PAUL CHADWICK ON CONCRETE: THE HUMAN DILEMMA

[MattBrady]

It’s been a few years since Ron Lithgow’s last outing. If you’re thinking, “But…but…wasn’t he Lord Farquaad?” you’ve got the wrong Lithgow. Ron Lithgow is the one we’re talking about here – former political speechwriter who was abducted by aliens 17 years ago as Paul Chadwick brought his Concrete to life.

For the quick version, Lithgow’s brain was removed from his body by the aliens, and placed into a rock-like humanoid shell. But – and here’s where things went differently, Concrete didn’t become a superhero. He became popular, sure, and well known, but no supervillains showed up, no one threatened to take over the world and he had to stop them, and no other “hero” showed up looking to team-up. Over the years and various miniseries, Chadwick has used his creation to explore various social as well as scientific issues.

This month’s Concrete: The Human Dilemma #1 (of 6) is no different, as Lithgow is approached to lend his name to a very controversial population control program.

We caught up with Chadwick to learn what’s coming up, and just what is “The Human Dilemma.”

Newsarama: First off, this is the first time you’ve released new Concrete material in about six years. Where's the character been for the last little while, production-wise? What happened?

Paul Chadwick: I've been freelancing around. Because I take so long to finish each Concrete series, I've been chasing quicker money. I've done several Matrix stories, stints on Dr. Strange, Deadpool, Y: The Last Man - all very short-term - and some one-off projects. And taking my sweet time on Concrete: The Human Dilemma's six issues, which -- Hallelulah! - are all finished.

NRAMA:Given the gap between the last story and this, where in their lives are Concrete, Maureen and Larry as The Human Dilemma begins?

PC: I like keeping some things constant. Concrete still lives in his warehouse in Eagle Rock, California. He's still prone to depression. Still collecting Victorian paintings of winsome maidens. Still sublimating his feelings for Maureen.

But not for long. Things change between them in this story.

Larry Munro's another case. He's been deeply affected by the trauma of his kidnapping and near-death recounted in Killer Smile. In this story, he proposes to the woman who helped him through that, Astra. It looks like his skirt-chasing is over.

However, never underestimate the male capacity for sexual irresponsibility.

NRAMA: In that vein, you’ve said that sex and population issues are at the heart of this storyline. In general, do your topics come from your personal concerns, or from who the characters are?

PC: From my own worries. I fear civilization's problems are outrunning our capacity to manage them. I'm more pessimistic as I age. Doing stories about them - particularly ones with wild-card solutions like the one proposed in this one for the population explosion - is a way of dealing with my fears.

I'm not on a mission to convert people to my point of view, though that would be nice. It's just that the things that scare or dismay the hell out of me make for good drama, I think. An author is at his best when he's making you feel as concerned about something as he is.

NRAMA: That said, how do you balance, especially in this day, putting forward an idea like population control, while not appearing to be preaching on a soapbox?

PC: Politically this is at first glance decades out of date. Why worry about overpopulation when TERRORISM is breathing down -- TERRORISM -- our necks at -- TERRORISM -- every turn.

But my broader theme is how human nature ill-equips us for our biggest challenges. We live only 100 years, tops. Our leaders are only fifty to seventy years old. We lack perspective. Moreover, we're wired to react to immediate, loud and scary threats. Like leopards. Or bears.

Or terrorism. When, actually, gradualistic problems, like population growth, desertification, the fraying of nation-states, the increase of fundamentalism, global climate change, the growth of debt, the depletion of oil - are much greater threats.

I daresay the collision of modernity and Islamic fundamentalism is a byproduct of the population explosion. Societies fray when teenagers dwarf every other sector of society. Institutions can't absorb a huge boom of young men, as has been dumped on the Islamic world in the past three decades. They can't find satisfying niches for their lives, and the black and white world of fundamentalism, which has simple answers for everything, gains appeal. Not to mention the fact that young people don't have the life experience to resist indoctrination.

Uh oh. I got on a soapbox. Trust me, the story is quite a bit of fun. Suspense, surprises, gags, moments of horror - these are essential story qualities in my opinion.

NRAMA: Okay – backing off from the larger picture then, who gets pregnant?

PC: There are two pregnancies. And, what the hell, yes, Concrete is one of them. That alien body of his - still dishing up surprises. Both Larry and Concrete face fatherhood…er, parenthood, with differing degrees of grace.

I'm a Dad, now. It's deeply gratifying and terror-rich. I've had the incomparable joy of a little kid squeezing me with fierce love, and weird dreads like worrying someone might throw him off the ferryboat at night if he gets out of my sight. These thoughts come unbidden into your mind as a parent.

And I must think about putting him through college, and estate planning, and all the rest. It's a real adieu to youth.

NRAMA: So what gets the ball rolling in the story that let’s you explore parenthood with your characters?

PC: Concrete's recruited as a spokesman for a foundation that encourages people to remain childless by, in return, paying and educating them. It's intended to be controversial, but also to make being child-free a respectable, not shameful, way of life.

This plunges Concrete into the political fray, at the same time his personal life - and Larry's - is undergoing upheaval.

