[DRA]

04/04/2003

#1 Mark Bagley

WARRIORS, SPIDERS, AND HULKS: MARK BAGLEY

BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO

I first met Mark Bagley at a tiny comics convention held in a hotel twenty minutes from my house. I still didn't have my driver's license, so my father took me to the show and rushed me around the room and, much like when we were shopping at the mall, kept asking, "Are we done yet?" I remember meeting Mark, because he was sitting a few chairs down from one of my heroes, Murphy Anderson. I had stacks of comics for both men to sign and joked with Mark about his work on New Warriors and oranges - don't ask, you had to be there. I don't remember who else was at that particular small show, but I will always remember M & M - Murphy and Mark.



After meeting and talking with him for about a half hour or so ... Mark became more than just a name on the page and, after hearing him talk about his work, he seemed like someone very excited to be in comics. He was a creator I wanted to see more work from. I liked his work in New Warriors, Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, and Ultimate Spider-Man. Mark's art appears to be done with a lot of heart and soul. The artist is currently working on Ultimate Spider-Man and the movie adaptation of Hulk with writer Bruce Jones. THE PULSE chatted with him about past projects, present ones, and more.

THE PULSE: Most people don't know that you were one of the people who got into comics from those Official Marvel Try Out books. What prompted you to submit some samples? Did you ever dream that those samples would actually land you a job with The House?

MARK BAGLEY: The first Marvel Try Out contest seemed like a gimmick to me. I was 27 years old or so, and had decided that if I hadn't become a professional comic artist by the time I was 30, I was going to quit trying. I wasn't gonna be one of those pathetic 30+year old guys you see shamblin' around comic cons, lugging a battered old portfolio, with 5 to 10 year old art samples.

So anyway, I wasn't gonna "blow" the twenty bucks the contest book cost, and the guy who owns the comic store, Cliff Biggers at Dr. No'sve me the book and said if I didn't do it I would hate myself. I won first place , which shows if you get a shot, take a shot.

THE PULSE: How soon after you submitted the pages did you hear from Marvel Comics? What was that like? How did it feel to not just have friends, family, and neighbors telling you your work rocks, but to have Marvel Comics be interested in working with you

BAGLEY: It took like a couple of months. I got a phone call at about ten at night from some girl at Marvel. I was home alone at the moment was going a little nuts. I felt sorta vindicated, I knew I was good enough, I just needed a break. (I look back at the stuff I was drawing then, and I cringe, I still had soooo much to learn).

THE PULSE: What was some of your first comics work for Marvel?

BAGLEY: I did some work on the New Universe line of comics, Nightmask, Starbrand, Psi Force, and the like.

THE PULSE: How did you get involved with the New Warriors ongoing series? What was it about that title that interested you as an artist?

BAGLEY: I'd been working in comics for a year or so on the fringes of Marvel's core comics. I worked on comics like Strikeforce Moritori and Visionaries. Danny Fingeroth and Fabian Nicieza were looking for an artist for New Warriors and had me do some sample pages (Fabe and Danny and I had worked together on a couple of projects together).



THE PULSE: What did you enjoy the most about working on the New Warriors?

BAGLEY: Working with Fabes and Danny, getting to play with these characters that nobody had done much with, and then have such nice fan reaction.

THE PULSE: How did your work on a big team book help prepare you for future projects?

BAGLEY: Team books are very labor intensive. Your forced to do a lot of extra choreography and drawing. I became really comfortable drawing large numbers of characters.

THE PULSE: What were some of the toughest parts about working on New Warriors?

BAGLEY: Nothing was really tough about New Warriors, it was a lot of work, but I was doing something I loved to do and getting paid for it! I was giddy as a school girl.

THE PULSE: When you just got hired and didn't have a lot of experience making comics, who helped you learn about page layouts and panel placements and all that important stuff? Were you just sort of tossed into the drink with a "read the script and draw" or did someone try to mentor you and show you the ins and outs of comics creating?

BAGLEY: Naw, I pretty much learned what I know by osmosis. You know, reading comics, and sort of studying the art form. Tom DeFalco and Danny were really good editors and helped me some.

THE PULSE: As someone who's been involved in the industry for over ten years, what are some of the most significant changes you've witnessed in comics since that time?

BAGLEY: The advent of computer coloring, the wonderful new paper quality. Image comics raising everyone's status and visibility. The home computer making communication between the parties involved in the creative process.

THE PULSE: What do you think needs to be done to get more young people reading comics? How can we ensure our generations aren't the last and comics become extinct?

BAGLEY: I don't know, Kids today have so many other outlets for the kind of fantasy that comics provide that I think we are going to have to get used to having a smaller piece of the pie.

THE PULSE: What attracted you to the Ultimate Spider-Man concept? When you first heard the idea, what made you want to be involved in this new series?

BAGLEY: Nothing. I didn't want to do it. [John] Byrne had just done his "revamp," and it had gone over like a fart in church, and it just sounded like something the fans would hate. But Bill Jemas (bless him) really wanted me and an offer I couldn't refuse was made. I seriously started on Ultimate Spidey grudgingly.

