Jason M. Burns: Anything But Expendable

While mainstream comic books making the jump to cinema becomes more and more common with each passing year, it still remains something of a rarety to see small press comic books pushed in the same way. The novelty of wearing one's underwear outside their pants has found its way to Hollywood (and beyond the afterparties, at that).

But for every trend, there are those rare few who prove, regardless of whether it's through sheer accident or careful calculation, that quality can, on occasion, overcome novelty. Enter James M. Burns. His property from Viper Comics, The Expendable One, will soon make that jump to cinema, with no webs, capes or cowls to be found. Trend? What trend?

And with no less than a half-dozen other comic book projects currently on the go, this could be the first in a series of very similar interviews. In the meantime, for this interview, Burns took time out of a schedule that would make even Grant Morrison cringe, to speak with CNI's own Damien Wood...

Damien Wood: To start, for those who perhaps haven't had chance to check it out, could you tell us about The Expendable One as a comic book and bring us up to speed?

Jason M. Burns: The Expendable One is a story about an everyday suburban townie that winds up with the gift of immortality. He's always screwing up and making matters worse, but in his heart, he means well and he wants to use his gift for good. In the original graphic novel, we learn about the people in his life, including his best friend and back yard scientist Jerry, as well as an "is she or isn't she" FBI agent known as Agent Armstrong. They end up having to take on a cult who believes they are wolves, and while there is plenty of blood and gore, it's a comedy at its heart. I like to call it a really bloody "Jerk," which if your readers aren't familiar, is a great comedy starring Steve Martin.

Damien: Funny you should toss out the "Jerk" comparison - I was about to ask where the idea came from and what influences (be they direct influences or more subtle vibe-type influences) might have helped you to shape The Expendable One...

Jason: To be honest, the book came about because of the title. A lot of times what I'll do, as an exercise in writing, is come up with a title that I like and then have to shape a story around it. It doesn't always work out, but in this particular case it did I suppose. In terms of the tone of the book… I just wanted something that resembled a comedic blood bath, so I made Twigs Dupree a doof, but a smart doof at the same time. He may f everything up, but he knows it and he doesn't try to hide it. At no point in reading the book do I think the readers will go, "Man, this writer takes himself waaaaaaaaaaay too seriously." If that happens, I didn't get my vision for the book across.

Damien: How did The Expendable One come to Viper Comics... for that matter, how did you come to Viper Comics (you're not just one of their talented creators - you're also their assistant publisher)?

Jason: The Expendable One was originally with another publisher but they weren't happy with the artwork. I was completely behind Bryan Baugh's work and felt it matched with the vibe and feel of the story, so I ended up taking it elsewhere. It wasn't an easy sell at Viper either because of the extremely mature reader grade of the book, but eventually I convinced them to give it a go. From there it became a bit of a cult hit and before we all knew it, the book had been optioned for a movie. In terms of how I came to Viper, I interviewed publisher Jessie Garza in my days as an entertainment journalist for a story on independent comics and we stayed in contact. When they needed to fill a spot in an anthology book, Jessie knew that I was a script writer (I had been trying to make a career in Hollywood) and he asked me if I wanted to give it a go. As a lifelong comic reader, I jumped at the chance and that's how the relationship began.

Damien: What came first then, The Expendable One or the assistant publisher gig?

Jason: The Expendable One came first, but by that point, I was helping Viper here and there with things on the editorial side. Jessie and I became comfortable with each other in terms of our business dealings that we got to a point where we would go to each other for help on different things we were working on. Eventually… he just made it official and offered me the Assistant Publisher position.

Damien: And as for Viper picking up the ball with The Expendable One, what do you think it was in your convincing that made them decide to give the book a go, despite the mature content and any unease they may have had as a result?

Jason: I held all of their children hostage until they greenlit the book. (Uncomfortable pause.) Okay, that's not true, but I did bug the hell out of them, explaining why I thought it would work. It was a rough time going back and forth because I believed in it so much, but once the book got picked up for a movie, I remember screaming "VINDICATION" and having a grin on my face. Haha It felt good, I won't lie. Haha.


Damien: Your working in comics is a bit of a sharp turn from previous work as a music talent manager and entertainment journalist - has it always been building towards this, and has it been a difficult transition?

