An Interview with Green Hornet Comic Author Ron Fortier
KNO: Ron, you wrote the online series of pulp stories, The Brothers Grim (http:/www.supernaturalcrime.com and in paperback format at http://www.lulu.com/wildcatbooks). For the uninitiated, perhaps you could speak to the content of the stories and the specifics of the character.
Ron Fortier: Chris Mills invented Port Nocturne for his Supernatural Crime site and populated with an assortment of noirish pulp figures. BROTHER GRIM was his homage to the masked avengers ala THE SHADOW and THE SHADOW. Then he invited me on board to help round out the character’s origin and spin a few pulp yarns. The basic idea is that Tony Grimaldi is an underworld assassin who tries to amend his life and go straight. Before he can do so he is murdered and his soul trapped in between this world and the next. A supernatural fate has given him the task of avenging the innocent to redeem his soul. Thus, trapped in a zombie like existence, he battles the weird forces of evil in Port Nocturne until that time he can go to his eternal rest. The pulp book, BROTHER GRIM, is a collection of the first six stories I did over a two year period. They include Grim’s battles with werewolves, immortals and a gorilla mob boss. Just pure purple prose to the max.
What do you foresee as the future of online fiction in general and online pulp and comics in specific? Is there a possibility of a pulp and comic renaissance on the internet?
I totally foresee a new evolution for comics on-line. I know of several new internet projects that will not only provide an outlet for internet comics, but at the same time will offer on-demand priting of the same comics offered on the sites. It may be possible this new avenue of internet comics may circumvent the traditional distribution channels we know today. As for the pulps, you hit the nail right on the head. There is indeed a resurgence of interest in the pulps, thanks to the internet. Not only is the internet making it easier to discover the fascinating history of American pulps and make collecting them easy. It is also providing a market for new pulps, like those I’ve written this past year. There has always been a demand for this literature, but in the past no way of bringing writers and their audiences together on such a grand scale. The internet is making that possible.
You wrote the successful Green Hornet series for NOW Comics. The research done on the character seems rather deep, and at least goes beyond the television series of the 1960’s. What type of materials did you have access to at the time?
That’s a very sophisticated observation. I researched the character of the Green Hornet for nearly six months before I wrote one single word of my presentation package. With the help of several friends who are authorities on old-time radio, I was able to amass a great deal of history regarding Detroit radio station, WXYZ, where the character was born under the creative helm of manager George W.Trendel and his head writer, Fran Striker. The same two gentlemen who had earlier created the Lone Ranger. Once I had this data, I then collected episodes from the radio show itself and then studied the two Columbia serials done in 1940 and 1941;THE GREEN HORNET and THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN. Armed with all this material, I then set about building a family tree that would incorporate the radio Hornet with serial Hornet leading to birth of the 60s TV version that starred Van Williams and Bruce Lee. Of course all of this being a preamble to our own new Green Hornet. It was one of the most labor-intesive presentations I ever put together and well over 40 pages long when completed. But it must have worked, because it was this same presentation that won the license for Now Comics over other competitors like Marvel & DC.
Were you with NOW Comics for their entire career as a company, and do you think the market-glut of the 90’s was largely to blame for their demise?
I came on board with Now Comics about a year after they came on the scene. I met the publisher at their San Diego Comic Con booth and we hit if off. He had been publishing THE TERMINATOR for almost six months and was not happy with the direction the current writer was taking the series. By the time I left San Diego, I’d taken on that particular series as its new writer and given the publisher my Green Hornet package. Two months later they got the GH license and I was writing two monthly titles for them. Now Comics folded, sadly, because of bad management. Their books were hot and selling extremely well. They went backrupt when they failed to pay their employees and creditors.
You’ve worked on three different characters, all with green as an identifying mark (The Green Hornet, Peter Pan, The Incredible Hulk). Do you feel there’s any kind of a pattern there, or was the color scheme merely coincidental?
Actually, my wife Valerie has green eyes. You may be on to something. Ha.
You’ve written a comedic play set in World War II. That sounds intriguing.
WHERE LOVE TAKES YOU is the true story of how my father met mother just prior to the start of World War II. They had been dating for about four months when we were attacked at Pearl Harbor. Dad was drafted shortly after, like millions of other American men, and their romance had to be put on hold for the next four years. What happened next is they fell in love in their letters to each other. It’s a story I heard all my life while growing up and it was such a joy to finally get it written and produced. On opening night my entire family were there and they filled theater. My Dad had passed away years ago, but Mom was there in the front row watching their love story unfold on stage. It was a magical time for all of us.
You’ve worked on producing some film scripts. Is there anything you can talk about regarding that?
At present I have two film scripts floating around Hollywood. One is the true story behind the making of the 1933 movie, KING KONG, while the other is a my take on an old Universal Horror Classic, DRACULA’S DAUGHTER, only now called THE DAUGHTER OF DRACULA. Note, this latter project is also a 94 graphic novel which should be out sometime next Spring. I’m obviously hoping once the comic hits the stands, it will spark some activity on the screen version.
Internet information and rumors suggest there is a Green Hornet film in the works, with a possible casting of Jake Gyllenhaal as the main character. What would you suggest to the scriptwriters if you were given the opportunity?
Well, I do know two things. One, that the actual shooting script for Miramax was written by comic-smart Kevin Smith. Two, Smith if often quoted as saying he was a big fan of my Now Comics series. Which makes me hope he has adopted my generational take on the characters. And of course, I’d love to see Jet Li play Kato. Again, given Smith’s respect for comic book heroes, whoever gets the parts, I think the movie itself will be very good. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
You’ve recently re-visited old pulp stories and infused them with a modern freshness. Are there more projects like this in the works for you?
Indeed there is, a very big project. I’ve recently resurrected the classic hero CAPTAIN HAZZARD, who only appeared in his own magazine once and then dissappeared. That adventure was called PYTHON MEN OF THE LOST CITY. My plans are to bring Hazzard back in both pulps and comics. To do this I’ve rewritten PYTHON MEN and it will be published by Wild Cat Books early next year. A few short months later, Wild Cat Books will publish CIDATEL OF FEAR, the first new Captain Hazzard adventure in 67 years, as written by yours truly and writer Martin Powell. It’s a series we hope to keep running as long as the fans want more. Meanwhile, at the same time Powell and I are producing the new pulp adventures, writer Chris Mills and I are launching a brand new Captain Hazzard comic books series. Our first entry in this venture is a 3 issue mini-series adaptation of PYTHON MEN. The art is by newcomers Craig Shepard and Sean Tenhoff. The idea each venue will cross-advertise the other. By the end of 2006 it is my hope to make CAPTAIN HAZZARD a household name.
What are your future plans as a writer?
I’ve several new comic series in the works. One of these, an historical western, will eventually be translated into a screenplay. I’ve also started teaching an 8 week course, aided by artist Rich Woodall, on how to write and draw comics for a local comic book shop. Our first session is nearing completion and a new one starts Jan. 3rd of next year. Add to this my bi-weekly internet book review column PULP FICTION, and you can see, I’m one busy camper. Ha. but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you, Ron. It’s been a very interesting and informative interview.
You’re most welcome. This was fun. Take care, Ron.
