Spawn comic-book creator-turned-film producer Todd McFarlane is proud of his unlikely $70 million empire. “I have banks bugging me to spend money,” he cacks. And he’s not the only one with a burgeoning bankroll: McFarlane is sharing in the recent windfall for comic-book writers, and underclass historically looted–without any payoff–for their ideas.

“All the studios had to offer me was money,” says McFarlane, who was already a millionaire before Holloywood came knocking. “But I had the number-one-selling comic book in the nation.” With that kind of leverage, McFarlane stuck a savvy deal with New Line, one that afforded him unheard-of control: merchandising rights, executive producer privileges, and cash rewards that would kick in once the film’s gross passed the $35 million mark, according to McFarlane. “Spawn,” to his delight, made $55 million.

His exploits are emblematic of a shift for many comics insiders from autographing comic books to signing movie deals. To wit: “The Tick” cerator Ben Edlund has signed on to write and direct a remake of the 1964 B film “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians;” former “X-Men” scribe Scott Lobdell has a five-picture producing deal with Miramax’s Dimension Films; and Neil Gaiman (”Sandman”) has three scripting gigs–including first dibs on directing the film adapation of his comic “Death: The High Cost of Living.” Even the respected Frank Miller (”SinCity”), who walked away form Hollywood after cowriting the “RoboCop” sequels, is back, adapting his “Ronin” comic for director Darren Aronofsky (II). “When you’re writing a screenplay, you’re pretty low on the pole,” laughs the older, wiser Miller. “I’ve come back with a different attitude–not attaching myself to the point where my entire ego depends on a project.”

One power broker who has helped open the Hollywood gates is producer Don Murphy (”Natural Born Killers”). He has deals with comic alums Gaiman and James Robinson (”Starman”), and is currently courting Grant Morrison (The Invisibles), who’s interested in writing original movie scripts. “Anytime you give anybody a shot [at scripting or directing], you’re taking a chance on them. But with these guys, your gut instinct is a little bit stronger,” Murphy says. “A good comic is like a storyboard to a good movie.”

This logic now has extra financial juice thanks to the major success of “The Matrix” writer-directors Andy and Larry Wachowski, former comic-book writers themselves, who commissioned comics veterans Geof Darrow (”Hard Boiled”) and Steve Skroce (”SpiderMan”) to storyboard their $170 million-grossing film. And the timing couldn’t have been more opportune. With comic-book sales in a slump (the top-selling “Spawn”, for example, now sells about 100,000 copies annually, compared to 750,000 in ‘92), writers are frustrated with grinding out up to four titles per month–to a shrinking audience, no less–just to make a decent living.

And they weren’t the only ones looking for a change. “Hollywood seems like it’s bereft of original ideas,” says director Kevin Smith (”Dogma”), who, aside form penning comic books of his own (including “Jay & Silent Bob” and “Daredevil”), is executive-producing “Preacher,” based on the comic by its screenwriter Garth Ennis. “Some of the most original stuff out there is coming from comic books.”

Once the pastime of prepubescents, comics experienced a renaissance in the ’80s, during which time monosyllabic exclamations (Pow! Bam!) gave way to mature storytelling rooted in satire, self-reference, and noir. “In 1991, nobody in the studios had heard of you,” Gaiman says. “But all of their assistants were reading your work.” Still, few in the film industry seemed to care–until they did the math. “These guys come cheap,” Kevin Smith says.

And they are coming willingly. “Special effects have made it possible to make movies [look] like comic books,” says Grant Morrison, whose “The Invisibles” is speculated to have influenced “The Matrix.” “And the people who make comic books are starting to say, ‘I don’t need to do this on paper [anymore.’” Hollywood, it seems, shares the sentiment.

Straight outta Jersey and coming to a theater near you,Silent Bob and Jay are out to save the world – and get a littlethree-way interracial girlie action while they’re at it.

For the past five years, a pair of small-time weed dealersnamed Silent Bob and Jay have been making their fellowNew Jerseyites awfully proud. We Garden Staters havelaughed with them and cried with them as they’ve smokedand joked and shamelessly propositioned women inconvenience-store parking lots, indoor shopping malls,and the red leather booths of 24-hour diners. Afterlighting up a trio of films by writer/director Kevin Smith(Clerks [Miramax, 1994], Mallrats [Gramercy, 1995],and Chasing Amy [Miramax, 1997]), the delightful duofind themselves charged with saving mankind from theforces of evil in this month’s controversial religious epicDogma (Lions Gate).

