Christian Zanier: Artist Interview
CA: You’ve been working on Crossed with Garth Ennis for Avatar Press. What has that experience been like?
CZ: Garth is the most veteran writer I have worked with and he knows comic book writings in and outs. He knows what’s too much and what’s too little on a page making it very straight forward when planning and laying out pages. He’s very traditional when it comes to the art layouts, so even though I’m known for being more flashy I appreciate the straightforwardness he likes to see as it gives me more variety in the projects I do. From my personal experience, he’s a consummate and passionate professional who puts himself in 100% no matter what he’s writing. In person he’s friendly and likes to share his ideas present and future about the projects we are working on.
CA: Tell us a little bit about your latest project, Ember.
Ember is the new front-running series for the relaunch of Avatar Press’s Boundless Comic line of books featuring sexy female characters harking back to the bad girl comics of the 90’s which Avatar Press at the time was at the forefront of. Ember is set as a predecessor series to Lady Death as the publishing goes exclusively back to the Boundless Comics Lady Death arc finale.
Ember is about a spoiled debutante who develops the ability to control and produce fire through exposure to an experimental jet fuel in a plane crash who is later co-opted by the military establishment. She struggles between her own indulgences and responsibility as her own agenda of being a superstar is more important to her then the responsibility of being a hero. She’s a spoiled brat (perhaps even unlikeable) at first and slowly grows to become a hero where she can have a balance of fame and responsibility. What kind of hero? We’ll have to see. Issue 0 was an introduction to the character, her friends, and one of her most dangerous enemies, Wreckage. Wreckage is a Juggernaut inspired female invincible powerhouse villain of insane levels of rage. It is hinted that she possibility may have gotten her powers from the same plane crash. Ember’s beginnings and road to heroism will be fully fledged out for the reader in her subsequent ongoing arc series coming closer to the end of the year.
CA:You’ve been drawing comics for quite some time. You’ve worked with Michael J. Straczynski on Rising Stars and penciled issues of Ghost and Angel for Dark Horse. How has the industry changed since you started drawing comics?
CZ: Over the years the evolution in entertainment and technology that brings it to the pubic has created a struggle with print publications such as comic books, as illustrated by the acquisition of Marvel by Disney and the closure of bookstores and libraries all across North America. Not only from the aspect of sales but also talent going to other entertainment avenues such as TV, Film and video games. Even though some comic talent powerhouses are still in the industry I find a reduction in quality of a fair amount of comic books. So the atmosphere is definitely in a different place but because of the diehard fans who still love the print form, as well as the popularity of MCU and DC films and television shows, comics is not dying out anytime soon. The industry is in flux not in it’s death throws. In my opinion, one of the most positive outcomes is the rise of some of the top independent publishers, such as Avatar, Valiant and IDW, and the open arena for new independent comic books coming from talent that might not have the chance to otherwise, through sources like Kickstarter and the likes of Image Comics.
CA: What is the difference between working on creator owned projects vs. projects for other publishers?
Stress! Yeah, there is definitely more riding on one’s talents when being responsible for most of the production. But in the end it is more rewarding. A creator owned book gives you a creative freedom that you obviously don’t on an established series and I have been lucky enough to have that freedom for a decade now with my creator owned books at NBM. Ember is something in between where there is more of a collaboration with the publisher but with the same trepidations and rewards.
CA: What element of your work gives you the most personal satisfaction?
CZ: That it pays the bills and helps sate my addiction to technology? But seriously, what gives me the most personal satisfaction is fan reaction and response to the work. When they respond positively and knowing that they are enjoying my work. I even appreciate the negative reactions and responses as they have invested in the what they have read already.
CA: What has been the most rewarding project in your professional career – in or out of comics – and why?
CZ: I’d have to say Ember. It’s quite a thing when a publisher is confident enough of someone’s talents to hand an idea over with such creative control. From creating the character’s origin story, to design, to creative responsibility for writing and artwork. It’s ego stroking as well as humbling and can be as exciting as it can be stressful. Plus this series has all my favorite elements of female superheroes and bad girl tropes and allows me add more from outside of the genre like aircraft accident investigations, technology and military themed conspiracies.
CA: When did you first decide that you wanted to create your own comics as a career?
CZ: I’ve always had the mind set to having my own creator owned comics. So whenever the opportunity came, I took it. So I feel lucky to have the opportunity to have a few with NBM Publishing for the last decade or so and now with the collaboration in the creation of Ember with Avatar press. Right now I’m glad to be in the present environment where there is now more opportunity for independent comics opening up endless future possibilities.
CA: What tools do you use to create comics and what makes them the “right tools” for you?
CZ: Wacom, Strathmore, Staedtler, Prismacolor and Adobe are my best friends at work. These are pretty much the staple of products used in comics, give or take a few others, and it’s no different for me. I use Staedtler 2mm 2H and H carbon lead and non-photo blue Prismacolor 2mm drawing leads with Staedtler drafters mechanical pencil. I find the lead size easier to vary line thickness. I have been using Wacom Intuos tablets for many years in conjunction with Adobe Photoshop for color and page cleanup/inks. Paper wise I use Strathmore Bristol smooth – lined for comic book pages. I prefer smooth as it gives me super clean lines allowing for detailed work which I have been known for as well as ease of scanning.
CA: Although most fans know of you as an artist, you’re also a colorist and a writer. How does being skilled in those areas influence how you produce comics?
CZ: To be honest it’s been more a trap for me for a long while. As a one man band even if the money is good combined, it takes a lot more time to finish the work. Now I try to work with projects that balance those things out. Ember is ideal as an example as it’s on a more dedicated deadline schedule (as are most monthly and bi-weekly comics). I can concentrate on writing and penciling as colorists do their stuff with some nuanced finishing touches by me. I still have a large part of the creative control but with a more speedy process.
CA: Who has had the biggest influence on your comics career, and how has that person changed your work?
CZ: Kevin Nowlan has probably been the most constant influence for pencils. His mix of realistic and comic book style art continues to fascinate and influence me. My design and page layout has been most influenced by manga, such as works by Shirow Masamune and Izayoi Seishin. John Romita, John Buscema, and Frank Miller are influences for their action sequencing and illustrating character movement. Over the years I enjoyed the work of the likes of J.Scott Campbell, Adam Hughs, Marc Silvestri, among others, but it was more adoration than influence. Coloring wise, throughout the years I have been most influenced by Hajime Sorayama, Olivia de Berardinis, the late Gil Elvgrn and Alberto Vargas. They are all practical artists but I put those influences in digitally. Earlier in my youth it was Boris Vallejo and Frank Frazetta but by the time I started coloring my work professionally, my tastes had changed and gravitated more to the artists mentioned above.
CA: What can we expect from you in 2015 and beyond?
CZ: Ember’s adventures will continue near the end of the year and another Crossed: Badlands arc with Garth Ennis currently slated for spring 2016. Anything else is still hush hush, but details will be forthcoming.
