I have been a huge fan of Reed Gunther well before the intelligent folks over at Image found the brilliant all-ages comedy-action phenomena that is the Bear-riding cowboy.  Reed Gunther #1 hits the stands in June 1st and you can catch a preview in Super Dinosaur #2 – but right now you can read my interview with the Houghton brothers – who are the creative team behind comicdom’s next big thing!

Eric: Did Image take out an ad for a bear-riding Cowboy? Or how did Reed get on Image’s radar?

Shane: Well, when you’ve got a really great idea for a comic book, it’s tough to get a publisher’s attention. That’s why Chris and I rode on the back of a California grizzly bear up to the front door of Image Comics. They said, “These guys are nuts! Quick, give them what they want so they go away!” And that’s how we got our deal at Image.

Chris: We started a conversation with Image by sending them a western-themed pitch package. Shane wrote up a proposal and we sent that (along with our 3 issues printed at the time) in a stained, beat-up wooden box with the Reed Gunther logo wood burned on the front. We followed Image’s submission guidelines and that was that. That was over a year ago but it got the ball rolling and we couldn’t be happier.

Shane: Chris made the COOLEST wood-stained box for our proposal. The first thing Image publisher Eric Stephenson wrote us was “Cool box!” And then he said the comics were pretty good too.

Eric: So, what changes are happening for Reed in his move to Image?

Shane: There’s barely any changes. Only die hard fans from our self-published run will notice the very small changes. I’ll name a few: Reed now lives in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by zombies, he wears a flowing red cape and is draped in chains, he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats (he also solves crimes), Sterling is now a dinosaur with giant robot arms, and of course, Reed is now invincible.

Chris: The biggest change readers will see will be the addition of color! While we were self-publishing, printing color issues just wasn’t cost effective for us. It’s required a lot of work to color the first 5 issues of Reed Gunther (in total, 158 pages). I colored issues #1 and #2 but we hired colorist, Ciaran Lucas to help with coloring issues #3-5. We also hired a color assistant, Jose Flores, to handle most of the flats. Other than adding color and the great opportunity Image will give Reed Gunther with a wider distribution, not much will change with the content. We’re working hard on new issues all ready; developing new characters and situations Reed, Sterling, and Starla can face.

Eric: This has got to mean big changes for the two of you as far as the creative team goes, can you talk about?

Shane: Since we’re both big huge deals now, we have agreed to refer to each other formally as, “Mr. Houghton” …which sometimes gets confusing for our colorist because he never knows who’s saying what. Really, between me and Chris, not much has changed. Chris does have to deal with the new component of coloring and did a smashing job on the first 2 issues. The major change is that we brought in a coloring team to help us finish the colors for issues 3 through 5. Juan does an amazing job with flatting and Ciaran has been rocking the coloring.

Chris: Yeah! We’re still working together in the same way. Hopefully our creative process continues to grow but Shane and I work really well together.

Eric: Follow-up: Is your independent press coming under Image – or just Reed?

Shane: Our deal with Image is only for Reed so we may still put out self-published classics such as Moon Gloom and Blood Brothers. Both of those are short, one-shot pieces and if we decide to come out with a second series, you can bet we’ll see if Image would like to publish it!

Chris: Shane and I have worked on a few different short comics and we’re still able to work on comics other than Reed Gunther if we’d like. But I really just want to focus on drawing Reed Gunther for now. He’s keeping us plenty busy!

Eric: Any changes to the format of the book?

Shane: We had to take out some of the extra goodies in the back such as pin ups and Chris’ sketch work, but don’t worry, most of that awesomeness will be collected in the trade paper backs!

Chris: Still just as easy to read in the bathroom as ever.

Eric: So, when does the first issue come out?

Shane: June 1st, dude! You can call your shop and pre-order issue #1 (APR110403) and issue #2 (MAY110525) right now! After the first issue drops in June, Reed will be a monthly title premiering on every first Wednesday of the month! And since Image is reprinting our self-published issues in color (we have the first 5 issues in the can) we can guarantee that Reed Gunther will not be late for at least the first five months. And if somehow it is late, it’s not our fault.

Eric: I think there could be a great Reed Gunther / Savage Dragon cross-over, what do you think?

Shane: Of course there is! We love Savage Dragon! Here’s a little insider secret: Under Reed’s hat… he has a green fin.

Chris: Oh man, that’d be awesome. I love Savage Dragon and I’d love to have Reed Gunther meet that big green guy.

Eric: What else do the two of you have on the horizon?

Shane: …Sunsets.

Chris: Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Eric: Thanks guys for talking with me – and look forward to reading Reed!