Can’t resist what io9 calls Brian Azzarello’s “profoundly creepy take on Greek mythology and the Olympic pantheon's political machinations”?
Check out io9's exclusive preview of WONDER WOMAN issue #6 drawn by Tony Akins, featuring Poseidon and Hades, on sale this Wednesday.
Ongoing series artist Cliff Chiang takes over as co-writer starting with issue #8 this April. NEWSARAMA spoke with Cliff about his exciting new role.
Tony Akins is best known for his work on FABLES and JACK OF FABLES written by Bill Willingham. Now, he gives Cliff Chiang a breather as he takes over art duties for a two-part WONDER WOMAN story which begins on January 18th. I spoke to Tony about his art and getting the call to work on one of the most iconic superhero characters below.
Tony, you’re drawing Wonder Woman issues #5 and #6. This is your first time drawing a DC Comics superhero comic book. What’s it been like to be given the opportunity to draw such an iconic character?
TA: It’s really amazing. It’s also a little daunting. Amazons, in general, are heavy…and Diana is VERY HEAVY! It’s akin to what an executive officer on a navy ship-of-the-line would feel when given the bridge while the ship is still in port and has to take out to sea. In your mind you know that what you are charged with is awesome, and will be awesome and you’re in the chair because people believe in you. Still there’s that little voice in the back of your head yelling, “Don’t SUCK!”… which is one of my personal maxims, btw. If anyone can translate that to Latin, I’d appreciate it.
Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang have such a strong vision for the comic book. Was it a welcomed challenge to jump in?
TA: Is there another sort of challenge? I was in Seattle over the summer, was there to visit and to pursue a project with a publisher in the area but had extended my stay a week to avoid the miserable weather in the Midwest.
I was walking along Pike St. with my girlfriend when my phone rings…it’s Jill Thompson calling and she wants me to call Brian, which I do. He lays the possibility of my contributing to Wonder Woman in my path and tells me what he has planned to do with the title. I’m interested but I say that I have to really consider the other job I’m after as I’m intending to take the Cascadia Run down to Portland, OR to try and seal the deal with this other series, you know? So as excited as I am about the possibility of working with Brian again, ducks need to be in a row…
So I am literally standing at a crosswalk while having this conversation, waiting for a light to change so I can cross the street when I hang up with Brian. I get the green light to cross… by the time I’ve reached to opposite side of the street the phone is back in my hand and I’m dialing him back because I’ve made up my mind that I’m on board with the Wonder Woman relaunch.
Who could say no?
Cliff and Brian’s vision for the title is very striking, very deliberate, unique and independent. I believe I can compliment what Cliff is delivering to the title. The challenge for me is the genre; Superheroes. So… the challenge, for any artist worth their salt, means engaging the opportunity to grow and expand skill sets. Who would turn such a thing down?
How has your FABLES work influenced your art on Wonder Woman?
TA: It hasn’t. These are two totally different arenas of the comic craft. I don’t think I’d approach Wonder Woman the same way I’d approach Fables or Jack of Fables or Hellblazer. There are different dynamics that need to project from superhero page; the highly emphasized poses, aggressive posturing, you know…the standardized visuals that I will acknowledge but try to break and reset in my own strange way. I never said I was a conformist. Brian told me, directly, “This is a horror story…there’re monsters in this series…this is all You.” That’s all I needed to hear.
Are you a long time reader of superhero comics?
TA: I was never a reader of superhero comics. I’ve read a few here and there over the years, a select few; Watchmen was the first superhero series I had ever followed monthly, and then more recently I followed, again monthly, DC’s New Frontier over it’s run. The New Frontier was iconic and completely electrifying… I remember reading the end of The Losers in the first issue, the very last page with those last two panels where John Clouds’ grenade illuminates the silhouetted grave markers… wow…just, Wow. As I remember it now, I could feel the wave of heat and the shock of the blast. I know the cat remembered it too because I whooped and stood with the issue rolled in one hand smacking it into the other hand laughing and yelling, “This…THIS is a (freaking) comic book!” If I’m fortunate and clever enough, maybe I can bring that to the page and give the reader a similar effect. This is my hope.
Comic books for me, as a young person “under the influence”, were CREEPY and EERIE, MAD and then Heavy Metal. As an adult, comic books became my profession, so I have to spend more time making them than reading them. I hope that would not cheat me of the state of the craft. If there is a series I hear about and that I need to read, I have friends that will lend me the titles. I trust their suggestions.
Are you a fan of Greek mythology? What are your favorite stories?
