A SUPER INTERVIEW WITH JAMAL IGLE

[Z. Julian Cenac]

A Super Interview With Jamal Igle

Interview conducted by Z. Julian Cenac, Comixfan Staff

Comics veteran Jamal Igle is well-known for his high-quality art as well as being dependable. After working on several titles over the years, including Green Lantern, Nightwing, his art can now be found in Supergirl – the series featuring one of the most popular comics characters around. With the conclusion of the New Krypton storyline – which saw the introduction of … a new Krypton - Supergirl is now keen to find out the identity of the new Superwoman (along with many fans).

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Comixfan: Working on Supergirl, I suspect the reduced sexualisation of the character came as a surprise to some fans – hopefully a good surprise. And she actually looks (ironically) human! How do you strike a balance between drawing good-looking female characters while keeping your integrity – both moral and artistic?

Jamal Igle: I don't know if it's about striking a balance so much as it is about serving the characters. I don't have a problem with purposely sexy characters, but Supergirl or at least this version of her, shouldn't be overtly sexy. That was something that Matt Idelson, the Superman group editor, and I were on the same page about. So in reading Sterlings first script an image began to form in my head as to what I thought Kara should look like and started from there. I went back and did some research as to how the cut of the costume should be and it's working pretty well.

CXF: You’ve received a fair amount of praise for the improvements to Supergirl’s costume. Is this a permanent costume change, or do you feel there could be more changes?

JI: I don't know. It'll look like this as long as I'm on the book but I was also glad to see that the design is starting to filter over to other artist when Kara shows up in other DC books. So maybe it'll stick. It's comics, things change all the time. It's always an evolution, though. Her costume has changed since I started on the title until now. I finally got a look for the skirt that I like now, which people will really see in Issue # 38.

CXF: Sorry to hark on about the costume, but has there been any negative feedback regarding the change?

JI: There's been some from people who'd been reading the book since Superman/ Batman. I've been accused of being overly patriarchal in my redesign, particularly because we put a pair of sports shorts on Kara under her skirt. Somehow, panty shots of a sixteen year old character are supposed to empower women. I didn't think it would be that big a deal, but I also made other changes that none of the people complaining seemed to notice. I raised the waistline and lowered her shirt to cover more of her torso. I changed the collar/cape attachment so that it was more like Superman's, I even changed her hair.

CXF: You, Gates and the team are really rejuvenating and redefining the character. How would you sum-up this interpretation and direction of Supergirl?

JI: She's a hero of two worlds, torn between her people on New Krypton and the Earth, whom she has come to respect and love as well. She's searching for a place in both worlds if she can. In the end, she's the world’s most powerful girl, but she's also the most confused.

CXF: And ultimately, what general direction is it all headed in?

JI: Well, that's a loaded question because I know where it's going, LOL. In the end I would love to see Kara back in the place she was pre-crisis in the DCU pantheon.

CXF: What initially made you want to draw this comic?

JI: Well, it was the opportunity to work on the Superman books, to work with some of the best writers in comics and after 7 issues not regretting my decision.

CXF: Would you mind describing your art process?

JI: Well, I break down the entire issue into thumbnails, plotting out the entire story at once. Once the thumbnails are approved I spend one day of each week doing the layouts of the pages for that week. Each layout is around 3x 5 inches each and enlarge them to 11.5x 17 inches. Then using a non-photo blue pencil I flesh out the pages and finish the art with an hb mechanical pencil. I usually pencil between 5- 6 pages a week. I work from 10am -5 pm take a break to spend time with my family and occasionally work from about 10 pm to 3- 4 am.

CXF: What are your lectures on comics/ animation like? Are they mainly for artists or are they more general?

JI: No, the last lecture I did was called "Black in a four color world" and focused on my life in comics and my feelings about race. It really depends on what I'm asked to discuss but they're usually open to the public.

CXF: You excel at drawing faces and emotions of characters, especially at really awkward angles. The faces really do stay on-model. How did you master this?

JI: It's something I work on constantly, I don't think I'm a master by any stretch of the imagination. I don't do the type of character mugging that Kevin Maguire does so well. I've actually learned to pull back alot because I've found that the little emotions tell the story so much better, the slight smile, the arch of an eyebrow can convey so much.

CXF: Who are and were your artistic influences, and how have you incorporated what you’ve learned from them into your work over the years?

JI: Well there's the "Holy Trinity of comics" for me, Dave Stevens, Steve Rude and Brian Bolland, but there are so many great talents, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Alan Davis, I mentioned Kevin Maguire. They're all cut form a very similar foundation of great anatomical drawing, storytelling, page layout, action. I get accused of being too old school and not flashy enough but that's what I love. Somewhere along the line, it became "Okay" to not be able to draw well in some peoples minds. I could never wrap my head around that idea. I believe in a strong artistic foundation.

CXF: When will Superwoman’s identity be revealed (or ... has it already been revealed …)?

JI: Supergirl #40. However, she's already there, you just don't know it yet.

CXF: When your reign on Supergirl is over (but long may it last!) which characters would you most like to work on and why?

JI: I would love a shot at Superman or Action, but I'd also like to draw The Flash or maybe another Bat book.