Broken Frontier

As part of our Year Ender feature, Broken Frontier has asked a lot of creators about how they look back on 2004 and what's in store for each of them in 2005.
Today, we conclude our five-part creator feature with Sal Abbinati, Warren Ellis, Ron Garney, Sean Wang and Tom Raney.

 

SAL ABBINATI

BF: Creatively, what were some of your highlights in 2004?

SA: The Batman/ Neal Adams hardcovers really blew me away. Artistically and creatively those 2 volumes are like the bible; much can be learned from them if you're an artist.
I also rediscovered the run Jack Kirby did on "the Demon" in the 70's – breathtaking stuff.

BF: Which mainstream book of the past year did you enjoy reading the most and which was the best small press book in your opinion?

SA: As far as mainstream goes, I have to buy anything John Romita Jr. puts out. He just continues to get better.
As an indie book, my choice would be Eric Powell on The Goon. Eric really is a fantastic artist who is capable of amazing covers and renderings. The Goon is always a must-read for me.

BF: Which fellow creator's work are you dying to read in 2005?

SA: Anything by Alan Moore.

BF: Are you satisfied with the way the industry evolved over the course of the year? Are there any trends in particular you noticed that are going to be relevant in 2005?

SA: The San Diego Comic-Con turning into the megalith that it has become is very encouraging, because it shows that the comic business is not dead. We still have a pulse and are getting stronger. Also, the amount of small press that continues to emerge is incredible. That trend is really inspiring.
Seeing more comics in book and record stores is another great trend. Comics are like pornography if you can only buy them at select stores. We need them available in more outlets.
On the non-comics front, I think that Howard Stern going over to satellite radio is huge; it’s a big step for free speech in America.

BF: What is up your plate in 2005?

SA: Getting good work out there and continue to evolve as an artist. Atomika is my new child!

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WARREN ELLIS

BF: Creatively, what were some of your highlights in 2004?

WE: Personally, you mean?  Jesus, I don't know... this year's just been a blur for me. I haven't even seen copies of some of the things I enjoyed writing most, like FRANK IRONWINE.
You know what was both very weird and great fun, though? Seeing the pilot for GLOBAL FREQUENCY being shot. One of the actors, Brian Jensen, came up to me during the shooting of one of the big set pieces - a hundred performers on the set, crew everywhere, lights and cranes and fireworks - and said, "You know, this is all your fault."  All those people were caused to be there because of something I wrote in the pub one day.
You can't think about that too much, because you turn into a big egomaniac and then all the people at the network get replaced and they reject the pilot.
But a lot of people will tell you it's too late for the egomaniac thing anyway.

BF: Which mainstream book of the past year did you enjoy reading the most and which was the best small press book in your opinion?

WE: I'm old.  My definition of a small press book is something photocopied and hand-stapled or something thrown on cheap webspace. I don't think I've seen any of the former this year. Webcomics have been better - they're where I found the work of the excellent Derek Kirk Kim, for instance. A SOFTER WORLD, though, would probably be my pick for this year, which you can find at http://www.asofterworld.com.
But if by "small press" you meant "indie", I'm going to cheat and cite the illustrated narrative RENT GIRL by Michelle Tea and Laurenn McCubbin.

And, if mainstream stands for major publishers, then I'm hard pressed to think of anything that really stood out to me this year.  I'll probably think of five the minute after we’ve completed this interview, but it's seemed to me to be a very slow year in commercial comics publishing.

BF: Which fellow creator's work are you dying to read in 2005?

WE: I want to see Matt Fraction and Steven Sanders' FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE very badly.  I think Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon are moving on CITY LIGHTS now, which I've wanted to read since they told me about it, what, three or four years ago?  Patrick Farley and Justine Shaw are collaborating on something, which should be a sight to see, and I'm hoping Patrick does another DELTA THRIVES next year.  There's a lot.  I have a feeling there's ging to be a lot of big stuff in 2005.  I hope so.

BF: Are you satisfied with the way the industry evolved over the course of the year? Are there any trends in particular you noticed that are going to be relevant in 2005?

WE: I've personally found this year to be extraordinarily dull. But I do feel that, like '99, there's a critical mass of potential gathering.  There's a real sense of discomfort out there right now - at least in my probably flawed and distinctly undercaffeinated perception - that things have really gotten very bland and cosy, and that there's really very little to get genuinely and unconditionally excited about.

Of course, I'm generally talking about Western, Direct Market comics.  The manga boom seems to be still going boom quite nicely, and has pointed out horrific flaws in the way the Direct Market does business.  For me personally, the only reason I reserve wild excitement at the phenomenon is that, new to the audience as much of it is, it's all still reprint work.  It's easy to construct a winning line when you have an output as massive as the Japanese medium's to cherry-pick the best bits from. 

Instead of mooning over those missed dollars - or, worse, writing manga off as a fad or “That Weird Stuff Girls Like” - I'd like to see the Direct Market wake up to the fact that they are still the major market for original work in English, and in many cases, the only market.  And while it's also easy for stores to write off indie material as "not mainstream enough", it also had to be said that the diversity of subjects and material published in the indie sphere is precisely those that constitute the mainstream in the rest of the narrative arts.

If it were a comic, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES would probably have to be published by Oni Press...!

BF: What is up your plate in 2005?

