The Staff


Editorial Staff Staff Writers
Frederik Hautain - Editor in Chief
Andy Oliver - Lowdown Editor
Eric Lindberg - Review Editor
Bart Croonenborghs - Blog Editor		 Fletch Adams
Matt Adler
Noel Bartocci
Kris Bather
Richard Boom
Ryan Burton
 William Gatevackes
Steve Kanaras
Lee Newman
Steven Surman
James Wortman

Editorial Staff


Frederik Hautain
Editor in Chief

Joined BF in: The day the site was born: October 28, 2002.

Writes for BF because: comics are my passion, my escapism and because I get to meet a lot of creative people.

Wannabe character: Yorick Brown, the best new character of the 21st century. He doesn’t have superpowers, except for boyish charm. So do I.

Favorite comics: You know what, I suck at listing favorites. Unless it’s favorite basketball player. But comics? Impossible! I’ll list some of my all time favorites instead: 100 Bullets, Hellboy, Mouse Guard, Y: The Last Man, Batman: The Long Halloween, Scalped, The Walking Dead, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Sin City, American Born Chinese, Michael Turner’s Witchblade issues…
I got bitten by the comics bug reading X-Men, so those muties will always have a special place in my heart as well. Age of Apocalypse! Adam Kubert’s run on Wolverine! Joe Madureira on Uncanny X-Men! Aaaah, those were the days… spending all of my undoubtedly huge amount of savings at the comics shop, then hop back on the bus to my grandmother’s house and devour them all at once.

Favorite movie: Gladiator. Russell Crowe got voted #1 male hero of all time for his role as Maximus, beating out Sean Connery as James Bond in the process. Well-deserved if you ask me, even though I like Connery’s Bond a lot.  

Favorite music: As a teen I was pretty fond of Michael Jackson. While I still like his music (except for Invincible which sucked big time), nowadays I dig Coldplay, Moby, Muse, Athlete, Sweet Coffee and lots of Jazz.

Favorite quote: “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” – Gladiator.


Andy Oliver
Lowdown Editor

Joined BF in: December 2006

Writes for BF because: It whiles away the long, empty years between parole boards.

Wannabe character: John Constantine, Tommy Monaghan (Hitman) or any other character who spends way too much time in his local pub. Not so much wannabe characters as characters I can empathize with the most...

Favorite comics: In no particular order - Ostrander's Suicide Squad and The Spectre, the first twenty years of Amazing Spider-Man, Moore's Swamp Thing, Morrison's Animal Man and Doom Patrol, 'Mazing Man, Gerber’s Howard the Duck, Marvel’s 1970s horror output, Krazy Kat, early 2000AD, anything drawn by Joe Kubert or Jim Aparo, Jimmy Corrigan, Joe Sacco, Will Eisner.  We could go on and on.

Favorite movie: Dead of Night, the classic supernatural chiller from the Ealing Studios in 1945. I never tire of rewatching that film but stick me in front of pretty much any Universal horror/mystery film from between 1930 and 1950 and I’ll be happy. Ditto for Tim Burton.

Favorite music: The Smiths, Morrissey, Paul Simon, They Might Be Giants, The Hot Puppies, Altered Images, Laura Marling, Half Man Half Biscuit, Kate Bush. I have eclectic tastes in music… or at least I like to think I do.

Favorite quote: "And when I'm lying in my bed/I think about life and I think about death/And neither one particularly appeals to me" from The Smiths song "Nowhere Fast".


Eric Lindberg
Review Editor

Joined BF in: 2002

Writes for BF because: I love comics, pop culture, writing, and editing. BF allows me to indulge in all of the above and interact with the industry and creators I admire. It has also opened many doors for me, such as helping me sell my first comic book scripts.

Wannabe character: The original Green Lantern, Alan Scott. Creativity and imagination are two of the things I value most so having a ring that can bring such things to life would be amazing. Plus Alan gets the green flame and the stylin’ cape.

Favorite comics: Justice Society of America, Bone, Hellboy, BPRD, Astro City, Fables, The Sandman, Conan, Runaways, Birds of Prey, Fallen Angel, Femforce

Favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Favorite music: Classic rock – The Beatles, The Who, The Doors, CCR, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Queen, Aerosmith, etc.

