Anthony, you are one of those guys who has been drawing your whole life, aren't you? When did you first make the association that working in comic books was something you wanted to pursue?
I guess that is one way to put it, or as long as drawing was the available option. My favorite story is from WAY back when I was going into kindergarten. I actually remember this day pretty vividly. My Aunt and Uncle had just had my cousin and they came over to show off the baby. Well knowing I was a boy and not to entranced by babies my Aunt thought ahead and brought along a Sesame Street writing pad. The ones with the inch tall lines and the dotted line in the center to help little kids, like myself at the time, learn to write upper and lower case letters. I loved it, more so because I love most anything Jim Henson or puppet related. Anyways, my
Aunt was showing me the pad, and my new cousin, and challenged me to copy my new cousin’s name just how she wrote it. Then left me there laying on the floor as she went to sit in the kitchen and do that talking thing adults like to do so much. Well I can say I tried, but after getting to the second letter it just wasn’t for me, instead I chose to draw my Aunt holding her new baby. And I drew it from the perspective of where I was on the floor. It was close enough were they knew what I drew without me telling them and it was all art supplies as gifts from that point on.
Comics came later. Something I have to credit my Uncle Keith for. If it wasn’t for him, I would have not gained the relationship and appreciation for comics at the time that I did. My Mom became aware that I had acquired a comic book, an old X-men comic drawn my Marc Silvestri. Her husband at the time was an abusive jerk off and didn’t think comic books were appropriate. Kinda like a male version of the mom from the Adam Sandler film “Waterboy”, ya know “Comic books are from the Devil”! Needless to say their relationship ended and my Mother being so loving told her brother that I had found comics. A passion of his for years, he is quite a collector. He is also an artist in his own right, quite a painter, and has a bachelors of fine arts from the University of MN I believe. Either way he knows his stuff and he began to teach me, almost like a sensei would. Showing me how to pick out good books, and how to draw like they did in the comics. He gave me Spawn 1-5 as a birthday gift, and I was blown away by McFarlane and Capullo’s work. I also had the big X-men #1 comic drawn by Jim Lee (notice a trend yet?). It was the early 90’s and in the thick of my growing love for comics Image exploded onto the scene and these artist that had introduced comics to me visually, I became aware that they started their own company and it was so fascinating. In 91 or 92 my Uncle took me to my first comic convention: MCBA FallCON. At that time it was held at the Thunderbird hotel in Bloomington, MN. This was the day that changed my life forever. Walking around, looking at all the comics and
toys I was in heaven. But then we passed a table, and there was just this guy, I don’t even remember who he was. All I remember was he talked to me. Talked to me about what I liked in comics and that I liked to draw. While talking he sketched up a quick picture on a 11/14 inch legal sized printing paper, of my favorite character at the time WOLVERINE. Gave it to me, and I was so amazed at what he did. How fast he was. The picture had Wolverine saying “Keep reading comics bub!” Today I don’t know what happened to that drawing, but I know that in that moment I had one thought. I wanted to be the guy on the other side of the table someday
inspiring kids and entertaining fans. That was the day I knew. 12 years later I went to FallCON again, but this time I was a guest artist, sitting with the likes of Doug Mahnke, Tom Nguyen, Shawn Moll, Patrick Gleason. I wasn’t with them, but I was in the same table area as they were sharing fans and getting critiques from them. It was amazing and I was hooked.
Tell us about some of your past projects. And who has influenced you along the way, in or out of graphic arts?
My first comic was a 26 page story I drew just in pencil back in 6th grade. It sounds silly right? My 6th grade teacher actually supported comic book reading to my mother and allowed me to bring in comic books for our reading time during class. We can all admit now, that I was NOT
reading, I was studying. I think my mom may still have that original story I drew. It was like a mix between X-men and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but all the characters were cat mutants. I was so proud of that work. Used to carry it with me in my bag in a folder.
Soon after that girls started to get my attention and needless to say my attention was pulled in an alternate direction from comics. I was still drawing, doing comic strips for my high school paper, and illustrating for the year book which was fun. It was during this time that I began doing custom art for friends. There was, and still is no better feeling then when someone loves your work enough to hang it on their wall. More than a couple times I would visit people’s homes and see in their house, or bedroom, my art on their wall, which is success to me. I love it.
