With his two runs of Iron Man (Vol. 1, #116 - 155 & 215-250) along with his friend, writer David Michelinie, helped to define the character we know today.

In the early 90s he contributed in a prominently way to the success of Valiant and its characters.

Today he is again at work for Marvel and DC and projects the upcoming launching of a new line of comic books.

More info at his homepage www.boblayton.com.

Bob Layton: writer, penciler, inker. Which role do you prefer to play? Why?

Writer…simply because I come from the school of thought that everyone involved in the creative process is a "slave to the story". Simply stated, everything evolves from the plot and characters. In my head, I’ve always though of myself as a writer who dabbles in art.

Your influences as artist and writer.

As an artist: Dick Giordano, Wally Wood, Barry Windsor-Smith and Gil Kane. As a writer (mainstream): Arthur C. Clarke, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Dean Koontz. As a comics writer: David Michelinie (of course), Archie Goodwin, a large dose of Stan Lee and (as difficult as it is for me to say nice things about him--) Jim Shooter. Jim may be thought by some as the "Osama Bin Ladin of Comics" but he was a hell of a good writer and taught me a lot.

You started doing fanzines. Can you tell us something about that experience?

After High School, I decided to pursue my love for comics by self-publishing and financed it by selling back issue comics by mail order. CPL [Contemporary Pictorial Literature], my original fanzine, started out as a price catalogue for that business. Later on, I met Roger Stern (a local comics fan who was buddies with Canadian fan artist John Byrne) and we cooked up the idea of turning it into a ‘zine. The mag turned out to be extremely popular and eventually propelled us into jobs in the comics industry.

By the way, I recently revived CPL as an online e-zine which your readers can enjoy at www.boblayton.com.

Your comics career has been signed by the Iron man character. What is Iron Man for you? What does Iron man represent for you? Which is the very powerful essence of the character?

My philosophy on the essence of the character is that Tony Stark doesn't play superhero. I believe he uses the Iron Man persona for two reasons: to protect his various business interests globally and to ground himself to the 'real world'. Keep in mind, as Tony Stark, he lives in an ivory tower…surrounded by people who tell him what they THINK he wants to hear. He has a celebrity status equal to a movie or rock star. This guy does NOT live in the 'real world'. In many ways, his being Iron Man is like 'The Prince and the Pauper'. As Iron Man, he becomes a 'hands-on' guy, interacting one-on-one with people and using that anonymous identity to maintain perspective of how he's (Tony Stark) perceived by the world at large.

It’s fair to say that it's another aspect of his obsessive/compulsive personality. Iron man is 'a fix' that he needs to maintain his stability.

In a technological world as the one we live in, Iron Man could be a great vessel to tell stories related to our modernity and to futurist scenarios based on some new technology discovered in the real world. Do you think this could be a way to follow?

It’s the way I’ve always approached the character!

I've always had a head for science and read scientific journals and such all the time. David Michelinie left most of the science stuff to me. I'm currently fascinated with certain aspects of quantum physics and would love to apply some of what I read to the current Iron Man. Much of that same speculation is going into our upcoming Future Comics series, FREEMIND. I believe that the next twenty years are going to open up amazing new avenues of scientific exploration that has only been dreamt of in the past. Stark should always be on the cutting-edge of that frontier.

After the Bad Blood miniseries do you have any ideas for further adventures of Tony Stark and his armored alter ego? Do you get the "green light" from Marvel?

Ideas…? We’ve got tons of them. Over the last two years, David and I have submitted numerous proposals to Marvel. Unfortunately, they have yet to avail themselves of our services.

Can describe the dynamic of your artistic relationship with writer David Michelinie? Usually, apart your collaboration with him, you write everything you draw, why?

David and I have been best friends for about thirty years. David was the best man at my wedding and the guy that's ALWAYS been there for me when the "chips were down". I owe much of my success as a writer to what Dave has taught me over the years. As a wordsmith, he’s about the best there is.

From the beginning, I have always been involved with the content of the story in one form or another. To me, there's no other way to do it. The best way to accomplish your goals as a creator is to pursue a vision unique to yourself… and in your own voice.

Other than Dave, I’ve not had good experiences with working in concert with other writers. That’s why I prefer to do it all myself. Besides, Dick Giordano taught me early on that the guy that can do every aspect of the creative process is the one who continues to get work when the business is in a slump.

So far, that’s proved to be true.

