UPDATED: ENTERING THE DARK TOWER II: JAE LEE

**MattBrady** · 01-10-2007, 05:59 PM

Note: The image to the right is the sketch variant cover to issue #1, click for a healthy, corn-fed sized version

He’s been charged with a task that’s both eminently enviable and decidedly unenviable at the same time – bring the characters of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower to life. Sure, they’ve been seen before, in spot illustrations throughout the seven novel series, but under Lee’s pencil, entire swaths of the world of The Dark Tower, as well as Roland, the Gunslinger himself will take on a life previously unseen.

And Lee’s handling it with an excited calmness…if that makes sense. Click here for our initial interview with Lee about the project from October of 2005.

Continuing our conversations with the creative team of Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, we spoke with Lee about the miniseries, his art, and the larger picture.

Newsarama: First off, let’s clarify – what is Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born? There seems to be confusion…

Jae Lee: What comes out in February is the first issue of a seven issue miniseries, and the entire series looks to be a total of 30 issues. I think that’s where some confusion has come in –this seven issue miniseries is not a strict adaptation of Wizard and Glass. It’s part of a larger, ongoing story.

So the first miniseries is just the beginning. The first story arc is an expansion of the Wizard and Glass that fits within the frame of the prose novels. There are obviously story elements that will be familiar to fans of the Dark Tower as well as content that has yet to be explored. We knew that if we started with any of the books other than Wizard and Glass, Dark Tower prose readers would know what’s going on, but newcomers would have a more difficult time. Of course, our aim is to put together an incredible comic book series that is inviting to fans of great storytelling---and not just an insular form of entertainment. So we started the comic series book at an easily accessible point where we can flesh out the larger epic story with an energetic engaging debut arc without losing new readers along the way or boring longtime fans.

NRAMA: So where are you on the first miniseries now?

JL: I’m wrapping up issue #6 right now.

NRAMA: So is this is pretty much been what’s keeping you busy since the announcement?

JL: Yeah, this is it. Well – the Hellshock collection finally came out, and I did a little work on that, but regular comic book wise, this is it.

NRAMA: As this has all moved forward, have you had a chance to meet Stephen King?

JL: Nah – not yet. I’d love to meet him though – although I don’t know what I’d say. Probably just, “Hey, I love your stuff man.” Like he’s never heard that before. Though in terms of the book, Ralph Macchio and his office have been the medium between Stephen and the rest of the creative team.

NRAMA: Putting this in context with all your other work, from Namor to Hellshock, Inhumans and the rest – where does this fit in terms of difficulty in doing the work, of seeing it in your head to put it on the page? Is it as say, straightforward as any other project, or does what it is add another layer of difficulty or effort to it?

JL: It’s easily the most difficult project that I’ve ever worked on. It’s not like working on an established character – this is a brand new universe that we’re creating. We’ve seen some of the characters portrayed in different ways in the novels in spot illustrations, but the characters aren’t clearly defined. I was really concerned that I was going to draw this, and the fans would be upset and Stephen King was going to be upset and tell me that it wasn’t how he pictured the characters at all. I thought it would be a nightmare.

Whenever you’re trying to draw what’s in somebody else’s head, it’s never going to be 100% accurate. I was so relieved when Stephen King, in the first meeting said that he was purposely vague on the descriptions of the characters, because he wanted the readers to come up with their own opinions and views of the characters, and see them in their own way. So he was open to my interpretation of the characters. Which was a relief.

NRAMA: Going back to when we first spoke about this in late 2005 – both you and Richard told the harrowing tale of adapting those first four pages of the novel, having to come up with a decisive “look” for Roland, and coming in right under the wire…as you’ve gotten further into it – what character has been the easiest to see? As we’ve discussed, King talked about Roland as possibly being mistaken for Clint Eastwood, but even with that, you’re dealing with a teenage version of that…

JL: And here’s me – terrible with doing likenesses. I just figure if I have him squint a lot…[laughs] But seriously, I had a really tough time drawing these characters. My art lends itself to darker characters. I love drawing “ugly” people. Those types of characters are easier for me to draw, and to make it worse, adults are easier than young people. When I had to draw Roland and his friends, and especially Susan, I had a really difficult time. They had to be young, their body types were a specific way, and Susan had to be really pretty. She’s defined as being the prettiest girl in the world. How do you draw that without it looking too generic?

