Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts

Friday, November 06, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 11

 

IPI #11 - Jonny Hinkle

Welcome to Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - an quick interview series that spotlights Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, I talk to fellow-Oklahoman writer/artist, Jonny Hinkle.

Jonny Hinkle is an artist, writer, and creator out of the Tulsa, OK area. He started his professional career as an illustrator when he graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Since his graduation he has worked on various projects, including Tribal Force the all Native American comic book. Some of Jonny's self-published works include Uprooted, a story about an "ancient tree spirit" bent on revenge against the humanity that destroys his sacred land, using a chainsaw to do so and Plague, a story about a time travelling super-hero who fails in his attempt to stop a world dominating alien menace. He was also recently published with Topcow as a runner-up for writing in their publication "Artifacts: Lost Tales #1".

See more of Jonny and is work on Facebook, Riseart, or at his Patreon site https://www.patreon.com/JonnyHinkleArt?ty=h.

Michael Sheyahshe (MS): Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Jonny Hinkle (JH): Being adopted in Oklahoma I have no "official" tribal affiliation. Though from the time I could remember my parents were informed that the mother was Native American. After researching and finding my biological parents, I have come to know that I have both Cherokee and Apache blood and am doing my best to get my Cherokee membership.
Pencils: Jonny Hinkle
MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

JH: I did not. As a child adopted by a white family, the only knowledge I had of my heritage was that I was Native American. Aside from that I took it upon myself to begin to learn about it, even taking college courses focused on Native American culture and History.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JH: I have always been interested in comics, ever since I was a child. It wasn't until I finished college in 2010 that I began to focus working for them professionally.

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

JH: That is a hard question to answer, as over time my tastes have changed. When I was younger I couldn't stop reading about Peter Parker's Spider-Man, or Rocket Raccoon. Though, as an adult I am more inclined to read stories like ThunderBolts, Suicide Squad, Superior Spider-Man, The Darkness, or other super power related books focusing more on the villains.

MS: What is your specialty in the biz?

JH: I specialize in Writing and Pencilling. While I wish I could color my own work, I leave that to the guys that really know how to make me look good.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

JH: I did. I have a degree in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

MS: What other comics/projects have you worked on?

JH: I have worked with small start-up companies as a penciller and writer, and that never worked out due mostly to the failings of the company.
"DUEL" - Jonny Hinkle & Raciel Avila Silva

MS: Have you done any comic books with Native American characters in them?

JH: I worked as a penciller on the book, Tribal Force, for a company called Rising Sun. The property is owned by an amazing creator named John Proudstar. The pieces that I myself worked on were never fully put into publication, but look for John's book in the future!

I also self published multiple projects in school depicting Native American characters.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

JH: Yes. They can be awesome if done correctly, and terrible when done incorrectly. I also feel that in the Superhero Genre, historically Native Americans have been cast aside and killed off far too often.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

JH: I know a few illustrators who are currently working in the industry. Jeffrey Veregge is an Amazing Native illustrator who is working for some of the big companies right now.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?
Pencils/Ink: Jonny Hinkle

JH: Well...if you want to write...then write. Write, Write, Write.

If you want to draw...then draw. Draw, Draw, Draw.

The key to improving at anything is time and practice. I've been creating for 33 years now.

MS: Final thoughts/shameless plugs? :)

JH: I certainly hope that my career as a comics creator will take flight, and anyone out there who has that same dream, keep pursuing it.

If you would like to see some samples of my work visit:

https://www.facebook.com/JonnyHinkleArt/?fref=ts
http://www.riseart.com/artist/hinkle-silva-art
https://www.patreon.com/JonnyHinkleArt?ty=h

Monday, May 18, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 10

IPI #10 - Richard Van Camp

Welcome to Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, I talk to super-author, Richard Van Camp.

I first met Richard in 2008 at the Eiteljorg Museum, as we were both panelist on Native Americans in Comics panel (thanks for initially getting us all together, Pete Brown!).

You can visit Richard on FacebookTwitter or at his website: www.richardvancamp.com.


Michael Sheyahshe (MS): Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Richard Van Camp (RVC): I'm a member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. I am the author of two children’s books with the Cree artist George Littlechild: "A Man Called Raven" and "What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?" I've published a novel, The Lesser Blessed, which is now a feature film with First Generation Films; my collections of short fiction include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go and Other Stories, and Godless but Loyal to Heaven. I've authored three baby books: Welcome Song for BabyA Lullaby for Newborns; Nighty Night; A Bedtime Song for Babies and Little You (now translated into Cree, Dene and South Slavey!), and I have two comic books out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly and Path of the Warrior.

