Decem Quaesiti of Doom:
10 Questions with Ethan Van Sciver


He was a big part of making The Sinestro Corps as great as it was. He’s half of the creative team restoring Barry Allen to the DC Universe. He’s also writing a regular column for Newsarama. And now Ethan Van Scriver has taken some time out of his schedule to participate in Doomkopf’s Decem Quaesiti of Doom, a list of completely unpersonalized form questions for comic industry insiders.

1. What was the first comic book you remember reading?

The first one where I was conscious of the title and number was MAN OF STEEL #1. Before that, comics were just there for me to draw in and use silly putty on. So I was 16 before I actually read one.

And I’m kidding.

2. Who were your favorite comic book characters as a kid and why?

Superman, because I saw the movie! I don’t remember why I may have liked him more than Batman, but Superman seemed like the “boss”, and he was my favorite.

3. What did you originally want to be when you grew up, and at what point did you think you wanted to do this for a living?

I wanted to be a Paleontologist and dig up dinosaurs. I loved dinosaurs. I think I realized that I wasn’t quite smart enough to do that, and yet just barely smart enough to draw comic books for a living when I was 13 or 14. I started drawing Todd McFarlane’s HULK in my notebooks at school, and thought about doing that full time. Later, I learned that Walt Simonson was actually a Paleontologist AND a comic book artist, so maybe I would have ended up here anyhow, even if my IQ was 20 points higher.

4. What was your first comics gig? How did that come about?

There were a couple of false starts, but my first published work was CYBERFROG #1 for Hall of Heroes, and my first paying work was VAMPIRELLA/SHADOWHAWK, which I helped ink. Very poorly.

5. Looking back at your early creative career, either as a professional or an amateur, how would you say your work has evolved?

My work abandoned it’s land legs and became a large, sea-faring mammal. But if you look closely, you’ll still see small faux limbs that indicate that SINESTRO CORPS #1 was once quite similar to the modern mountain goat.

6. What is your creative process like now?

It’s caffeine fueled gibbering temper tantrums leading to moments of inspired clarity, and then long naps.

7. What has been the most challenging part of your career?

Trying to do it quickly. You’re supposed to get good and then get fast, and that’s what I’m learned to do now. I’m still on the “getting good” part though.

8. What career moment are you most proud of and why?

I’m proud of most of the stuff I’ve done with Geoff Johns, because it’s fun to reread, although some of it looks a little dodgy to me now. Which is good. It means my eye is getting better and I’m improving.

9. What is your dream project, in terms of characters and / or collaborators?

I’m on it now, FLASH with Geoff.

10. If you could kill off one comic book character, who would it be and why?

Wolverine, because…enough already!