Though Scott Ian has enjoyed a career in the entertainment industry that’s spanned over 25 years, the longtime Anthrax guitarist, TV personality and poker pro had never managed to meld his lifelong obsession with comic books into his work. So when DC Comics approached him about writing a mini-series, he knew he had to jump at the opportunity. Better still, Ian was teamed up with legendary artist Sam Kieth (The Maxx) to create a story for Lobo, DC’s wild blue-tinged bounty hunter—and by far, the most metal character in their arsenal.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, Ian delved into Lobo: Highway To Hell with the fervor of a first-time dad yet eased in like an old pro. The result is a hilarious two-part showdown between the last Czarnian and Satan that’s made transcendental by Kieth’s angular illustrations—and proves the novice writer has burgeoning chops. And apparently, DC felt the same way, offering Ian another assignment, which he’ll surely have to fit in between writing Anthrax’s next album and his forthcoming side project, the Damned Things, which also features members of Fall Out Boy and Every Time I Die.
Publisher’s Weekly recently spoke to Ian about his love of the comics genre, finding Lobo's voice and his future in the business.
PW Comics Week: At what age did you first get into comic books?
Scott Ian: I started reading comics when I was really young, probably 5 or 6 years old. My uncle was a comic collector, so when I was over at my grandparents’ house, I’d hang out in my uncle’s room and read his comics. Then I started buying comics on my own; I was into all of the Marvel and DC Silver Age stuff during the late ’60s, early ’70s.
PWCW: Which characters resonated with you the most?
SI: All the main ones: Hulk, Batman, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four… the whole Silver Age mythology and storylines are part of my consciousness. I can reel off what happened in Fantastic Four #40; I remember these things as much as I remember geography.
PWCW: How did your partnership with DC Comics come about?
SI: My manager got a call from DC about two years ago asking if I’d be interested in coming in for a meeting. I wasn’t really sure what they wanted to meet with me about, but I was really excited. I thought possibly music. Instead, they asked if I’d be interested in doing a book with them. I’d never done that before, but always wanted to, so I jumped at the chance.
PWCW: Did you go in with any hesitation as a first-time comic writer?
SI: Hesitation is not the right word because I definitely jumped in headfirst. But I definitely had a couple of moments of doubt throughout the process.
PWCW: What proved to be particularly challenging?
SI: I’d never written dialogue before! It was pretty intimidating getting Sam’s pages and seeing how amazing the art was turning out. All the pressure was on me to take the story and start breaking it down in the dialogue. But once I started, it just flowed.
PWCW: I heard that you weren’t really a huge fan of Lobo’s when you started this project.
SI: It’s not that I wasn’t a fan of Lobo, I was more indifferent to the character. I liked all the Simon Bisley Lobo stuff, because I love Simon’s artwork… but for me, he was a fringe character who’d have a fun cameo in Kingdom Come, or something like that.
PWCW: Why did you choose him?
SI: I was looking for a character where I really wouldn’t have to abide by the regulations of the DC universe, tied down by continuity and things like that—which I know is a lot to ask for a first-time writer. The first character they mentioned was Lobo. [I said], That’s perfect. I thought I could do a great job with him.
PWCW: How did you find Lobo’s voice?
SI: I found his voice by just writing him as me. That’s how I finally realized how to make the dialogue sound natural.
PWCW: Tell me a little bit about the conclusion of Highway To Hell.
SI: It picks up from where Book One ends, Lobo meets—and I’m making finger quotes in the air right now—the Devil. As much fun as I had with [the first half], Book Two is even way more over the top and fun, there’s a lot more character interaction. It was a lot more satisfying, because there’s more going on.
PWCW: What was the process of collaboration like with Sam Kieth?
SI: It was amazing. Working with Sam was incredible, he captured my ideas and vision for this book, then took it even further. He’d email me and say, “Hey, I’m sending you pages and I got inspired by something you wrote… and I went off on a tangent and I ran with it for a couple of pages, so if you don’t like it we’ll stick to the outline, but if you’re into the vibe, then go with it.” It took things into some surreal places that I hadn’t gone, but because of Sam’s artwork, it enabled me to expand as a writer.
PWCW: How has this experience changed your perspective?
SI: I’ve been to Comic Con many times, but this [past year’s] was my first time on the other side of the fence—actually up on a panel instead of being the kid in the seat at the panel.
PWCW: What insights into the world of comics did you gain?
SI: Some of the process involved in it was cool, like when they would send me a PDF of the book lettered for the first time to make corrections. Going through that whole process was so much fun for me, I wanted to be super hands-on.
PWCW: After the first part of Highway To Hell dropped, did you look for any reactions online?
SI: No. I’ve been in a band for 25 years and after the advent of the Internet, I learned something very quickly: don’t look at what people are saying about you—unless you’re a complete egomaniac or an asshole—or you like to hear people talk shit about you. So for me, it doesn’t matter.
PWCW: Do you have any other comic projects coming down the pike?
SI: I do! I can’t officially announce [more details], but my second book has already been green-lit.