Jason: I always read comics growing up and spent WAY too much of my allowance on them (pretty much all of it actually), but I never even considered it as a career. I knew from day one that I always wanted to write for film and TV and that's what I spent my entire high school and post high school career doing… trying to work towards being a professional script writer. I got into entertainment journalism to build connections in that arena, and eventually fell into the comic book industry by pure accident. Funny enough though, it's become my greatest passion and I enjoy writing comics more than anything else now.

Damien: Why writing? Granted, I can hazard a guess, but I figure every writer has their own pet answer...

Jason: I just had too much shite in my head that I needed to get out. I grew up sitting in a little theater in my hometown every chance I could get, and it fueled my creativity. For me, movies always seemed like the promise land. I don't even think at that point I knew I could make a career out of it, I just knew it was something that I wanted to do no matter what. So, if I worked a 9 to 5 gig, I'd do that and then come home and write until the wee hours of the morning (which I did for years, by the way). Now that I can actually do this and make money doing it… It's weird because I still feel like it's not real. I'm not sure when it will feel like a real job, but I guess that's one of the benefits of it… that it doesn't.

Damien: And now The Expendable One is being made into a movie - an exciting prospect - how did this happen and how long has it been in the works?

Jason: It happened on its own actually. The producers (Mark Evans and Trevor Macy) over at Intrepid Pictures got a copy of the book and really enjoyed it. They contacted myself and Viper and shared their vision with us, and for me, it seemed like the right fit. At the time, we were also in discussions with another company about it being made into a television show, but in the end, Intrepid seemed like the right match for what the property was all about.

Damien: Looking at how far The Expendable One has come (and how fast), and given that it sounds like this is the first taste of your life-long dreams of Hollywood , how are you feeling right now?

Jason: I'm feeling really good, but at the same, it takes someone else reminding me that things are happening (a few of my other properties are with film and TV companies but we haven't made any formal announcements yet) because I don't think it has fully sunk in. I live in a small town in Massachusetts and live the same life I always did, only now I don't have to punch in and punch out at a day job. Aside from that, my life hasn't changed all that much, so I have to pinch myself sometimes to realize that it's all actually happening.

Damien: The Expendable One was getting mainstream exposure well before the movie deal (I'm thinking specifically of interviews such as the Sun Chronicle one). This is rare for comic books in general, much less an indie comic book - what is it about this property that allows it to jump to the mainstream so easily?

Jason: If I had to make a guess, I would have to say that it's not so much about the story itself, but the way in which the story is told. The idea of an immortal person is not anything new, but I wanted to tell it in a fun, light way and in the end, I think that's what people connected to most of all. Again, it's really a comedy at its core, so we never take ourselves or the characters too seriously. I have fun with the characters and store and hope the readers will have fun too.

Damien: As rare as it may be for comic books to get mainstream recognition, much less mainstream adaptations, it was rarer still, not too long ago. Why is now the time for comic book properties to be noticed, The Expendable One included?

Jason: I think Hollywood plays a big part of that because all of the movies that are becoming blockbusters are the movies that were originally based on graphic novels, so they've managed to become mainstream without even people knowing it. Sure, my father probably has no idea that 300 was a graphic novel, but he watched the movie… hell, everyone did. So journalists pick up on that and then the books get more attention because of it. It's great for creators and indie publishers because big book stores and chains are ordering more copies of graphic novels. There was a time not too long ago that the industry seemed like it was going to die a slow death, but we're getting new readers and that's what needs to happen for comics and graphic novels to stay current and viable.

Damien: What's your involvement in the process of adapting The Expendable One to the big screen?

Jason: I wrote the first draft of the script and helped to adapt the story, but once I turned in that initial draft, I stepped away and let the pros handle it. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to adapt a project to the film or television world, so after I gave my take, I happily stepped away and focused on other things.

Damien: How close was your first draft (and whatever you've seen of what's followed your draft, for that matter) to the source material and your original vision?

Jason: With the first draft I did keep the feel of the characters, but the story itself was completely different. It was still Expendable One enough that people who read the book would recognize it, but with new writers working on it now, it could become anything. The thing with licensing your properties is that you have to not get too attached. I retain publishing rights, so I can do whatever I want with Twigs and the rest of the cast in books. What they do with it in movies and what not… that's their vision, not mine. As long as you come to terms with that early on, it's easier to let it go and let them do what they want with it.

Damien: And it wasn't difficult to step away from the project afterwards?

