STIC 5 (1) pp. 9–14 Intellect Limited 2014

Studies in Comics Volume 5 Number 1 © 2014 Intellect Ltd Interviews. English language. doi: 10.1386/stic.5.1.9_7

Interviews

Jeffery Klaehn Independent Scholar

The infinite possibilities: An interview with comic book writer/artist Alan Davis

Alan Davis first began working in British comics in 1980 for Marvel UK (Captain Britain), Warrior (Marvelman) and 2000AD (Harry 20 on the High Rock and DR & Quinch). His first American work was for DC Comics in 1985 (Batman and the Outsiders). The high points of his career as a profes- sional comic book artist and writer since that time are many and include acclaimed work on Detective Comics, Excalibur, ClanDestine, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail, Uncanny X-Men, Avengers, Killraven, Fantastic Four, and Thor: The Truth of History, and, most recently, Savage Hulk.

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How accessible were comic books to you during your childhood and as you grew up? I was born in a small town in the Midlands, England. British comics were available in newsagents and US comics would appear intermittently at a local market book stall – where they had been traded by US airmen from a nearby base.

What was it about comic books that first captured your interest and imagination? The infinite possibilities.

Do you remember the first comic you ever read? Not specifically. Comics were just part of life. In the 60s and early 70s there were no videos or computers and little good TV for kids, so entertainment was a book, a ball or a comic.

When did you first begin drawing? Again, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t.

How did you break into the industry, initially? Sheer luck. I had made contact with Mike Conroy and Les Chester who ran a small Fanzine, Fantasy Forum, and they introduced me to Paul Neary, then EiC of Marvel UK, at the time he was looking for someone cheap to work on a relaunch of Captain Britain.

When you began working on Captain Britain and 2000AD, collaborating with Alan Moore … A not uncommon misapprehension thanks to those intent on rewriting history But I was working on Captain Britain for eighteen months before Alan Moore took over from Dave Thorpe. Dave and Paul Neary devised most of the Captain Britain concepts. Paul was mentor to all of the Marvel UK crea- tors – none of us had any professional experience and he taught us all, artists and writers, many of the basics.

What can you tell me about your tenure on Marvelman? Did you know that the series would enjoy so much success? Sadly, my memories of the creative process have been tainted by the petty politics, inflated egos and, ultimately, the fact my Marvelman work was published against my wishes by Eclipse comics. The fact that I was never paid is secondary to the fact people I trusted behaved so shabbily.

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How did you come to work on Batman and the Outsiders (BATO) for DC Comics? I met Dick Giordano when DC made its second headhunting expedition to the UK. I was originally assigned to draw an Aquaman miniseries but after handing in the first issue of Aquaman pencils I was asked to move onto the higher-profile BATO.

What did you most like about the book’s concept and about working on BATO? Whatever you might like to share … I was intimidated because I was a huge Jim Aparo fan but Mike Barr, writer and editor, was a great guy to work with. He taught me a lot.

What can you tell me about the creative synergy between yourself and Mike? Mike was the most visual writer I ever collaborated with. He worked full script and nine times out of ten his panel descriptions were spot on and easy to draw – but if I had a better idea for a layout, scene or even a story alteration Mike would welcome the input.

I remember reading these issues as they came out, here in Canada – your artwork was consistently gorgeous, month in and month out. What can you tell me about your art style? How would you describe it? I didn’t really know what I was doing. I had only been working in comics for eighteen months full time (the first few years I had kept down a regular job and the comic work was a hobby) and I had no formal art education. Also, I was still drawing Captain Britain when I started on BATO – so I was producing around 36 pages of pencils and inks (plus plots and writing on the later Captain Britain) so it was a frantic time and a steep learning curve.

When you first began reading comics, who were your own favourite artists? The ones I’m most conscious of are Neal Adams, Frank Bellamy, Gil Kane, Nestor Redondo, Jesus Blasco and Steve Ditko … to name a very few.

How long did it take to pencil a typical page for BATO? Do you work at a faster or slower pace now, or about the same? I’d pencil and ink between one or two pages a day. The pace was much faster then because comics were about story so there wasn’t as much emphasis on illustrative finish as there is nowadays.

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You mentioned Jim Aparo (co-creator of BATO, with Mike W. Barr) – I’ve always felt Jim Aparo deserves so much more recognition because his Batman artwork was so outstanding, and his contributions to the Batman titles over the decades just so enormous. I’m thinking especially of his work with writer Bob Haney on Brave and the Bold. What made Jim Aparo a truly great Batman artist in your opinion, speaking as a professional comic artist? Although I’m a big Neal Adams fan, I hadn’t seen his work on Batman until after I was working on BATO, so I regarded Jim Aparo as the definitive Batman artist. In retrospect, I could see Jim Aparo had been influenced by Neal Adams, but there were a lot of elements that were pure Jim Aparo. Certain physical distortions and forms that gave his Batman a power and grace that was unique (likewise his Aquaman and Spectre). Jim Aparo was a massively underrated artist.

