August 30th, 2005
Dippin' into the Mailbag

   Drew,

   During the early '90's when a lot of pencillers and inkers were encouraged to change their style to match the then-prominent Image Comics style, were you ever told to ink like an Image inker?

   Jerry

   Thankfully, no. Early in my career, I managed to associate myself with pencillers who took the opposite tack, the hard graphic style of Gaijin Studios. First with Dave Johnson, then Jason Armstrong, who was also used hard black contrast. There was crosshatching involved, but not the heavily-scratchy and scribbly style. Rather, the hatching I would use was the orderly, design-y type which called for razor-sharp triangular shapes. When I started inking Dusty Abell for a few years, he was then transitioning his art to a Mike Mignola style that he wanted sharply inked ala Gaijin Studios. In this manner, I avoided any editorial edicts. None of my editors told me how to ink, thankfully, although I would've complied. As a professional, my edict is: "The customer is always right". By the late '90's the third-generation-Image clones had worn out their welcome and tastes had begun to change towards more graphic (Scott McDaniel) or ultra-realistic (John Cassiday, Bryan Hitch, etc.). Also, more playful styles have become acceptable within mainstream comics, with the Anime influence.

   Drew,

   You did that [Judge] Dredd head [on your home page]. How were you introduced to British Comics?

   Mike

   Of all places, Bob Greenberger's Comics Scene magazine in the early 1980's. It covered a cornucopia of comics: Mainstream, underground, new and old. The magazine's layout was quite appealing and they managed to cover a wide range of subjects I'd never given much thought to, such as Carl Barks' Duck comics for Disney. Until I had read the article on Barks, I, in my youthful ignorance, thought that sort of comics was 'easy'. I'd later learn how wrong I was. Humor comics call for a lot more nuance and care than your average superhero comic, where you can pad a story with a fight scene, endless subplots or a angst-ridden sililoquy.

   One issue shone a spotlight on a new character I'd never heard of, but immediately became enamored with: Judge Dredd. Dredd had been around for a few years, but only in the UK. Dredd doesn't get the acknowledgement he deserves as a trail-blazer for other character who followed in his wake. Even Wolverine, who preceded him by two or three years, was just another stereotypical token 'hot-head' team member at the time.

   Second of all, Dredd's uniform was an immediate eye-catcher, bold, asymetrical with heavy padding, chains, leather and a giant gold eagle on one shoulder. Without knowing anything, one glance told you that he was a law-enforcer you didn't want to even litter around. This costume (actually standard issue uniform for all Judges) really broke the mold for comic book character designs. Over the years, elements of the Judges' uniform still get pinched for new character designs.

   Dredd is a no-nonsense cop, bordering on fascist, in a nasty post-apocalyptic future. Okay, he is a fascist, but when you encounter the mutants and truly nasty citizens of Mega-City you see why. Another trailblazing aspect to his strip was the dark humor that would pop up when you least expect it. Dark humor, as well as post-apocalyptic futures are the bread and butter of the comics industry nowadays, but in the late '70's, it was fresh. Heck, by the time I discovered Dredd via Comics Scene, in 1982, it was fresh!

   At my favorite comic store I saw a few back issues of 2000 AD, the anthology magazine that carried Judge Dredd and other strips like Dan Dare and Harlem Heroes. (Anybody remember the song Elton John wrote about Dan Dare from Rock of The Westies?) I remember finding 2000AD printed on a fragile, unsatisfying format, similar to the early Rolling Stone Magazine, oversized with the cover stock being the same cheap newsprint as the interior. For the collector in me, this was a less-than-ideal. Also, I just wanted Judge Dredd, not these other strips (like most Americans, I wasn't raised with anthology comics being the norm). The store only had a few non-consecutive issues, as international comics distribution was spotty at best back then.

   Luckily, in 1983, (as promised in the Comics Scene article) Eagle Comics published a Judge Dredd monthly comic in my familiar long-box fitting American format. Plus, a new Brian Bolland cover every issue! Even when the monthly quickly ran out of Bolland Material, the covers were so exquisite, they kept me buying. I would be disappointed in Mike MacMahon and Carlos Esquerra, simply for the crime of not being Bolland, but I warmed up to their styles quickly, as John Wagner, writer conspired with these artists and others to create some of the wildest situations that were zany, but never stupid, populated with weirdos and funny characters that played well against the perpetually-stoic Dredd.. These comics had a quirky rhythm, possibly by accident, since they reprinted several short chapters from the 2000 AD comics. Later, American writers like Mike Baron would create a new form of comics book story pacing that would attract readers tired of the 'illusion of change' from their regular superhero diet.

   Eagle Comics also published Sam Slade, Robofighter with the kinetic art of Ian Gibson, who I've always enjoyed since. Nobody draws womens' pouty lips like Gibson!

   British comics were attracting newer American fans in such titles as 2000 AD and Warrior. There was a different perspective presented in their stories, post-modern and ironic. So in the later '80's DC began importing British talent after striking gold with Alan Moore on Swamp Thing. And comics writing forever changed. Again.

   As for Dredd, It's a damn shame the beautifully-designed Judge Dredd movie had starred the by-then washed-up Sly Stallone. At that point in his career, Stallone was Box Office Poison, a larger-than-life caracature that moviegoes had enough of. The costumes were a fanboy's dream, the story was fairly true to the comic, but an unknown actor should've been hired, based solely on his scowling ability. Dredd's helmet should've never been taken off halfway through, despite reviews that complained that the helmet was on too much!. The movie satisfied neither movie or comic fans. I haven't seen the movie since it's theatrical release ten years ago. Maybe it's time to give it another shot, as time may be more forgiving. Maybe the Sci Fi Channel could revive the franchise as they did Battlestar Galactica.
 
To be continued...
 
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