Practitioners k-o « Beyond the Bunker

Practitioners 46: Jim Lee

December 20, 2011 by Steve Penfold 2 Comments

Jim Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea on August 11, 1964 and emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of four, growing up in St Louis Missouri. In Lee’s St. Louis Country Day School his classmates predicted he would found hi sown comic book company. Despite this, Lee seemed resigned to following in his father’s profession of medicine, studying psychology at Princeton University, with the intention of becoming a medical doctor. However, medicine’s loss was certainly going to be popular culture’s gain as Lee became one of the most influential and well known artists on the biggest selling comic book of all time. One that founded movie franchises and supported an ailing Marvel in the late ’90s and found some of the most famous comic companies in the world to rival it.

Lee’s rise to fame with Marvel Comics was inevitable as it was undeniable. In 1986, as Lee was preparing to graduate from his psychology degree, Lee took an art class that reignited his fascination with art at a time when seminal work such as Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s Watchmen was reinvigorating the American comic book industry. With the psychology degree complete, Lee did something, with the reluctant blessing of his parents, that shows incredible courage and clarity of mind and self belief. He postponed his medical degree. The rest is without a doubt comic book history. He vowed he would return if he failed to break the comic book industry. Not something that should’ve worried him.

Submitting examples to various publishers, Lee did not see success until a New York comic book convention where he met Archie Goodwin, comic book editor (regularly cited as the ‘best loved comic book editor… ever), artist and writer who introduced him to Marvel Comics. Now it seems hard to believe that Lee was not snapped up immediately by the first commissioning editor to spot him but Lee exposes the nature of the industry. Retrospectively, artists are professional, passionate and confident in the style they work in and seem undeniable masters of their art but even the most capable artist can be subject to the pressures, misunderstandings, bad luck and bad timing of the industry. Lee began on Alpha Flight and moved over to Punisher: War Journal, his work there inspired by Frank Miller, David Ross, Kevin Nowlan and Whilce Portacio, as well as Japanese Manga.

Then came the crossing of two similar talents, one more senior than the other as Lee filled in for regular illustrator, Marc Silvestri on Uncanny X-Men 248, which was, due to positive response and Marvel’s own enthusiasm for Lee’s style followed up on issues 256 through to 258 as part of the ‘Acts of Vengeance’. The timing of this was key as X-Men, under Claremont was not only ground breaking and beautifully written at the time, it was on a meteoric rise in terms of popularity, beginning to challenge the more mainstream titles of Spider-man, Fantastic Four and Avengers. Eventually, Lee became Uncanny’s full time penciller, working for the first time with inker, Scott Williams, who would become his long time collaborator. To cement his position as an X-men innovator, Lee co-created the smooth talking mutant thief Gambit, with Chris Claremont. Lee’s popularity crystallised in these months, becoming more and more representative of what fan’s wanted. He gained increasingly greater control of the franchise and in 1991, Lee helped launch the second X-Men series, X-Men (Volume 2). He did so, not just as artist but as co-writer alongside Chris Claremont, giving the book a more broad and cutting edge feel to it’s perhaps more thoughtful predecessor. X-Men 1 was raw edged, fun comic book pinned with the wisdom and knowledge of an older and more restrained writer. Lee pushed Claremont’s boundaries while Claremont restrained the more inexperienced artist to just the right degree. The result was comic book history and rightfully so. However, Lee redesigned costumes, entirely successfully for Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Psylocke and Storm as well as creating villain Russian Super Soldier Omega Red.

X-Men 1 (Vol 2) remains the best selling comic book of all time with sales of 8.1 million (and nearly £7 million). This was confirmed in a public declaration by the Guinness Book of Records at the 2010 San Diego Comic con. While one aspect of it’s success was that it was released with five different variant covers as well as a limited edition gatefold edition that revealed it all in its glory, the success was thanks to Lee’s distinctive, modern take on a fan favourite and the development of the X-Men in an exciting new direction. The variant cover trick became a weight around collector’s necks in years following with Gold and Silver foil, holograms and gatefolds every few months for some titles, but this first incarnation was about piecing together a piece of art, mass produced and available to anyone who wanted it. Only Jim Lee and perhaps one or two other legends of the industry could’ve commanded such a response.

The success of X-men saw Lee hungering even more for greater creative control over his own work, and as soon as in 1992, Lee accepted an invitation to join six other artists (Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen, Marc Silvestri, Whilce Portacio, Rob Liefeld) who broke away from Marvel Comics to start Image Comics, which would release their own creator-owned titles. Lee’s batch of titles included Wild C.A.T.s, which Lee pencilled and co-wrote, and other series created in the same universe, including Stormwatch, Deathblow and arguably the more successful Gen13.

Lee and his close friend, Valiant Comics publisher Steve Massarsky, arranged a Valiant / Image crossover, Lee’s characters being used, alongside those of Rob Liefeild. Four central titles would exist – two from each company – in single edition format, each edition known as a colour rather than a number, plus a prologue and epilogue book. Wildstorm produced Deathmate Black, with Lee himself contributing to the writing, illustrating the covers of that book, as well as contributing to the prologue’s interior links. The assignment was given to Valiant creators against their better judgment, in particular Editor-in-chief Bob Layton, who complained about Image’s inability to meet their deadlines. Deathmate Black came out a few months after Valiant’s Blue and Yellow installments, which had come out on time, and Liefeld’s Deathmate Red was so late that Layton flew to California to procure that chapter personally, and ink it himself in an Anaheim hotel room. Layton see’s Deathmate’s lateness as one of Valiant’s ‘unmitigated disasters’ and views that project as the beginning of the spectacular collapse of the 1990s for the comic book industry. A collpase that would pull in Marvel and a collapse that comics has not, if ever, recovered from.

Wildstorm continued on, expanding it’s line to include other ongoing titles. As publisher, Lee later expanded this by creating two separate imprints for Wildstorm, Cliffhanger and Homage (to be replaced again years later to reform as a single Wildstorm Imprint, now owned by DC).

Moving back, with Rob Liefeld, to Marvel for the Heroes Reborn alternate universe storyline of the mid-late nineties, Lee was given the opportunity to plot the new Iron Man and wrote and illustrated The Fantastic Four. Both used existing storyarcs and developed them, bringing them more up to date. The innovations on these titles, however, were arguably greater than the more successful Ultimate Universe that has existed since as an Imprint of Marvel, though that is more subject to greater popularity of the industry as well as greater sophistication in art and writing in modern comic books.

Lee returned to Wildstorm, where he would publish series such as The Authority and Planetary, as well as Alan Moore’s imprint, America’s Best Comics. Lee himself wrote and illustrated a 12-issue series called Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday, in which an internet slacker inadvertently manages to download the secrets of the universe, and is thrown into a wild fantasy world.

Sourced from HERE Check out the gallery there for more awesome images. Thanks to Alexandre Bihn for the awesome scan.

In a typically astute and decisive choice, Lee sold Wildstorm to DC in 1998 because he felt that his role as publisher was interfering with his role as an artist. In an echo of the choice made many years previously, he put his calling first. In 2003, Lee collborated with Jeph Loeb for a 12 issue Batman run. Introducing a new nemesis from Batman’s past, ‘Hush’ was a tightly packed and neatly executed trip through the Bat universe. Lee’s images were sumptuous, his design work intricate, emotive and innovative. Lee, the artist, through all the pitfalls and difficulties of publishing had lost none of the values and passion he had when working on X-Men 1 more than 12 years before. He followed this up with ‘For Tomorrow’ a 12-issue story in Superman by 100 Bullets writer (and Bunker firm favourite) Brian Azzarelo, although this didn’t achieve the same level of success, Lee’s work showed a maturity and stillness that perhaps wasn’t visible in his earlier career. In 2005, Lee collaborated with Frank Miller on All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder, a series plagued by delays. Lee’s work was spotless throughout, in particular a redesign of the batmobile and a gatefold image that folded out from the book itself that revealed the full scale of this Elseworld Batcave. While Lee’s contribution was near infallible, Miller’s writing was unsophisticated and cynical in most ways and alienated a great many readers. During this period, Lee returned to WildC.A.T.S with Grant Morrison. The gap between All-Star Batman and Robin 4 and 5 was one year and to date, only 1 issue of WildC.A.T.S (Vol 4 has been published. During thsi time, Lee also drew covers for the Infinite Crisis series.

Lee was named Executive Creative Director for DC Universe Online MMORPG. This was released in 2009, with Lee responsible for concept art for the project.

Lee’s meteoric rise did not falter there, as he has now taken a position alongside Dan Didio as Co-publisher of DC Comics. Despite obvious concerns, Lee maintains that this will in no way effect his capacity as a creative. He cited two projects, Dark Knight: Boy Wonder – a follow up of the Frank Miller series he had worked on and also a painted cover for Giuseppe Camuncoli’s layouts in Batman: Europa 1. Neither projects have surfaced yet. The Wildstorm imprint was officially declared ended by DC in September 2010.

