ERIC POWELL ON ACTION COMICS

[MattBrady]

by Vaneta Rogers

Next week's issue #855 of Action Comics will mark the return of Geoff Johns and Richard Donner as writers on the series, and the issue will also introduce DC readers to the artwork of Eric Powell -- and the new Bizarro World.

Powell is drawing both the interiors and covers for the three-issue Action Comics storyline, titled "Escape from Bizarro World." The artist is considered ideal for the creation of Bizarro World -- the planet readers saw teased in Action Comics Annual #10 earlier this year -- because he's best known as the creator of The Goon, his Eisner Award-winning title from Dark Horse that features a whole universe of bizarre monsters, ghouls and zombies.

Last time we talked to Powell about his work on the Action Comics story, he was excited about getting to draw Superman, a character he recalled loving as a kid. But now that he's almost finished with the Bizarro story, we decided to follow up with him to hear what the experience has been like and how he approached the various Bizarro characters -- and we even got him to share some penciled pages for next week's issue.

Newsarama: Eric, the last time we talked, you were pretty excited to get started on this comic. Now that you're close to being done, how has the Action Comics gig been going?

Eric Powell: Great! Everybody seems really happy with what I'm doing, which is a real relief. The only problem has been the hectic schedule. Trying to juggle this and my Goon stuff has been a task. Lots of late nights. I think I went to sleep at 7 am last night.

NRAMA: How has it been working with Geoff Johns and Richard Donner?

EP: It's been a blast. Geoff has been really receptive to any ideas I've thrown out there. Which has only been a couple, but still, nice to work with people who listen to what you have to say. I think they gave me a great fun story that works on a serious and absurd level.

NRAMA: Have you had restrictions on your work compared to doing your own thing in The Goon? Is it difficult to work within those restraints? Or have you been given a pretty free rein?

EP: They give me free rein to do my thing visually but this is their story. I definitely have to take a different approach than when I'm working on the Goon. But the scripts and content of the story are so suited to what I do that it hasn't been that difficult at all to switch gears.

NRAMA: Let's start out with a pretty generic question, but one that will help define your direction. What does "Bizarro" mean as you apply it to existing characters -- twist them, so to speak, into Bizarro versions of themselves -- and to this world? Does it mean opposite, as many people use the term? Or is it something else?

EP: The opposite thing doesn't sum up Bizarro to me. He would be a woman if he were really an opposite, wouldn't he? He'd also have to be a black woman, too. And a lesbian. A communist. Be really weak under a yellow sun. So yeah, a gay black lady communist without eye beams. Not that there's anything wrong with being a gay black lady communist without eye beams. No, I see it as more of a distortion. A mockery. Bizarro would be a mockery of Superman in my eyes.

NRAMA: As a long-time comics reader, did you already have an idea in your head about what Bizarro and his world were?

EP: Things change in comics so much I really had no idea what the current Bizarro incarnation was. I really just went into it with the idea of visually doing the way I envisioned Bizarro.

NRAMA: What was your approach to drawing the main "#1" Bizarro character?

EP: I wanted to portray him as a Frankenstein Superman. Not really evil. Misunderstood and simple. Misshapen and twisted. I think Geoff was looking at it the same way. So we were on the same page when it came to portraying him in that light.

NRAMA: So did your ideas about Bizarro match up pretty well to what you saw in the script? Or did you change your approach to him after reading more about the way Johns/Donner were writing the character?

EP: Yes, I was thinking this would be a much darker story than what it was. It has it's serious elements but it also has that Bizarro absurd humor to it. It kind of made me portray him with a little more of a childlike element in some of his expressions.

NRAMA: For those new to the concept -- and since we're kind of starting from scratch with the place anyway -- what exactly is Bizarro World?

EP: A world of Bizarros.

NRAMA: Well, that's simple. But where did you get the idea for the look of Bizarro World?

EP: My version was really influenced by the recent animated version of him. It was really Frankensteinish. Like I mentioned earlier, the Frankenstein approach is really what I'm going for.