To make things worse, a psycho is obsessing on both the pizza chain mogul who sponsors the foundation, and Concrete - and Maureen. He thinks they're putting contraceptives in the pizzas.

There's also a subtheme about collecting, how nuts people get about that. Comics fans will be able to relate.

NRAMA: Why do people recruit Concrete for their causes so…frequently? This happened in Think Like a Mountain, too. In his world, what is he known for?

PC: Like many celebrities, he's chosen to use his fame for a cause. I could quip that he couldn't settle on a pet disease, so environmentalism got the nod. But it really grew out of his growing up in California, where an environmental consciousness was in the air he breathed as a youth.

His personal motive is this: as a Senator's speechwriter, he always yearned to speak his own words. Being Concrete gave him the chance.

Concrete's ideal for a group promoting childlessness. He's racially neutral, obviously childless - little do they know - and a walking cartoon. People like cartoons in politics. Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenneggar, Sonny Bono - they're the ones who get elected. An Anthony Hopkins wouldn't get anywhere.

NRAMA: Population crisis, parenthood…no offense, but from the solicitations and synopses, The Human Dilemma sounds like it could almost be a snoozer. You've put some action in there, no?

PC: It'll be hard not to sound defensive in answering! I quote Tony Isabella from Tony's Online Tips:

"By page 12, I was on the edge of my seat and stayed that way straight through to the end - there is drama and plenty of it - though the wealthy individual trying to recruit Concrete does nothing which I could point to as even remotely villainous, he still gives me the chills. Now that's writing!"

There are two murders, both head shots, one in the face. Two car smash-ups. Four seductions. Infidelity. Two medical crises. A psychotic stalker. A hunt for a lost child. And, a time-honored staple - because it always works - of movies: the embarrassing scene in a restaurant. Two of them, actually. Brad and Jennifer make a cameo in one.

NRAMA: Okay, okay. And what about after this? Will the gap between this and the next installment be as long?

PC: I Hope not. The next one's researched and plotted, a ten-page treatment. That's usually the hardest part for me.

But I am writing the Matrix Online, a computer game, an ongoing story over the next few years. And I'm also drawing a miniseries for DC, which Harlan Ellison is writing: Seven Against Chaos. So it's a couple of years away, alas.

[chbryan]

I always enjoyed the humanity of this series, and I'm glad you hear that it's coming back. The pages above look beautiful. Obviously, this is a true labor of love and eprsonal vision for Paul Chadwick -- which always produces the best work from any creator. Get on that soapbox!

I'm equally intrigued by the work with Ellison. I look forward to hearing more about this project as well.

[render man]

Longtime fan and eager to get ahold of this series. Those pages look great! Concrete is easily one of the best creations in comics. And I love how its only Chadwicks baby. Unlike Hellboy with Mignola and the others he's leased the character out to which has diminished his appeal IMO.

[Smeggy]

Man, I've been wanting some Concrete for a long time!

Oh, and by the way, these in-thread ads suck. I think we get the point that stuff is for sale around here with the multiple banner and column ads...

[marvelman113]

Never read Concrete before, but this sounds right up my alley. Will this be accessible to new readers, or am I going to have to get some trades?

[Zadillo]

I've been looking into getting into Concrete for a long time. Could someone give me a run-down of what I'd want to get, or what everything is?

-Zadillo

[clayholio]

I can't wait to read this. Concrete has long been one of my favorite books.

[render man]

Originally posted by marvelman113
Never read Concrete before, but this sounds right up my alley. Will this be accessible to new readers, or am I going to have to get some trades?

You oughta be just fine starting with this series. Concretes series are always easily accessible with little to no past history explicitily needed to get the characters. But I would suggest picking up past series like Think Like a Mountain, Strange Armor and Killer Smile among others just for further enjoyment of the world of Concrete.

[tyopot]

i always thought of concrete as in line with sin city and hellboy.it`s always a good read.

[marvelman113]

Fantastic. My thanks for your time.

I'll be checking the trades out soon. Was that in order of release or personal favorites?

[Cerebud]

Truly one of the greatest comics of all time. This is one you can give to all your non-comics reading friends and they'll enjoy.

With all of Chadwick's Concrete stories, I think you can jump with the beginning of any mini-series. He's a guy in a concrete body, that's really all you need to know. Yet, I'm sure if you tried to get some back issues, you'd appreciate this one more.

I highly recommend "The Complete Concrete", which includes the first series. The other great thing about Concrete is that Paul's done many, many short stories in Dark Horse Presents and elsewhere. These short stories aren't really major, mind blowing stories, but small character pieces or things of "whimsy" (trying not to sound pretentious). The depth of these characters actually makes you miss them (I can't believe it's been six years!!)

Trust me, you will not regret buying Concrete. Glad you have an open mind.

[idkidd]

And taking my sweet time on Concrete: The Human Dilemma's six issues, which -- Hallelulah! - are all finished.

Why is the series being published bi-monthly if all the issues are already completed?

Also, in what order to the trades take place?

[hy200]

This sounds great. I really missed reading CONCRETE, so I'm glad Chadwick's bringing in some new stuff.