Bad Karma/Good Interview with Jeremy Haun...

Jeremy Haun

Jeremy Haun has been kicking ass at Top Cow comics and he's done so in style. The guy's highly underrated to me so I caught up with him for a few words...and I don't have much to say except that Jeremy more than covered enough bases here with some very strong words. Have a go!

CBNAH: What got you into comics and drawing them as a career?

JH: Comics were always a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories were looking at and drawing the characters from comics. That just carried through as I grew up. I remember being in third grade and figuring out that these were epic continuing stories. I think that was the thing that hooked me. This would have been right around '84. I pretty much started grabbing every Spider-Man and X-Men book I could find. In high school, I kind of lived in terror that I wouldn't get to work in comics and would have to flip burgers my entire life. Somehow though, I was one of those guys that was just dumb and thick-headed enough to stick with it.

CBNAH: How did you break into the business and were your family supportive of your dreams?

JH: Comics were never discouraged at home. My mom worked in a pharmacy in the tiny town where we lived, growing up. She was always coming home with comics for me. I think like all parents she was worried about me being a destitute artist, but she was always supportive of my wanting to work in comics. My break into comics was more a slow and steady climb. Like most people in the 90's that wanted to draw comics, I drew my own thing and went to shows hoping to get a gig from one of the big guys. I stood in a LOT of lines. As I said, I'm pretty thick-headed. I took the advice I was given and I just kept working at it. 

I ended up really breaking in with a book called Paradigm. It started out as a self published thing by writer Matt Cashel and myself. Image saw the book and was awesome enough to let us do our crazy little black and white book there for twelve issues. It was a hell of a learning experience. From there I did project after project. Paradigm lead to Battle Hymn, which lead to work for IDW. I've steadily worked since then. I think the big break came with The Leading Man at Oni, with my frequent collaborator, writer, B. Clay Moore. The book was well received and got me on Marvel's radar.

Buy Civil War Iron Man/Captain America

CBNAH: What were your favorite memories from the books you did at Marvel and DC and which titles stood out most to you?

JH: Working for both Marvel and DC were wonderful...and slightly terrifying experiences. I was given the opportunity to work on Civil War Iron-Man/Captain America right out the gate at Marvel. It was a hell of a first project there. Working on the book, I had the opportunity to not only draw a story centered around two of the biggest Marvel characters, but also do these great bits featuring a HUGE cross section of the Marvel universe. 

I've always been a Batman fan. Getting to work in the Bat-office at DC was a real dream come true for me. Everything that I got to do over my nearly two years there was great to work on. The thing that easily stands out was the Arkham Reborn story that I did with David Hine. It ended up being this wonderfully horrific arc that ran through a one-shot, a three-issue mini and wrapped up in two issues of Detective Comics. Arkham Reborn also paved the way for David and I getting to work together now on The Darkness. We worked too well together not to move onto something big together after our DC work.

CBNAH: What's it like working for 'smaller' publishers such as Top Cow, IDW, Oni Press, Image, Devil's Due etc as opposed to the big 2?

JH: It's a completely different pond to play in. There are positives...and at times a few negatives to every company. Marvel and DC are producing their brand. Working for them, you understand that. Companies like Oni and Image are all about creator-owned work. While I love working for the big two, there's something really exciting about doing a creator-owned project. There is a lot of wonderful stuff coming out from Image and Oni Press, right now. It's a great time to be a part of that. 

Working for Top Cow has been a pretty fantastic combination of independent and company comics. I'm drawing the Darkness, which is a book that Top Cow has been doing for over 100 issues. It's Marc Silvestri's baby. The interesting thing about working for Marc and Matt Hawkins over at Top Cow is that while we're doing their big book, it's treated a lot like an independent project. They give us the opportunity to take the book and really do our own thing with it. There is a lot of freedom to that. It's kind of the best of both worlds. 

CBNAH: Can you describe your creative process of materializing the visuals from a script?

JH: In the beginning it's always mostly a lot of blind panic and me pacing around muttering "How the hell am I going to draw this thing?". After that initial read-over and bit of worry, I sit down and re-read the script and begin to break everything down into thumbnails. For me, thumbnailing out a book and really nailing the storytelling is key. I spend most of that time trying to make sure that things are clear as well as visually interesting. Once I've nailed down the thumbnails, I gather all of my reference for an issue as quickly as possible and then dive straight into penciling the pages. 