You has been working in the comics field from more than twenty years. What is the most evident change in today comics industry respect your early days? Have we had an evolution or what?

Almost thirty years, to be exact.

I believe a DE-evolution would be a more appropriate term.

When I started in the business, most editors were seasoned veterans and more mature individuals. Also, they were much more involved with the content of the titles, working as a "behind-the-scenes-" director of sorts.

I can’t honestly say that the same holds true today. The standards have been considerably lowered in recent times.

Recently Joe Quesada talked about "darwinism in comics". He was referring to the fact some writers, some artists go out from the spotlight and fan’s support, because they are "cool" no more. They have made their time. I think he was in some ways referring to John Byrne. Is it an horrible truth or what? What do you think about? In the comics business, which is different form the medium in itself, we often talk about "cool" writers, "cool" penciler. For me there are only good stories and good art. That’s all.

Joe is entitled to his opinion.

I don’t agree with his assessment, especially since I’ve been told that I’m one of the guys he’s referring to.

Youhave to elect the BEST comics ever done. Which is your winner? Why?

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s Spider-Man. I believe it served as a template to every comic that came after it. It was the first comic to place its emphasis on characterization… and not just situation.

What comics do you currently read?

Actually…none.

My usual quote is, "I’m a seller…not a buyer".

I get comics free from DC, so I give them a look. I buy some Marvels to keep up on the current continuity and creators. But, I find most of them too tedious and fan-oriented to enjoy reading. I’ve been a big fan of DC’s Elseworlds…mainly because they’re easily accessible to new readers.

Take a look back. Which is your best and your worst memory about the Valiant days? I loved X-O Manowar and Solar. Archer and Armstrong was great, too. Doctor Mirage was really funny. It’s a shame the way all ended.

I agree. But it was a business first… and subject to the pitfalls that plague all financial ventures.

It’s a shame that Acclaim ran the company into the ground with its woeful mismanagement.

My best memory is winning Diamond Distribution’s "1993 Publisher of the Year" award over DC and Marvel. The night I accepted that award, I felt like I was on top of the world. We had beaten the Big Two comic companies at their own game. It’s never been done since.

The lowest was when I left the company. As I cleaned out my desk, I looked around at all I had helped build… and knew it was doomed to fade to nothingness. It is something I still mourn to this day. All those wonderful characters…essentially lost for all time.

Life is strange. At Valiant days Joe Quesada was a red-hot artist and you was his boss. Now he is Marvel’s EIC and guides a new era for the House of Ideas. Seeing his successes, which is for you his best quality as an artist and as EIC?

That’s a loaded question. I still work for this guy…so I’m NOT going to evaluate his performance in a public forum.

Joe is a talented guy.

Let’s just wait and see how the chips fall, shall we?

How has been your recent Captain America’s run as inker over pencils by Dan Jurgens? I like a lot your inking, so clean and elegant. I think you are an embellisher, not simply an inker.

Yes, I am… and thank you.

What do you like in superheroes?

What I like the most is the fact that many of them are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. I believe that Stan’s initial approach to the Marvel line was the pure essence used in all great heroic fiction. Costumes…or no costumes.

Have you any interest in doing something different outside the superhero genre? What kind of stories would you like to tell? I think the market needs more quality diversity, don’t you?

Absolutely.

My main objection to the genre is the costumes. It’s simply not credible that people would wear stuff like they do in the comics. Iron Man made sense to me because his costume WAS his power. In Dr. Mirage, I had him killed while wearing a ski outfit, so his spirit form would have that super-hero look without actually having a costume. Freemind wears the uniform of his company’s security force, which he’s a member of. The stuff that makes stories really interesting is… character… not costume.

Internet and Comics. A future marriage or a flirt at its first steps?

Oh… it's definitely a marriage.

Future Comics’ entire business plan is heavily-dependant on the Internet to succeed.

A dream project you would like to develop?

The rebirth of the Valiant Universe.

After the tragic events of the 11th September do you think comics will change in some ways? What do you think about the DC’s decision to suspend Authority?

I’m a big believer in "life goes on", even in the face of such a horrendous tragedy.

If comics change, I’m certain it will be for the better.

I believe that the era of the "Anti-hero", which has dominated the biz for a long time, will finally take a backseat to a more upbeat and moralistic approach.

On Ultrazine we have a special section dedicated to comics genius a.k.a Alan Moore. What do you think about him and his works?

He’s a brilliant creator… one of the all-time best. What’s not to like?