FanExpo Boston 2018: Peter Tomasi On Super Sons

Tito W. James: How’s FanExpo Boston treating you?
Peter Tomasi: It’s a good turnout. We’re here on a Friday. It’s not jam-packed yet, but there’s a lot of people, a lot of excitement. A lot of people are here to get Adventures Of The Super Sons #1 signed.
TWJ: What is it about Super Sons that makes it connect with readers?
PT: I think having kids starring in the book makes it a great gateway book for younger readers. Once it pulls them in, they really seem to enjoy it. We’ve had a ton of parents coming up with their children. It’s a real win for DC Comics to get a mix of readers like that.

TWJ: Is there anything that stands out to you in the current comic cultural landscape?
PT: Good comics seem to be rising to the top. With the price points as they are, it’s become a hard thing to pick and choose. You want to try a lot of things, but it’s key to stay with the stuff that you like. You want to sample some things from new talent along with respected proven talent to get a nice mix. There’s a lot of great books out there and genres being explored beyond superhero stuff.
A book I put out recently called The Bridge, is about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a two-hundred page graphic novel illustrated by Sara DuVall. Comics are a great platform. You can do any type of story. You can hook any reader, so long as you have great characters and a great story.

TWJ: In a previous interview, you said that one of the tricks to writing comics is to read stories outside of comics. Do you have any recommendations?
PT: Everything! Everything around you. The newspapers, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, magazines, history. There’s a ton of material out there at your fingertips. It’s a great virtual library that you can access every day. As a writer, you can bring originality to your stories through timeliness and topicality.
TWJ: You are often described as an emotional writer. Do you have any advice to aspiring writers who want to tell more emotionally gripping stories?
PT: Write from the heart, write from the gut and don’t be afraid to put it out there. There will be readers out there who are looking for it and want to respond to character-driven stories and not just plot-driven stories.
I’d like to thank Peter Tomasi for taking the time for this interview. The Bridge and Adventures Of The Super Sons are on store shelves now!