Penciling has really become the part of the process that I enjoy the least. I've already figured everything out in the thumbnails. Penciling is just me trying to get the general information on the page just clearly enough so that it makes sense to me to ink. Over the past few years, I've really grown to love inking. With my simplified pencils, the inking is where I'm really doing most of the work. It took a while for me to learn to really appreciate inks, but now it's the step where everything really comes together. 

CBNAH: Some of your artistic influences?

JH: From comics, the guys that I'm constantly going back to aren't necessarily creators that you're going to see much of in my work. Maybe a subtle feel here and there, but I'm more inspired by creators that are pretty stylistically different from me. I'm consistently going back and looking at work by Wally Wood, Jim Steranko, Joe Kubert, Walt Simonson, Moebius, and Dave Mazzucchelli. 

And of course Mike Mignola. I'd say that Mignola is my single biggest creative influence. There are a lot of current artists that are absolutely outstanding. I'm constantly blown away by guys like Chris Samnee, Brandon Graham, Greg Tocchini, Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, Frank Quitely, Stuart Immonen, and James Harren. ...like I said, I'm all over the place with influences. 

The Darkness

CBNAH: How has the Darkness ride been treating you?

JH: Working on the Darkness has been an absolute dream. It isn't often that you get invited to work on a project and it ends up being even BETTER than promised. I owe so much of that to the support of Top Cow and my creative partners on the book: David Hine and John Rauch. We've come up with some crazy stuff so far in our first year on the book. We've really hit a groove. We're even taking things farther next year. It's going to make for some exciting, horrifying stories.

Bad Karma on Kickstarter

CBNAH: Can you describe your Kickstarter project to us? We love hearing the new stuff...

JH: I'm working on a new project as part of a writing collective with Alex Grecian (Proof, The Yard) B. Clay Moore (Battle Hymn, The Leading Man, JSA: The Liberty Files-- The Whistling Skull) and Seth Peck (Sorrow, '76, Wolverine, X-Men) called "Bad Karma".

The project we are producing is a 200 page hardcover original graphic novel debuting five original concepts (in self-contained stories). On top of that we're going to have prose pieces, full page illustration pieces, and short comic stories all based on the five main concepts. 

We've brought in some of the industries leading artists on the project including: Phil Hester, Chris Mitten, Tigh Walker, Mike Tisserand, Chris Samnee, Rafael Albuquerque, Jenny Frison, Robbi Rodriguez, Menton Matthews III, Riley Rossmo, Tony Harris, Francesco Francavilla, Scott Morse, Nathan Fox, Ben Templesmith, and many more. We have a brilliant cover designed by Jonathan Hickman. These people are just fantastic and have graciously contributed to the book. 

Of course, doing it through Kickstarter we're doing more than just the book. We're offering rewards of t-shirts, beautiful hand-pulled screen prints, slipcase editions, original artwork, and opportunities to be drawn into the stories. We even have a special edition of the book that comes in a hand-crafted clamshell box. This thing is going to be great. We're hand building and wrapping these boxes and setting them with a zinc printing plate that we used in creating some of the prints. The box will come with a slipcase edition of the book, a special screen printed book showing hints at the secret history behind the nefarious Kraken corporation from the project, a headsketch from me, and a ton of other cool stuff. 

We're really working hard to make this book special for people. And as with a lot of Kickstarter projects, if our backer pledges stretch beyond our original goal we have some pretty crazy stuff planned. There is a lot of talk about what people do with the money given beyond the initial goal. I donate to a lot of Kickstarter projects myself. I'm always curious. We have a definite plan to do some cool upgrades to the book and give back to our supporters. They're the people that are making this book happen. We appreciate that and want to create something exciting for them.

It's going to run from December 10th through to January 10th. It's a hell of project. We're excited about it. 

CBNAH: Why opt for Kickstarter rather than pitching it to Image etc?

JH: Everyone has been talking about Kickstarter, lately. It's something new and exciting. A way for creators to produce something absolutely the way they want to. It's also an opportunity for fans to help support a project AND get a more special edition package than we get with most comics. We wanted to get together, the four of us, and build a project from the ground up. We all started out in independent comics, doing creator-owned work and since then have gone on to do a lot of big, varied things. This was our chance to create something that got back to those independent roots. Kickstarter really allowed us to do that. We've had our hands all over this project from moment one. 