In 1986 you began working on Detective Comics, again teaming up with writer Mike W. Barr – the late 1980s were an exciting time to be a Batman fan! What are your memories of the transition and of working on Detective generally? I always enjoyed working with Mike and I regard him as one of the very best Batman writers, and really enjoyed working with him, but the editor on Detective was constantly unavailable. That is, he never answered his phone, and as I was based in the UK, that was my only contact with the office. I got more and more frustrated as the problems mounted, and I quit half way through the run.

The cover of Detective Comics #575 – Batman holding up that revolver – was very dramatic. What can you tell me about that particular cover? It was Mike’s idea, and [it was] fun to do But the final version of the cover was unsatisfactory due to changes necessitated by the previously mentioned editorial oversights.

At that point in your career, what did you envision for the future? I didn’t have a goal. I have always taken things one day at a time.

In 1987 you moved to Marvel Comics, working on the New Mutants and Excalibur – were there any differences for you after the jump, in terms of the professional culture at Marvel versus DC? Marvel and DC are corporate structures. When I work on a book I relate to the editor and writer and ignore the rest. Chris Claremont had actually asked me to pencil X-Men shortly after I agreed to pencil BATO and had kept in regular contact offering me other X-projects. Excalibur was set to be my next job after Detective but when I quit Detective early, Marvel gave me the fill-in annuals. Chris

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made the transition to Marvel very easy, he was a great collaborator and I learned a lot from him – and some time later Terry Kavanagh became my editor and a good friend – so it was a good move.

When did you first become interested in undertaking both writing and drawing?

I always had regarded myself as a writer/artist. I wrote some of the original Captain Britain run and plotted a lot more. When I moved into US comics the idea of writing a 22 page comic a month was daunting and I didn’t try until Terry Kavanagh encouraged me to take on Excalibur as writer/artist.

What’s your process like? Do you write a plot and begin drawing?

My plots are dialogue heavy and light on visual description, but are close to being full script, as opposed to Marvel style plots.

What makes for a great superhero comic book, in your view?

A great character in a great story.

From your perspective, as someone who has worked in comics professionally for over three decades, how has the superhero concept changed over time?

Sadly, the bulk of comics have chased the ageing readership, and comics have become more ‘Mature’.

How did you come to work on Fantastic Four in 1988?

I heard that the assigned artist had let Marvel down at the eleventh hour, so I asked Bob Harras if he would like me to pencil three fill-in issues. Bob had offered me the FF book to write and draw two years previously, and I liked the idea of at least doing two or three issues while there was a chance. The FF are great characters.

JLA: The Nail – I read this mini-series, which you wrote and drew, as it released, and my immediate thought was ‘Alan Davis absolutely loves superheroes!’ Please tell me what inspired this work …

The comics from my youth and the desire to recapture the sense of wonder I felt in my youth and share it with a modern generation.

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Paul Neary and Mark Farmer – what can you tell me about your collaborations with them over the years? Paul was my mentor, and a successful writer/artist in his own right, and I had never collaborated with an inker previously, so we both learned a lot. Mark was a friend and seasoned inker when we began to work together. Mark is a terrific inker but also dedicated to making my pencils work. And he never skimps.

You mentioned how comics and superheroes inspired your imagination during your formative years. What sparks your imagination now? I really don’t know. I’m focused on the job at hand, with no thought of the future. When I finish a story arc, get bored or move on, I usually find some new challenge is waiting.

The best comic you’ve ever read or your own personal favourite comic? That’s impossible to answer. The last time I was emotionally involved in a story was the Claremont/ Byrne Dark Phoenix saga. As for my own work, I’m never satisfied with the final job. Killraven came the closest to my original conception.

I don’t have a view from the inside, but I imagine that you have the opportunity to work on any properties you might like at this stage of your career, with any and all of the major comic publishing houses. What influences your choices regarding the characters and titles you opt to work on now? If I have an idea for a good story.

Contributor details Dr Jeffery Klaehn is an independent Canadian scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Amsterdam (2007) and recently completed a second Ph.D., in Sociology, at the University of Strathclyde. His background in communication, sociology and cultural studies reflects a combination of research specializations. He has published in a range of high profile scholarly journals and has compiled and edited five books to date, most recently The Political Economy of Media and Power (2010). He serves on the editorial advisory boards with Studies in Comics, the International Journal of Comic Art (IJOCA), ImageTexT: Interdisciplinary Comics Studies, International Communication Gazette and Synæsthesia: Communication Across Cultures. E-mail: [email protected]

Jeffery Klaehn has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work in the format that was submitted to Intellect Ltd.

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