Paul Tobin

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PAST WRITINGS: This is a quick rundown, by no means exhaustive, of writings Iíve done in the past, or am still working on. Itís been done entirely off the top of my head, which is a bit unfortunate since Iím largely bald and things have a tendency to slide away and be lost if theyíre on the top of my head. So, like I say, itís an incomplete list. For comics it should be noted that I took some time off in order to learn how to do novels, but now Iím back and this list should be shortly added to. There is at least one major announcement due soon in that area, and Iím working on a couple more.

DRAGON MAGAZINE: This was my first published writing, and to be frank I canít remember, for the life of me, when the hell it was. All I can really remember is receiving a packet in the mail that was stamped ìContract Enclosed.î I remember thinking that was pretty cool.

FRINGE: (1990-1992: or thereabouts) Published by Caliber, I was the creator / writer for this series. It was the first published project that Phil Hester and I worked on together, and after a few issues Ande Parks joined us, which was great because by then I was having to do some inking by myself. It makes it less fun to write vastly complicated panels when youíre going to be inking them yourself. Too masochistic. A trade compilation was published of the first four issues. Phil did all the covers, and in many ways I still consider those covers to be some of Philís most imaginative work. Fringe was very well received both by the public and by the critics, and while the work is all over the place and very raw, Iím still proud of it.

SHATTERED EARTH: EX-MUTANTS (1990 or so): No, wait, I lied to you above. Iíd forgotten that Phil and I did some work on the Ex-Mutants, on an offshoot series. THIS was our first published work together, umm, maybe. I canít remember too much about this work, other than a character that had a potato for a head. We named him ìSpud.î Duh. I wonder what other works Iím forgetting? Jesus, I should keep better records. Did I write Sandman?

ATTITUDE LAD (1993-95 or thereabouts): This was the main work I did soon after Fringe. It ran for three issues at Caliber, and then I decided to move it over to Slave Labor, where it ran for three more issues. A variety of artists worked on the series, which was the antics of an anti-social bastardÖor, more truly put, the antics of the man we would all be, while in our early twenties, if ìthe rulesî did not apply to us. Itís an interesting look for me, gazing back at those issues, and reading philosophies that I no longer adhere to. Like looking back at your record collection from a decade ago and wondering what kind of freak you were. Ahh, we were all freaks once and, looking back on these times, weíll all see that weíre just different sort of freaks now. Iím not saying thatís bad: I like it.
With Attitude Lad, Phil Hester and I continued our partnership, but I also brought in such talents as Vincent Stall, of King Mini fame. Watch for a book from him at Top Shelf in the near future. Attitude Lad was also the art debut of my own lovely Colleen Coover.

NEGATIVE BURN (1990ís) I did some anthology work for this magazine from Caliber. Iím sure it was brilliant.

CALIBER PRESENTS: (1990ís) Another anthology that I did occasional work for. Again, it was most likely startlingly progressive works of genius. Wait, actually, I do remember a short story called ìHound Dog Bluesî that I liked quite a bit. Maybe it was in this, or it might have been in Negative Burn.

SHOCKTRAUMA ANNUAL: This was an anthology project for our own little group. It sold 470,000,000 copies and was the highest grossing thing ever in the history of the world. Citizen Kane II (starring Justin Timberlake) was based off this work. No, really though, it had some good stuff in the comic, and it was fun to work on.

WRETCH (199?): I helped Phil Hester out by doing some scripting on an issue of Wretch. When was this? What issue? Donít remember. My mental catalog of my past works is incomplete and in disarray. I canít even remember if I liked the story. Look, letís just forget this one and move on. Nothing to see here folks; nothing to see.

NOVELS: (1995-present)
In the middle of the nineties I decided to level off my comic work and begin to work on novels. Iíve always wanted to do novels, and while I enjoy working with artists on comics thereís something grand about being the only one with any responsibility on a creative work. Novels were something daunting though; itís a great work to do a novel. It took me almost three years to finish my first novel, and most of that time wasnít spent actually writing, but rather in learning the DISCIPLINE of writing. Work, every day, no matter what, is the only way to get a completed novel. After finishing my first novel I quickly began work on another, and another, and another. Now I have nine novels that are at least finished in the first draft. Five of these novels are well written junk, but the other four arenít bad. I believe that Iíve now learned not only the discipline of writing a novel, but also how to actually write them, the true ABILITY. What I want to put down on paper is now actually getting down on paper. Currently two of my novels are on their third and final drafts, and are being looked at by agents. Tally-ho!

SHORT STORIES: (1987-present) Well, okay, it says there that Iíve written short stories from 1987 to present, but thatís kind of a lie. I took a long time off, wanting to concentrate my prose on novels. In the late eighties I was publishing my own local art rag called Patch, and I always had a short story or two in an issue. Then my friend Paul Valerio started up Industrial Nation magazine. Itís since reached a circulation in the tens of thousands, but I can remember the days of hand collating and stapling each issue in his kitchen. Quite a few of my short stories ended up in the magazine. Then I quit doing short stories for about a decade. Lately though, Iíve gotten back into it: theyíre enjoyable, they donít take much time, and they are going to be good ways for me to work up my name so that my novels will sell better. Among other sales, Iíve just been accepted into the Vincent Brotherís Review, which Iím quite excited about. Itís one of those ìsmall circulation / large respectî magazinesÖand should open a few more doors for me.

COMICS JOURNAL: Iíve done some critical writing for the Journal, most of it years ago, but Iím starting to think about doing it again. Both DC and Marvel are actually doing some pretty fine works, really quality entertainment, and the Comics Journal will completely ignore them. I can fix that. Thereís no reason for good work to go unheralded. DC in particular has lined up some fantastic artists. Michael Lark. Javier Pulido. Cliff Chiang. Darwyn Cooke. Guy Davis. Cameron Stewart. These guys deserve their kudos.

SMALL FAVORS: (December 2000-present) Iíve been helping Colleen with her erotic book from Fantagraphics since the beginning. Small Favors encompasses two main themes. The first is that pretty girls make people happy. One person they make happy is Colleen, and when she began to realize that she had desires for women she wanted to express those desires through her art. The second main theme is happiness. Both Colleen and I felt that there were too few comics (especially in porn) where untainted HAPPINESS could be found. SMALL FAVORS was the result. With the series I do a large share of the writing, with Colleen steering me in the directions she wants to go. I do all the finished scripts, and design the rough layouts. Then Colleen picks up her brush and makes it truly beautiful. Iím honored to work with such a talented artist. SMALL FAVORS is the book that lured back into the world of comics.

Oh, one other mention of my works. I should mention that, even while not writing comics, Iíve never left ìthe world.î In the late 1980ís I began working as a grunt at Daydreams Comics in Iowa City, where I am still employed. In the beginning it was a small sniffle of a comic store, and now itís a huge street level store with a very intelligent clientele. I took over as manager in the mid-nineties. Books like Eightball and Acme Novelty Library are among our highest sellers. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen has actually been our highest selling book since itís first issue. My basic plan, when I leave Daydreams in the summer of 2004, is to leave by presenting it with an Eisner award for best comic shop. Daydreams, just as much as comics and novels, has been one of my greatest creations.

And thatís it. Thatís Paul Tobin in an incomplete nutshell. A guy who loves to write, who has the ability to write, and the discipline to do it.

Plus he looks good in a swimsuit.

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