By Hernan Panessi, Via El Planteo.
In 2011, the Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley, son of the legendary Bob, brought together two great cartoon artists, Joe Casey and Jim Mahfood, and released Marijuanaman, a comic in which a cannabis superhero brought an important message of peace.
“I remember it was very well received, especially by the Ziggy fans. I also remember that we did a signing event at the Golden Apple Comics store in Los Angeles, when the book went on sale, and there was a huge and pleasant turnout”, Casey told El Planteo in an exclusive interview.
The story goes that Ziggy already knew Jim Mahfood, with who Casey has been friends for over 20 years. And it was Jim who dragged Joe into the project. Between the three of them, they set up Marijuanaman, which, according to the specialized site Comixology, "is far from the typical inspiration of the muscular superheroes of the '90s."
“Ziggy was very nice to us, he was very familiar with the comics and seemed to appreciate the skills that Mahfood and I brought to the table. We met several times while making the book and then made a few personal appearances together to promote the release. It was all so much fun,” says Casey.
Comics & Cannabis
Meanwhile, after his experience with Marijuanaman, the North American author recognized for his work on Wildcats 3.0, Uncanny X-Men, and Adventures of Superman did not relate to cannabis characters again. "After Marijuanaman, he didn't see the point of it," he says. “Nothing can compare to Marijuanaman!”
However, Casey does have an opinion about medical cannabis: “I think, in certain circumstances, it is a godsend. In that sense, people's lives have changed a lot," he added.
- And what do you think of recreational cannabis?
- Certainly, it also has its place.
On occasion, Casey has used CBD for medical purposes. "I am grateful that I had the option to do so," he said.
Comics That Bring Happiness
In his professional trajectory, Casey has worked with every major label in the comics world: Marvel, DC, Image, and more. However, the best publisher for him was, precisely, Image Comics, where they published Marijuanaman.
“They have the best deal for creators in the industry. That's why we published Marijuanaman there," he affirms.
- What is the job that has made you happiest?
- Just the fact that this has been my career for so long makes me happy. Everything has been very good.
Mom or Dad? X-Men or Wildcats?
Casey is part of a convoy of artists called Man of Action Entertainment, along with Duncan Rouleau, Joe Kelly, and Steven T. Seagle. Man of Action is a collective of screenwriters focused on television, film, comics, and animation. They are known for creating popular products like Ben 10, Generator Rex, Gormiti Nature Unleashed, and Big Hero 6.
“For anyone who really wants to know who we are, I would just say go to www.manofaction.tv and learn all about us and what we've done,” he says.
- How do you feel when young people in their twenties (or thirties) tell you ‘I used to watch Ben 10 when I was a kid’?
- That hasn't happened to me personally. But I guess I'd feel pretty good.
- It's like choosing between mom or dad, but… you've worked with X-Men and Wildcats, which one do you prefer?
- Wildcats.
Currently, Casey continues to work on new comics, animation projects, new movies, and television shows.
“I am with a lot of things. It seems like I do everything,” he jokes.
Image Via El Planteo.