While on one hand it's really nice to have a publisher package something for you, with "Bad Karma" we're able to make every aspect of this special. We wrote the stories, hand-picked everyone involved, chose our printer, and the materials that went into physical production of the book-- everything. 

The product that we're giving people in the "Bad Karma" Kickstarter is unique. Sure, there's a possibility that we might re-print it down the line elsewhere, but it will never be available in this exclusive hardcover with all of the added bells and whistles again. It's an opportunity to give fans something special. They can be involved in it. We like it that way.

CBNAH: How has the digital age impacted comics for you and your work?

JH: It's certainly allowed for more readers to have easy access to the books we're putting out. I was recently in Dubai for the Middle East Film and Comic Con. I talked to fans from all over the Middle-East that said that thanks to digital comics they were finally able to read them before they hit trades in book stores. Personally I still prefer to read traditional comics, but it's nice to be able to easily buy and read stuff digitally. There have been plenty of times lately where I needed some visual reference from a book in the middle of the night and was able to buy it digitally for a couple of bucks. It's definitely convenient in that sense.

I'm REALLY digging the way Marvel is doing their digital download codes in books. I've found myself picking up physical copies of books at my local shop and then downloading them to my iPad to read on the road. It's nice to have both options. I think we're certainly going to see a lot more of that in the near future.

CBNAH: What would you like to see happen to the industry over the next two years?

JH: Growth. Continued excitement. I want to see both creators and readers continue to get excited about comics.  There is so much wonderful, exciting stuff coming out right now. We need to keep this trend going. As much as I love mainstream comics, I'd like to see more creators continue doing their own thing. 

Kraken Original Watercolor Painting by Jeremy Haun

CBNAH: As you are soon to see with your project, how do you think Kickstarter is going to change the way that indie comics, music etc are put out? Do you see this as the biggest revolution for creators in some time?

JH: Oh, absolutely. I think it's going to change a lot of things. Beyond just the creation of something, there is a LOT of financial risk in producing an independent project. Kickstarter is going to allow a lot of people to take some chances on projects: comics, movies, music, all. I think Kickstarter and the development of digital media on top of some major support from publishers like Image have done amazing things for creators over the past couple of years. I think the revolution is just beginning. 

CBNAH: Which writer has impacted the most on you during your working career?

JH: This is where I sound like a jerk for singling someone out. Great. I've said it a few times, but I've been remarkably lucky in my career to have worked with so many fantastic writers. Each of them has helped me grow creatively. I think both B. Clay Moore and David Hine have had the most impact creatively. They're guys that I've worked with several times on different projects. Even though they have pretty different styles, they are guys that I definitely clicked with. Liking someone's work is important, but being able to really connect with a co-creator is key for a long term collaboration.

CBNAH: Dream book you'd like to work on and with whom?

JH: Hell...I don't know. I've been lucky in my career. Batman was always my dream character. I did that. Of course, I wouldn't mind revisiting Gotham City someday. I'd certainly like to do some more work with Marvel at some point. Daredevil is a favorite of mine. Marvel has a stable of great characters and creators over there. Jonathan Hickman is someone I'd like to work with at some point. I'd love to work with him. Honestly though, I'm having a lot of fun at Top Cow on the Darkness with David Hine. It's kind of perfect. I don't see that ending any time soon. Other than doing my own stuff, I'm probably going to be drawing the Darkness for a good long while.

Bad Karma Coaster Set

CBNAH: Advice for upcoming writers and artists?

JH: It's the one you're going to hear time and time again. Just create. Do the work. If you want to get better, draw or write one hundred pages. You'll be twice as good as when you started. And honestly, a harsh truth-- if you don't want to work hard, for long hours, on tight deadlines, do something else. You'll probably be happier for it. 

CBNAH: LASTLY, finish this - comic book nerds are hot because _______?

JH: We get it, right? I mean we've always known that this stuff is great. It's just taken a while for everyone else to catch up and realize that we were pretty damned hip. 

2 Cent Reviews: Non Big 2

Hey, sorry about the tardiness for this here last batch of November books, but better late then not.  Next review segment will not be on a hyper-schedule like the last few but that only means more books for me to two-sentence-on.  Without further ado, here are Glory #30, Multiple Warheads #2, The Goon #43, Bedlam #2, Clone #1 and 2000 AD #1807.

