Crusade Entertainment founder Billy Tucci is the man behind the hugely successful comic series, Shi. At times outselling Batman and Superman, over 4 million Shi comics have been sold worldwide. Shi's success inspired Tucci to create and publish numerous Shi offshoots and properties such as Victoria Cross, Angle Fire, Undaunted, Battlebooks and Atomik ANGELS (with Peter Gutierrez). Tucci is also hard at work on numerous film projects, all of which he'll discuss here, along with his current and future comic work. So without further ado, our man of the hour: Billy Tucci.
AN: Tell my readers, if you will, a bit about you: where are you from, and are you married? Any children? And where do you live and where did you go to school?
BT: Well Mr. Ness, I was born and raised on Long Island, NY and moved to Manhattan while attending The Fashion Institute of Technology. I lived in Forest Hills, Queens for about 6 years afterwards, and then moved back out to Long Island about 6 years ago, married my college sweet-heart Deborah who gave birth to my darling baby boy William Alexander this past July.
AN: What was the first comic book that you read or owned?
BT: The first comic I owned was a giant-sized Spider-Man which starred "The Orb," "Werewolf By Night," "Ghost Riders," and a bunch of others. I still have it buried somewhere in a closet.
AN: Who are your artistic influences?
BT: Most of the master illustrators: Mucha, Rockwell, Wyeth. But I've been working towards a more expressionistic and abstract way of storytelling.
AN: Who are your personal influences?
BT: As in life? Well, I'd have to say that Theodore Roosevelt, Good Ol' Abe Lincoln, and a bunch of conquerors and military chaps.
AN: And who are your friends within the comics industry?
BT: I really don't have any friends in the industry.
AN: Really?
BT: Seriously though, I've got a bunch. Like everyone else, I'm friends with Jimmy Palmiotti. But I also hold CrossGen's Tony Bedard, Ian Feller, Amanda Conner, John Nee, Joe Jusko, and too many to list very close to my heart.
AN: You were a US Army Ranger. When were you in the military and did you serve in the Gulf War? Any comments about the current world situation?
BT: I was very fortunate to have been apart of a Test Company when I enlisted in the Army National Guard after college. After Basic I received Ranger-type training in the vein of Ranger Indoctrination Training program and I also got my jump wings while on active duty. I served in the NYARNG 42nd Airborne and later in the RIARNG 19th Special Forces Group. During the Gulf War I was stuck out at the National Training Center, training to hunt mobile SCUD launchers when the war ended.
As for our current situation, I have no doubts that we are experiencing World War III and am very proud of our President and Military. Bush is a very wonderful and refreshing change from the lying, cheating, Emperor's New Clothes-style of Government of the last administration.
And I personally would rather have a "cow-boy" for a president than a"cow-ard"
AN: How did you get into the comics industry?
BT: I read Frank Miller's run of Daredevil (much after the fact) and Arkham Asylum and was hooked. For about 3 years I tried getting work for Marvel, DC, Harris and Image you name it and finally decided to go out on my own and publish. I had no money but figured what can those guys do that I can't!
AN: Shi was your first huge hit. What was your inspiration for the character, and what is your background in Martial Arts and Asia?
BT: I practiced Iaido for a couple of years. That's really about it. Japanese art, history and film are just huge influences on my storytelling style.
AN: Have you a master plot for the tales of Shi, and if so, have you envisioned the fin
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