French Connections: Pat Mills Interview
by Antonio Solinas

 

     Do you want to introduce yourself to the Italian audience?

     Some Italian readers will be familiar with my work via Marshal Law and Slaine. I'm not sure there's much else to be said. I see each story I write as a journey and that's what interests me as a writer.

     You are a veteran of the British comics movement. How does the situation in British comics differ from when you started your career? There were a lot of good comics magazines, then...

     There were a few. There were many more that claimed to be good that weren't. The situation now is the fan boy has won. Normal readers are now in the minority. This is a situation I greatly regret. All my working life I have fought against the excesses of fandom. For example, when I started 2000AD, I greatly admired Metal Hurlant (2000AD was partly inspired by it) but greatly disliked Metal Hurlant Fans who would pester up and criticise us and get in our hair. To the extent I used to have a sign over the 2000AD door saying "Piss Off Metal Hurlant Fans".
When I created a number of comics, Battle, Action and 2000AD, we kept the fan boys at bay. We even had a rule not to employ any fans, which I think was very sensible. As a result our comics flourished because they were catering for normal people. Now fan boys are everywhere, like a virus and the industry has sufferered enormously as a result.
It's hard to define the difference between a fan boy, whose influence doesn't help the industry; and a fan - whom the industry needs. But everybody reading this will know exactly what I mean and the difference between the two.

     You are working a lot for the French Market. How does working for France compare to working for the UK market?

     France is infinitely superior. It was always my dream to work for France, whereas most of my peers always wanted to work for America. I tried for years to break in, before finally succeeding. I think we all got what we wanted.

     You are famous for stories that are as violent as they are full of irony and sarcasm. How do you manage to mix such different feelings?

    It is probably hard for you to believe, but the violence isn't my particular desire. It's partly responding to the market and to the artist. But also, I see myself as primarily a satirist, so everything is run through that filter. As part of satire is to attack things the satirist dislikes, it's nice to make this process a physical one.

     Your most famous creation, at least in Italy, is Marshall Law. How did the character come about? Do you want to talk about it?

     I'm not fond of super heroes as currently rendered in American comics, and American imperialism, so Law, who is a super hero hunter, suits me well.
If my stories and comments sound a bit anti-American, please bear in mind I have people I am very close to whom I love dearly whose lives have been threatened by American (and British) imperialism (in Serbia and in Iran and elsewhere).

     There is such a big amount of anger and disillusionment in Marshall Law that makes the comic unique even today. What were the reason of such a destructive attitude (punk, almost)? Were you angry when you were writing Marshall Law? If so, are you still angry?

     Marshall Law is a vehicle for things I feel strongly about. For example... There are two Law text novellas coming out this year. One is based on the 1960s Christine Keeler scandal, with characters turned into super heroes. This was a shocking example of how our government covers up the truth. That makes me sad as well as angry. My own personal experience of life has meant I've witnessed this corruption at first hand and been on the receiving end of some of it in my youth. So it's a catharsis. The other novella is partly based on a visit I made to Sarajevo three or four years ago. I loved the people and it made me sad what had happened to them - not least the unfair press the Serbs have got. So I used that to inspire my other story. You'll see this for instance where the Sarajevo roses are referred to as Zone roses. (In Sarajevo, where someone was killed, they painted the pavement red. I found that heart-breaking). I wish I could have written more directly about this wonderful city and its people - alas, it wasn't possible.

     You made clear that when you started your career, you came from outside comics, and some of the people in charge in the field were really narrow-minded (I think you were talking about some UK editors, but I am not sure). Do you feel the situation has changed?

     For a while, the wheel turned full circle and the narrow minded old fogeys of yesteryear became narrow minded young fogeys of today. For example - in my youth , writers and artists were forbidden to associate. And scripts were altered in a crude and ugly way. A few years ago, exactly the same thing happened, albeit in a more furtive way. But, thank Goddess, those days are behind us... the current editors of 2000AD and the Megazine are extremely good.
But there's still no understanding of the European market and how work should be syndicated and albumised. That's so sad and a comment on British provincialism. We haven't learnt that much over thirty years.

     Do you want to talk about your work for the French market?

     I write Requiem Vampire Knight - a hero who has been sent to Hell. It's lead to a spin off - Claudia Vampire Knight. Previously, I wrote Sha for Edition Soleil. Artist and co-creator: Olivier Ledroit.

     How is working with artists whose first language is not English?

     I'm lucky to have a first rate translator/publisher and we all meet up regularly. There's a strong social life element in working for France.

     What are your current projects?

     I've just finished writing a text novel on ABC Warriors for Black Flame. I am also writing Requiem, Claudia. I have another story for France in the working. And 2000AD characters.

     So far, you have worked for the US, British, German and French market. Would you be interested in working for other publishers, like Italian or Japanese?

     Absolutely. Currently I'm talking to a Polish publisher about various projects. And I'm working with an Italian artist for France - Cinzia di Felice. I see myself as a European, it's time we stopped being America's aircraft carrier, and any European publisher always has priority for me over any other country.

     Do you still read comics? Which authors (or characters) do you follow regularly?

     I will read Bilal when I get a chance. Any political or third world comic would interest me. And I love Gibrat - a French artist who depicts ordinary people in the French Resistance. It's superb.

     Do you know anything about the Italian comics scene?

     I have fond memories of Liberatore. Manara. The very first story I wrote was for Buzzelli (before his erotic era). We used a lot of Italian artists via Studio Giolitti, but that was many years ago and they weren't always the top Italian artists.

      A million dollar question. What are the three comics that should be present on the bookshelf of true comic fans?

     I suppose I'm going to say the obvious ... Will Eisner - a Contract with God. Dark Knight. And Watchmen. But that's for an Anglo audience.
For Europe... I'd say Bilal. Gibrat. And anything by Olivier Ledroit (okay, I'm biased, because he's the co-creator of Requiem and Sha).