LBP: I’d love to hear about what comics you read when you were growing up, specifically any titles that you felt passionate about. Looking back, do you think these titles had any impact on you as a storyteller?

I started with Superman and Batman and branched out to the rest of the DC characters from there. A couple of years later I got more interested in the Marvel characters.

But, as a young reader, it was Batman, Superman, the Justice League, Legion of Super-Heroes, Fantastic Four and Spider-Man that captivated me.

As for having an impact on me as a storyteller, I firmly believe that anything you read, be it fiction or the daily newspaper, helps form that. In some cases, it develops an interest in an area you might want to explore. In others, you might read something that doesn't work and that becomes a red flag-- something you avoid.

LBP: Although you initially broke into comic as an artist, you made the leap to writer almost immediately -- and have now gained praise for your work in both disciplines. As a graduate of MCAD your training as an artist seems a bit more documented, but I’d love to hear about your journey as a writer.

I went through a phase during my middle school years where I was a voracious reader. I read everything I could get my hands on. A couple of paperback companies were re-releasing old pulps like the Shadow and Doc Savage and I devoured those. That's when I began reading more adult books-- I remember trying to understand "Catch 22". It was also my first real exposure to science fiction, which was experiencing something of a resurgence. So, really, it was about exposure to lots of different ideas, techniques and opinions, which I continued to explore up through high school and college. All that stuff was planting seeds that would bear fruit later.

LBP: Booster Gold was one of the first characters I encountered who seemed aware of his own commercial value; he often played with the tension between good deeds and good publicity -- a set of conflicting motives that’s made him one of the most human characters in the DCU. How did you come up with the idea of Booster? Has his impact surprised you in any way?

I remember watching the Olympics in the early 80's, back when athletes were still expected to be amateurs. There was a swimmer or diver who had arranged an endorsement deal without yet winning a medal, which was somewhat shocking for the times. That started the process rolling in my mind and, eventually, Booster Gold was the result.

In many ways, he's even more relevant today, in a world of empty celebrity culture and TMZ.

And, yeah, it's a bit of a surprise to have something endure for what is now close to 30 years. When you're a young creator, you're simply incapable of thinking, or even dreaming, that far ahead. But it's quite gratifying.

LBP: Much has been written about your long career with Superman, and the major impact you had on shaping this flagship character. I’d love to hear which writers and artists helped shaped your understanding of the Man of Steel, and how their work might have informed your own work with the character.

This is a bit hard to explain, but as a kid and reader, I liked the character of Superman better than I liked the stories. For me, there were too many "out there" stories with Superman. He really was set up on such a high pedestal that he became hard to relate to. At the same time, the main artist of that era, Curt Swan, drew a very human Superman. So I was always a bit perplexed by what I was seeing, which was a god-like character with virtually no flaws whatsoever, who seemed very human in appearance.

So, to a certain extent, my approach as a writer was shaped by what I wasn't seeing as a reader. I craved a Superman that was a bit more human in terms of how he lived and a bit more powerful and raw when he wore a cape. I saw him as the ultimate leader, whereas before that, he always seemed to be looking for consensus. If you read the earliest stories of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, that's the Superman they depicted.

LBP: You’ve helped reshape or propel a ton of major characters over the course of your career, both at Marvel and DC (Superman, Spider-Man, Thor, Firestorm). Setting aside those big names for a moment, who’ve been some of your favorite supporting characters to work on? Are there any minor characters whom you think deserve more attention?

There was a time when I was writing four books-- Superman, Aquaman, Tomb Raider and Thor-- and my favorite of the four was Aquaman. I had great fun with that. Lots of stuff to play with there, even though the character has been the object of ridicule, from time to time. It's great to see him get the level of success he's currently enjoying.

Lois Lane is a tremendous character in her own right. I'd love to see her carry her own series again. Jimmy Olsen was fun to write as well. As were the Warrior's Three in Thor, where Volstagg can add such a great comic element.