TITAN TALK WITH ROB LIEFELD

**MattBrady** · 04-28-2005, 04:39 PM

A preview of his versions of the characters got people…talking to say the least. Come August, Rob Liefeld will jump over to DC’s Teen Titans for a two-issue guest-stint, illustrating a story written by Gail Simone, and featuring the new Hawk & Dove.

While we’ve seen his art, we caught up with the creator for a quick chat and surprising facts about his history with the Teen Titans.

Newsarama: First off, you were a big Titans fan as a kid, right?

Rob Liefeld: I was a major, big time fan of the Teen Titans as a kid. I loved the comic in the mid 70's incarnation prior to Marv Wolfman and George Perez's ‘80s re-launch. I loved the Aquaman cartoon because it had the Teen Titan feature on it, the one where Kid Flash's costume colors were reversed to red on top and yellow legs...I love the Titans, yes.

Click here for the interview.

Fiasco Coyote · 04-28-2005, 04:46 PM

RL: Shaft was intended to be Speedy. Vogue was a new Harlequin design, Combat was a Kh'undian warrior circa the Legion of Super Heroes, ditto for Photon and Die Hard was a Star Labs android. I forgot who Chapel was supposed to be. So there you have it, the secret origin of Youngblood.

Wow, Youngblood really was a rip off of another superhero team. Kind of makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.

Pikachu007 · 04-28-2005, 04:47 PM

Let the carnage begin folks... Gail, I wish you all the luck Just don't let him draw BOP!!!

algertman · 04-28-2005, 04:49 PM

Rob must have some dark secrets on some comicbook bigwigs, I mean Bettle dark, that's only way he could still be given work

Bakema NL · 04-28-2005, 04:50 PM

A third thread about Teen titans and Liefeld...............let the games begin......oh...and Gail Simone is writing it.....you heard that guys, there's also someone writing this comic......

I hope and really expect a very nice story and I am looking forward to Liefeld's work on this title..........oh yeah, you heard that right boys and girls.

Aaaaaahhh, another thread to enjoy.

choisez · 04-28-2005, 04:51 PM

I like that team shot w/ Cyborg & Starfire and also the one w/ Robin jumping into action too. W/ his cybernetic arms/guns, Cyborg just seems like the perfect character for Rob to draw. And say what you will about his art, but it's always been energetic and Teen Titans sounds like a good fit for him.

Seeing his name in Tales of the Teen Titans #50 ten years ago, just shows he's been a long-time fan and now he finally gets to come full-circle in the credits box. That's any fanboy's dream right there.

I hope this leads to bigger and better things for him at DC, like an arc on Superman/Batman w/ Jeph Loeb.

-Eddy

greenflameuk · 04-28-2005, 04:58 PM

This book is called "Teen" Titans, so why is Rob drawing them like there in there 30's.

Gail Simone · 04-28-2005, 05:01 PM

Rob's been a blast to work with. I'm having a ball.

It's gonna be fun, guys. REALLY fun.

Best,

Gail

avengingtitan · 04-28-2005, 05:03 PM

I'll say what i said earlyer

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Normally i like your interviews Matt but this was the ultimate SOFTBALL interview.

I wonder how many people are going to drop this book just because of Liefeld, i know im seriously considering it.

I mean did you see the picture of robin eeewwwwww it looks like he took Jason and Dick and combined them. The Titans are suddenly not TEENS anymore.

I mean look at his art its HIDEOUS. How is this man still getting work. Go back to doing things for independents. All of your characters look their on a Massive dose of Steriods.

GGGRRRRR
Sorry but i feel i have to defend my favorite book.

End Rant

HomerJimmy · 04-28-2005, 05:03 PM

is it me or has the story about the "secret origin" of youngblood been changed or have i missed it? the one good thing about liefeld is that he is always energetic and upbeat. thankfully though it is only two issues

rodolfo leon · 04-28-2005, 05:04 PM

cool, nice to finally have the "original" characters the Youngblood team was based on

, i was a big fan of Youngblood way back when, and i remember reading about the Team Titans connection.

nice to see Gail teaming up with yet another controversy prone artist, it'll bring some attention to her work. she's GOOD, and the extra readers these artists bring might expand her fanbase a bit.

i read VinnyPic complaining about how all the people who were happy with Liefeld on this book were all NON-Titan fans, i don't think that's a bad thing at all. actually, it's just two issues, and maybe a lot of these new readers will stick around once they've had a taste of these cool characters.

and even though i think i might have outgrown my love for the dynamic-style Rob's using, he still hits a spot with me. is it nostalgia? i don't know. maybe. if you're reading this, Rob: CONGRATS ON FINALLY GETTING TO DRAW THE TITANS!

D-Mac · 04-28-2005, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gail Simone
Rob's been a blast to work with. I'm having a ball.

It's gonna be fun, guys. REALLY fun.

Best,

Gail

Gail, I'm pullin for ya. I've never been the biggest fan of Rob's art, but I'm not gonna drop the Titans just because he's drawing it. I haven't even seen you two work together and I can already tell you and Rob have a special synergy going on there. It'll be interesting to see. So you can count me in.

