MattBrady
03-13-2007, 04:40 PM
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="right"></a> by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean
Niko Henrichon’s work with acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan on Pride of Baghdad made everyone, including members of the mainstream media and certainly Marvel editors, take notice.
The DC/Vertigo graphic novel was truly Henrichon’s breakout moment.
What happens when he gets unleashed on a superhero comic book?
Teamed with co-writers Craig Kyle and Chris Yost and new series artist Skottie Young, the Canadian artist has been tapped to illustrate a special segment featuring the return of Illyana Rasputin aka Magik in April’s New X-Men #37.
We caught up with Henrichon to talk about his first ever superhero work, a project that surely he and hopefully readers will be very proud of.
Newsarama: As you mentioned in an earlier interview (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=90493), you're currently working on Unleash for the French market. So, how did you get to work with the writers on New X-Men?
Niko Henrichon: It's very simple. When Pride of Baghdad hit the shelves, I got a call from Marvel telling me they were interested by working with me. They didn't submit me a specific project, we only discussed about what kind of work I'd be interested to do.
So I did a few covers for Black Panther and after that, editor Sean Ryan contacted me to do this part of New X-Men #37 so he forwarded me the script by Craig and Christopher. I was very excited by the story and the way it was told.
I always liked big epic movies and it was obvious that they wanted to go in this direction.
As for the French market, I'm actually working on the second half of the graphic novel but I definitely wish to keep a foot on both continents. Both markets have nice advantages.
NRAMA: Nice advantages? Such as?
NH: In American comics, for instance, most of the comics are superheroes or close variations of superheroes. It’s not that I dislike the genre but I wish there was more room for the other genres. In Europe, you can find a broader range of genre and they all sell very well. So that’s one advantage in Europe.
On the other hand, I find the actual American market being more dynamic these days. In the sense that many great books were published during the last years. Writers like Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, BKV and many others make the comic world very lively.
NRAMA: You'd mentioned before that you're not really into the superhero genre, although you'd love to see what you could do with it if the opportunity arises. Now that you've got your chance, what role do you play in the story, if any?
NH: Well, I'm not sure what exactly my role into the superhero genre is so far. It's probably something that will be more defined during the next few years but one thing's sure: I had a great time dealing with the superhero genre and I certainly look forward to do some more, when I find the time.
NRAMA: Drawing the New X-Men characters is a totally different animal altogether, right? What's it like to be drawing human characters rather than just lions and animals like you did with Brian K. Vaughan and Pride of Baghdad?
NH$: Drawing humans is what I did on most of the book I've worked on so far. Pride was my first project on which animals were the stars of the show. In fact, I like to do both as they present nice creative challenges.
NRAMA: You're billed as co-artist with Skottie Young on New X-Men #37. What part of the story do you tell? I'm guessing that you're drawing the story of Magik as told by Blindfold, correct?
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_11_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_11_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a>NH: You're very well informed, that's exactly it. I'm trilled to share the book with Skottie, our artwork styles are miles away but I always loved his work. I hope it will mix well in the book, making the reading fluid.
NRAMA: For one who's only reading Vertigo and French books thus far, just how familiar were you with the New X-Men characters and the X-Universe as a whole?
NH: There were a few superhero books I've read. Classics like Frank Miller's Elektra, Daredevil and I saw the Marvel movies so I'm not totally lost. I've been reading more Marvel comics recently and are discussing with people that are more familiar with the genre.
Plus, I must say that the good people at Marvel are very kind to send me the proper reference material for the characters involved. Of course, that makes things a lot easier.
NRAMA: Was there a particular character that you had difficulty drawing? Why?
NH: Not really. Once I get some good reference, I felt comfortable at drawing all the characters I had to do so far. Although, I think Spider-Man is a very difficult one. His body language is very specific.
NRAMA: Spidey’s appearing in the New X-Men story? Or were you answering in a broader, general scope about characters that, to you, are proving to be a challenge for you to draw?
NH: Oh no, he’s not appearing in the story. It was a more like a general answer.
NRAMA: Why’s everyone’s favorite wall-crawler a tough draw for you then?
NH: I’m not sure exactly why. Maybe it’s the way he moves and takes poses. You know, he’s a human moving like a spider. Only that makes it hard for me. I’ve tried it a few times and I can’t say it was easy.
NRAMA: Getting back to New X-Men, is there a character that has since become a favorite? What makes him/her so special?
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_05_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_05_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="right"></a>NH: There's not only one, well, not yet anyway.