In 1999 I won best of category in a poster contest. The objective was to illustrate a poster depicting one of the statistical facts regarding violence against women. It was sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Center in Minneapolis, and the late Senator Paul Wellstone. The category that I won in was “Every 15 Seconds” because at that time the statistic showed that every 15 seconds in the United States a woman is admitted to the emergency room due to some sort of violence committed to her by a man. I utilized my familiarity with sequential story telling to show the stages of the process all in one image, rotating about an elapsed second hand on a clock that has moved 15 seconds. It was a fun experience and a huge honor. I was nationally published, with my poster being showing in public transportation bus stops in Washington DC and across the country. It felt good to win obviously, but it also felt good for two other reasons. One was that my mother was a victim of abusive relationships with men, and the second was that my art teacher forced me to do it because she believed in me. She said, the first day I was in her class; “You have until the end of the day to get this done and enter. If you don’t you will fail my class.”
Well I had never failed an art class and I wasn’t going to start now. HA! In a time frame of 45 min I drew, inked and colored with colored pencils a full illustration 11/14 inches. I was even impressed. I believe my mother or father have a copy of the poster, I should get it and try to include it in this interview. We’ll see. (note to reader: if no image appears with this question, it means I have failed in gaining access to said image and we should just move on with the interview.)
Eight years ago I decided to give into my dream and begin the chase of comic book glory. I created BRETHREN with good friend Robert Muller, and it started as a web comic. Ran for a while and was a LOT of fun. The current comic book mini-series is actually a continuation of that story and what we established during that time. Kind of gives a perspective on how long I have been working on BRETHREN. After BRETHREN went on hiatus I attended MCBA FallCON here in Minnesota where I live. It was there I met some guys that would independently and collectively have a huge impact on my path to comic book glory. First and foremost has been Tom Nguyen. Severely underrated talent in the industry. He is best known for his work with DC Comics as an inker on books such as JLA, Batman, Green Lantern Corps, and Major Bummer, along with his beautiful portrait paintings of pageant models. He is also an accomplished author of two art instructional books through Impact Publishing, and also the Hardcore DVD instructional series through UMH productions title Tom Nguyen Style of Comic Book Inking. He tolerates me well and has taken the time to help me improve in my craft. I have also been guided by the wise input of Doug Mahnke and Pat Gleason. Their practical advice has helped me enormously.
My first comic book gig was on a fun little book called Deep Salvage, created and written by Gordon Smuder. LOVED that project, and even though Gordon has had his hands full with his Awesome TV show “Transylvania-TV”, I keep bugging him to let me play with those characters again. Even in just fun little 4-8 page ashcan format. From there I have done a few short stories for different indy publishers. I’ve illustrated covers, acted as an Editor on projects, and helped in the development of a few properties out there. Most recently I penciled and inked (with assists by Nicholas P. Myers) a 9 page story for Ronin Studios Hero Initiative anthology project titled: HOPE: Hero Initiative. That book should publish later this year. (check out ronin-studios.com for details)
Outside of the creative world I have to say my parents have been great. My Mother is a fanatic, and comes to all of my shows that she can. Of course she is bias, but her enthusiasm for what I do feels really good and I hope I make her proud. My Father is the opposite. He shows up for nothing, and loves what I do, but he lets me know when it sucks. Between he and my amazing wife I am not allowed to get comfortable with where I am. I HAVE to improved on each project or illustration I do. That kind of support is invaluable. At the end of the day, I do what I do to entertain people, to make me happy, and to hopefully give my family something they can be proud to be associated with.
I think that answers your question. HA HA!
What works outside of comics do you dig, such as other artists, films, music, etc? And I know this might lead to another lengthy response, but do you have dream projects aside from the future of A.N.A. Comics, or are you more attracted to work where you can incorporate more of yourself and your own philosophy into?
Yes, well… Lengthy is good right? Give people more for their money, or in this case time. I LOVE LOVE LOVE movies. There, that’s it. Next question…
I’m kidding. Before I chose to pursue comics my dream was to make movies. It’s still a dream of mine. Acting, directing, writing, I would do it all. I would love to do storyboards. In high school I was in Drama, and also took a mass media class where I wrote, directed, and edited a short film.
