Mike Kunkel on Bringing the Magic of Shazam to Life
Writer–artist Mike Kunkel, the Eisner Award–winning creator of Herobear and the Kid, recently joined John Siuntres on Word Balloon. Kunkel discussed his beloved Herobear series, his work on Scooby-Doo! and Krypto Mysteries, and offered insights into his all-ages DC series Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!
Kunkel explained how the project began:
“That was Jan Jones. She called me up one day—one of the most influential people in my comics career because of what she offered me the chance to do. She said, ‘We’ve got this new All Ages line we’re launching at DC. Here are the titles.’ I immediately said, ‘I’d love to do Captain Marvel.’ And she said, ‘That’s good, because that’s what we were thinking.’ So right away, we were in sync. It clicked because it’s a character I’ve loved since I was a kid—the wish fulfillment, the nobility, the playfulness, the kid connection. It all lined up perfectly with Herobear. I always told people, Herobear is Captain Marvel, Billy is Tyler, and Mary is Katie, Tyler’s little sister. The Wizard is their grandfather, and the North Pole is the cave of wonders. I knew that story—I could tell it.”
Go check out the full interview on Word Balloon.