NRAMA: How do you?

JL: There’s a softness that I had to capture in this, and it forced me to draw in a different style. I’ve never drawn like this before. In the past, I really didn’t care if somebody was going to come across as active or not. I could draw as many lines on their face as I wanted, and it would be okay. But with these characters, I really had to strive for a realism that I’ve never had to before. So, it’s easily the prettiest stuff I’ve ever done – I’ve never drawn this pretty before.

NRAMA: Just pulling out another character – Cuthbert, the jokester. Speaking of King’s descriptions, the bulk of what he said of that character was that he was always close to a smile, and had a lightness in his eyes. Does something like that from King inform how you “design” the character in addition to give you a key for his baseline expressions?

JL: I had the toughest time with him because, like I was saying, I have a tough time drawing characters that are happy or smile. It just doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m always putting people in scowls, or they look like they’re trying to stare you down. I’m constantly having to remind myself when I’m drawing Cuthbert, to lighten him up a little bit – give him a smirk. It seems counterintuitive, because there are so many dark, evil things that are happening in the book – and here I have to draw this guy with a smile on his face. So that’s something I constantly have to remind myself to do.

NRAMA: In terms of other challenges, given the setting – arguably Wizard and Glass was The Dark Tower at its most “Western,” and naturally, there was a lot to do with horses. It seems that if you ask ten comic artists what they don’t like to draw, “horses” always come up near the top… Did you find your inner horse artist in drawing this, or did you find ways to always have the horses standing in tall grass or looking around corners?

JL: I’m the opposite – I love drawing animals, people and anything organic and natural, and I hate drawing sic-fi. I know there are a lot of artists who love to do that kind of stuff – robots and spaceships, but I can’t do that to save my life. I don’t want to. I just don’t think that way.

Everything that’s in Dark Tower, I feel that it’s so perfect for my style and aesthetics. I love old, broken down buildings, and every “Western” element that is in the world Stephen King created. I love doing the fabric of their outfits, the horses, the landscape – so no, the horses haven’t been trouble for me.

The guns though – they’re a different matter.

NRAMA: Really?

JL:: Oh yeah.

NRAMA: But – it was almost as where King went somewhat sparse on the descriptions of the characters; he did linger on the guns. It seems that you could take say, a Colt Peacemaker as reference, and feed it steroids, and be good to go. After all, it seems that a horse can change and move, and no two horses will look alike, the guns…once you’ve got it down, that’s that…

JL: I just hate using rulers. And to draw a gun in perspective is one of the hardest things to do. It’s so hard to draw someone pointing a gun at you and have it not look like he’s holding a lollipop. The horses – they’re amazing to draw – they have such great flowing hair that I can have move all over the place. It’s kind of like Batman’s cape that you can use to convey movement even when the horse is standing still. Give me a horse to draw over a gun any day.

NRAMA: Speaking of reference for this otherworldly place, what did you find yourself using? Hambry is a frontier town…but in a very strange land…

JL: What’s great about this book is that it can’t be pigeonholed inot any specific genre. I don’t have to keep it an “authentic” Western, for example. I can put a rusted out car in there if I want. Or a tank.

NRAMA: Right – there were oil fields with machinery outside of town…

JL: Right – the Citgo oil fields. So it’s not a Western – it’s a place where time has gone crazy. All these different timelines have converged into this one reality, so the world has planes and tanks, along with cities, witches and castles…and horses. So nothing I draw is “wrong.” Roland can be riding into a frontier town, and he can go past a medieval castle with all the trimmings. That’s what I love about this.

So – I try to give each location a distinct feel. For example, where Roland grew up, in Gilead, it was very much reminiscent of King Arthur’s time, albeit it in its final days. The Gunslingers are the “knights” of their time, so I drew a giant castle, and made it all very medieval. When he goes to the town where Susan lives, it will be a frontier town, with more of a traditional feel to it – the buildings will be made of wood, for example.

