CBG‘s monthly visit with a comics professional profiles Papercutz Editor in Chief Jim Salicrup in CBG #1670.
Longtime Marvel writer and editor Jim Salicrup is now editor in chief at Papercutz, a trustee at MoCCA (The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art), and president of the Rick Parker Fan Club.
The five words that best describe you are … ?
Appreciative, creative, happy, loyal, and lucky.
What’s the most recent comic book you’ve read?
Disney Fairies #2: “Tinker Bell and the Wings of Rani.” It’s the second volume in the series that Papercutz is publishing, and, even though the stories are intended for children, the story of Rani (a fairy that sacrifices her wings, not once, but twice, for the better good of her community) written by Augusto Macchetto, with art by Daniella Vetro and Roberta Zanotta, is moving and memorable.
If you were King of the World, you would … ?
Try to do a better job than the Smurf King.
What is your collecting “holy grail” — the one item you want to own more than anything else?
The actual Holy Grail.
Mac or PC?
PC, just ’cause the initials remind me of Papercutz!
Your super-power of choice?
The power of The Purple Man: the old Daredevil villain who can get anyone to do whatever he says.
What personal skill do you use the most?
What little charm I may possess, I use to persuade people to peruse Papercutz graphic novels and/or become a member of the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Fortunately, I use my limited powers for good, instead of evil.
What is your greatest extravagance?
When you’re trying to build up a new graphic-novel publishing company (with lots of help from the world’s greatest comics publisher, Terry Nantier!) and promote a non-profit (mostly volunteer) comics and cartoon-art museum (founded by Lawrence Klein, expertly run by Chairman Ellen Abramowitz, Director Karl Erickson, and a terrific bunch of trustees), being extravagant isn’t really an option. That said, I’ll admit to sometimes getting away from it all by taking a ballroom dance class at Liz Peterson’s Dancing for Animals (www.dancingforanimals.org), which also happens to be a non-profit organization devoted to helping animals.
The greatest album ever?
Ringo by Ringo Starr.
Betty or Veronica?
Mary Jane Watson-Parker.
Who are your favorite writers?
Stefan Petrucha, who has written The X-Files, Nancy Drew, and Tales from the Crypt; Don McGregor, the creator of Sabre and Detectives, Inc., who has also written classic tales for Creepy, Eerie, Tales from the Crypt, Zorro, and many others; plus Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Steve Gerber, Alan Moore, and countless others.
What’s something you believed as a child that turned out to be a big fat lie?
That my free charter lifetime subscription to The Buyer’s Guide for Comic Fandom would continue with CBG.
The best piece of advice you received?
“It’s time to leave Marvel Comics,” from Paulette Powell. I was there for 20 great years and I hope I can use everything I learned in that time to make Papercutz a success, both creatively and financially.
Your favorite photo on your desk is … ?
A picture of Michael Petranek and his dog Zeus. It’s really not on my desk; it’s on the wall above Michael’s desk, but it’s a good excuse for me to mention how much I rely on him to keep everything running at Papercutz.
What do you never leave home without?
Papercutz catalogs and business cards. The catalogs are great to give to parents looking for something for their kids to read that isn’t crammed with mindless violence.
What scares you?
Living and working near a major terrorist target can be scary. The Papercutz offices are around the corner from the New York Stock Exchange, so I must pass through closed-off streets, past armed National Guardsmen and various police checkpoints.
You’re superstitious about … ?
The Papercutz offices are on the 13th floor, so I’m not really superstitious.
You want to be remembered for … ?
As the proud owner of the Holy Grail, who with the powers of The Purple Man became King of the World. Or being bright enough to hire such talents as Todd McFarlane, Sho Murase (Nancy Drew), and Paulo Henrique (Hardy Boys) and letting them do what they do best!
What are you working on now?
Bringing the legendary Peyo’s Smurfs graphic novels back in print in English. With an all-new Smurfs film in production from Columbia Pictures, many people may not realize that the Smurfs started in comics. Papercutz will be publishing Smurfs graphic novels starting in Fall 2010 with The Purple Smurf. Originally titled Les Schtroumpfs Noirs or The Black Smurf, this graphic novel has never before been published in English. It was, however, adapted by Hanna-Barbera as part of its animated Smurfs TV series as “The Purple Smurf,” so as not to unintentionally offend anyone. Papercutz will also publish The Smurfs and the Magic Flute, the original Johan and Peeweet story that introduced the world to The Smurfs. Face it: Life just doesn’t get any more Smurf-tastic than that!
The Magazine
Hi from old Italy,
being off there for a while, but wait a moment…..where are the forums?? And where are the old previews of the mag?!?
My subscription also expired last issue and I worried that for the first time I not saw the usual subscription card inside the magazine…..so I was worried about the future of CBG, can I quiet renew by the website?
Please let me know!
If you look at this thread, you’ll see that we’re finishing up our migration and the forums will be up and running soon.
Yes, you can renew via the website. The link is at the bottom of the page.
Thanks!
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Thank you very much for your help Brent!
Just wondering, as others, will be able to see the old forums with the discussions too?!?
Cheers!
The old forums with discussions are what made up the threads you’ll find on the main website for now. The new forums can link to those previous discussions.