SDCC 2014: Interview With Batman’s Detective Comics Co-Writer Brian Buccellato

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SDCC 2014: Interview With Batman's Detective Comics Co-Writer Brian Buccellato
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The Batman 75th Anniversary was in full force at San Diego ComicCon 2014! DC comics gave Sal Barragan and I the opportunity to interview the Batman Family comic teams during the 4 day event.

Here is our interview with one of the current Bat Family team members, Brian Buccellato! Brian has worked on Punisher/Batman, Uncanny X-Men, Generation X, and Astro City. He’s worked for almost all the big name comic companies and is now working on the New 52 with DC. His most recent works include Detective Comics and the Flash. Check out our interview with this Brian at the bottom of the page and read his bio below!

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PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

ALWAYS BE COLORING

In 1994, after a three-year stint as an English Major at New York University, he moved to Los Angeles, armed with half a degree and a full measure of debt. There, he learned how to color comics from his Award Winning brother, Steve Buccellato. Not to say that Steve isn’t worthy of winning one for brotherhood, but his award was for Coloring (Wizard Fan Award 1996).

His first professional work was in the Marvel/DC Crossover PUNISHER/BATMAN (1994), colored in Photoshop 2.5. He then worked with Steve on a slew of high-profile books, including UNCANNY X-MEN, GENERATION X, and ASTRO CITY, before striking out on his own as a freelance colorist. Brian has worked as a freelance colorist since 1996, working for Marvel, DC, Vertigo, Top Cow, Image and Dynamite Entertainment. His recent coloring credits include Adventure Comics, Hellblazer, Superman and The Flash.

But coloring is not the whole story, kids. Let’s take it back to 1995…

ACTING! (or MY PHANTOM MENACE)

After a year in Los Angeles, Brian felt the call of Hollywood. Three months into ridiculous method acting classes, he began auditioning. His perseverance netted him a handful of indie flicks and a middling agent who specialized in Latino talent. Rumor has it that he even won a Filipino-American acting award for his heroic death as gangbanger, “JOEY,” of the widely feared VIPERS fictional street gang. But ultimately, Brian (came to his senses and) got sick of going out for gang banger roles in scripts that he felt he could write better. He returned to his English major roots, devoured a bazillion books on screenwriting and began throwing words down on the page like crazy. Somewhere in the middle of all that, he actually picked up a few writing skills.

A NEW (WRITING) HOPE

It was during this time that he met Tim Story, who would go on to direct such studio films as Barbershop, Fantastic Four (I and II) and Think Like A Man (March 2012). Brian developed a friendship with Tim, becoming a member of THE STORY COMPANY as a frequent collaborator, ghostwriter and sometimes assistant to Tim. Among the original screenplays that Brian wrote for the Story Company, are the in-development ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE GHETTO, INVASION, and QUIK & E-Z.

WRITING COMICS (or GONNA FLY NOW)

ROCKY ONE

While working for Top Cow Productions in 2004, Brian tried his hand at writing for comics. He scripted some BATTLE OF THE PLANETS, and wrote a single issue of DARKNESS (vol.2 #21 – penciled by Francis Manapul). He also wrote dialogue for Witchblade Manga, and co-wrote ORIUS for the Dabel Brothers Imprint. But despite giving what seemed like a noble effort, he was NOT awarded with the World Heavyweight Championship Belt… for writing comics.

ROCKY TWO

Fast forward to 2011…   after more than a dozen years, Brian was still coloring comics and still writing spec screenplays. But all that time in training paid off. One day Brian got a call from pal/artistic collaborator, Francis Manapul, who offered him the chance to co-write a little book for the DC NEW52. It was called (and is still called) THE FLASH. Brian accepted the challenge, rose to the occasion, and finally kicked Apollo Creed’s ass.

ROCKY THREE – SIX

Currently in production. The roles of Ivan Drago, Tommy Gunn, and Mason Dixon are still up for grabs…

brianbooch.com

Transformers Kollector Extraordinaire. Mike originally wrote a weekly article called the Cybertronian Enquirer for Inside Pulse, but now does special events such as SDCC, Botcon, and other conventions. Mike has one of the largest Transformers collections ranging from G1 to Power of the Primes including Japanese, European, 3rd Party, prototypes (G2 Stunticons!), and Lucky draws.