- I have a question Brett.What's the situation with you and the comics industry?What happened to sour you so badly?
- Caine said...
- Do you have "ownership" of any of the wildstorm characters? I'm thinking that you are listed as a co-creator of Backlash but I'm wondering about others like the Chaser Unit from Wildcore.
- Nope, when you do stuff for the most companies, they retain all the rights. I do have some creator rights for BL, but that's just royalties and the like for TV and Toys. The Chasers and the Wildcore DC owns.
- If so will you be able to make comics about them ever again?
- Never say never. But I doubt there will ever be a Wildcore book... Backlash maybe, I do have some ideas, but for now I'd like to focus on the DC universe, since I never really drew them much when I was a kid, it's all new. And with all the stuff happening after FlashPoint... well, lets just say there are several books I'd like to get a crack at now:)
- Also... I'd be interested in knowing if you have any desire to produce a creator owned project.
- Sure I would, but money is always the problem, I can't wait months to get paid or possible not get paid. I've had several people interested but for some reason the money never seems to fall into place:/
- steve said...
- What is your favorite kind of pie?
- Warm apple pie.... from Whataburger;)
- David said...
- Brett,Wally is my favorite Flash too. I have two questions for you. First, I was wondering if you ever sell the sketches that you post on here? Second, what is your opinion on them bringing Barry back and putting everyone else on the side?
- Yep, I do. First come first served.
- I know why Barry is now front and center, to show that he is the Flash now. Unfortunately Barry just isn't modern. I've read a bunch of the original Flash series with him in it. He's basically a wet noodle even back then. Geoff has made him slightly better but he's still to old school for me. I want stories about the Flash group figuring out how the SpeedForce works, and a revamp of the rogues gallery. I really wish DC would put Wally into a second Flash book, he carried his own book for almost 300 issues, it could work. You could change his name to Bolt or something but to me he's far more interesting than Barry.
- One of my goals at DC is to get a big enough name to do a Wally West Flash book:)
- yearofthetiger said...
- Do you still plan on publishing an art book of your anthro drawings?
- Right now, no. I just don't have the time to put it together, I barely have time to watch movies or TV right now. I've been trying to get Steve to do a Freaks 2! But that publisher passed and basically gave it to that Chris Hart guy... I was not impressed.
- Best,
- Brett
Oh god, they passed you over for CHRIS HART? *pukes*
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I hope you don't mind my asking my question here. Have you got any advice for an artist wanting to break into the industry?
Agree about the Chris Hart thing. His artwork is really weak, yet the artists he gets to draw for him are really strong ie Nicola Scott, Al Rio, Brian Denham, Nate Van Dyke etc.
ReplyDeleteI have only one book by Hart, and that is enough. It's called Drawing Cutting Edge Comics. Good for a reference, but little else.
I like having books featuring artists whose work I can look at. I have to sift past Hart's own work. He is just not that good of an artist, which is surprising since he as quite a bit of training under his belt.
I managed to get a free pdf of his Drawing cutting Edge Anatomy, which stands out because of the work of other artists, such as Nicola Scott. I like to see the up and comers, and often Hart manages to get a hold of them for his books. But his advice is pretty lame. Generally have to look at the work to learn from them.
It's a darn shame that they did not give you more work with the Freaks books, or any other format. Was there something wrong with the original, or had they some issues with it, or what? I'm just trying to figure out why they would not do a sequel.
In a related question about comics, I would like to know your influences. I'm a big buff for those kinda things.
The answers to the questions posted were really interesting.
Thanks for answering my questions. Hopefully you can get that second Flash book. I would definitely pick it up. I have some Flash ideas but I don't know if I am able to flesh them out enough for a good plotline or story.
