SECRET AGENT MAHN: POP MAHN TALKS BLANK

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Secret agent? Check.

Damsel in distress? Check.

Terrorist organization? Check.

Bond… James Bond? Nah, he’s only a screwed-up secret agent with a serious lapse in memory (and no, he’s not Jason Bourne) who’s sworn to protect a confused tomboy in the most dangerous of territories – high school (no, not Alex Rider).

And creator Pop Mhan swore that this is not SpyBoy 2.

Instead, it’s BLANK, TOKYOPOP’s new global manga book series by the Thailand-born Mhan.

“BLANK is a project I'm really excited about,” said TOKYOPOP editor Tim Beedle. “It's fun, it's exciting, it's sexy. It's everything you look for in a big summer blockbuster, only without the overpriced popcorn and annoying ads at the beginning. This is Pop's series through and through. He came up with the concept and story, he's writing the script and he's illustrating the entire book. He's passionate about this project, and I think it shows in his work. These are some of the best pages I've ever seen from Pop. I loved SpyBoy and really enjoyed the Demon miniseries Pop did with Josh Dysart (which I know will probably draw ire from all the hardcore Kirby fans out there, but what can I say? I thought it was fun!), but the stuff he's turned in for BLANK blows them both away. Pop's letting his love of manga loose in a way he never has before, and the result is something that I can best describe as GTO meets Danger Girl with just a touch of The Bourne Identity.

“What's so great about this book is that it refuses to be classified as one thing. There's plenty of spy action and political intrigue, but there's also a huge emphasis on screwball comedy and school hijinx. At it's heart, however, the story is a romance. But don't let that scare you off, action fans! This is a high school love story that doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's set against a backdrop of terrorism and espionage.”

When we last spoke with Mhan about the project, it was back in October 2004. Two years down the road, the first volume of BLANK will finally see the light. Mhan said that he’s had a “whirlwind” of a time writing and drawing his first solo project. “Working on BLANK Vol. 1 was a whirlwind of every emotion you can think of,” he said. “I was initially excited to be doing my own writing and then I cried as I realized I would be doing my own writing. I was happy that I was learning through doing and then destitute after I realized that I sucked. I was then driven to better myself and then really, really drained that after two years… I still sucked.”

Well, that’s for the readers to judge when the first volume hits stores December 12.

In between getting BLANK off the ground and finally completing the whole project, Mhan’s signed on to illustrate Batgirl and Robin for DC. Now, a creator doesn’t just live on one project alone, even if it’s one that’s so close to his heart, creatively and personally. For Mhan, working on these side projects, especially Batgirl, has taught him that he needs to make a “bigger impact in a shorter amount of time to keep a book going. Although in the case of Batgirl, there was little I could do as the writing was on the wall well before I got on. However, I really loved the book and wished that [writer] Andersen [Gabrych] and I could’ve continued if even for a little while longer. I feel the same can be said about BLANK as well. I really need to make a good and lasting impression on the reading public to build any kind of momentum for the book. I do hope I’ve done that.”

While he’s gearing up for future volumes of BLANK, he’s also working on Marvel Adventures Spider-Man which reunites the artist with the SpyBoy creative team of Peter David and Norman Lee, and will soon be starting on Firestorm. “Right now, I am a few pages shy of being done with my run on Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. Then I’ll be pinch hitting on Firestorm for a couple of issues, which will be big fun, during which I’ll be writing the scripts for Volumes 2 and 3 of BLANK.

“Volume 1 was very eclectic with the writing and pacing, I felt. I approached the writing of Vol. 1 as I would a comic book serial, as that’s what I’m used to, foregoing the obvious fact that I was working on a 162 page book. I’d write a chapter of BLANK while working on an issue of Batgirl, pencil and ink the chapter after finishing the issue of Batgirl and then tone it during the start of another issue. Rinse, repeat. Looking back, the process was very flawed for a million reasons but the most obvious was that it gave me too much time to rewrite the plot. [Laughs] When readers finally pick up a copy of the first volume, it’ll be the one millionth and final rewrite of BLANK Volume 1… Hooray!

“By pre-writing the last two volumes, I’ll not only be able to have a more cohesive narration which I’ll have a harder time trying to rewrite, but I’ll be able to produce the chapters at a much quicker pace.

“I was also toying around with the idea that the three volumes of BLANK might be similar in tone to the original Star Wars Trilogy. The Trilogy is one of my favorites and I feel it’s very well written. Volume 2 of BLANK will be my Empire Strikes Back which happens to be my favorite movie of the saga. Rock on!”

