Attention Deficit Delirium

The master Hulk artist at work. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

One of my favorite comic book artists growing up and the greatest artist ever to draw The Incredible Hulk, Herb Trimpe has always had a signature style that dazzled me. I recently interviewed Trimpe for ADD, but beyond that the one thing I really wanted was to have my likeness sketched by him. I did not have time while I was attending New York Comic Con this past February because I was busy on assignment. So when the Big Apple Comic Con rolled into town last weekend, I made sure I attended and got what I craved. Trimpe admitted that he had not sketched someone on the spot in awhile, so I felt honored that he took a shot at it. Both he and I were pleased with the result! It’s the closest I’ll get to looking like a real superhero.

Me on the left, Trimpe on the right. I had to maintain a certain pose. And yes, I bought a stack of Hulk comics from him. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman; taken by Adrienne Borgersen.)

My unflattering profile. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman; taken by Adrienne Borgersen.)

Sketching away. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Pleased with the final result! (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Tres dramatique, eh? (Sketch by Herb Trimpe.)

Comic book heaven, this way. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

I have been a lifelong comic book fan, so whenever a major event rolls into town I show up, all cash blazing. And with the economic downturn, conventions now offer great bargains for comics fans seeking back issues, toys and other merchandise. I love diving into the dollar bins to seek out classic horror and superhero comics from the Seventies, not to mention perusing the trade paperback and graphic novel collections that are 50% off. The deals work out better for the buyers than the sellers these days, so it’s best to take advantage of the sales while they happen.

Held at Pier 94 on Manhattan’s west side, this year’s Big Apple Comic Con — the first to be run by their new owners Wizard Entertainment and in a larger venue than years past (with an admittedly much higher entry fee) — certainly provided plenty of purchasing pandemonium and also featured celebrity appearances, comic artist tables, panel discussions and video game stations. I got plenty of shopping done, had my portrait sketched by famed Hulk artist Herb Trimpe and managed to chat with a few of the celebrities in attendance (photos below). While William Shatner, Kate Mulgrew and Linda Hamilton were there, I did not have any luck in spotting them. There was an impressive mix of sci-fi, TV, adult movie and comic book celebs on hand, from both old and new BSG stars to members to multiple Star Trek generations to famous faces from movies like Star Wars, Terminator, Flash Gordon and Supergirl. While the celebs were there selling autographed memorabilia and photo ops (something I find awkward often times when I just want to say something fan-like), the ones I approached for shots in ADD were cool about chatting and being photographed.

This was my first Big Apple Comic Con, and I enjoyed the spacious yet packed event. However, the distressing news I have learned is that next year Big Apple Comic Con is going head-to-head with New York Comic Con on the same weekend (October 7-10, 2010), which to me and many others is a ridiculous idea. Having two massive comic book conventions duke it out at the same time will not only test vendor loyalties but also make it difficult for fans to choose which to attend. Why not separate them out? There is easily room for two large conventions during the year.

Let’s not worry about that for now and take a look at my personal highlights from Big Apple Comic Con 2009.

The X-Men were on hand, along with a security detail. As if they needed one. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Hellboy and Predator, together at last! (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

It's Number Six times three! (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Adrianne Curry as Wonder Woman. (Photo ©2009 by Luigi Novi.)

Cobra's still in business. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Brent Spiner was on hand to chat with fans, conveniently located right at the entrance to the Con. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Look, it's Will Ferrell as Green Lantern! (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

The charming and lovely Melody Anderson from "Flash Gordon". (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Eric Michael Maruscak draws an impressive chalk portrait of Spider-Man and Batman. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

TV's original Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, who is still in great shape. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Artist Dirk Strangely acting, well, strangely. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

I'm glad someone spotted "Terminator" warrior Linda Hamilton for me. (Photo ©2009 by Luigi Novi.)

Supergirl herself, Helen Slater, is as fetching as ever. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Artist Greg Horn and his colorful calling cards. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

The affable John Schneider from "Dukes Of Hazzard," who helped make my childhood enjoyable. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

The master Hulk artist Herb Trimpe at work.

