Jonathan Hickman Interview!

This interview has been a long time coming. Due to my own technical issues, I haven't been able to get it posted until now, but I think now that it's up you'll enjoy it immensely.

I caught up with Mr. Hickman after reading the Nightly News, his first comic book mini series that was published through Image........

Q: Your first foray into comics came with the Nightly News. What made you want to tackle the topic of media bias (a widely, and heatedly debated topic) in your first outing?

Jonathan Hickman: Honestly, I just thought it would make for a cool story and I was trying pretty hard to not to do something that was 'standard fare'

Q: Your art style is a very detailed mix of graphic design and regular comic book art. How did you develop this blend, and what kinds of obstacles did you face along the way?

JH: Well, that's the great thing about Image comics. Once they approve it, I can pretty much do what I want. So there were, and continue to be, no obstacles

Q: Seeing as you have a very unique style, I was wondering how long it usually takes you to do a full page from beginning to end. Some of the fastest conventional artists can do multiple pages per day, but then again they aren't as involve with the rest of the process of producing the rest of the book like you are. So approximately how long does a page take you?

JH: Around a day and a half. It also depends on if it's all analog, digital or some kind of mix. I try and keep things as organic as possible. Honestly, I'd kill to have a two month window for each issue... I feel like it could be so much better.

Q: I know you did a story for Marvel in the Legion of Monsters books, but what other Big Two characters would you be interested in working on, and why?

JH: Stuff I grew up reading. Legion. X-men. Titans.

Q: The books you have done so far have both been scripted and drawn by you. I assume it makes it easier to implement your style of storytelling in your art when you're working from your own script. Do you think you would be as successful with your artistic storytelling if you were working from someone else's script?

JH: Absolutely. I've got two books coming out (TRANSHUMAN and RED MASS FOR MARS) that I'm only writing. They're coming out great - I'm very proud of them.

Q: What can you tell us about your upcoming ongoing book A Red Mass for Mars (drawn by Ryan Bodenheim)? Sell the people who are fence sitters.....

JH: It's badass. Hands down the best limited super-hero book out this year! Go buy it!

Q: Pax Romana just launched a couple weeks ago. What types of things did you try to do differently with this series than you did with the Nightly News?

JH: The fact that much of it is painted. After the Nightly News was so digital, I really wanted some beautiful organic pages. And, of course, the huge genre shift.

Q: What teases can you give us about the remaining three issues of Pax Romana?

JH: They take place over 50 years and the last issue is ridiculous with all that happens.

In the back of the first issue, you mentioned wanting to be able to come back to the Pax Romana universe in the future. Do you have stories already in your head for what you would want to do when you return, and can you give us an idea of what some of those stories might entail?

JH: Yes, I have tons of stuff planned. No, can't tell what the stories are about. It would give away the ending of the first series.

Q: You've received praise from every corner of the comic book community for your work. People are saying that you are showing us what comics will look like in ten years. Does all this praise make it hard for you to think about changing stuff up, and possibly evolving your style in the future?

JH: No. It encourages me to keep pushing as hard as I can.

Q: My final question is what is your dream project? Would it be creator owned, or "Big Two" related? Would you fly solo, or collaborate (and if so, with who), etc.?

JH: Swear to god, in my mind my dream project is what ever I've got coming up next. Nobody's out there forcing me to take mediocre jobs.

Mr. Hickman also writes a very good column for www.Ifanboy.com called Concentric Circles that I think is worth your time......