 Glory 30:  Do you like blood?  Do you like violence?  Do you like siblings tearing flesh and exploding bones off each other?  This issue is for you.  There's also a bonus retro styled flashback short story to start you off your bloodlusty appetite.

 Multiple Warheads 2: Brandon Graham has to be the best artistic discovery I have made in 2012.  He does everything in his books, including packing every page with little tid bits for us to find.  The story continues to be sexy and weird.  It's a great book for those who want something different.

 Goon 43:  Guest starring Billy the Kid in a role you wouldn't expect...unless you've read the Goon before.  It's Halloween which means carnage and mayhem ensue.  Also featuring a back up pencilled by Mark Buckingham.

 Bedlam 2:  Not as powerful as the first issue but I'm still intrigued to understand the overall arc.  Is he crazy?  Was he the one that committed the murders?  Was it someone else?  And what the hell is up with that nurse with the stitched up mouth???

 Clone 1:  Enjoyable with a curious premises.  We meet our cast, some in briefer sequences then others, and with that the story flows in a manic pace.  The main character is Luke and he has a pregnant girlfriend.  It's apparent that he is terrified of fatherhood.  However, the events he experiences in the issue should straighten out his priorities right quick.  The art is fair and my attention is successfully grasped so I'll give this at least another issue.

2000AD 1807:  My first issue of this weekly magazine and unfortunately my last.  Not that it was badly crafted, it just wasn't what I thought it would be.  I know I've walked in the middle of the movie here but it still didn't grab me.  Financially, this is ok because a once a week release is a little straining on my wallet.

2-Cent Reviews: DC New 52

A quick glance at how the last half of DC's November books went.  Come back Sunday for some non-big two reviews.  For now though, Justice League 14, Sword of Sorcery 2, Legion of Super-Heroes 14, Demon Knights 14, Green Lantern New Guardians 14, Wonder Woman 14, Batwoman 14, Supergirl 14 and Flash 14.



Justice League #14:  I'm glad they wrapped up the Cheetah storyline quickly because all the juicy stuff happens in the last 2 pages.  That Aquaman panel set in the water was eye popping.  Honourable mention go to the Shazam back up; it flows like a movie and I can't wait until the climax.

 Sword of Sorcery #2:  I'm really starting to love this book, which mean it's going to get cancelled, probably right as it gets super epic.  We meet more of the different houses, all of them named after gems.  Fantasy like that is fun.  And if it's even possible, the back-up story is ten times as awesome.  Try SOS!!

 Legion of Super-Heroes 14:  Final issue for me.  I love Paul Levits but this isn't doing it for me any more.  I needed to cut down anyway, my pile is getting huge.  Also, I fucking HATE Chemical Kid.

Demon Knights 14:  Last issue's betrayal seems to be pulling back layers on an unforeseen plan.  Vandal Savage steals the entire comic with one panel.

 Green Lantern New Guardians 14:  I like Arkylo.  I like him a lot.  But I want to see the rest of the new guardians more.  Good issue, looking forward to these lantern lessons wrapping up though.

 Wonder Woman 14:  Diana meets her younger sibling, another Zeus offspring that has felt the wrath of Hera's jealousy.  It's a touching story of tragedy as the next storyline begins to form.  The last page:  NEW GODS!

 Batwoman 14:  Oh that luscious JH art, I don't know how this book isn't 3.99.  Wonder Woman is still guesting as things take a turn for the mythological.  No wait, the was the last two issues.  Things actually take a turn to Gotham City as Medusa unleashes her forces there.  Good looking book with a poetic narrative.  It's been a fun ride seeing the contrast between the two strong leading ladies.

 Supergirl 14:  Kara meets H'el, a strange being who claims he's another Kryptonian survivor.  He's well intentioned but Supergirl is weary of all he's claiming to offer.  And finally, after 14 issues into the series, Kara grasps command of the English language for an old fashioned last page twist!

Flash 14:  Gorilla Warfare drops hard on Central City and the Flash's only back up are the Rogues.  But even that may not be enough.  Manapul's art and Buccellato's colours remain electric.  Also in this issue, a little bit more insight into the speed-force's history.

Blessed Nerd Interview with 'Cursed Pirate Girl's Jeremy Bastian...

Jeremy Bastian

Folks...Jeremy Bastian's highly unconventional but still, so damn intricate and unique. We had to get some thoughts from him...his ingenious work speaks volumes for itself and he's got a lot of insight to shed so I'd just let the grandmaster do his talking...

