We here at UTF were fortunate enough to sit down with comic book creator and professional ring announcer, Joe Antonacci (Joe Palooka).  We covered a good deal of ground with a strong focus on his attempt to bring back an aged icon.  So sit back, relax and enjoy.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

You can read the latest review for JOE PALOOKA here.

UTF: Where did the idea for the revival of this property come from?

Joe Antonacci: A friend of mine from Ridgewood, NJ, Ed Catto resurrected Caption Action after its trademark was abandoned. After seeing Ed signing Captain Action comic books at a book store, I went home and found that my favorite comic character growing up, Joe Palooka’s trademark had also been abandoned, since 1984. That night, 6 years ago, I decided that I was going to re-invent and re-interpret the Joe Palooka name.

UTF: Do you have any personal history with the franchise?

Joe Antonacci: As a kid of around 9-10 years old, I ran home from school every day to go out and play whatever sport was in season with my friends in the neighborhood. But before going out, I’d tear open that afternoon’s paper (known at the time as The Bergen Evening Record) to read the Joe Palooka comic strip. Invariably, Joe was somewhere in the world getting into trouble or fighting for his life, sometimes in the ring and sometimes outside the ring. I have done my best to re-capture that excitement and action-adventure spirit while completely re-creating Joe…even by bringing him back as an MMA character rather than as a boxer.

UTF: How did IDW end up as the right publisher to work with on this project?

Joe Antonacci: I spoke with almost a dozen publishers about the property and from day one ted Adams and Chris Ryall shared my passion for a well told story blending MMA action and international adventure. They “got it” from our first call and have been supportive throughout the entire publication process.

UTF: Now that you have five issues on store shelves, did they turn out to be a good fit?

Joe Antonacci: They have. Issue six will complete the first story arc, and a trade combining issues #1-#6 and bonus sections along with an 8-10 page preview of the next phase of the story, Joe Palooka: Legion of Combat that will follow Joe as he fights around the world in the top fight league, Legion of Combat.

UTF: As a title and character that has largely vanished from the imagination of most Americans how did you approach the challenge of crafting his return?

Joe Antonacci: I see the Joe Palooka name as a bonus. Most fans are picking up the comic book for the action-adventure, the storyline and the MMA fighting. Many MMA fans have embraced the book without ever hearing of the original character. Many comic book fans gave the book a chance based on the name’s history and were pleasantly surprised to see the name come back.

UTF: Considering the main character’s history as a comic strip, radio series and eventual film (I believe there was a feature length and several shorts) did you feel any pressure on how your version of him would be received?

Joe Antonacci: I loved the comic strip and comic book. For that reason alone, I felt tremendous pressure not to “let down” or bring any disrespect onto the name Joe Palooka. I love comic books, and have great respect for the history of the industry and the people who made that history. I have done everything I could to bring back the name Joe Palooka in a respectful and yet exciting and positive manner.

UTF: When modernizing the tale where did the changes you and your team made come from?

Joe Antonacci: The biggest change is that Joe is an MMA fighter instead of a boxer. That was a tough decision, since I am a “boxing guy” as a boxing ring announcer who calls fights on HBO, Showtime, ESPN, The NBC Sports Network etc. But it was an easy call because I LOVE MMA also, and wanted to completely re-invent Joe Palooka and modernize him for today’s world and fight fan market.

UTF: Considering your career have you taken any negative criticisms for using MMA instead of boxing as the character’s fight history?

Joe Antonacci: No, everybody seems to get it and people in boxing know me well enough to know how much I love and respect those with the courage to step into the ring and fight for a living…as a boxer or as an MMA fighter.

UTF: How did the team behind the current series come together?

Joe Antonacci: Ed Catto introduced me to Mike Bullock and Mike introduced me to Fernando Peniche, Josh Aiken and Bob Pedroza. I knew cover artist Jace McTier through boxing, Mike Bullock knew Marat Mychaels and I called Michael Marsicano after seeing an illustration he created for the Sunday NY Times.

UTF: You’ve been working with Mike Bullock on the stories while he pens the final scripts, how’s that been so far?

Joe Antonacci: We work well together.

UTF: What’s the writing process like?  How do you guys approach breaking an individual issue or even a story arc?

Joe Antonacci: I knew the story I wanted to tell, and Mike knew how to break it into panels, pages and issues. The best thing a leader can do is to let those with specific strengths “own” those areas of the process. Mike also had a sense of what works where and how to take a short story formatted tale and break it out into a comic book panel format.