ReplyDeleteM.O.R I'll answer a few of your questions if I can since I probably know a bit more about the How to Draw books and the Chris Hart stuff. I wrote all the How To Draw Books Brett’s art appeared in. I don't really have a personal beef with Chris Hart, I don't know him. You can't really like or dislike a person based on his drawing ability. He draws as best he can and makes a good living at it. He can whoop my butt at cartoony animals and what not. Straight up comic book work I probably edge him out slightly; still neither of us is at Brett's level of artistic ability. Chris is savy on pumping the How to Draw books out, you got to do a bunch to make a living at it. He does what is best for him and is going to make him the most money. Chris is also smart in branding himself and securing exclusive deals with certain artists that they would not work with anyone else. I did Freaks and it sold a butt load of copies. I asked to do a second volume and described a more cartoony version of Freaks, the more typical Omaha the Cat Dancer or Eric Schwartz type stuff mixed with Brett’s more “realistic” style, again I was told no, they weren’t interested. Freaks 2 has always been a book I wanted to do (the title I came up with was Furrys!: Drawing More Fantastic Freaky Anthro Characters) and asked the publisher to consider doing it. I had talked to Dave Sim of Cerebus fame about doing the intro and he was on board for that (he would have done it for Freaks 1 but there was no time) They said “no” the were not interested in doing another Furry book anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteYou asked if there were problems with the first volume. There were problems with the first book, stuff I was too green to know I had to fight for, but still for a first effort it turned out alright.
I have probably more Brett Booth Anthro Artwork than Brett has. I save everything he posts and he also sends me tons of stuff in emails or on cds. I ink a lot of his characters for practice. I could easily do a whole book of his anthro artwork.
-Steve
Steve,
ReplyDeleteYou don't have a lot of the new stuff. I think I have 60 or more here in addition to the ones you have. Not sure. I didn't post them all because I wanted to save them for a book. I even have a name for it. Which I can't quite remember off hand but it's written (or typed) down somewhere;)
Best!
Brett
@ Steve aka IllustratorX (Kinda like Racer X, but appeals to me more and does not face the risk of being corrupted by The Wachowski brother and sister) and @ Brett: Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty sad, really.
Hi Brett,
ReplyDeleteI got a couple of questions...
Will you ever do a Youtube video of yourself drawing a sketch or page..just love to see how it all comes together?
How did you starting working at DC and signing a two year contract, just came out of nowhere for this fan?
Do you read any comic book related websites?
What is your viewpoint on the state of the comic book industry?
Do you ever check the sales figures of the comics that you work on? IE is it something that you check on regularly or is not something relevant as you are doing something you love?
@ Steve
ReplyDeleteThe problem I have with Christopher Hart is that oft times his work is considerably sub par when compared to ther artists. I mean, he often comes across as a jack of all trades, master of none, and what I mean by this is that he writes a ton of books about different areas, such as manga, or comics, or cartooning, or others, yet he has never really mastered either format. If he focused on strengthening his knowledge in one or two areas, he would create much better books. And if he focused his drawing ability in one or two areas, he would do the same. As it is, it is very blocky, almost feels beginnerish, like someone who has yet to master the fundamentals. When he does books on manga...his lack of knowledge on the subject is most apparent, especially when one looks at his drawings in those books also.
There are some really great instructive books available with regards to comic books, and manga, and they are nowhere near as expensive as Hart's books, yet provide tons of information ( and I list Freaks, Scared, Beasts, Gung Ho, and other books among those that are more helpful. I particularly like Draw Dynamic Comics, and DC's Guide to pencilling comics). When money is a factor, and Hart's books are so expensive, one can feel cheated. And while he has worked in the comic strip industry, the comic book industry is alot different. As are styles like Manga.
What I feel he glosses over, especially in certain books, is the difficulty in nailing anatomy, hands, feet, storytelling, etc.
I mean, in one book, after only a page, one is expected to already know how to draw hands just from the tutorials given. Yet for the beginner, this may deter them completely, and lead them to think they are 'too dumb' to learn.
I suppose, in short, the downside is that Hart is all flash, no substance.
What's your favorite JLA story?
ReplyDeleteGLCorps, that's an easy one:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.boosterrific.com/comics/issues/?jli1008_Justice-League-International-Volume-1-Issue-8
I loved that issue, the cover still makes me laugh:)
Best,
Brett