Fresh from Sunday church services with costars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris Rock, thestoner celebs sat down for this rare interview. Silent Bob (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Smith) was as silent as ever. But the eloquent Jay talked a true-blue streak about life’s essentials – gangsta beats and three-way sexcapades.

Back when Clerks came out, you guys were banging your heads to death metal. In Dogma, though, you’re hip to the hoppa and you just don’t stoppa. Have blood-curdling guitar solos been replaced by block-rocking breakbeats in the soundtrack to your lives?

Nah. Shit’s all good. We still respect metal. Like King Diamond and Blackie Lawless. Those guys are hardcore. But we’re more down with the flava. I listen to a lot of Puffy, but Silent Bob’s into the old-school shit. He knows all the words to Run-D.M.C.’s “Peter Piper” and he still has a Stetsasonic poster hanging on the wall at our crib.

Wow. That is down. Have you ever used your rap acumen to seduce a Nubian princess?

What’s a Nubian?

The term “Nubian” refers specifically to the descendants of the ancient kingdom of Nubia, which was located in what are now southern Egypt and northern Sudan. But it’s frequently used to describe any person of African descent.

Oh, hells yeah! I like my chocolate brown. Biggie here likes his chocolate with nuts. Nootch! [Silent Bob elbows Jay.] The guy’s got, like, no sense of humor.

Foxy Brown or Lil’ Kim?

Lil’ Kim, man! You see what she was wearing on the MTV Video Music Awards? Her titty was hanging out, and only the nipple was covered. I was at home praying that shit would fall off!

You win a dream date with tough-but-tantalizing rhyme siren Eve. What gift do you bring to her doorstep?

Lil’ Kim. So we could get a little of that three-way action going. A rap sandwichSwith white meat inside. You know what I’m saying? Boo-ya!!

What would you cue up on the stereo for such a session?

I’d be down for some 2 Live Crew ‘n’ shit. [Sings lyric from “C’mon Babe”] “Then lick my ass up and down / Lick it till your tongue turns doo-doo brown!” Tubby here’d probably pop in some fucking Barbra Streisand bullshit, and the hoes would book. I control the beats in our house.

You guys must have spent a lot of time in Dogma’s on-set massage trailer. When your hunky Hollywood costars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck go Good Will Humping, who’s packin’ the bigger rifle?

Matty’s hung like a porn star. He’s got a hog that won’t quit. It looks like he’s riding one of those deli salami rolls. Asslick (that’s what I call Affleck) he’s all nut sack. Seriously, it’s no meat and all potatoes with that guy. But what the hell, right? I mean, it don’t stop him from getting laid. Ever. The dude’s a pimp.

You two appeared in the critically acclaimed film Chasing Amy, a serious examination of the problems our society has with nontraditional sexual orientations. Why do you guys dig lesbians so much?

Because you can watch, like, 50 lesbians going at it and you never have to worry about seeing some dude’s boner popping up and looking back at you. I don’t wanna see that, not even my own. I keep my eyes closed when I’m in the shower, ‘cuz I don’t wanna see no dick at all.

I’m a little surprised to hear that, Jay. Toward the end of Dogma, an omniscient apostle[played by Chris Rock] reveals that the majority of your sexual fantasies actually involve men. Is your perpetually woman-hungry persona merely a facade?

That was just wrong. Fuck guys, man. I hate guys! I love women! I hate every man alive.[Silent Bob raises his finger and glares at Jay.] Oh, right. Except [Ice] Cube. ‘Cuz Cube knows the real deal. [Sings] “Life ain’t nothin’ but bitches and money!” That shit is deep. But me like guys? Never happen. [Pause] Unless it was that guy in The Crying Game [Miramax, 1992].

You mean Jaye Davidson, who played that gorgeous transvestite and had everybody fooled for the first half of the movie?

[Shaking his head] No, Forest Whitaker. My man is sweet!