The following Interview was conducted by Marcus Harwell for S.C.A.N.S. Magazine:

How did you get into the comics business?

After years of half-hearted stabs at actually finishing up a comic project and trying to get it published, I decided in 1992 to make a do-or-die attempt. I enlisted Mark Sherman, a writer friend, to collaborate with me on an updating of my previous project, a light-hearted science fiction comic called Strange Attractors. After the usual rounds of rejection notices, we were fortunate enough to run into Drew Hayes at a convention, and he enlightened about the wonderful world of self-publishing. We decided to take a shot at it, and 5 years later, here we are.

What qualities do you think you bring to the field?

I always considered myself as kind of a loner, but I really got involved in the self-publishing community that sprung up in the last few years. I found that by going through the self-publishing wars together, sharing ideas and promoting each others books, we were able to develop a bond of trust with each other. So when I came up with the concept of Mythography, I was easily able to enlist some top flight people to contribute to the book, though the work was done purely on speculation.

What's the most important thing we should know about the main character(s) in your book?

In Strange Attractors, what distinguishes Sophie from most of the other female adventure characters out there, is that she definitely does not want to be a hero. There's been a gradual awakening in her, that she needs to act, but she's always fighting her basic instinct, which is to withdraw from conflict. The story of Strange Attractors is in many ways the story of her growth from an ineffectual recluse, to a person who takes charge of her destiny. Tessa and Myjal, the two main characters in Empyrean Tales (my serialized Mythography story) are at this point almost totally ignorant of what's motivating the other. The readers will gradually be clued in to who these people really are and why they're doing what they do. In life, people's motivations are often very complex, and sometimes self-contradictory. More so than the usual "go on quest to find lost object to save my people" fantasy plot. I like creating complex ambivalent worlds, and seeing how complex, ambivalent characters interract in them.

Who does your book appeal to?

Part of the frustration of being a comic creator is that outside of the occasional fan letter, we have no idea who's reading our books. I would imagine that Strange Attractors would appeal to a lot of female comic readers, as well as older fans who could appreciate some of the retro look and humour of the book. There definitely seems to be a retro trend in comics today; so readers of books like Madman, Astro City, Hilly Rose and the like, would hopefully be strangely attracted to our book. Mythography is definitely geared towards the fantasy audience. I don't know of any other fantasy anthologies out there, so it's probably the best.

Is there any existing book you'd like to work on?

I can't see at this point in my life, working on anything that I didn't have a hand in creating.

How has the industry changed over the last 5 years?

Well, my supply of bubbling optimism is certainly at a low ebb. But even though we haven't yet found the magic marketing ploy to get Joe and Joanne Public reading comics, at least we've all learned that flashier super-heroes, gaudier covers, and sensational sex and violence aren't going to do the trick. Five years ago, every publisher was grinding out new universes as fast as they could, at least nowadays people realize that the universe can be as small as Francine and Katchoo's apartment, as long as its inhabited by characters you care about. And even though the market is in the depths of an abysmal slump, I think there's more good comics being put out now than ever before.

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the immediate future of the industry?

Well, we are a real critical moment, and things could go either way. I suspect that for the near future we're going to be dealing with comics as a niche market, rather than a mass medium. Hang on to those few loyal readers, hope they'll bring along some friends, and forget about the cartoon adaptation or the blockbuster movie.

What part do you think technology will play in the future of comics?

For good or ill, there are some changes coming. I enjoy working with the same primitive tools that artists have used for centuries, and I suppose an electric pencil sharpener is my concession to hi-tech. Computer coloring has achieved some mind-boggling results, but as far as I'm concerned it doesn't enhance the reading experience one iota, and in the case of a master craftsman like Mark Shultz, it could only detract. Any technological advancement that makes the printing process better and cheaper would be okay with me. Most likely, the biggest changes will come in the way of marketing on the internet. Right now it's a mess, but there are those among us who swear it's the wave of the future.

How do you think the comics industry could be improved?

Whew, don't get me started. I would like to say that what Sy is doing is definitely a good sign, getting control of the industry back in the hands of people who really love comics.

What more could independent comics do for retailers and fans?

It's hard to say. A lot of us have been knocking our heads against the wall for years trying to find new ways to get people to sample our books. I was part of the team that put together GASP, which was a 64 page sampler of quality self-published material, that was given way at cost. Whether it did any good or not, I was never able to determine, even though 28000 of them were distributed. I recently worked with Jimmy (Shades of Grey) Gownley to put together a slide show called "Spectrum Without Color" intended to be used as an overview of the best black and white comic material out there. The slide show will be sent out without charge to any retailer interested. We had a press release printed in a recent CBG and got 1 response. I try to put out quality material in a timely fashion, keeping a reasonable price. What more can I do?

If there were a movie made of your book, who would you cast in the leading roles?

I hope if I was ever approached by someone wanting to make a Strange Attractors movie, I'd have the integrity and the good sense to say "no thanks."

Do you have any advice for budding creators?

Keep creating. The business end of comics can be really frustrating and draining. Keep your focus on doing your best possible work, and the rest will take care of itself. Now, if I would only listen to my own advice.