Comicscape - September 14, 2005

By: Kurt Amacker
Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Kurt: How did you break into the comics industry?

Tim: I worked my way up through the role playing game industry. I started doing that in 1986 and worked pretty steadily until about 1996. I started at the bottom and worked my way up the totem pole. By the time I was doing SHADOWRUN and then VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE in '89-'90, I'd reached the top. I did the same things everyone else that's trying to break in does. Early on, I went to conventions like Gen Con trying to scare up more work and gain a name for myself. I sent samples out to different companies the whole nine yards. It was tough going, but I was very focused on my objective. Now, during this time, I was also hitting comic shows and meeting artists. I'd show my stuff at these shows and get feedback from those guys, too. Every year for about four or five years, I'd make a point to stop at Tim Truman's table at the Chicago Comicon. Tim was one of my heroes (still is) and he was one of the nicest, most accommodating professionals there is. I was a big fan and he was gracious enough to look at my work and offer his encouragement. Well long about 1991 I showed up at Chicago con with my VAMPIRE stuff. Truman was blown away and he asked me if I'd be interested in working with him on a project. I was stunned to say the least. I walked out of that show on a cloud. I find it hard, even now, to describe the feeling. My dreams were coming true and I was starting my work in comics with one of my greatest influences. The project turned out to be DRAGON CHIANG. Truman, as good as his word, sent me some pencils about two weeks after that show. I was overwhelmed. I actually inked about four pages on a light box on different paper because I was afraid I'd screw it up. Eventually I got my confidence. The book was serialized in Europe in eight-page installments and later collected into one volume by Eclipse. It started a relationship with Eclipse that lasted until they went out of business. That led to working with Dark Horse, which led to DC, and eventually Marvel. In between, it seems like I've worked for just about everyone at one time or another.

Kurt: While you're known for your covers and poster art, will you be doing any interior work in the near future (besides inking Bad Planet)? If so, tell us a little bit about said projects.

Tim: Well, there are a couple things in the works, but both projects are in the infancy stage, nothing definite. I'm always open to the possibility, but it really has to be the right type of project. I want to be involved with the story at least a bit. I want to work with the writer so he or she knows what I'm capable of pulling off. I shoot the whole thing, so it ends up being a fairly big logistical production. It's like doing a play. I have to cast it, find props and locations, get everyone there, and shoot it and that's before I lay pencil to paper. It's a long process and it's very time consuming. To do sequential, I'd have to really lighten the rest of my load and right now, as there are just too many very nice opportunities in front of me from an illustration standpoint. And illustration is my favorite thing to do. I love doing single image cover work. It also allows me the time to work on personal projects and have a life.

Kurt: After Bad Planet, what other work do you have planned with Raw?

Tim: Man, there are all kinds of things in the works. I will land on one of them for sure. [Tom Jane and Steve Niles] so far have given me my pick of things to do, if I want to do covers or interiors or whatever. I am in the very lucky position to pick and choose what I want to be involved in. I have no plans at the present to do any sequential, but that is a distinct possibility. All I need is the right project. I wouldn't be under the time constraints at Raw that I would be under at one of the majors. That means I'm more likely to do sequential with Tom simply because I'd get to take my time and do it right. We're not trying to rush out projects and fill the industry with comics. Our sole objective is to hire the best talent out there and do top notch books. We're not about quantity, we're about quality. We're in it for the love of the medium, not necessarily the money. We break even on the investment and we're happy.

Kurt: What's it like working with Steve Niles and Tom Jane?

Tim: Man, it's like working with your two best friends. All three of us have very similar sensibilities. Our tastes lie in the same direction and there is a comforting level of trust. Both Tom and Steve bounce a lot of things off me to get my impression, mostly from a visual standpoint, but I feel free to comment on story as well without stepping on toes. There are no egos here. We're just a group of guys who want to create some cool ass shit.

Kurt: Could you reflect a little on your time doing HELLBLAZER and explain why you're leaving the title?

Tim: Working on HELLBLAZER has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my career. I was working in a comic shop when it first came out as a new series from DC. I was hooked immediately, with those incredible Dave McKean covers. I could never have dreamed then that I'd end up doing those very same covers down the line. I've worked with some great writers like Warren Ellis, Brian Azzarello and Mike Carey, and some wonderful editors along the way. I was given the opportunity to create a

body of work in this industry. Seven years on the title is a good run. It all came to a halt about three months ago when I was informed Vertigo was going to give the book a facelift. It was a bit of a blow, I won't deny it. Not in a financial way, as I still have a great relationship with DC and will continue to work for them on other books. It was just that I really wasn't ready to leave the book. I still felt like I brought a lot to the party and I felt I hadn't said all I wanted to with the character. I can't get Constantine out of my blood. He's such an iconic character. I've said it many times before it was my favorite job to do month in and month out. I just identify with HELLBLAZER like nothing else. But it's not my decision. I have a lot of respect for the folks at Vertigo and I feel that is mutual. I could never take the decision personally. I'm certainly not happy to be going but I cannot deny that I was given a great opportunity to make my mark on the title. And for that, I want to thank DC from the bottom of my heart. When I finished my last cover, issue 215, it was a sad day in my house. But, I'm going out with a bang. Issue 215 might be my favorite cover of the run.

