Nothing But Comics: Matt Kindt Interview

[Keith]

Great interview on a number of titles he writes. Definitely give it a read, but I'll post the Valiant related info here:

nothingbutcomics.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/chatting-with-matt-kindt-3

Cosmo:... Going back to the topic of stuffing every issue with great extras, where did the idea for the Mind MGMT style Unity ad come from? I thought it was a delightfully clever mash-up of the styles of the two books. Was there any resistance to the idea from either Dark Horse or Valiant?

Kindt: The idea came from Warren Simons at Valiant – he proposed doing an ad swap…Valiant has been super-supportive of creator owned books in general – and definitely me specifically. Mind MGMT is the reason they asked me to do some work for them. So when he asked, I wasn’t sure. I like having Mind MGMT be ad-free but the idea of doing some subversive sort of real ad was exciting to me and they loved the idea – Dark Horse of course, is so supportive as well – they give me free reign really so I had a TON of fun. Spent way more time on those ads than I probably should of, but it was worth it to do something a little different. It’s like Spider-Man selling a fruit-pie kind of ad…it makes no sense but it’s super funny to me.

Cosmo: Speaking of Unity, it has been off to a strong start. I understand that you are cutting back on much of your work-for-hire; does this mean that that you have plans for this series for several arcs to come?

Kindt:Yeah – I’m on Unity for the long-haul. I have lots of stories planned for it and another book they’ve yet to announce. I’m not stopping work for hire all together – but I wanted to scale back – I was working 7 days a week, 12-15 hours a day and that was too much. I can’t just hack out a story to hit a deadline…I really care about everything I write so it was just consuming me. I’ll be doing more for Marvel and DC going forward but I needed to just take a break to stay sane. I’m doing a really fun Star Wars limited series for Dark Horse that’s out this spring too – and I think that was the last work-for-hire thing I agreed to for a while (other than Unity) – but it was Star Wars so I couldn’t turn it down.

Cosmo: I read the announcement for your Star Wars series, and am looking forward to it. It sounds as though you have found a fresh perspective for viewing that universe. One of the strengths of Unity has been the nuanced character work; it is a true team book in the sense that there is no central figure. Also, there is no clear sense of who is right or wrong, as much as good intentions blurred by real world circumstances. Were any of these characters easier for you to grasp than others? Do you discuss these characters much with the other Valiant writers who use them, such as Robert Venditti or Joshua Dysart?

Kindt:I discuss plot points and things with the other writers a lot – because of the integrated nature of the universe – it’s kind of fun to sort of dip into each of their books and rub shoulders with their characters – so I try to stay true to what they’ve set up with their guys. Ninjak and Livewire are probably my favorites because I’ve gotten to establish what they’re about without having to be faithful to what they’ve been treated like previously. And Livewire might be my absolute favorite. She’s got so much potential and creating a really strong and likeable female character for the Valiant U. has always been something I’ve wanted to do and to their credit, they’ve let me make her a big player in the series. Editorially, the guys at Valiant have been just great. Every suggestion comes from the idea of “what can make a better story” and I think I’ve actually grown as a writer with them.

Awesome to hear he is going to be on Unity for multiple arcs! And what is this unannounced title?

[lorddunlow]

First of all:

And Livewire might be my absolute favorite. She’s got so much potential and creating a really strong and likeable female character for the Valiant U. has always been something I’ve wanted to do and to their credit, they’ve let me make her a big player in the series.

You can definitely tell she is his favorite, as she has been the most fleshed out character in the book (actually, most of VEI's books), and he accomplishes the task in very few issues.


Secondly, I hate how "journalists" today don't have to understand or have a basic grasp of the English language:

Spent way more time on those ads than I probably should of, but it was worth it to do something a little different.

I probably should of? should of? That's not what Matt Kindt said because that's not correct grammar. It is a common (VERY COMMON - i.e. a "writer" should know never to write the words "should of"). He was saying "I probably should have". ARGGGG.



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

[Manaf82]

Most probably he is the writer for Rai.. A smaller chance of it being a Ninjak ongoing..Another writer they should hire on any of these books should be Ales Kot..His Zero is awesome..

[grendeljd]

Sweet. Glad to read he is on Unity for the long haul, he's a fantastic writer & on par with Dysart, Venditti & Van Lente as far as becoming a key architect of the VEI universe.

Can't wait to find out what the other book is going to be - I'm most psyched for a RAI book regardless, but it would be equally great if Kindt was writing a solo Ninjak book.

[swtor1091]

Perhaps Timewalker I am holding out for that VERY BOOK... so excited to see that happen and if Matt was writing it even better

[greg]

Secondly, I hate how "journalists" today don't have to understand or have a basic grasp of the English language

...



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

If someone actually did well in school, why would they become a journalist?

[lorddunlow]

Secondly, I hate how "journalists" today don't have to understand or have a basic grasp of the English language

...



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

If someone actually did well in school, why would they become a journalist?

I don't think you have to "do well in school" to have a grasp on your native language. In that regard, the least intelligent of other nations have Americans smoked. I think part of the problem is the US allows journalism to be the guiding force in the rules of the English language, and now that "journalism" has become synonymous with blogging, our entire language is eroding.