CBNAH: What got you into comics and drawing/sketching as a career?

JB: Drawing is the one thing I've ever been able to do well.  And the one thing I love to do more than anything.  My father always told me "if you can make a career out of the thing you love to do, you'll be the happiest person in the world".  I started reading comics probably with The New Mutants back when they started in 1983, then I jumped to The Saga of the Swamp Thing - this was when John Totleben was illustrating Alan Moore stories.  It just escalates from there, Arthur Adams X-Men, Silvestri X-Men, Neal Adams Batman, Bill Sienkiewicz Stray Toasters (not to mention my first intro to him on The New Mutants: Demon Bear Saga), Mignola Hellboy, Gianni Monstermen and Guy Davis Marquis all being important artistic benchmarks that helped me understand the beauty of the medium.  

I knew from the very start that that's what I needed to do, to draw comics.  It was the coolest career path I could think of, so ever since that realization I've been constantly trying to improve my skills to be able to compete in such an intense industry.

'Ye Old Lore of Yore'

CBNAH: How did you break into the field and were your family supportive of your dreams?

JB: I started going to shows and showing artists my work asking for critiques and that led to spending hours in portfolio review lines in San Diego waiting to get reviewed by editors.  I listened to everything they had to say, because my work was never sacred, I knew if I wanted a job in comics I had to improve on so many levels.  I had to become as good as any book on the comic stand.  

All the while my parents were becoming more and more supportive of my career designs, they could see how focused I was and how determined I was to be better.  They drove me to all those first conventions and would even talk with artists asking them tips to help me along.  I eventually came up with my own story and self-published it and took it around to different publishers and it found it's way into just the right hands and was picked up and published through Olympian Publishing.  

Cursed Pirate Girl was not my first book, the first two books I did were Phantom Corp. and a collaboration project with David Petersen (the creator of Mouse Guard) called 'Ye Ol Lore Of Yore'.  As much as I loved Phantom Corp. it just didn't have the grab I thought it would and so I changed tracks.  I created something a little more personal but for a broader audience. 


CBNAH: What were your favorite memories from the books you did or sketches and conventions you impacted on?

JB: My favorite memories of the book are those little moments like the swordfish bros. or the very dangerous potato or the turkey head in a cart.  Places that called for a character and I pushed it to the limits of strange.  When it comes to conventions, my favorite memories are meeting my artistic heroes and finding that they like what I do.  They even remember my name at the different conventions I set up at and ask me how the work is going.  That just floors me every time.


CBNAH: Do you ever see yourself having a lengthy run at one of the big 2 aka Marvel or DC?

JB: No.  There's no way.  I'm waaaaaaay too slow. Maybe an individual issue, or small story arc that I could work on at my leisure, but nothing that they would need on schedule.  


CBNAH: Can you describe your creative process of materializing the visuals from a script?

JB: It starts with the original image that comes into my head when I was writing the script, then I thumbnail it out, and then rough it out at actual size.  Sometimes the original size rough comes very easily, usually the first time I draw it, but mostly it takes many tries at getting the character or scene just cool enough.  

And then other times I'll have to come back the next day and give it a fresh look, sometimes it can be pushed a little more creatively.  That's when I have the most fun, when I draw one thing and think to myself- "this could be so much better", and then I keep going until it is.


CBNAH: Some of your artistic influences?

JB: I've already listed a bunch of my comic book artistic influences, I'll just list some others instead of talk about how much they influence me because I love a lot of artists and this article would become way too long. William Hogarth, Hendrik Goltzius, Albrect Durer, Thomas Rowlandson, Walter Crane, H.J. Ford, Aubrey Beardsley, Harry Clarke, Sidney Sime, Heinrick Kley, Kay Nielsen, Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Gustave Dore, Brian Froud, Yoshitaka Amano, Andrej Dugin, Olga Dugina, Gennady Spirin, Tony DiTerlizzi, Alan Aldridge, Windsor McKay, Vania Zouravliov, K.Y. Craft, James Christensen and Aaron Horkey.

'Cursed Pirate Girl'

CBNAH: How has the CURSED PIRATE GIRL title been treating you as it's quite a fun title?