For someone who's studied sequential art under master artist, Jim Lee, Mhan’s style has evolved and matured over the years since his early days at WildStorm although he admits that Lee’s probably “offended to have his name associated in any way to a crappy artist like me but yes, I was a former WildStormite. I started to learn to draw about two years before going to WildStorm and as a result, you can see my artistic “progress” throughout my career. Good and bad, it’s all been captured in the funny pages! Hooray! Wait… wow… that kinda sucks.

“With BLANK, I hope to scratch an itch I’ve had for years,” he added. “It’s no big secret that I’ve been a huge fan of Japanese styled comics for years. Being such a fan the style has pervaded my art since I started looking at the stuff many moons ago. While my base and love is American comics which I hope to never leave, I’ve taken up a mistress in manga. I think the other itch is to write my own stories. Working with a writer is great but being a sole creator is oddly satisfying. Oh yeah, many of my friends and family said I couldn’t do it or that I’d fail, so being a stubborn mule, I had to try it at least… well… 10 or 11 times!

“Readers and fans can look forward to having their socks blown off! BLANK’ll be a wild ride! I think it’ll be a fun read. If I get a chuckle out of you, I’ll be as happy as a pig in… well… mud. [Just] a laugh [and] I’ll die happy. An amnesiac spy can go on forever, man! I remember… I forget… I remember… I forget… [Laughs]

In saying that, Mhan admits that he has an ending in mind for BLANK. “Yes, yes I do. The title character, Blank, comes to the Cloud City of Bespin looking for his real father when he starts eating pudding with Chewbacca, some hippies and a few random Ewoks. Blank decides that since he couldn’t understand a thing of what Chewie says, Ewoks are stupid and hippies tend to smell bad, he departs for Earth where he gets his hand chopped off by his dad and tries to marry his sister who is in love with one of his close friends. Or something like that.

Star Wars enough for you?

Find out for yourself when the first volume of BLANK hits early next week.

[Sharcque]

Is Blank color or black & white?

[kdmelrose]

It's black and white.

[Street Carp]

I like Pop Mahn's style. I have a Nightwing sketch that the did at a con a few years ago, and it's really good. I might have to check this book out.

(ian)

[ShinAkuma666]

This looks great ! Been a fan of his since I got Spyboy, man I miss that comic

Will be getting Blank very soon, anyone knows when volume 2 and 3 are schedule ?

Will also track down what he did on Spider-man, never knew about that.

[mikeyg]

Looks great, Ive been a fan since he did christian and some avengelyne stuff for Maximum Press.

[theodoros2]

Originally Posted by mikeyg

Looks great, Ive been a fan since he did christian and some avengelyne stuff for Maximum Press.

I hate him since he destroyed the previous Ghost Rider.
Had a help from some people too.

And now he is better of course.

Actually he is a lot better than the average artist.

[C. The B.B.C]

Originally Posted by theodoros2

I hate him since he destroyed the previous Ghost Rider.
Had a help from some people too.

Damn-F`N-Straight! Pop Mahn is one of the few creators out there who I just absolutely despise. He could draw the most influential comicbook in the world and cause a revolution in the industry, and I`d still hate the dude.

[theodoros2]

Originally Posted by C. The B.B.C

Damn-F`N-Straight! Pop Mahn is one of the few creators out there who I just absolutely despise. He could draw the most influential comicbook in the world and cause a revolution in the industry, and I`d still hate the dude.

I hate him less now...

But he destroyed the Ghost Rider of the 90's. It was a good comic book. Better than most people think. But the "Siege of Darkness" crossover was so bad that the Ghost Rider family comic books become "X-Men by night". The first year of Morbious, Darkhold and Nightstalkers were great.

After that.... ABYSS!!

Pop Mhan congratulations for becoming better.

[Statham]

Spyboy was awesome, I just loved the character of Bombshell.

If his characters in this are half as smart as those in Spyboy, I'll be happy.

[charlie]

Originally Posted by Statham

Spyboy was awesome, I just loved the character of Bombshell.

If his characters in this are half as smart as those in Spyboy, I'll be happy.

Just to clarify...the "smart" characters in Spyboy were the result of Peter David writing 'em. Pop drew 'em (and drew 'em well), but credit PAD for writing the stories well

[C. The B.B.C]

Originally Posted by theodoros2

I hate him less now...