My graphic novel, Three Feathers, Whistle, is about mental health and asking for forgiveness. The latest cinematic adaptation of my work is "Mohawk Midnight Runners", which is a short movie by Zoe Hopkins based on my short story, "Dogrib Midnight Runners" from The Moon of Letting Go.
is about restorative justice; my new novel,

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

RVC: Yes! Lots of storytelling and family gatherings. Best friends in the world and Fort Smith was an incredible town to be born into. It was a great time to grow up in the 80's, as well.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

RVC: My appendix blew up inside of me when I was in grade 2. As luck would have it, my neighbors brought me all of their comics to keep me company. Mike Grell’s "The Warlord" (issue 13) saved me because I made a deal with myself that when I got out of there, I’d get every single issue. I did. I have the entire series and followed it for years. I’m grateful to Epic Magazine, Savage Tales and Heavy Metal magazine--The Savage Sword of Conan, too!--because they lit imagination on fire.

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

RVC: The Walking Dead. I've been following it for years and it’s only getting better. Rachel Rising is incredible, too. I love the graphic novels. I also laugh out loud any time I reread “Injury” comic
books.

MS: What is your specialty in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

RVC: I write comics and graphic novels. I have two comics out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly, on sexual health, and Path of the Warrior, on gang violence prevention. I also have a graphic novel out on restorative justice with Portage and Main: Three Feathers, and I have a graphic novel out on mental health titled "The Blue Raven." I have a new graphic novel coming out next year titled "A Blanket of Butterflies" on how storytelling and cultural protocol can be a peacemaking tool to stop escalating violence.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

RVC: I started editing for The Healthy Aboriginal Network and learned the tools of the trade from there.

MS: Do any of your comic books feature Native American or Indigenous characters in them?

RVC: All of them feature Dene people and northerners. I’m proud of that.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

RVC: I'm always happy to see my cousins in anything pop culturish :)

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the biz?

RVC: I'm blessed to work with Cree artist Steve Sanderson and Chris Auchter who is Haida on our comics.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

RVC: Read as many comics and graphic novels as you can and work with a great team: editors, layout artist, publishers and artists who love the genre and are wanting to create works of forever.

MS: Thanks, Richard...you rock!  :) 

Friday, March 27, 2015

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 09

IPI #9 - Kristina BadHand

Kristina and Lee Francis IV at the INC booth
Oh, hello, there.  I didn't see you, there. ;)  Welcome to another iteration of Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creatives working in the comic book and/or video game industry. In this edition, we get into the head of the ever-talented Kristina BadHand.

I had the pleasure to first meet and hang out with Kristina at the Denver Comic Convention 2014, as we both 'worked' the INC booth together. She's a fan-freaking-tastic artist and has a great sense of humor, too boot.

You can follow Kristina on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kristina.badhand or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BadHandIllust. Be sure to check out her homepage at http://www.badhandillustrations.com/.

Michael Sheyahshe: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

Kristina BadHand: I am Sicangu Lakota and Cherokee, but I was born and raised in Taos, NM.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?) 

KB: I was raised attending, dancing and singing at powwows and sundances; My father is a well-known singer, song writer, and spiritual leader.

MS: When did you first get into comics/art?

KB: I have been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil, my older siblings used to give me pointers on how to draw Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z until one day I could draw the characters better than they could!

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?
poster for TMCT

KB: I am a huge X-Men fan girl, and grew up reading Elf Quest and Japanese Manga. I am also a very big fan of Scary Godmother.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

KB: I am working on a Hawaiian [version] "Beauty and the Beast" called, Kaui. It will be the first installment of a series of Native American Fairy Tales, including an Inuit "Little Mermaid". The stories are a combination of tribal legends and traditional fairy tales.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (…and will there be an 'NDN discount'?...AAYY!)

KB: Kaui, part 1 will be available for purchase at the INC booth during Denver Comic Con 2015.

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

KB: I really love drawing people, but I'd have to say my specialty is coloration.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

KB: I started drawing comics back in middle school on my own. However during my time at the Art Institute of Colorado I had one graphic novel class with my favorite teacher, Don Long, and from then on my comic skills improved substantially.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics? 