The famous DeLorean from "Back To The Future". The Batmobile was nearby as well. (Photo ©2009 by Luigi Novi.)

The bustling Artists Alley. That's Jim Cheung seated in the foreground. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Mike A. and his spookerific skateboards and merch. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Thomas Hall (l) and Daniel Bradford (r), the men behind the new series "R13". (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Stylin' t-shirts galore. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

Now this is what I'm talking about. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

I love the look and smell of vintage comic books. (Photo ©2009 by Bryan Reesman.)

A cheerful Herb Trimpe at Big Apple Con 2008. (Photo Credit: Luigi Novi.)

One of Marvel Comics’ premiere artists, Herb Trimpe became renowned in the Seventies for drawing The Incredible Hulk. While Jack Kirby co-created the big green goliath, it was Trimpe who gave him his greatest, most memorable form. Through his distinct visual style, he effectively brought out both the menace and sadness in the hounded alter ego of scientist Bruce Banner.

As a result of tackling the Hulk from the late Sixties through the first half of the Seventies, Trimpe was the first artist to draw Wolverine, who later became the most popular character in the famed X-Men franchise. His considerable talents also landed him work on The Fantastic Four, The Mighty Thor, G.I. Joe, Marvel Team-Up and numerous other Marvel titles into the mid-Nineties. Trimpe’s name and work are legendary to life-long comics readers such as myself, and his work is inspiring younger artists as well.

I met Trimpe briefly at this year’s New York Comic Con and really wanted to have him draw my portrait. But I was on assignment and had limited time, plus there were always admirers at his table wanting a word, a portrait or simply a chance to watch a master in action. So a few months later I contacted him directly through his website. Taking a break from his busy activity, Trimpe conducted an interview with A.D.D. to fill us in on his recent activities, his thoughts on the Hulk’s evolution over the years, the Marvel movies and much, much more.

Next time you’re in NYC, Herb, I’m getting that portrait!

What was it like working with Mike Mignola on BPRD: War On Frogs last year? Did you make any conscious attempts to emulate his style at all, or did you just interpret the characters as you saw fit?
Very easy, low key. When we communicated, it was via e-mail.  Not being that familiar with the characters, I tried to keep them true to the originals.

How did the process of working on that series differ from the classic Marvel Comics you worked on?
Stan [Lee] never worked with scripts — at least not by the time I got there. The Marvel way, Stan’s way, had the artist visualize the pictures from brief plot lines. The script followed for the letterer’s benefit. On BPRD, I worked from a full script, but with leeway as to input I felt strongly about. It’s actually harder to work from a full script because you are looking at the story through the writer’s eyes, and it needs to be interpreted so it works for you, the penciler.

Trimpe penciled last year's BPRD: War On Frogs mini-series. ©2008 Dark Horse Comics.

What do you think of the way comic book art has become more digital in its creation?
I hadn’t noticed except for the coloring.  That’s fine, but I like hand-lettering more than lettering programs, no matter how clever they are. The one thing that’s fantastic about comics is the original art is produced the way it was 70 or 80 years ago — hand-drawn with a pencil and eraser and finished with pens, brushes, India ink and nowadays, markers.

What has been your favorite comic book and comic character to draw out of your entire career and why?
Probably the Hulk. We had a lot of fun on that one, and it was early enough on that the corporate sharks hadn’t eaten the company alive yet.

I noticed that when you worked with inker Jack Abel, such as on Iron Man, that your art took on a more Kirby-esque style. Was that conscious?
If true, it’s a coincidence. What you see is probably what Jack Abel’s contribution brought to the strip.

Are there any villains that you’d like to see in future Iron Man movies? I think Commander Kraken the pirate could be a fun one.
Not any I can think of. Iron Man was the best movie of the superhero lot, in my opinion. It was mature and intelligently presented with a nice touch of humor, appealing not just to comic fans. You have to be careful not to select a silly villain. The X-Men were good, but most of the villains that appear in movies come off as pretty silly. You’ve got to be careful who you choose.

The Hulk at the mercy of the Sandman on the cover of The Incredible Hulk #113, March 1969.

