I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland in 1988 and there was just one year where suddenly all of the delivery kids that used to be boys were suddenly girls. It happened at our church too. Altar boys were suddenly altar girls.
To try and imagine that I’m another person is always going to be hard – whether I’m writing about a truck driver or someone who is gay, who’s trans, who is of a different ethnicity or creed. But it would be boring if I always had to write about myself and my limited viewpoint.
I know I’m a grumpy old man, but I’m always more delighted by readers talking about the actual comics than people talking about how eager they are to have their favorite comics be “elevated” into another medium.
We’ve all seen lots of stories about a young protagonist having adventures, and usually they’re all boys, [and] there is sometimes a token female, or two.
The longer I’ve been writing scripts, the more I find that you have to give the artist more leeway or else you’ll just be disappointed. You can’t force them to draw every image that’s in your head.
I’m the one who started spreading that particular factoid, about Bendis, Azz and me all being bald Brian’s from Cleveland, just to get my name mentioned in the same sentence as two much-better writers, and it’s worked like a goddamn charm.
I’m 40 now, and I have children of my own. Before I forget my own childhood completely, I want to take some time to take a look at the ’80s and think back.
Everyone had a mother, even if she had to leave us on a stranger’s doorstep. No matter how we’re eventually raised, all of our stories begin the exact same way. They all end the same, too.
How is it possible that our parents lied to us?” “Lets see: Santa, the Tooth Fairy,the Easter bunny,um, God. You’re the prettiest kid in school. This wont hurt a bit. Your face will freeze like that…” “Everythings going to be alright.
No. No, first comes boyhood. You get to play with soldiers and spacemen, cowboys and ninjas, pirates and robots. But before you know it, all that comes to an end. And then, Remo Williams, is when the adventure begins.
After 9/11, I knew I wanted to write about power and identity and the way Americans on all sides of the political spectrum often mythologize our leaders, which are themes that the superhero genre has always handled really well.
![Brian K. Vaughan Quote - I love that the book [Paper Girls ] gets to kind of evolve and change in each era. Our third storyline is our best so far.](https://minimalistquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/i-love-that-the-book-paper-girls-gets-to-kind-of-e-683x1024.jpg)
![Brian K. Vaughan Quote - We’ve all seen lots of stories about a young protagonist having adventures, and usually they’re all boys, [and] there is sometimes a token female, or two.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/weve-all-seen-lots-of-stories-about-a-young-protag.jpg)
![Brian K. Vaughan Quote - These are the young women [in Stand by Me] that we grew up knowing and hopefully they feel a little rough around the edges, because it’s true to life.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/these-are-the-young-women-in-stand-by-me-that-we-g.jpg)
![Brian K. Vaughan Quote - We describe [Paper Girls] as Stand By Me meets Terminator.It’s a story about nostalgia and childhood, but with an action-packed, sci-fi bent.](https://minimalistquotes.com/images/we-describe-paper-girls-as-stand-by-me-meets-termi.jpg)
