JAE LEE SIGNS 3-YEAR EXCLUSIVE WITH MARVEL

[MattBrady]

Just because it’s the end of the year doesn’t mean the deals don’t continue to be made. Case in point – Jae Lee has signed a three-year exclusive contract with Marvel .

“This all started two years ago,” Lee told Newsarama. “When I learned Nanci [Dakesian], my former editor at Marvel Knights was leaving the company, I thought I would take some time off from Marvel and do some other things. Joe Quesada had introduced the idea of an exclusive at that time, but I had already committed to Transformers/GI Joe for Dreamwave and Batman: Jekyll and Hyde for DC. But Joe knew I'd be back and I knew as well. I'll always come back to Marvel. This is my home. I was born here.”

As for why sign with the publisher, Lee pointed to the people at Marvel as the prime mover. “The people I've gotten to know at Marvel I consider to be friends,” Lee said. “I see a lot of them outside of work. There's a warmth there that I haven't felt at any other company. I also grew up with Marvel Comics. It's where I got my first job. I love these characters. When I walk around in New York City, I'll occasionally look up and imagine what it would be like to swing from the rooftops. There aren't a lot of things in the world today that can spark a childhood fantasy so vividly.

“There are a number of people at Marvel that played a role in making this happen - Joe, Dan [Buckley], Axel [Alonso], [David] Bogart, and C.B. [Cebulski]. I can't thank Dan and Joe enough for their patience. They promised I'd be happy at Marvel, but I'm a depressive fellow, so it'll be harder than they think.”

As Lee mentioned, on the projects he worked on during his “sabbatical” from Marvel was Batman: Jeckyll and Hyde a six-issue miniseries written by Paul Jenkins, which would have teamed the two on a project of length for the first time since their Eisner-winning Inhumans maxiseries at Marvel Knights.

According to Lee, he had completed the first three issues of Jeckyll and Hyde, but another artist will complete the final three.

“I wanted to finish it. In fact, my Marvel contract allows me to finish it, but DC was unhappy with the progress I had made on Batman when it was announced I was working for Marvel again,” Lee said. “Freelancing is a tough business because you constantly have to line up work months ahead of time based on estimates of when you think you'll be done with something. If something happens in your life that slows your progress down, it screws everything up. When it's for the same company, it's usually not a big deal. When it's two different companies, it sucks.”

The exclusive with Marvel will not, however, prevent him from completing Hellshock, which he is slated to do for a Dynamic Forces collection of the series of Image miniseries. “There are a few creator owned projects I'll still be able to do and Hellshock is one of them,” Lee said. “There will be an announcement soon about the others.”

Back on the Marvel side of the street, Lee was very practical when it came to the nuts and bolts of what an exclusive contract means. “It means that I got to spend a lot of quality time with my attorney, Harris Miller,” Lee said. “It also means that my wife and I now have health insurance. I can do riskier things now like looking only one way before I cross the street. I can also stop brushing after every meal and let the dentist sort it all out.”

And as for what is keeping his pencils and inks busy these days: “I'm working on a Hulk story with the only guy who should be writing the Hulk, Peter David,” Lee said. “I can't really get into the details of anything else I have lined up. But let's just say it involves a hairy little guy who's always getting himself covered with blood. As far as dream projects? It's already in the works.”

[GUTB]

I wonder if there's any dissenting opinion on PAD's Hulk, ie, is there anyone who thinks is actually sucks? I'm not saying it sucked, just curious if any others think it sucked.

[Strike]

Hmph.

He was doing such good work for DC too.

His Gotham Knights covers were winning almost every CotM poll, and his covers for Manhunter rocked!

Ah well. I'm not going to bitch. A Hulk story with him and PAD should be good.

[tralfaz]

According to Lee, he had completed the first three issues of Jeckyll and Hyde, but another artist will complete the final three.

This is the kinda crap that I hate. DC, let him finish the damn book

[boomboom]

Originally posted by MattBrady
The exclusive with Marvel will not, however, prevent him from completing Hellshock, which he is slated to do for a Dynamic Forces collection of the series of Image miniseries. “There are a few creator owned projects I'll still be able to do and Hellshock is one of them,” Lee said. “There will be an announcement soon about the others.”

getting curiouos on this one....

[thrillseekers]

Yeah Please DC let Jae finish the Batman Mini Series!

[Aaron Calimeri]

Congratulations to Jae Lee for signing an exclusive contract with Marvel.

He is a great artist with a unique style. I recently read The Sentry by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee. Fantastic!

[Kerouac]

See, THIS is the kind of exclusive press release that deserves some attention.

Now, that having been said, I've never been much of a fan of Jae Lee's artwork, so I couldn't care less if he's exclusive to Marvel.

Matt

[tgail]

eh... His hulk looks like a geriatric Frankenstein's Monster. I can't say I'm particularly thrilled.