Also, the "Oxford" comma isn't just for show - it has a purpose!

[bygranddesign]

I think Kindt will be doing Rai

Kindt saying he is working on something new for VEI seems to match up with Dinesh saying he will be announcing a creative team soon for Rai. Although, I would have thought he would have already announced it by now. There always seems to be a short burst of chatter that something is coming soon ... and than weeks go by of silence ... and than more chatter and more silence. Big teases!

[bygranddesign]

Also, the "Oxford" comma isn't just for show - it has a purpose!

Who gives a *SQUEE* about an Oxford comma?

[FormerReader]

I think Kindt will be doing Rai

I would be happy to see him on Rai. So far I think he has done a great job on Unity. I would love to see what he could do with Rai.

[bygranddesign]

I think Kindt will be doing Rai

I would be happy to see him on Rai. So far I think he has done a great job on Unity. I would love to see what he could do with Rai.

He has a real love for the original universe. He was a legit fan. So i'm sure he has an appreciation for how cool of a character and concept Rai was at the time. I think he has the skill and imagination to do a really mind blowing update on the original premise. I'm very excited.

[p-s manowar]

Ninjak by Matt Kindt & Bryan Hitch maybe

[hawkeyeps]

Also, the "Oxford" comma isn't just for show - it has a purpose!

Who gives a *SQUEE* about an Oxford comma?

Someone who's pretentious, annoying, and Dunlow.

[bygranddesign]

Also, the "Oxford" comma isn't just for show - it has a purpose!

Who gives a *SQUEE* about an Oxford comma?

Someone who's pretentious, annoying, and Dunlow.

agree!

[jmatt]

I probably should of? should of? That's not what Matt Kindt said because that's not correct grammar. It is a common (VERY COMMON - i.e. a "writer" should know never to write the words "should of"). He was saying "I probably should have". ARGGGG.



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

I'm with you. I'm not a grammar Nazi but I can't allow myself to even send a text message without capitalization and punctuation.

Here's peeve #1: "of a"

"It's not as big a house as I wanted..." or "It's not as big of a house as I wanted..."

No. "I wanted a larger house..." or "I wish the house was larger..."

Peeve #2: "really"

People use "really" when they mean "very". "The house was really big." While not technically incorrect, "The house was very large" is better. In modern vernacular, "very" conveys a sense of size or scope while "really" is meant more as a synonym for "truly". And yes, I am aware that very is a truncated version of "verily".

Peeve #3: "massive"

"The ad got a massive response!" Responses don't have mass. "Tremendous" is the word you're looking for.

Vocabulary. Use it.

[Shadowman99]

I probably should of? should of? That's not what Matt Kindt said because that's not correct grammar. It is a common (VERY COMMON - i.e. a "writer" should know never to write the words "should of"). He was saying "I probably should have". ARGGGG.



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

I'm with you. I'm not a grammar Nazi but I can't allow myself to even send a text message without capitalization and punctuation.

Here's peeve #1: "of a"

"It's not as big a house as I wanted..." or "It's not as big of a house as I wanted..."

No. "I wanted a larger house..." or "I wish the house was larger..."

Peeve #2: "really"

People use "really" when they mean "very". "The house was really big." While not technically incorrect, "The house was very large" is better. In modern vernacular, "very" conveys a sense of size or scope while "really" is meant more as a synonym for "truly". And yes, I am aware that very is a truncated version of "verily".

Peeve #3: "massive"

"The ad got a massive response!" Responses don't have mass. "Tremendous" is the word you're looking for.

Vocabulary. Use it.

QFT

Y'know the one that all you Americans use that gets on my nerves?

"I could care less..."

Okay. What a person is trying to do here is express their complete lack of care about a situation/thing. By saying "I could care less" that person is stating that they DO in fact care about this situation/event, just not very much. What the person means to say by using this idiomatic expression is that they in fact DON'T care for this situation/event. Ergo, the correct expression to use is:

"I couldn't care less...

because that implies that this situation/event that has prompted them to give this response is actually completely disinteresting to them.

By saying "I could care less", a person doesn't in fact adequately express the degree of care that they actually have. If there was a scale by which to measure caring, a person would have to have a caring total of zero in order to effectively not care less. If however, a person "could care less" about something, then they'd have to care AT LEAST the smallest amount of care possible in order to actually have less to care about. Because of this, using the statement I could care less, the person is actually telling you that they DO care. What they're failing to do by using this expression is inform the recipient of the statement adequately of exactly the amount of care that they actually have regarding the topic. What they're telling another person is actually "I could hardly care at all, I could care the most that it's possible to care, or I might care somewhere between the two."

The expression "I could care less" is therefore completely useless, as it fails on all levels to express exactly how much somebody cares about something, and also fails to imply that they don't care at all, which is exactly what they're trying to convey.