Favorite quote: "Elvis lives on in our hearts, in his music, and in a trailer park outside Milwaukee." – Yakko Warner


Bart Croonenborghs
Blog Editor

Joined BF in: 2007, the year right after I turned 30.

Writes for BF because: The inherent psychedelica involved in dissecting such a supreme form of entertainment beats any behavior of extralegal gaiety.

Wannabe character: I don't need to go all Xavier mental on somebody. Just let me be Steve McQueen or Brando. The superpower to dress cool and make men and women go 'AAAAHHH' as I walk on by.

Favorite comics: *Takes breath, dives in!*
Anything by Jack 'the king' Kirby, Steve Rude, Paul Pope.
Must reads in order of importance for effectual brain enhancement:
Rogan Gosh by Brendan McCarthy & Peter Milligan, The Invisibles by Grant Morrison, Abraxas and the earthman by Rick Veitch, Starman by James Robinson, The Adventures of Luther Arkwright by Bryan Talbot
Assorted comics to unlock those hidden areas of the brain:
Cages by Dave McKean, Casanova by Matt Fraction, Classic Star Wars by Al Williamson, Ordinary Victories by Manu Larcenet, Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison, Ditko's and Buscema's Amazing Spider-man, Flex Mentallo by Grant Morrison, From Hell by Alan Moore, Martin Luther King by Ho Che Anderson, Capacity by Theo Ellsworth, Murder me dead by David Lapham, the Salon by Nick Bertozzi, Scalped by Jason Aaron, Seaguy by Grant Morrison, Street Angel by Jimm Rugg, Superman: For All Seasons by Kurt Busiek, THB by Paul Pope, Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz,  etc

Favorite movie: The Prisoner tv series by Patrick McGoohan, Othello by Orson Welles, Soylent Green by Richard Fleischer and Rollerball by Norman Jewison.

Favorite music: Nina Simone, Chet Baker, Autechre, Aphex Twin, Albinoni, Beethoven etc

Favorite quote: "I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." - Groucho Marx (1895-1977)
“I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.” No.6; the Prisoner

Staff Writers


Fletch Adams

Joined BF in: 2005

Writes for BF because: Originally, it was as a way to network and hone my own writing.  Over the years I’ve found I really enjoy being able to help people, even in my own small way, bring their dream projects to the world

Wannabe character: Clark Kent.  Sure it would be great to be considered one of the best in the business or to have amazing powers to do great good, but really – I just wish I could look as good in a fedora hat as Clark.

Favorite comics: Bear, Bizarre New World, Box Office Poison, Death: The High Cost of Living, Emo Boy, Hack/Slash, Laika, Planet of Vampires, James Robinson's Starman, the Superman titles and just about any Silver Age DC comic.

Favorite movie: I have a hard time nailing down just one, but if Back to the Future, The Empire Strikes Back or Superman II are on TV, I ALWAYS stop and watch them.

Favorite music: The Alley Dukes, Bif Naked, David Bowie, Death Cab For Cutie, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Jimmy Eat World, Mae, Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies, John Mellencamp, The Monkees, Tom Petty, Joel Plaskett and about a million more

Favorite quote: “A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do” - Bob Dylan


Matt Adler

Joined BF in: June 2009

Writes for BF because: I love spreading the gospel of comics, and I enjoy talking with creators.

Wannabe character: Speedball (not Penance), 'cause I think it'd be fun and amusing to have a superpower that consists solely of bouncing all over the place.

Favorite comics: X-Factor, Fables, Spider-Girl, Girl Genius, The Boys, Jack Staff, Booster Gold, Fallen Angel, Captain America, Secret Six, Irredeemable, Ex Machina

Favorite movie: Star Wars - the original trilogy!

Favorite music: Classic Rock - yeah, I'm a fogie.

Favorite quote: "In a democracy, people get the government they deserve."


Noel Bartocci

Joined BF in: November 2009

Writes for BF because: I'm a nerd... and I want to spread the disease.

Wannabe character: During the week: Scott Pilgrim, instantly relatable and undeniably charming. On the weekends: Tony Stark, instantly rich and undeniably charismatic... and a super genius.

Favorite comics: I love my big action goofiness like New Avengers, Captain America, Invincible and Green Lantern but thoroughly enjoy stuff slightly on the fringe like Scott Pilgrim, Y the Last Man and Criminal. I will give absolutely anything a shot of it tells a good story.

