As a comic writer, Garth Ennis has co-created two of the most popular modern, adult-themed comics in Preacher and The Boys. He also had a nine-year run writing Punisher, co-created Hitman, and is currently writing the horror-crime thriller Ribbon Queen. While he was at Baltimore Comic-Con, Ennis chatted with Scoop about his work, fans, and attending cons.

Scoop: Are you having fun this weekend?
Garth Ennis (GE): I certainly am, I always like the Baltimore con.

Scoop: What do you like about Baltimore Comic-Con?
GE: The people seem so friendly. It’s just a nice time to visit. Also, the con is not too big, not too small.

Scoop: What have fans been most excited to talk to you about?
GE: Generally, it’s a sort of a mixture, but the top three would be The Boys, The Punisher, and Preacher.

Scoop: Do you have a favorite among those?
GE: Oh, it would The Boys or Preacher just because I didn’t create the Punisher, fond as I am of the character. I couldn’t really choose between Preacher and The Boys.

Scoop: They’re both iconic series.
GE: And they’re both dear to me. I suppose Preacher, I worked on that with Steve Dillon who is no longer with us and my dear friend. That might give it the edge. In terms of books themselves, really not much to choose between them.

Scoop: Have you been surprised by anything that fans have brought up when they meet you?
GE: Pleasantly surprised. I like it when people bring along, say Rover Red Charlie or Code Pru, the old Kev series, the spinoff from The Authority, and Red Team. In particular, my war stories, which are my favorite.

Scoop: What are you working on now?
GE: Let’s see, The Ribbon Queen has just started running from AWA, there’s a new Punisher series in the spring, six issues, I’ve done another horror story that I can’t really talk about yet, and Dynamite is going to be making an announcement at the New York Comic Con about a pretty famous character.

Scoop: I’m really enjoying Ribbon Queen.
GE: I’m glad. That’s one that’s been cooking away in my head for a long time. The title came from something my dad said to me one time when I was 5. I think I’d knocked over the glass and I was reaching for the shards that looked so pretty catching the light, and he said, “Don’t touch that, son, it’ll cut you to ribbons.” I immediately imagined a person turning into long red streamers and somehow rising through the air to the ceiling. I guess that image has just been stuck in my head ever since.

Scoop: What do you like about attending conventions?
GE: I like meeting the people who read my stuff. That’s the bottom line really. It’s nice to see old friends, it’s nice to socialize with all the writers and artists and editors. Ultimately it is about meeting the people who read the stuff and talking to them, and the impressions it’s given them, and their thoughts.

Scoop: Which shows are on your schedule for the rest of the year?
GE: I’m doing Memphis in a couple weeks, I’m going to be appearing briefly at the New York con, I have one panel on Friday evening, then I’m a guest at the Lucca Festival of Comics in Italy in November.

Scoop: Thank you so much.
GE: Thank you.