Kurt: Could you talk a little bit about your Straight to Hell tribute cover? Maybe something about your experience with the Straight to Hell fans?

Tim: Straight To Hell is an unofficial HELLBLAZER site that I ran across about six years ago. I wasn't much of a forum guy back then, but in the last three years or so I've established a really good relationship with the gang of HELLBLAZER fans that hang out there. They have been most accommodating to me when it came to research and reference gathering. The Straight To Hell forums are populated with a very eclectic group of souls and I have made many friends there people from all around the world. They embraced me when I came calling. I'd say most of the folks on the boards are

from the UK and initially I showed up there as a non-member to see what the Brits thought of this American guy drawing their much beloved homeland anti-hero. To my delight, I discovered that nationality had no real bearing on their opinion. Like most fans, they just want to know that the guys doing the work on their favorite title have the proper respect for the material. So, I started sending first looks and sneak peeks over to John McMahon he's the guy who runs the whole thing. Over the years we've established a nice bond. I offer a behind the scenes perspective which they seem to appreciate. What I get out of it is a fan's perspective. No one can keep you more honest than the people who see your work every month and they share their opinions openly. I respect that honesty. It's also one of the most well behaved groups of web junkies I've ever come across. Anyway, to get to the point: after learning I was off the book I wanted to do something to thank them so I decided to litter a wall in the background of one of my last covers with graffiti that bears the screen names of a bunch of the forum regulars kind of my way giving something back to the fans.

Kurt: I know you use a model for Frank Castle, but is that the norm for all your covers? Do you continue using them after you've drawn the character a few times?

Tim: My model for the Punisher is Tom O'Brien. He's a friend from back in Illinois. Using models is a norm for me. I specialize in photo-real illustration and for that, live models are necessary. It's not a process that allows for me to draw the character a few times and then have the hang of it. I use models for pretty much every character, unless they are smaller background figures. For me, the photography is the base. I've been experimenting with some hyper real styles lately because of the movie work. But normally, I prefer to "illustrate" my version of that photo no tricks, just deciphering which grays will be black or white, what I want to emphasize, what I leave off and what I add to it. Every once in a while, I experience a negative reaction to my use of models, both from other artists and from purist fans. To that, I say "To each his own." I'm not in the business of being negative about other people's art. Most people have no idea about what my true process is. I'm a bit defensive about it because I take a lot of pride in what I do. To be dismissed because I choose to utilize tools that help me create the vision I have in my head is ludicrous. Ninety-five percent of the artists that believe what I do is a cheat are hypocrites because to stand firmly on their moralistic high ground, they would have to claim truthfully that they never use photo reference. And I'm betting they can't honestly do that. I sketch out my ideas, I shoot the ref, and then spend hours at the box, then on the table breathing life into it. I spend more time at what I do than if I were to simply draw it the Marvel way. Hey, I love and appreciate straight comic book art as much as any fan of the genre; it's just not the kind of stuff I want to draw. I'm inclined towards a more cinematic style. It's the sum of my influences and my personal taste. It doesn't make me less of an artist. It makes me the artist I want to be. I don't understand how anyone could possibly hold that against me. I don't need universal appreciation to know that what I produce is worthy art and expression. I do it to please me. If other people dig it then it's even more gratifying. If people want to naysay it there really isn't much I can do about it other than try and give them a little insight and open their minds.

Kurt: What advice would you give aspiring artists?