With DC’s enormous revamp of it’s entire line, A-List artists were brought to the forefront to work on the most prominent titles. With a Justice League movie in discussion /pre-production at present DC was always going to put JL first in their choices of creative teams. The illustrious team of Jim Lee as penciller and Geoff Johns as writer is certainly, still, a cocktail that no true fan of the artform can ignore. If anything that is Lee’s great talent. Enduring popularity. His art work remains so fresh and clear, and so respresentative of what people want from their books – in spite of changes in the industry itself – that Lee has proven himself a Practitioner who has wandered away from the thing he is most beloved for, but like a much younger, more south east asian Peter Cook, retains a place in every fan who ever saw his work. This is testament to Lee’s enormous talent. His offers to put out projects reveals a conflict of interests that has taken him away perhaps too much in the last two decades, however he is a brave artist who pursued greater goals. Without finding ourself in the same situation who are we to say we wouldn’t pursue those same goals…. however Lee’s example is certainly a cautionary one. Swathes of exceptional artwork, pages and pages of classic comic work haven’t seen the light of day. From the top down the industry runs on one thing – putting out the best books possible. While we can never undermine someone’s right to do whatever they want – what would we have given to see more Lee?

Filed under Practitioners k-o Tagged with 100 Bullets writer, 1986, 1990s, 1991, 1992, 2009, 256 -258, 52, 7 million, 8.1 million, 8.1 million copies, Acts of Vengeance, Alan Moore, All Star Batman, All Star Batman and Robin, Alpha Flight, alternative covers, America's Best Comics, Archie Goodwin, art, Artist, Avengers, batcave, Batman: Europa, Batman: Europa 1, Batmobile, Bob Layton, Brian Azzarello, Chris Claremont, clarity of mind, Cliffhanger, Co-publisher, Collapse of comic books, courage, Cover, Cyclops, Dan Didio, Dark Knight Returns, Dark Knight: Boy Wonder, David Ross, DC, DC Comics, DC New 52, DC Universe Online, deadlines, Deathblow, Deathmate Black, Deathmate Blue, Deathmate Red, Deathmate Yellow, Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday, Editor, Editor in Chief, Erik Larsen, Fantastic Four, For Tomorrow, Frank Miller, Gambit, gatefold, Gen13, Geoff Johns, Giuseppe Camuncoli's, Gold foil, Grant Morisson, Guiness Book of Records, Guinness Book of Records, Heroes Reborn, Holograms, Homage, Hush, Illustration, Image, Infinite Crisis, influence, influential, Inker, inking, Iron Man, Japanese Manga, Jean Grey, Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Justice League, Kevin Nowlan, Manga, Marc Silvestri, Marvel, Marvel Comics, medicine, Missouri, MMORPG, Mutant, New 52, Omega Red, parents, Penciller, Planetary, Princeton, psychology, Psylocke, Punisher, Punisher: War Journal, Rob Liefeld, Rogue, Russian, Russina, San Diego Comic-con, Scott Williams, Seoul, Silver Foil, sold, South Korea, Spider-man, St Louis, Storm, Stormwatch, study, studying, Superman, The Authority, the Boy Wonder, Todd McFarlane, Uncanny X-men, unmitigated disasters, Valiant Comics, Watchmen, Whilce Portacio, Wild C.A.T.S, Wildstorm, X-men, X-men 1, X-men 1 (Volume 2), X-men 248

Practitioners 44: Andy Lanning

December 6, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Andy Lanning is a British comic book writer and inker, known, most credibly for his work for Marvel Comics and DC comics and in particular as collaborator with Dan Abnett. For an inker to make the leap to writing one of the foremost titles currently being put out by Marvel, as part of their Cosmic run, is impressive. His association with Dan Abnett has gone from strength to strength for years.

Lanning wasn’t always an inker though, at the spark of his career with Marvel UK in it’s earliest days, he found a position as penciller on the short lived, Jake and Elwood Blues inspired, futuristic Sleeze Brothers was a comic book limited series published by Epic Comics, between August 1989 and January 1990 – a run of just six issues. Written by John Carnell, it followed the titular brothers through a futuristic earth filled with extra terrestrials, pollution, crime and corruption. It was neatly drawn with a warner brothers-esque style with a semi realistic twist. The art style was arguably on par with other artists – Bryan Hitch for instance – who went on to become much more prolific and well known artists – working with Abnett and Lanning much later on their 15 book run on Wildstorm’s The Authority.

Working consistently alongside Dan Abnett, no one has ever been more of a fix-it guy on so many varying projects. He drops seamlessly into whatever position is necessary on any given project, pencilling, inking, co-writing and writing – he’s either the most prolific hanger on or one of the nicest, most capable people in the industry. To be able to work alongside so many names of the industry, including Abnett who alone is responsible for the sales of more than 1.5 million novels and hundreds of thousands of comic books, he has to be a hell of a guy to work with. Bouncing ideas backwards and forwards past him must be akin to a Chinese / South Korean ping pong final at the Olympics.

Lanning’s partnership with Dan Abnett began early on, with a Judge Anderson: Exorcise Duty for the Judge Dredd Annual 1991, with art completed by Anthony Williams. Lanning found popular acclaim inking Liam Sharp’s pencils for the industry shaking Death’s Head 2. A title with more than 500,000 preorders DH 2 was a flagship example of success at a boom time for comic books that’ll never be seen again. His sublime work on Liam Sharp’s detailed and precise and exacting illustrative work shows an incredible attention to detail. With Marvel UK Lanning was involved in Digitek (with John Tomlinson and painted art by Dermot Power) and Codename: Genetix (with Graham Marks, Phil Gascoine and inks by Robin Riggs in 1993)as part of Marvel Uk’s second generation wave of titles.

Lanning graduated to Marvel mainstream with Punisher: Year One (with Abnett, Dale Eaglesham and Scott Koblish) and the Avengers West Coast replacement, Force Works (again with Dan Abnett), which featured Iron Man, USAgent, Scarlet Witch, Wonder man and a long disappeared alien warrior guru named Century. Force Works was elevated some time later into an animated series.

Moving over to DC shortly afterwards with a run on Resurretion Man (with Jackson Guice), The Else world One-shot Batman: Two Faces (with Anthony Williams), Abnett and Lanning (or DnA as they are otherwise known) found a home with DC’s resident spit curled former-resisdent of Krypton, Superman with Prime-Time, The Superman Monster, Return to Krypton and Strange Attractors (on which he worked with Gail Simone as well as Abnett). It was the title for which Olivier Coipel became famous that raised the status for both Lanning and his writing partner as they took on Legion Lost, a reimagining of the debunked Legion of Superheroes title, that later became the ongoing Legion. In many ways Lanning maintains his Mr Fixit role in almost every job he undertakes, working alongside the big names of the industry and putting out consistent and notable writing. Impossible as it is to discern where Lanning ends and Abnett begins, it clearly works – as Abnett has worked diligently beside Lanning on almost all major projects (excluding his 2000AD output) for the last 20 years. To maintain a working arrangement like that for so long is notable in that as the profile of the two writers became greater, one would have stood apart as the creative mind. However, in 20 years, no cracks appear to have shown in the partnership. If anything both have had increasing fun obliterating universes together.

Based on Abnett’s other work (with Warhammer 40k), Lanning appears to be the populist and more comic book orientated, perhaps the thing that brings Abnett’s writing into line with audiences with less of a need for heavy weaponry and enormous armies. However it braeks down, Lanning’s partnership with Abnett clearly spawns enthusiastic and impressive ideas and narratives including some of the best character zingers ever heard. The pair have improved and enhanced their reputation in comic books by simplifying and man handling their characters and allowing events to take hold that other titles fail to. Effectively an editor’s potential worst nightmare, when handed a sand box that they have creative control of the effects are absolutely brilliant.

Lanning and Abnett collaboarted on the ongoing Nova series for Marvel in 2007, following the cataclysmic Nova series from the previous years Marvel Cosmic crossover Annihalation. Lanning and Abnett were handed the scenario whereby the Xandarian Nova Corps would be destroyed completely within 12 pages by the incoming Annihalation wave. triggering an intergalactic war. Some might have balked at the idea but this was Lanning and Abnett’s Raise en dentre. Grabbing the Xandarian Nova Corps helmet by the polished brass, they didn’t destroy the Nova Corps, they really Annihalated it. Thousands of Starships pummel the Nova Corps unexpectedly during a Corps meeting and rather than holding back slightly and allowing certain survivors to pick themselves up from the rubble and try to carry on, Lanning and Abnett killed every single Corpsman but one, our very own Richard Rider in less time than it usually takes to have a two headed character discussion. Rider doesn’t simply get knocked aside, he survives because he’s effectively at the heart of it. He spends four or five panels flirting with a fellow Corpswoman only for her head to be smashed to pieces and is sent hurtling backwards down to the planet below, trapped in the flaming wreckage of the Corps hall he was just in and had tried to fly through in order to escape. Issue 2 sees a battered and injured Nova, trapped under rubble in a quiet tableau of post apocalyptic destruction, snow and ash falling from the grey sky. He spends the rest of the issue scrambling through the rubble, a beautifully rendered example of the pause after immense death, tempered with Nova’s obnoxious banter with the discovered Novacorps Artificial Intelligence. Lanning and Abnett are patient and confident writers, allowing the events to breath and never afraid of the possibility of tragedy, carnage, laughter or brevity to take place within a panel of each other.

