Web Comics: First off, I want to thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Growing up You, Gerry Conway, & Len Wein & Stan Lee were my all-time favorite writers. So, it's an honor to be able to have you as Web Comics’ third interview.

Steve Englehart: Thanks.

Steve Englehart: I created some guys who were so against the romance between the android Vision and the mutant Scarlet Witch that they attached bombs to themselves so they could approach the happy couple and blow them up. At the time, around 1972, it was just an idea for bad guys that hadn’t been done before. Real bad guys reading AVENGERS and getting the idea from that seems a bit of a stretch; more likely it was just something in the air, since the war against Vietnam was still going on.

Steve Englehart: Nope, it was just luck of the draw. But if I’d been handed MILLIE THE MODEL I’d have tried to do something memorable with it. Point being, those books weren’t particuarly risky until I decided to take some risks. But that was what Marvel encouraged then.

Web Comics: Most of the creators who've made a name for themselves are remembered for one key book; Berni Wrightson is remembered for Swamp Thing, with you it seems to be 1970’s Marvel, with an older crowd. How do you feel about that legacy?

Steve Englehart: I was incredibly lucky to get a chance to be as creative as possible in a time when, as I say, Marvel encouraged that. And I always felt I was doing “comics,” not “a comic,” so I dove into everything headfirst as new books came available. So I’m proud of the way it turned out. But it wasn’t just Marvel; my Batman’s probably my most famous run. And it wasn’t just the 70s, though it became more sporadic after that, certainly; there was SILVER SURFER and GREEN LANTERN CORPS and WEST COAST AVENGERS in the 80s, Malibu’s THE NIGHT MAN and THE STRANGERS in the 90s, DARK DETECTIVE now… So I hope people didn’t miss out on that.

Web Comics: Who are your influences, comics or personally? Is there any one particular Writer (or Artist) that made decide to pursue writing as a career?

Steve Englehart: As a kid, I loved Dick Tracy, written and drawn by Chester Gould, Donald Duck by Carl Barks, and Mickey Mouse by Paul Murry — and Batman. Looking back (because I certainly didn’t know it at the time), the high quality of Gould, Barks, and Murry made comics mean more to me than just a way to pass the time — and Batman was always fun. Then later, the whole Marvel Universe imparted that mystique. And finally, I was knocked out by Neal Adams’ art, and later the man himself. And Neal always looked at his stories with a writer’s eye. So it was really the continuing example of comics people doing great work that built up that feeling in me that that’s what I wanted to do.

Web Comics: Do you have a favorite Artist to work with?

Steve Englehart: Not really. One of the things about comics in the 70s was, you got handed the title and you got handed the artists. So I learned to have fun working with each guy and his way of doing things, and I still like that. These days I’m doing a lot with Marshall Rogers, which is great because it’s Marshall, but I was also happy to be “handed” Tom Derenick for my JLA CLASSIFIED/JSA CLASSIFIED run.

Web Comics: In regards to your own work who was your favorite Inker? And your favorite Colorist?

Steve Englehart: You mean me as an artist? I didn’t do all that much, but Johnny Romita Sr has to be my favorite inker, and Neal my favorite colorist. If you mean, as a writer, I have the same answer as above, though it’s always a pleasure to work with Terry Austin.

Web Comics: Of all your work do you have any certain favorites? Particular run or issue?

Steve Englehart: I have to say, pretty much everything. I try to make everything I do the best it can be, which makes it a favorite of mine. I’ve been open over the years about things that didn’t work out, for whatever reason, but every time I try to list my favorite 5 or favorite 10 things, the list just keeps running because most of it does work out.

Web Comics: Do you still keep up with the industry?

Steve Englehart: Yes, but back in the day, people who worked in comics got all the comics for free so I was right on top of it all. Now that’s no longer true, so I miss stuff.

Web Comics: Do you socialize with anyone within the comic book industry?

Steve Englehart: I live in the San Francisco area so there aren’t that many that I see regularly, but sure. Marshall Rogers and I get together for coffee and comics several times a month.