Jason: No, because to be honest, I had already moved on to a handful of new ideas and I knew I'd be working on a graphic novel sequel, which meant I'd still get to do what I wanted with that world on my own terms.

Damien: Workhorse that you seem to be, you have no shortage of further comic book endeavors coming out in the near future. What can you tell us about...

The Expendable One: The Boob Versus the Boobs?

Jason: It's the sequel to the original and it will be out in time for San Diego Comic Con. In this particular installment, Twigs Dupree finds himself having to go up against a bevy of seemingly indestructible female (hot female) robots. It's written in the same tone as the original, only this time we have three different artists giving their take, including Viper regulars Courtney Huddleston ("A Bit Haywire") and Ryan Cody ("Villains").

Damien: The Underworld Railroad?

Jason: This has been a long time coming. It was one of the first projects I pitched to Viper, but we could never find the right artist that fit the vibe of the story. Eventually we came across Paul Tucker and we knew right away that he was the man for the job. It's essentially a story about a system of safe houses erected to protect lost spirits. When a person dies, his or her soul is either escorted to heaven or taken to hell, but for those wrongly accused in life, there is a waiting period. Unable to leave Earth, they must remain on the move in order to outrun the devil, and they're able to do so because of a group of humans who serve as links in the Underworld Railroad chain. It's a horror/action story with some humorous elements mixed in.

Damien: The Sleepy Truth?

Jason: I really like this project as a writer because it's one of those stories where anything can happen. It's essentially "Goonies" meets "The X-Files" as it focuses in on a group of four kids in the town of Sleepy Hallow . It's here that they publish a small newspaper called The Sleepy Truth in order to uncover all of the town's secrets… whether it's a Loch Ness style monster in the small lake or road kill that comes back to life in a "Night of the Living Dead" fashion. But not all are happy with the kids and their newspaper, including the local councilman Cornelius Crane, a distant relative of Ichabod Crane. It's just a fun story where sci-fi and horror elements combine in a world seen through the eyes of a couple of high school kids.

Damien: A Dummy's Guide to Danger: Lost at Sea?

Jason: This is the sequel to A Dummy's Guide to Danger, a series that came out in the summer of 2006 through Viper Comics. It focuses on a private investigator named Alan Siriois and his partner Mr. Bloomberg, a paraplegic ventriloquist dummy that Alan believes was shot in the back by an assailant and became crippled when the bullet lodged in his spine. The dummy isn't alive at all, but Alan thinks he is, which makes for an interesting dynamic. He speaks through the dummy and genuinely thinks he's his partner. I call it a buddy story about one guy, because in the end, Mr. Bloomberg is everything that Alan can't be. This particular sequel finds Alan and Mr. Bloomberg on a mystery cruise ship where they've been hired to solve a fake mystery. Of course, the fake mystery ends up becoming a real mystery as bodies turn up on the boat, leaving Alan and Mr. Bloomberg to clean up the mess.

Damien: Rabid?

Jason: This is a straight up horror story in the vain of Hitchcock's "Birds" and "Night of the Living Dead." I wrote this long ago as a script, but eventually turned it into a comic. It's the story of a small town turned on its ass when a canine-carrying virus spreads into the human population, turning everyone into rabid nut bags. It's a blood fest about survival.

Damien: Imaginary Friends?

Jason: A quirky comedy about a group of imaginary friends who have to stop the Boogie Man from becoming real, because if he is successful, it will mean death to all real and imaginary life as we know it. It's just a fun, strange story with lots of colorful characters that I hope people will enjoy.

Damien: All of these future comic book releases are coming out through Viper?

Jason: Yes, all of those particular titles are being released through Viper Comics.

Damien: And perhaps the most important question of all - when the hell do you sleep with all of this going on?

Jason: It's 1:30am and I'm answering these now. What's sleep?

Damien: Ha! It's 1:30am and I'm ASKING these now. I'm supposed to know what sleep is?

Jason: Sleep is overrated. We did plenty of it when we were kids and we'll be doing even more of it when we're dead. You sleep, you don't write… you don't write, someone else steps in and takes your spot. Sleep is my enemy. Haha.

---

Damien Wood writes things. Sometimes he even writes things well. As a member of Comic News International's staff, he brings you spiffy things like this. As a glutton for punishment, he can be reached at
damien.wood@gmail.com.