NRAMA: So each place has its own feel, and there doesn’t even have to be internal consistency between the lands…

JL: Right.

NRAMA: Speaking of your art and what’s done to it – this is the first time you and Richard Isanove have worked together, right?

JL: Actually, we worked on a cover for a Lady Death comic back in 1999, but this is the first time we’ve worked on a project.

NRAMA: So – here you were, on a big, the biggest project of your career, and teamed with a colorist that you hadn’t worked with before. What were you expecting going in, and what was the reality like?

JL: I’m just blown away with how the work is turning out. I think Joe Quesada put it perfectly when he said this is easily the best work that we’ve both done, and we’re both pushing ourselves and working in a style that we’ve never done before. We’ve never put this much energy into anything before, and the combination of both of our refined styles has almost turned into a third artist. Joe keeps joking that there’s some new artist involved somewhere.

I can’t even begin to explain how much I love what Richard has done with the art.

NRAMA: So you were worried?

JL: I was…skeptical at first. I’d never had my stuff colored directly from pencils before. I’d never worked with Richard before in this kind of capacity, so I was really reluctant. But then when I saw the stuff that he was turning out, I was just amazed. Every page he sends back, I just start at for way longer than I should.

NRAMA: Once you started seeing the work come back from him, did you start…keying your work more towards his approach just as he would be moving towards you, resulting in the full-on collaboration rather than artist and colorist?

JL: Yeah - it’s way beyond just a penciler and colorist. And I love the fact that I don’t have to ink my stuff too [laughs]. When I just pencil something, and know that I only have to pencil it, it’s so liberating. That’s a lot of why this looks like something that’s entirely new, compared to my earlier work. I can go soft and delicate with the linework, and you can’t get those kinds of subtleties when it’s inked. No matter how good of an inker you have, or you are, it’s never going to look as good as the pencils.

I don’t know how Richard translates the line art – it’s somewhere between pencil and ink and color, and it all just blends in. I don’t know where one ends and the other begins, honestly.

NRAMA: With that said, the final, collaborative work – the finished work that comes out – is it safe to say that we’re seeing more of your intent than we have with your other projects?

JL: I wouldn’t say “intent” necessarily, because I didn’t intend for any of my other projects to look like this. So, in my other projects, I was going for a different look, so this is probably a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing. After Dark Tower, I think I probably want to go back and work in a minimalist style. There’s only so much of this realism I can take [laughs]. Sometimes I feel that it’s really liberating to draw whatever you want, however you want. It can be physically taxing to make sure that every detail is correct, and every detail is perfect.

NRAMA: And adding to that taxing is knowing that, somewhere along the line, Stephen King is going to be checking your work?

JL: Yeah. There was so much pressure on that first issue, because I knew he was going to look at it, and had no idea if he was going to like it or not.

NRAMA: While we’re talking about pressures – when we first spoke, we talked about the intimidation factor. Marvel’s made no bones about the fact that they’re making this a major initiative, both in comic shops and bookstores, and, second only to Stephen King, you’re going to be “the” name on it. Does that still get you a bit weak in the knees in that this will be your widest-seen work ever, or does the reality and practicality outweigh that – the page is due by the end of the day, and it needs to get done?

JL: No – the scope of this is something that I’m always conscious of. It’s incredibly exciting. It’s such a departure from the projects I’ve worked on before this. It kind of makes me forget I ever did Hulk/Thing: Hard Knocks, and in a way, it makes me glad I was fired off of Batman: Jekyll and Hyde. Everything happens for a reason. But yeah – I’m incredibly excited just by the project, and just to be associated with something that is so big for Marvel. I mean, my style is anything but mainstream. I’m never going to be the “big crossover guy.”

NRAMA: So you’re not the artist for Civil War II: Electric Boogaloo?

JL: [laughs] No. My style’s not universally accepted, and people generally love it or hate it, but for this project, it fits.

NRAMA: Just winding things up – as you said earlier, there are five miniseries total. Is this still something that you and Richard have a proprietary feel on and want to see through to the end?