Favorite movie: If I were on a desert island, I suppose I would go with Evil Dead 2, Empire Strikes Back, Monster Squad, The Last Starfighter, FIght Club, Shaun of the Dead & Moulin Rouge. If Aliens, Big Trouble in Little China & The Dark Knight washed up on the shore, I'd be a happy camper as well.

Favorite music: The Beatles, Weezer, Muse, Jay-Z, SElf, U2, Editors, OK Go, Soul Coughing, They Might Be Giants, Our Lady Peace, Spoon... That's off the top of my head.

Favorite quote: "No Matter where you go, there you are." -Buckaroo Banzai


Kris Bather

Joined BF in: September 2008

Writes for BF because: I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m desperate for attention.

Wannabe character: Nightwing. He’s not as angsty as Batman, is more acrobatic and once had a romantic relationship with an alien. What a combo.

Favorite comics: Anything by Geoff Johns, Mark Waid or Brad Meltzer for starters. My always changing list usually includes Green Lantern, Superman/Batman, JLA, Detective Comics, Hulk and New Avengers but non-spandex tales like Blankets, That Salty Air, The Surrogates, Hotwire and more are creeping in to my diet. I’m always up for a surprise and will give anything a chance.

Favorite movie: Superman: The Movie. The first film I ever saw, and one of the very few I’ll gladly watch multiple times. It’s simply magical and transports to me its world of sacrifice, heroism, romance and humour every time. Plus, John Williams' music simply moves me.

Favorite music: Anything that doesn’t involve swearing, shouting or booty shaking. dcTalk, delirious, Jars of Clay, U2, Coldplay, Kirk Franklin, TobyMac and various film soundtracks.

Favorite quote: “The glory of God is man fully alive.” - Saint Iraneaus


Richard Boom

Joined BF in: May 2009

Writes for BF because: I wanted to find a new outlet for BadGrrl-related content, aside from my Yahoo-group. And I love doing interviews.

Wannabe character: Superman. I would love to fly and be so strong!

Favorite comics: Vampirella, Hack/Slash, Cavewoman, Tarot Witch of the Black Rose, Red Sonja, Fathom, Witchblade and many BadGrrl-comic miniseries like Zenescope's Wonderland, Avatar's Anna Mercury, Radical's Hotwire or DE's Jungle Girl. I also like Fables and The Walking Dead.

Favorite movie: Kill Bill, Lord Of The Rings.

Favorite music: De Dijk, R&B-music, Bon Jovi, Elvis Presley, Anouk and I love the occasional Top40-onedayfly with a nice beat.

Favorite quote: "Suddenly I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door." You heard me rapping, right? Eric Draven.


Ryan Burton

Joined BF in: September 2009

Writes for BF because: I love comics. I love thinking about comics, reading comics, discussing comics, and writing comics. Comics, comics, comics. Yes.

Wannabe character: Hum. Sometimes I feel crotchety and wanna spit in people's coffee--and those days, I feel like Elijah Snow; other days, I feel noble, and quite heroic--those days I feel like Atomic Robo!

Favorite comics:All Star Superman, Planetary, The Winter Men, Sharknife, Scalped

Favorite movie: The Dark Knight, Conan the Barbarian, Mad Max, Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, Big Trouble in Little China, Fight Club, Point Break

Favorite music: Prince, Otis Redding, MGMT, The Killers, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, CCR, Beastie Boys, Bob Marley, The Flaming Lips

Favorite quote:"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Churchill


William Gatevackes

Joined BF in: January 2006

Writes for BF because: Because they'll let me? Also because the site has a unique voice in the world of intelligent comic book commentary.

Wannabe character: The Beast. Not only was he remarkably agile for his size, he was more intelligent than his outward appearance might have indicated. As a bonus, he was blue and furry, which made all the ladies want to hug him.

Favorite comics: I have been a fan of the Avengers in all their incarnations. I also like Captain America, Invincible Iron Man, Fables, Ex Machina, Scalped and anything pertaining to DC's Golden Age, especially JSA.

Favorite movie: Heathers. Dark humor, immensely quotable dialog and Winona Ryder. Who could ask anything more from a movie?

