“DC All Access” is the new weekly webseries devoted to taking you deep into the world of DC Entertainment. That’s a pretty big world when you think about it, and you’re going to need a good guide. So it’s a shame we don’t have one for you.
We have two.
Two awesome, fabulous, fun, phenomenal guides. You’re going to love them and want to have them over for pizza. Of course, first you need to get to know them, and that could be tough. Especially if you never saw Blair Herter and Tiffany Smith, the hosts of “DC All Access,” while they were on G4. You want to know that they know their stuff, after all.
So to help, we sat down for interviews with both of our new hosts. We wanted to find out what sort of comics they read, how long they’ve been reading them, who their favorite super heroes are and what sort of things they’re into and enjoy doing. We started with Blair, who’s a long-time comic book fan with strong opinions on Stephen King, the New Orleans Saints and the importance of wearing capes…
Let’s start with the obvious. So how long have you been reading comic books?
I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been reading comics, but some of the earliest memories I have of my mom involve me at a grocery store screaming for Heath Bars and an Archie’s Double Digest…so I think it’s pretty safe to say I’ve been reading them most of my life.
Were you always a DC Comics fan?
Let me take you back… June 23, 1989. My ninth birthday. After a day filled with laughter and Great American Cookie Company’s finest cookie cake offerings, my parents took me to the opening night of the movie that would set me on the same Detective Comics path I still travel 24 years later: Batman.
So, yes. I’ve been a fan for a minute or two!
Who are some of your favorite super heroes?
As my previous answer suggests, Batman is my all time favorite. While I don’t necessarily look to him for social guidance – need to work on your interpersonal relationships a little, Brucie – I just love the idea that this MAN has the bat-balls to go toe-to-toe with gods. Proof positive that if you apply hard work, dedication, and a healthy amount of crazy to your life then absolutely nothing is out of reach.
I’m also a big fan of John Constantine – so much so that our son was almost named Constantine. Magic is awesome on every level and the fact that he’s a con man on top of being a badass mage makes him even cooler. He’s like Sawyer from Lost if Sawyer could cast Magic Missile.
I’m not sure if there’s a comic book that you’d say changed your life, but if there was one…what would it be?
I don’t know if there was a comic book that changed my life, but there is a comic book that changed me from “reader” to “collector.” In 1988 I got straight-A’s on my report card and as a reward my mom hooked me up with The New Orleans Saints #1. The cover art on that beauty featured Bobby Hebert and Morten Andersen posing in front of The Superdome – shows you how much offense we had back then; the quarterback and THE KICKER were the featured athletes – and I loved it so much that I went out and bought my first bag and board so I could keep it mint. That was the book that started my collection.
So what did it take to land the sure-to-be-coveted spot as DC All Access co-host? Did you have to wrestle with Bane or beat Geoff Johns at super hero trivia?
Much like the Trials of Shazam!, I had to best a gauntlet of challenges laid before me. While I can’t reveal what they were, I can say this: I now know where Jim Lee keeps all the cleaning supplies in his house.
What’s it like having full access to the DC Entertainment office? Are there any secret lairs or hidden arsenals you can tell us about?
I want to tell you. I really do. Unfortunately, Lex sent me an email the other day informing me that “Silence is golden…and unless you want me to slowly and methodically erase your entire family tree from this plane of existence you’d do well to remember that,” so I think it’s best I keep my lips zipped on this one and only share secrets on the “DC All Access” show.
Odd little fun fact: Luthor signs his emails with “Toodles” and a smiley emoticon.
What are you most excited about right now in the world of DCE?
Way too hard to pick my favorite thing happening NOW so I’ll take this question into the future: I’m excited about the next character Geoff Johns decides to pluck from the deep, dark corners of the DC archives to reboot.
How has it been working with Tiffany?
Like drinking an ice cold beer with Guy Gardner on a sweltering summer day. It’s AWESOME.*
*P.S. Tif, you can just make the check out to “Cash.”
Of the two of you, who would you say is the biggest geek?
In terms of OVERALL geekiness (video games, tech, tabletop games, etc.) I think I’ve got her by a slight margin, but on the comic book tip that young lady CRUSHES me. She knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING.
You mentioned having a son. So which of you has more toys?
Yep. Emerson Roland Herter. Emerson because it sounds smart and we wanted to frontload him with some intelligence. Roland because The Gunslinger series is Stephen King’s masterwork and Roland Deschain is the ultimate protagonist. Herter because MY NAME MUST LIVE ON.
The toys are currently my toys, until he’s old enough for them to be his toys, until he’s old enough to move away and abandon them, and then they’re my toys.
Finally, what are your thoughts on capes? Do you think they’re an essential part of the super hero wardrobe, or would they just get in the way?
Unless the DCU suddenly suffers a shortage of stiff breezes, capes are the way to go. Supes looks way too cool in an updraft with that bad boy flapping in the wind to get rid of it now.
Be sure to follow Blair on Twitter and catch him in the premiere episode of “DC All Access” on Tuesday, 10/15 right here on DCComics.com. Also, check back on Monday for our interview with our second host, Tiffany Smith!