In June 2008, Abnett and Lanning announced they had signed an exclusive deal with Marvel and they have served the populist hulk very well. They piloted the Annihalation: Conquest storyline, in which the Phalanx take advantage of the vulnerability of post Annihalation wave societies and block off Kree space. This became a more paired down sequel to Annihalation, focussing very deliberately on very, very specific figures. From these, the title Star Lord, a reimagining of the adapted character that appeared in the late ’90s spawned a new Guardian’s of the Galxy title.

In this Lanning and Abnett have hit their stride absolutely. With a play pen involving some of the most notable characters in the Marvel Universe, they decided to opt for a Green Nymphomaniac murderess, a smart mouthed hero of the Annihalation wars, a warrior built to kill gods, a fallen space mage with schizophrenic tendencies and a talking Raccoon. The inclusion of Rocket Raccoon alone is worth a pat on the back and a pint in the hand. Rocket Raccoon was last seen frequenting 1980s Marvel comic books, being chased by Keystone cops in an absurdist forest surrounded by oddball creations. It was hard to see how the character existed then, let alone could find a place in modern comic book teams. But Rocket Raccoon returned, found in a Kree holding cell, he befriended Groot, a walking tree king so he could use him as a platform for his heavy ordnance. As tactical leader of the team, Rocket is one of the finest examples of writing outrunning the lunacy of a plot. Rocket, along with all the other members of the team are written sublimely. Private progress reports give each character their own distinctive voice and has seen Guardians become one of the most talked about series in years for fans in the know.

Lanning and Abnett have a habit of taking crackpot ideas and breaking all the rules, to positive effect. Their run on War of Kings, described usually as the Cosmic aftermath of Secret Invasion dwarves the events that took place on Earth. With the apparent death’s of Cyclop’s new-found brother Vulcan you would think they were resolving an unfortunate creative choice from the X-men universe (Vulcan wasn’t well liked and leadened the X-men universe immeasurably) until you realise that the External’s King Black Bolt, an iconic and famous figure in books, often stood beside Reed Richards, Namor, Iron Man, Captain America as pillars of a character filled universe dies with him, blowing a massive hole in the side of creation from which nasty things pop out for the Guardians to deal with. The death of a long standing Shi’ar leader (and X-men regular) in Empress Neramani and the raising of Gladiator as new Emperor of the Shi’ar state is plotting that had been denied for nearly 20 years. These character’s were seemingly immovable on the chess board of Marvel’s tactical board. Lanning and Abnett set fire to the Chess board.

But more than that, the love story between Ronan the Accuser and the External’s Crystal is thought provoking and engaging as the clumsy Accuser finds himself out of his depth but slowly charms the warm and emotionally open Crystal to him with his honesty. Gladiator’s struggle with his obvious rise to power is touching as a picture of man who’s devotion is to the seat of power but comes to understand that his future is at the service of his people. It’s powerful stuff, more than acceptable for a historical, political play or romance but it is found in the pages of a comic book in which a Raccoon bounds about the panel shouting insults at his fellow team mates as they fight at the edge of space. They have brought back the multi layered space opera unexpectedly and I know that we at Beyond the Bunker will continue to read it for as long as Lanning and Abnett continue to put them out. Long may they write of Empire building in far distant galaxies. They could even show a certain bearded film maker a thing or two….

Filed under Practitioners k-o Tagged with 000, 1.5 million books, 1989, 1990, 2000AD, 40, 40k, Andy Lanning, Anniahalation, Annihalation : Conquest, Annihalation Wave, Anthony Williams, Apocalypse, Apocalyptic, Black Bolt, Bryan Hitch, Century, co-writer, co-writing, Codename: Genetix, Comsmic, cosmic, Crystal, Cyclops, Dale Eaglesham, Dan Abnett, DC, DC Comics, Deaths Head 2, Dermot Power, Digitek, DnA, Drax, Emperor, Empress Neramani, Epic, Epic Comic, Epic Comics, Exorcise Duty, Force Works, Gail Simone, Gladiator, Graham Marks, Groot, Guardians of the Glaxy, Inker, Intergalactic War, Iron Man, Jackson Guice, John Carnell, John Tomlinson, Judge Anderson, Kree, Krypton, Legion, Legion Lost, Legion of Superheroes, Liam Sharp, Lyja, Marvel Comics, Marvel Cosmic, Marvel Uk, Midnighter, Nova, Nymphomaniac, Olivier Coipel, ordanance, Ordance, ordnance, Penciller, pencilling, Phil Gascoine, Prime-time, Punisher: Year One, Return to Krypton, Richard Rider, Robin Riggs, Rocket Raccoon, Ronan, Ronan the Accuser, Ronana, Scarlet Witch, Scott Koblish, Shi'ar, Sleeze Brothers, Star Lord, Strange Attractors, Superman, tactician, Thanos Imperative, The Authority, Thnaos, Tree, USAgent, Vulcan, War of Kings, Warhammer, Warhammer 40k, Wildstorm, Wonder Woman, Wonderman, Writer, Xandarian Nova Corps

Practitioners 36: Adam Kubert

July 19, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Adam Kubert is probably best-known for his work at Marvel Comics, in particular for a sporadic run on the solo Wolverine title with writer Larry Hama, a short run with writer Peter David on the Incredible Hulk and numerous stints on various X-Men titles. Adam Kubert is noted for his raw, dynamic art style, combined with fluid storytelling and noteworthy pacing. He’s also known for his experimentation in art style and storytelling, being one of the first mainstream (i.e. Marvel or DC employed) comic book artist to experiment with the pencils-straight-to-colour approach with Steve Bucellato on The Incredible Hulk.

On his X-Men run, Kubert was teamed up with European colorist Richard Isanove, who subsequently followed Adam to the Ultimate X-Men project, perfecting the pencils-to-color approach seen on most of Ultimate X-Men covers. Kubert has been criticized not meeting monthly deadlines on certain issues, which often required hiring fill-in artists, a penchant that Kubert himself has admitted to having. In a 1998 Wizard interview with Jim McClaughlin, Kubert apologized to fans for the slow output, explaining that readers and fans now expect more of illustrators, and that the onus rests on the artist to spend time creating more detailed and well-drafted illustrations. This he has always achieved but the maintenance of his beautifully crafted, characteristic and dynamic work justifies almost any timescale.

If anyone had any doubt: Pencils (right) to inks (left) on Hulk: 2099 (Marvel)

Although Kubert remains a talented penciller, the choice of inker for his work greatly influences the quality of the final printed page. While searching for artwork to use as examples I had to dismiss several (one in particular from DC) that didn’t showcase his work well enough. It has been argued by fans and critics alike through various mediums such as the internet and comic publications, that some of Kubert’s finest work has been embellished by the British inker Mark Farmer, especially his runs on Wolverine and The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Comics. While talented inkers, notably Danny Miki and John Dell, lent their talents to Kubert’s pencils during his runs on Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four respectively, reaction to the final artwork was mixed due to the stylistic nature of the inkers which did not lend itself well to Kubert’s normally lush drawings, leading to increasing calls that Adam Kubert should once again be paired up with Mark Farmer, even more so now that Kubert has moved to DC Comics as of 2006.

When Marvel Comics launched the industry-changing Ultimate Universe series in 2001, Kubert was chosen as the penciller for the second launch book Ultimate X-Men. His storytelling and distinct style coupled with writer Mark Millar’s well crafted tales, made the book an instant success. Kubert was also chosen as the penciller to launch the ultimate universe version of Marvel’s first family, the Ultimate Fantastic Four, once again with writers Mark Millar and Brian Michael Bendis. Both series launched to commercial and critical acclaim, firmly establishing Kubert as an industry heavyweight and one of Marvel’s “go-to guys” for their major projects.

An accomplished inker, he received an Eisner Award for his inking duties on the Dark Horse-DC Comics Batman vs. Predator crossover in the early 1990s. In addition to this, Kubert is well renowned for his lettering ability, being the youngest professional comic book letterer at the age of only 11 years old. His very own handwriting was used as the template for the font used in the Ultimate X-Men comics, additionally Kubert’s early lettering work in Heavy Metal magazine was used by DC Comics as the basis for most of the fonts used in their comics and magazines.

Both Adam and his brother Andy signed exclusive contracts to work for DC Comics in 2005. Kubert illustrated Superman: Last Son, co-written by Geoff Johns and Richard Donner (director of the 1978 film Superman) – his first project for DC Comics. He was to begin contributing to the story arc with Action Comics #841 (July 2006). However, he was not involved until issue #844, published in October 2006.