JL: Yeah. If anybody else tries to come close to it, Newsarama will have a headline – that’s for sure. My career as an artist will take a turn and probably end up becoming a Law & Order episode [laughs].

Previously:

Entering the Dark Tower I: Peter David

jasonm · 01-10-2007, 06:05 PM

Simply awesome work, I can't wait to see the finished book!

Bevbos · 01-10-2007, 06:10 PM

I personally think that Jae Lee may be the best artist working in mainstream comics today.

The Guvnor · 01-10-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonm

Simply awesome work, I can't wait to see the finished book!

Agreed. That art is superb, Lee and Isanove make a great team.

Charlie Hustle · 01-10-2007, 06:20 PM

This stuff looks amazing, heavy focus on the figures which is Lee's strength. My biggest hope for this is that it'll bring in an audience that doesn't just want Superheroes. That can be a great thing for comics.

FireLight · 01-10-2007, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter David

As alluded to in the interview, Jae has had a relentless drive for perfection. The original "drafts" of the first issues have been in for months, but since he was accorded the extra time, Jae has taken the opportunity to relentlessly redraw and revise the artwork to make it better. It's not like he gets paid additionally for every pass he makes, and it's not like people have been after him to do revisions. He turns in the work on schedule and then, when the schedule is extended, uses the opportunity to make it even better.

PAD

That is actually a very wonderful and refreshing thing to hear. You mean Marvel didn't say - "Hey Jae - since you got two extra weeks ahead of you - can you rush some covers for us?" From Jae's perspective - I'm sure he could have made some extra bucks commissioning pieces or doing some covers. Kudos to the guy.

BTW - for those who could care less - except Peter - How much of a PAD fan am I? PAD inspired my handle! For those who can guess from where - you'll win - um - a ... hmmm - my respect?

Glenn Davis · 01-10-2007, 06:37 PM

Love Jae Lee ever since Inhumans came out. This is going to be the project of his career and I can see why he wants it to be perfect. It has huge potential to make him alot of money over the years.

I always wanted toi see him do an extended run on a spiderman title. I'm sure he would nail spidey and every villain in the rogues gallery. Perhaps Mister King would like to write some Spiderman comics with him sometime. I can dream right! A twelve issue spiderman horror comic would rock!

bebopeva88 · 01-10-2007, 06:51 PM

Great interview. It's cool to hear some things from the artist's perspective that you would never think of (like the difficulty with guns, but liking to draw animals, etc.). Jae Lee is phenominal, and he's a top 5 artist for me -- this stuff looks to be the best of his career. Also, it's wonderful that things are so far ahead for this mini (which one would expect since it had such a release date push back), but it'll be nice to have the individual issues come out on time; it'll really help sustain momentum.

R.McKegan · 01-10-2007, 07:06 PM

Anyone know the name of the vampire book Lee illustrated? I think it was covered on Newsarama.

Glass · 01-10-2007, 07:28 PM

Yeah, that was a great interview. I hope these interviews will stick around for a while or be catalogued somewhere. It'll be great looking back on them after the series is released and see exactly what "tank" Jae is talking about or which gun might most closely resemble a lollypop.

bebopeva88 · 01-10-2007, 07:28 PM

He did covers for a Dracula vs. Apocalypse mini -- is that what you're thinking of?

creatorman · 01-10-2007, 07:45 PM

Looking forward to this. Jae Lee is a master of his craft.

Ironhorse · 01-10-2007, 07:57 PM

I've never been interested in King books, but this comic looks awesome, PAD and Jae Lee are just too good, can't wait. Peace.

Glass · 01-10-2007, 08:18 PM

Hey Ironhorse, definitely check out The Gunslinger. It is a very quick read and is pretty self-contained really. I have to say though, that King's true mastery in my opinion comes in with The Drawing of the Three, the second book in the series. Maybe because it is far more intricate; maybe because it takes reality to a whole new meaning. But I loved that book.