In the Marvel Universe proper, I have many favorites. I like the X-Men, Hulk, the Fantastic Four and most of the classic superheroes. Probably because they are very well known icons now.
NRAMA: Okay, let me go into specifics then. You’re drawing Magik. In the regular Marvel Universe, she’s dead but the years since then have proven that she’s not gone from the minds of editors, writers, creators and readers as various versions of the character have appeared in Exiles and other titles. Nevertheless, it’s been announced that this version of Magik will be the one most recently seen in the New X-Men issues that tied into House of M. Did you feel any pressure illustrating a fan-favorite character like Magik? Why, or why not? After all, unlike Pride, you’re entering into the X-franchise here with New X-Men…
NH: Well, there’s always pressure anyway. While I was working on Pride, I really wanted to do the best work I can since I knew how good Brian’s script was and the last thing I wanted is to ruin it with bad drawings and bad storytelling. After all, Pride was my first work in color too.
For Marvel, I’m only starting to discover the universe. I wasn’t really in contact with that during my childhood like most Americans are so I probably have a different feeling about these characters. I prefer to think of it more like a challenge than pressure.
NRAMA: What's it like to be working on Chris and Craig's script, considering that this is your first superhero project?
NH: It was great, I liked the story from the start and I saw it has a good opportunity to have a great time on the artwork. The pages are mostly splashes and it's a real pleasure to work on splash pages because the work tends to be very illustrative that way and it's a part of the job that I really enjoy.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/elektra2_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/elektra2_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a>NRAMA: So, is this a one-off thing? Or are you working on more superhero stuff?
NH: Definitely not a one-off thing. As I said before, I also like to work for the Europeans but want to stay present on the American market. Stay tuned for more superhero stuff, I feel like something’s in the air...
NRAMA: Keep us posted then. In the meantime, while we’re on the subject of New X-Men and all things Marvel, what would be your dream project and/or character(s) to work on, and why?
NH: Elektra. Miller and [Bill] Sienkiewicz did it so great that it's impossible for me to not feel inspired by it. The Hulk too. Not sure why. He's just so brutal.
Check out the artist’s website at www.nikohenrichon.com (http://www.nikohenrichon.com/).
For our earlier interview with New X-Men co-writer Chris Yost, click here (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=104799).
Niko Henrichon’s work with acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan on Pride of Baghdad made everyone, including members of the mainstream media and certainly Marvel editors, take notice.
The DC/Vertigo graphic novel was truly Henrichon’s breakout moment.
What happens when he gets unleashed on a superhero comic book?
Teamed with co-writers Craig Kyle and Chris Yost and new series artist Skottie Young, the Canadian artist has been tapped to illustrate a special segment featuring the return of Illyana Rasputin aka Magik in April’s New X-Men #37.
We caught up with Henrichon to talk about his first ever superhero work, a project that surely he and hopefully readers will be very proud of.
Newsarama: As you mentioned in an earlier interview (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=90493), you're currently working on Unleash for the French market. So, how did you get to work with the writers on New X-Men?
Niko Henrichon: It's very simple. When Pride of Baghdad hit the shelves, I got a call from Marvel telling me they were interested by working with me. They didn't submit me a specific project, we only discussed about what kind of work I'd be interested to do.
So I did a few covers for Black Panther and after that, editor Sean Ryan contacted me to do this part of New X-Men #37 so he forwarded me the script by Craig and Christopher. I was very excited by the story and the way it was told.
I always liked big epic movies and it was obvious that they wanted to go in this direction.
As for the French market, I'm actually working on the second half of the graphic novel but I definitely wish to keep a foot on both continents. Both markets have nice advantages.
NRAMA: Nice advantages? Such as?
NH: In American comics, for instance, most of the comics are superheroes or close variations of superheroes. It’s not that I dislike the genre but I wish there was more room for the other genres. In Europe, you can find a broader range of genre and they all sell very well. So that’s one advantage in Europe.
On the other hand, I find the actual American market being more dynamic these days. In the sense that many great books were published during the last years. Writers like Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, BKV and many others make the comic world very lively.
NRAMA: You'd mentioned before that you're not really into the superhero genre, although you'd love to see what you could do with it if the opportunity arises. Now that you've got your chance, what role do you play in the story, if any?
NH: Well, I'm not sure what exactly my role into the superhero genre is so far. It's probably something that will be more defined during the next few years but one thing's sure: I had a great time dealing with the superhero genre and I certainly look forward to do some more, when I find the time.
