Boxers or Briefs is a feature where we get to interview people and ask them really important questions about pants. We also get to ask less important questions about their current projects and their experience in the industry. The Panteon recently had a chance to interview Tim Seeley. Tim Seeley is the writer of Devil’s Due Publishing’s newest hit, Hack/Slash, has provided art and story for the various G.I. Joe vs. Transformers series and is the artist for the popular Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy. He’s also the writer at the helm of Image’s Loaded Bible - aka “Jesus vs. Vampires.” Needless to say, Tim’s got his hands in everything these days. Lucky for us, we were able to steal him away from his important work to interrogate him about horror movies, Dungeons & Dragons, and his ideal He-Man. Submit a request here if you think we should interview you, or make suggestions in the comments if you’ve got someone you think we should interview.

1. Joss Whedon has that famous story of how he came up with Buffy, based on the “lone female victim” turning out to be an ass-kicker. Is there a story behind the creation of Cassie Hack?

SEELEY: Yeah, it’s a pretty similar genesis. Basically, 4 long year ago, I was sick in bed around Halloween, hopped up on cold medicine. I watched, literally, 10 -15 slasher movies on TV in those few days. After a while, all these patterns were showing up, so I decided to do a story where there was this new mythology based on the slasher film. But, yeah, screw Whedon for totally doing it first.

2. There are many iterations of the horror genre and it’s obvious that you have a clear love for it, but what specifically draws you to it. Also in that same vein, what are some of your favorite horror movies? Any favorite horror comics, past or present? Possible hidden gems that people may have missed?

SEELEY: I think I just love feeling kinda creeped out. When I was a kid, my dad was a big horror movie fan, so at any time of day, I could sneak into his den and catch some horrific scene. I dunno..I think I always liked the way seeing some clip from The Howling or something would essentially keep me up for the next few nights. Being scared REALLY got my imagination moving. As I get older, the movies don’t scare me much anymore, but I still love the way horror really gets my brain going. Horror is such a great escape..you can put aside your boring everyday fears about money and politics, and just be afraid of a nut in a Shatner mask for a few hours. I have lots of favorites, but I always recommend the first Sleepaway Camp, the original Halloween, My Bloody Valentine and Trick or Treat. As far as horror comics go, I get a big kick out of a lot of the 70s Marvel horror comics. They really just went gonzo with that stuff; Satana, and Tomb of Dracula. Modern Day wise, I enjoy a lot of Niles’ stuff, and, of course, Walking Dead.

3. Are there any types of horror that just don’t click with you?

SEELEY: I’m just not into the “torture porn” subgenre..the “Saws” and the “Hostels.” Not scary enough, not funny enough. Also, the sub-genre of “Video Game horror films”mostly sucks tremendous ass. I’ll watch “Epic Movie” before i sit through “Silent Hill” again. Other than that, most everything else is right up my alley.

4. Cassie has thrown down with a variety of slashers, including Chucky. Any other known characters you’d like to see her face off against? Anybody you’d never pit her against?

SEELEY: I’ve got a grocery list of characters I’m gonna try to set her against. Michael Myers and the Crow are at the very top of my pile. There aren’t too many slasher film characters I’d turn down. I’ve already said I’d do a comic with the killer snowman, Jack Frost, so my standards aren’t THAT high. If it’s fun, and fits the universe we’ve created, I’ll do it.

5. I see you worked as a children’s book illustrator early on. What led you down that path? Any favorite artists or writers to name from the genre?

SEELEY: I worked at Lerner Publishing as my first job out of school. I went to college in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which is near the Twin Cities. My girlfriend at the time lived there, so when I went to see her, I’d harass Lerner into giving me a job, and eventually, it worked. When I first graduated, I just wasn’t confident enough to try and work in comics..I didn’t feel comfortable with my skills, and I was terrified at the notion of working freelance…all by myself all day with nothing but an art board, a pencil, and piles of porn and comics to keep from getting any work done. So, I took a staff art job at Lerner and drew whatever they asked from graphs to paintings of food. ANYTHING. It was a good experience. Totally set me up to have to draw all kinds of shit I didn’t want to draw, as well as helped me understand that whole “deadline” thing that so many comic artists like to blow.

6. Word on the street is that you’ve got some love for the He-Man property and even did a cover for a Masters of the Universe comic a few years back. If you were given the property to play with as a comic, where would you take it? Would you go “Ultimate He-Man”? Does Orko make the cut?