KB: I have illustrated for Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers, Texas Indians Project, Dino Apocalypse and a few other small projects.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

KB: As previously mentioned, X-Men has always been a favorite of mine. I love that there is a mutant in every race of person and for most part the cultures are represented in a good light. With characters like Dani Moonstar, Silverfox, Warpath, Thunderbird and the fact that Wolverine speaks fluent Lakota.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

KB: I love to see strong, confident and inspirational indigenous characters, this is what I have always loved about Dani Moonstar, she is a warrior, a strong female lead, and very brilliant. There are a few characters I feel are ridiculous in X-Men also. There is a trend of making indigenous characters often barely clothed, extremely sexualized and flat. Not having much personality behind their spirituality and appearance.

One of the best things about indigenous peoples is our sense of humor, our resilience and ability to laugh and love family even through disagreement and addiction. I feel a lot of "indigenous superheroes" lack this quality and support the stereotype of the stoic tobacco store Indian.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

KB: I know quite a few talented individuals up and coming in the comic, media, movie and music industries. It's truly and inspiration to see native peoples making an impact, using their talents and changing the way the world views us.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

KB: If something means a lot to you, whether it's writing or illustrating, telling a story or teaching a lesson, there will be hardships. There will be blocks in the road, mishaps and someone will always have an opinion about what you should be doing differently. Best thing to do is keep that goal in your heart and in you sight, lock it there and never give up. No matter how frustrating and hard things may get, if you really want it, you can get there. Speak life. Put that positive energy into the universe and keep building your dreams.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you’d like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, etc.)?

KB: Nope! :)

Thursday, October 10, 2013

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 08

Hi-ho, everyone!  This portion of Indigenous Peeps in the Industry or 'IPI' - which is my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creative individuals working either in the comic book or video game industry - spotlights the ever-talented, Roy Boney.

I've known Roy for some time now, have spent time with him in person, and even given presentations with him along the way. Roy is an amazing individual both from a cultural and technical (technology) standpoint, a tremendous artist, and with these great powers comes...his great sense of humor (something I definitely appreciate).

See the grin in the image for an idea of this humor. ☺ 

You can follow Roy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roy.boney or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/royboney. Be sure to check out his homepage at http://royboney.com/.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

RB: I'm a full blood citizen of the Cherokee Nation. I'm from Locust Grove, OK. I currently live in Tahlequah.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?) 

RB: I was raised in a small Cherokee community just outside of Locust Grove known as Iron Post.  I grew up in a family of fluent Cherokee speakers. My uncles, aunts, grandparents, and parents all grew up with Cherokee as their first language. It would be spoken at family gatherings, at church, and in my house growing up.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

RB: One of my earliest memories is of going to the grocery story with my dad and seeing an issue of Amazing Spiderman and desperately wanting it. He gave in and bought it for me. That was back in 1984 or so when Spidey was in the black costume. I've been drawing even longer than that, and I always wanted to draw comics.

I had done cartoons for my high school newspaper,  but my first real foray into publishing comics was when I was an undergraduate in college. I was studying graphic design, and getting into web design. To help me learn HTML and dynamic scripting, I set up a website to publish a webcomic. This was around 1999, and the comic was called Plugin Boy.

Plugin Boy is the story of a suicidal robotic boy who could only live life when he was plugged into a wall. He would constantly unplug himself only to be plugged back in by his scientist creator. Plugin Boy developed a cult following, and I opened a small online shop that sold stickers. That grew into being contacted by a writer from Canada by the name of Matt Shepherd. He hired me to draw a webcomic series called The License. That was my first paid gig as a comics artist.

From there Matt and I collaborated further and developed Dead Eyes Open, a limited issue series about what would happen if zombies were not mindless flesh eating monsters but instead retained their memories, personalities, beliefs, etc., of when they were alive. Essentially they were people except for the rotting flesh part. We made a submission packet of 8 complete pages of the comic, and submitted it to as many indie comic publishers as we could. We received many rejection letters until Dan Vado over at SLG Publishing liked the concept. They published the 6 issue series and eventually collected the series into a graphic novel.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

RB: Some of my most favorite series are Spawn, the Savage Dragon, the Sandman, and the Maxx. Sam Keith is one of my all time favorite artists. I discovered him during his work on the Sandman, and I really loved the Maxx. I also really like the work of Charles Burns on the Black Hole series. I think overall, I'm drawn to the darker types of stories, and Black Hole fits that vein. I aspire to create a poignant graphic novel about Cherokees in the vein of Joe Sacco's Palestine book.