NRAMA: Drawing the New X-Men characters is a totally different animal altogether, right? What's it like to be drawing human characters rather than just lions and animals like you did with Brian K. Vaughan and Pride of Baghdad?
NH$: Drawing humans is what I did on most of the book I've worked on so far. Pride was my first project on which animals were the stars of the show. In fact, I like to do both as they present nice creative challenges.
NRAMA: You're billed as co-artist with Skottie Young on New X-Men #37. What part of the story do you tell? I'm guessing that you're drawing the story of Magik as told by Blindfold, correct?
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_11_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_11_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a>NH: You're very well informed, that's exactly it. I'm trilled to share the book with Skottie, our artwork styles are miles away but I always loved his work. I hope it will mix well in the book, making the reading fluid.
NRAMA: For one who's only reading Vertigo and French books thus far, just how familiar were you with the New X-Men characters and the X-Universe as a whole?
NH: There were a few superhero books I've read. Classics like Frank Miller's Elektra, Daredevil and I saw the Marvel movies so I'm not totally lost. I've been reading more Marvel comics recently and are discussing with people that are more familiar with the genre.
Plus, I must say that the good people at Marvel are very kind to send me the proper reference material for the characters involved. Of course, that makes things a lot easier.
NRAMA: Was there a particular character that you had difficulty drawing? Why?
NH: Not really. Once I get some good reference, I felt comfortable at drawing all the characters I had to do so far. Although, I think Spider-Man is a very difficult one. His body language is very specific.
NRAMA: Spidey’s appearing in the New X-Men story? Or were you answering in a broader, general scope about characters that, to you, are proving to be a challenge for you to draw?
NH: Oh no, he’s not appearing in the story. It was a more like a general answer.
NRAMA: Why’s everyone’s favorite wall-crawler a tough draw for you then?
NH: I’m not sure exactly why. Maybe it’s the way he moves and takes poses. You know, he’s a human moving like a spider. Only that makes it hard for me. I’ve tried it a few times and I can’t say it was easy.
NRAMA: Getting back to New X-Men, is there a character that has since become a favorite? What makes him/her so special?
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_05_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/NEWX037_05_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="right"></a>NH: There's not only one, well, not yet anyway.
In the Marvel Universe proper, I have many favorites. I like the X-Men, Hulk, the Fantastic Four and most of the classic superheroes. Probably because they are very well known icons now.
NRAMA: Okay, let me go into specifics then. You’re drawing Magik. In the regular Marvel Universe, she’s dead but the years since then have proven that she’s not gone from the minds of editors, writers, creators and readers as various versions of the character have appeared in Exiles and other titles. Nevertheless, it’s been announced that this version of Magik will be the one most recently seen in the New X-Men issues that tied into House of M. Did you feel any pressure illustrating a fan-favorite character like Magik? Why, or why not? After all, unlike Pride, you’re entering into the X-franchise here with New X-Men…
NH: Well, there’s always pressure anyway. While I was working on Pride, I really wanted to do the best work I can since I knew how good Brian’s script was and the last thing I wanted is to ruin it with bad drawings and bad storytelling. After all, Pride was my first work in color too.
For Marvel, I’m only starting to discover the universe. I wasn’t really in contact with that during my childhood like most Americans are so I probably have a different feeling about these characters. I prefer to think of it more like a challenge than pressure.
NRAMA: What's it like to be working on Chris and Craig's script, considering that this is your first superhero project?
NH: It was great, I liked the story from the start and I saw it has a good opportunity to have a great time on the artwork. The pages are mostly splashes and it's a real pleasure to work on splash pages because the work tends to be very illustrative that way and it's a part of the job that I really enjoy.
<a href="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/elektra2_72.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/newxmen/Magik/elektra2_72_t.jpg" border="0" align="left"></a>NRAMA: So, is this a one-off thing? Or are you working on more superhero stuff?
NH: Definitely not a one-off thing. As I said before, I also like to work for the Europeans but want to stay present on the American market. Stay tuned for more superhero stuff, I feel like something’s in the air...
NRAMA: Keep us posted then. In the meantime, while we’re on the subject of New X-Men and all things Marvel, what would be your dream project and/or character(s) to work on, and why?
NH: Elektra. Miller and [Bill] Sienkiewicz did it so great that it's impossible for me to not feel inspired by it. The Hulk too. Not sure why. He's just so brutal.
Check out the artist’s website at www.nikohenrichon.com (http://www.nikohenrichon.com/).
For our earlier interview with New X-Men co-writer Chris Yost, click here (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=104799).