Jamal Igle Interview
January 2007
 
Jamal Igle is most well known for his work on the newest incarnation of Firestorm. He has just begun his run on Nightwing with issue #129.
Interview conducted by Christopher Hoerdemann
When were you contacted about doing some work on 52? How much lead time were you given?
I was finishing my commitment to Firestorm when I was asked to draw an issue. Originally I was supposed to do four issues but I was tapped to pencil Nightwing instead. I finished Firestorm # 32 and had about 2 days off before I started 52 # 36.
In issue 36, you draw Lobo's return to being.... well, Lobo. Was that cool for You? Are you a fan of Lobo?
Drawing Lobo was a cool experience for me, almost cathartic in a way. My best friend is former Lobo penciller, Steve Ellis, so I think his version of Lobo influenced mine. I'd never drawn the character myself before this issue but he's a great character to draw.
You also drew the two page backup origin story for Firestorm. Is it a good feeling to know that you've obviously put your mark on that character, and that DC would pick you to do his "definitive" origin?
It's definitely a great feeling for me. Since this was the first time I was able to really design a character and have that design stick. I feel like Jason Rusch is my boy, even though I wasn't there for his creation.
In most issues of 52, there is a continuity when it comes to how the characters look from issue to issue. Did you make an effort to make sure that the characters had continuity, when it came to how they looked? Or are the characters unique enough that there's only one way to really draw them?
With a job like 52 you don't want to screw around with what's already been done. However as with every penciller it usually comes down to the how you interpret certain designs. Like with Animal Man, I like to base his look on Cary Elwes, with Renee Montoya I used Jennifer Lopez as my model.
Are you doing anymore work on 52?
No they're pretty much done at this point, and I'm committed to Nightwing. You're the new penciller on Nightwing. Was that a job you pushed for? It was something that I've wanted to draw for a long time, however it wasn't a job I lobbied for. I didn't even know I was in the running for it because originally I was supposed to do a four-issue stint on 52. It just came out of the blue and I accepted the job on the spot.
Prior to your job as penciller for Firestorm, you never really had a long run on a title. Now that you have done Firestorm, and next you are doing Nightwing, it seems that you enjoy maybe doing longer runs. Is this true?
It doesn't suck. I'm good either way but I think that when you do a long run on a series you get to know the characters more, especially when coming on to a long running series. It takes time to adjust to a book, to change your approach depending on the mood of the story and the tone. Your designs tend to solidify more over an extended run.
A topic of debate on the Internet is why DC wouldn't let Firestorm continue. Now that the series is officially canceled, do you think if there were good sales on the TPB that DC might consider a new volume?
It might. If there is a real ground swell push in sales on the first trade and DC could see the value in restarting Firestorm again. You never know with this business. Your style has evolved quite a bit throughout your career.
Do you change your style depending on the project, or do you change it because you just want to try something new?
I don't try to change how I draw anymore, but I will change the mood of what I'm drawing. With Firestorm , while some of the stories were very serious and very dark tonally, I tried to keep the artwork bright because of all of the affects that we used. With Nightwing, I'm playing with a lot more dark images, more shadows, a lot of Night scenes. I did try to do a bit of a stylistic shift when I was younger, but the way I draw now is more of an evolution than anything else. When you work as much as I do, you don't really have the time to develop a new style. My style is dictated by deadlines.
Another art question: who are your influences?
It's a long list but the ones I keep coming back to are Dave Stevens, Steve Rude, Brian Bolland, Norman Rockwell, Louise Gordon, Mike Wieringo, Adam Hughes, Jose Luis Garcia- Lopez, Jerry Ordway, Katsuhiro Otomo, Alan Davis, Carlos Pacheco and Moebius
What character are you dying to get your hands on?
I still haven't done my Superman run yet
Do you have any top-secret work you can dish on?
Nothing really in comics but I have some side writing and acting projects I'm doing.
What's the best comic for your money on the market today?
Ex-Machina by Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris and Action Comics by Johns, Donner, and kubert
Okay, here's your chance to plug any projects you wish to talk about.........
I'm co-creating and starring in a radio show pod cast called “The Mighty, mighty adventures of Earl-Wayne and ChuckChuk” which we'll be debuting at the New York Comic-con. We'll have EW&CC T-shirts for sale, you can check out the design at www.EarlwayneandChuckchuk.com. I'll also have my first sketchbook, CRASH TEST, Available for sale at the show as well. You can get all the latest news at my website www.JamalIgle.com. |