MS: Tell us more about the comic you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

RB: After finishing up Dead Eyes Open, I have contributed short stories to several other projects. One was the Trickster graphic novel, which was an Eisner nominee. Another was the Native American Graphic Classics anthology. Dead Eyes Open was reprinted in the Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics where it briefly found a second life (pardon the pun). I also did a cover illustration and graphic feature for Indian Country Today magazine about Sequoyah and the history of the Cherokee language in technology. The story was a great success, and the cover was a finalist in the American Society of Magazine Editors Cover of the Year competition. It didn't win, but it was quite an honor to be included among other magazines such as Time, Fortune, and Newsweek.


Most of this work led to my collaboration with a few native comic book artists and writers into a project we call INC which stands for Indigenous Narratives Collective. We published a mini comic #0 a while back. It seemed to go over well, and several of us have appeared at various events around the country promoting the group. We have been planning a graphic novel about the Code Talkers. Most people may have heard of the Navajo Code Talkers, but there is so much more history with other tribes as well. Each of us has been working on a story about different tribes. I've been developing one about the Cherokee Code Talkers in World War I.


MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it? (…and will there be an NDN discount?)

RB: As the book is still in the early stages of development, I don't have a release date yet. I totally would love to offer an NDN discount though!

MS: Keeping in mind your other talents, what is your specialty?

RB: My day job is working for the Cherokee Nation as a language technology specialist in the Language Technology Program. So I guess you could say that's my "specialty." The program works with major technology companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft to ensure that the Cherokee language is compatible with their products. For example, a Cherokee language interface pack was recently released for Windows 8 and Apple's iOS includes a Cherokee font and keyboard. These are the kinds of projects the program does.

As far as art and comics goes, I really enjoy drawing. I would consider drawing my strongest skill. I have taken on the habit of doing a drawing a day which I post to Facebook and I work in various media including traditional pencil and paper to digital sketches on my iPad. I'm nearing two years of daily posting. This simple practice has really improved my drawing skills waaaaaay more than I ever thought. It's been great fun, and it challenges me to be creative each day.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

RB: I have a bachelor's degree in graphic design in which I focused more on the illustration side of things from Oklahoma State University. I also have a master’s degree in studio art from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. My thesis was on using  digital technology to tell stories in the Cherokee language. I create two animated short films as part of the process, one was stop motion and the other was a 3D computer animation.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics? 

RB: I jumped the gun and covered that in the question above…lol.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

RB: Actually, one character that I remember liking a lot when I was a teenager was Ripclaw from Cyberforce published by Image Comics. He wasn't exactly a great representation because he was vaguely Indian. I recall he was sometimes associated with the Apaches and sometime the Cheyenne, but it was never a major part of the comics. When you’re a kid, any cool kind of character that is native appeals to you because it’s so rare to see in popular media. It was almost like you take what you can get.

I also was really into Scout. The only problem was, I had a difficult time finding the comic books because it was from an indie publisher, and a kid living in a rural Oklahoma town in the 1980s didn't have many opportunities to run to the comic shop Starbase 21 in Tulsa. I actually found a few issues at the local flea market.

I also cannot neglect Arigon Starr's Super Indian. It's one of the best series I've seen portraying a native super hero in a looooong time. It's well written, funny, and offers a hero that isn't a sidekick or a lame stereotype.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

RB: Overall, the portrayal of natives in comics has been pretty dismal. One of the first things that springs to mind is the chief character in the Super Friends cartoon whose power was to grow in size. I remember him speaking broken English and kind of just being boring in comparison. Other characters like Turok  were just okay. I understand his character had evolved quite a lot from his earlier publication, but I read it during the Valiant comics days mainly because I was a huge fan of the artist Bart Sears.


