Like the first sprouts of spring, this year marks a rebirth for Larry Marder and his much-loved series, Tales From the Beanworld. Newly liberated after 14 years spent working for Image Comics and McFarlane Toys, Marder will deliver the first new installment in fifteen years, a Christmas special, to be followed by re-issues of the complete series up to this point, and ultimately a brand new graphic novel, all published by Dark Horse.

In this third and final part of our interview with Marder, we discuss the genesis of the beans, his early days of self-publishing, and how, after all these years, he finally found a new home for his “most peculiar comic book experience.

[Part One][Part Two]

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After nearly a decade of sporadic releases, Tales from the Beanworld ceased publication in 1993.  Since then, the series’ creator Larry Marder has kept himself fairly busy, first as the executive director of Image Comics and then as the president of McFarlane Toys, a role he held for almost eight years.

In 2007, Marder quit his job at Todd McFarlane’s toy company, vowing to return to the Beanworld, after a decade-and-a-half’s hiatus. Next year Dark Horse will reissue the long out-of-print story and Marder will release a volume of all new material.

We spoke to Marder at this year’s Small Press Expo in Bethesda. In this second part, we discuss Beanworld’s all ages appeal, the genesis of his ideas, and how the artist’s time with the Image crew has affected his work.

[Part One]
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Fifteen years ago, Larry Marder was appointed the executive director of the upstart comic publisher, Image. After a half-dozen years in that role, he joined up with Image co-founder Todd MacFarlane, as the president of the Spawn creator’s action figure company, MacFarlane Toys, a position he maintained until last year.

An artist in his own right, Marder’s most beloved creation, Tales From the Beanworld, largely languished as he busied himself with the task of helping run two international entertainment companies.

At this year’s Stumptown in Portland, however, Marder announced that he would be resurrecting his most popular creation, beginning with reissues of the long out-of-print books, arriving via Dark Horse, next year. Following a reissue of the book’s complete run, Dark Horse will release all new Beanworld material, written and drawn by Marder.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Marder at SPX in Maryland, a few weeks back, to discuss his return to alternative comics and the rebirth of Beanworld.
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Standing behind the counter, Chris Onstad and his publicist Jacquelene talk with fans at Portland’s Floating World Comics about “The Great Outdoor Fight.” The Great Outdoor Fight? There’s posters taped to the counter reproduced from various decades–each marked by the era’s graphic design–and I’m thinking, did these fights happen?

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