Matt shifted from banking to publishing and licensing in 1992. He has managed teh sales and production of over $500 million worth of published products, toys and other affiliated licensed merchandise.
Specializing in international trade, Matt has successfully executed distribution and licensing contracts in over 55 countries. Also the writer/creator of several successful comic book franchises through his own company, Matt joined Top Cow Productions in 1998. He now manages the day-to-day operations of the company. He received a BA in Business Economics and a BS in Physics from UCLA.
Nathan Turner: Hello. We are at the Comic-Con and we are talking with Matt Hawkins. Matt, go ahead and tell the people a little bit about who you are and what it is that you do.
Matt Hawkins: I am the president of Top Cow Productions. Top Cow is the publisher of such comic books as Witch Blade, The Darkness, Wanted and a host of various things. We’ve been publishing comics since 1992.
Nathan Turner: Wonderful. Matt are their any current projects you are working on; things that sort of excite you, at this time?
Matt Hawkins: Yes, there is a project that I’m personally working on called “Alibi” that’s very exciting. We’ve recently set it up for film with Mandeville Entertainment. I’m very excited about that project specifically. Top Cow in general has a number of projects.
There is a project called “Tracker,” with a company called Heroes & Villains. There is one that’s kind of a werewolf story which is very cool because we’ve never really done that before. So it’s kind of cool to see it. I think it’s something that people should check out. It’s kind of a twist on the werewolf mythology.
Nathan Turner: Wonderful. So Matt what is it that got you in this industry? What sort of sparked that fervor?
Matt Hawkins: Luck. I was working in a bank in 1992 and I met a guy named Rob Wythall who published comic books with Image Comics and I just got lucky. I got in on the ground level. I was just out of college and been with it ever since, twenty years later.
Nathan Turner: Matt, in keeping with the spirit of the Comic-Con, we have a few questions for you. The first one is this. What is your definition of a Hero?
Matt Hawkins: I would say the definition of a Hero is someone who doesn’t benefit necessarily their own self interest.
Nathan Turner: Do you have any personal Heroes of your own?
Matt Hawkins: I’m a big fan of guys like Lance Armstrong and guys like that that do triathlons and run marathons. I have a lot of respect for the guys that go the distance and do stuff like that. I know a couple of firefighters and I am a big fan of them. To me it’s just everyday guys that are doing what they are supposed to be doing, and living life, guys that aren’t trying to get on TMZ. Those are the guys I like.
Nathan Turner: Do you believe that Heroism is important in today’s age and why?
Matt Hawkins: I believe it’s absolutely important because in today’s day and age there are so many people. We are so interconnected. Based on my own definition, if we not trying to help each other out, and I have two children, it takes a lot of people to help me raise them. I think I do a good job doing it but everyone can have an impact and an influence. I think that’s important for all of us to keep in mind.
Nathan Turner: Do you believe that there are unsung Heroes in today’s society that maybe do not get the credit they deserve?
Matt Hawkins: I think there are so many unsung, Heroes that are the everyday people that just live life and do their jobs. The quiet! What is it that Thoreau said? “The quiet lead desperate live!”…policemen, fireman, and the people out there just doing their jobs, paying taxes, keeping society going. Those are the guys to me deserving of the real credit. It’s not some moron shooting a TV show.
Nathan Turner: Thank you very much. We’ve been talking with Matt Hawkins. Thank you for joining us Matt.