THE PULSE: What did you know of Brian Michael Bendis prior to this series? Had you followed his indy work or was this your first exposure to him?

BAGLEY: I had never heard of Brian, I'm afraid that I'm not all that into the independents. I have since read most everything he's written, and am a huge fan.

THE PULSE: How did you help shape the concept from idea to finished product? What ideas did you add to the mix?

BAGLEY: I'm a visual guy, I let the writer and editors flesh the stuff out. I spend so much time at my desk drawing that when I'm done at the end of the day, I'm usually burnt out. I occasionally call Brian with some input, and he usually politely talks me out of it.



THE PULSE: When you were creating this new Ultimate cast and crew, what factors did you consider when designing Aunt May, Mary Jane, Peter, Flash, and Uncle Ben? How did you want to update the character, yet keep their recognizability?

BAGLEY: With some of the characters Brian would throw out an idea visually, Norman Osborn was to look sorta like Brian Dennehy. And I would just start doodling. I always wanted Aunt May to be younger, and dare I say it cuter. I sorta was shooting for Cokie Roberts. Initially I think I drew her to old, so I've shaved a decade or so off her face.

THE PULSE: When you first began what were some of the goals you set for yourself with this particular series?

BAGLEY: To do six issues and leave. Seriously, it was pitched to me as a six issue limited series and about half way into drawing, they decided to make it ongoing. I was still determined to leave after six. Then the first issue came out, and it was a hit, and looked beautiful, and Cliff (again) said if I quit this book I'd hate myself.

THE PULSE: Now, a few years later, how do think you've realized some of your art goals?

BAGLEY: I don't set art goals for myself. I just try and get better and better. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

THE PULSE: When you look at the past few years of Ultimate Spider-Man what stands out about it to you? What do you just look at and think, "Wow it was really cool when Brian and I did that ..?"

BAGLEY: I don't know, the whole run has been such a pleasure. The scripts are a blast, and the folks I'm working with are the best, Art Thibert, Brian, Ralph Macchio, Brian Smith etc..

THE PULSE: Why was the time right now to introduce an Ultimate Venom into the mix of the Ultimate universe?

BAGLEY: You'd have to ask Brian and or Bill J. I just said lets be careful here. There is a lot of baggage around Venom.

THE PULSE: What factors did you consider when designing this version of Venom? What characteristics did you want to "stay" and what did you think needed an update?

BAGLEY: I didn't go too radically different with him, I toyed with the idea of dropping the tongue, but I decided it was a cool visual element. I just wanted to be sure to make him massive and organic looking.

THE PULSE: We've seen the "suit" with Peter ... but he seemed to reject it in the last issue [#35], can these suits survive with another host?

BAGLEY: That would be telling.

THE PULSE: After Venom, what's coming up in Ultimate Spider-Man?

BAGLEY: We have the first new bad guy (yea!) and Ultimate versions of some already established characters (sorry, that's as much as I'm willing to tell).

THE PULSE: Which classic Marvel villains would you like a shot at ultimatizing but aren't scheduled to do a story on yet?

BAGLEY: I'll take on any character, it's really a guilty pleasure to fool with these characters. I never talk about improving them, I'm not that prideful, but it is fun to tweak them out. (OK Electro need a makeover, badly)



THE PULSE: Why is this a perfect title to get kids hooked on comics with?

BAGLEY: I think the art is very approachable and the stories are written in such a way that they appeal to adults and kids. Pete's story is a very human story, without nearly the negative energy a lot of other books have. I love The Ultimates, but I don't think it's the kind of book a nine year-old would embrace.

THE PULSE: Why should anyone on the fence who hasn't tried this series yet, give it a look?

BAGLEY: Because there are a whole lot of really talented folks (and me) working very hard to put out the best stories that they can. My God, even my Dad is reading it. And comics are not this 76 year old retired Army offer's bag. But he has always loved a good tale.

THE PULSE: What other projects are you working on?

BAGLEY: I'm doing the Hulk Movie adaptation. I'm afraid that that is it for now. 18 issues a year pretty much ties me up.



THE PULSE: What did you like best about working on the Hulk movie adaptation?

BAGLEY: It was fun playing with these characters. I don't get a lot of chances to do huge characters like the Hulk. The only trouble was, it takes me an issue or two to get comfortable drawing new characters, so I wish I had a little more time to warm up.

THE PULSE: Who wrote it? did you get along with the writer?

BAGLEY: Bruce Jones wrote the adaptation. I only talked to him a couple of times, but he seems like a real pro.

THE PULSE: How is working on an adaptation different from working on a story within a series? How do you - as an artist - decide how best to illustrate maybe a four or five minute scene in five or so panels?

BAGLEY: If you have enough photo reference it's not too difficult. I don't worry to much about likeness, I basically just draw it like a normal story. Pacing the story is really not much different than a normal comic plot. My job is to cherry pick moments in time that clearly tell story

THE PULSE: What were some of the biggest challenges to that project?

BAGLEY: I really did not have enough reference to work with, so I had to make a lot up visually. That was tough, but I like a challenge.

THE PULSE: What did you enjoy the most?

BAGLEY: Dude, THE HULK! (and Jennifer Connelly)