5 Quick Questions with Tom Peyer

Tom Peyer is an American comic book creator and editor.

He is primarily known for his work with DC Comics, but has also worked for Marvel Comics, Wildstorm, and Bongo Comics. He had who had long writing runs on Legion of Super-Heroes and Hourman.

He wrote the 2008 Tek Jansen comic book, based on the Stephen Colbert character.

Peyer's career began as a newspaper cartoonist for an alternative weekly newspaper in Syracuse, New York. In this role, he came to the attention of Roger Stern, a Syracuse resident.

Recent projects include Galveston at Boom! Studios



He agreed to answer 5 Quick Questions

1) What would you say is your greatest achievement in comics?

I met a deadline once.

2) Who was your favorite writer or artist that you worked with & why?

I can't name one. I've worked with too many great artists. Curt Swan. Dick Sprang. Steve Dillon. Duncan Fegredo.

And, as an editor, Brian Bolland, Simon Bisley, Dave McKean, Sean Phillips, Jill Thompson and many others.

I probably did my best writing with two of my ongoing collaborators, Rags Morales and Barry Kitson, both tremendously gifted artists. So let's smoosh those two into a creature called Barry Morales and call him my favorite.

3) What character you have never worked on ... would you like to do & why?

I've written a lot of my favorites, but I never got to work with Ben Grimm. He has a memorable look and a simple power and a sweet personality, and he's funny and I've known him since I was seven and I love him. In an interview years ago, Steve Gerber gave us his list of characters who are true originals: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc., and The Thing was right in there. And Steve was right.

4) Who are your influences?

In comics? Jack Kirby, Mark Waid, Grant Morrison, John Broome, Karen Berger, Dan Clowes, Arnold Drake, Mike Carlin, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Alan Moore, Will Eisner, Steve Gerber, John Stanley, Tatjana Wood, Jamie Delano, Steve Ditko, Peter Milligan, Roger Stern, R. Crumb, Steve Englehart, Bill Griffith, Bob LeRose, Walt Kelly, Chester Gould, Johnny Ryan... can I keep going?

5) What hero or villain would you like to change if you could and why?

I'd make Arlen Specter a Democrat.

That was my funny "Hollywood Squares" answer. My real answer is, I never think about this. I probably got it out of my system during my five years on the Legion Of Super-Heroes reboot; I seem to remember we changed some characters. I have to say that I love the creative challenge of leaving a character as is, but finding some new angle, some previously unexplored detail or connection. That feels great, like finding "The Purloined Letter."

Check out Tom's backup stories in Marvel Apes, that's currently shipping.

And check out his posts on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TomPeyer