It was just an awesome experience. My Biggest dream would obviously be to see my creations make it to other media, whether it is TV, Film, Toys, or Video Games. I love to create and that is really what this is all about for me.
Filmmakers that I love to watch or that inspire me are guys like Spielberg, Lucas, and Scorsese. I also love newer guys like Guy Richie, love his work. Kevin Smith, his dialogue and humor just wow me. I am a newly converted JJ Abrams fan. His visuals and story pacing are impressive to me. I also love pretty much anything Jerry Bruckheimer touches.
Music really inspires me when I am working. Bands like The Counting Crows, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Metallica, All American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, Eric Clapton, John Mayor, Jack Johnson, Steve Vai, Lifehouse, Matchbox 20, Lynard Skynard, Snow Patrol, Damien Rice and the list goes on. What I listen to can vary based on the work I am doing. When I work out, high tempo rock like My Chemical Romance hit the spot very well, but if I am writing it helps to listen to musical scores from films. I love musical scores. It all just plays into me and what I do. I illustrate, write,
cook, play music, anything expressive and creative.
It is always nice to have the freedom to put a bit of yourself in to a project. To have that personal attachment to it. Some creator can ONLY work in those parameters. Where they make the rules, set the guides and have all the freedom. I love it and I get it, but I don’t need it. If I like a project I am happy to just be hired help. It just has to be a project I can believe in.
I am actively pursuing work with DC and Marvel, along with helping to keep A.N.A. Comics moving forward. If one of the big publishers, which includes IDW, Dark Horse, Top Cow or even Aspen comics came and hired me on for a project. Even an ongoing project, I wouldn’t stop my work with A.N.A. Comics. Hopefully it would help bring attention to what we are doing here and we could use that success to grow as a group. Why limit yourself, ya know? Just go for it and Make IT Happen!!! That’s our slogan here, it’s what I am trying to live by. Because its true and it works.
If I get my way, before my comic book illustrating career is over, I will have done the following– at least!
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Wolverine
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Batman
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series for Spider-man or Hulk
- Pencil or pencil and write a 3 issue mini-series of Aquaman or Green Lantern
- Illustrate a project written by Kevin Smith
- Illustrate a project written by Mark Millar, anything with him would rock
- Illustrate a project written by Keith Champagne
More than any of that, I just hope what I do is enjoyed by someone out there. I love the fans I have. They are so fun. And their support continues to push me to do more and try harder. There is nothing better than seeing them like my work.
Do you push the skill level of your craft constantly, or is experimentation just not as vital in what you do? 50 years from now, when readers look over your work, what do you want them to see?
To answer the first part of your question it really has to do with the subject matter. My Wife has been invaluable to me as an Editor. She checks easily 80% of my work. Whether it is for comic book projects or private commissions, ANYTHING that others might see, she tries to check it out. She NEVER says what I did well. HA HA!! Rather she always finds something I could change or improve upon. I haven’t had one piece of art pass by her that she didn’t ask for some level of revision on. This really helps me because when you are drawing, staring at that piece for hours and hours, you just don’t see everything that you should.
I view every artistic work I do as part of my BRAND, ya know what I mean? When you see ANMPH signed on a piece of art, or my name on a comic, there has to be some level of an established relationship there between the quality of my work and the person interested in looking at that work. I take that very seriously. You’ll hear people say “That’s a Bruckheimer
style film” or “it’s a Kevin Smith movie” and people know EXACTLY what you mean when you say that. Because those creators have established a BRAND for their work. They are their own Brand. I want to be that. It does me no good to go out and try to copy other artist, or be the next Jim Lee (Whose art I love), Ed McGuiness, or even Doug Mahnke. I need to be the ONLY Anthony “ANMPH” Hary! I’m not saying I am going to be the Will Smith of comics. I mean for one, I am not black, nor that good looking. So Adrian can have that distinguished position if he wants it. What I do want is for people to see my work, or just see my name and have a sense of confidence in what they can expect from me as a creator. That is Extremely important
to me.
This conviction of mine is actually what helped lead to the weekly sketch challenges we have been running on the BOARD at anacomics.com. We’ve covered drawing Oversized hulking physiques, basic human anatomy, character likenesses with the Wolfman challenge, and this week we are considering the use of shadows in art through a Contrast challenge. The whole idea is to create an environment where other artists can try what may be new things for them, or even try what they ‘think’ they know already and get feedback from peers so we can all improve.