Issue #845 was released on December 3, 2006 to similar acclaim and again DC had to go back to press for a second printing on the February 23, 2007. Issue #846, part 3 of the “Superman: Last Son” storyline, was originally scheduled to be released December 30, 2006 was released on February 28, 2007. The next part of the story was scheduled to be a 3D issue released in April 2007. Further delay forced DC Comics to bring in substitute creative teams and delay the fourth part of the “Last Son” storyline and 3D issue to #851, which was released in early July 2007.
According to a April 2007 post on the Internet forum Newsarama, Johns stated that the delay was made to accommodate Kubert’s schedule and that the final part of the “Last Son” storyline would be in Action Comics Annual #11.The annual went on sale on May 7, 2008.

Following his work on Superman he penciled the Final Crisis tie in, DC Universe: Last Will and Testament, written by Brad Meltzer.

Last Will and Testament by Brad Meltzer and Adam Kubert (DC)

His last work for his latest tenure at DC was the Batman and The Outsiders Special, released in February 2009. This issue, written by Peter Tomasi, highlighted Alfred Pennyworth’s efforts to recruit a new team of Outsiders in the wake of Batman’s apparent death. After the release of the book, Kubert said he was pleased with his work at DC and had done, “what set out to do,” which was to draw Superman.

May 2009 marked Adam Kubert’s return to Marvel, his first interior work being published as one of two stories in Wolverine #73 and 74. Following this he contributed several covers to New Mutants and Wolverine: Weapon X, and penciled the “Dark Reign” tie in, The List: Amazing Spider-Man.

While he has returned to penciling for Marvel, he will continue to work for DC, contributing the stories for the upcoming Wednesday Comics Sgt. Rock feature, drawn by his father. He has since stated that he is Marvel-exclusive, but they are allowing him to work on the Sgt. Rock feature as he had signed on to do it before his contract at DC was up.
Following these Kubert will be doing pencils on the upcoming Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine.

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners Tagged with 90s, Action Comics, Adam Kubert, Andy Kubert, Batman Vs Predator, Brad Meltzer, Brian Michael Bendis, DC, DC Universe, Doom the living planet, Final Crisis, Geoff Johns, Geoff Johnss, Hulk 2099, Incredible Hulk, inking, Jim McClaughlin, John Dell, Larry Hama, Last Will and Testament, Mark Farmer, Mark Millar, Marvel, pencilling, Peter David, Richard Donner, Richard Isanove, Steve Bucellato, Superman, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate X-Men, Wolverine, X-men

Practitioners 35: Andy Kubert

July 12, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Andy Kubert was born on February 27, 1962, the third member (after father Joe and elder brother Adam) of one of the most famous comics artist families.

While Kubert started at DC Comics, drawing Adam Strange and the Batman Vs Predator crossover, he is probably best known for his work at Marvel Comics, specifically the company’s X-Men titles. With the move of Jim Lee to Image in the early nineties, Kubert (who had already been providing cover art – including Gambit’s introduction on Uncanny X-Men and a brief stint as that titles penciller) became penciller for what was the No.1 title in the world. Starting at Issue 19, Kubert caught the potential disaster of Lee’s departure and maintained the quality. Not dissimilar to Lee’s style, Kubert maintained the lightly lined, crosshatched, clear and concise style readers had enjoyed and actually clarified the panels more so than Lee himself.

Andy Kubert’s run on X-Men was a game changer as it maintained the quality of the X-Men line through the all important X-over event that captured the work of Peter David, Joe Quesada, Adam Kubert and Greg Capullo – all legends in the field. Andy Kubert was penciller on the flagship title of not just the X-line but Marvel itself and continued to push out exceptionally engaging compositions throughout the run. While his work was perhaps less accurate and realistic than his brothers (working on Wolverine at the time), Andy’s work had a subtlety and finesse that his brother didn’t. Relying on light line work and fine detail to augment the story, Kubert’s style was more illustrative and naturally drew the onlooker into the page. Kubert’s grasp of emotive splash pages and unique angles and physicality gave new life to characters such as Gambit and Beast, their natural gymnastics perhaps less impactful under another, less confident artist. His work continued to develop and found itself increasingly enhanced by new colouring techniques as the pencil and ink linework could be more easily brought out of the page; the background and foreground becoming more distinct; a minor detail that his early X-Men work suffered from at times. Far from being a Jim Lee imitator, Kubert was his own artist, developing the characters away from Lee’s original designs however slightly.

Offering it a lighter touch, the emotional impact of the events in the story found greater scope. The romance between Gambit and Rogue that encapsulated the intelligent writing that was taking place in X-Men developed naturally under Kubert’s artistry.

In 2003, Kubert worked on Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602, a beautifully rendered story dropping the most central Marvel characters into the centre of the Elizabethan England at the end of Monarch’s reign. Kubert’s linework matched perfectly the lighter ink work of the period. His representations of the characters timeless and at the same time recognisably the characters of modern day. In it enhanced pencil was used, with the image painted from Kubert’s pencil line work. The effect was staggering and made clear Kubert’s natural illustrative style. Although always precise and meticulous, Kubert’s focus is not always on the central character and he enjoys playing with compositions, not necessarily filling any panel with the characters but allowing the surroundings to impose on the action. This is undoubtedly the work of an assured artist. To be able to jump from X-Men to a project like 1602 successfully shows the range of work Kubert is capable of handling.

Both Andy and his brother signed exclusive contracts to work for DC comics in 2005. While his brother Adam has returned to Marvel comics following his 3 year deal with DC; Dan Didio has confirmed that Andy still has projects with DC. Fundamentally Bat related. Kubert provided covers for Blackest Night issues of Green Lantern and Blackest Night: Batman miniseries. Andy worked with his father Joe on the first two issues of DC Universe Legacies, a 10 issue miniseries chronicling the history of the DC Universe. On top of this Andy contributed to Batman 700, teaming up with Grant Morrison to tell more tales of Damian Wayne as Batman in the future of the over-sized anniversary issue. ‘Flashpoint’ – a Flash centric event is due to start this year (2011).

Kubert is an artist who alters the projects he touches. He has handled two of the most well known franchises for the two largest comic book companies in the world and left all concerned wanting more. The youngest Kubert, Andy had something to prove and it can certainly be argued that his work is considerably more popular and well received than his brother or father. Having also handled Millar’s Ultimate X-Men – a challenge as he effectively anchored the original designs in the mid to late 90s – it’s clear that Andy Kubert is a quietly famous and exceptional talent among equally talented artists. This cannot be ascribed to genes alone, as Kubert has handled the most well known projects in the world and made them more memorable.

Filed under Practitioners k-o Tagged with Adam Kubert, Adam Strange, Andy Kubert, Batman, Damian Wayne, DC, Grant Morrison, Greg Capullo, Joe Kubert, Joe Quesada, John Romita Jr, Mark Millar, Marvel, Marvel 1602, Neil Gaiman, Peter David, Peter Dvid, Scott Lobdell, Ultimate X-Men, X-Force, X-men

Practitioners 30: Jeph Loeb (Part two)

May 19, 2011 by Steve Penfold 1 Comment

Hate is a strong word. Saddham Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Adolf Hitler conjure that idea pretty well. I hate Jeph Loeb. Not the man. I have no idea what the man is like but I hate his output in the comics industry. I am not alone in this. In Forbidden Planet a short while ago a member of staff (a fan of Loeb) intervened at mine and another member of staff’s leering at the prospect of picking up a Loeb. She was pretty adamant. It seems there are feelings on both sides. While I was determined to keep him off this list for subverting Ultimates into a knee jerking cartoonish wasteland of 90s cliches and effectively ripping off 30 years of X-Men continuity and invention to claim Heroes as an original series, Loeb is the man responsible for the hailed Batman: Long Hallowe’en and Batman: Dark Victory with Tim Sale.

Modern comic book readers on the whole are disregarding of Loeb’s influence on central Marvel characters in particular, however with further scouring you start to discover that Loeb has had a massive (and on the whole very positive) effect on modern popular culture. Joseph ‘Jeph’ Loeb III is an American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was producer/writer on TV shows Smallville and Lost, writer for films Commando and Teen Wolf (making him responsible for one of the greatest Arnie lines in history ‘ Vhy don’t you let off zome zteam..’) and was a writer and co-executive producer on Heroes from 2006 and 2008.

If you think he’s a crappy writer, you’re wrong… he’s a four time Eisner Award winner and five-time Wizard Fan Award winner, producing comic book writing that has appeared in the New York Times Bestseller List. Most of his work, which has incorporated almost every major character in the mainstream comics industry, has been working alongside his collaborator and creative partner, artist Tim Sale.

There’s no doubt that Loeb got off to a considerably impressive start. Having just left Columbia University with a Masters degree in Film, he received his debut in filmmaking in collaboration with Matthew Weisman in authoring the script for Teen Wolf. Loeb and Weisman then collaborated in writing the script for Commando. He went on to create Burglar, unusual as it offered a central comedic role to a female actor, Whoopi Goldberg and then returned in the same year to the Teen Wolf canon with Teen Wolf Too starring Jason Bateman. It was here Loeb met Tim Kring with whom he would work on Heroes more than two decades later.