JB: It was one of those names that is so simple that you read it and think "oh really... so what?", kind of like the Punisher.  When I first encountered the Punisher I thought to myself "ooh, he's the Punisher, he punishes people, how intimidating".  But the more times you read it or say it it becomes linked to the image of "the Punisher" and all that is associated with him.  Guns, knives, skulls, explosions, blood, etc.  

I'd like people to imagine wooden sculptures of arcane-looking fish decorated with gold embellishments with little jolly rogers sculpted into them, possibly with barnacles covering some of the wood and cracks running along the side.  Like a pinata from the 1800s and when it is opened bones and treasure will fall out, maybe a crab or two as well.


CBNAH: What's the favorite thing about being a sketcher and artist for a living?

JB: Well the question answers itself.  You get to sketch for a living.  I mean come on, pretty much the only thing better would be to have sex for a living and that isn't something you really share with your parents.  :)  I get to create really weird things from my imagination and exchange them for money.  


CBNAH: Best advice you ever got?

JB: The Iron Fist and All-Star Squadron artist Arvell Jones told me in a comic book workshop to "have fun, get into the character", he said this as he was climbing onto a chair and acting out a fight scene.  I'll never forget that.  

 The second thing I won't forget was in a Hall H panel starring Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez about their Grind House collaboration.  An audience member asked advice on how to get into the filming biz and at the end of the reply Quentin just blurted out "...or just make a really bad-ass movie".  And I've tried to apply that to making a comic, to put all I can into it, to make it as bad-ass as possible.


CBNAH: How has the digital age impacted on comics for you and your work?

JB: Still trying to figure out the best way to do it, unless we can get an app or something that allows one to zoom into the art, it will be quite difficult for a viewer (especially a viewer who is reading comics on their phone) to be able to see all the information I try to pack into each panel.  I really created this book so that you wanted it on a shelf.  

I'm a little old fashioned I know, but I really like being able to hold a physical book and I like the craftsmanship that goes into making books.  I really like different kinds of paper, I like the tactile sensation of turning the page, the smell of old books the whole printing process.  I've constructed books using chip board, glue, fabric, and so many other ingredients, it's an art-form in itself.  


CBNAH: What would you like to see happen to the industry over the next two years?

JB: I think just to see the audience grow would be good enough.  I'm glad to see so many independent books out there.  Comics aren't just about capes and cowls, it really is its own art form and I think more people are slowly starting to realize that.  They realize it in other countries and I think that is because they don't hold to the paradigm of the super hero.  There are beautiful personal stories out there challenging the perception of what this medium is all about.


CBNAH: Do you think Kickstarter is going to change the way that indie comics, music etc are put out? Do you see this as the biggest revolution for creators in some time and are you gonna be delving into it anytime soon?

JB: Yes, I think Kickstarter has changed the game.  I have already seen some major names in the industry put up projects on KS and get them backed, it takes out all the middlemen.  An artist can fund their project by basically taking pre-orders and not only be able to fill those orders but then be able to afford more product they can take to shows or even try to get them into stores themselves.  This is a very exciting time for the indie artist or writer, they can achieve the first victory along the path of becoming a professional in the comic world, getting published.    


CBNAH: If you weren't doing art, what would you be doing?

JB: I'd probably have a good stable job with a lot of security and insurance and it would be dull and I'd have to find many hobbies to get me through the weeks of monotonous repetition.  Or I'd be a musician.


CBNAH: Dream book you'd like to work on and with whom?

JB: The one book I've always wanted to work on is Swamp Thing, I really love drawing organic things most and I really enjoy how creepy Swamp Thing books can get.  My favorite arc from Alan Moore and John Totleben was the underwater vampire story.  Soooooo creepy!  It was awesome.  Another factor is that I don't think my style would benefit many titles.  Do you think Neil Gaiman has a Swamp Thing story in him he needs an artist for?

Order 'Cursed Pirate Girl'

CBNAH: Advice for upcoming writers and artists?

JB: If you're upcoming then you're not there yet.  Listen to criticism, know that you have to improve, don't take it personal and don't get defensive.  If you're really intent on becoming a professional you'll look at your work as constantly "in progress".  And until you can pick up a copy of Batman and honestly say to yourself "I'm this good", you'll never work for DC.  


CBNAH: LASTLY, finish this - comic book nerds are hot because _______?

JB: They're full of imagination and far from mundane.  Normal people suck.

