RIDING WITH JONAH HEX: RAFA GARRES

[MattBrady]

Issue #29 hit last week, but what’s time when you’re talking about a grizzled cowboy of the West? We continue our series of conversations with the artists of DC’s Jonah Hex series, this time speaking with Spain’s Rafa Garres about “Return to Devil’s Paw.”

Newsarama: Rafa, you’re a relatively unknown name to American comics fans – can you give us your background in comics and art?

Rafa Garres: I live and I work in Canovelles, a small town close to Barcelona, Spain. I’m an illustrator, painter and comic book artist. I started to learn to draw as many other artists do, at a regular art school, but I should admit that at that art school (Massana School, Barcelona) I didn’t learn many things, basically the teaching orientation was focused on modern art and the new tendencies in the field. 90% of what I know are learned for myself on the regular way, reading art books by Hogarth or Eisner, watching and reading comics and last, hours and hours, days and days, and finally years and years of drawing and painting. I think that’s the way many other artists seemed to learn as well.

Since I left the art school I worked in many different fields, designing Set designs and conceptual art for films and in the videogame field. I did many illustration, painting and comic illustrations and some of my memorable books are Slaine: Lord of the Beasts 2000 AD, LOBO: Chained, LOBO: Penguins, Jaguar God Return to Shibalba, and many short stories for Verotik, Marvel comics and 2000AD.

NRAMA: How did you end up on Jonah Hex?

RG: I was in direct contact with Jimmy Palmiotti when I met him in Barcelona, Spain one year ago, and I started working for Jimmy and Justin when Mark Chiarello showed them the cover I had done for the Hex title. Things went very quickly after that and I received the script for “Return to Devil’s Paw,” which is out now and I was given another issue which I am working on now.

NRAMA: Do you enjoy Westerns, or is this just another gig to pay the bills?

RG: Well, I never thought that I would get asked to draw a western since most of my work consisted of fantasy, sword and sorcery and science fiction. Westerns are something new to me, but actually I drew a short Western a few years ago for Marvel called Gunhawk. With Jonah Hex, this is a more complex character with a bigger range of things to illustrate. More complex really…horses, Indians, Calvary, soldiers and such. Also it was a much longer story.

The Western is a genre that I like but for this character Jonah Hex, it’s a bit different than most. This is a complicated character. He lost a war, yet by no means does he consider himself a loser. He is an anti-hero and still wears the grey uniform without a complex.

In a lot of ways it’s also interesting to me because his character is past legend and part myth. I enjoy that each artist gives their own vision of how they see the character and the book always makes for an interesting read because of this. Sometimes he is handsome, sometimes really tall, and most times dark and somewhat cruel. It’s like we all get to do our own version of this mythical figure.

NRAMA: You penciled, inked and colored this book. How long did it take and what was your favorite part?

RG: I really enjoy doing it all. I am European and here in Europe the comic artists illustrate their work from beginning to end, even the lettering. For me, my work is so important, it represents me, and I also want to give the best quality I can to my readers.

The part that takes more time are the pencils of course …I’m not just drawing, I´m building perspectives, creating panels and page compositions and getting that right builds to better storytelling.

After pencils, I start my favourite thing, inking. I like to draw with the ink tools and improvise many things, on my next Hex book, I’m drawing using grays as well. Last is color - I like a lot to color, but I don’t like using the computer. I prefer the traditional methods. The color should enhance the ink effect. I don´t try to do beautiful color, I try to illustrate useful color that has storytelling to it, to complement the black and white inking based on light shadow drawing.

This takes me about 2 months total…again, I want to give the readers their money worth.

NRAMA: What was it about this story that appealed to you?

RG: I was a little worried before I got the script at first, I don’t like to illustrate bad scripts…obviously no one does. I was relieved when I got it. The story is everything in a comic book. But this script had an abundance of cool elements. It featured Human drama, colourful characters, and Indian sorcery…you know - major life and death stuff. What I like.

NRAMA: How was working from Justin and Jimmy’s script compared to other people you have worked with in the past?

RG: I sincerely have to tell you that I like the way they created the concepts in the story.