SEELEY: Yeah, Ultimate Orko wears tight leather and is a total bad ass. haha. Nah, fuck that.

I am so glad someone asked me this question. All these ideas floating around, and NO ONE to share with! It’s terrible! My poor girlfriend has had to listen to this over dinner. IF I could do He-Man, I would totally take it back to the original mini comics that came with the first wave of figures. In that, He-Man was a barbarian who came down from his village to help out the wussy technologically dependent peoples of Eternia who were being harassed by a demon named Skeletor. It was more fantasy based…Star Wars mixed with Lord of the Rings. That stuff is perfect…I wouldn’t change a thing…just expand and embellish those stories. It’s not that I don’t love the “Captain Marvel-Prince-Adam-is-He-Man” thing, but I think those original concepts were totally original and my love for them is what made me the HUGE NERD I am now. The fact that I’m dressing up as Skeletor for Halloween, blue tights and all, is testament to it!

7. Having worked on retro-properties like G.I. Joe and Transformers, you’ve got to have a lot of love for those wacky 80’s cartoons. In lightning round fashion, reel off some favorite characters for the following… Autobots? Decepticons? Joes? Cobra? Uh…Silverhawks?

SEELEY: Wow, it’s sad because I DO have a favorite Silverhawk. Quicksilver, man…but that might be because he looks a little like Darkhawk with his mask down. And, you gotta love that that had a character named Hotwing. Now with tangy buffalo sauce!

As for the other lil’ plastic heroes who’ve gotten me all twitterpated…Optimus Prime, Arcee, Grimlock and Bludgeon are my favorite TFs. With Prime, Arcee and Grimlock, it’s because those characters were my absolute favorite to write. With Bludgeon, my affection stems largely from the fact that the guy looks SO COOL. I mean..a samurai-zombie robot. You. Can’t. Beat. It. Joe-wise I’m pretty partial to Mercer, Hawk, the kooks from Cobra-La and the Baroness. It always bummed me out that hardcore Joe fans hated Coba-La, but, I got my dithers with the Joe/TF 4 crossover.

8. Drawing comics requires a lot of work, but is there any aspect of that job that comes easy? Any characters or books that are particularly fun to draw?

SEELEY: Heh..honestly, it’s ALL hard. For some reason, drawing seems to get harder as I go on…maybe because I get more anal the older I get. But, generally, drawing the Dungeons and Dragons stuff is way easier than drawing G.I.Joe…fantasy is full of trees and swords, with less of the high tech bases and guns that make drawing hellish.

9. Outside of comics by friends and collaborators, what titles are you enjoying these days?

SEELEY: I love Adam Warren’s EMPOWERED. I think MBQ from Tokyopop is a damn near perfect comic. BRAVE and THE BOLD from DC…I look forward to that evey month as it totally massages my superhero-geekbone. I picked up Annihilation Conquest:STARLORD, and loved that, which surprised me, because it’s been awhile since I enjoyed a Marvel book. But, really, you can’t go wrong with Rocket Raccon, Groot and Keith Giffen. Mostly, I read a lot of Image Comics. I just seem to get more enjoyment out of the creator owned, original stuff.

10. With the Forgotten Realms adaptations, you’re doing some pretty definitive, far-reaching stuff for gaming comics fans. Are you a regular D&D player, and if not, have you ever played?

SEELEY: I played D&D, HARDCORE, from the age of 12 to the age of 16. Once I got a driver’s license and a girlfreind, it kinda died off, but my friends and I were bored kids in central Wisconsin. We played our charcters until they were immortal, had Wands of Wonder. and could beat up Thor and take his hammer. WoTC sends us all the game books as reference for the comics, so there’s been a lot of talk about starting up some D&D again at the DDP office. I hope those bitches are ready for my neutral evil halfling assassin, Gliminhoph the Poison Hand!

11. Any other books on the horizon for you besides the continuation of Hack/Slash?

SEELEY: Loaded Bible 3: Communion, is done and ready for soliciataion. I’m drawing the HALLOWEEN comic for DDP, which is a bit of a dream come true. I’m working on two other creator owned books, that’ll see that light of day once I get a chance to put some love into them.

12. What are your favorite kind of pants?

SEELEY: Hot pants. Especially if worn by that french pop star, Alizee.