UTF: The pencils by Fernando Peniche have been entertaining and full of zany characterizations throughout his run.  His work has easily made this title stand out while echoing a look from the 90s, how has it been working with him so far?

Joe Antonacci: The unique, bright, and fun style that Fernando brings to the book made it stand out and he REALLY captures the excitement of the fight scenes and international action-adventure. We’re NOT looking for subtle mood pieces here. We’re telling a high-octane story…and the art and colors have reflected that goal. Fernando is an example of a young talent who deserved a break. His work is only going to keep getting better and better. And for a young guy, his work ethic and attention to timelines was incredible.

UTF: Are there any other artists off the top of your head that you’d like to see step in for an issue or two?

Joe Antonacci: We have had artists with various backgrounds and styles work on our covers. Jace McTier has brought a LeRoy Neiman like tough to three covers. Kevin Colden brought a certain subtlety of palate and mood to his covers and Marat Mychaels matched Fernando’s ability to capture the brutality of MMA action on his covers.

UTF: When it comes to the narrative itself there’s been some highs and lows, where the action seems to have issues with the development of our leading stars.  How do you and your team find strike a balance between these two tough dynamics?

Joe Antonacci: Joe is the star of the book and the story’s chief protagonist. We try to keep that in mind while also introducing elements such as the bank robbery, Joe’s introduction to the billionaire fight team owner Tommy Chang etc. We try to show Joe as a fighter, a boyfriend, a son and a truly decent person. We want to show him fight, but fighters also train. We want to show him with his sister and girlfriend, but he’s a fugitive. So there is a tough balance to find. All I can say is that we’re doing our very best and that moving forward the book will only get better and better. And when reviewers or critics offer advice on story development of other elements, I definitely take notice.

UTF: What are your goals moving forward for the book and its audience?

Joe Antonacci: I have been very happy with the reception the book has received from the comic book media and from traditional comic book fans. We are determined to strengthen the book’s fan base in the MMA community. We want MMA fans who don’t visit comic book stores and read comic books regularly to also discover Joe Palooka and follow Joe’s adventures throughout the world.

UTF: Where do you see the story of Joe Palooka going?

Joe Antonacci: In Joe Palooka: Legion of Combat, Joe will fight in a worldwide fight league, where every team is owned by an eccentric and powerful billionaire. The billionaires have built an amazing cruise ship and fitted a 5000 seat fight arena at the ships center. The ship travels around the world, and the rich and famous fly in for events. For example, the ship will dock off the coast of Italy for a week. Tuesday through Thursday concerts and events (meet and greets, press conferences etc.) will take place. On Friday, the weigh in will be held and on Saturday, the fighters and teams, officials and fans will fill the arena and it will be lifted up by 8 high-powered helicopters, moved to the site of the match and dropped into the fight sight (in the case of Italy…The Coliseum of Rome). The Legion of Combat will hold fights in front of the Pyramids of Egypt, next to Liberty Island in New York Harbor, and near Stonehenge in England. Of course, the league will also travel to Brazil where the arena will be dropped at the foot of the Christ of the Andes statue that symbolizes the birthplace of MMA, Brazil.

UTF: How has it been becoming a part of the comic book industry?

Joe Antonacci: Joe Palooka AND Joe Antonacci have received a very warm reception from the comic book industry. It may be because I have absolutely no notion that I know it all, or even know a little about the industry overall. But I’m a good listener, and a fast learner and am determined to produce a book that puts dedicated writers, artists, colorists and letterers to work creating a great comic book. A book that tells a story that today’s reader will find as magical and exciting as the original comic strips we to me when I was a 10 year old turning pages of my daily newspaper to see what happened to Joe next.
Do you have any intentions to resurrect or create more monthly comic book titles?

Right now, I just want to make Joe Palooka better and better. But I have been bitten by the bug and have no doubt that some of the other story ideas floating around my head will eventually find their way into comic book form. Once you’re a part of the comic book business, you see every story as a potential comic strip, comic book or graphic novel. So I’ll never say never, but right now I’m completely focused on making Joe Palooka better, and better and better. And trust me, I thank everyone who has offered ideas on how we can keep doing exactly that.

As we  close this out I want to take the time to thank Joe Antonacci for the opportunity to ask him some questions and for the excellent answers he gave.  If you haven’t been following his series so far be on the lookout for the upcoming Trade Paperback as the world of Joe Palooka enters its next exciting phase.