Spawn creator Todd McFarlane talks writer's block, chasing perfection

Calgary-born Todd McFarlane who created the popular comic Spawn 25 years agosays perfection can be an ongoing motivation and he's never experienced writer's block.

McFarlane chatted with The Homestretch recently ahead of his appearance at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.

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Here's an edited version of that interview:

Q: When did you first realize what you wanted to do for a career?

A:Probably when I was 16, I went to high school, graduated out of William Aberhart. I was an incessant doodler but there was no focus for it, and that was literally from kindergarten all the way up to high school, and then for whatever reason, one day I decided to go to a corner store, buy a handful of comic books I am 16 at this point and I got smitten.

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At that point I said, I am going to teach myself this style, because that's all it is, American super hero comic book style.

Eventually, after years of knocking on their doors and sending hundreds and hundreds of samples, they finally called uncle and said, 'Yeah, fine, we will give you a job.'

Q: You created Spawn one among many of your accomplishments25 years ago. How do you keep it fresh?

A:If you polled the fans they would say, there are high points and low points. You can't be ontop of your game every single time. We are an episodic business, so every 30 days we have to come up with something else.

One of the easy ways to not put too much pressure on yourself, to go, 'I have to come up with 12 great stories a year,' is to come up with one and spread it over two-to-four issues. So if I come up with three orfour good stories, I should be able to milk that for a year.

Q: What has been your experience at comic expos, good and bad?

A:The humbling part is besides that they will stand in line for two hours is that they will bring you gifts. Some stuff is handmade and then you go 'Wow, this took you days to make,' it is not like a little sketch and I get plenty of those, but somebody crafted something in their garage. That is impressive.

I have had people ask me 'What's the silliest question [you've been asked]?' and I don't look at it from that perspective because everybody that stands in line has, at some point, given me their hard-earned cash.

They gave me their money and so if they are going to spend time getting in line to ask me a question, I owe them the dignity of an answer, as silly as it may seem to somebody else.

If it is important enough for them to ask, it's important enough for me to answer with as much authenticity as I can.

Q: Have you ever experienced writer's block?

A:Never and here is why. Even if you do, you can't do anything about it. We are in a deadline-driven business.

Can I say that every story I have written is awesome? No. Is every panel and page I have everdrawn the best I have ever done? Of course not.

But at some point your body of work defines you, not any single page that you ever do. Once you understand that there is no perfection, then it allows you to go, 'OK, cool.'

As long as there is way more positive than there is negative then that is OK.

Q: Based on everything you have done so far, are you in the sweet spot of your career?

A:I hope the answer is no. Artists will chase perfection. The greatest invention for any artist is the deadline because if not, we would all be working on our next project still.

I am just foolish enough, like almost every other artist, to think that tomorrow is going to be that day. That I am going to draw the best thing ever, I am going to write the best thing ever and as soon as you do it, then you go, 'That wasn't good enough.'

You chase the perfection and then you die, but it's what drives you and gets you up out of the chair because you always think tomorrow is going to be the day.

You never want to be in a position where you go, 'Man, eight years ago I was awesome, you should have seen me then Suzy.'

ToddMcFarlane is set to appear at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo Friday thru Sunday.

With files from The Homestretch

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