NRAMA: We talked about this before, but for people who are looking at your pencils for the first time, how did you approach drawing Superman in this story? Did you go for a classic look or more modern look? Or was it more about contrasting him against the background of Bizarro world?

EP: Definitely classic. Superman doesn't need to be hipped up. And I think the classic clean cut look does work better against the kind of gothic take of Bizarro World.

NRAMA: On your cover for your third issue, we saw some of the characters who are showing up as "Bizarro" versions of themselves. Were those ideas you came up with?

EP: Yeah, they gave me the characters and slight descriptions of what to do with Green Lantern, but other than that, I pretty much just ran with it.

NRAMA: Let's talk about each of them ... starting with Wonder Woman.

EP: I made her kinda dwarfish to go against the Amazon thing.

NRAMA: The fat Flash?

EP: I thought it would be funny to make him a big fatty. And instead of a lightning bolt on his chest I put what looks like a smudgy mustard smear.

NRAMA: Hawkgirl?

EP: She was the hardest to Bizarro up. I finally just decided to make her this nasty zombie like thing.

NRAMA: Batman?

EP: Well, he's supposed to be a super intelligent detective guy that's really dark and brooding. So I made him... childlike is I guess the polite term. Happy and childlike in pastel colors and a yellow happy face instead of a bat.

NRAMA: Green Lantern's Sinestro Corps symbol was a nice touch.

EP: I made him shoot himself in the face with his power ring. [laughs]

NRAMA: What was your favorite thing to draw in this storyline?

EP: Superman in the fortress of solitude was pretty fun. They're using the movie version now and it was just cool to draw. And Bizarro doing anything. He's just fun to draw.

NRAMA: Were you asked to design or draw anything that surprised you? Can you share what it is -- or at least give us a hint?

EP: Hmmm. Yeah, I guess I could hint. They threw a Bizarro villain in and I was a little like why is this guy in there? But then I saw what they did and I was like OK, now I get it. Vague enough for you?

NRAMA: We're used to vague. OK, as the final question, what do you think of the Bizarro story overall? What do you think readers will like about it and what will their reaction be?

EP: I'm really liking it. It's fun, and weird, and has a little heart, too. The readers? Their reaction will be this is the greatest comic book story of all time. But they will say it like this, "This comic am best comic me am ever reading if me could read!"

[rwe1138]

When Gary Frank was announced to be taking over the art duties on Action, I decided to add the book to my pull list when he came aboard. Then I rememebered about this arc preceding it, so it looks like I'll be jumping on three issues earlier than planned. And that's a good thing.

Oh, and first post yada yada yada...

[AcidPowerZ]

Those pencils look really good.

[melperfect]

Wow!

Not a fan of the title, but the art looks too good to pass up!
Eric Powell is great for this story.

[Crump's Brother]

I don't read Superman stories in monthly form, but I'll give the first issue of this arc a shot. Powell is a great choice for it.

[davew]

I'm happy to see Donner return to the book, but did the final issue of "Last Son" even come out yet? Have I missed it?

[griff311]

Isn't Superman still stuck in the phantom zone? Didn't Zod trap him there while all the escaped Kryptonian criminals wreck havok on Metropolis?

[majorjoe23]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Powell is drawing both the interiors and covers for the three-issue Action Comics storyline, titled "Escape from Bizarro World." The artist is considered ideal for the creation of Bizarro World -- the planet readers saw teased in Action Comics Annual #10 earlier this year -- because he's best known as the creator of The Goon, his self-published, Eisner Award-winning title that features a whole universe of bizarre monsters, ghouls and zombies.

Just a small correction here: The Goon isn't self-published (it was once upon a time), it's published by Dark Horse.

[Fanboy375]

Originally Posted by davew

I'm happy to see Donner return to the book, but did the final issue of "Last Son" even come out yet? Have I missed it?

Not out yet. It will be in an annual. The screwed up way that the first Wonder Woman arc will be concluded (Maybe next year)

[Snowspinner]

Originally Posted by davew

I'm happy to see Donner return to the book, but did the final issue of "Last Son" even come out yet? Have I missed it?