TA: Orpheus and Eurydice has always been a favorite of mine. The Artemis Mythology is terrific and I am fond of the childhood of Zeus in the cave on Crete and the by-products of that story like Aegis and Cornucopia. The loss of Argos, the watchman and how he was mourned and then celebrated. Then there’s the mountains of paintings and sculpture of the Romantic Period inspired by all of this that I like to pore over…
Which of the Gods has been your favorite to draw? Why?
TA: Of course I’m going to be fondest with the Gods I create… but if there has to be a favorite among those that we’ve seen so far, it has to be “The Wax Child”, or Hades. From “go” he was a little creep. Brian’s initial direction on him was that he had to be a kid, like “Village of the Damned”…pale, mean, powerful. Horace Vernet painted a work called “The Dead Go Fast” and it’s always been a favorite of mine. His other works are dramatic enough, but with this painting… he must have gotten into some bad Absynthe because it’s brilliant. That’s where my Hades comes from. That’s the sepulchral king-child with his deadlights that I want standing in your thoughts at night…and, you’re very welcome!
Wonder Woman finds herself back in London where you introduce a new character named Lennox. Tell us about your creative process. Do you have a sketch or two you can share with us?
TA: Sure. As you know this is a collaborative process between Brian and Cliff and I. For Lennox, Brian described the manner of Lennox, his powers and how he fit into the Wonder Woman scheme in London. Brian has an idea of the look for him, a Jason Statham type, but more of a bulldog, pug-nose tough. We wanted a “superhero” but sans cape, but a look that was still iconic. Lennox got his black top coat to serve as cape, and it’s stylish. In leui of tights, he gets Bruce Lee ‘Game of Death’ trackpants; urban and definitely kick-ass. Beyond this, it’s basically me drawing versions of Lennox and Brian saying “no” until he says “yes” and then I can stop. Lennox was the toughest chase of them all, but he was bang-on when he arrived.
It’s about to get hot as Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang take us to the depths of Hell in WONDER WOMAN issue #7 this March.
Remember the myth of Orpheus? Wonder Woman does. And we hope she’s learned its lessons well as someone she loves is in Hell’s clutches and she’s about to head out on a rescue mission. But Hades has no mercy—even for family members--and doesn’t intend to let her out of his domain without paying a price.
Now to reveal the incredible cover by Cliff Chiang:
Did you happen to catch The Simpsons last night? If you did, you know that industry legend Neil Gaiman was prominently featured. COMIC BOOK RESOURCES’ SPINOFF ONLINE interviewed Gaiman about his experiences working on the episode. When asked about what it was like receiving the script, Gaiman said, “I started to read it and discovered that I was in it all the way through and I was actually having to act and that stuff happens! It was enormously fun and kind of weird and kind of wonderful.” As for awards recognition for his appearance on the show? “I think if they ever hand out Oscars for Best Person Playing Neil Gaiman, I have a shot!” Gaiman joked.
And while you’re at COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, read their interview with MISTER TERRIFIC writer Eric Wallace. “The Kryl will definitely challenge Mister Terrific on a physical level,” Wallace revealed of the series’ newest villains. “They are a very brutal warrior race, bent on ruling the Ninth Dimension. However, they are not above using psychological methods to learn pertinent details about their opponents. Which is bad for Mister Terrific, because he is definitely their most formidable opponent yet!”
Last week saw the release of WONDER WOMAN #3, which included a new and much-discussed origin story for the Amazon princess. The conversation continues with NEWSARAMA, who interviewed the creative team behind the book about what this new origin means for Diana. “The whole reason for all this stuff is story, and adding this stuff to the origin gives us a huge family of hers to play with. She has responsibilities. This is blood we're talking about now. And it gives her a supporting cast that's tied so closely with her that it provides lots of story for us. And I think that's the most important thing,” said artist Cliff Chiang. “It brings the stakes home," writer Brian Azzarello agreed. "She's got a family now, you know? She's got a dysfunctional family now ... and how she deals with that family is what we're going to be dealing with for the next year."
To be continued …
WONDER WOMAN takes center stage again this Wednesday, with the much discussed issue #3 detailing her new origin and family heritage. USA TODAY spoke with writer Brian Azzarello about the storyline and ran an exclusive preview of the issue. And POP MATTERS also had the opportunity to interview Brian, so head on over to read their feature.
Now, for those of you who can't wait for the collection, here's the scoop. Collecting issues #1-6, the WONDER WOMAN Volume 1 hardcover (144 pages / $22.99) with art by Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins will be available May 2012!
So, get ready to pick up what is destined to be one of the most anticipated collections of the year!
Ever since we launched DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, we’ve been trying to find the perfect outlet to post each exclusive preview. What better match, then, is there for BATMAN AND ROBIN than WIRED’s GEEKDAD? Head on over to their website to see an amazing 6-page sequence from issue #3, which is all about the tension between Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian.