You worked on The Incredible Hulk for several years and were its best artist. What did you like most about working on that series?
Thanks for the compliment. On the Hulk, the stories were varied and fun. Each writer involved got into the character and basically, we had a ball. In comics, fun is the operative word. If it ain’t that, it ain’t comics. There came a time when a lot of people in the business started taking themselves too seriously, both in management and on the creative end. If you’re not having a good time, what’s the point?

What do you think of the more oversized and grotesque depictions of the Hulk since the late Eighties?
Stupid.  It’s become homogenized. There was a time when there was no doubt who did the art.  You had an Everett or a Romita, or a Buscema, Ditko or Kirby — very distinct styles. I think the Japanese influence on American comics has been detrimental — manga and so forth.  Modern-day comic books are distinctly an American cultural thing, in my opinion, like rock ‘n roll or baseball.  We do it best.  The more distinct the artists’ styles are, the more fun.  Again, fun is the point.

Are you not a fan of any manga?
It was somewhat attractive at first, but I got bored with it.

What do you think of the two theatrical Hulk films? Why do you think they failed to catch on in the way that the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises have?
They weren’t good. The Hulk is nothing without Banner. You’ve got to play the Hulk as a victimized Bruce Banner — that he’s a beast, but he’s also human. This is basically the human condition. It’s the pathos of playing the two manifestations against each other. The story of the Hulk is a sad story first, not a violent one. His violence is the result of his condition, like Frankenstein’s monster. I think these are the elements that made the character successful in the comics.

Metal on metal: Iron Man and Commander Kraken battle it out in Iron Man #94, January 1977.

One can buy the entire run of The Incredible Hulk and other classic series on CD-ROM. How do you feel about people looking at comics on their computer?
Pretty good. I am working on a computer comic with a couple of other people as we speak.

Comic book movies and television shows are huge, but that does not seem to be affecting the sale of comic books. Why do you think that is, and do you think we’ll see an upswing in sales in the future?
Whatever comic sales are now, they were a whole lot better thirty years ago in terms of individual titles, even though the characters were generally less known — Batman and Superman being the exception. I think the movies and TV shows have had a very positive effect on overall comic sales. Hulk had a TV show and that probably helped sales back then. Nowadays, sales are split between so many titles that individual titles don’t sell as well as they used to. If anything, the movies have brought the characters to more people, probably creating a greater, broad-based interest.  The hope is this will continue to build the print readership.

How did the Marvel Comics bankruptcy in the mid-1990s affect you?
I got fired. Actually, “terminated” was the word. There wasn’t any more work to be had, at least for me. We all saw it coming, those of us who were let go, and for me, it was basically a salaried position that I was let go from. In all fairness, I was totally free to seek work on a freelance basis, but call it what you like, if there ain’t no work, there ain’t no work. That said, I was affected in a very positive way. I was forced to move on. I hadn’t been having a whole lot of fun drawing comics, and had realized for several months, if not years previously, it was time to go. I just needed a shove.

With the help of Fantastic Four leader Reed Richards, Bruce Banner not only gains control over his transformation into the Hulk, but he can also retain control of his mind in his bulked up state. The Incredible Hulk #123, January 1970.

Have you stayed in touch with Stan Lee?
No.  I hear he’s still an energetic whirlwind of activity.  God bless him.

After your departure from Marvel, how did teaching aspiring artists for two years change your life? What is the best advice you can give to students?
Practice. Something I had no patience for. It kept me from being the complete comic book artist — but I was/am a very good storyteller and that came naturally. I don’t like to do things I have to work at. Teaching was a tough job.  Much tougher than comics. All teachers should get the civilian version of the Medal of Honor. Outsiders don’t have a clue as to what really goes on, and teachers tend to keep that kind of thing inside the loop.

A dramatic and colorful Trimpe cover featuring Killraven. Amazing Adventures #20, September 1973.