2 Cent Reviews: Marvel NOW!

This batch, I take a look at a few of the Marvel NOW books released for the last 2 weeks of November   Next, I'll do some DCnUs.  But for now, X-Factor 247, Captain America 1, Fantastic Four 1, FF 1, Thor God of Thunder 2, and Uncanny Avengers 2.

 X-Factor 247:  Mr. and Mrs. Madrox.  I like the ring of that.  X-Factor takes a rest with this issue as Layla and Jaime go on their honeymoon.  And of course, that means zombies and decapitation.

 Captain America #1:  Great insight to Captain America, his past, his personal life, everything.  Very interesting fact, Cap turns 90 in this issue.  Impressive.  Top that all of with my favourite obscure villain Arnim Zola and you've got yourself a pretty good first issue.

 Fantastic Four #1:  In this issue: Matt Fraction makes me not hate him.  He fits nicely with the traditional aspects of the Four.  Everyone plays their role perfectly.

 FF #1:  Basically, Future Foundation here correlates with Fantastic Four for a twice a month experience.  All by Fraction except the difference being; while the first is more traditional, this iteration is astoundingly original.  It's trying new things in the Baxter building.  From the cast (which includes a few of my favourites) to the always-amazing Michael Allred pencils, this one is the obvious winner.

 Thor God of Thunder #2:  The story keeps growing as an epic.  We are privy to witness Thor at 3 points in his life, his past, present and future as he fights against the God killer.  The art is great and the writing is wonderful.  Jason Aaron really knows how to tell a good story, no matter the character or property.

Uncanny Avengers #2:  I can already tell that this is going to be a quality book.  Red Skull's plans are revealed.  And they're dark as fuck.  Issue one had me unsure as to whether this title would live up to the hype, but after reading issue 2, I'm convinced.

Top Notch Interview With Top Cow's Matt Hawkins...

Matt Hawkins, Top Cow President / Chief Operating Officer

Matt Hawkins is one of the most outspoken comics personnel in the business today. I've rarely dabbled in Top Cow...but one thing changed my mind - Think Tank.  If you've read my reviews here on that book, it's pretty innovative...and came with the intelligence and craftiness that Jon Hickman usually wows with. Hawkins has scribed one of the best and most underrated titles out at present...and I implore you all to check more of the book out. And if you want splendid art to top that off, Rahsan Ekedal's panels weave magic upon magic with each flip of the page and each scene perused.

These two have brought allure, charisma, enthusiasm and genuine grasp to concepts that no doubt keep readers' minds provoked...I urge you guys to dive into the tale of David Loren's life of creating weapons of mass destruction for the military. What happens when curiosity evoked, a baffling conscience and riveting impatience sets in...well, David's a kid in an ant farm...and you'll soon see how intelligence mixed with an insatiable appetite to rebel is never a good combo...

“I've had the initial ideas for this for a few years. I know some of the people who work in Think Tanks and for the military doing design work and I've seen a lot of the declassified stuff they do. The most interesting thing I've realized is the technology we use daily and that even the military uses is dated. Much of the cutting edge stuff they develop won't be used for 5-10 years,” Hawkins divulged. 

Buy Think Tank #1

Charged with helping the mechanics and the literal engine of Top Cow to keep running, I was surprised that someone steeped into so much of the organizational/business aspect of things found the time to script something that attractive. I assumed he’d be too busy to be taking on titles, akin to Joe Quesada’s absence on paper as he helps turn the cogs at Marvel. But then I remembered the workmanship and effortless desire of Jim Lee, Geoff Johns and Dan Didio to stick to the ground level at DC and put their names on titles, rather than remain the business-suited bigwig and stalwart in the upper-deck of the spectrum. Hawkins may not have as much help as these guys but to write such a great title and still steward so much responsibility is very admirable. Top Cow surely deserves more plaudits than they get. Matt further ushered us in a bit on how he balanced the acts.

“I have some contacts that help me but most of it is just pure Internet research and reading books, etc. My background in science is helpful in that I know what to look for and how to read certain things. A lot of the more interesting things I've uncovered are - after reading a 100-page manual that is God-awful boring, then you find a page or a paragraph that blows your mind,” he expounded. Matt was referring to researching military facilities, weapons and research programs and how sources or footnotes came abound.

