Paul: Josh, can you tell us something about yourself, your family life.

Josh: I’m 24 and live in the suburbs of Syracuse, NY, but I’m originally from Northern Kentucky. I have a 15-month-old son. I have a bachelor’s in journalism from Northern Kentucky University and a master’s in journalism from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. I work in public relations at Syracuse University.

Paul: What was the first comic book you ever read?

Josh: I’m really not sure. One of the first comics I remember owning was Action Comics #659. I remember liking Guardian.

Paul: How did the concept of this mini comic come about?

Josh: It was very organic. I had a few ideas for some short comic stories, but nothing to do with them. So I decided I’d publish a collection of them. Then I decided to make later issues anthologies and have other people contribute to them. I finally decided to make it a quarterly anthology showcasing as much variety of talent as possible, from newcomers to seasoned vets. I also want to always keep the cost at $1. I’ve had an enormous amount of positive response, which has me really excited. This is something I see being around for a long time and I want it to be accessible to as many people as possible.

Paul: Who are the contributors?

Josh: Volume One is just me, but for Volume Two, which will be published in January 2008, so far the contributors are mini-comic legend Matt Feazel, Ricky Glore, who is a good friend of mine and a funny stand-up comic, a very talented Slovenian artist named Domen Finžgar and Rob Moses, who is a very creative individual I met at a convention. I have verbal commitments from many others.

Paul: What conventions will you be attending or have attended?

Josh: In October, I attended the Syracuse Heroes Expo, where Candy or Medicine debuted, and I met a lot of great people. In 2008, I’m hoping to make it to the MoCCA Art Festival, SPX, Ithacon and the Syracuse Heroes Expo. In 2009, I hope to make it to all of those plus SPACE.

Paul: What are your hobbies and recreational activities?

Josh: I like playing with my son, taking him to the park, playing outside, going to the library, things like that. Reading comics, obviously. Learning to cook. I’m vegetarian, so I’m always trying to find new, healthy recipes for my family.

Paul: What books do you enjoy?

Josh: As someone who is a parent and poor, I like reading books about parenting and poor people. Two good ones I’ve recently read are Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood by Susan Linn (although it was very academic) and Nickeled and Dimed (On) Not Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrnreich. I also read lots of children’s books. Other than the staples (Eric Carle, Bill Martin, Jr. and Sandra Boynton), I really enjoy Doreen Cronin and Dan Yaccarino.

Paul: What comic books do you read now?

Josh: Daredevil, even though it hasn’t been good for a while (although I really liked the Annual). Green Lantern, although it hasn’t been very good for a while either. I like Andy Diggle and Garth Ennis. I recently read Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi, which I really liked, and Jacob Chabot’s Mighty Skullboy Army TPB by Dark Horse. I’ve also been into the Fantastic Four and She-Hulk lately. I have every issue of the three Mister Miracle series, and I’ve been meaning to sit down and read those.

Paul: What gives you your creative energy?

Josh: My family. Good writing. Random neural firings in my brain.

Paul: I must ask you an off-the-wall question. Have you ever had a paranormal experience and if you did, can you tell us about it?

Josh: Actually, yes, I have. I’m extremely terrified of ghosts, and my girlfriend teases me for it. Although I tease her for being scared of aliens. I mean, c’mon, you could punch an alien in the face. You can’t punch a ghost in the face. Although, I guess if you punched an alien in the face you’d spark some sort of intergalactic war or something.

Anyway, when I was eight, I was what I’d guess you’d call a latch-key kid; I walked home from school everyday to an empty house. My dad and stepmom didn’t get home from work until two hours after I got home from school.

One day, I walked in the back door, and from the basement, the door of which was right in front of me, I heard my stepmom say, “Josh, you’re home.” I had an infant brother at the time and I heard his laugh and the wheels of his walker. (My stepmom would put him in his walker when she was in the basement doing laundry). I went downstairs and they weren’t there (and why would they be? They were never home at that time). So I was a little freaked out, but I looked outside because maybe it was my neighbor and her infant son. Yet, nobody else was around (and why would they be? Every other adult that lived right next to us didn’t get home until after 5 either). I ran to my room, threw down my backpack, ran outside and didn’t come back inside until my dad got home.

I attribute my fear of ghosts and the paranormal to watching Unsolved Mysteries as a kid. That was not a show children should watch.

Paul: How can someone contact you?

Josh: By e-mailing info@candyormedicine.com . If someone wants my snail mail address, he or she can e-mail me for it.

Paul: Do you have a website?

Josh: Candy or Medicine is online at www.candyormedicine.com and it is also on MySpace at www.myspace.com/candyormedicine and on ComicSpace at www.comicspace.com/candyormedicine .

Paul: This ends the interview, any encouraging words of wisdom?

Josh: Candy or Medicine always seeks contributors of all skill levels for future issues. If you’re interested in contributing, or know someone who might be, then contact me via e-mail and visit the Web site for more info. Thanks for spreading the word.