Spider-Man Crawl Space Interview: Howard Mackie

Spider-Man Crawl Space: What was your relationship with John Byrne like? What were some high and low points?
Howard Mackie: John is my friend. Was my friend long before we decided to collaborate on Spider-Man. Before that, back when I was a Marvel staff editor, John and I worked together on a number of projects. We have always enjoyed a good working relationship and a BETTER friendship. We still speak to each other several times a week.

Spider-Man Crawl Space: Over the years, you've worked with many fine creators. John Romita Jr, Alex Saviuk, Tom Lyle and John Byrne. Who have been some of your favorites and why?
Howard Mackie: All of the above and more. I have had the very good fortune to work with the BEST of the BEST of comic book artists. Alex Saviuk will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart, because he drew the very first story I wrote(IRON MAN #211). John Byrne... he's a friend and... he's JOHN BYRNE! John Romita Jr... what writer in his right mind doesn't want to work with him? Tom Lyle... he's another buddy. I'd love to work with him again. And then I worked with... Javier Saltares, Mark Texiera, Ron Garney, Ron Lim, Lee Weeks, Andy Kubert, Adam Kubert, JOE KUBERT, Mark Bagley... I am going to stop now because I KNOW I am going to forget someone and insult them. I've worked with the best.

Spider-Man Crawl Space: I'm always interested in comic creators favorite issues and storylines. So what is your favorite Spider-Man issue or storyline you've ever written? Also which issue or storyline do you feel that you missed the mark on?
Howard Mackie: Please explain both. "Who Killed Joey Z." This was the first time, in a LONG time, that I was totally cut loose with a story. Ralph Macchio is a writers editor. He knows how to work WITH writers... how to get the best out of them. I also LOVED the return of Norman Osborn storyline. Even though I was most vocally opposed to bringing Norman back from the grave. Despite popular opinion I am not a proponent of bringing the dead to life(at least not in comic books)! I think the dead should remain dead. The caveat being that one should not just kill off a character for one good story. I am pretty proud of my final issues of Amazing. Working with Axel Alonso was a good experience. He helped me dig deep on that storyline. I allowed the Senator Ward storyline to go on WAY too long and to drift from the relatively tight plot I had planned. Stuff happens. Then there was a God awful story, during the clone saga, involving a virtual reality Spider-Man, guns ... excuse me while I barf!

Spider-Man Crawl Space: Do you visit the different Spider-Man web sites out there? There are a lot of sites that give reviews of the comics that you've written. Do you check these out like an actor checks out reviews in the paper?
Howard Mackie: Don't really visit comic book sites too often. Don't find they are overly helpful. I believe the danger of visiting these boards too much is that one tends to react to any positive or negative input as it appears. It's very easy to be deceived into believing that your are reading the voices of the MASSES instead of a handful of repetitive posters with too much time on their hands. I know I have read both positive and negative reviews of my work. The negative always sticks with you and is often just out and out hurtful. Sometimes the negative reviews are not reflected by the sales. I think you will find that many actors stay away from reviews.

Spider-Man Crawl Space: How do you deal with criticism from people in print and on the Internet? Does this criticism ever impact your writing?
Howard Mackie: As I said, I TRY to ignore them, but sometimes they are just so damn hurtful that it's hard to. I often wonder what the writers of the harsher postings think. Do they actually believe that ANY of the creators of a title do not care for the characters just because the stories they've written differ from the view they may have? The few times I have visited sites I noticed something very interesting. I could go to a site as a lurker and read the most horrible stuff about myself and my writing. Then I could come back as HOWARD MACKIE and all those people, who had been critiquing me, would disappear.

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