Favorite music: I have very diverse tastes in music, with everything from Rap to Country to Pop to Alternative in my CD collection. R.E.M. is my favorite band of all time, but the following bands get played a lot on my iPod: Nirvana, Barenaked Ladies, Weird Al Yankovic, Refreshments, Nellie McKay, Patty Griffin, Dixie Chicks, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, Beastie Boys, Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, Ramones, Johnny Cash, Jared Campbell, Badlees, Dean Martin, Beatles, Pearl Jam, Lewis Black, Frank Sinatra and many, many more.

Favorite quote: "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it."


Steve Kanaras

Joined Broken Frontier in: 2008

Writes for Broken Frontier because: it's the best place on the 'net to get information on comic books in an intelligent, mature manner.

Wannabe character: I would say Thor, but I think it’s a little haughty to want to be a God!  So my choice is Wally West/Flash.  Having super-speed would be terrific, with all I have to do, but he’s also a very grounded, moral person without a lot of the baggage that follows heroes around.

Favorite comics: Horror comics, Flash, Thor, DMZ, Hellblazer, Conan, Tomb of Dracula, really too many to list.  Vertigo books will always get a look from me. I tend to follow creators around as much as characters.  Anything by Walt Simonson, Neil Gaiman, Eddie Campbell, Gene Colan.

Favorite movie: Casablanca.  I am a sucker for history (though it wasn’t history when it was made) and Humphrey Bogart.  “I stick my neck out for nobody.”

Favorite music: Golden Oldies (50s & 60s).  I worked as a dishwasher in my teenage years and know all these songs by heart due to constantly listening to Big D 103 (102.9 FM).  Thank God for Sirius radio because Big D 103 is no longer an Oldies station.

Favorite quote: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” – Robert Heinlein


Lee Newman

Joined BF in:  March of 2008.

Writes for BF because: I have an incredible passion for comics and I want to share that with other folks.  I feel I have a unique voice and like to stir the pot cause conversation and get folks just as excited about this medium.

Wannabe character: Elijah Snow, he's a century baby and uses his powers subtly.  He won't hurl a chunk of ice at you, he will just freeze you brain.  Also how cool is the guy who studied under Sherlock Homes and castrated Dracula?

Favorite comics:  Planetary, Comic Book Comics, Fables, Acme Novelty Library

Favorite movie: Pan's Labyrinth.  Del Toro is a genius who brought a fable to life.  This film has everything, it is smart, horrific and visually stunning.  It is what cinema should aspire to be, it takes us to a fantastic place and allows us to draw our own conclusions.  

Favorite music:  The short answer is good music.  I have over two thousand CDs that run the gambit from Miles Davis to Bill Monroe.  If I want to party, there is Prince.  If I want to hear a story, there is Johnny Cash.  If you want me to smile, there is A Tribe Called Quest.

Favorite quote:  "We're the middle children of history, man.  No purpose or place.  We have no Great War.  No Great Depression.  Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives." - Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club


Steven Surman

Joined BF in: October 2009

Writes for BF because: My passion for the written word, journalism, and comic books.

Wannabe character: Either Doctor Strange or the Green Lantern.

Favorite comics: The collective works of Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Mark Millar, Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Mignola, Garth Ennis, Geoff Johns, David Petersen, and Joe Sacco.

Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction, The Prestige, Dark City, The Dark Knight, Sin City, Zodiac, Capote, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Favorite music: Chopin, Mozart, Pachelbel, and Beethoven.

Favorite quote: "Consciousness, unprovable by scientific standards, is forever, then, the impossible phantom in the predictable biologic machine, and your every thought a genuine supernatural event. Your every thought is a ghost, dancing." – Alan Moore


James Wortman

Joined BF in: 2008

Writes for BF because: I’m obsessed with all things geeky.

Wannabe character: Tony Stark (Iron Man). He’s a brilliant inventor, has near-unlimited resources and fights bad guys in a totally tricked-out suit of armor. But underneath it all, he’s as vulnerable as any of us.

Favorite comics: I try to pick up Astonishing X-Men, The Amazing Spider-Man, Hulk and The Invincible Iron Man every month, making me more of a Marvel guy. However, my three favorite graphic novels are Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Killing Joke. Go figure.

Favorite movie: The Empire Strikes Back, hands down. I had it memorized by the time I was three years old.

Favorite music: Green Day, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Dropkick Murphys, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Weezer, Eminem, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, Tenacious D, The Ramones, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, The Who, and just about everything in between.

Favorite quote: "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."-C.S. Lewis

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