USA TODAY previewed RESURRECTION MAN #3 and spoke with series writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. "His mortal soul is in jeopardy in a much greater way. The stakes are much higher than simply life or death," Abnett told them. “There are serious repercussions about heaven and hell and what these supernatural powers are interested in. That's really going to play out the next few issues where you've got forces both mortal and immortal fighting over him because he is so important."
LOS ANGELES TIMES’ HERO COMPLEX spoke with the acclaimed creative team behind WONDER WOMAN, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. “We’re striving for something that speaks to a certain timelessness but at the same time doesn’t get bogged down with older notions of the Greek gods,” Chiang said of the series. “We’ve done away with togas and sandals and stuff like that in order to make you look at them with new eyes. We want the characters to look and sound different, we want them to act different than you would expect … The fact that all of the Greek myths are really rooted in human behavior is great.”
IGN spoke with NIGHTWING writer Kyle Higgins about the Gotham hero. “He grew up a sidekick, studying under the best, then left to spread his proverbial ‘wings’ but ultimately came back to take his mentor's place,” Higgins said. “In a medium where change is hard to facilitate, Dick is a character that has grown and developed -- he's a character who is built on the very idea of change.” While you’re at IGN, be sure to check out their exclusive preview of SUICIDE SQUAD #3.
Curious what else is coming out this week? POPMATTERS previewed DEMON KNIGHTS #3, COMPLEX MAGAZINE previewed MISTER TERRIFIC #3 and DC Comics’ official Facebook page has your first sneak peek at this week’s GRIFTER #3.
To be continued …
You surf the web enough, you start seeing patterns.
The number 52, for instance, seems to be very popular right now. Drill down further and new trends start to emerge. Critics like ANIMAL MAN and THE FLASH. Websites likes a good holiday story, particularly a week out from Halloween. Ready?
FLASH FACT: critics really do like THE FLASH. Just check out POPMATTERS' advance 10 out 10 stars rave review of THE FLASH #2, which hits stores tomorrow. “Francis Manapul writer-artist behind the New 52 Flash and co-writer Brian Buccellato, simply streak ahead of any previous limitations in storytelling. What Manapul and Buccellato have produced with the Flash is a rich, textured drama that hinges on both the emotional core and hard scifi,” they wrote. “Manapul and Buccellato conduct readers to a wonderland of augmented cognition and rapid cell development. But the real joy is linking beyond the ideas the writers express, and finding science theories for ourselves like the neuroscience of prediction and quantum entanglement and bringing these to bear on our reading of the book … The Flash is simply comics at its finest.”
Want to hear more about THE FLASH? Head on over to NEWSARAMA, for Vaneta Rogers' interview with the creative team. "What's interesting about Barry Allen's perception among fans is that a lot of people think he's 'old-school.'"said series co-writer and artist Francis Manapul. "But in reality, the only thing old-school about him is his idealism. His optimism. Right? So he's this very black and white type of hero, and he's been thrust into this world that's gray." THE FLASH co-writer Buccellato suggests, "We went through a period where the anti-hero and tortured hero were prevalent, and it's because they were unique at the time that they captured the imagination of readers. But now, I think people see a noble hero as something special. We want somebody who will do the right things because they're the right things, and maybe we don't need to know that deep down he's tortured."
Meanwhile, with Halloween around the corner, GAWKER’s IO9 interviewed I, VAMPIRE writer Joshua Hale Fialkov to help get you in a horror state of mind. “I went back to Bram Stoker. I'm using Dracula but with a slightly more superhero twist,” Fialkov revealed when asked about what type of powers the vampires in his title possess. “They can turn into bats, wolves, and a hybrid monster (to give them that great visual punch). They have the Stoker set. They can walk in the sunlight, but they can't use their powers. To kill them, you must chop off their head and stake them in the heart. They can turn to mist. They're super-strong, but not Superman. The basic idea is that they're an upgraded version of us.”
AIN'T IT COOL NEWS interviewed DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and JUSTICE LEAGUE artist Jim Lee about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52. “Brian and Cliff have come up with ways of introducing centaurs into WONDER WOMAN that is very creepy, and it's exciting to see a realistic, modernist take on ancient Greek mythology, and used in a way to make it kind of...you know, the same way we've seen different updatings of classic mythology, like Frankenstein, vampires, werewolves, he's kind of doing that with Greek mythology, so it's exciting to see.”