While there are a few highlights, I think we still have a long way to go in having properly portrayals in comic books and other media. I would like to see more native characters have their own books and not be a secondary character. I'd also like to see some more mature stories about tribal people along the lines of the stories you might read in the Vertigo line of comics.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

RB: I'm friends with Arigon Starr, and I keep up with Michael Sheyahshe. I've also started to follow the work of Jonathan Nelson. I enjoy all their work, and I hope to collaborate more with them in the future.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

RB: I think the biggest bit of advice I could give is to don't give up and to continue creating. Even if you don't publish anything, it's still good practice to actively create things. Draw, paint, sketch, and write all the time. It'll prepare you for the moment when you do get a chance to publish something.  It also helps to be very passionately about comics, because if anyone ever tells you it's easy to draw a comic book, they're pulling your leg! It's a very labor intensive process, but it’s so worth it when you’re finished. That feeling you have once you send your final pages to the publisher is sooooo satisfying.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you’d like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, etc.)?

RB: I'd like to give a plug to the Indigenous Narratives Collective again. We hope to publish more content soon, and we would like more native creators that are interested to check it out. http://indigenousnarrativescollective.com/

Monday, February 06, 2012

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 07


Greetings. In this edition of 'IPI' - my on-going blog series that celebrates Indigenous artists, writers, and other creative individuals working either in the comic book or video game industry (whew!) - I talk with Jacques La Grange.

Jacques introduction:
"Hello, my name is Jacques La Grange. I am the creator and artist of the comic book Shadow Wolf. I am currently on hiatus from the book, to tend to my ailing wife and be the best possible father to my 3 kids. Recently I was asked by Phoenix Comic Con if I would be interested in putting on a Panel for Native Americans in comics. Last year was a huge success, and though I'm on leave, I wanted to take this opportunity to promote other Native Americans in comics."
You can follow Shadow Wolf on its FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shadow-Wolf/133417390021261

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

JLG: I am a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe from San Carlos, AZ, just outside of Globe, AZ. I was born in Santa Fe, NM and grew up in Espanola, NM (Lowrider Capital of the U.S.!) I also lived in Los Alamos, NM, you might have heard of this place: this is where U.S. government created the Atomic Bomb that we dropped on Japan in WWII. I moved a lot, I guess I was searching for something? I've lived in Albuquerque, NM; Phoenix, AZ; Riverside, CA; Ft Dueshene, UT; Jesup, IA. It wasn't until I ended up in San Carlos, AZ where I found myself.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

Panel of Shadow Wolf #3
JLG: That is a tough one to answer...you see, I went to live with my Father when I was very young. I did not meet my mother until I was a Sophomore in High School. Up to that point it was with the only family I knew, my father and brother. I decided to move to San Carlos to get to know my mother and the other 500 family members on the rez. It just happened that my little sister was having her Sunrise Dance. My mother took it upon herself to educate me in our ways. She called it 'Apache Boot Camp', and it was!

There was a lot of work to set up camps for the ceremony. I can recall my mother telling me, "Do whatever the Medicine Man asks you." I got to tell you: from the singers and the Crown Dancers...I WAS HOOKED!! Later on I ended going to Sherman Indian High in Riverside, CA and it was there I was joined the Apache Club. I was able to sing and dance center field of Dodger Stadium on Native American Day. The Apache Club performed throughout Southern Cal and was one the best times of my life! It was during a performance that I meet a drum group called, "Bear Springs Singers." They invited me to learn how to sing Northern Style Pow Wow, which is something I truly miss!

MS: When did you first get into comics?

JLG: Growing up as a child I was very sick with Asthma and I would be hospitalized a lot. My father would bring me comic books. I can remember at age 4 or 5 when I was introduced to Superman in Action Comics. I learned a lot from Superman...about doing the right thing, standing up for what you believe in. I have been a fan of comics ever since!

MS: What is your favorite comic book of all time...something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

Shadow Wolf panel from issue #2
JLG: My favorite comic of all time would have to be Superman. But more recently I would have to say it is a tie, between Walking Dead and Scalped! I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Kirkman and had lunch with Jason Aaron.

MS: What is your specialty in the biz?

JLG: I’m not sure if I have a specialty, except for the fact that I'm actually Native American working on a Native American book. I would say that my strongest skill is penciling. I love to pencil...I get upset when I have to ink over my work!

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

JLG: Actually no: I'm self taught. At first I had a script for Shadow Wolf. I tried getting someone to draw the book for me. No one would or if I did find someone they would flake out on me. After 3 years of sitting on the script, I made a decision if this book was going to come out. I would need to learn how to draw. Literally, I started with stick figures. I bought How to Draw the Marvel Way.