The stories are sincere, no concessions and very important and the characters have attitude …that´s something that I appreciate a lot in a comic. Something I also like a lot in the scripts are the results of violence, each violent action has a reaction.
In many comics I can see people doing their super hero fights, polished-elegant-clean violence, and the violence in this book is not clean or beautiful violence… it's dirty and tough, and has its victims... that’s the stuff that happens in a Gray and Palmiotti story and I like it.

NRAMA: What does the future hold for you?

RG: I have lots of art plans and projects, and right now, I love this job. I’ve got my tools busy on my next Jonah Hex book, and I´m putting all my love into this new wild Western.

Previously:

RIDING WITH JONAH HEX: GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI

RIDING WITH JONAH HEX: JORDI BERNET

RIDING WITH JONAH HEX: JOHN HIGGINS

[BlackDog]

This is the best western in the comicbook racks today people and I really mean that. This latest issue with the Garres art was pretty amazing. The story was intense and for my mind the ending could have been different, but nonetheless this book continues to be a sure hit in my mind, a classic.

[Marvin Lee]

Another great story and Garres work really drew me in. Everyone who complains about complex universes and overlong events should read Jonah Hex. Every issue packs a wallop.

[Skinshark]

His coloring and stretching of the figure were what caught my eye.

Really nice energy to his work.

=s=

[Lupek]

Rafa Garres' artwork on issue #29 was outstanding!

I look forward to more.

[Jigokuman]

Glad Rafa is getting more work in the US. I hadn´t seen any of his work since the 90´s (when I bought his action-packed, extremenly violent b&w mini "Hombres y Bestias"... pure 90´s goodness) and I have to say he´s grown a lot as an artist.

...but I still want to see him drawing cool monsters tearing each other apart

[jsf]

Best issue to date of an incredible series. Garres' artwork was PHENOMENAL.

If there's one issue people should buy this month -- just to try something different -- this is it.

Honestly, it was THAT good.

[nandoninny]

this is one of the best books out there.
always consistent and always a pleasure.
i save it for last b/c i like to take my time with it and enjoy it at my own pace.

[Karloffs Ghost]

I haven't poicked my copy up yet, but man, does the that artwork look good.

[chewiep1976]

I read the issue the other night--issue was the typical self-contained story which really is missed. It doesn't make you have to read 10 issues just to get through finding out how the character or the overall story is developing (really rare these days). I definitely enjoyed Garres' artwork and hope he'll get seen by more folks after this. Hex has been a great title since being relaunched and is sorely being missed out by those who are not picking it up. Any word outside the article as to how long Garres will be on Hex or any other books he may do?

[Papercut Fun]

Everyone should be reading this series!

Consistent high quality stories and art.

[Jimmy Palmiotti]

Rafa has another issue coming out in the next 6 months.

Wanted to thank all those who came out to megacon to get their Jonah Hex issues signed and those who had kind words for the book. your support means everything to Justin and I and all the artists involved.

Looking forward to seeing some of you this weekend at wizard world los angeles.

Jimmy Palmiotti.

[BillReed]

Jeezum crow, that's gorgeous art.

[subkoff]

the best read every month

[Zorro99]

Best regular series out there. Jonah Hex never gets old.

[PatrickWedge]

Another fan of the book for sure. You always hear the great comments and praise for this book, on the trades and for their approach. I wish more people would wake up and realize what a good book this is. Hopefully retailers are helping push this book as well. This needs to stick around for time and time again. Seeing all these great artists drop in and get their fix should tell DC something, there is a market.

It is tough because it doesn't seem to fit into their current business model of capes and crossovers but man, you have to clear your mind at some point and this book fits that bill. Yet at most conventions and panels and features, Jonah Hex barely gets a mention. Like DC doesn't know this book exists or cares about it. Come on DC, pony up with the support!!

[Papercut Fun]

It would be great for DC to showcase their diversity by combining an issue of a Superman, Jonah Hex, Fables & something from their Johnny DC line into one sampler book to hand out on Free Comic Book Day.

Since they don't like to produce original material for the event, this would at least be a way to expose multiple genres to existing (and potentially new I suppose) comic book fans who visit a comic book shop that day.

[SledgeHammer]

One of the best books on the stands these days, everyone should at the very least give a few issues of Jonah Hex a spin.

[SAIDESTROYER]

rafa is the best! i still miss him in lobo (though he only drew 1 ish of the mothly series and 1 oneshot)