“The Professional”: Interview to Stuart Immonen
by Antonio Solinas

 

     Hi Stuart, your work is well known in Italy. Do you want to introduce yourself to your Italian readers?

     Hello!

     When did you first get involved with comics? What are your influences?

     As it says on my website, I self-published my own work and that of some friends in 1988. By 1990, I was working for a number of smaller publishers in the U.S., including Caliber, Rip Off Press and Revolutionary Comics. I always had an eye to work for the larger companies, and by 1993, I had had work published by both Marvel and DC Comics.
To name all my influences would be an arduous and boring task. Suffice to say that I like more work than I don’t like, and try to draw from many different sources. My primary inspiration is however always the real world, and I try to incorporate some sense of naturalism in everything I do.

     A few years ago, your style was more “commercial” and influenced by people like Adam Hughes. How did you move on to your current style? Where do you see it going in, say, 5 years?

    I’m not sure what you mean. Which style? A few years ago I was drawing the Hulk and Thor for Marvel, neither one of which looked like Adam Hughes’ work. The recent Superman: Secret Identity doesn’t look like much else in comics, but I don’t think of it as being less commercial. My “style” changes frequently and according to the dictates of the job at hand. As a result, it would be difficult to predict where it may take me in the future. It’s too much fun to stop shifting and evolving. I would hate to be stuck drawing one way only.

     You have worked with both DC and Marvel. What are the differences between the two publishers? What the pros and cons of these two publishers?

     I’m not involved at a corporate level with either company to judge their business practices. I concentrate on making my relationship with the editor and the other creators’ work. It’s very personal. If I get along with my editor, and he or she is happy with my work, it doesn’t matter to me what happens in the rest of the organization. As far as I can tell, there isn’t much difference between the companies.

     You also worked with other publishers in the US. How big is the gap between smaller publishers and the big two?

     Well, for the most part that was all many years ago, so things may be very different now. There’s really no comparison with the two experiences. For the most part, I worked without pay, or for copies of my own book, or for pitifully little money at the smaller companies. However, it was invaluable experience in terms of practicing my craft and meeting deadlines and learning how to be professional. I consider my early working years to be my apprenticeship.

     What are the aspects you think are most important in graphic storytelling? How do comics differ from your illustration work?

     Everything’s important! The artist has the most challenging task, and must create in most cases, the entire look of the story-- not only the characters and settings, but the mood, the lighting and the “camera angles”, every prop and device and so on. Even when the writer provides a complete script, it’s the artist’s job to pace the story, to choose panel compositions and sizes and even the number of panels. Each element is equally important. An artist who is skilled in mood and lighting effects may be weak at clarity in storytelling, for example.
      Illustration is a much freer experience. Exaggeration and stylistic choices are much more likely to be pushed to the limit when characters don’t have to appear the same page after page. I wish I had the time to do more of that kind of work.

     You have worked on many comic book icons. Is there any character you haven’t drawn you would like to tackle?

     I tend not to think of my job in this way. I try to approach each story or each title as a professional first and as a fan second. I’ve had the pleasure of working on my childhood favorites early in my career and I’d like to pursue more original ideas in the future.

      Which are the strengths and the weak spots in your style, do you think?

     I I’m very critical of my own work, and would find it difficult to see how it might be superior in any way. In contrast, I think every page that passes through my hands would be better if only I had more time, or more talent...

     We know you have been working for the French market. Do you want to tell us something about this new experience?

     It’s much the same as working for North American companies. I’m provided with a script, and I submit the pages for approval to the editor. The pacing of the job is different, but that’s all, really.

     You have being working with an Italian writer. How difficult is it to work with people that speak a language that is different from yours?

     Often I don’t have the opportunity to meet or even speak with the writers I work with, even if we speak the same language. In the case of Michelangelo La Neve, the script has been translated into English, so it’s almost identical to the job experience I have when working for Marvel or DC. In other words, not difficult at all.

     Let’s talk a bit about the technical aspects. You normally do only the pencils, and sometimes pencils and inks. What is the reason for this choice?

     Normally, I don’t provide pencils and inks, but rather only pencils. This is the normal way in North American comics, which allows the work to be completed more quickly for the monthly schedule. I chose to pencil, ink and color Superman: Secret Identity in order to maintain control over the entire look of the series, and was permitted to have a longer deadline, which allowed for the extra work. If possible, I would like to try this method again in the future, as it was artistically satisfying. But it was also extremely tiring, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with other talented creators in the “traditional” way again.

     Do you still read comics? Which creators or characters do you follow regularly?

     Not too much, these days. If I see something that catches my eye, I’ll buy it, but I don’t really follow any series currently.

     What are your current projects?

     Ultimate X-Men with writer Brian K. Vaughan and inker Wade Von Grawbadger for Marvel Comics, and Sebastian X, with writer Michelangelo La Neve for Les Humanoïdes Associès.

     Do you know anything about the Italian comics scene?

     Sadly not very much. I know classic material such as that of Guido Crepax, and Mario Uggeri and the works of Mattotti, of course. I like Senza Titolo. I also very much like Barbucci & Canepa’s Skydoll, but I am not too familiar with many other current Italian creators. .

     Let's finish off with the trademark Comics Code question, the question we always ask: name three comics that a fan should absolutely read...

     This is very difficult! To reduce a collection to only three essential titles...

Jaime Hernandez’ Locas as representative of the burst of creativity in the independent press in the 1980’s.

Carl Barks’ Uncle Scrooge #15, which has one of the very many perfect Scrooge stories, The Second-Richest Duck.

and Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, even though it weakens considerably by the end, for its sheer size and brilliance.