So yea for your first question, I find it very vital. But I also think we need help to actually experiment, the inspiration or challenge has to come from somewhere. We can’t think of everything on our own.
For part two, I love this question. I am an overly analytical person, just ask Nicholas or my Wife. I am also an idealist, always day dreaming and thinking of all the “could be” great things that are going to happen. In 50 years huh?
I would want readers 50 years from now, 10 years from now, or even later this year to see that I never quit on them. I never got comfortable and “OK” with where I was, but I have tried to grow and develop as an artist to put out the best work that I know I can do.
Hopefully most of what I do are projects that can transcend age, race, and life circumstance to give lasting quality work to be enjoyed for years. Its always been sort of a love me or hate me mentality with me, granted I would rather be loved, but I know some people just won’t like the work I do. And that is cool with me, because I have no control over that. More than anything I hope that the work I do proves my character, my commitment to the craft, and earns the respect of my contemporaries and those who come after me.
When you really break it all down, storytelling in any form is a back bone to human history and social growth. I respect that and approach all my work keeping that in mind. Somewhere in the fabric of life I am adding to that rich history of storytelling. I don’t want to be part of that area of
the fabric that gets trimmed off. I don’t expect to the biggest piece of it, just hope that I actually contribute something worth remembering.
I know there is the constant and ongoing debate over the availability of reader-friendly and all-ages comic books, and much in the same vein A.N.A. strives for family-accessible works themselves. Being a family man, what are your thoughts on censorship today? Do some folks, some agencies, go too far, or have we in truth as a medium come a long enough way since the days of Fredric Wertham's bigoted Seduction Of The Innocent?
Oh baby! Now we’re getting good! HA! Opinion questions, I love ‘em, mainly due to the over abundance of my strong opinions. Fredric Wertham was entitled to his opinion, as skewed, flawed and utter retarded as it really is. I only read enough of what he said to determine we would most likely NOT be friendly with each other, and I would have enjoyed annoying the daylights out of him.
Reader-friendly and All Ages are king of suggestive terms and yet subjective at the same time. I think that fact is what really is at the heart of the issue when you look at it. What I think is ok for kids, may not match what you or someone else thinks is ok for kids to be exposed to. The best advice I was ever given was to make sure it supports the story. If it doesn’t actually support the story or the work your doing, then it’s gratuitous. You’re doing it just to do it. Why do that? Its stuff like that which I think fuels peoples need to censor art and expression.
People say “I should have the right to do it, to express myself how I see fit.” Sure that’s true, but if you are doing something gratuitously, a term which doesn’t just apply to sex and nudity, it means to do something with our cause or justification, if you do something just to do it aren’t you lessening the value of your work? I think you are. The more we do it, the more reason we give people to STOP paying attention to what we do. There really isn’t any need to have vulgar offensive language heavily throughout your story; there isn’t any need to show graphic violence or sexual content. It’s a creator’s prerogative to do it or not. I don’t. My focus is the story first.
All Ages is a term I hope can be applied to the majority of the work I do. When I think all ages my thought is that a person my age should be entertained and challenged by my story, but it should be clean enough that if they shared it with their 11 or 12 year old sibling, they won’t be traumatized. I don’t think anyone under 8 should read my books, or really any comic books. They have a special KIDS category for parents who want to let their kids read on their own. Comic books even have special kids stuff. I’ll probably be putting that in my books. Not recommended for people under the age of 11. I don’t know.
Really Parents need to take some ownership over the development of their kids. Why do we as parents rely so heavenly on the MPAA or the comic book authority code, or even the video game rating system out there? If you’re a parent, YOU are responsible for your kids. Man up and take control of that. I don’t let my kids watch things that I know some parents would allow their kids to watch, and yet I have allowed them to watch or read things that other parents would not allow their kids to be exposed to. That’s ok, that is MY CALL as the Dad in that situation. I take pride in that. I don’t need some Dr, or supposed expert to tell me what is ok for my kids.
