MEG 285 - True Brit.

[Proudhuff]

hats off to you Mr Lee for explaining that, shows how easy it is for thing to be misunderstood

[radiator]

I tend to avoid reading the artist interviews these days - they're a cool idea in theory, but too often they're so downbeat, and completely put me off ever wanting to be a comic artist. Why can't they focus on the positive aspects rather then suggesting all comic artists live in a state of poverty, depression and self-doubt?

At this point I think I'd rather see behind-the-scenes style articles looking at the techniques and sketches/designs etc of artists like D'israeli, Henry Flint etc. Or how about 'The Making Of' style articles for current series - for example how about a piece about Cradlegrave talking to the writer and artist about influences, working practices etc - would make a nice companion piece that could then be bundled with the graphic novel.

[Pete Wells]

And completely put me off ever wanting to be a comic artist

Don't let 'em do thar Radiator, I love your work and really hope to see you in my prog one day!

Behind-the-scenes style articles looking at the techniques and sketches/designs etc of artists like D'israeli, Henry Flint etc. Or how about 'The Making Of' style articles for current series - for example how about a piece about Cradlegrave

Ooooh yeah, I'd love to see that too, especially a Langley one...

[Mort Janus]

Finally got around to reading the published version of the interview with me in the latest Meg (thanks Matt). Christ, I can be a whinny bitch sometimes.

Somebody said that reading stuff like this was enough to put them off becoming a comics artist. I really hope that that isn't the case. The thing to realise is that any interview is one writer's interpretation of fragments of a single conversation between two virtual strangers. Unless you are some kind of manipulative, practiced self-publicist who can trot out platitudes at will (Stan Lee), chances are that you will be in a certain frame of mind and attempt to answer the questions as honestly as you can given your mood and feelings at the time. This is just how human beings work. Well, it's how I work. I agree that this sort of interview rarely lives up to expectations. The fact of the matter is that the least eventful part of any cartoonists life, is the part where he/she sits at the drawing board for hour upon hour. Unfortunately, that's the bit that people want to ask about. Personally, I find creator interviews irrelevant. Who gives a flying fuck about Neal Adam's lunatic Earth-formation theories? Who cares what pen tip Mike Mignola uses? Buy a crate load, you still won't draw like him; and if you do, what have you achieved?

It's probably a recurring theme to hear creators state that they feel they are struggling to improve. And, obviously, the repetition makes for tedious reading. But, in my own experience, artists who do think that they are good, usually have very little of lasting value to offer.

Just to clarify. I didn't say anything bad about the use of the word 'cartoony'. I always describe myself to people I meet as a cartoonist and spend a section of this interview defending my more cartoony work as the work that gave me the most enjoyment and attacking those in comics who look down on work of that type.

Also realised (too late to tell Mike), Miranda is a moon of Uranus, not Saturn. By the way, Mike, if you read this, it was a pleasure talking to you.

All the best.

Richard Elson

[Dark Jimbo]

I can only assume you haven't been around that many artists, Radiator! You'll never find any worse self-doubters.

It was interesting that at Uni, the only artists on the course who weren't constantly second-guessing themselves and doing their art down were the ones who weren't particularly good at it! Like Richard says, in my expierience if an artist is constantly and consistently happy with their stuff, it usually follows that they're no great shakes.

[Robin Low]

Who gives a flying fuck about Neal Adam's lunatic Earth-formation theories?

Well, you've piqued my curiosity now that you mention it. What's all that about?

Regards

Robin

[TordelBack]

Please, no!  Not here too!  I had to listen to a highly intelligent architect colleague hold forth on this appalling tripe for an entire evening just last week.  Having a degree in geography and having taught a course on plate-tectonics at third level (hey look, it's not often I get to sound qualified for something!) I felt I was reasonably well equipped with the contrary evidence (scratch that: just evidence), but no.  Apparently the You-Tube video is so convincing (it is pretty cool, BTW: http://www.youtube.com/user/nealadamsdotcom) that mere science (hack-spit) cannot stand against its seductive graphics.

[Robin Low]

Please, no!  Not here too!  I had to listen to a highly intelligent architect colleague hold forth on this appalling tripe for an entire evening just last week.  Having a degree in geography and having taught a course on plate-tectonics at third level (hey look, it's not often I get to sound qualified for something!) I felt I was reasonably well equipped with the contrary evidence (scratch that: just evidence), but no.  Apparently the You-Tube video is so convincing (it is pretty cool, BTW: http://www.youtube.com/user/nealadamsdotcom) that mere science (hack-spit) cannot stand against its seductive graphics.

What a remarkbly odd man. You'd have thought he'd have better things to do at his time of life.

Regards

Robin

[M.I.K.]

The man's deluded. Everyone knows it was all down to D.R. and Quinch.

[House of Usher]

I think I can afford to start buying The Megazine again.  

[Proudhuff]

What a remarkbly odd man. You'd have thought he'd have better things to do at his time of life.

Regards

Robin

Thats not a nice thing to say about Tort and he's not that old either