Rags Morales Interview
January 2007

Rags Morales was the artist on the smash hit mini-series, Identity Crisis.  He has worked on many of DC Characters, and he has an upcoming four issue arc Batman Confidential. 

Interview conducted by Christopher Hoerdemann

You attended the Kubert School. What can you tell us about that experience? What is the one thing you learned there that you have carried with you the rest of your career?
It was a tough school. Eight hours of homework a night. But when you're ambitious and you want to learn, you don't let the workload stop you. There are many things I picked up going there, but the one thing that always stuck with me was Joe Kubert saying, "If you try to work somewhere, and they tell you you can't; if you quit, then they were right." The other thing I picked up was to learn to drink coffee...A LOT of coffee.

Who are the artists that have influenced your style the most?
Too many to list, really. Although Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, John Buscema, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, Mort Drucker, and Michael Golden are the predominant artists responsible for this mess.

When you got the artist chores for Identity Crisis, how big of a moment was that for you? Did you realize how big that series would be?
We all knew it was going to be important, yet I never expected some of those issues to reach #1. It was thrilling, but I never fooled myself into thinking that it would last forever. I remember Mike Cotton from Wizard Magazine coming up to me in San Diego and saying, "Hey Rags, congratulations on being #1." I just curled the corners of my lips and said, "...yeah, for now." Still though, I wouldn't have traded the experience for the world.

In relation to the actual story: How would you have voted when it came to the fate of Dr. Light?
Lobotomy. No question. 

   

You are one of the artists featured in Action Comics Annual #10. What can you tell us about that? Any surprises?
Geoff Johns called me and asked if I could join in; that I was on his short list of people he had to have on this project. I was just wrapping up JSA Classified issue #20 and was looking forward to jumping on the Batman project that was in the works. So I called Mike Carlin and asked if he would green light the Action Annual and he was very nice to say, "Sure, there's time for you to do 12 pages for Action." My section is called The Criminals of Krypton and the focus is on Non. A back history.

How was working with both Richard Donner, and Geoff Johns?
Actually, I never worked with anyone but Geoff. Richard and Geoff worked collectively to get the scripts done, but once they were, Geoff was the only person I talked to. Geoff and I go way back, so working with him is very comfortable to me.

You've mentioned that you'll be doing a four issue arc somewhere in the Batman Universe. When can we expect this, and can you give us any inside info about the project?
It's going to be in Batman Confidential. The story is called Wrath Child. If you remember the Batman special that came out in...'84, I think...written by Mike Barr and drawn by Micheal Golden The Player on the Other Side, it was a story about a character named The Wrath. A composite direct, and parallel, opposite of Batman. Our story, written by Tony Bedard, is a continuation of that special...some years after the events of it. I don't know what issue number will kick if off, but it's gonna be a great story. I'm so stoked!

You worked on the Hawkman ongoing series quite a bit. Do you enjoy doing the lesser known characters like Hawkman, or are you a sucker for the big guns?
Theres more freedom in doing lesser known characters since their sales seem to fluctuate. Any help in making them special is always appreciated. The big guns are set and you have to follow the trend more closely, so there's less freedom there. However working on the big 3 as I have, is always invigorating. Less work to come up with something interesting, but more of a challenge. You're not just up against the character, but up against the history of that character; everyone who has done it before casts a shadow. Luckily though, they are characters I grew up drawing, so I have an opinion that has taken years to shape. 

   

You are not an artist that is chronically late with his work. What is your opinion on the problem with lateness that is plagueing the industry?
Lately I have been late. It's the symptom of being divorced and having to adjust to new schedules in my life, while trying to afford a personal life. All I can say is that we in this industry aren't robots. We are organic creatures that sometimes just have to do jury duty, you know? But the widespread scheduling problems seem to be due to the ambitiousness of the current storylines in the big 2 Companies. When you do cross overs and big events you have to make them cohesive, and you run into problems with continuity and making things mesh with so many talents involved. Rewrites are common place. I suppose some might think, "Why not just finish it before you hit the press.", but that is conterproductive and once people start getting paid for their efforts, the companies want to see a return in their investment. It's an old story, really.

From the beginning of your career, to now, what has been the biggest change in the comic book industry?
The internet, and the accessablity to the fanbase. The industry has had a time of it trying to keep up with the faster pace of the computer age. On one hand you can get information more quickly and send information more quickly, but on the other hand things always seem to change quickly so it's like you're on a treadmill. The other change due to computers is in the work itself. Color and lettering has had to evolve, and though I'm not yet sure how, so to will inking and pencilling, I'm sure. 

   

Similarly, what about you, or your style, has changed since the beginning of your career?
I'd like to think I've grown for the better. I'm constantly trying to improve, and I hear and understand every critique in regards to my work. It's a good thing. Some people might think they are taking potshots at me or making me upset, when all they're really doing is giving me more fuel to improve. I'm not a perfect artist, but I'm confident. Madonna once said, "The world can love you, but it's that one person who doesn't that bothers you." I guess you can't please everyone, but I'm happy with getting my share.

Do you think that you can top working on something as big as Identity Crisis?
Perhaps. I'll always give it a shot and time will tell.

Any other secrets, or projects you can let us in on?
Yeah, I'm doing this interview in my underwear.