[scan2001]

Congrats to Jae Lee. I love this work and I'm glad they are keeping him at Marvel.

[Grendel Prime]

Hellshock was one of the worst comics ever printed. Indecipherable artwork, a story that went nowhere, and a complete contempt for publishing schedules. It should be a crime for Dynamic Forces to republish that series.

This of course is just my opinion. Good that he's got a guaranteed contract for the next few years. I just hope he is kept on covers and not put on any book I regularly buy.

[NotAnIssue]

Originally posted by tralfaz
This is the kinda crap that I hate. DC, let him finish the damn book

Seriously...first DC kicks Sienkiewicz off Batman, now Jae Lee. And they lost Michael Lark...guess Batman's not going to be looking that good any time soon (well, All Stars, maybe).

Glad to have Jae Lee with a steady stream of work though...one of the best artists in comics today.

[Godfather]

While I like his art, I really think he needs to do something about the inking and the darkness. I have a hard time seeing whats what with a lot of his art simply because it is so dark.

[American Caesar]

I've become a huge Jae Lee fan over the last few years, since "Inhumans I" in fact. Glad to see more steady output on name-projects.

[GeorgeG]

DC should be blamed because he was tardy w/ his work? Okay. If a guy isn't meeting his deadlines, whether he's a freelancer or not--let's put all of the blame on the publisher. Whatever works I guess.

[Ironhorse]

I'm not excited about this exclusive, Lee's work is good but he isn't one of my favorites, anyway, great news for him, congratulations.

[Alex Segura Jr.]

Originally posted by tralfaz
This is the kinda crap that I hate. DC, let him finish the damn book

I'm sure there were a number of factors involved in the decision. If he was way behind and was already starting work for stuff at another company, DC probably wanted to cut their losses and get the book out. Understandable.

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by tgail
eh... His hulk looks like a geriatric Frankenstein's Monster. I can't say I'm particularly thrilled.

I love Jae Lee's art normally, but you're right ... His Hulk (and his Thing) look faintly ridiculous.

[nighw1ng]

As Lee mentioned, on the projects he worked on during his “sabbatical” from Marvel was Batman: Jeckyll and Hyde a six-issue miniseries written by Paul Jenkins, which would have teamed the two on a project of length for the first time since their Eisner-winning Inhumans maxiseries at Marvel Knights.
]

shouldn't that say since their miniseries, The Sentry, and not the Inhumans?

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Originally posted by Grendel Prime
Hellshock was one of the worst comics ever printed. Indecipherable artwork, a story that went nowhere, and a complete contempt for publishing schedules. It should be a crime for Dynamic Forces to republish that series.

Are you thinking of the first HELLSHOCK mini-series, or the second?

The second one was leagues ahead of the first, and very much worth continuing.

-Augie

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Originally posted by GUTB
I wonder if there's any dissenting opinion on PAD's Hulk, ie, is there anyone who thinks is actually sucks? I'm not saying it sucked, just curious if any others think it sucked.

Paging Erik Larsen...

-Augie

[Mike S Miller]

I can't wait to pick up whatever it is he's going to be putting out for Marvel. And I can't wait for his 3 year contract to be up so I can try and steal him away! lol.

[thingone]

Originally posted by NotAnIssue
Seriously...first DC kicks Sienkiewicz off Batman, now Jae Lee. And they lost Michael Lark...guess Batman's not going to be looking that good any time soon

That's a bizarre coment.

-- Lark was doing Gotham Central, a fringe at best Bat Book, and not even one of the eight included in War Games.
-- Lee was doing some covers and a miniseries.
-- All I can find of Sienkiewicz's contribution to Batman are art in #s 400, 533, 534 and 568, and the cover for #596. The most recent of those, #596, was three years ago.

Please explain how the examples you cite have anything at all to do with how Batman is going to be looking beyond a couple of covers.

[skiteman]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by tralfaz
This is the kinda crap that I hate. DC, let him finish the damn book
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree whole heartedly.....if it's an elseworlds...what does it matter when it comes out.....now I just wont buy the whole thing....DEPENDING on who the other artist is!!!

[supergeek]

Originally posted by GUTB
I wonder if there's any dissenting opinion on PAD's Hulk, ie, is there anyone who thinks is actually sucks? I'm not saying it sucked, just curious if any others think it sucked.

Well, I can tell you why I did enjoy PAD's Hulk.
During his run, he focussed on two characters--Bruce Banner and the Hulk. The book was about Banner's relationship with the supporting characters, and the Hulk's relationship with the supporting characters, but most importantly, it was about Banner's relationship with the Hulk.
Under Bruce Jonses' run, the Hulk was no longer a character--just a means to an end, like the T.V show. That, in a nutshell, is why PAD's run was a hundred times better. I know i didn't really answer your question, but it made me want to express what I liked about Pad's run on Hulk.