The Carcosa Interview: An Extended Sit-Down with Greg Rucka

Halfway through my call with Greg Rucka, Eisner-Award winner and writer for the heralded Lazarus on Image Comics, I try to be courteous with his time and tell him I have just a few more questions. He quickly cuts me off and says, “Brother, listen, we’ve been trying to do this for weeks, we can take as much time as it takes.” This is true; Rucka and I have spent what feels like the better part of the late summer trying to match schedules. I tell him I have a few more questions, but that’s not true. I have a ton of questions. Even though we don’t get through all of them (essentially because it is not my attempt to kidnap Rucka and have him answer all of life’s questions for me), I learn early on that I could ask him every question and he’d have an honest answer for it. He doesn’t shy away from what he does well and what he doesn’t or what has occurred in the past that he can count as a triumph or pitfall. What’s also evident, is that while he’s written more popular titles in the past, he might be writing his best stuff right now. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing comic books or building bridges, when you are at the peak of your powers, you are most likely to be excited to talk about it. And Rucka is really excited to talk about Lazarus.

If you have never read Lazarus (and how dare you if you haven’t, it’s only 19 issues in), it begins with the story of one of the few powerful families left in a not-too-distant future. A nuclear war didn’t tear the world apart, financial coll…