First Comics News: Let me say, I am honoured to interview James Hachey a 40-year veteran comic creator. If you don’t mind can you tell us a little background information. Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
James Hachey: I was born in Saint John n.b. more directly the north end called Indian town,..main street this is where I first started collecting and drawing comics, I used to have a newspaper route and after I delivered my papers I would use the brown paper left over to do my drawing on.
1st: Are you a writer, artist or both?
Jimmy: I like to consider myself more of an artist who likes to write..though I have worn all of the hats like editor, publisher, letter, and a lot of the time talent scout.
1st: Who would you say are some of your greatest influences in comics?
Jimmy: First it was Steve Ditko, then Neal Adams, John Byrne, Gil Kane,..and for a lot of years George Perez,..though I have a great respect for Rich Buckler, of course, Frank Frazetta was a great influence, and later Hal Foster, Alex Raymond wally wood and Al Williamson.
1st: If you could hang out with any creator living or otherwise, who would it be?
Jimmy: I would love to meet George Perez and thank him for all the years his art has inspired me,..though a few years back I did send George a copy of my book the (early scan of the cover) he put it on his fan page which gave me the biggest thrill, of course, I always wanted to meet Stan Lee,..but that never happened.
1st: Jimmy, you have had an amazing 40 year run creating comics. What can you tell the reader about Waterfront studios?
Jimmy: Water Front Studios is my publishing company that I used to promote my own material as well as launch new titles…including religious comics which I am looking to do, a friend came up with the name long ago and we stuck with it, I have had other names but I always came back to that name.
1st: One of your many projects is an anthology series called Manga Ganda. What can you tell your fans about this series. How many issues are there?
Jimmy: Manga Ganda was a title that artist Tim Fallon came up with which he told me stood for manga style stories, which our book really does not have, our format is no certain type of stories just where ever our minds will take us, science fiction, fantasy, westerns,horror, humor, and true to life, Tim’s original goal was to model the book after the old E.C. comics of the 50’and after his death I decided to take over that vision and continue the magazine in his memory, I would like to think that I have honored his life and original concept, and yes I plan on doing a another issue of this series, we have published four books from this series and planning on doing a fifth issue possibly by next year.
1st: If anyone was interested in getting copies of Manga Ganda, where are they available?
Jimmy: You can purchase copies of my series either for the publisher Facebook.com/Nerdanatix or from myself I now have a web site up which you can order copies from or sending me a message via email mangaganda@outlook.com my site is Simplesite.com I do have a few copies left over from my last comic convention they are selling for $5 per copy excluding the postage of course.
1st: Jimmy, I have had the pleasure to read your debut issue of Supernatural Agents, what can you tell us about that project. Who are the supernatural Agents?
James:My team the Supernatural Agents were originally called the Destructors of evil (which I renamed because I thought they needed a new image,..so after I decided to revamp them I added a few new characters and kept only a few original members, but they are called paranormal investigators, which the government of Canada employed and controlled, and when they found out that the government planned to clone them and fire the real ones they rebelled against the system, and went solo but of course there was a need for them since the clones had a default in their genetic makeup, which the scientist who gained alien knowledge were able to manipulate the human DNA and alter their abilities from human to superhuman. that is it in a nutshell.
1st: I am excited Supernatural agents issue 2 almost finished and ready for release. Anything you can tell fans about issue 2?
Jimmy: Issue two will pick up where no.1 left off and pick up speed as the team will be activated once again as a group when an alien invasion is headed to Ottawa. As we learn from Star Bolt that he has been tracking this alien race and has come back to warn the team of this coming peril. The government once again has to employ them in order to repel this new threat. Meanwhile, other members are sent else were to confront another problem which I don’t wanna spoil. All this and more will be told by writer Paul Beale and artist Luis Rivera. A sixteen-page story that is sure to thrill.
1st: How many issues are you planning for the series?
Jimmy: We are planning for this to be a four-part series and if need be maybe a fifth book. Then who knows? I had envisioned this story way back in the early 90’s when myself and artist Tim Fallon were going to do it but unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 so we only worked on the first book together. Along with doing a lot of character designs and sketches, after Tim’s passing, I contacted Luis about working on this story and he agreed to do it.