Also, just so everyone knows, the next interview will be posted tomorrow (at least I have it on good authority it will be) and it is with Richard Isanove. Very exciting, as I think his colors are dynamite!

johhnypanic · 01-10-2007, 08:37 PM

His work looks like Cassaday or vice versa. very nice. I want to read the books now and will be picking up the dark tower series. Very Nice's

tyopot · 01-10-2007, 08:37 PM

the earlier work by jae lee was just nuts, he almost drew every male character bare chested. i dunno, somehow i dug that artwork.

Boston Brand · 01-10-2007, 08:44 PM

The vampire book he did illustrations for was a new paperback printing of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Very nice art.

Royal Nonesuch · 01-10-2007, 11:55 PM

I've been a big fan of Jae Lee's since he was working on X-Factor (also with PAD, I believe) over ten years ago. His work has only gotten better since then, and these preview images are definitely the best thing I've ever seen by him. He and the great Richard Isanove are an incredible combination.

Marlis · 01-11-2007, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyopot

the earlier work by jae lee was just nuts, he almost drew every male character bare chested. i dunno, somehow i dug that artwork.

His early Marvel work was ahead of it's time. His style wasn't as developed and expressive as it would become later but I could tell back then this guy was doing things no one else was. If you look at his work on X-Factor during the X-Cutioner's Song crossover and Uncanny X-Men #304 during Fatal Attractions (my favorite crossover ever, I mean it had JR JR, the Kubert Bros., Quesada and Jae Lee on and was only 6 issues long. It defines my childhood comics memories for me and is my favorite X story ever) it is so distinct and beautiful and just different. In the U X-men #304 there is the greatest Maganeto splash page ever.

HartyPotter · 01-11-2007, 12:23 AM

Love Jae Lee.

That said, can I ask something about Roland? Is there a reason Jae likes to draw him with his face looking upwards a lot? Is there something about his character that explains it?

RedRonin · 01-11-2007, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HartyPotter

Love Jae Lee.

That said, can I ask something about Roland? Is there a reason Jae likes to draw him with his face looking upwards a lot? Is there something about his character that explains it?

There's just 2 shots of him like that, and think it's do to Jae just putting a certain type of dynamic into his shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bevbos

I personally think that Jae Lee may be the best artist working in mainstream comics today.

You are not alone in thinking this.

Violent Gorilla · 01-11-2007, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HartyPotter

Love Jae Lee.

That said, can I ask something about Roland? Is there a reason Jae likes to draw him with his face looking upwards a lot? Is there something about his character that explains it?

He's a pretty complex character, and there's always a lot going on in his head. I guess it's a take on planning and/or introspection taking place.

Cormorant · 01-11-2007, 04:35 AM

I like Jae Lee's design sense and pin-ups. Not so big on his sequential work and his oft barebones backgrounds.

Ragnarokker · 01-11-2007, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Love Jae Lee.

That said, can I ask something about Roland? Is there a reason Jae likes to draw him with his face looking upwards a lot? Is there something about his character that explains it?

I find that his sequentials are really good. But, he really does favor the head back scowl. He has used it alot in different books. And several times in the preview art for this book.(the two pages in this article and the book mark with Roland wearing the hat.) I think he drew Black Bolt like that a lot for both inhumans and the UFF annual last year. I have found it to be a hallmark of Jae Lee's more recent work.

Some artists have certain things they favor. Like I personally really like to draw the 3/4 head angled down... so I'm not throwing stones but just giving an explanation as to the recurrence.

Jae Lee has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade or so and it looks to only get better.

HeX111 · 01-11-2007, 08:14 AM

this is some of the best work I've ever seen from ANY artist... the combination of Jae Lee and Richard Isanove on this was a match made in heaven... Isanove might be second to only Laura Martin (or whatever her last name is now that she's married) when it comes to coloring... and easily the best colorist when working with pencil only artwork...

I can't wait for this... and I really can't wait for the oversized hardcover treatment after the first 7 issue mini-series...

MARVEL!!! do yourself a favor... partner with King's publisher to release a new printing of the original novel that is printed inside the same hardcover as this mini-series... you'll be doing yourself a GREAT service here... it would be the perfect combination to really put out there for the bookstore crowd...