He continued, “I get inspired by seeing a lot of this technology in the news. It's scary sometimes when we open ‘Think Tank 5’ in Palestine and deal with a situation that I wrote about 4 weeks before this current flare-up happened. I also scour the science journals to see what the latest, greatest is. Inspiration comes from all sources so it can be something my girlfriend says or something I read on Twitter, who knows?”

He touched a bit on his musical respites also. “I've really gotten into Skrillex and some of this new dubstep movement. It's easy to listen to while writing and gets my heart rate up and helps me focus,” the writer added before regaining his momentum on the book’s discussion.

With USA being viewed as a global superpower, Matt addressed the notions of political messages or those perceived, in the grand scheme of things – “I've tried hard to not come across as either liberal or conservative with this, which fits in with my own personal, moderate stance on things. People can read into it whatever they want but my only "commentary" is – that America is not what Americans think it is,” he relayed. Sometimes he’s eloquent, sometimes he’s not…but he conveys his ideas with precision and that concise delivery is what makes such a cohesive and flowing feel to Think Tank. There’s an intellectual chaos and a streamlined view by David that he’s the man to upset the order and taper the military’s vision with turbulence. 

It relates and appeals to several readers on different levels, who were they layered into such a gritty spot – may actually empathize with David. This leads coherently into – who the hell can put up with such an arrogant prick?  David's best friend has been crucial to his tenure in the book and on this fragile relationship, Matt endeavoured, “ It's a typical dominant/submissive relationship where one tends to abuse the other a bit and the other enables too much. Ultimately, they need each other and have a core friendship and trust that will overshadow everything else. Manish is the closest thing David has to a brother. I've avoided talking about David's family so far, but Manish is the closest thing he has to "family" thus far in the story.”

Now, these ‘smaller’ labels have artists that, while not as polished as the ‘Big 2’, have an unrefined essence and sparkling aura in their coarse and crude pencils…and one illustrator that encompasses all this to deliver the payload is Rahsan, who has wowed me by the issue.

Matt gleamed, “He’s simply amazing! Any artist can make a fight look interesting, but Rahsan can make David and Manish watching TV look interesting...and that's hard to do. His storytelling skills are top notch and I see him improving with each issue which boggles the mind a bit.” 

Matt even offered some advice to the apprentices out there – “Artists - just keep drawing, take some classes and get good feedback from others. Create an online portfolio and don't be annoying. Writers - you need to be reading and writing every day. And if you want to write comic books, read stuff other than comic books. There’s too much derivative stuff out there already.”

He concluded – “I think comics are on an upward swing. There’s been lots of negativity for years but digital, the new ‘52’ and a host of other factors make this an exciting time for comics. Image Comics is on a definite creative upswing with a bunch of awesome new titles.”

Comic Book Nerds Are Hot because---?

Matt Hawkins – “I’m one of them!”

It was great chatting with Matt so now, go buy his book and keep your eyes on Top Cow, IDW and Image etc…for the months to come. Join the revolt!

Oz's 2-Cent Reviews for November part 2

Welcome to another installation of our 2 cent reviews.  This batch will primarily be none big 2 books specifically Saga #7, Archer & Armstrong #3-4, Storm Dogs #1, The Hypernaturalls #5, and Danger Club volume 1: Death.  I still have a giant pile to go through so look for the next segments real soon.

 Saga 7:  A sure sign of an awesome comic is when it goes by too fast.  That goes double for this issue.  If you're not getting Saga already, what are you waiting for?  This issue: giant scrotum

 Archer & Armstrong 3-4:  Everything awesome in Incredible Hercules is transferred to this book.  I'm entertained each issue and it has that Van Lente humour I love.  I'm glad I stumbled upon this series, it's been well worth it.

 Storm Dogs 1:  I'm not really sure if this book lived up to the hype I saw from everyone but that doesn't mean it wasn't interesting.   I can't really give an opinion before I reread at least once however it's worth mentioning Doug Braithwaite on pencils.

 Hypernaturals 5:  Hypernaturals is building into something special.  Lots of back story and focus on the two most interesting members Inkwell and Clone-45.

Danger Club Volume 1- Death:  This was GREAT.  Fresh spins on old ideas with simple clean art and vibrant colours. It's also VERY fast paced.  The last issue of the trade had me speechless countless times.  I enjoyed the style of storytelling the author chose, it's fun piecing things together yourself.  I appreciated how un-wordy it was, the art said everything.  The one down side is I typically hate 4 issue-only tpb but for 9.99, I let it slip.