1st: How would someone get issues of Supernatural Agents? Any links you can provide?
Jimmy: You can either order them from my publisher or from myself www.simplesite.com or email me I am planning on ordering a few copies to sell to my fans when it is released.www.nerdantix.com
1st: Your faith is very important to you, it shows in your work. Can you tell us about some of the projects you have worked on that are faith-inspired?
Jimmy: I am planning on producing an all Christian comic called ‘A Good Report’ which also will be published by Waterfront Studios imprint. Most of my stories have Christian based themes since this is my belief. I wanted to mix the love for God with the love for comics. Why not tell Christian style stories? This is one thing I have done with the Supernatural Agents as well as the new book Star Bolt. I have also created a new concept called the Last Day Warrior. It is being published in Why Faith Magazine as well as my own books. I personally took on this project and wrote, inked this story which I am very proud of. I asked artist Demi Mandir to illustrate this six-page story for me. He did a great job on the pencils. I plan on incorporating this character into the myth of the Supernatural Agents storyline.
1st: Jimmy I have been following your work on your facebook site How to make comics on Thursday night at Heroes Beacon, especially your inking for such comics as Fox Force, Surprising Universe, Major Liberty, and many others. What can you tell me about these projects? How can the readers get copies?
Jimmy: The inks I have provided for Surprising Comics, along with my work on Fox Force can be purchased through the publisher Lucky Comics. I am very proud of my work on these titles and am still very close friends with the publisher John Helmer and plan on working on a few covers for him. Luckycomics.Weebly.com Facebook.com/SurprisingComics
1st: Jimmy, you are an important part of the Cataclysm Comics team. What can you tell us about Cataclysm Comics?
Jimmy: My work for Cataclysm Comics is only as an inker and do not really know a lot about the characters or the company I was promoted to talent scout since I know a lot of other people who I have brought along with me to add to the overall professionalism of the comics. Facebook.com/groups/CataclysmComicCompany
1st: You are working on a project called The Heavy Strand for Cataclysm Comics, what can you tell the readers about this project?
Jimmy: I have designed a few of the characters for the Heavy strand based off of the creator/ writer William M. Glover.
1st: Any other projects with Cataclysm you want to mention?
Jimmy: After this one story I cannot commit to any other projects with them
1st: I was asked to write an origin story for your character Starbolt. What can you tell us about that project?
Jimmy: Star Bolt was the original leader of the Destructors of Evil. He vanished for a while and it was not known where he went so this series will look into this as well as other adventures of the character. I was asked by artist William Reid why not do an origin issue of him? That got me thinking in all the years I had him I never did a tale about his early beginnings. I asked Peter Breau to tell this story with artist Monique Mcnaughton. I must say I am very pleased with the outcome. As for the release date let’s say that we are still waiting on it to be colored. I am hoping for a release date of early October.
1st: Is Starbolt a one-shot or will it be an ongoing series?
Jimmy: As for whether it will be an ongoing series I am hoping for the need to be out there. I am aiming for it to be more than a one-issue book.
1st: You will soon be launching a Kickstarter campaign for Starbolt. Do you want to add a link for the readers?
Jimmy: Not quite ready for that yet but when it is available I will be posting it.
1st: You have had an amazing 40-year career, hard to cover it all in one interview, so is there any projects we didn’t cover that you would like to mention?
Jimmy: In my long and sometimes crazy life in the comic industry I find it very hard to get some positive feedback from my work. I would like to say to anyone out there who is considering looking into this life you have to keep going, it is not how talented you are but more than often it is the drive to keep plugging away at it,..never give up on your dreams. It is not how talented you are but more than often it is the drive to keep plugging away at it,..never give up on your dreams.
1st: Thanks Jimmy, this has been amazing, is there any shout outs you would like to make?
Jimmy: The only shout out I would like to make is to all fans. I would like to thank you, Peter Breau, for all your work doing this interview with me it has been a pleasure.
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