ULTRAPAROLE

Sommario

Miguel Angel Martin
James Kochalka
Luciana Giussani
Kyle Baker
Alan Moore
Eddie Campbell
JH Williams III
Brian Michael Bendis
Palumbo
Leo Ortolani
Davide Toffolo
Neil Gaiman
Josè VILLARRUBIA
Omar Martini

An interview with J. H. WILLIAMS III

Master of Image

by Smoky Man

 
 
 

J.H. Williams III has been working as a comic book artist since 1991. He has drawn a lots of DC books like Batman, Batman Legends of the Dark Knight, Green Lantern and The Flash. He also co-created and co-plotted for its 10  issue run, Chase for DC with D. Curtis Johnson and has realized a wonderful Elseworld book dedicated to Superman named Son of Superman teaming up with writer Howard Chaykin. Actually he is working on Promethea, the Immaterial heroin created by Alan Moore for his ABC line. And for his work on Promethea he has been nominated for an Eisner award during 2000. Apart comics with a possible collaboration with Marvel Comics, in JH Williams's future there will be television: he and Chase writer D. Curtis Johnson are collaborating again on a cartoon series named "Jimbo and Coatboy."

More info and news about JH Williams's projects can be find at his site http://www.jhwilliams3.com

STARTING A CARRIER

ULTRAzine: When do you remember your first exposure to comics?

JH Williams: I’m not sure when my first exposure to comics occurred.  The thing I remember is that as a very young child I used to draw comicbook heroes. I think that I used to do that not because I was interested in comics but because the characters were colorful and strange looking to me then.

ULTRAzine: When you have finally realized comics would be a carrier?

JHW: Actually I decided, when I was around age 11 or 12, that I wanted to draw comics. This was primarily due to discovering some really fantastic art in comics. I discovered artists like Michael Golden and John Byrne. They were the first artists that made me realize that somebody actually drew the comics I would read. Of course the stories they drew captivated me as well. So I decide then that comics is what I wanted to do and never changed from that direction.  I became very determined!

ULTRAzine: Which are your artistic influences?

JHW: I have many influences.  Certain artists really do it for me. I’m also influenced by film a lot.

ULTRAzine: Which artists you look to in these days? Or is a true fact that comics artists don’t have enough time to read comics?

JHW: Ha ha. Sometimes I really don’t have time to read as much as I would like but I try to read a lot of different types of comics. I love comics. There are some really impressive artists and writers out there in this industry. Far too many for me to list here but I admire them just the same.

WORKING AS A PRO

ULTRAzine: You have worked on two modern icons like Batman and Superman: what do they represent for you?

JHW: Exactly that, they are icons and you can’t help but feel something for those characters especially while drawing them. They have a great historical importance in the world of comics.  When I draw those characters my goal is to flatter them and do them justice.  I feel a sense of reverence towards those characters.

ULTRAzine: Apart your current works for the ABC line, you have always worked in DCU. Do you like to go into other Universes or the DCU is a comfortable place?

JHW: I think the reason I have done most of my work for DC is because that is where I got my start.  I do plan on doing something for Marvel in the future. I also will be doing something for Humanoids.

ULTRAzine: Talking about Chase, your creation with writer D. Curtis Johnson: which has been your feeling when the book closed? Will we seen in the future some new Chase’s adventures?

JHW: Johnson and I were upset when chase had to be canceled but the sales just weren’t there. We do feel though that the series was gaining some momentum and if DC had allowed us to do one more storyline I think that the series would have survived. There is definitely the possibility that Chase will return. There are some plans afoot involving Johnson and myself. 

ULTRAzine: Image you can choose whatever characters you want: which will be your pick? And why?

JHW: I would love to do a major run on Batman someday.  I also would love take a crack at Daredevil and Captain America or Nick Fury. I can’t really tell you why, I just feel like I could do something interesting with those characters.

JOURNEY INTO MAGIC

ULTRAzine: Let start talking about your work on Promethea. If you have to present her - in these months in Italy will start a bi-monthly book with all the ABC's series - what you'll say? Which is for you the most important element of this new heroin?

JHW: I feel the most important element to Promethea is that the series sparks the imagination. Also the elements of magic are very important as well. These 2 things combined make for a very powerful and imaginative story. There is a great sense of wonder when reading Promethea. It does something to you when you read it.

ULTRAzine: In Promethea you are credited as co-creator (with Alan Moore): which has been your contribution?

