Little Toy Robot

Michael Chabon is interviewed in the February issue of Alter Ego, “Roy Thomas’ Swingin’ Comics Fanzine.” This is a refreshing interlude to the deluge of Final Solution reviews and the typical comics-are-not-just-for-kids fluff pieces.

Roy Thomas focuses on the acknowledgements at the end of Kavalier & Clay, in which Chabon thanks several comics luminaries from the Golden Age and provides a bibliography. It’s an interesting insight into the genesis of the novel and the influence of specific creators like Will Eisner, Stan Lee, and Gil Kane, who all gave Chabon some of their time to discuss the good ol’ days. Chabon also discusses some of the books he used as references, such as Jules Feiffer’s well known The Great Comic Book Heroes. Thomas also probes Chabon about some of the throwaway superhero names and comic titles strewn throughout the novel.

This, however, is the most tantalizing bit of the interview:

Roy Thomas: I’ve heard rumors of a planned sequel to Kavalier and Clay. Are they true–assuming you don’t mind this being mentioned in the interview?

Chabon: I won’t rule it out. I would love to tell a story set in the New York of the early 70’s, about the guys, like this Thomas fellow [meaning the gentlemen who is interviewing him!], who were writing and drawing the comics I grew up loving.

Idle speculation, perhaps, from a writer who is not among the most prolific. However, the Kavalier and Clay postscript that made it into the catalogue of the exhibit at the Bremen musuem does in fact trace the story into more modern times, as do the occasional essays in the Escapist comic books, so you know it’s something that’s been on Chabon’s mind.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2005 at 12:02 am and is filed under comics.