Writer Benjamin Percy, Minnesota’s best link to the Marvel Universe, picks his favorite superheroes

Benjamin Percy’s superpower might be his proficiency. From his home in Northfield, the 45-year-old writer churns out novels, screenplays, TV scripts and comic books with Flash-like speed.

Percy is working on a TV adaptation of “Urban Cowboy,” as well as more adventures for Deadpool, Wolverine, Red Hulk and Predator. He spoke last week via Zoom about his work ethic and favorite characters.

Q: Are you in your office?

A: Yes. I call it the dungeon because I’m in the basement. I’ve got a view of a woodpile and a forest behind me. It’s a little bit dank and shadowy down here, but I can’t beat the commute. I pour my coffee and walk down the stairs.

Q: What is your writing routine?

A: I have a set schedule. I start around 7:30 a.m. and work until 4:30 p.m. or 5. I take a break to have lunch and walk the dog. Otherwise, I’m just hammering away and playing with my imaginary friends.

Q: Do you ever suffer writer’s block?

A: Sometimes I have roadblocks, but I don’t have the luxury of just pausing my work. If I get stuck on a plot point or a character’s motivation, I just turn my attention to another project. Ideally, I’m in just one imaginative space a day and, if it’s a novel, I’m in that same space for weeks. But the way comics work, there’s interruption after interruption. Sometimes, I’ll get 100 emails a day from Marvel with pressing requests. Being a comic book writer is almost like being a film director. You’re part of this team of people all trying to put the story together.

Q: What do you do to escape?

A: I’m a workaholic. I have trouble downloading. Even when I’m watching a movie for fun, I have a legal pad next to me and I’m scratching down notes and rewinding sequences. I try not to look at a screen after 9 p.m., but I may write on paper if my brain is too busy and I can’t sleep. Every August, I head up to Grand Marais with my wife and two kids and we rent a cabin, kayak, eat the world’s best doughnuts, stare out at the big water. It’s a mental cleanse for us, one of the beautiful spots in the country. I always promise my wife I won’t spend the entire day writing, but I always need to get in an hour or two.

Q: What books were you into as a kid?

A: I loved werewolves, robots with laser eyes. I was picking up comic books, Stephen King, making my way through the mysteries of Agatha Christie and Sir Conan Doyle. It was all about escapism. I was turning pages so fast they’d create a breeze on my face.

Q: What did you avoid?

A: Outside of English class, I wasn’t exposed to literary fiction. When I arrived for my first college creative writing workshop, I was told I wouldn’t be allowed to write genre fiction or read it. I kind of put up my hand and said, “What else is there?” I had never read Raymond Carver or James Baldwin or Leslie [Marmon] Silko. Thereafter, I fell in love with literary fiction.

Q: What literary character won you over the most?

A: I would say Mattie, the main character in “True Grit.” It’s the charm of her voice, her stubbornness, her humor, even when it’s unintentional. I found her bravery inspiring. I recently reread the book to my family during a road trip to Yellowstone, providing all the colorful voices, including Rooster Cogburn.

Q: How old are your kids?

A: My daughter is 15 and my son is now a freshman in Madison. I still tell them stories on road trips. They’re a captive audience.

Q: What comic book character would you love to get your hands on?

A: Conan the Barbarian. No doubt about it. He’s one of my childhood favorites. I’ve written for Batman, but I’d love to take over the whole series. He has the best rogues gallery.

Q: What comic book character deserves more attention?

A: One thing I’ve always tried to do is take characters that have been benched and bring them into the spotlight. I recently did that with Omega Red. When I look back, I think the Swamp Thing deserves more notoriety. I’m also a fan of Warlord. He was kind of DC’s version of Conan with a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other.

Q: You’ve been writing the Wolverine comics since 2017. Are you surprised how popular he’s become?

A: I don’t know if I’m surprised, because he’s the coolest comic book character of all time. He’s hairy, grumpy, plainspoken, smelly, likes to chew cigars. I find that vaguely autobiographical.

The Minnesota Interview is a feature in which we dive deep into the personal side of public figures with special ties to our region and readers.