Interview: David Avallone on Dynamite’s Bettie Page
Producer & director David Avallone is also know as the writer of such comics as Doc Savage: Ring of Fire, Twilight Zone: The Shadow, Legenderry Vampirella, and more. His new project features the unknown adventures of the most famous pin-up model of all, Bettie Page. Avallone recently told Westfield’s Roger Ash more about this upcoming series from Dynamite.
Westfield: How did you become involved with the project?
David Avallone: This one started the way most of them do for me: an email from Dynamite Executive Editor Joe Rybandt. He asked if I’d be interested in doing a Bettie Page comic book, and of course I was. I asked if there were any parameters and Joe said, “Bettie Page comic book.” One of the great pleasures of working for Dynamite is just that kind of creative freedom.
Westfield: Bettie Page is known to most for her work as a pin-up model. Was it difficult developing a story for her?
Avallone: It’s a bit more of a challenge to come up with a comic-book worthy adventure for a model than for, say, a costumed vigilante. But on the other hand… as above… there’s also more freedom, and the added bonus that it’s fresh territory. It’s a chance to do something original. I chose 1951 because it was after her modeling career had started, but before she was that well known. It seemed like the best time to set a “secret adventure.” Once I had 1951, I thought about all the things that were going on in the world, and in the culture, in1951. From there, the story came pretty easily.
Westfield: What can you tell us about the story?
Avallone: Bettie gets chased out of New York when the Feds raid a magazine photo shoot, and ends up in Los Angeles, working as an assistant for a rocket scientist. She finds herself at the center of a web of intrigue involving spies, cultists, flying saucers, and Hollywood.
Westfield: Aside from Bettie, who are some of the other characters we’ll meet?
Avallone: The two main characters Bettie is caught between are Rick Parsons and Elroy Benway. Rick Parsons is a dashing and mysterious rocket scientist and founder of Pasadena Aero Space Technologies. Elroy Benway is the shadowy head of the growing Sky Science cult.
Westfield: You’re working with artist Colton Worley on the book. What can you say about your collaboration?
Avallone: Colton’s work is like no one else’s, and he has a great imagination for page layout and panel design. We’re very lucky to have him on the book.
Westfield: Any closing comments?
Avallone: I approach this project with enormous respect for its leading lady. Bettie was a woman ahead of her time, and like a lot of ground-breakers she didn’t think of herself as a pioneer, which makes her all the more heroic. It’s a privilege to be able to write Bettie, and give her an adventure worthy of her immortal image and persona.
Purchase
Bettie Page #1
USER COMMENTS
We'd love to hear from you, feel free to add to the discussion!