Andy Schmidt Talks Life After (And Back At) Marvel

March 27, 2008

Andy Schmidt left his associate editor job at Marvel Comics about a year ago with thoughts of pursuing his other passions: spending time with his growing family, writing, and teaching. In the months following he’s created The Comics Experience, a school teaching writers and artists how to break into comics; he’s writing a Cyclops story in “Marvel Comics Presents” #8, and a Havok story in “X-Men: Divided We Stand” #2, all while finding the time to spend with his eight-month old son, Cale.

“Comics Experience has really taken off better than I expected,” Schmidt told CBR News. “I’m teaching classes on writing and art for comics and they keep filling up with really talented people. It’s been an awesome experience for me and my clients are very enthusiastic.”

Though he misses his time at Marvel, upon finding out he was going to be a father, Schmidt found himself asking, “Is it more important for me to be a great comic book editor or a great father? When put that way, it wasn’t much of a decision at all.

“[Leaving Marvel] allowed me to start Comics Experience, which combines comics with one of my other loves, teaching. I was a college professor before I was a comic book editor and I get to dabble in freelance writing, all of which is new to me and wonderfully fulfilling.”

Currently, Schmidt’s dabbling has brought him back to Marvel, which the former editor characterizes as “like coming home.” His upcoming story in “Marvel Comics Presents” #8 features Cyclops’ reaction to the death of Corsair in the Emperor Vulcan storyline of “Uncanny X-Men.”

"X-Men: Divided We Stand" #2 on sale in May