WE: We'll inch along with PLANETARY a bit more, which is looking to me like 26 issues now. JH Williams has broken ground on our new series at Wildstorm, DESOLATION JONES, and Gary Erskine seems to have finally gotten moving on the first four issues of my next DC series, JACK CROSS. I've signed a contract to write a manga (heh).  Ben Templesmith and I are currently devising a series that we hope Image will take - I've been working with Image on the format, which, if they take the book, should retail for $1.99 American.  And I have a couple more jobs for Marvel.
My novel will be out in 2005, there may be another TV thing in the pipeline, and I'm probably going to be doing some writing and speaking about technology issues at some point - communications media, locative content and other things you really don't care about.

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RON GARNEY

BF: Creatively, what were some of your highlights in 2004?

RG: Hmm – I’d have to say moving over to DC and getting to draw the JLA. Also, inking my own work on "Pain of the Gods" was a lot of fun. Trying different techniques and such is very rewarding; it can open up your mind. A lot of people don’t realize how stagnant you can become if you don’t. Trying to say “do what you did on Captain America” is an exercise in futility and that kind of thinking can stunt growth whether people like what you do currently or not.

BF: Which mainstream book of the past year did you enjoy reading the most and which was the best small press book in your opinion?

RG: I read Azzarello’s Superman and enjoyed that, but aside from that, I haven’t read or had much time to read a lot this year.

BF: Which fellow creator’s work are you dying to read in 2005?

RG: Scott Kolins, I like John Cassaday’s work and I think Jim Lee is doing the best work he’s ever done. I’d like also to see more by Lee Weeks. That doesn’t answer it all though, there’s just so many guys.

BF: Are you satisfied with the way the industry evolved over the course of the year? Are there any trends in particular you noticed that are going to be relevant in 2005?

RG: I noticed the trend has shifted to realism. In the nineties it was very manga influenced and very cartoony. I think the pendulum has swung the other way. Writing styles have evolved as well. The old traditional approach to storytelling has changed immensely, I think in part it reflects the post-9/11 state of mind.

BF: What is up your plate in 2005?
RG: More JLA for now and then a few surprises I think!

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SEAN WANG

BF: Creatively, what were some of your highlights in 2004?

SW: I actually managed to have two new issues of Runners come out in 2004 (and got the bulk of a third issue done by year's end). The previous two years, I only had one new issue for convention season, so I really pushed myself pretty hard to get two done this past year since I really want to start getting the book out more often. As gruelling as the pace was, I did manage to get the issues done, which was very exciting for me.

BF: Which mainstream book of the past year did you enjoy reading the most and which was the best small press book in your opinion?

SW: Off the top of my head, I'd have to say I've really been enjoying Ultra by the Luna Brothers. I like that it skewers the world of heroes without going the easy route of simple spoof or farce. It's probably the most realistic depiction of what heroes actually would be like in real life as far as marketing, endorsement deals, problems with the paparazzi, etc.
I've also really enjoyed She-Hulk, which does a nice "The Practice" spin on the Marvel Universe. Unfortunately, what initially caught my eye with that book was Bobillo's artwork, which I absolutely loved. It fit the style of the book perfectly and although Pelletier's work is also quite good, Bobillo's style fit the tone of the title much better, in my opinion.

BF: Which fellow creator's work are you dying to read in 2005?

SW: I actually can't think of anyone in particular right now. There are plenty of artists I like to follow and a number of titles I pick up regularly, but nothing stands out right now in my mind. The Goon is always fun since I love Eric Powell's artwork. I'm a nut for zombies, so I've been enjoying The Walking Dead (although like She-Hulk, I wish they had found a way to stick with the original series artist).

BF: Are you satisfied with the way the industry evolved over the course of the year? Are there any trends in particular you noticed that are going to be relevant in 2005?

SW: Sadly, I work a bit with my head in the ground, so I'm not all that aware of industry trends. I think as long as die-cut, hologram, gatefold, variant covers don't make a comeback, I'll be happy.

BF: What is up your plate in 2005?

SW: More Runners! Issue #5 will be out in February and then I'll be working on the next story arc. I also have a couple other Runners-related comic projects in the works, which I will announce once I get those plans solidified a bit more. 2005 should be a fun year!

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TOM RANEY

BF: Creatively, what were some of your highlights in 2004?

TR: The end of my run on OUTSIDERS is something that I consider a personal creative highlight of the past year.  Printing the pages straight from pencil really gave me an opportunity to try some new techniques.  Gina colored directly over the pencils and that gave the book a distinctly personal look.

BF: Which mainstream book of the past year did you enjoy reading the  most and which was the best small press book in your opinion?

TR: I loved both Fantastic Four books - the regular Marvel Universe and the Ultimate version. It's always been a favorite title of mine and both are getting top-notch treatment!
As for small press, it has got to be The Walking Dead! I love this book and so does my wife!  It's one of the few that we both agree on, so it's cool that we kind of share it.

BF: Which fellow creator's work are you dying to read in 2005?

TR: Mike Mignola!

BF: Are you satisfied with the way the industry evolved over the course of the year? Are there any trends in particular you noticed that are going to be relevant in 2005?

TR: I really like the fact that Marvel's making strides toward getting kids back into reading comics. There were some good moves in that direction and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next!

BF: What is up your plate in 2005?

TR: To start, I'm working on Uncanny X-Men 460-461 with Chris Claremont. It's a very cool self-contained story and I'm having a blast pencilling it!  It's too soon to mention what's coming up after that, but it's going to be fun!

- Frederik Hautain