D-Mac · 04-28-2005, 05:11 PM

And people wonder why Rob Liefeld sells. Just think about it. There are now at least four (maybe five) threads talking about his upcoming Titans issues. Three threads on Talk@. Now everybody's gonna check out those issues to see what the controversy is all about. And that translates into beaucoup sales for Rob Liefeld. More people will hate him. Probably still more will love him. Either way, more people are reading him. It's a vicious cycle, man.

KyleCowstar · 04-28-2005, 05:12 PM

I think I'll like it. BTW, I don't like most of Liefeld's art, but this looks pretty cool.

algertman · 04-28-2005, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gail Simone
Rob's been a blast to work with. I'm having a ball.

It's gonna be fun, guys. REALLY fun.

Best,

Gail

You know, if it wasn't for you babe, I would drop this book

I given you a hard time in the past, but i've realy warmed up to your BoP run, and Villains united is one of my top wants

so I HOPE this story is fun

avengingtitan · 04-28-2005, 05:14 PM

I probably should have said that i love Gail's writing BoP is one of my all time favorites and im awaiting Villians United but this YICK.

gokujam · 04-28-2005, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by avengingtitan
I'll say what i said earlyer

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Normally i like your interviews Matt but this was the ultimate SOFTBALL interview.

I wonder how many people are going to drop this book just because of Liefeld, i know im seriously considering it.

I mean did you see the picture of robin eeewwwwww it looks like he took Jason and Dick and combined them. The Titans are suddenly not TEENS anymore.

I mean look at his art its HIDEOUS. How is this man still getting work. Go back to doing things for independents. All of your characters look their on a Massive dose of Steriods.

GGGRRRRR
Sorry but i feel i have to defend my favorite book.

End Rant

Geez, relax dude. It's only 2 issues

*sigh* damn fanboys

Vyper · 04-28-2005, 05:18 PM

He got the script last week and he's already 8 pages into it? Wow, he sure is fast. Say what you will about Liefeld (I'm expecting the inevitable "You'd be fast too if you never drew backgrounds") but his ability to draw on time hasn't usually been an issue.

I don't read TT, and don't know if I ever will, but the art doesn't look that bad.

[waiting to be insulted]

Comic-Reader · 04-28-2005, 05:19 PM

I've been reading comics long enough to know that there will always be artists that the fans hate. Believe me, I've hated my share. Off the top of my head, Don Heck, Joe Staton, and of course the ultimate hackmeister, Vince Colletta come to mind.

I never was a big fan of the Image clones, but the main three who started that particular "steroid-style" -- Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, and Todd McFarlane, while having their artistic faults, do produce eye-catching work that their many clones never quite were able to match.

I will buy the Teen Titans issues because, quite frankly, I don't think the sample drawings are bad at all. Remember that these are samples, so the costumes are a little different in each drawing because he was getting comfortable with the characters.

I think a lot of people hate Liefeld because of what he and represented in the early 1990s -- bad stories and over the top art pandering to the lowest common fanboy denominator -- but those days are over, and I think there is still a place for that art style in small doses.

I wouldn't want to see the entire industry return to that style -- complete with every hero having "Blood..." in their name, but I actually think these two issues of Titans will be an interesting change from the status quo for a few months.

avengingtitan · 04-28-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gokujam
Geez, relax dude. It's only 2 issues

*sigh* damn fanboys

No that would be if i was bitching about the story it would be a fanboy rant.

I just hate his ART. I love Gail's writing, but the art is enough of a turn off for me not to get the 2 issues.

FreelanceJustice · 04-28-2005, 05:20 PM

I can't... I just... I can't....

Seriously, why? Why do they continue to do this to us?

Give him his own book. I was able to ignore the X-Force crap by not picking it up. By throwing his crap into an existing book... MAN that sucks.

Raise your hand if you're surprised to find out Youngblood was a rip off of an existing team?

As for him "delivering" ? I can crap in a box and drop it off at your house but that doesn't make it a pizza.

-FJ

BriGuy · 04-28-2005, 05:20 PM

Ya gotta give the guy credit. At least, he's working to get the characters right. And, hey, 8 pages in less than two weeks is a pretty good start.

Edunikki · 04-28-2005, 05:23 PM

I can see the petitions from DC fans demanding the pope canonise Dick Giordano for not letting Rob Liefeld near their favourite comics . . .

TheMightyGeek · 04-28-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vyper
I don't read TT, and don't know if I ever will, but the art doesn't look that bad.

[waiting to be insulted]

Ummmm, you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny?

Rob's art isnt' for everyone, but then again, neither is mine. Neither is Byrne's. Everyone has different tastes, and VIVA la difference!

If it weren't for varying tastes, only a select few artists would get work. Kind of like the cartoon voice-over industry.

FreelanceJustice · 04-28-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gail Simone
Rob's been a blast to work with. I'm having a ball.

It's gonna be fun, guys. REALLY fun.

Best,

Gail

Gail, I like your work, but the only fun most of us will get out of this is spending the $3 on another title that week.

-FJ