I was fortunate that Atomic Comics had a drawing club called the Nuclear Artist Society. A lot of the people that have their own books now were also part of the drawing club. It was really nice to be able to get critiqued every week. I learned a lot from a bunch of amazing artists. It took 4 years of constantly drawing and refining and then drawing some more! Seven years after I wrote the script. I drew Shadow Wolf and it made its debut at Phoenix Comic Con.

MS: What other comics/projects have you worked on?

JLG: Prior to doing the Shadow Wolf comic, I was really into making Native American Films. The films were tribal specific, which brought awareness to community issues such as throwing away your grease after making frybread. I kid you not! HUD on Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community asked if I could make them a film on this issue. It was a great experience.
We had asked the Fire Department if they could blow up a house for us. They did not agree to that. So we asked HUD to build a set for us and the Fire Department blew that up instead. It was a great experience because I was teaching a film making class for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale in Salt River. So the community kids really got involved and we won the Amerid National Video Contest. Based on some of those films I was asked to go to New York to see if I would be interested in a Native American film, but the budget was cut and that film was never made.

MS: Do any comic books with Native American characters in them?

JLG: My character Shadow Wolf is Native American. Doesn't have any specific tribal affiliation, but at one point I wanted him to be Jicarilla Apache.

MS: Do you have an opinion about Indigenous characters in comics, video games, and/or pop culture?

Shadow Wolf panel from issue #2
JLG: I believe that Native Americans need to be the ones to tell their own story. Look, I’m not trying to say that the films that John Woo (Windtalkers) or Rich Schroeder (Black Cloud) made are bad. I’m for anyone trying to do something good! Plus I’m a huge John Woo fan and Rick Schroeder reviewed one of my films and gave me some real good advice.

Grant Morrison who writes for DC traveled through Arizona and fell in love with Native Culture. In fact, he loved it so much he wrote Super Chief. Grant stopped writing Super Chief because he felt that he was doing an injustice to Native Americans, due to the fact that he himself is not Native American.

I would say that I'm really happy that Native American stories are great to see in games, books, and movies, but I honestly think its time for us to tell our own stories! I really dig the way Natives are portrayed in the Twilight films. Aside from the fact that it's Twilight, the Wolf Pack kicks major butt! They are warriors, protecting their people. Trying to do the right thing and definitely not being sidekicks. I honestly believe that they are positive representation of Native People.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comics/gaming industry)?

JLG: When I first came out with the Shadow Wolf, I found out about Tribal Force and it looked AWESOME! I found Jon Proudstar on MySpace and began talking to him about my book. He told me to reach to Ryan Huna the artist of Tribal Force because he owns the rights to the character GAN. I also know Arigon Starr who created Super Indian. My wife's cousin is Kiowa Gordon, who is part of the Wolf Pack in the Twilight films. Along with his mother Camille Nighthorse who just starred in More Than Frybread.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

JLG: Yes I do, especially to our younger generation. Becoming educated doesn't mean you are losing who you are as Native person, or the death of our culture. You can be both Traditional and Educated. Being both means that there are more opportunities to help keep our culture alive. I'll put it this way: way back in the day before we had guns, we used a bow and arrow. Then the soldiers came with rifles and saw how effective those were. We picked them up and began to use them...because they helped us. You should see technology in the same way. Yes it is not traditional, but neither was that rifle and we made it ours. The same with Technology...we need to make that ours! Don't be shy to talk to people about who you are and what you want to do. They only way we are going to change how Native Peoples are perceived, begin with us engaging others.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Reaganomics and Watchmen

A buddy of mine - Jeff Johncox, a journalist at a nearby newspaper - popped a few email questions my way about the upcoming Watchmen flick, which he assumed would be used as background filler for a larger article...one that doesn't look like it will see the printer's ink.

Rather than let this little dialogue go to waste, I thought I would post it here, in case any of you have comments about this topic, as well...



JJ: What did Watchmen mean to you?

MS: I'd 'heard' about the Watchmen for years before I finally got around to reading it. For many years there, it was splashed everywhere; I especially noticed its mention and reference in the advertisement sections of the comic books themselves. I seem to recall many specialty (comic) suppliers referenced the Watchmen visually and textually, at times.

Being isolated on a rural farm, I wasn't afforded the opportunity that many other comic book fans were: the local comic book shop connection. Sure, I made it to the local comic shops as much as I could, but I never just 'hung out' there, like many other (city) kids got to do. Thus, I was never privy to the 'inside-track' of what was cool and new in the comic du jour. Yet, as I mentioned, I was still aware of the Watchmen - and to a lesser extent, the hype surrounding it - but, I wasn't sure what the big deal was, so I didn't bother with it for a long while.

