Q&A with Georges Jeanty session 7
Hey all!
New issue, new Q&A with Georges Jeanty.
1. deathisyourgift: When deciding on faraway places for the slayer army to hide, do you take into account the scenery you will have to draw as backdrips pertaining to the mood and tone of the arcs? or does the writer just pick a place that they think will fit? This is in response to the really nice backdrop scenes in Tibet for issues #27-28
Georges: Yes, it's more dictated in the script. I don't have a say as to where they are but I do get a say as to how it looks. I try and research any of the locales that are in the book, such as Tibet. I try and give the reader a feel for the place but not necessarily a geography lesson. I just put in enough information that I think the reader needs visually.
2. deathisyourgift: I am an artist who dabbles in comic-style portraits for fun and practice, and have tried drawing Sarah Michelle Gellar's fantastically structured facial featires. I found it hard to keep her looking realistic while representing her very strong facial planes and angles. Did you have issues with this? and now that you've been drawing her for so long -- and very well I might add -- do you think it's best, as an artist, to go with the realistic feel or to go with editing the features to fit the feel of a scene/panel? I ask because I have been noticing that Buffy's famous nose has never once looked exactly the same in any two panels, which shows that you put a lot of thought into her expressions. Thanks!
Georges: There is a rule in comics an with all art really, that states the more lines you put in a woman's face the less attractive she will look. When drawing women always use the least amount of lines. With Sarah Michelle it has been a challenge to draw her somewhat accurately and not put a lot of lines to define her features. She is a beautiful woman and I try to bring that across when ever I'm drawing her.
3. girlinquestion: How did you first break into the commercial art industry? Did you find it difficult to make connections and/or find internships (like I am having trouble with now >.<)?
Georges: I went to conventions and showed people my work. I contracted a few editors and sent editors of what I did and joined studios to make connections and that was a big help. I started work at DC because of the connections from and my studio mate Dave Johnson when I was first starting out. I highly recommend that as a means of breaking into the business.
4. girlinquestion: And just to keep this Buffy related, is there any Whedoverse character you haven't drawn, but would really like to? If not, who is your favorite Whedonverse character to draw?
Georges: I love all the characters. I would have loved to draw some of the Angel cast. I'm friendly Landau so drawing Drusilla would be a real thrill. Who know knows... the series ins't over yet...
5. wenxina: Did a little Wikipedia research on the goddesses, since we were finally given their names in this issue, and noticed that some liberties were taken with their appearances (eg. both Remati/Palden Lhamo and Ekajati are usually depicted as blue). Did you specify the colors that Michelle Madsen used on them? How much research went into their appearances, and how did you decide to edit what would make it onto paper?
Georges: Let's see, what did I decide to edit when Designing the Goddesses...? Hmmm, maybe the human skins worn as clothing, I thought might have been a little too mch, or the exposed vaginas. Little things like that. Some of them are holding things that I can only describe as phallic so that had to go. These laides gave me a real challenge when I had to draw them.
6. wenxina: Housekeeping question as per usual - Where are you in terms of pencils at the moment?
Georges: I am done with issue 32 but I had to go back and do issue 31 because Joss was a little busy with Dollhouse to get us a script in time. And in true Joss tradition, it one of the scripts that really gets into the characters. There's a scene with Buffy and Xander that I'm finding particularly challenging.
7. bamph: The issue 31 covers were released this week. Can you take us on the creation of your cover, how it came about and some thoughts on it and the upcoming issue by Joss?
Georges: Joss wanted a cover that mimicked pop artist Roy Lichtenstein style. He's the guy that did those painting that looked like they were panels from some 50'c comics. I found that to be a particular challenge because this stuff already looks like comic work. I had to make sure that there was noen of my "style" in the piece so that the look could have that older comic feel. I suggested that it also be colored in the same style to realy bring it home. I think it's a pretty effective cover and if you know Lichtenstein's work I think you'll notice the similarities which was the whole point.
8. bamph: Do you usually know what Jo Chen's or the guest artist's covers for Buffy are before you do yours?
Georges: That's a good question. No I don't know what Jo is doing with her covers as a general rule. My editor will let me know if what I've submitted is too similiar to Jo's but we're working from different ends of the comic cover spectrum. She goes for more of a realistic shot, something you might see in TV guide magazine, let's say, and I'm always trying to throw everything and the kitchen sink when I do covers. I throw out all these ideas and let Joss and the editorial staff pick out what they want. I try and give at least 8 to 10 different ideas for a particular cover. I'm always throwing in a 'homage' cover or the like because that's what I like to see. That's why you see so much of it in the ones that I do. I love Jo's covers and if I could paint as well as she I'd be doing covers like that!
9. bamph: In this week issue, we got a massive war scene and a lot of military stuff. Did you enjoy doing that after the heavy character work in #28?