When did you become an ordained deacon, and why did you choose to write The Power of Angels?
I was ordained a deacon by the Episcopal Diocese in New York in 1991.  The book was a compilation of material that was journaled during the 9/11 recovery process at Ground Zero in New York in order to process the events that took place while I was volunteering there.  It helped to put things in order.  The distilled version of the journal became the book, and the book was mainly published for friends and family so they could get an idea of what went on there.  If there was any money to be made, which there wasn’t, it was to go to a charity to be designated by me.

Which comic story are you most proud of having written?
I didn’t write many, but the ones I wrote were good.  My favorites were the ones for the [G.I.] Joe books.

What projects are you working on and do you have coming up?
Mostly commissions.  Redrawing the same old stuff.  Not creative, but it supplements Social Security nicely.  Plus, a comic story for a West Coast rock band [Orphaned To Hatred] as a promotional piece.  And, as I mentioned before, the online comic.  Very top secret, but violence and blood are notched-up several levels.  And the story, not mine, is excellent.

Veteran lensman Clay Enos landed a dream gig when he was allowed not only to be the set photographer of the dystopic superhero movie Watchmen, but to shoot candid portraits of the cast and crew. His side project blossomed into the superb Watchmen: Portraits book, out now through Titan Books. The entire experience was a “headfirst immersion into blockbuster movie making” for someone who had been on the set of only one other film, 300. Zack Snyder directed both movies and has again hired Enos to do set photography for his forthcoming fantasy action flick Sucker Punch, which will spotlight Vanessa Hudgens in a racy role that will shed her prim and proper High School Musical image.

I first met the laid back but loquacious Enos in person at New York Comic Con in February, where he was promoting Watchmen: Portraits, and I caught up with him again via cell phone this week as he was bravely zigzagging across the country on a Vespa scooter for six weeks prior to working on Snyder’s next film. Along the way Enos has been stopping off at Apple stores to talk about his Watchmen experience. You can follow his tour here, where you can literally track him via GPS. He has nearly a month to go.

Watchmen just arrived on Blu-ray and DVD, and the Extended Director’s Cut features over 24 minutes of new material.

You’ve been a photographer for 20 years. What did you learn working on the set of Watchmen?
Photographers tend to roll fairly solo, and while film and photography are often compared there’s really no comparison. Filmmaking is the most collaborative, remarkable, creative endeavor there is. Everybody on this film brought their “A” game, and I was just so honored to be a part of that. It was really a spontaneous effort and only doable because of the remarkable folks involved in this movie – hair, make-up, costumes, casting. My work was pretty straightforward.

You shot everything with a Nikon D200?
It isn’t a remarkable piece of machinery, but it’s got a nice handheld simplicity to it. It’s a small camera. Nowadays I have a D 3. The portrait book itself was made with one 15 mm lens using natural light. These images are uncropped and not retouched. I kept it really, really simple. In a sense I stripped away the artifice that we’re accustomed to with Hollywood filmmaking and even Hollywood photography, and I think that honors Watchmen in the way it strips [it] away. It’s a counterargument to the vernacular of filmed comic books.

What did Zack think when he saw the photographs?
I did these photographs without him being aware of it. I was just hustling, making photographs on the side, and he’s a busy guy. He’s making a movie, not a photo essay or a portrait book. But when they emerged – and would get a lot of attention as people would look over my shoulder as I was playing with them on set – he encouraged me to keep going. I was going to do that anyway, but when the idea was thrown out there to maybe put out a book – and I might have had that idea in mind – it was enthusiastically received by Zack and the [other] filmmakers.

These portraits are stark and candid, capturing people in the moment.
Yeah, and on some level, by stripping away all of that movie magic, this is a document of the unsung heroes of a superhero movie. These are the people, these are the textures, these are the little details that make something like Watchmen believable. I also think that black and white is in our heads. It taps into some little piece of our imagination that gives it instant authenticity. I’m not sure why, but I like that and I guess I’m trading in that vernacular.

Your gritty, black and white images really make us focus in on your subjects’ faces and their eyes and the texture of their skin.
I think the idea of real in a movie like Watchmen, where you’re in this strange, blurred reality as it is, complements the film’s artifice. It’s like, what am I supposed to believe here? I’m trying to escape and know that I’ve gone to see a work of fiction, and yet I keep getting pulled back in with the incredible level of detail and the incredible reality. That said, though, when you look closely at [my shot of] Ozymandias there’s no hiding that he’s wearing a wig. This is very much a document of the movie, and yet it has a resonance. You can meditate on these images independent of the film, and having seen the film I think there is a real sanctuary in these images.