The last bit of Last Son has been delayed indefinitely into Action Comics Annual 11.

[izzatrix]

the Phantom Zone story is going to be finished in the annual later on. They will have to do something special to top the recent Grant Morrison Bizzaro story in All-Star Superman. I'm not really looking forward to this as one Bizarro story every decade is still more than I want to read.

[griff311]

I know different titles don't always reflect continuity from book to book, but it would be nice if Action would finish one arc before starting another. It just really kills the momentum of a story!

[jedifish]

Me am not looking backward to this.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by griff311

Isn't Superman still stuck in the phantom zone? Didn't Zod trap him there while all the escaped Kryptonian criminals wreck havok on Metropolis?

He left the Phantom Zone in the latest issue penciled by Kubert (851 ?). DC decided to stop waiting for Kubert and now they are releasing the stories that would have followed the conclusion of The Last Son. The final two chapters of Last Son will be released in the next Action Comics Annual whenever Kubert feels like doing his work.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by griff311

I know different titles don't always reflect continuity from book to book, but it would be nice if Action would finish one arc before starting another. It just really kills the momentum of a story!

While I agree that it kills the momentum of the story, I am definitely glad DC stopped waiting for Kubert. Considering how much time it took him to deliver four issues (and with almost a year between the time he signed his DC contract and his first issue of Action) we wouldn't get any new Johns/Donner stories until sometime next year. Of course, they could have just replaced Kubert and used another artist to finish Last Son first.

[griff311]

I just pulled out Action #851. Superman is out of the Phantom Zone and discovers Metropolis under siege and in bondage to the escaped Krptonian criminals. It ends with him being asked to join with Metallo, The Parasite, Bizaro and Lex Luthor to fight the Kryptonian criminals.

[TheNoirPI]

Should have asked why Bizarro Batman isn't the already created Batzarro.

[Skully]

Originally Posted by Fanboy375

Not out yet. It will be in an annual. The screwed up way that the first Wonder Woman arc will be concluded (Maybe next year)

Oct.

But I would bet money on it slipping.

[JLAJRC]

You know, I always thought that Bizarro was one of those things that sounded good in theory, but for some reason no one seemed to know what to do with. From the kinda fun Silver Age stuff all the way to the various darker versions, no one seems to agree on how to portray him. Also, the "Me am" speech has ALWAYS annoyed me.

[ColonelLee]

I'm really looking forward to this arc.

Put me down as one who would like to see Eric Powell do more Superman stories. Doesn't have to be Bizarro. Powell never fails to entertain.

[OM]

...This no am bad. Me no buy it.

[KoozyK]

Originally Posted by Fanboy375

Not out yet. It will be in an annual. The screwed up way that the first Wonder Woman arc will be concluded (Maybe next year)

the ww annual was solicited in (i think) september's solicitations.

[ThatNickGuy]

I want to like this. And because I love Powell's work, I want to buy it.

That said, I will NOT be picking this up. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that rather than wait and finish the first arc that Donner/Johns had written, that they're going to just jump to the beginning of another arc.

Not only that, but DC has broken up the arc with filler issues for unknown reasons. Some could blame Donner. I doubt it, as he seems more like the idea man or the person that bounces ideas off of Johns, while Johns does the scripts. I don't mean that in a negative tone, please keep in mind. And the blame could go to Kubert on the art, who knows.

The fact of the matter is that rather than be patient and wait for the issues to be done, DC has gone ahead and done filler issues and finished the arc up in the annual. It was originally meant to be a simple 4-part arc, beginning and ending within that series.

Sorry, Eric Powell. I don't blame you. I blame the business. But I may pick up the trade for this arc, should it actually finish coming out.

[Moonbeam]

Originally Posted by majorjoe23

Just a small correction here: The Goon isn't self-published (it was once upon a time), it's published by Dark Horse.

Gah! I knew that. Had all the details in the last article, but just whipped this one up without thinking. Thanks for the catch.

- Vaneta

[CATT]

Eric Powell RULES!!!!! I can't wait for this to be in my hands. He has that classic style of Sup going on.