Georges: There are some things I think I'm good at and some that I'm not and I don't think I'm that good with the War stuff, or the Barbarians stuff for that matter. I don't mind drawing it and as you can see with in the context of the story it's necessary, but it's not my favorite things to draw. I try to the best of my ability to render it as well as I can.
10. AndrewCrossett: In issue #29 we have a situation again where you had to draw dozens of tiny Slayers on almost every page. Do you find it tedious to have to draw those kinds of scenes, trying to make all the figures look distinct, or do you enjoy that?
Georges: Like the last question crowd scenes aren't the most exciting thing to draw but I do it where it's called for I'm a story teller and if the story asks for thousands of demons storming the castle, then that's my mission. I try and draw everything to the point where I can like it as a piece of art regardless of the subject matter. On that level I enjoy the scenes that I have to render.
11. wnxina: Heard about your almost accident over at BCC this year.. apparently the news would have stunned and totally spoiled the audience.
Anyway... by my interpretation, both you and Jo have turned in covers that feature Twilight (possibly in masked form... I'm speculating here) for a future issue (#32 perhaps?). Can you confirm this? Is this one of the rare times where both the main and variant cover share a concept?
Georges: I think it is. The only other time I can remember either of the 2 covers being similar was the one with Dawn Stomping Tokyo. As for the issue number, I have no idea. There seems to be a lot of speculation of that cover. Like, people can guess who it is just by looking at the outline of the head. I don't think that's the case, but I've been so close to this project I've lost my objectivity as to what comes across as obvious or not. You guys are going to have to tell me.
As for that panel in Baltimore, I really did think the next issue had come out already, which has a surprising last page to it. Or more of a WTF?! That was a really fun panel to do but the audio system was awful. It was nice to be sitting with Jo Chen and Scott Allie. That was a first. I don't think we've all been in the same room before.
12. peepstone: Hello, Georges! I was reading the Predators & Prey trade and noticed the sub is named Daikaiju. Any chance this is a reference to the amazing surf rock band from Alabama with the same name. Thanks!
Georges: I didn't know about the surf rock band with the same name, are they any good? I can tell you they must be giant monster fans because that what Diakiaiju means in Japanese, giant Monster. So it was more of a cheeky nod in the comic that the ship that was sailing from Japan, had in its bowels a potential giant monster and was named Diakaiju!
13. ndrewCrossett: Apart from Twilight (whoever he is), can you tell us if there are any more surprise appearances coming up of people from Buffy's past?
Georges: Like surprise Buffy alumni? There is one on the cover to issue 32 that will be obvious, and quite frankly I'm surprised he allowed it. Actually there are 3 guest appearances on that cover. Let me know if you can name them all. It's all very cheeky and self promoting. As for the book, once the climax occurs we'll need the rest of the issues just to explain it all! And there might be a little more romance for Buffy, who knows.
14. Da Letter Jay: I just jave to say that your depiction of Buffy is AMAZING.
Secondly, I gotta ask this. Are there any other series that you are interested in working on?
Georges: I love comics. I would love nothing more than to go from series to series having people like you enjoying the work I do. I love the license stuff like Buffy. I would love to tackle Star Trek or some other mechandise at some point. I also see me writing in the not to distant future. I just feel really lucky to be a Buffy fan and to get to do the book! In some small way I've left a legacy that people will be reading for years to come.
15. claytonm: Hi Georges,
I loved your art in issue 29 and can't wait when issue 30 comes out. I'm sure it's going to be a really exciting issue.
Anyway what do you think of the idws angel, the art and the writing (you've probably had a question like this but I'm just interested).
Keep the terrific work up Georges, you're nearly there.
Many thanks,
Marcus Clayton
Georges: I like the Angel franchise and I'm happy to see there is a book out. I won't go into detail about it, but I don't read the comic much. I have picked up the John Byrne Angel books along with the latest one that just came out; Angel vs Frankenstein!
16. claytonm: How would you describe issue 30? E.g. shocking, sad, etc.(Or will that be too spoilery if you told us)
Georges: Issue 30 certainly ends the war, and is very sad because It's Jane Espenson's last issue, but I think that issue will inspire more questions than it answers. That's all I should say.
17. claytonm: What do you think of the stuff that's to come after this arc? (Brad Meltzers arc and Joss Whedon's)
Georges: I'm working on those scripts now and they are gret. Joss, of course comes in and gives you some real heartfelt stuff, and Brad is shaping the climax up in a great way. I think these next few issues will be nail biters from issue to issue. I think the only thing bad about them is that you'll have to wait a month between issues to find out how it ends!
18. AndrewCrossett: Can you tell us if we'll be seeing General Voll again this season?
Georges: I'm pretty far ahead in issue numbers, remind me again who Voll was? Was he the general that shot Ethan Rayne? Or do you mean the guy who is leading the battle of the US troops in Tibet against the slayers? He sticks around, that I know.
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