James Rubino Interviews

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Read our Jazma Online Interview on ANCIENT TALES FROM THE FUTURE #1!

Paul Dale Roberts of The People's Comic Book Newsletter did a prior interview with us which appeared on his website Jazma Online. Paul has graciously permitted us to post the interview here for your reading enjoyment. Courtesy of Jazma Online. 

Paul Dale Roberts: James, tell us something about yourself.

James Rubino: I was born in the quiet, little town of Pleasantville, New York and had a great childhood. Things weren't generally so pleasant once I hit my teenage years on but that's another story for another time. My family was simple, working class. The university I've attended the longest in life has been the so-called "School of Hard Knocks" from which I'm currently pursuing a Master's Degree.

PDR: What was the first comic book you ever read?

JR: Gee, the first comic books I read were the great old DC and Charlton war comics of the early 1960's which were passed along to me by my brother after he read them. From there I progressed to Batman (due I guess to the popular TV show at that time) and later to the wonderful Marvel comics.

PDR: What were your favorite comic books growing up?

JR: Early on I loved the Metal Men (especially Tina!) drawn by the great team of Andru/Esposito. I was always a sucker for a romantic angle (and robots, of course). I discovered Marvel comics in 1966 when I was ten years old. Our local convenience store used to sell these great 3-packs of coverless Marvel comics for a quarter. The Marvel characters were exciting, likeable and human and I loved the soap opera angle Stan Lee employed in virtually every title.

PDR: Please brief us about Tales from the Seventh Galaxy.

JR: I'm currently working on the third issue which will feature a new ongoing series which I'm very excited about. To borrow an old expression, it's really going to "blow people's minds".

PDR: How did the concept of Tales from the Seventh Galaxy originate?

JR: Interesting question. I originally came up with the title to infer a place of "ultimate realities". I think it's metamorphosed into a sort of "Twilight Zone" or "Outer Limits" catchall type title.

PDR: Who are some of the main players of Tales from the Seventh Galaxy?

JR: There are some exciting things planned for Cactor. Several "sequels" are in the works but will most likely appear in another title I'm hoping to launch. There is also a sequel planned for Dave and Stariana of "Alien Interview" which will REALLY surprise you!

PDR: Do you have a website?

JR: Yes, my website is http://www.jamesrubino.com. It's been a lot of fun to produce and maintain and is a focal point for news about upcoming projects.

PDR: How can somebody contact you?

JR: Either by email: jaruarts@juno.com or at PO Box 760351, San Antonio, Texas 78245 (I hate the term "snail mail"!).

PDR: How can someone order Tales from the Seventh Galaxy?

JR: I still have copies of both issues (#1 and 2) available at $5.00 each (postage paid)- just order from the aforementioned PO box address. I'm hoping that future issues will be available in comic book stores. I'm working on that.

PDR: If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring with you and why?

JR: My wife and two children...because without them life would be unbearably empty.

PDR: Your thoughts on the comic industry?

JR: My observation is that it's not the "industry" it once was. In the mid-eighties I would visit my friend's comic shop and it would be jammed with kids buying the "new books". Now when I stop by a comic store I see a bunch of kids playing card games but nobody buying comics. I'm not an expert but probably pricing and a lack of inspiration might be somewhat to blame. By the latter I mean that the comics I read in my childhood and early teens featured characters who were essentially good and even noble people that inspired us. And the comics were fun and innocent. Today they may be overly dark. It's tough now to tell the heroes from the villains because they both have these expressions of hate and insanity. I don't believe in going "retro" but in producing comics which are modern in feel, cutting edge conceptually, but which have something thought provoking and good about them.

PDR: Your 3 favorite fictional heroes and why?

JR: I loved Astro Boy from childhood. His cartoon had all the things I loved- robots, aliens, monsters, spaceships and really crazy characters. Stan Lee's version of Captain America also strikes me deeply because he made him such a noble person. I loved his philosophical debates with the Red Skull! You didn't hold me only to comics so I'll say my third favorite "fictional hero" would be the angel Jonathan from the "Highway to Heaven" TV show...because he devotes his life to helping people.

PDR: Your 3 real life heroes and why?

JR: I have a great deal of admiration for Michael Landon and what he did with his life. To go against the grain like that and produce shows to touch people in a positive way is to me a beautiful thing to do with your life. Another would be the Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn who is probably the most profound individual the 20th Century ever produced. I think my third real-life "hero" would be a composite of all the beautiful people I've been privileged to know in my life- who despite terrible hardships and disabilities chose to enjoy life and to be good and kind.

PDR: What cons are you going to?

JR: Believe it or not, I've never been to one!

PDR: What movies, cartoons and TV shows are your favorites?

JR: I love old movies, especially the great black & white sci-fi movies of the 1950's. As far as TV shows- "Highway to Heaven" ranks at the top. I also love the older shows like "Dragnet", "Get Smart", "The Honeymooners", "Andy Griffith", etc. Cartoons- well, as I mentioned- the original Astro Boy cartoon, and the wonderful Marvel Super Heroes cartoons of the 1960's.

PDR: What books do you read?

JR: Generally I like to read true-life stories of people who've overcome incredible odds- shipwrecks, survival stories, etc. Recently I finished re-reading the classic "As a man thinketh" by James Allen and I'm currently reading "The power of positive thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale.

PDR: What are your hobbies and recreational activities?

JR: I love to read and of course to write and draw. I also enjoy just spending time with my family.

PDR: What comic books do you read now?

JR: I really don't read any "modern" comics but I do occasionally buy some old ones off eBay.

PDR: If Tales from the Seventh Galaxy became a Hollywood movie, who would play the character parts and why?

JR: Not sure which story you mean but if it was "Alien Interview" I'd want someone who was an unknown and not a great looking guy. A very ordinary, maybe even slightly "homely" man. I never really thought about it. Another interesting question!

PDR: That ends the interview, any last words of wisdom?

JR: Everyone has setbacks and disappointments but you're only defeated when you give up. ...And thank you very much for being interested!

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