Fantasy/science-fiction stories have been around almost as long as each genre, but every hybrid now lives in the shadow of 'Star Wars.'

My parents grew up during the space race, and I think they imagined the future would be us living on moon bases and everyone has rocket shoes.

I remember seeing Stand by Me, when I was around 12, and just feeling like, "This is so refreshing to see kids swear and smoke cigarettes like my friends." It just felt much more real than the Sesame Street version of childhood that I'd been spoon-fed.

After ten years of toiling away in Hollywood, I realized that there's no better place for new ideas than comics.

If a good editor will let me tell my story with the right artist, I'm happy.

I write the book for one person — for Fiona [Staples, the artist]. I spend a lot of time just thinking how she'll react to things and manipulating her into drawing perverse, horrific things. It's a really weird job but I enjoy it.

There's just something about that late '80s that suddenly feels like it has something to teach us.