Tim: The only really good advice in my opinion is to ask yourself the question: do you have a passion for what you do? I can usually see it if it's there with all the young artists that approach me at shows. If it's just going through the motions because you think you want to be a comic artist then you won't get anywhere. But, if you have the passion for the work, then the sky's the limit. I never bust anyone on anatomy or skill level. In my experience those things will come if you dedicate yourself to your craft. I always use Richard Corben as an example of what you can do if you have a unique vision. Richard doesn't normally draw pretty he draws from the gut. His style is singular. He doesn't have to draw like Neal Adams to be successful. I preach work ethic. Set a goal, focus, and bust your ass. It will get you pretty far. If you have a problem with hands then do some life drawings or look at how other artists do it. Spend a few weeks drawing hands; eventually you will get a feel for it. Style is something you can't really teach unless you want a few clones of yourself running around. I think it's for every artist to find his or herself. You like a guy, so you draw like him, and then you like another guy, so you draw like him. Eventually that will not be good enough for you. Most everyone who sticks with it long enough will find THEIR particular style. I'm self taught but I think any kind of art training is beneficial. I had a few good mentors along the way. I really learned by doing. As far as getting published is concerned I always recommend starting small and working your way up. Not everyone is going to be a prodigy. Most young guys are not going to break into the bigs right away. Don't let that discourage you and certainly don't let it stop you. Just think a little smaller at first. Role playing game illustration or smaller independent comics publishers are the way to go. Just get some work out there. Send samples, show your work to publishers at shows, and ask working artists for their opinion. Even negative comments will help if you take them constructively.

Kurt: Could you talk a little bit about conventions? Which ones do you prefer? Do you enjoy meeting fans, or do some of them get pushy? Feel free to rant.

Tim: I love doing shows. My problem is that I never follow my own advice. I always say you gotta save the partying until Saturday at least, or you will be a worthless hump all weekend. Yet every time I do a show, I blow it out on the night before it even starts. I'm just so happy to be free for a couple days amongst my artist friends. I just can't help myself. I love meeting the fans that's why I do shows. I've had some pushy fans before, but mostly everyone is very respectful. It's cool to meet people at shows that you have gotten to know online, too. If I had to rant about something negative, it would be finding another artist at my table when I finally make it down each morning. This has happened to me on several occasions over the years. Nothing gets me madder faster than someone squatting at my table. I'm like "Yo babe, my name is on the fricking table!" And then I get some answer like "The convention put me here." Now at a smaller show this isn't such a big deal but when it's San Diego or Wizard World I get irate. It invariably happens the second or third day after the show has started. If I move to a different location, then how are people who have stopped by previously going to find me? It screws everything up. I'm standing there with 100 pounds of art on my shoulder with no table (and usually I'm a bit hung over). Generally it gets fixed, but on the occasions where I'm just fked, it makes me want to kill. The poor soul who is sitting there has to taste my wrath, and normally it's not their fault. Among the conventions I prefer, San Diego is my favorite, followed by Wizard World Chicago, then Wizard World L.A., the Dallas Comicon, Dragon Con, and Gen Con. I used to do Gen Con every year, but since I moved to California, I have not been back. I'd go in a second if they'd fly me out as a guest. Two shows I've never done that I'd love to are Heroes Con in Charlotte, and Wondercon in Oakland. I've never done a New York show either, which is weird considering I've been doing shows for 20 years.

Kurt: Who inspires you the most? What artists do you look up to?

Tim: It's not so much who inspires me anymore, but what inspires me. It's the material more than anything. Artists I look up to and admire are Steranko, Gulacy, Truman, Wrightson, Marvelous Mike Mignola, Gary Gianni, Gene Day (sadly not with us anymore), Phil Hale (tired of the pretenders to his throne), Adam Hughs, Roy G, Krenkle, Al Williamson, Frazetta (naturally), Moebius, Serpieri, Milo Manara, Frank Miller, Dave Stevens, Bill Stout, Bilal, P. Craig Russell, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Mike Royer, Richard Corben, Alex Toth, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Franklin Booth, and Gustav Dore. As always when I'm asked this question, the list goes on.

Kurt: Anything else you'd like to add? (Don't do drugs, support the Red Cross, help old ladies across the street, etc.?)

Tim: I'd be a hypocrite if I . . . Um . . . Yes, all of that. And, as Rob Schneider's 8th grade gym coach Mr. Bauman used to say, "Don't forget to wear your cup."

New This Week
By Al Brown and Kurt Amacker

DC COMICS

100 BULLETS #64 (MR) $2.75

ACTION COMICS #831 $2.50
VILLAINS UNITED tie-in #1.

ALBION #3 (OF 6) $2.99
So, is it really coming out this week or is DC going to tease me again?

ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #2 $2.99
Was anyone else totally disappointed by this? Jim Lee and Frank Miller just don't go together. It's weird. It's like mayonnaise and ice cream.

BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #195 $2.50

BATMAN STRIKES #13 $2.25

BATMAN SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN TRINITY TP $17.99

BREACH #9 $2.50

DESOLATION JONES #3 (MR) $2.99
If Warren Ellis rocked any harder he'd replace Angus Young.

FABLES #41 (MR) $2.75

FIRESTORM #17 $2.50
VILLAINS UNITED tie-in #2.