Loeb is known for his extensive use of narration boxes as monologues for his central characters in order to communicate their inner thoughts, though dialogue is sparing and intermittent. There is no doubt that Loeb has very much influenced comic books and broadened their appeal beyond the standard demographics. This will always be perceived as selling out, commercialism or lack of interest in the base material by some quarters of the comic fan fraternity but its not up to Loeb to answer to that. As long as he continues to sell books, whether to the purists or those who don’t check the name on the front cover and continues to be enjoyed, Loeb will be paid to write comic books and rightfully so.

Loeb’s first comic book work was Challengers of the Unknown Vol.2 Issue 1-8 (March October 1991) which was the first of many following collaboration with Tim Sale. Loeb and Sale’s later collaborations included ‘Year 1′ orientated Batman: Long Hallowe’en, Batman: Dark Victory and Superman For All Seasons among others. The Long Hallowe’en has been noted as having influenced 2005 Christopher Nolan Batflick Batman Begins, the others being Batman: The Man who Falls and Batman: Year One.

In 2002, Loeb teamed up with super-artist Jim Lee to create a year-long story arc ‘ Batman: Hush’ which sat at the No.1 Spot for sales for 11 of its 12 months of publication. The following year Loeb launched the DC team up title Superman/Batman: his run spawning a Supergirl series, and an animated film adapted from Loeb’s ‘Public Enemies’ story arc.

Loeb’s son, Sam, tragically died on June 17, 2005 at only the age of 17, following a three year battle with bone cancer. At the age of 15, Sam wrote a story in Tales of the Vampires #5 with Jeph’s long-term collaborator Tim Sale. In 2006, Sam’s final work appeared in Superman/Batman #26, which was nearly completed before his death. His father finished the work with the help of 25 other writers and artists, all of whom were friends of Sam, including Art Adams, Joe Casey, John Cassaday, Joyce Chin, Ian Churchill, Allan Heinberg, Geoff Johns, Joe Kelly, Mike Kunkel, Jim Lee, Pat Lee, Rob Liefeld, Paul Levitz, Joe Madureira, Jeff Matsuda, Ed McGuinness, Brad Meltzer, Carlos Pacheco, Duncan Rouleau, Tim Sale, Richard Starkings, Michael Turner, Brian K. Vaughan, Mark Verheiden, and Joss Whedon. The issue also featured a tale titled “Sam’s Story,” dedicated to Sam.

In 2006, Loeb chose his hometown of Stamford Connecticut as the launch pad for a major crossover event for Marvel. It was a tectonic shift in the view of Marvel characters and something that not even Marvel’s recent attempts to return to a Golden Age of Avengers has been able to fully recede. Taking the premise of civil rights, the heroes (and villains) of the Marvel universe were forced to choose sides on an ideological battle over attempts by the government to introduce a superhuman registration act. A brave and bold concept it was launched by Loeb with the destruction of a school by a haphazard and destructive superhuman battle.

In 2007, Loeb wrote Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America, using the five stages of grief as a motif to explore the reactions of various Marvel characters following the death of Captain America. The final issue, released on 4th July (Independence Day) was the ‘Funeral of Captain America’, which was covered by the Associated Press, the Washington Post and ABC.

Following signing an exclusive contract with Marvel in September 2005, Loeb has launched Ultimates 3 (with artist Joe Maduriera) and Hulk (with artist Ed McGuinness), in which was introduced the arch-villain Red Hulk. He also worked with artist David Finch on Ultimatum and Tim Sale once more on Captain America: White, the fourth in the ‘colour’ series for Marvel.

Loeb currently shares his writing studio, the Empath Magic Tree House with Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg.

His run at Marvel aside – Loeb has exhibited great writing at times – in particular with the Batman canon. His largest problem appears to be diversity as certain titles lend themselves neatly to his style of writing. Indeed his continued collaborations with Tim Sale are even more indicative of a tendency towards noir and crime thriller writing, something that clearly the Batman titles support beautifully. His pursuit of diversification has seen him demonised – not always- unjustifiably – but there is no doubt that Jeph Loeb will leave an indelible legacy on comic books. He rebooted Batman with Year 1, killed Captain America and introduced Hush to the world. He brought comic lore to the small screen with Smallville and Heroes. But mostly, he has shown a love of comic books, no doubt very personal to him. He returns and remains in an industry less profitable than TV or Film, having made his money from it. That love of comic books should not be discounted because in that, is something that those who stand in Forbidden Planet and deride Loeb’s work share with him. A love of an art form and ultimately, at times, enabling the expansion for it. Loeb belongs in the hall of Practitioners. Not always popular or well loved, he has no doubt influenced and furthered it and shown great love for it.

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners Tagged with Captain America, Captain America: White, Coproducer, Death of Captain America, Ed McGuiness, Forbidden Planet, Geoff Johns, Heroes, Hulk, Jeph Loeb III, Jeph Loeb Sucks, Joe Madureira, Lost, Red Hulk, Sam Loeb, Smallville, Superman, Superman Batman, Teen Wolf too, Teenwolf, Ultimates 3, Writer

Practitioners 30: Jeph Loeb (Part One)

May 18, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Hate is a strong word. Its a word that slips easily from the tongue on a myriad of subjects. It can be applied forcefully and popularly to many things; the ignorant actions of a maniacal religious fundamentalist and terrorist, the despotic and arrogant foreign policy of industrial nations at times. It can be used in a more personal and specific vehemence, reactionary to a set of circumstances, aimed at a personal and immediate target of contempt; such as getting up in the morning or the discovery of a rainy day. But it can also be applied more blithely and at times more aggressively at figures that have dared raise their heads above the parapets of creative output and deemed themselves worthy of outputting material on the popular stage. One such man to have created such contempt is Jeph Loeb.

Red Hulk makes a good point.

A marmite figure in the starry fermament of the comic book industry sky, Loeb has been the subject of just such a vehement and outspoken attack by me, in the middle of Forbidden Planet. Shamefully, as I make my way, hopefully into the industry I always hoped to work in I am guilty of declaring my ‘hate’ towards a figure I’ve never met. I have existed in a state of contempt of Jeph Loeb for many years now.

There are numerous reasons for this; He dips. Dancing around between industries (Television and Comic book primarily) he never remains on anything for very long. He enjoys a symbiotic relationship with comic books and appears and reappears occassionally from time to time as he feels like it. And they just keep letting him in. As a freelancer, desperate to enter the industry myself it is perhaps galling to see someone allowed to choose when he feels like working. In particular when everything I’ve read of his is hackneyed bollocks. I’d like to point out I haven’t read everything he’s written – or even much but never the less the majority of it is commercially minded, heartless pap with almost no reverence to what’s gone before (pretty much just channelling my rage about Ultimates 3 there). This is jealousy. The most arrogant and divisive motivation to hate. Effectively I’m saying – I could do that, get out of my way – you’re not even doing that good a job – why do you get to be in that position and I don’t?

Next is the most recent actual comics output. Red Hulk: Hulk but angrier. That’s right. Angry Hulk, the angriest of the angry characters in the Marvel Universe. Capable of splitting the crust of the planet with his anger in fact while green is now red. And he’s angrier. This off the back of the exceptional Planet Hulk. A moment in which The Hulk had found pathos and scope and strength in character almost unseen since he was handled by the almighty Peter David (with deft subtlety and aplomb), Marvel choose to hand it to Loeb. This would be fine except that Loeb is now reknowned for taking existing characters at their most beloved and popular and shitting on them from a great height seemingly because everyone knows the smell of shit. It’s popular and well known and people do talk about it Loeb, no doubt. But nobody actually likes the smell of shit.

Then, there’s Ultimates 3. Ultimates but more Baywatch! People like Baywatch. No, they don’t Loeb. They like tits. Baywatch had tits in it. So did Ultimates 3 thanks to the yank up the ranks of Valkyrie; an admittedly nubile and stunningly beautiful warrior maiden, ‘mysteriously’ imbued with powers that levelled her up to Avenger status. Happily. Off the back of Mark Millar’s gloriously dystopian military- industrial complex super human thriller that reinvented central characters and made them as recognisably flawed as the best literary characters, Loeb was handed free reign of the book. Saved effectively by Joe Maduriera’s stunning artwork, Loeb presented us with a morally bankrupt set of misanthropes seemingly happy to watch each other having sex on a wide screen (and that was the opening page) and never really leaving the house. Plodding, self absorbed, hackneyed and laboured Ultimates 3 was a commercial success. I own it, I like reading it. But I like watching Mega shark vs Giant Octopus so don’t pay any attention to me.

I also hate Heroes. Effectively taking 30 years of X-Men continuity and development and repackaging as an ‘original’ show on ABC. Enjoyed by millions and considered ‘original’ by those who never picked up an X-Book, this one just plain makes me angry. Loeb was writer and co-producer, following a run on Lost and receives my rage through this by association.

But who is he? This hate figure I’m so determined to despise? Check in here on Thursday to find out as I actually take a crack at uncovering who Loeb is to the comic industry and whether he has, does or should have the credentials to be considered a Practitioner….