It’s important for our industry to widen out. We need more than just super hero books, or adult themed books. Movies only go so far; if we can’t get books into the hands of young people we will lose the strength of our fan base. Reading sequential storytelling is a learned skill. Not everyone has the capacity to do it. If we don’t create properties that have a wide potential fan base, we are missing out.
I think almost any establish comic book fan enjoys the moment where Wolverine gives into his berserker rage and takes out a couple hundred bozos. It’s that conflict resolution that we love to read. That stress and picking our side, rooting for our hero, which is where the magic is at. Along with, this conflict doesn’t always have to involve violence or bloodshed. So the argument is valid, we do need more reader friendly all age titles. This will only happen when people think outside the box and get back to telling the story for the sake of the story. Not for their need to fictionally rape, pillage, and murder.
Hey now, some of my best friends are pillagers. But before this turns into a series of books waiting to be burned by future generations of naysayers, do you have any regrets about your creative livelihood thus far?
Are you happy?
Yes, no need for undo soapboxing at this time. Hahaha! It was a great question though. Thanks.
At this time I can’t really say I have any regrets creatively. Sometimes I fight my overly analytical nature, my opinionated way of thinking, and I have to remind myself not to compare where I am with other creators out there. I see some artists get published, or get to work with other creators as assistants or what have you on projects, and I look at their work and mine… I just don’t see it sometimes. So I fight with that because I don’t want to think that way. Don’t want to give in to thoughts about “Oh, I am better then so & so, what about me? Where’s my gig at this publisher?” There is nothing productive in that line of thinking.
Taking the time to look at what I have done, its been a good run so far. I have done more then I originally thought I would when I started. Even now with moving the comic book side of my personal company Carbon Hallway Graphics & Production over to join up with Nicholas and Adrian’s respective studios to form A.N.A. Comics, that’s awesome! Who has really done that? Not many, and we’ve already published books, and have a whole slew of stuff to look forward to later this year. Feels really good!
I am happy, but I am no where near satisfied. I don’t often feel satisfied. BRETHREN could sell a million copies over the course of the whole mini-series, become a movie, with toys and games to boot, and here I would be with my nice paycheck and happy smile thinking of what to do next.
It took me longer to get to certain areas in my life then I would have liked. Moments where I ‘thought’ I was on the right path, yet that was proven to not be the case. Its good to be with my partners and to have A.N.A. Comics. Hopefully it continues to grow and we can support the
Independent side of the comic book industry and we can all gain success together. I would enjoy that. If I make thousands of dollars on a project, I want to be able to help someone else gain that as a reality for themselves too. Why not? I’m not selfish. Lets all get some pie and ice cream. It is more fun that way!!
That is why its fun to do these interviews with you. Thanks for doing them with us here by the way. I really hope other creators see it as an opportunity to get showcased and have their corner of the Indy market showcased with A.N.A. Comics. Its been great to see the interviews with my
partners before me. Good to be last and I learned a thing or two about them that I didn’t know. I enjoyed that a lot. We’re spreading the word and hope that this avenue gets utilized by other creators too.
Right now, for me, its all about getting the next issue of BRETHREN done. I do the book all by myself mainly, and I have the goal of putting out issues 1 and 2 this year, with issue 3 coming early 2011 thus completing my first mini-series for BRETHREN. If that happens I will be a very VERY happy Anthony. I am also finishing up organizing our A.N.A. Comics Spring Anthology, which features short stories from all over the Indy scene. I’ll be illustrating the cover for that, and hopefully providing a fun 5 page story as well. Later this year we have the 2010 A.N.A. Comics Swimsuit issue, where our profits are being donated towards Breast Cancer Research,
making that a very awesome project and we have a lot of artist lined up for that project too.
My Wife would tell you I can talk all day, and most friends would support that but I hope I didn’t over talk here today. If anyone wants to catch info about myself, planned comic book convention appearances, along with project news and art galleries, there is info on anacomics.com along with
an event calendar. I also have anthonyhary.com for my own work, and carbonhallway.com is the other side to my business which contributes to comic books, but is doing other things too. Design, custom illustration works are just a couple of the items Carbon Hallway covers. So check that out.
Of course hit up the BOARD on anacomics.com also. Lots of stuff going on there, and more is coming in the next few months.
Follow Anthony Hary on twitter: http://twitter.com/ANMPH