GREEN ARROW #54 $2.50
Al:IDENTITY CRISIS tie-in.
Kurt: Little late, isn't it?

HAWKMAN #44 $2.50

HELLBLAZER BLACK FLOWERS TP (MR) $14.99
No relation to the overwrought Fishbone tune.

IDENTITY CRISIS HC BOOKMARKET VERSION $24.99

IDENTITY CRISIS HC DIRECT MARKET VERSION $24.99
Be sure to get both!

JLA #118 $2.50

JSA CLASSIFIED #2 $2.50

MAJESTIC #9 $2.99

MATADOR #5 (OF 6) $2.99

MNEMOVORE #6 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99
The conclusion. So long, Mnememinovore! It's been weird!

NIGHTWING #112 $2.50

PREACHER VOL 5 DIXIE FRIED TP $14.95

PREACHER VOL 8 ALL HELLS A COMING TP $17.95

ROBIN BATGIRL FRESH BLOOD TP $12.99

SCOOBY DOO #100 $2.25
I'll save you the trouble: it was the old guy that owns the amusement park.

V FOR VENDETTA TP $19.99
Read it now so you can be extra disappointed by the movie.

WILDCATS NEMESIS #1 (OF 9) $2.99
Note that Marvel also has a miniseries called NEMESIS, also releasing an issue this week. Also: Star Trek movie. Also: a Hungarian progressive rock-metal band featuring a dude named Zoltan. Rock on, Zoltan!

WINTER MEN #2 (OF 8) (MR) $2.99

IMAGE

BONE REST #3 (MR) $2.99
You know who's a Biblical Plague? Randy Johnson.

FERRO CITY #2 $2.99

MAGE THE HERO DEFINED VOL 1 TP $9.95

RONIN HOOD OF THE 47 SAMURAI GN $9.99

SEA OF RED #5 (MR) $2.99
Something that Al's girlfriends' have yet to experience.

MARVEL

DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #4 (OF 6) $2.99
When is Frank finally gonna get tired of Matt and just hit him with two 5.56 rounds in the chest? Two in the chest! That's all it would take! No more of this "I am the Kingpin! Clean up or get out!" business!

FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS FRANKLIN RICHARDS SON OF A GENIUS $2.99
Al: Collecting the short stories that ran in the back of this summer's ill-fated POWER PACK miniseries. These got a lot of attention, mostly for not sucking as bad as the main stories did; I wasn't all that blown away by them myself.
Kurt: You're just pissed there weren't any POWER PACK nude variants.

GAMBIT HATH NO FURY TP $14.99
Gambit hath no style, either. What else is new?

GRAVITY #4 (OF 5) $2.99
Al: Just when he thought he was out...
Kurt:...they pulled him back in!

MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #22 $2.99

MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #18 $2.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 1 HC VARIANT ED $54.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS CAPTAIN MARVEL VOL 1 NEW ED HC $49.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 HC VARIANT ED $54.99

MARVEL MASTERWORKS DOCTOR STRANGE VOL 2 NEW ED HC $49.99
I am at a loss for anything mean to say. I think the number of overpriced Masterworks and their variants this week speaks for itself.

MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #5 (OF 6) $2.99

MARVEL TALES FLIP MAGAZINE #3 $3.99

MEGA MORPHS #3 (OF 4) $2.99
This sounds like the name of an action figure line from the 1980s or something.

MUTOPIA X #3 (OF 5) $2.99

NEW THUNDERBOLTS #12 $2.99

PULSE #11 $2.99
Al: I haven't kept up with PULSE since it changed its name from ALIAS and suddenly stopped being fun, but this issue does promise three things: a) the return of Gaydos; b) the birth of Jessica's kid; and c) someone acknowledging that Luke Cage is the first Avenger without a costume since Rick Jones.
Kurt: I love how Jessica Jones suddenly went from having a potty mouth in ALIAS to not in THE PULSE. They could at least giver her a "swear jar" in the Bugle office or something.

SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #11 $2.99

THOR BLOOD OATH #1 (OF 6) $2.99
I guess just to keep the THOR fans quiet, Mike Oeming and Scott Kolins toss out a story from Thor's past. Hey, has anyone on the Avengers even noticed that Thor hasn't been around for a while?

TOXIN #6 (OF 6) $2.99

ULTIMATE X-MEN #63 $2.50

WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #3 (OF 5) $2.99

WOLVERINE CLASSIC VOL 2 TP $12.99

X-MEN #175 $2.50
Al: Crossover with BLACK PANTHER. I say again: if Storm and Panther start flirting just because they're both African, I'm seriously gonna picket something.
Kurt: Picket what? Your ass? Thanks folks, you've been great. I'll be here all week.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@cinescape.com.