But he destroyed the Ghost Rider of the 90's. It was a good comic book. Better than most people think. But the "Siege of Darkness" crossover was so bad that the Ghost Rider family comic books become "X-Men by night". The first year of Morbious, Darkhold and Nightstalkers were great.

After that.... ABYSS!!

Pop Mhan congratulations for becoming better.

Hey, man, no argument from me here.

It`s just that, in my mind, I came to associate Mr. Mahn with everything that was wrong with Marvel at that point in time and how that "administration" just mishandled every single title they had. I mean, putting a Tokyo-Pop artist to draw Ghost Rider is the same thing as putting Alex Maleev to draw PowerPack!
Not that the writting, the inking or the coloring on those books were anything truly spectacular. But it was just a terrible decision and, as far as Manga-style drawing in western titles, just look at C.B. Cebulsky`s Drain or even some of the stuff that was coming out in the X-Men books a couple of years back. There is a right way and a right style to do it. It can be a very interesting, very successful mix.
Ultimately, I guess his style and the genre that serves it best just don`t appeal to me. And Pop`s stay at Ghost Rider probably has more than a little to do with it.

[Kolimar]

I'm loving the art. It looks great.

[Egg]

Just looking at the art, it feels like Pop Mhan has found his spiritual home! I've always felt his talent exceeded some of the books he worked on and this project just confirms that thought. It looks great and the Preview over at TokyoPop.com just confirms it, this is a must have for the holidays!

[Akcoll99]

Originally Posted by C. The B.B.C

Damn-F`N-Straight! Pop Mahn is one of the few creators out there who I just absolutely despise. He could draw the most influential comicbook in the world and cause a revolution in the industry, and I`d still hate the dude.

Sooo, because you didn't like the way the guy drew a comic book, you "despise" him. Wow, what a sad, shallow person you must be...

As for the book actually mentioned in the article, I picked it up today at Borders and it's fantastic. Great art, and nice action-adventure story that reads really well...

[Jason Seaver]

This is some of the best stuff I've seen from Mhan. I have to admit, I haven't loved a lot of his other work, but this really looks like a big step forward.

[theodoros2]

Originally Posted by C. The B.B.C

Hey, man, no argument from me here.

It`s just that, in my mind, I came to associate Mr. Mahn with everything that was wrong with Marvel at that point in time and how that "administration" just mishandled every single title they had. I mean, putting a Tokyo-Pop artist to draw Ghost Rider is the same thing as putting Alex Maleev to draw PowerPack!
Not that the writting, the inking or the coloring on those books were anything truly spectacular. But it was just a terrible decision and, as far as Manga-style drawing in western titles, just look at C.B. Cebulsky`s Drain or even some of the stuff that was coming out in the X-Men books a couple of years back. There is a right way and a right style to do it. It can be a very interesting, very successful mix.
Ultimately, I guess his style and the genre that serves it best just don`t appeal to me. And Pop`s stay at Ghost Rider probably has more than a little to do with it.

You got me wrong. I don't fight with you. Peace.

We agree. It's just I used to hate him and now i hate him less...

[Krypto]

Originally Posted by Egg

Just looking at the art, it feels like Pop Mhan has found his spiritual home! I've always felt his talent exceeded some of the books he worked on and this project just confirms that thought. It looks great and the Preview over at TokyoPop.com just confirms it, this is a must have for the holidays!

And someone gets his name correct!

[Charlie Hustle]

Originally Posted by Akcoll99

Sooo, because you didn't like the way the guy drew a comic book, you "despise" him. Wow, what a sad, shallow person you must be...

As for the book actually mentioned in the article, I picked it up today at Borders and it's fantastic. Great art, and nice action-adventure story that reads really well...

I think they obviously meant hate what he did to characters they liked, not despise him as a person and want him to break his arm or something.

[saiyanspider]

BIG fan of Pop Mhan! He did a commission for me of Goku from DBZ! Might get another with Tax money.

Look forward to this for one reason... POP!

[hadez]

Originally Posted by Statham

Spyboy was awesome, I just loved the character of Bombshell.

If his characters in this are half as smart as those in Spyboy, I'll be happy.

Dude, I LOVE your Civil War Banner!!

[J O R Z A C]

Regardless of the Ghost Rider stint, he's a damn great professional and truly generous human being. He's been on BLANK for a while, this is all his and I'm glad it will finally see the light of day. All those idiot "haters" should come meet Pop at the next Baltimore Con.
You'll find that using the word "hate" for someone you never met because of the way he draws a certain character is pretty damn foolish.
Good show Pop, I'm all over it!!