Meanwhile, CBR spoke directly with the WONDER WOMAN creative team, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang. “Greek mythology is something that is unique to the character of Wonder Woman. Let's play it up. Why shouldn't it be played up?” Azzarello said. “The other thing is, now, we've given her a family -- a big, horrible family -- and the story possibilities are endless. The gods act horribly to each other, they act horribly to humans. But at the same time, they're not entirely unsympathetic, either. They are all coming from a place you understand. That's kind of the universal quality of mythology, that it's all about human nature. The other thing is, Wonder Woman's never had a Gotham City. Now, her family is going to be her Gotham City.”
While you're at COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, be sure to check out their exclusive first look at tomorrow’s TEEN TITANS #2.
Once Halloween is in the rear view mirror a week from today, we can all get ready for the winter holidays. Writer/artist Lee Bermejo helps sets the stage with an interview with NEWSARAMA about BATMAN: NOEL. “There are characters who fit in with the roles that those ghosts play in Dickens,” says Bermejo. “The ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ is a sequence with Catwoman. The ‘Ghost of Christmas Present ’ is a sequence with Superman, and the ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ is Joker. The roles these characters play at that moment in the story help serve the same purpose that the ghosts serve in A Christmas Carol.”
To be continued …
(Cliff Chiang's cover to WONDER WOMAN #5)
SPOILER ALERT: Click after the jump to find out about Diana's new origin in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.
In DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, Wonder Woman will have a new origin, in which she is the daughter of Hippolyta ... and Zeus! In recent interviews, writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang have teased that readers should expect the unexpected in this edgier, horror take on the superhero genre and the king of the gods will ensure that nothing goes as planned for his defiant daughter.
Originally created by the goddess Aphrodite and raised to perfection on the Amazon island of Themiscyra, the newest incarnation of Wonder Woman has a new costume and now a new origin but she remains Wonder Woman. Strong. Proud. Fearless. WONDER WOMAN is the 12th title in DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 to sell more than a 100K copies.
You’ve heard that retailers across the country are hosting artists from DC Comics-The New 52 and displaying process pieces from their new comic book series. Well, for those of you who can’t make it to the events we thought we’d bring a version of it right here for you to see.
To start us off, WONDER WOMAN artist Cliff Chiang takes us through the process of designing Hermes with series writer Brian Azzarello.
Along with Cliff Chiang, this week we’ll hear from the DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour participants: Rags Morales, Francis Manapul, Doug Mahnke, J.H. Williams III and Yanick Paquette. So come back daily and enjoy!
We went through a few different looks for Hermes, starting with a Western look, complete with duster and floppy hat. Brian actually wanted him naked underneath, but I thought it'd make Hermes just look like a creepy guy on the subway.
In any case, it didn't feel mythic enough, so Azz suggested bird feet. I liked the sound of that, and tried incorporating into a second design, with a Japanese motif. We were trying to find analogues for the classic Hermes metal cap, like the one worn by the FTD icon, or the Golden Age Flash. So I tried using a Japanese farmer's hat. We thought it looked cool, but it didn't feel new.
With versions 3 and 4, we looked more towards avant garde fashion, and I gave him a sort of golden bicycle helmet. With version 4, I liked how weird and tall he was looking, but Brian still had something else in mind. Like an updated doughboy, with some wispy facial hair and a weak chin. I had trouble visualizing it.
Brian sent me a few sketches, which I incorporated into Hermes' final design. He's changed even from this stage, getting taller and more alien-looking. It was important to give Hermes a really distinctive look, since he's one of the first gods we get a good look at and he's a crucial member of Wonder Woman's crew.
And here's what he looks like in his first appearance in the pages of WONDER WOMAN #1:
The first event of the DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour kicked of at Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn on Saturday spotlighting Cliff Chiang’s stunning artwork on WONDER WOMAN #1.
By all accounts the event was a huge success. Fans began lining up hours before the event was to begin and wrapped outside the store.
Inside, fans gazed at the walls covered in gorgeous art as they waited to purchase a copy of WONDER WOMAN #1.
Cliff Chiang looked dapper as he signed comic books and got to converse with fans.
The traveling process pieces—which give readers an inside look at how a comic book gets made from the script page to the pencils, to the inks, to the final colored page with text—of Wonder Woman #1 made their first appearance and were raved about all night long.
Cliff showed off his original art from entire first issue of WONDER WOMAN #1 (a few pages of which can be seen on the wall behind him in this photo).
Thanks to Cliff and the folks at Bergen Street Comics for a wonderful evening. And thanks to all the fans for coming out and celebrating with us!
Don’t miss the next DC Comics-The New 52 Art Tour event this Friday at the Toronto Cartoonists Workshop showcasing Francis Manapul’s art on FLASH #1.
