Thursday, November 4, 2010

Interview with JG Jones

This is an interview I did a couple of months back with one of my favorite artist JG Jones, and this is what he had to say!

1 You're best know for your work at DC, do you feel more of an affinity with their characters or would you be as happy drawing at Marvel?

I grew up a Marvel kid, and hardly ever read DC Comics until I was a teenager and discovered The Kirby Fourth World stuff.  I was an instant fan of that world and characters: Kamandi, The New Gods, and, especially, Mister Miracle.
I loved working at Marvel, but I have been very happy with DC for many years now.  I've explored the DC Universe more thoroughly in the past ten years (52 was a big help), and they have an amazing group of characters, not to mention some terrific writers delivering the goods.

2 Your art is incredibly detailed. Do you find it a challenge to do entire body's of work like Wanted or Marvel Boy?

Yes, this is why I do mini series rather than ongoing books.  I like something with a beginning, middle, and end, so I can see the finish line and pace myself appropriately.
Final Crisis was difficult to finish for a number of reasons, many of which I've not discussed before and many of which I'll not get into. There were a few internal issues that presented problems, but there were also problems in my private life that cropped up unexpectedly. It also turns out that I had an undiagnosed chronic condition that left me constantly fatigued and fuzzy headed. I simply didn't have the energy to finish FC.
I have spent the past year and a half getting my health issues sorted out, and I'm on my way back now.

3 Over the years you have built up your name as a top artist. Ever feel the urge to write your own scripts?

Funny you should ask.  The first pages I ever showed Jim Shooter, the ones that got me my first job in comics, were from a book I wrote with a friend.
I've always written stories and ideas down over the years, just waiting for the right opportunity, but then I'd get so busy with whatever project I was working on, I never found the time.
Well, all that has changed recently.  I've decided to stop sitting on the writing sidelines, and jumped in whole hog, as they say down home in Louisiana. 
I have been writing a graphic novel with Phil Bram, a buddy of mine, and we just got the green light from the publisher to begin the artwork.  It's a major chunk of work, so will probably take me about a year to draw (since I need to keep my cover gigs to pay the bills).
On top of that, the publisher liked my writing effort on the graphic novel, and asked me to do some writing for an ongoing monthly series.  It's for a character that I love, and I've been having a ball with that, as well.
I'm not going to announce what these projects are just yet.  I'll wait until I get the go ahead from the publisher to tout my new writing efforts.  Stay tuned.

4 You're on record as saying Grant Morrison is your favorite writer to work with, can we expect similar plots from your own creative mind?

Hahaha!  Please, I'd be an idiot to try and do anything of the sort that Grant handles with such aplomb.  I still have the training wheels on, at this point, and I'm trying to stay within myself and just write good, tight scripts, at this point.
My one credo is “write something you would want to draw.”  Keep it fun.  Keep it interesting.  I'm sot ready to tackle Morrison territory.

5 With the success of Wanted, are you writing your projects with film adaptations in mind?

You know what?  I think too many comics creators are writing with the idea of cashing in on the Hollywood money train.  They are now giving out film deals based on a three page pitch.  It's ridiculous.
Would I like to create something I felt was worthy of being filmed?  Of course I would.  Am I writing with an expectation of a film deal? Please, I'm not sure there's any film money left, now that Mark Millar has gobbled it all up.  I hear he's using his newfound wealth to build his very own Heli-carrier. 
Right now, I'm just trying to do work that I find interesting, and I hope that comics readers will enjoy.

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