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners Tagged with Batman, Forbidden Planet, Heroes, Hush, Jason Todd, Jeph Loeb, Jeph Loeb Sucks, Joe Mad, Joe Madureira, Mark Millar, NBC, Red Hulk, The Long Hallowe'en, Tim Drake, Ultimates 1, Ultimates 2, Ultimates 3, World War Hulk

Practitioners 28: Kazuo Koike

May 3, 2011 by Steve Penfold 1 Comment

We here at Beyond the Bunker hope to list the greatest and best creatives in the history of comic books. In a continuing series (available every week on Tuesday) the most innovative, inspirational and important comic book visionaries will be appearing here. Check on the link below to see if one of your favourites has been included yet.

Born May 8th 1936 in Daisen, Akita Prefecture Kazuo Koike is one of a prolific and one of the most enduring and globally popular manga writers as well as being a novellist and entrepeneur.

Early in Koike’s career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series. Golgo 13 was a Manga series, ostensibly written and illustrated by Takao Saito. Running in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Magazine since January 1969 and is the longest running Manga still in production. This was a strong start for a writer who would spreda to the world stage extremely quickly with his independent work; most notably perhaps – particularly to cult comic book fans globally his masterpiece; Lone Wolf and Cub.

Uniting with master artist Goseki Kojima first published Lone Wolf and Cub in 1970. A masterclass in slow burning plots and simple, effective storytelling utilising mesmerising and beautifully detailed black and white line work, Lone Wolf and Cub was designed to be accessable and the format and simple and beautiful imagery and telling made it an enormous success.

Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami) was adpated into six films starring Tomisabaruro Wakayama, four plays, a televsiosn series and is widely considered an important and influential work. It chronicles the story of Ogami Itto, the Shogun’s executioner who uses a dotanuki battle sword.When falsely accussed from the Yagyu Clan, he is forced to take the path of an Assassin. The one thing that perhaps sets the series apart entirely from all other Manga fare is that he moves out to seek revenge against the Yagyu Clan along with his three-year-old son, Daigoro.

Under Koike’s considerable skill, Lone Wolf and Cub takes in almost all aspects of Japanese life during its isolation from the world in the 19th Century. Honour, bravery and revenge are common place characteristics of the script but absent more often is the theme of paternity. While the stern Ogami protects and guides his son, usual paternal mores are distinctly absent. The script itself makes savage use of the tiny character of Daigoro as he and his father make their way through the landscape.

Koike’s main distinction is the control he exudes over his storylines. Meticulously detailed in accuracy, there is no sense of rush. There is a good reason for this. Both Koike and Kojima created 28 volumes of Manga before the epic concluded, with over 300 pages (in total 8,700 pages in all). Koike was prolific even by Manga standards. The storyline was episodic but steadily began to begin to feed on itself as the two characters continued their journey. A slow burning epitaph to a long passed age loaded (thanks to Koike’s ability) with incredibly memorable moments. Lone Wolf and Cub has been released through Dark Horse for international markets and continues to sell well.

One piece from a million strong catalogue of fan art relating to LWC

Koike also wrote Crying Freeman, Illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, which again was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by director Christophe Gans. The simple premise relied on Koike’s previous writing assignments for influence but simplified and honed the ideas for a modern feel. Sharper and more concise, Crying Freeman followed a Japanese man kidnapped and conditioned and hypnotised and trained by the Chinese Mafia to kill. As a result the titular character cries after each assassination.

Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka. Included in the roster of students that attended are Tetsuo Hara – manga artist on Fist of the North Star, Yuji Horii – game designer and freelance writer who worked on the Dragon Quest series and others significantly more famous in Japan than to the western world.

In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga. He has also written mahjong manga, as he himself is a former professional mahjong player.

A distinctive and powerful writer, Koike elevates simple ideas and offers them in an accurate and incredibly indelible way. His greatest works are among the mot well known and well received Manga creations. Most notably perhaps is that this master of the form is no passing his own skills to a new generation of artists and writers as the gap between Japanese and global markets begins to close no doubt we will see more of Koike’s influences on the shelves in many western comic book shops. We just might not be aware of it. Like a master assassin in the night.

A page from Crying Freeman (written by Kazuo Koike)

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners

Practitioners 25: Mark Millar (Pt 2)

April 7, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Mark Millar is a media operator, while his peers have a natural talent for recognising the effect of what they do and cross mediums in their choices of content (Morrison in particular can ascribe a lot of his success to his cinematic, literary and popular culture referencing across his comic book work) noone gives you the feeling that they’re not operating on a comic book scale – that the medium is considered too small for the individual involved. Indeed, Millar has expressed a want to break out of the confines of the comic book industry. A belligerent creative child at the heart of commercial companies, it was unlikely that the traditional and watchful Warner Bros (home of Bugs etc) would tolerate such an enfant terrible. Indeed, where novels are a breeding ground of controversial and broad opinions and a fevered battleground of freedom of speech, Millar made clear that comic books at the turn of the century enjoyed no such freedoms.

Nemesis, Superior, Hit-girl and Kick-ass (Millar's most recent characters) by Leinil-Yu

Detailed in the last part on Tuesday, there were offered a couple of examples of Millar’s run on the aggressive and controversial Authority title for Wildstorm (an imprint of DC, a subsidiary of Warner Bros). At this stage, with Millar’s Authority pouring in money from buoyant sales DC balked at the destruction of cities and high death tolls in the aftermath of 9/11. With ferocious fan interest and critical acclaim Millar’s Authority suffered an unexpected at the height of its popularity, internal editorialism. DC misjudged the mood of America. While there was shock and anger from the events in New York, networked globally, the general American was facing new realities that European, Asian, African and Middle Eastern nations had long been aware of – that their borders were no longer safe. The war machine beginning to roll into slow motion under the Bush administration, looking for targets belayed a more mature attitude in readerships in the US. A renewed awareness of their vulnerability to powers greater (or more insidious) than their own. A culture of wry and interested fatalism and assured realism was born in the wreckage of 9/11 among certain sections of American society – particularly in the more informed and connected East and West coast and in comic readership. Embryonic at the time – it is now perhaps more visible in the lack of interest in Marvel’s attempts at introducing a new Golden Age of Heroes. Finally, that period in comic books has passed and Millar represented it far better than most with his aggressive, edgy and deliberately sardonic style. DC didn’t agree and Millar began to bite at the chains that bound him, eventually swapping, following some well paid projects for Marvel, to the New York entertainment giant in 2001 to create the Ultimate Universe.

The Ultimate line was an imprint of Marvel comics introducing the Marvel Universe if it was formed today. What was created was a much more hardbitten and edgy number of heroes engaged in political, military, social and personal strife – though the imprint of Stan Lee’s original concepts of character fuelled titles was perhaps put at the bottom of the list of priorities – this was more a love letter to the movie industry and may well have instigated the wholesale redevelopment of major Marvel characters; Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and the Avengers to the big screen.

To begin it was Marvel’s most commercially successful title; the X-Men that was renovated to Ultimate status. The characters now more belligerent, obstinate and teenage than Lee’s incarnations, Millar imbued them with the all-knowing arrogance of teenage Mutants. A total reboot, X-Men was the first title to begin to represent its predecessor as the title inevitably followed the numerous characters plot to the most obvious conclusion; a coherent team of mutants trying to battle the world. While recreating many of the scenarios and plots from the original series; Weapon X, the Nuclear Plant detonation from Issue 1; Millar struggled (perhaps unsurprisingly) to supersede the mainstream series, most likely because it had been the home of some of the foremost artists and writers of the previous quarter century and Marvel’s most innovative title. It was fun though, bitter and harsh at times but with a self conscious teenage cool and a moral ambiguity in the leaderships of both the X-team and the Brotherhood of Mutants (sensibly without the somewhat detrimental ‘Evil’ in the title). The title proved popular and Millar moved to expand the Universe with his incarnation of the less developed Avengers. This was to be his best move.

While all this was taking place; an independent book written by Millar and drawn by J.G. Jones was in preparation. Wanted was released in 2003-2004 and tore a hole a mile wide across conservative comics, kicking them and DC firmly into touch. The lack of belief DC had shown in its readership was proven by the success of this book; featuring a world only populated by Villains – the heroes wiped out some years previously. Opening with bisexual orgies, graphic assassinations and cheating girlfriends the protagonist secretly hates; the patented anger brewed up with the previous years of censorship came spewing out. Featuring characters like Shit-head (formed from the fecal matter of the most evil people in the history of man), Mr Rictus (a skull faced sadist) and Fuckwit (a superhero clone with Downs Syndrome), the protagonist Wesley Gibson electrocutes and rapes celebrities, kills hundreds while ingratiating himself with the Fraternity of Super-villains. It went astronomical, a readership hungry for a challenge snapping it off the shelves as quickly as possible. The intention of Millar was to create a wry and morally and ethically void space in which to populate his darkest writing to date. Ferocious, unforgiving and incredibly unapologetic Millar is every parent’s worst nightmare and every kid’s dream writer. Any book that ends with a full page spread with the central character’s top half leaning in aggressively and shouting ‘This is me fucking you in the ass!’ is to be reckoned with.

