Is Mark Waid the fucking Anti-Christ? Or just one of the most acclaimed and gifted comics writers of the nineties? We asked him these tough questions, plus a bunch of other ones, and Mark was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer them. We appreciate his participation and hope you enjoy the results.

But first, a warning: if Mark Waid is indeed the fucking Anti-Christ, would he reveal himself to a lowly webzine? Wouldn't he want to throw journalists off the trail, blaming his problems on the devil Internet until such time as he's ready to take on his true form?

Don't forget: we know neither the day nor the appointed hour. Watch out for this guy. That's all we're saying.

I popped your name into DejaNews while doing research for this interview, and the first thing that came up was a post with the subject line "Mark Waid is the Fucking Anti-Christ." Are you in fact the Anti-Christ, and if so, when can we expect you to reveal yourself?

I am not the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ has less of a temper.

How do you feel about the relationship between the internet and comics in general?

Ghaaaaah.

Look, I'm all for free speech and fun dialogue, but some of these anonymous, I-can-say-anything-'cause-I'm-faceless yahoos that pepper the comics boards need to remember that there are real, genuine people out here trying their damndest each and every month to entertain them. You don't like someone's work? Fine; that's what makes horse races. Not everything is written FOR you. Don't read it if you don't like it; stop posting--or, better yet, sending--hate mail. I'm not kidding; I've had actual death threats posted and e-mailed to me. Guess it's easy and convenient to do that when you don't have to buy a stamp.

Not that I'm cranky.

How did you get started in the business?

[Engage autopilot] Grew up reading comics, worked in comics "journalism" in the early 1980s for magazines like Amazing Heroes. Made contacts, sold a couple of awful Superman stories to Julie Schwartz in 1984, took an editorial position at DC in 1987, went freelance in 1989, stayed lucky ever since.

Which is your favorite character to write? Which charaters are you still itching to get a chance to write?

Flash is still my favorite character to write, if for no other reason than--because he's my alter-ego--his voice and emotions come automatically. I'm still itching to write Captain Marvel and Billy Batson and Robby Reed, the Dial "H" for Hero kid--and one of those dreams is coming true soon...

Describe the genesis for the Kingdom Come miniseries.

Alex had a brief outline which he was shopping around, and Dan Raspler at DC faxed it to me to see if I was interested in being involved. Only Alex can say what was at the absolute genesis of the project; his outline had several, though far from all, of the major beats of the series. Once aboard as a writer, I was able to work with him to flesh out Alex's notes into an actual story, in the process creating roles for (among others) Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Luthor and the other super-villains. Very fulfilling, and very exhausting.

From your perspective, what kind of impact did KC have on the comic book industry?

Zip. We didn't redefine the way comics are done like Watchmen and Dark Knight did, nor did we set out to do so. We just wanted to tell a cracking good super-hero story, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. Hard to go wrong when Alex Ross has a brush in his hand.

How do you interpret that climactic moment in KC, when Captain Marvel sacrifices himself for the planet?

As I pointed out to Alex, Captain Marvel was unique among our characters. The friction in the series was between humanity and superhumanity, and Cap was the only character with a foot planted firmly in each camp. That he's the one who ultimately sacrificed himself to save the planet was a distillation of the basic concept that salvation could come only from humans and superhumans working together.

Which of the two major protagonists in KC do you identify with most--Superman or Batman?

Superman, by far. Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Virtue is its own reward. Don't argue with me.

You seem to have helped to usher in a new era of lighter comics which are a lot more fun to read. Was that a conscious decision, or something that built over time?

The only decent comics are those written by guys who'd want to read them rather than written for an audience the writer can't relate to. I didn't know any OTHER way to WRITE Flash other than as bright and shiny. If you can run at super-speed, catch every bus, make every appointment and showtime, and stretch an hour into a month, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?

To his credit, then-editor Brian Augustyn felt the same way and gave me more than enough rope to hang myself when he hired me. The flak we both had to put up with from his bosses was ENORMOUS; we were continually being told that these stories were old-fashioned crap that no one would want to read, and not long after I started, one senior editor told me to my face--and I will never forget this, since living well is the best revenge--"I don't know why we still publish this book."

Brian could have sold me out and make me succumb to Grim and Gritty, but his wisdom prevailed. Writers are supposed to write what they KNOW, and for most everyone who follows the Millar/Moore era, "Grim and Gritty" is when your cable goes out. Tough to write about tortured souls authentically when YOU'RE NOT ONE.

Did we set a trend? Grant Morrison swears we did, but Grant also believes he was abducted by aliens, so take that with a grain of salt. IF we did, then that's what I want carved on my tombstone.

You were instrumental in developing the idea of Hypertime at DC to help clear up a muddled continuity. Where do you think the continuity issue stands today, both with the fans and with creators?

I'm all for a tight, streamlined continuity, but you can't force that. The reason Marvel has a stronger continuity is because all its main characters were created by the same three or four guys with a common sensibility. The "DC Universe," by contrast, is an arbitrary lumping together of characters who have no business running around together that frequently--Captain Marvel and Green Arrow, for example. Sure, it might be fun to see Mary Worth and Calvin and Hobbes cross over for one day, but would you want to trade the integrity of both strips for an ongoing Mary Worth and Calvin and Hobbes newspaper strip? Would anything suck MORE?

That said, continuity should be consistent within a series, but to impose the same set of "reality rules" on every character across the board is potentially quite stifling. In short, most DC events of the past 15 years have been about making our publishing universe SMALLER. Grant and I, with Hypertime, wanted to blow it wide OPEN again--recreate an "anything goes" excitement. Comics are about flying, not about rules.

How would you explain the concept of Hypertime to a non-comics fan?

All stories exist, all stories have their own reality and their own importance, from Genesis to Curious George at the Zoo to last month's Batman. Only you can decide how "real" each one is for you, and only you have the right to.

Non-comics-fans understand sometimes better than comics fans that we're dealing with legends and myths here, and the details of legends and myths are never consistent--nor do they need to be so long as what's at the heart of them stays true and powerful. Tom Peyer and I blow off steam by writing fictitious hate mail to each other arguing the "continuity" of the Hercules myth and the REAL name of Santa Claus--Kris Kringle or Pere Noel?

What led to your decision to leave Captain America?

Marvel editiorial didn't like my approach but couldn't tell me how to fix it. It was just a lot of, "We don't know what we want, but it's not that," which led to some compromised stories which I felt cheated the fans, so I elected to leave. It's certainly their right to mandate the stories; I think I speak for most of the human race when I say that we just work better in a positive environment.

What were some of the unused plots you left behind when you left Cap? Where would you have taken the characters?

Andy and I were barrelling towards a Cap/Ka-Zar team-up in the Savage Land. Beyond that...?

What are your upcoming plans for JLA? Can we expect any major lineup changes?

Just a paring down. The Big Seven plus Plastic Man, along with guest-stars as needed. Beyond the first story arc--the JLA vs. Ra's al Ghul and his League of Assassins--I'm reluctant to spill anything.

Which of your current and upcoming projects most excites you?

JLA, certainly. It's going to be quite a challenge to fill Grant's shoes, and I'm nervous as hell.

Do you have any writing rituals, and if so, what are they?

Nothing really. Just stare at the blinking cursor until it moves, all the while muttering under my breath, "Why won't you be ART?"

What kind of non-comics entertainment (music, movies, the web) inspires you?

Good movies always inspire, particularly when their plots turn left and you expected them to turn right. Continuing to "go right" with your imagination leads to some very interesting places.