As it turns out, not reading it immediately was most likely for the best (more on why, in a moment).

JJ: When did you first read it?

MS: It was the late 1990s, in my early adulthood, before I actually read the Watchmen.

JJ: Did you immediately "get" it?

MS: As with way too many things in my life, I did not grasp the Watchmen's full meaning at first read. What can I say? I am a man - a dull-witted one, at that - and we men aren't exactly known for catching subtleties. Yet, even on the first reading, even without catching all the finer points, I knew that there was something very special about this story.

Don't get me wrong: I didn't fall in love with the Watchmen, especially not in the first read. Indeed, to this day, I'm not in love with the Watchmen. However, you don't have to absolutely love something to understand, on some level, its gravity and importance to the genre as a whole. One may not love "Moby Dick" or "A Catcher in the Rye," (Buddha knows I don't care for these), but one cannot deny the level of importance of these to works to literature itself.

The same can be said of Watchmen; its contribution to the comic book milieu is incomparable.

JJ: Was it something you realized, over time, was extraordinary?

MS: Indeed; the Watchmen storyline and characters have stayed with me - have played over and over in my mind - for years. Reading the Watchmen is like being introduced to the Greek Pantheon for the first time: you may not remember all the little details, but ideas and the ideals of the players and parts stays with you over time. Unlike many other comics that fill pages with fluff and filler (which is great, sometimes, if you're in the mood for it), the Watchmen is well executed and intensely intricate in the way its characters are handled.

Of course, upon my initial reading, one element that left a sour taste in my mouth was the story's delivery of a specific time period: the 1980s. This distaste came close to overpowering a more substantial element of the Watchmen: the use of propaganda.

JJ: How did the book capture the second "red scare" of the mid 80s

MS: I am not a political creature; in fact, I don't discuss - or even THINK about - politics. Much this is most likely due to my fervent attention to the political scene in the 1980s (Reaganomics, anyone?). The shame of being so astute during this time - a time of Cold War, Red Scare, and blind conservatism - most likely affects my current outlook; and prompts me to shun anything politically charged.

The Watchmen, its story and characters, are children of the 1980s, much like me. It is most likely this affinity that came close to turning me off of the storyline, initially. However, given that I did not read the Watchmen until years after that sad decade, the temporal distance allowed me to see the inherent rhetoric and nuclear propaganda that I would have most likely missed, had I read this work within the 1980s. It is this proclamation - the fact that the book so eagerly allows its story to be rooted in the confines of a specific time - that empowers its metaphors and allusions.

In short, the Watchmen is pivotal for the genre of comic books and sequential art. While the flavor of the 1980s always makes me want to brush my tongue, I still recommend the Watchmen as a good 'read' to anyone wanting to consume something of substance, in comic book form. As mentioned, the ideology and themes stay with me in my mind, which says much of the Watchmen's substance (it sticks to one's mental 'ribs,' as it were).

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Interview with Michael Horse

Former Twin Peaks Actor Talks with aNm

Recently, I've been fortunate enough to garner an interview with Michael Horse, an Indigenous artist and actor (and sometimes musician!) about his work on the Age of Empires III ("AOEII")video game (thanks to fellow Caddo artist, Delores Purdy Cocoran, for putting me in touch with Mr. Horse!). Michael shares much information and anecdotes about his work in the entertainment industry over the years, from a Native perspective.

MS: Tell me about your work on AOEII.
MH: It was a wonderful experience. I really like doing it. I love doing voiceovers, because we know we come from a long tradition of story telling. I've always been -- from the time I was very small -- fascinated by animation. I've also been a visual artist way before I was in the movie business and had a fascination with animation.

MS: You've been in the business for a few years now...
MH: [Laughs.] Well, I didn't mean to be in it this long, but yeah I've accumulated a lot of years!

MS: …and one of my 1st introductions to you in the entertainment industry was a film you did back in 1981.
MH: The Lone Ranger, yeah.

MS: I'm sure you get that quite a bit.