James McAvoy as Wesley Gibson in the much-toned-down movie version of Wanted (2008)

Millar is troubling for that reason – his bouts of self control working for commercial giants are interspersed with pure filth and its hard to tell who he is. The knowledge he goes to church every Sunday only deepens the confusion as he represents so little of what is good or ethical about comic books. He represents shameless populism and crowd pleasing. His thinking far deeper than content, Millar has proven, having now been given a stage big enough, that he will stop at nothing to crowd please. Although a great and powerful writer, he lacks the sensitivity and at times subtlety of peers like Morrison and Moore but will stoop as low as the public needs to. His books are the equivalent of throwing the christians to the Lions at the colliseum and feel at times like the breakdown of the medium at the same time as being the bleeding edge and the expansion of it.

His take on the Avengers, the Ultimates, represents the epitomy of modern, advanced and knowledgable writing that transcends the format of comic books and expands its reach. Where the Avengers title – holding tight throughout the nineties and naughties to its showcasing of Marvel’s most heroic and impressive characters – was losing steam, the Ultimates upped the ante and caught the popular edge of the characters within the title. What ensued is a high concept, high octane, gripping and effecting story of disparate heroes representing many fields, Military, special ops, science, media, big business, liberal politics and mainstream politics trying to get on. Brilliantly, Ultimates shows that the characters that have cooperated so effectively in their time in Avengers would create such strain amongst themselves that they represent a larger liability than the threats they pose. Effectively the tale of a political / military complex trying to justify its own existence it spends most of its time fighting off threats within its own ranks. However the set pieces, rendered beautifully by Bryan Hitch – in which the team occasionally rally to combat real threats to the world are truly monumental. There is some poignant character writing within too, most notably involving the emotionally crippled Bruce Banner and the man-out-of-time Steve Rogers.

A scene from Ultimates 1 Volume 2 (2003) by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

After 33 issues, Millar left Ultimate X-Men and wrote the number one hit title Marvel Knights Spider-Man in 2004, He also co-wrote the first six issues of Ultimate Fantastic Four with Brian Michael Bendis. He later returned to that title for a 12-issue run throughout 2005-2006, and created the Marvel Zombies spin-off title in his first and final storylines.

But it is his Millarworld movements that interest us here at Beyond the Bunker as Millar is using his considerable weight to focus the comic book industry back towards Britain. Writing Kick-Ass, while in parallel, British film makers Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman made a motion picture version secured the success of both by shoring up the other. Both were british made (though Kick-ass was published as a Marvel Imprint) and have kick started a smaller, more quiet UK invasion back from the US. From the success of this Millar launched Clint, in association with Jonathan Ross and Frankie Boyle (both oddly British comedians), an anthology title in the style of 2000AD. Largely hyper-violent and named deliberately to look like the worst kind of swear word from across the room it can’t be accused of being high brow but it does appear to be working. There is no doubt that Millar’s efforts are reinvigorating the UK comic industry and whether this is sustainable is up to him and us frankly. While his motives are unclear and open to great speculation in the halls of comic conventions in the UK – he has reopened a door thought closed by being the most highly valued writer of the last ten years. His writing has excited, enthralled and challenged a very wide generation and expanded the interest in comic books to the wider population (though unfortunately not to 90s levels) but why are we putting all this on one man? Perhaps because he has proven he can handle it and come back with more. Millar might be the revolution we’ve been looking for and like all revolutions you have to applaud its effect if it moves things forwards and not linger too long on the man forcing it forwards and his motives except to applaud that he has and achieved something something special for himself and potentially for the entire UK comics industry. You can’t be bothered by Iconoclasts if you’re not an icon and within this industry that Millar is absolutely an icon for the 21st Century.

Kick-ass with his ass kicked... (Kick-ass, 2010)

Filed under Avengers, Practitioners k-o Tagged with 2000AD, 9/11, Apollo, Authority, Brian Michael Bendis, Brotherhood of mutants, Bruce Banner, Bryan Hitch, Clint, Cyclops, DC, DC Comics, Fantastic Four, Frankie Boyle, Iron Man, J.G.Jones, JG Jones, Jon Favreau, Jonathan Ross, Kapow, Kitty Pryde, Mark Millar, Marvel, Marvel Knights, Midnighter, Nick Fury, September 11th, Spider-man, Steve Rogers, The Doctor, The Engineer, Thor, Tony Stark, Ultimate Universe, Ultimate X-Men, Ultimates, Ultimtes, Wanted, Wildstorm, Wolverine

Practitioners 25: Mark Millar

April 5, 2011 by Steve Penfold 1 Comment

Mark Millar (born December 24, 1969) and is a Scottish Comic book writer. Millar was the highest selling comic-book writer working in America in the 2000s.

Millar was born in Coatbridge on Christmas Eve, 1969 in Scotland and now lives in Glasgow. In case you figured that this goliath of writing formed at the writing desk the beginning of his career was as a teenage fan. Millar was inspired to become a comic book writer following a meeting with Alan Moore (creator of V for Vendetta, Tom Strong, Watchmen and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) at a signing session at AKA Books and Comics when he was a teenager in the 1980s. It was not until experiencing financial problems after his parents died that he chose to leave University and become a professional writer. This tragic turn of his life and the introduction to writing as a result presents evidence of what made Millar different from many creatives. Upon suffering financial difficulty he understood that for someone determined and capable enough, writing of comic books could potentially represent a career.

His first job as a comic book writer was while he was still attending school, with Trident’s Saviour with Daniel Valley on art duties. Saviour was one of the most popular titles produced by Trident, mixing, even at that age a postmodernist blend of religion, satire and superhero action in the mix that Millar would become known for on later titles.

During the 1990s, Millar joined the creative team on 2000AD, Sonic the Comic and Crisis. In 1993, Grant Millar, Grant Morrison and John Smith presented a controversial 8-week run called the Summer Offensive in the pages of 2000AD. Morrison and Millar created a street pugilist in the chaviest sense in the pug faced Big Dave, xenophobic, ignorant, thug like man mountain who pummelled and battered his way through absurd and uniquely British threats to civilisation not the least of which a replacement boot-leg robot royal family which he battered blithely into submission to save the British isles. The first part (prog 842) saw Big Dave go up against Saddam Hussein trying to take over the world and turn everyone into ‘poofs’ with the aid od some scary aliens. Terry Waite helps him.

This mental blend of faith in your readership to get the joke, populist WAM BAM and whip crack satire and lack of fear of diving unceremoniously into the draker side of the human psyche (frankly where we are more interesting) is what set Millar apart from all the rest. Even Morrison can often loop back away from pure cynicism but Millar sees the scars in society and picks at them making him a gritty, brave and challenging writer. Which may be why he finally converted Captain America into a soldier who doesn’t kill to a one man weapon of mass destruction with a moral code firmly fixed on the defence of the weak.

Millar’s British work inevitably caught the attention of DC Comics and 1994 Millar was offered the traditional proving ground of new talent and Moore’s most sentimental character tenure some years before, Swamp Thing. Morrison aided with first four-issue run of the title to settle Millar into the title. Predictably however, while Millar’s work on Swamp Thing gained critical credit it continued to perform poorly and the series was cancelled by DC not long after Millar’s introduction. Millar continued to work on DC titles (aided occassionally by Grant Morrison – an unusual arrangement for an established writer – on titles such as JLA, The Flash and Aztek: The Ultimate Man) and working on unsuccessful pitches for the publisher. In the same period, Millar was speaking publicly and candidly about abandoning comics and had begun to mention a horror series named Sikeside for Channel 4. Sikeside was cancelled in pre-production and has recently been optioned by Crab-apple productions for a planned theatrical release.

However, with the ’90s closing down behind him, unceremoniously and with little advancement the decade in which Millar will find his niche and launch Millar into the limelight began. In 2000, Millar recived his big break replacing Warren Ellis on The Authority for DC’s Wildstorm imprint. Assigned with Morrison cohort Frank Quitely to the title, The Authority launched into a more polemic style while continuing Ellis’ original big screen, broad and boundless ideals for the title. This was a team now that wouldn’t tolerate the small minded or the morally dubious powers on earth traditionally ignored by other Superheroes. Now – under Millar the Authority truly represent exactly that – unforgiving, resilient and willing to absolutely do all that is necessary to stop that which they see as wrong. The more severe and militant characters were now brought forwards as the main focus, the Midnighter even more savage and militantly cold, contentedly torturing through electrocution the former Doctor while mysteriously managing to present an entirely different image to the passing guards in a super villain prison at the end of time.