How many different people did you photograph for this book?
I don’t know how many photos were taken, but we distilled down to 220 of the best. There are repeats of Moloch and a few of the characters because the images complement each other, but I made thousands of portraits, just the white portraits. It became known on set as the “Clay Cube” because originally on the set I had this big contraption of a cube, but eventually we distilled it down to a piece of foam core and a little light block on top. I would work wherever. Wherever the light presented itself, I’d work it.

What other photography have you done prior to this?
I’ve done advertising to far-flung adventures around the world. If I have a camera in my hand I think I engage the world a little differently and with a little more serious intention. And apply it however I can for whomever has hired me, or maybe I’m just hitchhiking around. I treat the world journalistically. I’m immersed in a nonfiction sensibility. But the camera affords entré. You can’t sneak the thing in, not my cameras. You must work the rapport. We all have cameras nowadays, too, so it’s not like I’m bringing a different kind of device to play. I’m simply moving with a different intention, and I tried to do that with this movie.

What are you doing at your Apple store talks?
I’m sharing a bunch of the behind-the-scenes photos, but there are also a number of photographers in the audience, so I end up trying to be an inspiration without going into Tony Robbins territory. But the feedback so far has been really inspiring and really nice. Now there’s this great Wired video of me shooting on the street the same way I shot Watchmen stuff, and that’s getting great feedback. There’s also a web site called Strobist that linked to it, and thousands and thousands of people have been coming my way.

Has Watchmen: Portraits done well for you?
For me personally, I have no vested interest in the book. I don’t make any money. It’s a promotion vehicle for Warner Bros. But it’s always a thrill to be published, and one would hope that I could get published again due to the fact that there’s already one [book] in existence. I have no idea how well it did.

What has it done for you since it came out?
It’s a fabulous boost to your credibility. Whether it’s warranted or not is not really for me to quibble with. [chuckles] It’s just a lovely calling card, and the more people that see a book like that and then realize that it was done so simply – the Wired video being a really nice follow-up to the book and only possible because of the book – it’s just really nice to be able to reach out and touch folks that you never would have prior.

What are your favorite shots from Watchmen: Portraits?
I love the Vietnamese girl who winds up getting shot in the movie. There’s something really neat about that one. I also really love the close-up of Mothman, and the close-up – if you pull the dust jacket off of the book – of the original Nite Owl.

Why are you traveling around the country on a Vespa?
I figured while I was on deck [for the next movie] I would slowly go that way, make an adventure ahead of time and explore America on this Vespa scooter. I’m also only doing it by eating food from within 150 miles of wherever I am, so cows and pigs and chickens and eggs all were raised and harvested within 150 miles of wherever I am. That’s proving to be quite difficult. So if I don’t find it I don’t eat. I’m really interested in the local economy, and eating organic and buying local, and food is the perfect example of where spending money locally also probably improves the quality of that food. It’s fresher. You probably know the farmer or can get to know the farmer. There’s an accountability. It’s been a real eye opener — what’s available and the whole infrastructure of food. It’s emblematic of a lot of other stuff in our culture that we’ve lost touch with or changed our relationship to, right on down to friendship.

What side project do you plan to do for Sucker Punch?
I’m looking to do portraits, but I’m also hoping to make something a little sexier, a little edgier, a little more eclectic. It’s hard to know. Before you get in you can imagine all you want, but once I’m there we’ll see. I’m putting it out there that I’m hopeful that I can do something sexy just due to the fact that there are five young women in this movie, and it’s going to be over the top, cool stuff. So I’m hoping my photos can reflect some of that, and I could have a stand-alone book. That would be just so sweet.

Clay Enos/Watchmen Portraits (Titan Books); Watchmen and all related characters and elements are trademarks of DC Comics © 2009.  All Rights Reserved.