JHW: The main part of my contribution has been the visuals and designs. I also have had some story idea input.  Alan is very receptive to any ideas on the story.

ULTRAzine: How is working with a world re-known comic master as Alan Moore? What you like the most from his scripts?

JHW: I absolutely love working with Alan.  It is definitely a dream for me because he is my all time favorite writer. The thing I like the most about Alan’s scripts is the detail. It inspires me to be more detailed and thoughtful when doing the art.

ULTRAzine: The visual layout and design you have done for Promethea are very original and powerful: how have you realized such visions? Do you have put attention to some others works for inspiration? I see a lot of Art Noveau in them mixed with the lysergic and psychedelic manifestos of sixties-seventies!

JHW: Yes all of that is an influence but some of it comes from magic as well.  Also I really just let my imagination go when designing. I feel sometimes it is best to just go with whatever comes to mind at the moment of drawing the page. For me it is the best way of letting the images be their purest. There is definitely something magical about that.

ULTRAzine: Do you have some special Promethea project? or something you dream to do with the character?

JHW: Actually no. We just want to see where the regular series takes us. In lot of ways the series and characters write themselves.  So we are kind of along for the ride.

ABOUT COMIC ART

ULTRAzine: If you have to choose a comics book for a person who never reads one and thinks comics are only teenager’s stuff, which will be your pick? And why?

JHW: Promethea. I know this sounds like I’m beating my own drum but I honestly believe that Promethea is beyond typical comics.  Also a lot of the European graphic novels from humanoids and other publishers would be good choices as well.

ULTRAzine: In this period we have a lot of talking about the Web as the new frontier for comics. Which is your opinion about?

JHW: I agree that the Web could be a great new frontier for comics. It definitely has potential to reach a much bigger audience. But that is only if you figure out a way for new people to look at the comics to begin with. The Web isn’t going to magically make someone who has never been into comics go to the Web and search them out. So there is still a lot to solve here. But the Web has the potential for new forms of comics. Which is very exciting. But also nothing can replace the feeling of physically holding an actual book in your hands and reading it.

ULTRAzine: Scott McCloud’s more fascinated idea is the possibility, on the Web, to use a virtually “infinite canvas” in where the artist can create free from the limitations of the page. Do you think it could be an interesting project to create comics specifically for the Web?

JHW: Yes I do. But I also feel that the limitations of the actual page can inspire the artist to become more innovative, challenging the artist to come up with new ways of storytelling. There is a lot to be explored using the computer or the actual page. It just depends on personal preferences or interests.

ULTRAzine: Comics on the Web could improve the comics language and create a new way for visual storytelling?

JHW: Yes in some ways this is true. But I think that the Web will actually end up leaning more towards animation than comics simply because it is the next logical step from comics. So if you are working with a digital medium like computers and the Web people are more likely to go towards animation for the simple reason that they can now do it relatively easy.

ULTRAzine: What do you think about the new on line cartoons - for example the new Stan Lee’s characters or the series on icebox.com which involved creators as Warren Ellis and Rick Veitch? Are they in same way linked with comics or are only animation on the Web?

JHW: Actually I haven’t really taken a good look at what they are doing. From what I understand is that Stan Lee media is doing Flash animation. Therefore I think they are more interested in animation than actual comics.  It seems to me that they just want to get people interested in their characters and are using technology to do this instead of the printed comic. Which is fine if that is where their interests are.  Again it all depends on personal preference.

ULTRAzine: Is it possible to experiment in today comics field? Do you think American readers has been educated to more sophisticated comics than superheroes stuff or the general perception is comics as child’s entertainment?

JHW: People outside the current comics readership really still think that comics are just kids stuff.  I really don’t know how to change that perception other than some of the more sophisticated comics becoming other forms of media such as film. For example Daniel Clowes’ Ghostworld is becoming a film.  I think that this is great as long as viewers of the film are clearly made aware of the original comic version and in a way as to get them to be interested in the original and that they might find something of value in it. 

ULTRAzine: Which is your personal idea to improve the comics market and escape from the crisis?

JHW: Advertising. There are all kinds of ads in the average comic for other types of product. This could be done for comics in other types of magazines outside of the comics industry such as music magazines or entertainment magazines or even television. This would be expensive to do right now but if there was a constant reminding presence in the general public, I think it would pay off in the long run.

ULTRAzine: What will be the perfect comic for you?

JHW: One that would have worldwide recognition and stay in print for the rest of my life.

 

 

[January 2001]

 
     

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