendent of Ms. Pam Grier in her prime:




-BCM

[csatterlee]

Good luck, Clay. It looks like a really fun comic to work on and I bet it'll be a blast to read.