In one short scene, the newly empowered Doctor, having been handed elemental powers over creation in return for restoring the Earth to its former self overwhelms one of the female characters, the Engineer in one of the darkly subtle and emotionally affecting ways ever written in comics. The Engineer is capable of morphing technological acroutements to deal with almost any situation and presents a difficult physical threat to overwhelm for the Doctor. Until the Doctor reminds her of a medical professional at her school as a young girl who kissed her on the back of the neck while they were alone in the school nurse’s office. It is the Doctor, having travelled back, killed the nurse and planted his lips on a vulnerable and undressed little girl – leaving her with ‘a funny feeling you’d carry around for the rest of your natural life.’ This is achieved in three panels. The effect on the reader lasts significantly longer than it does on the Engineer, as a character already referred to as a genocidal maniac tips over into a more insidious and familiar evil. A hero is only as impressive as the enemy he/she overwhelms and Millar is uniquely ambiguous enough in his writing to allow his enemies to represent the worst kind of evil.

He takes this to one hell of a conclusion; because if the threat is overwhelmingly total and unremmiting what need is there for soldiers, warriors and heroes to maintain outdated and realistically outmoded perceptions of moralism in the face of global or personal threats. For thousands of years – as civilisation has prospered and gained increasingly ethical and moral positions, it has always been defended by those willing to push through the boundaries of acceptable conflict. The Second World War heroes were not made from pacifism or saving cats from trees – they were born sadly by meeting carnage and horror with strength, bravery and a willingness to push back just as hard as they were being pushed. From this idea, what would a Captain America realistically forged in the battlefields of Northern Europe and the Pacific be? A pacifist believer in all Human rights or an efficient and exacting defender of the American way. With the creation of the Ultimates – a modern and frankly more realistic interpretation of Marvel’s most iconic American hero would step to the front of the fray, at the forefront of one of the most popular series in the history of comic books. The Avengers everyone has been waiting for.

Step aside for… The Ultimate Universe.

CONTD IN PART 2 (THURSDAY)

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners Tagged with 2000AD, Alan Moore, Aliens, Apollo, Aztek, Aztek: The Ultimate Man, Big Dave, Captain America, Crabapple, DC, DC Comics, Engineer, Frank Quitely, Glasgow, Grant Morrison, JLA, John Smith, Mark Millar, Midnighter, Millar, Millarworld, Saddam Hussein, Scottish, Sikeside, Summer Offensive, Swamp Thing, Terry Waite, The Authority, The Doctor, The Flash, The Ultimates, Warren Ellis, Wildstorm

Practitioners 18: Mike McMahon

February 15, 2011 by Steve Penfold Leave a comment

Mick McMahon is a British artist who has ebbed and flowed in and out of the comics industry for 30 years. His work has braced the pages of 2000AD, Toxic!, Tank Girl, Rugrats and Sonic the Comic. But his work has moved well beyond his pages, inspiring some of the most prominent graphic artists in the industry today. Some of the most prominent and successful characters around today owe a debt to McMahon’s constantly evolving style – proving without a doubt his incredible talent. But, more than that, he’s just plain funky.

Judge Dredd was created in 1977 to appear in 2000AD by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, but problems with pre-publication ked to both of the previous creators walking off the project. Both Wagner and Ezquerra would return to the pages of 2000AD and the Dredd himself but in the intervening time the toughest lawman on the streets of Megacity 1 had to be given a face and a pair of boots to stride in. Pat Mills and Peter Harris took over and were responsible for the first published Dredd comic book, and was drawn by an inexperienced yung artist called Mike McMahon.

He was chosen primarily by Mills (who was editor at the time) because he could do a passable impression of Ezquerra’s work. However, it didn’t take long for McMahon’s style to take hold. It could’ve been said that he had inherited the greatest British Comic Book character to date by chance but to flip it, perhaps more logically it seems more likely that McMahon developed the lawman to become this. His style, more angular and abstract than Ezquerra’s more organic style; notable for its sharp lines and clear, crisp contours and clearly, nigh caricatured features on the characters he drew became the default with other artists such as Ian Gibson and Brian Bolland taking his lead and introducing their own spin on the way McMahon was developing the character.

In the early period of his career, McMahon’s style was characterised by a ‘quick, spontaneous approach that verged on the messy’. His figures were gaunt compare to Ezquerra and Bolland’s interpretations, with pen lines thrown down spontaneously and hatching completed with a fully-charged brush his work set the bleeding edge of visceral and unrestrained artwork for the environment and content expected in Judge Dredd and 2000AD itself. While John Wagner returned to his creation, McMahon continued on as the lead artist on Judge Dredd.

In 1979, taking a break from art droid duties on the Dredd, McMahon began on Pat Mill’s Ro-busters (following a freelance agent pursuing rogue or out of control robots in the future) and the more brutal and savage spin-off, ABC Warriors, alternating with Kevin O’ Neill. While working with O’ Neill, McMahon’s work became tighter and his characters began to become meatier and fuller in stature.

McMahon returned to Judge Dredd for ‘The Judge Child’ and introduced high contrast artwork for the following series ‘Block Mania’, separating more clearly black and white in his compositions. Due to complete 9 episodes, McMahon bowed out after only 2 due to the punishing nature of his newfound detailing and Mill’s introduction of extensive crowd scenes for the battle between the blocks depicted in the episodes. The work was completed by Ron Smith, Steve Dillon and Brian Bolland. Having handled 2000ADs primary character, McMahon needed a new character to draw.

As McMahon returned from a 2 year gap from 2000AD (in which he brought his distinctive style to Doctor Who Magazine), a character that had suffered initial difficulties reared its unwashed celtic head. McMahon met Slaine and applied a new style, unleashed from the sterile science fiction he introduced a more naturalistic, compositional and flared style to his work. The tones were deep and luxurious, the action visceral, uncontained and brutal where necessary and light and human when necessary. His character’s remained grotesques with elongated or extended features but upheld natural structure and anatomy at the same time. McMahon was applying abstraction and realism in equal measure to pages crowded with detail.

In 1984, McMahon disappeared from the scene only to return again after a long illness that prevented him from drawing in 1991, with the Last American, written by Wagner and Alan Grant, for Marvel’s Epic imprint. His style had evolved once again and met perfectly with the stark and deranged story of a US Soldier placed into suspended animation before a Nuclear War in order to restore order after it. Ulysses Pilgrim, the last American the title refers to spends three issues trying to find survivors, accompanied by three slightly malfunctioning robots, and struggling not to lose his grip on his own mind to despair. McMahon’s art is ‘blocky, all straight, edgy lines and enclosed areas of flat deep, vivid colour, stylised yet straight faced, perfectly straddling the low-key realism of the story and Pilgrim’s increasingly desperate mental state.’

From this McMahon has worked predominantly in games design and his distinctive comic works have become few and far between. He featured in Hellraiser, an Alien Legion One-shot, an unfinished comic strip, ‘Mutomaniac’ in the doomed 2000AD spin-off Toxic!, occasional returns to Judge Dredd and a futuristic take on Batman in Legends of the Dark Knight, all of which saw him with a more simple and flattened style. New depth returned to his work in Sonic the Comic, Tattered Banners for DC Comic’s Vertigo, a return to ABC Warriors and a short Batman Black and White back-up story.

He applied his distinctive style to the Marvel Uk/ Panini Rugrats series which was cancelled early on in its run. He returned to the Judge in Prog 1539 of 2000AD. McMahon also worked on Tank Girl (made famous by Jamie Hewlett) -Carioca, a six-part mini series with Tank Girl creator Alan Martin.

Mick McMahon’s style drags complacent onlookers out of the read-and-wander-off-the end-of-the-page mind set that is prevalent in modern comic books. His stylism and distinctly vehemently organic style, backed with a consistently evolving and altering pack of methods and techniques which he seems to apply to each and every new project that he comes across has kept his work engaging, relevant and challenging for 30 years and ticking.

He is referenced by many influential artists as an inspiration, including Mike Mignola, Jamie Hewlett and Dave Gibbons. His unremitting stylism expanding well beyond the small number of comic works he may have comparatively created. The mark of a true practitioner.

Filed under Practitioners k-o, The Practitioners Tagged with 2000AD, ABC Warriors, Alan Grant, Alan Martin, Alien Legion, Batman, Brian Bolland, Carlos Ezquerra, Dave Gibbons, DC, DC Comics, DC Thomson, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Magazine, Hellraiser, Jamie Hewlett, John Wagner, Judge Dredd, Kevin O' Neill, Kevin O'Neill, Last American, Legends of the Dark Knight, Marvel Uk, Mike McMahon, Mike Mignola, Pat Mills, Ro-busters, Rugrats, Slaine, Sonic the Comic, Steve Dillon, Tank Girl, Tattered Banners, The Last American, Toxic, Ulysses Pilgrim

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Practitioners 46: Jim Lee

Practitioners 44: Andy Lanning

Practitioners 36: Adam Kubert

Practitioners 35: Andy Kubert

Practitioners 30: Jeph Loeb (Part two)

Practitioners 30: Jeph Loeb (Part One)

Practitioners 28: Kazuo Koike

Practitioners 25: Mark Millar (Pt 2)

Practitioners 25: Mark Millar

Practitioners 18: Mike McMahon

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