Our friend Bradley Golden has another new character debuting in Exciting Comics, the Ghost. Bradley was nice enough to stop by First Comics News to chat with our own Phil Latter about all things Ghost related.
First Comics News: Bradley, may I ask, where were you born, where did you grow up, and are you a writer, an artist, or both?
Bradley Golden: I was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. I was raised in a small, but growing town of Pontotoc, Mississippi. I’m a writer.
1st: How old were you when you first became interested in comics, and how long ago was that? Also, how did that interest come about?
Bradley: I was 12 years old when I first started reading comics. The reason I got into comics was due to me having a speech impediment. With it, I had no friends, so my brother, who was working at the local grocery store, brought me comics every night, to entertain me.
1st: Your brother sounds great! What is his name? So, he is indirectly responsible for you eventually getting into the comics industry, I take it?
Bradley: His name is Collin Golden, and yes he is. Without him bringing those comics home, I would not have been interested in comics the way I am now.
1st: That’s interesting, to me. I have an older brother, James, eight years older. He was into comics before me. That’s what got ME started! Myself, I’ve been a comics fan/buyer/reader/collector for over forty-five years. However, while I am familiar with both the names Lev Gleason, Charles Biro, and Gleason’s company and comics characters of the 1940s, (which employed Charlie Biro), and which published the golden age Daredevil, Crime Buster, Iron Jaw, and so on, I’m not familiar with this golden age/1940’s THE GHOST character.
Bradley: Yeah, I’m a fan of the old Daredevil comics.
1st: admit I’m not familiar with this golden age/1940’s character THE GHOST. I take it this character is in The Public Domain?
Bradley: Yes, he is. The Ghost was a character who fought The Klaw in a few issues in Daredevil Comics.
1st: How did you become familiar with, or discover this World War Two era character THE GHOST, and what intrigues you about this character?
Bradley: I became familiar with this character when I was doing research on The Revenge Syndicate from the 1940s Bulletman comics. I saw that he really represented the United States. Kind of like a Captain American type figure.
1st: Are you the writer or artist of this THE GHOST comics story, commencing in the third issue of the NEW Exciting Comics? Also, what company will be publishing it? Have issues # 1 and # 2 of this title already been published, and how does one order copies of this title?
Bradley: I am the co-writer of this story, with Peter Breau. This character will debut in Exciting Comics #3. Issue #1 is already out, and issue #2 comes out on May 29th. You can go to your local comic store on May 29th and get original cover copies. If you want rare and hard to find variant covers, go through me.
1st: How did you meet the co-writer of this THE GHOST series, Peter Breau? Does he live in your area, or do you communicate comics story conferences regarding THE GHOST, online?
Bradley: I actually meet Peter a while ago, I asked him to write a short story in my upcoming Horror anthology Mississippi Zombie. I loved his work. So I instantly jumped on the chance to work with him again. We communicate online and over the phone.
1st: What can you tell us about the artist of this series? Also, have you met the artist of this series, in person?
Bradley: No I have not met the artist in person but I saw his artwork on Facebook and was blown away by it. I had to have him.
1st: I’m curious, how did you break into working in comics? This must be exciting and a lot of fun, right? And, by the way, congratulations!
Bradley: I got my break with Insane Comics, then I sent Ben Dunn my Kickstarter project, VICTORIA BLACK. He liked it and put it into their Mangazine series for a few issues.
1st: Is this a brand-new comics publishing company, or have they been around for a little while? And, if the latter, how long have they been established, and what other titles have they published?
Bradley: Antarctic Press is the publisher. They have been around for over 30 years in the comic industry. Ben Dunn founded it in 1984. They have produced hit titles like Gold Digger, Ninja High School, and Warrior Nun Areala.
1st: Now that you’ve mentioned that the company publishing the new Exciting Comics title is Antarctic Press, yes, I am very familiar with this company, and I’ve bought many of their comics, over the decades. Just in case you happen to know, what are the print runs going to be like, in terms of numbers, for Exciting Comics # 3 featuring The Ghost, and will there be any other golden age/-World War Two-era characters in this issue, as well, or is it the new adventures of Charlie Biro’s The Ghost, by himself? Will this issue have black and white interiors, or will it be in color? And, in terms of the title’s print run, is the title ‘print-on-demand’-?
Bradley: Well, I’m not exactly sure what the print runs are, but I suspect 4,000-5,000. This indeed will be in full color throughout, and it can be ordered through the Diamond Previews catalog. The Ghost is not the only Golden age character in this title. We have a Madam Mask story in it, also. The Ghost will be related to Charlie Biro’s Ghost.
1st: How far along are you, on the production of this issue, and is it a one-shot issue of this character THE GHOST, in this third (presumably anthology) type of comics series, entitled Exciting Comics, or will it instead be an ongoing feature, in this title? Also, when will it be coming out? Will it be available in comics specialty stores, or orderable through the mail, or online?
Bradley: As of right now, this Ghost storyline is planned to be a 6 part story in upcoming Exciting Comics issues. This will then be extended into its own mini-series. Hopefully, if AP approves it, it will be orderable, like all Antarctic Press titles, through the Diamond Previews catalog.
1st: The (original) Exciting Comics title, of course, was published during World War Two, and it featured such famous presumably-now Public Domain characters as The Black Terror, Miss Mask, Pyroman, and many other characters. Will we be seeing any of these Public Domain characters as well, that, in recent years, Dynamite Entertainment revived?
Bradley: Yes, you will. Black Terror will definitely make a return soon, in the pages of Exciting Comics. Madam Mask is already on her own adventures in Exciting Comics, since issue #1.
1st: What, if anything, can you tell our interested readers about your upcoming THE GHOST new comics story or stories, which will run, commencing with the NEW Exciting Comics # 3 title?
Bradley: All I can say is, it’s going to be awesome. Just you wait and see.
1st: Bradley, where did you go to school to learn the craft of creative writing?
Bradley: I went to Pontotoc High school and Itawamba Community College.
1st: have you been published previously, in either comics titles or fanzines? And, if so, where?
Bradley: My first published work was actually with Antarctic Press last year in their Mangazine title.
1st: Can you tell us which issue # or issue numbers you were published in, in the Mangazine comics title, and what characters were in those? What were they about?
Bradley: I was featured in Mangazine #3-#4. My story Victoria Black and Orision. Victoria Black is about a single mother of three, who is trying to protect her family from the organization she works for. They pretty much screwed her in every way. Orision is about a demon being unleashed on one of the tallest mountains in the world and a rescue team is in a fight for their lives to get off of it.
1st: Is your version of Charlie Biro’s THE GHOST (updated) in any way from his 1940’s adventures, either in the type of character, motivations, costume or in any other way?
Bradley: All of the above. His costume is more modern, and his powers are more awesome.
1st: What can you tell us about THE GHOST’S back story/origin? Is he or she a hero, a villain, or something in between?
Bradley: He is a bit of both to the fact he tends to overdo things. He is a hero with flaws.
1st: Excellent; those are the best, most interesting types of heroes! I am very interested to buy, read and enjoy THE GHOST in upcoming issues of Antarctic Press’s new Exciting Comics # 3 and up! What other characters will be in these THE GHOST comics stories, in Exciting Comics?
Bradley: In Exciting Comics #3 we will have him teaming up with Blackjaq to take down the new Klaw.
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