Interview with Jim Main

Interview with Jim Main
by Brent Frankenhoff

Editor Brent Frankenhoff interviewed Jim Main for the Indie Insider column of the Comic Buyer's Guide. The interview ran in issue #1667, and is included in the PDF preview available online. The print version was shortened a little to fit the space, but thanks to Brent and Jim, we present it here in its entirety.

Brent Frankenhoff: Describe your comic(s) in five words.
Jim Main: Exciting,different,fun and appealing.
  
What makes your comics different from those of other publishers?
Well, a lot of originality goes into them for the most part, but we aren't without our homages to characters/creators who we respect and admire.

How did you get started?
My actual roots were in fanzine publishing, in the early 1970's, when I met up with Carl Gafford who was a senior at my High School when I was a freshman. Carl introduced me to fanzine publishing via the dreaded spirit duplicator machine and I later published my own titles that way. Then I decided to go photo offset and soon photocopy! These days I print my books via POD as well as some PDF/e-zines.

Why did you choose to become a comics publisher/creator?
I've been a major fan of comic books and comic strips as well as fanzines from the early sixties so it was only a matter of time until the I started writing and publishing my own titles.

The greatest thing about being independent is . . . ?
No restrictions as far as the creativity factor is concerned.

The worst thing?
Hmmm...nothing I can really think of. Maybe distribution. I really love what I'm able to do.

Your favorite comic book of all time is . . . ?
The Avengers, issue #4. The return of Captain America!   

People who read your comics are . . . ?
Probably looking for something different from the mainstream world of comics out there.
 
Who were among your artistic and creative influences?
I would have to credit Roy Thomas, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Steve Englehart, Stan Lee, Marv Wolfman to name a few...       

What were among your earliest titles?
My earliest fanzine titles were *PPFSZT!, Satyr, Spectrum, Gnome and Fandom Feature. I came around with the indy comic craze in the 1980's with Heroic, A.C.T.I.O.N. Force, Frankie's Frightmare and Spectrum (this time as an anthology comic) and Morgana X (with Allen Freeman) After awhile, I got involved with other creative pursuits and put the comic publishing away for awhile until 2005, I believe it was.

What were your biggest challenges at start up?
If you're referring to start up in terms of when I first started out as a publisher, I guess I'd have to say finding people to contribute to my publication. It was basically three people that I knew from high school who shared my interests that did material for issue #1 of my fanzine *PPFSZT!, which we cranked out via a ditto machine. After that, through becoming a member of the United Fanzine Organization as well as contacting folks through ads in The Buyers Guide for Comics Fandom and Rocket's Blast/Comic Collector.

The best advice you received when starting out?
Don't give up!

The worst advice?
Give up!!!
   
What jobs outside of comics have you held or do you hold?
I've held editorial status at Attic Books out of Ridgefield, Connecticut for years. I co-created their magazine Toy Values Monthly/Collectible Toys & Values. I also co-authored The Official Action Figure Price Guide with Stuart Wells, published by Random House. I'm currently employed in the health care field.

Who were among your earliest creators?
Mike Tuz, Larry Johnson, Steve Keeter, Rod Snyder, Steve Lafler...eventually Brent Anderson and Frank Cirocco.

Who have been your most popular creators and why?
All of my staff are very popular, such as John Lambert, Dave Farley, Jack Bertram, Al & Rick Limacher, Michael Vance, Steve Keeter, Sam Gafford, Al Sippo, Tim Faurote, Glen Walker, Marc Haines, Dennis Kininger, Doc Boucher, Wade Busby, BeBop, Mark Orr, Barry Southworth, Miguel Guerra...but Brent Anderson, Frank Cirocco, Steve Lafler are the three most well-known of those who have graced my publications with their presence.
   
You are most proud of . . . ?
The longevity I've had at still being involved in publishing.

What talent do you have that you use the most?
If by "talent" you mean an individual writer or artist, I'd say John Lambert...the guy does a ton of illustrations as well as comic book stories for most of my titles, like Comic Fan!, 'Zine of Bronze, Dark Corridor, as well as comic books Strange Space Stories and Chase! If you mean a "talent" of mine, I'd have to say my ability to "partner up" teams of writer/artists or penciller/inkers successfully.

Who would you most like to have work for you?
To be honest...I'm perfectly content with those who I have on board currently. I've amassed a laundry list of talented creators over my many years of publishing and many new faces are still popping up who want to get in on the action.

What do you lose sleep over?
The usual...deadlines and production issues. I always pray my material for a project shows up on time and that the finished product is worthy of the time, effort and finances that all involved have put into it.
     
What upcoming projects do you have?
Currently my crew and I are wrapping up magazines such as Comic Fan! #6, 'Zine of Bronze #7 (The Doc Savage Appreciation Publication), the massive anthology The Big Book of Small Press, plus comic titles Strange Space Stories #2, Chase! #10, WTF!?! #2 and  Boot Hill #2. I have many other titles in the works as well which folks can check out at my ordering site at Main Enterprises.

May 29, 2010

In addition to Jim's magazines and comics, he's also planning several mini comics this year including All Nukes (spotlighting the work of Andy Nukes), Get the Message!, Sheesh!, Happy Freakin' Holidays, and Zeroes! (trading cards of would-be superheroes like Jim Siergey's the Red Flashlight).

And while The Big Book of Small Press is at the small press, Jim has made a PDF version that's available now. This mega small press anthology with over 40 contributors from the US, Canada, England and Malaysia is a whopping 212 pages total. Full color front and back covers, it's filled with comic strips, cartoons, illustrations and fiction. Contributors include Jeff Austin, Rock Baker, Larry Blake, Nate Corrigan, Carl Alessi, Brien Wayne Powell, Laurence DuCheny, Hal Jones, Kevin Duncan, Michael Grassia, Terry Pavlet, Matt Levin, Dan Taylor, John Lambert, Dave Farley, Noor Hafizah, Barry Southworth, Brad Foster, Jim Siergey, Andy Nukes, Al Limacher, Rick Limacher, Larry Tisch, Lauren Barnett, Richard Krauss, BeBop, Charles Kelly, Tim Temmel, Robert J. Sodaro, Jack Bertram, Robert Sumner, Cliff Kurowski, April Kurowski, Josh Blair, Sam Gafford, Marc Haines, Martin Oakley, Jennifer Walker, Nic Carcieri, Jason DeGroot, Miguel Guerra, Mike Pascale, George Leon and Bill Shut.

Almost a year in the making. The printed version is expected in July and is $18.95 plus shipping. For a low cost version of it now, Jim's offering the PDF version for $4 at Main Enterprises.

Jim Main is the founder and owner of Main Enterprises and has published for nearly 40 years, beginning with fanzines in the early 1970s, under a variety of company names. Main's other companies include Flying Pig Publications, Spectrum Graphics, Padded Cell Press, Lighting Comics, and Cat's Paw Comics.

Interview is © 2010 by F+W Media Inc. Used with permission.

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