MH: Oh, it's so funny: I had done stunt in movies and things – and I was a musician for years -- but didn't really want to be in the 'movie business.' I was renting my art studio from an agent and she said, "You want to be Tonto on the Lone ranger remake?" And I went, "?…no." I said, "Lady, I'm an activist." She said, "Well, what’s the matter with it?"

And I knew Jay Silverheels -- loved Jay -- but it wasn't the story I was looking to do. But, finally I went down, met the people, and decided to do it. Terrible movie. Didn't take me long to figure out that film is only going to be good as it’s written.

MS: Exactly.

MH: It can get worse -- but, it's only going to be good as its story.

You know, I've done some bad stuff; I've done some good stuff. I did Twin Peaks, which I thought was ground-breaking television and a great Native role. I did a series in Canada, a prime-time Native series, for three years called, North of 60.

MS: Yeah, I've seen both of those and I think Twin Peaks is avant garde, even by today's standards.

MH: Yeah. I live in the Berkeley area and I have kids following me around. I go, "Can I help you?" and they say, "Are you the Hawk?" And I say, "Yes, I am!"

Lynch and I were friends long before that. I did something for the French bicentennial with him and Harry Dean Stanton. I said, "What are you going to do next?" He said, "I'm going to do a TV series." I said, "Yeah, sure...you call me when that happens!"

There wouldn't be all these things on television today if it weren't for Twin Peaks opening up that door.

MS: Yeah, and all the careers that have been made from the series as well...

MH: Yeah, it's the same story, over and over. I just saw the [Bury My Heart at] Wounded Knee thing and it was terrible. We're dealing with a true, actual story dealing with our history -- and once again Hollywood just decides to put characters where they’re not supposed to be, to condense things. This whole portrayal of Sitting Bull as being this sort of "suck-up" to show business...it's just appalling.

MS: You know, I haven't been able to force myself to watch that yet...

MH: Well, how about Mel Gibson's movie? Sure it’s a little violent, but do I define the whole Christian movement by the Crusades? What about the [Aztec] advancements in mathematics?

I'm looking for stuff that deals with my culture from the 1920, 1930, 1940...you don't see that. They rehash the same stories: it's the Last of the Mohicans and Thunderheart, but there are so many wonderful stories to still tell out there. That's why I’m really excited about digital film, because it puts back in the hands of filmmakers.

MS: I agree. Going back to AOEIII, what is your comment, if any, about Native Americans in video games?

MH: We still have a long ways to go. [Laughs] You know, they're fun to do and sometimes you have to take it not too seriously.

I think it has great potential, especially for teaching Native and non-Native kids about other people's cultures. It's still in the hands of others, though...but, I think there are some really bright Native kids somewhere out there that are going to do some really great stuff [in video games].

MS: Certainly. When writing articles like this one, I continually say, "Ok, it is time for us Indigenous people to get in the creative seat."

MH: There are so many things out there...there are environmental concerns and a lot of contemporary issues that deal with everybody on this planet...that could be seen through Indigenous eyes.

MS: Speaking of eyes, let's get back to your visual art. What do you think of AOEIII from a visual standpoint.

MH: I've never seen it...like I said, I'm not a 'video game guy'. I'd like to see it…is it any good?

MS: Actually, it's pretty good; great attention given to culturally-specific clothing and articles.

MH: Oh good. I hear it's quite popular.

MS: Yeah, it's done pretty well. I think they did a pretty job with us [Native people].

MH: Oh, that's nice. You know I do something and they don't really give me whole story behind it. So, I go, "I hope I haven’t done something I shouldn't have." But really, what was given to me was ok with me.

MS: But, as you say, video games have a long way to go.

MH: Good storytelling -- which is good gaming -- good storytelling and good interaction have no racial boundaries. I think we have a long way to go with all of it; it's still in its infancy. God, the graphics are amazing! Being an old-time guy, someone will show me something on the computer and I’m just awed at the graphics and quick interaction.

MS: Anything else you want to add?

MH: No, I just excited to see people like yourself and I know there's a lot of young Native kids that are really interested in this media -- and it grows so quickly and changes so fast! In the next 4 or 5 years I’m going to see what I’m really looking for -- and it can be done anywhere!

That's the amazing thing. It doesn't have to be done in some major city; someone can do it on a reservation or urban setting.

MS: And laptops make it even more mobile to do these things. I really appreciate your taking time to answer my questions.

MH: Call me anytime. I thank you for letting me be involved. I think video games are a new step for Native entertainers and I’m fascinated by it.