Whilst I'm at it: Herbs. Why is it that you feel the need to pronounce it without the 'H'? There's an H there for a reason. Now, you know the English have given up hope and let you create your own amended spelling of 'AlUminium' because the word is apparently too hard to say with the U included, despite the entire population of the UK being able to pronounce it, and we've also long given up on 'coloUr' as well. But 'Erb'? I'm afraid there'll be no budging on this one. That pronunciation seems to suggest subterfuge by French Canadians if you ask me. What says Dunlow eh?

And as for where the pavements got lost on the first settling boats and you all had to build 'sidewalks' instead I don't know, but at least the compound contraction makes sense.

[jeremycoe]

Only stupid, lazy, or ignorant Americans say"could care less". Unless that is literally what they mean. On your second point, winning that war a few hundred years ago has given us Americans the right to pronounce and spell things as we wish

[Aram]

I probably should of? should of? That's not what Matt Kindt said because that's not correct grammar. It is a common (VERY COMMON - i.e. a "writer" should know never to write the words "should of"). He was saying "I probably should have". ARGGGG.



This loss of the English language is really starting to *SQUEE* me off. Most non-native speakers have better grasp of the English language than most Americans.

I'm with you. I'm not a grammar Nazi but I can't allow myself to even send a text message without capitalization and punctuation.

Here's peeve #1: "of a"

"It's not as big a house as I wanted..." or "It's not as big of a house as I wanted..."

No. "I wanted a larger house..." or "I wish the house was larger..."

Peeve #2: "really"

People use "really" when they mean "very". "The house was really big." While not technically incorrect, "The house was very large" is better. In modern vernacular, "very" conveys a sense of size or scope while "really" is meant more as a synonym for "truly". And yes, I am aware that very is a truncated version of "verily".

Peeve #3: "massive"

"The ad got a massive response!" Responses don't have mass. "Tremendous" is the word you're looking for.

Vocabulary. Use it.

QFT

Y'know the one that all you Americans use that gets on my nerves?

"I could care less..."

Okay. What a person is trying to do here is express their complete lack of care about a situation/thing. By saying "I could care less" that person is stating that they DO in fact care about this situation/event, just not very much. What the person means to say by using this idiomatic expression is that they in fact DON'T care for this situation/event. Ergo, the correct expression to use is:

"I couldn't care less...

because that implies that this situation/event that has prompted them to give this response is actually completely disinteresting to them.

By saying "I could care less", a person doesn't in fact adequately express the degree of care that they actually have. If there was a scale by which to measure caring, a person would have to have a caring total of zero in order to effectively not care less. If however, a person "could care less" about something, then they'd have to care AT LEAST the smallest amount of care possible in order to actually have less to care about. Because of this, using the statement I could care less, the person is actually telling you that they DO care. What they're failing to do by using this expression is inform the recipient of the statement adequately of exactly the amount of care that they actually have regarding the topic. What they're telling another person is actually "I could hardly care at all, I could care the most that it's possible to care, or I might care somewhere between the two."

The expression "I could care less" is therefore completely useless, as it fails on all levels to express exactly how much somebody cares about something, and also fails to imply that they don't care at all, which is exactly what they're trying to convey.



Whilst I'm at it: Herbs. Why is it that you feel the need to pronounce it without the 'H'? There's an H there for a reason. Now, you know the English have given up hope and let you create your own amended spelling of 'AlUminium' because the word is apparently too hard to say with the U included, despite the entire population of the UK being able to pronounce it, and we've also long given up on 'coloUr' as well. But 'Erb'? I'm afraid there'll be no budging on this one. That pronunciation seems to suggest subterfuge by French Canadians if you ask me. What says Dunlow eh?

And as for where the pavements got lost on the first settling boats and you all had to build 'sidewalks' instead I don't know, but at least the compound contraction makes sense.

I'm pretty sure it's just intentionally changed by the powers that be to show our independence by creating our own new language. But.. who knows maybe we will go back to embracing using original english.. like we went back to embracing taxation and monarchy rule(the Federal Reserve/IRS)..

[jmatt]

Whilst I'm at it: Herbs. Why is it that you feel the need to pronounce it without the 'H'? There's an H there for a reason.

Along the same line, "huge". I cringe when people pronounce it as "uge".

Confession: My Connecticut cousins would make fun of us in NY when we would say the word "street". In NY, for some reason, we pronounced it as "shtreet". I guess they cringed, too.

And despite its adoption by dictionaries, I still can't see my way to acknowledging "pro-active" as a real word.

[SJS4]

...Now, you know the English have given up hope and let you create your own amended spelling of 'AlUminium' because the word is apparently too hard to say with the U included, despite the entire population of the UK being able to pronounce it...[/color]

FYI, the "u" in aluminum is pronounced the same by Americans, its the second "i" that got dropped for some reason.

Re: the "couldn't care less" phrase, its a mixed bag from what i can tell. Plenty of people us it correctly here in the States, and i have heard plenty of people use it incorrectly in both Europe and Canada.

[Shadowman99]

...Now, you know the English have given up hope and let you create your own amended spelling of 'AlUminium' because the word is apparently too hard to say with the U included, despite the entire population of the UK being able to pronounce it...[/color]

FYI, the "u" in aluminum is pronounced the same by Americans, its the second "i" that got dropped for some reason.

Oh yeah! Now who looks stupid!